The Demon In Me

Chapter Thirty Seven: Are All Mother's Bad?

"Whatever happens to that half-breed is none of my business. If it was up to me, I would never have given birth to that thing. I should've killed it when I had the chance!"

Kotori began to regain consciousness as she opened her golden yellow eyes. She could not move an inch with the damage her body sustained.

As she lifted her gaze from the verdant blades of grass beneath her, she was utterly taken aback by the sight before her. Standing before her was a stunning woman with flowing, vibrant scarlet locks cascading around her shoulders and piercing red eyes that seemed to gleam with an otherworldly intensity. Two elegant horns protruded from her forehead, adding an enigmatic and mysterious air to her already striking appearance.

A vivid memory resurfaces from the depths of her mind. It was as if she had forgotten it long ago in the memory, a young child was walking joyfully alongside her mother, the sun shining down upon them. The child's face was lit up with a radiant smile, and her mother's eyes sparkled with pride and contentment. It was a beautiful moment that had been tucked away in her subconscious for far too long.

The memory that was once filled with joy and brightness was transformed into a somber one when the heavy raindrops beat down upon the delicate petals of the flower. The sight was disheartening, and the once vibrant beauty of the scene was replaced with a sense of melancholy.

Standing atop the summit, the little girl with her reddish-brown hair tightly and soft red eyes, grasped her mother's hand as they stood in solemn silence, gazing down at the tombstone nestled beneath the sprawling branches of the nearby tree.

The young girl was overwhelmed by difficult emotions and tears kept flowing down her face. She was bewildered when her mother released her hand and started walking away.

Don't leave, Mommy!

The sound of a young child's voice screaming stirred up a range of emotions within her.

She was experiencing difficulty with verbal expression due to a soreness in the throat region, impeding her capacity to articulate words effectively.

As Kotori released a harsh, guttural cough, the delicate and flawless ivory petals of the rose nestled within her grasp were abruptly tainted with a vivid and unsettling shade of crimson, creating an unmistakable and alarming visual contrast to their prior immaculate loveliness.

" Are you really going let Kotori die just like Hiso? Do you not love your own daughter anymore?" Kikyo questioned.

" There is so much that you do not know about, dead priestess. It's good if she die now then it won't be by my hands.... Like I said before, the world would be better if half-breeds never lived."

Those words were like a blade to the chest. She witnesses her mother gradually vanish into the woods; tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Kotori, once vigorous and strong, was now frail and weal. She struggled to make even the smallest movement, and her stamina was severely depleted. Kikyo, frantic with concern, called out her name in alarm. It was clear to Kotori that her time was running out- she couldn't even remain conscious for more than a minute at a time.

"Master Kikyo, is that you? I have a favor to ask of you. Could you please take me to The Heaven- Reaching Hill? It's my father resting place and I want to be next to him right now...."

Kotori spoke weakly as she heard footsteps approaching.

With two fingers pressing on the veins of the wrist, the Kikyo felt the young woman pulse became weaker.

"It seems that the poison already had spread throughout your body, I fear the distance from here your heart will not make it by time you arrive."

As the two of them road in a carriage, Kotori opened her eyes and her vision was impaired. She could not ever recognized the basic colors and had a difficult time distinguishing them.

"Master, Kikyo. Are you still there? — I was wondering just now if my mother even loved me." She spoke.

When Kikyo looked at the woman, she seen a young and helpless child.

" Child, I cannot answer that for you..." As Kikyo's head dropped drooped down, she felt a wave of despair wash over her. When Kotori placed a comforting hand on hers, Kikyo couldn't help but draw parallels between her own situation of her bleak future and suffering the same fate. The weight of uncertainty and fear seemed to press down on her with an oppressive force.

"But I want to believe that parents love their children unconditionally."

As soon as those words reached Kotori's ears, her lips curved upwards into a gentle smile, and within moments, the carriage gradually came to a halt, bringing the journey to an end.

As Kotori reclined beneath the lush green tree, she relished in the soothing sensation of the gentle breeze as it delicately brushed against the blades of grass beneath her. She curled up and embraced the tombstone, in spirit there was a little girl hugging her father tightly.

Kikyo walked away and climbed back into the carriage.

As night descended, a stunning lady with long, captivating scarlet hair and a horn on her forehead gazed at her daughter sleeping peacefully near the tombstone who was about to take her last breath.

" You look the same when you were a baby..."

She slit her wrist with a blade and closely watched the blood drip near her daughter's mouth. As she deepened the cut, more gushed out.