Chapter 04 • Midnight Snack
1059 Words
In the dry rocky lands of Thembelo, Lamia padded on the dusty streets of one of the smallest villages.
With the sky completely dark and cloudless, the streets were empty; and the lanterns that hung on the small houses were all out.
Lamia strode forward, hiding her face under her black hood. She continued her journey, following a particular scent in the air. She finally halted at a certain small house that had a room with its lantern still burning.
She took a long sniff of the air, exhaling with a wide smile. "Ah yes... Children!"
Tiptoeing closer to the door, Lamia sighted the four children that laid on the mats on the floor—three boys, and the youngest being a girl. All looked between the age of nine to twelve. Her smile widened, "Just how I like it".
She continued to watch the innocent beings sleep soundly when the door inside their room opened. A blonde short woman walked in, cooing at the sleeping children.
"That must be their mother", Lamia whispered to herself, stepping away from the window.
~
The children's room door opened minutes later, revealing the blonde woman in her nightgown. She strode to the lantern, picking it up and walking to the children's side.
She tapped the oldest, waking him up. "Huh... Mama?" The boy mumbled, raising himself sneerly. "Yes, my dear... Wake up now, we have to leave. Wake your siblings up".
"Why?" The boy wiped his eyes.
"It is important, I can not explain now. Come now, get up". She woke the four sleepy children up, leading them out of the house.
"Mama? Where are we going to?" The girl asked, holding unto her mother's hand.
"Somewhere important, dear. Now walk faster". She held their shoulders, motioning them towards the back of the house—which led to a forest.
One of the boys then spoke, "But, mama—"
"My dears, do you not trust mama?" Their mother grimaced at them.
They nodded. "Good. Now come, walk faster". As she led them towards the unpathed forest. A dog chained in their neighbour's house began to bark loudly, locking eyes on just their mother.
The oldest son flickered his eyes between the dog and his mother. They walked faster, entering the forest. "Mama? Why is Mr. Dane's dog barking at you like a stranger? You always feed him".
"Ignore it, dear, it is just a stupid animal".
The boy quirked his brows at his mother's words.
She sounded nonchalant, whilst taking them deeper into the forest. "Mama, where are we going?" The second son asked.
"You will soon see, my lovelies. Just follow me!" She rushed them faster, reaching an old oak tree.
They halted. Their mother locked her eyes on the tree's trunk, where a large brown sack laid against it.
"Mama? What are we doing here?" The daughter asked.
"What is that, mama?" Another son asked.
With a soft smile, she patted their heads. "It is a gift, my lovelies. Go on, go and opened it". She rose the lantern above her head for them to get a better view of the huge sack.
The children smiled excitedly. "Oh Woah! Thank you, mama!" The girl yelped, running towards the bag. She stretched out her small hands, attempting to untie the bag.
The oldest son stepped forward, "Move away, sister! Let me do it", he smiled widely. He attempted to untie the hard knot as his other brothers stepped forward, waiting gingerly to look inside.
From a distance, a bird screeched, causing the children to shriek.
"Do not worry, loves. It is just a bird. Open up", their mother coaxed, smiling warming with half of her face hidden in the shadow.
The children glanced at their mother and then back at the bag. The oldest resumed opening it. Successfully pulling off the rope, he pushed his arm in to have a look. He instantly froze.
"What is it, brother!?" The little girl hopped in excitement, as the bag was taller than her level of sight.
The boy gingerly stepped back, slowly pulling out his hand from the bag. His eyes shot wide at the sight of the blood smeared over his arm. His siblings gasped, stepping back in fear.
The bag that was lying distorted against the tree finally slipped and fell to the ground, letting the content spill out. They gasped, sighting human limbs pour out like sliced vegetables, then their mother's bloody head rolling out of the bag. They froze in shock.
The oldest, with a bewildered look, slowly craned his head over his shoulder to the woman who they assumed was their mother.
With the lantern still being in the imposter's hand, they could hear sounds of bones cracking as the height of the person behind them grew.
They all turned around.
The face of who they thought was their mother began to distort, melting and moulding into a much taller slimmer person. The person's hair deepened to black hair that grew longer, now dressed in a cloak. The children unconsciously stumbled back unto their bottoms.
Lamia smiled widely at their gobsmacked expressions, gently setting the candle lantern on the ground.
"Hello, little ones", she said, tilting her head with an innocent smile.
Before they could open their mouths to scream, Lamia's nails grew longer; bearing razor-sharp edges. The children invulnerably clutched unto themselves.
Lamia's smile grew darker as she took a step forward. She licked her lips hungrily, with her green eyes filled with hunger lust.
The girl began to squeal, snuggling unto her older brother, whilst wetting her cheeks with tears. Lamia took a deep breath of the air around her.
She exhaled loudly, "Fear tenderises the meat and pain flavours it".
She smiled, revealing her grown sharp canines. She rose her right arm above her head, aiming to strike their soft necks in one swing. She threw her blade-like nails toward the children's shivering bodies.
CLASH!
Her brows furrowed as she narrowed her eyes at the long thick blade that blocked her attack. She snapped her eyes up to the holder of the weapon. Her brows quirked at the man who stood next to the children.
His deep grey midnight eyes pierced deep into hers as the night breeze blew his shoulder-length dark grey hair.
"And good morning to you too, Lamia", he smirked.
- Writer
