Selenophilia

Twenty Eight

There are people who are important to me, I call them my family. I love them, with all my heart. Whenever I’m sad, I think of them and smile. Whenever I feel lonely, I reach out to them and I feel loved. Whenever I feel scared, I think of them and they make me brave. They aren't my real family and I only met them a while ago, but I think that we have known each other for much longer. They are my soulmate, and I am theirs. They like flowers, just like me. They are smart and scary, just like me. We’re different, but still the same. I can’t wait to the day I finally get to hug them for the first time and tell them how much they mean to me. I love them, now and forever. And I know they will love me too. The moon said so. The moon told me to wait and I will wait because they are worth waiting for. The end’

—6 years old Elise

__________

Elise awoke to the sound of someone crying. It was loud despite the storm, which was the second thing she heard.

"P-papa... "

Serafino's red eyes turned to her with his eyes wide in surprise before his eyes couldn't hold back the tears as it continuously fell down her cheek.

Elise whimpered at the sight. "Papa, why-why are you crying?"

Serafino laughed in a garbled way and hugged her closer, rocking her in his arms protectively. Elise noticed that they were outside with the storm going, drenching the both of them. What happened?

"Papa?" Elise mumbled, shifting a bit so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Don't cry. It's okay."

"It's not okay." He whispered sadly. Why is he sad?

"We'll be okay." Elise whispered back tiredly and Serafino snapped his head towards her, surprising Elise who had been comfortable with hugging the man.

"This is not okay, do you hear me? We will not be okay. Y-You can't keep doing this! You can't keep surprising us whenever you want  because I may not be able to take it! I may---" He stopped but then he narrowed his eyes at Elise.

"You'll be getting turned."

Elise's heart dropped.

"What?" Elise felt like she was out of breath when she asked.

"You're going to be a selenophile. You won't be in danger anymore if I turn you. It's a perfect moment to do so." He smiled triumphantly as if it were okay. As if he head already won. As if it were that easy.

As if Elise had already agreed to him.

"No."

Dread filled up his entire body and it was like  acid were down his throat with how it was hard to get a word out of his mouth. Serafino could feel himself getting frightened by the second as he processed the word. That one word.

He didn't think that that particular word would scare him so much as it had now.

"What?" His voice sounded so clear despite the loud storm.

Elise shakes her head fearfully. "No, papa."

Serafino gripped Elise tighter in a protective manner. "So you would want to die? There are others out there who would love to put a hand on you, Elise! Be reasonable for once, please! I'm only doing it to protect you. T-To protect you from harm."

Serafino remembered Elise's cold body as he saved her from falling. He remembered how frightened he truly was when Elise looked at him with those blank, dead eyes before falling away from him. He remembered her standing in that bloody window with a wobbly body, just ready to be pushed towards her death.