Scarlet Rain [completed]

Chapter Nine

The lid broke off of the rusty, old hinges. Decay was a natural part of life. Even in humans. I realized that with my dad. The old man at the park. My mother.

Inside there was a rolled up piece of parchment tied off with a silky, red ribbon. I dumped the contents onto the ground. The old paper floated gently onto the welcoming blades of grass.

I pulled one of the short tails, and the bow came apart. The parchment revealed a bit of some fancy writing. I opened it up completely to read its contents:

"A FUCKING CONTRACT!?"

Fury burned through my veins. Verna was my serial killer of a mother. But she killed my "birth father"? The man I dropped into the hole I dug wasn't my own blood!? And a contract!

I tried to rip the paper in half, failed, and moved on to crumpling it into a ball. But a stupid charm stopped me from damaging it. When I balled it up, the parchment simply un-did itself, laying out as flat as it was before. Not a single wrinkle left behind.

I stormed into the house and snatched a lighter from a kitchen drawer. After I went back outside, I held the paper in one hand and lit the corner with the fire. Nothing happened. No smoke. No burning. Nothing.

Trance appeared out of thin air. He held two bags, possibly full of blood. Both dropped out of his hands as he began to realize what I did while he was gone.

"Before you say anything, listen to-"

"LISTEN TO WHAT!? Are you FUCKIN kidding me? Why would I want to listen to you!? Of all things that could've been inside this box, it was a contract selling my soul to YOU!?"

"It's not your soul exactly. Besides the point here. Your mother was desperate."

My legs took off before my mind could catch up. I charged straight for Trance. Teeth bared and fingers ready.

I stuck three nails into his shoulder. Trance winced but didn't move. My foot flew up and hit him square in the nose. With that, he fell backwards, taking my hand with him. My knees hit the dirt, and I bent over to talk in his ear.

"Why was she so desperate?"

"Long story short, you already know you have a line of serial killers in the family. Verna was pregnant with you when she killed your father. She didn't want to go to prison and lose her child, so she struck a deal with me. I just happened to be around at the time."

A smile spread across Trance's face. It sickened me that he found something amusing at a time like this. I twisted my nails in his shoulder, resulting in him violently kicking the air.

"What's so funny?"

"You really don't remember me. I used to be your 'imaginary friend'. I guess age really does take a toll on a human. I've been hovering over you since you were born. You were the prize I've been waiting for all these years."

"Why did my mother kill my birth father? There's gotta be a reason."

"Obviously, she loved another man. She wanted to leave him for the person you called 'dad' and the only way was to kill the dude...in her mind. He also had a family history of some weird paranormal talents. Your mother hated it. She didn't want you to be like them."

I yanked my nails out of his body and sat down. People like me existed. And it was all taken away from me by my mother? Also, my "dad" stole my mother from my birth father? They never seemed to be the type of people Trance was describing, but, at this point, I couldn't tell what was actually up or down.

I headed for my room inside the house.

"Where're you going?"

"To my room you fuckin demon. If you really wanted to follow me, you could locate me like a GPS."

Trance was holding his shoulder with the opposite hand. It pissed me off.

"Stop acting so fuckin pathetic. I know your little demon power could heal you up in a jiffy. Get up and be a man."

I guess I pushed his button too hard because Trance glared at me. His eyes lit up as he got up from off the ground. His snarls were disgusting.

"You think you're so high and mighty with the power you have. Let me remind you that you belong to me. I not only own your soul, but your flesh too."

"You filthy freak! I didn't sign the fuckin contract! My-"

"You didn't have to. Your name was signed for you. Really, you're nothing more than cattle, awaiting your destiny in a tiny little pen."

I ran with my head down inside the house through the back door. Warm tears streamed down my face, landing on my clothes and the ground. I arrived in my room shortly after. Burying my head in the old blankets, I poured out the sorrow building up in my chest through wailing cries.

I wanted to wake up from this nightmare.