It had been a couple hours since the man had broken into my bedroom. Everyone was seated around the table in our kitchen. The kitchen had 3 walls, two ending in a v shape and one that curved from the top of the v. it was painted a nice peach color with blue trimmings around the doors and windows lining the curved wall.
My sister, mother and I were seated on one side of an old wooden table with a small chandelier hung over it. The monster was seated across from us. “Why have you come here Silvus?” my mother said in an accusing tone, very unlike her. “You know this thing?” Artemis demanded the surprise “yes” my mother sighed, “he’s an old acquaintance.” “What’s he doing here?” Artemis said with a look of disgust. “As I said before I brought a present for the boy, one for you too young lady.” Silvus said calmly. I noticed that he never showed any emotion, in his voice or his face. “Vivian can I speak to you while the children open their presents?” I didn’t like the idea of my mother alone with this thing but I knew she could take care of herself if she needed to. Sensing my discomfort my mother squeezed my shoulder and led Silvus into the next room.
Sitting before us were 2 medium sized identical boxes. The boxes were wrapped in silver paper and black silk ribbons. We wouldn’t have been able to tell which box was whose if there wasn’t a little tag hanging off each bow. I looked at Artemis “should we open them?” she shrugged and grabbed the present. “Funny” she said in a flat tone, showing me the tag on her present which said “girl”. Looking at the remaining present I checked the tag and saw written down was the word “prince” in loopy almost illegible writing. My sister wasted no time ripping through the wrapping and opening the box.
She pulled out a small silver charm bracelet but the only charm was a small circle. “Great, a demon comes and brings us presents and all I get is a little bracelet?” she said disappointed “I couldn’t get a bow or-” the bracelet glowed and in a flash of light grew into a large black compound bow with curved blades on either end. Speechless, Artemis looked at me in shock. Slowly she put the bow down on the table and backed away. The bow glowed again and morphed back into a bracelet. The circle was now a small bow identical to the real sized one.
“Cool” my sister squealed almost bursting my eardrums in the process. “Open yours” she pushed. Looking at the box I reached out and slowly untied the bow. Once the wrapping was I was left with a plain white box. When the lid was mostly off I hesitated. Apparently the box had different ideas. The lid flew open and I was blinded as something launched itself at my face. I scrabbled at the thing but whatever it was, it stretched like rubber. I finally managed to detach it from my face only to have it wrap around my right hand.
I could now get a better look at the black blob that was now rippling on my right hand. I was starting to calm down as I started to realize that the black thing didn’t feel evil or menacing at all. The blob was slowly exploring my arm; it felt warm like it was a living thing. “That’s a shadow” I heard a voice behind me. I whirled around to face Silvus and the shadow apparently not liking the sudden movement swirled around my arm irritably. “It seems to like you” Silvus said in his flat voice although when I looked closer I thought I saw a slight smile but I wasn’t sure.
“Shadows are very useful, I am sure you shall find out soon enough.” He continued. Walking past me he took a seat. My mother walked up to me looking concerned. “What’s wrong, what’d he do?” I demanded. “It’s about your father.” She mumbled. My father the demon, the thing we never talked about in the house. I had never known our father nor did I have any desire to. As far as I was concerned he was just another monster to be killed. I turned on Silvus, “what does she mean?” I demanded, my voice already starting to rise. “Your demonic powers will manifest tonight, in the light of the red moon. I need to contain you.” Silvus explained as it should be obvious. “So what the strength wasn’t enough? Or even the wings? What’s next, do I grow a tail?” The demon paused and looked like he was actually considering it. “Well it is not impossible, but not like likely.” He said finally. “But that is beside the point. You need to be contained.” As he said this he pulled a gigantic chain out of his weird silver jacket. There was no way that chain should have fit anywhere in is small suit jacket but the chain kept coming until he had four pieces of chain that were about 25 feet long each. Turning to my mother he said, “You know the specifications I require?” “Yes I’ll go prepare” was my mother’s only reply as she turned and left. “I’m not leaving” my sister said crossing her arms. Turning his unnatural shiny silver eyes at her he said “good, you can help me tie him up.”
And that’s how I ended up suspended by my hands and feet. The room my mother had recently created was at the peak of our hill with the top open so the sky was clearly visible. The room was made of a completely reflective glass and shaped like an egg. I was hanging in the middle of the room directly under the skylight. My wrists were tightly shackled away from my body above my head while my feet were tied in a similar fashion. The chains were so think they could easily hold a couple elephants. What did they think I was going to do? “Is this really necessary?” I said to the empty room. I knew on the other side of the glass directly in front of me the thin rock thinned and enabled everyone to see. “Yes” came the curt reply from Silvus. “Well when is this stupid thing gonna start?” I asked. My situation was starting to get uncomfortable but I was glad I decided to take a bathroom break before the chains. “About twelve seconds ago” Silvus replied again.
The shadow had coiled around my right arm and started to quiver. I looked up through the window with its clear view of the night sky. The clouds were clearing and the moon peaked out. The moon was completely red. I don’t know why but it looked familiar. The red moonlight started streaming down through the skylight and I felt my eyes burn. I couldn’t look away from the moon, the red light intensified and so did the burning sensation. My eyes felt like they were on fire but I couldn’t shut them. My head started spinning, blackness rimmed my vision. The entire world fell behind me as I went limp, my head hanging forward. Then the blackness rimming my eyes expanded and I lost consciousness.
