Fantasy - The Anthology

The Devil's Plaything (Part 1)

My husband and I have been together for 8 years. Two years ago we started trying for a child, but with no luck. After a year we started to seek medical help to see if there was anything we could do to help, but everywhere we went we were told the same thing. That it would be impossible for me to carry a child.

I was shattered, but I still tried different clinics and hospitals, just hoping there was something out there. Maybe some new procedure that would solve my problem.

When I tried the very last clinic within a 200 mile radius I started to believe it would never happen. Maybe it wasn't my lot in life?

But as I left that clinic with tears in my eyes a woman stopped me.

'I know someone who can help you.'

Without waiting for a response she handed me a card and left. When I got home I pulled the card out of my pocket and called the number. The person who answered the phone was blunt and straight to the point, but they booked me in for an appointment giving me a resurgence of hope and optimism.

It's finally my time.

When the time came I arrived at the address given to me, five minutes early. I walked in to a bright white and perfectly clean reception room where there were no other people apart from an older women sitting behind the reception desk.

'Hi. I erm...'

'Have an appointment.' The women finished for me.

'Erm, yes. My name is...'

'Mrs Camilla Hunt.' She says for me.

'Yes...'

'We've been expecting you, just go down the hall and turn right.' She tells me before she goes back to her work, like I wasn't still standing there.

'Thanks.' I say to her as I head off in the direction she told me to go.

As I reach the end of the hall and turn right, there is a singular white door, sitting alone. I look behind me and see no other doors. I hadn't passed any since leaving the reception and given the size of this place I found it odd there weren't any other doors.

Just as I was starting to feel weird about this place the single white door creaked open, filling the silent hallways with a rusty cry. I tried to peer in, but the room looked dark from where I stood blocking my view.

'Hello...?' I called into the room, stepping forward slowly.

As I took several slow steps to the door I tried to look inside the room. It wasn't until my hand was resting on the white wood and it was opening when I started to see more clearly. The more the door opened the brighter the room seemed to get until it matched the brightness of the hallway.

'Hello?' I called again.

There was no reply as I stepped into the room, looking around at the bright white, sterile surfaces with a hospital bed sitting in the middle of the room.

'You must be Mrs Hunt.' A voice boomed from behind me.

I jumped and span on the spot, coming face to face with the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. His eyes were a warm brown that seemed to glisten in the fluorescent lighting. And his smile was like one of those old time movie stars. He was just so handsome I didn't know where to look.