𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬⎹ 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐞

Chapter 1: The Byrne Family Massacre

November 9, 1707

Malahide, Ireland

Cormac Byrne blew out the last candle in his family's small farm and slid himself underneath a handmade quilt next to his sleeping wife. He lulled off into a dreamless slumber. It was only a few hours later that he and Aisling were awoken by the piercing screams of their children. They both shot out of bed, and Aisling hurriedly lit a lantern while Cormac grabbed his hunting rifle and knives from a locked cupboard. They rushed down the hall and burst into their two sons' shared room. A horrid sight greeted them.

A tall figure cloaked in black was hunched over the dying body of their oldest child. Their other son was screeching and sobbing. The creature had its teeth attached to the elder boy's neck and was quickly draining the blood from his body.

"Thomás, níl!" Aisling cried in terror. Cormac shot multiple times at the monster, but the bullets did no harm. They just shattered upon impact.

The twelve-year-old boy took his final breath with his last words, "Rith," Thomás whispered. He went limp in the figure's arms, and Aisling cried. The red-eyed demon turned to Fionn and had its fangs deep within his jugular in a flash. The nine-year-old was dead within seconds.

Cormac pushed Aisling out of the room, "Téigh aimsigh Maeve agus rith," he gave her a quick kiss before he pivoted to the figure.

"Cad fútsa?" She inquired frantically.

"Just dul!" He grabbed his hunting and charged at the creature. Aisling decided to listen and went to her daughter's room. She panicked when she didn't see Maeve in her bed.

"Maeve? Cá bhfuil tú?" Aisling called out. "Níl ann ach mamaí, cailín milis."

Maeve popped her head out from her wardrobe, "Mamaí!" The six-year-old burst out of the wooden doors and hugged her mother's leg. At that moment, a bloodcurdling cry of agony rang throughout the house. After that was only silence. Aisling choked back a sob; the love of her life was dead. She knew that the creature would come looking for them, so she ushered Maeve to the front door.

But deep inside, Aisling knew it was a fruitless effort. The nearest neighbor was miles and miles away, and they most likely hadn't heard the screams. And besides, who's to say the creature would stop with just the Byrnes? Other families and farmers would be at risk; the monster could slaughter the whole town. Aisling would die no matter what she did. But she might as well try to run, even if it killed her. She had to protect her last remaining child.

Aisling and Maeve tugged on their boots and wool coats. The matriarch pulled the door open, and she trudged through the heavy blanket of snow with her daughter and a lantern in separate arms. They had only made it seven feet before the creature swooped in and grabbed Maeve out of Aisling's grasp. Faster than the woman could process, it started to feast on Maeve's blood. The little girl's high-pitched screams snapped Aisling out of her stupor. The woman dropped the lantern and tried in vain to tug her youngest child out of the monster's hold. But it was in vain, for it was too strong. Aisling's fists beat against the monster's arm, but its marble-like skin made her bones fracture, and her skin bleed. The creature threw Maeve's corpse to the side and locked its red eyes on her bleeding hand. It was in front of her in an instant and pushed her down.

The woman had nowhere to run to, no one to save her. The demon let out a deep chuckle at her helplessness and raised her left hand to its mouth. It slowly licked the blood off. Aisling screamed, and it laughed louder. It then sunk its teeth into her skin and drank her blood. Aisling had lost all hope. She was certain she would die.

But then, something caught her attention in the peripheral of her eyesight. A bright orange light encased in a glass and wooden prism. It was the lantern, and the fire was still burning. Using her free hand, she wrapped her broken fingers around the handle and threw it at the creature's head with all of her strength. Its hair caught fire instantly as it scrambled away from her. The fire spread quickly and the creature shrieked and cursed in a foreign language. Aisling watched with wide eyes as it gradually turned to nothing but a pile of ash.

When the adrenaline wore off, the pain of the demon's poison hit her full force. She screamed and writhed in pain until she passed out; her heart stopped beating.

Translations:

níl - no

rith - run

Téigh aimsigh Maeve agus rith - Go find Maeve and run.

Cad fútsa? - What about you?

Just dul! - Just go!

Cá bhfuil tú? - Where are you?

Níl ann ach mamaí, cailín milis - It's just mummy, sweet girl.

Mamaí - Mummy/Mommy