Winter's Dead Bride

Chapter Seventeen

Friday 7 December, night, Land of Seven Winters

I liked the air better back home with all of the rotting stenches of the decaying dead people roaming in the streets. I slowed down to a walk as I inspected the streets like a loyal night guard, a threat to anyone who wasn't asleep. And those who dared to peek at tonight's blood moon would immediately be killed by my two worthy hands, my claws injecting them with frozen snow... I could sense the children who dared to live at night, trying to find out what I looked like, breaking all the rules given to them by their Government and the worrisome warnings from their sick mothers and fathers. All of them would soon be under my grasp and in an instant, dead.

A rustle in the bushes a few steps from me became my new focus. It was no wind. No wind dared to whisper rumours in my presence. I cheerfully grinned from corner to corner, detecting a delicious snack. A daring soul was awake tonight, fully aware of his own doom which he had knowingly entered with no regrets. I stood still, listening to the muffled breathing of a terrified child who was trying his best to isolate himself from my heavy gaze. No use. If only, I wasn't craving for something to eat tonight maybe I would have let him pass under my nose, pretending to be merciful and graceful like a fox to a rabbit when it has had its fill. I gave a low chuckle, walking intimidatingly slower towards the trembling shrub. His fear smelled amazing...just what I deserved after such a long time...

"No, no please no... Oh, kind, kind demon, please pass me tonight for I am, I am poor and I only seek some, some food for my family," whimpered the small boy, cowering in fear as my shadow cut its way along his whole body.

He was shaking so much to the point that his teeth were chattering with the fear. I only grinned wider, feeling more motivated now than ever to kill him.

"Dearrr child, it is considerred rrrude to call strangerrs demons... And, and don't you think I'm prrrretty? Am I not kind and beautiful with eyes and clothes of pretty blood? Do you dislike me so much to label me a demon?" I complained, a fake offended tone rolling off my tongue.

"Sorry! I'm really sorry, sorry...please don't hurt me... You, you are very beautiful, miss," he pleaded.

An idea seemed to pop up in his scattered thoughts and his eyes gleamed as he peered back at me, looking hopeful.

"I only got a new baby brother yesterday and, and he's so damn cute... My mama, mama said that I had to be a good brother so I, I was going to buy...I was going to buy some food for, for him," he stuttered, swallowing hard as he tensed up again.

His eyes widened like he had seen a ghost as I bent down closer to him, hissing. He quickly paled in the dark and I could hear his quickened heartbeat as it banged loud in the silent night. I gave him a devilish grin, letting my hand grab his hair, seizing the strands tightly with my long nails. It was when I effortlessly elevated him off the ground by the hairs on his head that he broke out into a shrill scream, awakening the small sleeping town immediately. I brought his face closer to mine as he squeezed his eyes shut, looking in more pain as I tugged harder at his hair, causing him to scream even louder. He was like a whistle of the night, wailing, but verily, he was giving an understandable message. The lights of the small houses started going on one by one as people became disturbed by the noise. I looked up at the horrified faces peering down at me from the safety of their curtains and only grinned at them, the boy still trapped in the air, yelling for his life. I could hear the stomping of angry boots down the stairs of each house and soon the doors were shoved open with angry Citizens waving around their pitchforks, spades and whatever other weapons they thought would kill me. Oh my, what an exciting night? How I would stab all of them with each of their pitchforks and dig up their graves with their own useless spades. I then sighed, slamming the boy down on the ground, causing his skull to burst open and bleed under my shoes. The townspeople screamed in horror.