The Curse of the Toyol

Chapter 4

"Hell is full of the ungrateful." ― Spanish Proverb

Everything seemed to be going well. The Toyol worked hard to bring the most valuable items from the village to its adoptive family, receiving biscuits and milk daily. However, slowly, the creature started to change into his original skin, becoming mean, demanding and even aggressive. The man was not worried about the weird behaviour, but his wife and daughter were starting to doubt the Toyol, and their suspicion was increasing day by day.

Laila first started noticing critical transitions when the Toyol would keep a few of the riches he would steal, hiding them under the pillow or burying them in the ground. They were often boy clothes and pocket knives. She addressed the problem to Meon, but he thought that the creature wanted to feel more human, so he kept things for the moment he would feel ready to transform into a little boy.

"And the knives?"

"What kind of young boy isn't passionate about knives? You girls don't understand..."

Still, the strange behaviour didn't end there. When the Toyol wouldn't get enough of what it wanted, it would revenge and hit the people around it with heavy objects. The creature was more than the family could handle, but without it, all of their dreams would shatter. The Toyol decided to take revenge on another level by sucking the blood from Meon's and his loved one's toes. They would wake up in the middle of the night, bleeding or feeling numbness in their feet.

"There is nothing in this world I wouldn't do to get what I want", said Toyol when Meon confronted him. "Give me what I require, or I will suck the blood out of your whole body!"

"What do you want then, Toyol? There must be something you crave!" answered Meon.

"There is one thing. You must accept it, even if you don't like it, though. I want, just like a baby, to suck on your wife's succulent breasts and suck her blood from her tender neck. I would love to try from your daughter as well, as she is younger and her blood usually tastes better."

Meon was stunned. How could he allow this hideous and inhuman creature to destroy the bodies of the women he loved, to soil with his sharp teeth the fragile and untouched breasts of his child?

"I don't think you are reasonable! I have given you everything you asked for, but this is too much! My wife will not accept such pain."

"Oh, the pain! Isn't a mother supposed to feel pain for her child? When she gave life to this little girl, she felt pain. When she offered her body as food for her little treasure, she felt pain. It is her faith to sacrifice her fortune because she was given the sacred gift of having a child."

Meon was struck by an incredible predicament. What Toyol wanted was the presence of a mother to support and nurture it physically and mentally during its transition into a human being. It wanted to taste the blood of both women, to decide which would facilitate the process and speed up the transformation. Sucking blood from their breasts was for it the equivalent of sucking milk, but Meon's beloved people would feel incomparable pain, something so atrocious that they could not survive in the long run. The Toyol was wrong! It was a mother's duty to sacrifice everything for her human child, but not for a monster, not for a soulless creature who only cares about its reflection and peace of mind.

While he was reflecting on the options he had, Meon noticed a strange glance in Toyol's eyes. They were larger, and rivers of blood were running down the Toyol's cheeks. It was fuming, waiting for Meon to say something, to promise him the treasure he asked for. Meon felt his heart beating faster, while the fear was slowly entering his body, too. He couldn't trust this demon, a creature created by the devil itself, sent on earth to ruin him and his family. He was now sure of the Toyol's evilness and understood that it was too much for him to control its fluid behaviour and shameless desires. "All right, let your wishes be fulfilled. You will be able to feed on the body of my wife and daughter, but from next week, as they have to go on a long journey. They need to see a doctor to check on my daughter's health. As you have noticed, the girl depends on a treatment plan to be able to live a normal life. Her mother will be her company, and when they return, they will sacrifice for you, just as they would sacrifice for their own child."

The answer did not satisfy the Toyol, but he accepted the situation without too many complaints. He was constantly thinking about Laila's breasts. Because she already had a baby, they were round and full, with a tremendous amount of blood hidden behind prominent and brown nipples. The creature refrained from attacking her because it knew that would weaken Meon's support, who could not bear to see his beloved wife suffer. The daughter, on the other hand, was not so attractive. She was dry and thin, but the blood on her feet was sweet and invigorating, which increased the Toyol's hope. It aspires to find its mother soon so that it can get rid of the death that was constantly following it and return to the real world forever.

When Laila arrived home from the market, Meon was waiting for her in the alley.

"What? How are you out of bed already? The gambling den won't open until five."

"Laila, tonight you are taking our daughter and leave to your parents until I send you the message to come back! You can't ask questions- just know that you are supposed to see a doctor."

"But Meon..."

"No, don't ask. It can't hear us!"

Laila understood that it was the Toyol's fault and she knew she was in danger. She started packing clothes for a long trip.

"I heard you are going to the doctor," said the Toyol.

Surprised, Laila turned around and looked down at the hideous creature standing behind her.

"Yes," she answered. "But hopefully, it will not be a long and tiring journey. The doctor is in a nearby village, but we will walk, so it is possible to be a few days late."

"Okay but please come home as soon as possible," said the creature, trying to sound as friendly as possible, but his evil smile was betraying his intentions. Laila nodded and forced a huge laugh.

"You guys won't even notice we left."