Lost in Darkness

Chapter 10-Mother Dearest

------> Izzy's Mum :)

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Chapter 10
 

"What are you talking about sweetie?" it asked, staring with wide eyes at Izzy. She took a step towards us.
"Stay away from me!" Izzy yelled, cowering against me. 
"It's okay Izzy, don't worry. Everything will be fine," I soothed, stroking her hair. I looked around the room, trying to come up with an idea. 

 Mrs Shears had gone over to the staff room as soon as it was time to let out all the kids, so I was alone here. Everyone else had gone. There were no witnesses. 
"Okay, Miss..." I trailed off, looking at Izzy's mother, realising that I didn't actually know her last name. 
"Daniels. Miss Daniels," the demon said, looking with fake concern at her "daughter". 
"Miss Daniels, as you can clearly see, your daughter is very upset. Maybe you and I should talk outside quickly?" The demon looked at me for a few moments before nodding. 

 "Izzy," I said, looking her in the eyes. "Your mum and I are going to go outside and talk, okay? While we're gone, I want you to go wait in the office. And don't leave there until I come and get you. Do you understand?" She stood before me, trembling with fear, but slowly, she nodded. 

 I lead the way into the office, and when the door clicked shut behind us, I turned to Izzy.
"Izzy, I know that's not your mummy," I said quietly. "But how do you know that it isn't your mummy?"
She gazed up at me, before finally speaking. "My mummy said that I shouldn't talk about it. But I like you. Can I trust you?" Her eyes were so wide and child-like, but at the same time, so old. I smiled reassuringly at her. 
"Izzy, you know me. You know you can trust me. We're friends, remember?" She studied me for a few moments before nodding.

 "My mummy has special powers, and she says that when I'm older, I'll have special powers too." I stared at her in shock for a few seconds before regaining my composure. 
"And what special powers did she have?" I asked cautiously. There was a glint in her eyes as she replied.
"She can make fire," she breathed, her eyes wide.  
"And what can you do? Do you know?"
"I can't control it right. But my mummy says that it's a very special power for a very special person. I can shield things." She smiled proudly. 

 Most of her tears had stopped now, although her eyes looked red and puffy. 
"Your mummy is right, that's a very special power," I said, dazed. Izzy was like me? She was a Venator, a hunter? "How did you know it wasn't you mummy?" Her bottom lip trembled, and more tears sprung to her eyes.
"My mummy says that there are Bad Things in the world. Very Bad Things. She said that my special gift was to help me stop the Bad Things." 
"Izzy," I said, my voice firm. "How did know that she isn't your mummy?"

 "Because she gives me the Tingles. And my mummy said that if I ever got the Tingles around a person, then they were very bad. And she said-" Izzy broke off to sob quietly before she continued. "She said that if I ever got the Tingles from her, that it wasn't her any more, and that I should run away and never come back. Because if she gave me the Tingles, the bad things had eaten her."
"Oh Izzy," I said. My heart was literally breaking in my chest for this girl. I knew how horrible it was to see a demon get to your mother. "Look, your mummy was right. The Bad Thing did something very bad to your mummy. And your mummy might not be the same. Do you understand?" 

 Tears were rushing down her face, but she nodded. 
"I understand. My mummy already explained it. She said that if a Bad Thing ever got to her, that she was already in heaven. That she was with the angels." Izzy paused. "Do you think my mummy is with the angels?"

 My smile was rather watery, and I was blinking back tears.  "Yes, I think your mummy is with the angels. And she is very happy right now, and while she is sad that she had to leave you, she loves you lots and lots." I paused and took a deep breath. "Izzy, outside, that isn't your mummy. That's one of the Bad Things that your mummy told you about. It looks like your mummy, but it isn't her. I need to make the Bad Thing go away. So I want you to remember that it isn't your mummy, but a Bad Thing, and it needs to go away so that it can't hurt anyone. Do you understand?"