The Devil with White Wings: Unholy Awakening [DISCONTINUED]

Prologue

The air hung heavy with unspoken tension. Aebelle, oblivious to the storm brewing around her, bounced on the worn couch cushions, a bright smile on her face.

'Ah, welcome back, Marissa,' Grandma greeted, her voice laced with a chilling formality.

'Yeah..., I wanna show you someone,' Marissa said, her voice strained. She pulled Aebelle forward, the little girl shyly peeking out from behind her leg. 'This is Aebelle.'

Grandma's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the child. 'Oh, she's so beautiful. Who's the father?'

Marissa's breath hitched. 'I adopted her, Mum. She was all alone on the beach and—'

'Discard her,' Grandpa spat out, the word cutting through the air like a knife.

'W-what?' Marissa stammered, her face paling. She quickly signaled to Aebelle to go play in the other room, the little girl scampering away with a confused frown.

'What the fuck is wrong with you?' Marissa's voice cracked with anger.

'We should be asking you,' Grandma retorted, her voice dripping with disdain. 'You just adopting orphans now?'

Marissa stood her ground, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. 'I wasn't right in the head—'

'Yeah...clearly,' Grandpa sneered.

'Is there even the slightest thing that I'm missing from you two?' Marissa demanded, her voice strained.

'Oh come on, Marissa. You should've let that thing die,' Grandpa said, his voice cold and cruel.

'Let Aebelle die!?' Marissa's voice rose, incredulous. 'I can't believe I'm hearing those words from the man who raised me! You're talking about your granddaughter!'

Grandma stepped forward, her face set in a cold mask. 'What your father is saying is: It's for the best. It's that you let her die and give birth to your own child—'

Marissa, in a fit of fury, swept her hand across the table, shattering a plate on the floor. 'You fucking leeching parasites! Aebelle is my own child. Just because you disowned me, doesn't mean that I will do the same to her. She gave me a reason to live! To have a purpose! Something that you two never did!'

Grandpa, his face contorted with fury, stormed towards her, his hand connecting with Marissa's cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the room.

'How dare you talk to us that way!?' he roared, his face red with rage.

Marissa felt the heat rise on her cheek, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. 'We're done here. We're going back home. I hope to never.... see you.... again.'

'Her name is Aebelle...? Like my mother?' Grandpa asked, his voice laced with confusion.

'Yes, your mother, Dad. I named her after my grandma,' Marissa mumbled, her voice hollow.

'How FUCKING DARE YOU—!' Grandpa began, but his words were cut short.

A deafening roar ripped through the air. The walls shook, the floor vibrated, and a blinding flash of light filled the room. Aebelle, who had been playing in the other room, screamed in terror.

The world spun, and when the dust settled, silence reigned. The only sounds were the frantic whimpers of Aebelle and Marissa's ragged breaths.

The once familiar room was now a scene of utter devastation. Debris littered the floor, the air thick with the smell of smoke and charred wood. And in the midst of the wreckage, lay the bodies of Marissa's parents.

Marissa, overcome with grief and shock, screamed out, the sound echoing in the silence. She scrambled through the debris, desperately searching for Aebelle. Their eyes met, both filled with a mixture of terror and the overwhelming realization of their sudden, crushing solitude.