The Night Is Here

Venom

“Once upon a time there was a village behind the Himalayas. The villagers used to be happy people with prosperity and peace. Then one day, a monstrous snake came to the village to look for poor children to prey on. Panic and distress spread to every one in the village. Mothers held the children close to their heart and fathers put big locks on the doors of every house. But one boy who lived alone was unaware of the evil snake and roamed the village roads alone….”

I was interrupted by my 4 year old daughter tugging at the sleeves of my sweater. I put the book down and looked at her, I knew what she would say but still I looked at her questioningly.

“Mama, I want the big snake to eat up the boy.” She said with such glitter in her eyes I could just look at her amazed!

“Why honey? The little boy in the story is just like you. Sweet and innocent.” I tried to change her mind.

“No mama! The little boy is weak and stupid. He is of no use except for the fact that he can be the snake’s meal.”

“Sshh! Don’t say that. Baby, you should never wish death upon a person.” I tried again to reason with her.

“No mama. I think the weak should die. Only the strong and powerful should survive.” She keeps arguing with me like every night. I fail to change her mind.

“Honey if you say that then what if I am weak someday and the snake decides to attack me?” I threw my final ball in her court.

“Then you die mama.”

I did not say one more word that night and left her room.

15 years later.

My daughter still didn’t change her mind. And I never read her another story to sleep. Yesterday we celebrated her 19th birthday. She has grown into a gorgeous adult. Striking blue eyes, golden mane reflecting the sun off her back, her lips forming a perfect smile. A smile so beautiful, so evil. She is like a nightmare you can’t stop dreaming. She tells me my end is near, like she told the people who she thought were weak, of no use except for becoming the meal to her friend. The friend she keeps hidden in her closet. I have never seen him. I don’t even dare to. She warned me when I first caught her with our neighbour’s cat that she was taking to her room mercilessly. The cat was frozen in some kind of frenzy. I could see the shock in it’s eyes but it won’t meow. I tried to stop my daughter but she told me her friend is hungry and it will be me in place of the cat if I came in her way. I could have just scolded my 10 year old daughter like a normal mother would but her eyes, her eyes weren’t blue anymore. They were the colour of the night on New Moon. The colour of Venom.

Since then I never intended to walk through the door of her room. I never dared to stop her from doing anything. And I never even tried calling for help. How could I? I was a criminal. Not her. What could I say to the police? That I killed my daughter for killing a cat and next morning she just came out of her room and sat with me at the dining table and ate raw chicken from the fridge? How would I tell the police that I buried her deep in our backyard but there was nothing when I checked in the morning except a note that said “Mama, you shouldn’t have done that. Now my friend will be very angry.”, how was I supposed to show that to the police?

Oh but I did try to seek help from the priest. He was an old man who held a bible, a cross and holy water in a sprinkler in his hands. He came to visit our house and bless us. He saw my daughter and my daughter saw him and then she smiled. I realized I shouldn’t have done that too. But my daughter or whatever she is said she and her friend were hungry and I should pay for my mistake. I thought the priest could help us with his bible, cross and holy water. But unfortunately or fortunately I can’t say she thought he was of no use. I heard his cries from the next room till everything fell silent.

Forgive me father, for I have sinned.

Today I am not scared of the monster in her closet or even the thing I call my daughter when she tells me my end is near. I am not scared to be sliced in pieces or my skin to be ripped off or my flesh being bitten off my body or whichever way they plan to devour me. I am not scared. I have seen her eating the faces of little kids with such delicacy. I have seen her rip the heads of old people walking the streets alone. I have seen her drink blood for wine on Christmas. I have seen her doing more sinister things that I can’t even talk about in insanity. But I am not scared because I created her. She’s my child. I knew she wouldn’t harm me so easy. She will fill my last breaths with pleas for mercy. She will show me hell while I will still be breathing on earth. She will burn me down inch by inch. She will smile when I will face terrible pain. Because I know, I created her. I fell in love with the forbidden. I carried the seed of the one forbidden. I carried his venom in my womb. I made love to the demon in my sleep.

I knew what I shouldn’t have done, but I will call him one last time before I slit my throat to escape my destiny. The destiny that has been written by him and his child.

“Lucifer, amen.”

I breathe my last words before my daughter walks in through the door with her friend, her father.