The Wicked and the Haunted

Moon

I walked in silence and I stared ahead of me. We had been riding for hours now and I knew that walking would do me good and it would keep some weight off of Dongo's back. The soldiers couldn't understand why I wanted to walk such long distances when I could ride but I kept Dongo's wellfare in the back of my mind. The Devil hadn't said anything after I told him about my daughter and husband. We had been moving for three days and already we were getting closer to the German houses. I heard dogs barking in the distances and I knew that they were German Shepards. They were beautiful and powerful dogs. And as we neared the village I saw one German Shepard walking with a boy. I smiled at them. I stopped and the soldiers waited on me too afraid that if they tried to make me move they would be shot dead by their commander, The Devil. "Hello," I said smiling at the boy. "You're pretty," he said. He couldn't have been more than five years old and his hair was dark brown but his eyes were blue. "You are very cute," I answered back at him smiling. "Who is your friend?" I asked looking now at the shepard. He looked at me with a cocked head because we were having our own conversation. "His name is Zeke," he said smiling at him. I rubbed the dog's head and smiled at him. "Zeke is a good friend isn't he?" I asked the boy. "Very good friend, his father was a wolf," the boy said. I nodded and I smiled. "Come with me," I said taking the litte boy's hand. He walked with me to Dongo. "This is my horse, Dongo," I said smiling at him.

"Dongo?" he asked rolling the name off his tongue. I smiled and nodded at him. "You can pet him if you want, he doesn't bite," I said. He smiled at me and I nodded to him. He reached his hand up and rubbed the horse's nose. "Where are your parents?" I asked him. The little boy took on a sad face. "My father was killed in the war, my mother died two weeks after they brought my father home," he said. "So you are without a family?" I asked. "Yes, but I have Zeke and we stick together," he said smiling at the dog that was standing beside him. I picked him up and sat him in my saddle. "Zeke will come along as well," I said smiling at the boy. I turned to look at the Devil and he just nodded and we started moving again. "What is your name?" the boy asked. "My name is Luna of the Animals, but you can call me Luna for short," I said. "Where are you from?" he asked. I knew that telling him of my true nature would only get me into trouble so I replied. "I'm from a place that is wild and untamed. It's beautiful and it's like a dream," I said smiling at him. "Will I get to see this place?" he asked with hope in his voice. "Not here on Earth, maybe in Heaven, but not on Earth. For you see, after this is all over my home will be destroyed," I said thinking of the faces of my husband and daughter. "Did you have a family?" he asked. "I did. I had a mother, father, little sister, grandpa, grandma, a husband, and a baby daughter," I said. "What happened to them?" he asked me. "My grandparents were killed in the war, my father as well. My mother and little sister are gone someplace safe and my husband is dead from the war," I said. "What about your baby?" he asked. I looked away from him for a moment and when I didn't answer he touched my hair. "I'll be your baby," he said looking at me. "How old are you?" I asked him with a full throat. "I'm four years old," he answered back. "What's your name?" I asked him. "My name is Luca," he said. I smiled because if I had given birth to a boy I would've named him Luca. "I like that name, it suits you. Now, what do you say that we find you a good home?" I asked.

"But you lost your baby and I want to help you," he said. "And so you will," a voice said out of nowhere. It was the Devil. I hadn't noticed that we had been left. It was just the Devil, his horse, Luca, Dongo, Zeke, and me. Zeke growled at the Devil and I smiled. "Not fond of you," I said softly. He just chuckled. "Zeke, be nice. He may be the Devil but he doesn't want to harm you," I said at him. "He won't harm Luca either," I finished. Zeke seemed to be satisfied with this answer so he quieted down. The Devil stopped his horse and I stopped walking so Dongo stopped walking. Before I could stop him he picked me up and put me in the saddle of the horse that he had been riding. He got up on it and was sitting behind me. "You will ride with me. You will not walk anymore," he said in my ear. We rode on because I knew that there was no point in arguing. Dongo followed, carrying the little boy, and Zeke walked beside Dongo. "Where are we going?" I asked. "To my place, the boy will be given to a family that I know will raise him well. The dog will stay with him. Dongo will be placed with my horse and will be kept," he said. "I know you hate my kind, but please don't make Luca go into the war if it lasts that long. I'm begging you," I whispered back at him. That seemed to light a fire and he smiled. "I was thinking about sending him to a boarding school that teaches our warriors," he said. "I'll do anything just please don't send him," I whispered as a tear fell from my eye. He couldn't see it because I was turned the other way. "Anything?" he asked. "Anything," I repeated. He smiled at me and rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Agree to be my sex slave until one of us dies and then the agreement is over," he said. I looked at Luca riding on the horse and I smiled. I was doing this to save his life. "Very well. I will agree to this," I whispered. "He won't be sent off and Zeke will stay at his side. I will make sure that he is well taken care of. But answer this, why do you care so much for him?" he asked. "My daughter is dead, my baby is dead. I won't stand by and watch another child die if I can help it," I said looking ahead of us. "Very well," he said before becoming silent again.