Breeder

Erica (4)

There seems to have been some misunderstanding in the last chap regarding Erica and the baby. The baby died of the fever, not Erica. Erica tried to kill the baby, but she was already dead (from the sickness). So yes, the baby is dead, but Erica had nothing to do with it.

 ~~~ /// ~~~ \\\ ~~~

Norman Pov

Thinking back to that day's incident still brings back goosebumps, I thought as I rubbed my arms. Emma had been distraught for about a week before managing to return to her old self. Ray mourned, but he wasn't as severely affected.

As for me, I found myself... relieved.

The death of Kelly meant that Erica wouldn't have to stain her hands with an innocent baby's blood, and the fact made me feel relieved. I hated myself for feeling that way, but I couldn't help what I felt. The incident proved just how much screwed up I was morally and emotionally- and knowing that Erica was the cause brought mixed feelings to my heart.

I still found myself thinking constantly about her, and waiting to see her. I wanted to hug her and laugh with her and make her happy. Fake or not, every time I saw that smile of hers, I found my heart filled with warmth.

But I'd also come to terms with the fact that Erica was different.

"Erica, say hi to Connie!!" Emma said, bringing the tiny four-year-old blonde around in her arms.

Like the infinitely positive person Emma was, she thought that Erica tried to kill Kelly to stop her from being in pain any longer. While that was true, I couldn't help but also think that there was something more to it than that. After a long and heated lecture, Emma forgave Erica and the two moved on.

"Hello, Connie," Erica replied, a soft smile on her lips.

"Oi, you're blushing again," Ray commented, making my heart jump into my throat from surprise.

"Ray! You scared me."

"You don't look scared with that heavy blush on your cheeks. Stop making it so obvious, idiot. Everyone knows that you have a crush on Erica."

"T-they do?!" I screeched, the information dawning on me like a deadly tsunami.

"Yeah. The kids are betting when you're going to confess to her. A couple betted for Christmas, some bet that you'd confess within six months- hey, are you okay? Your entire head is red." Ray continued, only to stop when he noticed the heavy blush that had settled all the way down to my neck.

"So, want to tell me the reason why you like her? I mean, she's not exactly sane. Or normal, for that matter." Ray asked.

"You don't need a reason to fall in love, you know. At first, I thought that she was just really talented and pretty, and rather mysterious. But then I kept wanting to talk to her and see her smile."

"Oh. Gross. You're in deep, aren't you?" Ray replied, scrunching his nose in distaste.

"I... I just want to make her happy, Ray. I don't want her thinking that it's normal and that it's an obvious choice to mercy-kill a sick baby. That's just... too cruel. I know that I may be asking for too much and that her circumstances probably aren't the same as ours, but-"

"Cruelty is part of my personality, Norman. If you can't accept that, then you're just trying to turn me into something that I'm not. Or perhaps you don't actually love me." A cool, feminine voice broke the atmosphere, startling the hell out of me once again.

"E-Erica!! How long have you been there?!" I exclaimed, the cold fingers of dread slithering down my guts.

"Long enough to hear everything." She replied, chuckling.

Nooooooooo!!

"I'm flattered that you love me, Norman." Erica continued, a mischievous smirk on her lips as she faced my ever-reddening face.

I could die of shame... Out of all times to overhear a conversation, it had to be now?!

"I would like to give you an answer, but I'm afraid I don't know what love is. Care to explain for me?"

Ray and I blinked for a couple of seconds, trying o come up with an easy explanation of what "love" was.

"W-well, love is... um... how should I explain this?" I stuttered.

"Love is food!!" Emma yelled, jumping into the conversation.

"Love is food...?" Erica said, tilting her head in confusion.

"If you love someone, you want to eat them up like tasty food!! You want to kiss them and hug them and make them happy!!" Emma continued.

"Wanting to kiss and touch someone is called sexual desire, not love. Unless they're the same thing?" Erica continued.

"No!! They're not the same!!" I intervened, before Erica got the wrong definition of love.

"It's listed as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person in the Dictionary. A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection towards another." Ray explained.

"That doesn't help at all, Ray." Erica pouted.

~~~ /// ~~~ \\\ ~~~

Calculus is E A T I N G me alive. Help.

NOTE: For the sake of the plotline, we'll be having our first major timeskip very soon!

3/22/2021

2.5 pages, 866 words