Amaranthine Love ~Original Story~

Chapter 21- Love Conquers All

(Photo taken by Allie Crowe)

"Mary we've been searching for a while now, she's not turning up." Tom complained, as they continued to search the fields. Mary thrusted her head out from the wheat and turned to face him,

"I hope you're not giving up on me Tom!" She responded harshly, he blew his cheeks out in exasperation.

"Of course not, Mary."

"Good, now keep looking, I'm not going home 'til we find her, and I'm not letting you leave until we do!" He sighed as he let his vision drift away to the bridge, and at that moment he swore he saw two things walk into the forest, and he would die saying they had horns.

His eyes grew wide as his heartbeat quickened in fear and excitement.

"Demons..." He breathed, "I knew it, I always said."

"Tom! What are you doing!? Help me look!" Mary scolded from somewhere away, but he was no longer interested in finding his daughter, he was interested in those shadows.

Sure he had always been afraid of demons and anything concerning witchcraft or magic, but he believed that this was his chance to serve God. If he destroyed two demons then it would make not only Massachusetts safer, but the whole world safer. Then he would finally be a respected man of the church and all of Christianity. This was his chance, and fear was not going to stop him.

He looked over to where Mary was, who had her back to him gazing down towards the main cobblestone road. This was his chance. So he started to run as fast as a fifty one year old man could run in the direction of the bridge.

"Tom do you think we should start looking more that way?" Mary asked after a while, turning around expecting to find him. However she was outraged when she was met with nothing. She spun around every which way in search of him, and that's where she saw him running ridiculously towards the bridge, arms flailing up and down, his cross held tightly in one hand.

"Tom where the fuck are you going!?" She hollered after him, as she too began to sprint in the direction of the bridge.

"I swear to God I'm going to kill him." She huffed angrily as she made her way after him.
———
All was the same in the serene forest. Ferneus and Donna were comfortably asleep on the ground as they cuddled each other lovingly. Ferneus was holding on to her gently, feeling her warmth enter him. He was surprised she was still warm after turning into a demon, he was glad. Perhaps she was still alive.

At one point Donna awoke to find a ladybug on her nose. She normally would have swatted it off, but she didn't mind. It seemed like nothing really mattered except her love, and she had him right beside her.

She never realized just how much she loved nature. The soft warm sunlight dappling the ground and her skin. The rustling of the leaves as they danced on the whims of the wind. The quick flaps of the birds who held the world in their eyes. This was the place she belonged in with the being she loved dearly, and she would never leave ever again.

However Donna heard a sound that wasn't common among the quiet nature, it sounded like hurried footsteps and the snapping of wood, growing ever nearer. Her eyes grew wide in worry as she laid there, her pointed ears listening.

Ferneus's eyes snapped open when he heard the sound. He tightened his grip on Donna as he sat up, watching and listening intently.

The noises kept growing nearer and nearer, however instead of louder and louder they almost seemed to quiet down, almost to sneak up on something.

Donna laid there, frozen in anticipation and fear, it wasn't until Ferneus stood up all the way that she was snapped out of it.

"What are you doing?" She whispered worriedly, standing up as well.