The Darkness Unveiled [DGM Wattyaward 2015 Winner]

The Tale of Maria Part 5

"Hush, hush, hush little child
Sleep safe and sound in my arms.
The world is dark and evil
Dreary as the rain
But as long as you stay, stay, stay
Here you'll be safe, safe, safe
Far from the terror the torment I know.
Hush, hush, hush."

The child nuzzled my chest as I held him, his soft breath barely touching my hand. He had grown so much in the past year; I couldn't possibly let him go. My little baby was learning so much. When we would walk together, he would hold handfuls of skirt in his fat little fingers. He waddled and I would watch him as he would chase birds and crawl in the grass. Things weren't always peachy keen. I was constantly approached by akuma who would later try to kill me and my boy.

Now, at this moment, he sat in my arms asleep as we sat, hidden in a train car. A smile came to my face as I jokingly whispered, "This is all your fault," And gave a slight laugh.

Much of our life was spent like this. Always hiding, blaming, begging and nothing more. For five years this occurred until one day that changed everything.

***

Puddles covered the street as lamps lit my way. He was heavy and I was beginning to slow. Shouts followed us as I frantically searched for a place to hide. There was nowhere. Panic pulsed through me, my son had no idea what was going on. He had never seen an akuma before, not even me, and I couldn't risk it.

"Mommy, where are we going?"

"Baby, we're going to play a game okay?" I quickly said as I stood him in an alley, behind a traveling circus. "Remember hide and seek?"

"Yes, mommy."

"Okay, so you're going to hide and-"

"Down here!!!" Footsteps drew closer as I turned to my son and put my hand to his head.

"I'm sorry, hide!" Taking his memories of me drew tears to my eyes as he blacked out and I hid him amongst the props and things. It pained me dearly to leave him as if my heart were to burst. "I love you, baby."

The Akuma came into sight and yelled vulgar things at me, running. I darted down the alley, blood pulsing as fire, ming scorched with sorrow, tears running hot down my face. A brick wall met me and I turned to face my enemies. A single shadow crept down the alley.

"I have finally found you ❤"

Swallowing the saliva in my throat, I bowed low. "Lord Millenium."

"Come," he grinned, "There is so much you have to do ❤

***

The mirror in front of me showed my human skin, all perfect and pretty. The darkness that surrounded me made it impossible to focus on anything else.

"Go on, Change. ❤"

A lump swelled up in my throat. "I am ugly in that form, do not make me."

"What form do you speak of? You are not level one, or two, or three. You are not level four. Change. ❤"

Slowly easing the transformation on my body, I learned that it did not rip the skin or cause searing pain. It was simple and smooth as if I was a member of the Noah Family. I looked in the mirror fearing an ugly being but beheld so much more.

The thing I saw was beautiful, with high arching cheekbones and blood-red lips. With light gray skin and deep gray eyes. Ebony hair fell down the back in one flowing sheet, trimmed even. A ribbon necklace sat above the collar bone and fell mid-back, it's center bearing a small, silver cross. Delicate arms covered by black shoulder-length gloves, a thin waist so small you could wrap both your hands around it and your fingertips and wrists would touch, and long legs that bore gray boots below the knees. It was wearing a dress that fell exactly to the knees in layer upon layer of black sheer and fabric and went to sit 2 inches below the collar bone. The thing was rimmed with green roses around the waist and had small off-the-shoulder straps to match.