Betrothed To Death

Chapter 1

Bunny-Mommy: I have this story posted on another sight and it seemed to be pretty well liked so since I have fan's on here and people waiting for my next work I figured I'd post it. I wasn't going to put it up and only put it on the other site because I could use my phone to type it up until I was able to get my laptop. So this is a rough draft. And I do mean rough....well....compared to my finished work. If you've read my Meritites story that was my pretty much finished product, before that version the story was all of 40 pages while I got my thoughts out. This is me getting my thoughts out and getting feedback, pretty much.

I REPEAT: THIS IS NOT THE FINISHED PRODUCT!

I do realize it is laking some things that will be put in later when I re-write it. But enjoy what I have. Any suggestions and critique are very welcome!!!

~*~

The hospital room smelled strongly of cleaner and medicine. The machines hummed in the background, the beep of my heart monitor the loudest sound of all. Some show was on the television but it only added to the background noise. The uncomfortable bed with its bright white sheets sat in the middle of the room. Next to the bed stood a single chair where my mother sat, stroking my hairless head as I lay in the bed.

At eight years old I should have been outside with my friends, running and playing around. My biggest worry should have been if I was going to get in trouble with my parents for cutting my sister's hair or if I would be able to watch my favorite cartoon that day. In a perfect world I would be a normal eight year old with a normal life and that would be it. But the world wasn't perfect and I wasn't a typical eight year old. I was lying in the hospital, dying of terminal cancer. I had been fighting this since I was six and I was finally about to lose. The doctors had given up hope. There was nothing they could do for me anymore. I was going to die. I didn't want to die though. I had barely lived. I wanted to go to school and get married and have kids. I wanted to learn to ride a bike, skate, drive a car, dance and sing. But I was tired, so very tired of fighting.

Mommy gave me a sad smile and leaned over, kissing my cheek. I closed my green eyes, feeling my body get even weaker. The beeps on the monitor slowed down even more. Mommy looked up at the screen panicked, then down at me. A sob broke free as she realized what was happening. I was letting go.

I smiled up at her, feeling tears spill down my face.

"I love you, Mommy," I said.

"I love you, too, Princess," Mommy sobbed. The room suddenly grew ice cold and dark, as if someone had closed the curtains. I looked up to find a tall, well-dressed man standing by the door. He had long, jet black hair that was pulled back into a pony tail and onyx colored eyes. His skin was pale white and he wore a black vest, black pants and a dark red shirt. He reminded me of a vampire.

"Poor little child," he crooned in a deep, soothing voice, "Sentenced to die before you have even truly begun to live." He walked closer to me, stopping at the foot of my bed.

"Sweet little one, the world is so cruel," he continued. I felt tears gather in my eyes. "I can end your pain, dearest. I can give you relief," he moved to the side of my bed, "I can give you peace."

I felt my mother fling her body across mine.

"No!" she shrieked. "You can't have her!" The man jerked his head towards my mother, looking at her with sharp eyes.

"You can see me?" he asked.

"Yes," Mommy said, "And you can't have my baby!"

"Your child is mine," he said. "Her end has come."

"Take me instead!" Mommy begged. The man shook his head.

"It does not work that way," he said. "She is the one meant to die. I cannot simply trade her soul for another." Mommy pressed her body closer to mine.

"I'll give you anything, just spare my daughter," Mommy pleaded. The man stared at Mommy for a moment, then smirked.

"Then I shall make you a deal," he said. Mommy looked up at the man hopefully.

"What?" she asked.

"I find myself becoming lonely as the centuries pass and wish for a companion," he said. "I will let her live, make her well again, but on her 21st birthday I will come and take her."

"She'll die on her 21st birthday?" Mommy cried.

"No," the man said. "She will come and live with me."

"Would I still be able to see her?" Mommy asked.

"Periodically," the man replied. Mommy looked at me.

"What do you want, angel?" she asked. My hand came up and clasped hers.

"I don't want to die, Mommy," I said weakly. Mommy closed her eyes and nodded. She then turned her head towards the man and without opening her eyes, said the one word that would seal my fate and decide my Future.

"Deal."