𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒 | original (o.h.)

1.

August 14, 1924

"Make a wish, sweetie!" Quinn called out merrily to her now seven year old son while holding up a camera taking as many pictures as she possibly can. With puffed out cheeks, Zachery blew out his seven colorful candles that were stuck in his chocolate cake that had a design of the Bikini Bottom from SpongeBob. It has been his favorite tv show since he was released from the hospital two years ago.

After his many stressful surgeries, Zachery was finally able to come home cancer-less all because of the deal Quinn made. These past two years have been a blessing for Quinn for being able to raise her son and spend time with him while she still has the years she has been given. At the same time, extremely stressful knowing that in less than fifteen years the devil is coming for what he is owed. The simple idea could drive anyone into a bottomless, sinister pit of lunacy.

"Can we open presents now?" Zach questioned hopefully with a toothy grin and wide excited eyes examining the wrapped, gifts at the end of the table. He smiled up at his cheerful mother now with his fully grown out blonde hair falling into his face like a current swooped them there. He looked like the world had never corrupted the first part of his early childhood. He acts as though the world had been a kind and special place towards him and his family.

"Sure, sweetie," Quinn looks towards her dad before asking if he could cut the cake and pass it to everyone while she went and grabbed the presents to give to her son. He deserved each and every one of his gifts from his friends that were able to show up to his party.

Normally Zachery liked to open his mother's gift first, but this year Quinn gave her son his gift that morning. Her gift to him was a new Lego set that he had been wanting, and, thankfully, she had found it on sale or else she would not have been able to get it for him. Money has been extremely tight with having to pay for all of her son's hospital bills, and almost going into financial debt if it had not been for her late husband's life insurance. Charlie Snow had been in the military since he was eighteen years old. It helped provide an immense insurance policy up until when he passed away in action leaving behind a wife and a new born baby boy.

"Okay, now it's our turn!" Quinn's mother, Joy, clapped enthusiastically once Zach opened all of his friend's gifts which consisted mostly of toys. Joy gave an excited looking Zach their gift which was in a sealed envelope. The seven year old was highly puzzled because his grandparents always usually gave him toys and clothes, despite his complaints, for his birthday and Christmas. "Don't just hold it and look at it! Open it!"

Quinn glanced down towards Zach curiously because she told her parents to get him this lego set that he had been begging for. Zach opened the envelope with all his friends surrounding him also curious on what was inside.

"Disneyland!" Zach yelled out happily pulling out what looked like a pamphlet for Disneyland that was located in Florida. Quinn rushed to look over her son's shoulders with widen eyes and saw three plane tickets for Florida.

"Okay, everyone! Why don't you all go and play outside on the bouncy house!" Quinn told the kids and they all yelled happily and ran out into the backyard.

When all the kids were outside Quinn turned towards her parents while holding up the plane tickets.

"Disneyland? Really?" Quinn asked setting the envelope on the bar table and started to clear the table of the used cake plates and forks. "You couldn't have asked me about this?"

"Don't look at me. This was your mother's idea," Quinn's father, Joseph, told his only child while raising his hands in surrender.

"Wow, thanks, honey," Joy looks towards her husband in mock annoyance before looking back towards Quinn. "Sweetheart, we didn't want to be the same as all the other holidays this year. We wanted to do something more special."

Quinn sighed and looked down into the sink of dirty plates and forks with nerves sprouting in her gut.

Ever since she had made her deal two years ago with that crossroads demon Quinn has wanted to spend every single possibly minute with her son. And she can only guess that the three plane tickets are for her parents and Zach.

"Okay, if I let this trip happen, then you go back to getting Zach what I tell you or what he tells you want he wants, got it?" Quinn tells her parents seriously and they nod their heads with happy smiles at knowing they won. Joy walked back into the kitchen planning on cleaning some of the wrapping paper from the wrapped gifts. "And that means no ponies for Christmas!"

"Damn it!" Quinn and Joseph heard Joy's annoyed yell from the kitchen and they both laughed knowing that Zach has been asking for a pony for about a year. Quinn had to talk her mother out of getting her son a pony too many times to count. "What about if I get him a puppy?!"

"No!" Quinn yelled while trying to keep the smile off of her face when she started of the dishes.

"Why not?"

"Because I said so!" Quinn yelled placing a plate on the drying rack.

"Hey that's my line!"

During all of this, Joseph snuck outside and jumped into the bouncy house. He began to jump and laugh like a hyper seven year old.

~+~

Quinn was awaken from her not so peaceful slumber by a small weight jumping up and down on her bed repeatedly while yelling, "Mom! Wake up!"

She lets out a grumble before looking up at her son who was smiling widely down at her. Quinn quickly reaches up and pulls her son down to where he is laying beside her and snuggles him into her chest while pretending to fall back asleep. Zach tried but failed get out her grip while laughing hysterically while Quinn tried to hide her smile from him to give her son the illusion that she was actually asleep. "Mom! I know your not asleep!"

"Awe, how did you find out I wasn't sleeping?" Quinn asks the seven year old while releasing her grip but still laying down with him sitting on his knees looking down at her.

"You were smiling," Zach tells his mom who continues to smile up at him while he smile down at her. "I'm hungry. Can you make me some pancakes?"

"Um, I don't know. Can I?" Quinn says sitting up before pushing her comforter away from her body to show her big t-shirt and shorts. "Zach can you hand me my robe?"

Zach immediately hopped off the bed and went into her bathroom to grab her robe while Quinn pulled her long hair up into a high ponytail. Zach came back into he room dragging the cloth of clothing while almost tripping on the cloth before quickly catching himself.

Quinn grabbed the robe before slipping it on before she grabbed onto Zach before swinging him back and on her back. All Zach did was laugh and wrap his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist. To be sure he was secure, Quinn grabbed onto his arms and held on incase he had the idea to let go.

Walking through the hallway towards the kitchen the whole house was filled with Zach's laughs which was like music to Quinn's ears. When they reached the kitchen she placed him on the counter top before she began to gather the ingredients for pancakes.

Seeing something move out of the corner of her eye, made her quickly send a shaky glance towards the dining room area. Seeing nothing besides a few pieces of wrapping paper from the party yesterday, Quinn begins to realize it was only her imagination.

Staying hidden, the mystery man grins evilly towards the young mother. The demon that took her soul watches from within the dark shadows waiting for the insanity to wash over the mind of Quinn Snow like a river's rapid waves against the shore.