‘What is this?’ I demanded, my voice thick and weary. My mother stood motionless at the door way. The light blinded my eyes as I sat up further in my bed and glared at my mother. She didn’t look right. Her normal blonde hair was greasy and her eyes were dull, nothing like the normal cheery glint in her eyes. Her lips were cracked, and if I could see that from where I was sitting, then they must hurt like hell. I could even see the black bags under her eyes. Her skin was a pale colour, and her rosy cheeks had completely disappeared.
I continued to stare at my mother, not quite able to understand what happened to her as I managed to intake her terrible appearance. Her body seemed almost half its normal size. But I was smart enough to know that that wasn’t right as I glanced at the clock to see it was only 12:30 at night, which meant I only went to bed two hours ago and she sure as hell wasn’t in this state. Leaning forward in my bed a bit to catch a closer glimpse, I noticed blood trickling down her arm and I leapt back into the wall involuntarily.
Looking at my mother’s lifeless body I shook my head in disbelief.
‘W-what happened to you?’ I asked, my voice timid, and thick with concern and worry. My gaze flickered back to her arm. I couldn’t actually see the wound, but the shirt that covered the wound was covered in blood too.
‘Get out!’ she hissed, her voice harsh and cold, her eyes viscous and scary. My eyes widened. I had no idea what to do. Glancing at the iPhone on my bedside table, I inched my arm toward it. Maybe if I could call Dad, he could come and sort things out but all too soon that idea vanished as my mother snatched the phone away. Her figure stood only inches away, and her cracked lips were more prominent now. Her pale skin and greasy hair made her look like a totally different person.
I looked between her and the doorway. Only moments ago she stood there...How did she get here so fast? That’s not even possible as far as I am concerned.
‘Help me!’ she whispered, her voice pleading as I breathed heavily. I backed up against the wall but it was impossible to get any further away.
‘What happened?’ I asked slowly, my voice was quiet and I wasn’t willing to look into her eyes. They couldn’t belong to my mother. Her cheery eyes were the best part about her. Those dull eyes couldn’t be hers.
‘I – I am po-‘ she started but before she could finish she let a long growl escape her mouth and I inhaled sharply before everything happened so quickly except at the same time, it was like it was in slow motion. She lashed out at me, gripping my arm. Her nails ripped at the flesh and I yelped out in pain, smashing my head against the wall. My head pounded, but the pain in my arm was worse. Looking at her was the scariest thing I had ever done.
‘I am possessed.’ She whispered, and as soon as the words left her mouths, I was sprinting downstairs. One million thoughts were rushing through my head, but I didn’t have time to answer any of them. I couldn’t work out what happened to the mother I love dearly. The one that would ask how my day was, cheer me up when I am sad, and help me get dressed for my first dates.
All these thoughts stopped as I rushed down the stairs. I could hear the footsteps heavily behind me and fear ran through every vein. Where was Dad? Was he at home? Or was he still at work. I wished he was here to help me, but at the same time I knew he was safer at work. I barely had time to fling the door open, but as soon as I did, I fled out.
My legs were aching but I had to keep going. I couldn’t stop nor could I risk the chance I glancing back to see if she was still following me. By now, my heart was beating to loud in my ears, that I couldn’t hear any of the surroundings. For the first moment in my life I cursed the fact that we lived on a farm, kilometres away from any other housing estate. For all these years, I had loved the freedom of roaming the lands, but now, I couldn’t regret it more.
If I was going to make it to anyone’s house, I had to run at least five kilometres. As I continued running, my mother’s words rushed back to me. ‘I am possessed’, she had said. The look of fear in her eyes had been unbearable, but all I was thinking about was my safety at the time. What does she mean she is ‘possessed’? Those things only happen in the movies.
I had to turn around – I simply had too. My legs were aching and I couldn’t run much further. Risking it, I glanced over my shoulder. She was still hot on my heels when I ran into something. Turning around, I saw a door in front of me. Either side of the door there was air? Just I door in the middle of nowhere? A door I had never seen before? The door was purple and yellow, with pink rhinestones covering the windows.
I peered into the window only to be wrenched back. Gasping, I reached for the door.
‘Get off me!’ I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping someone would hear me. I felt claws dig into my neck and with all the force I had, I kicked her off me. Knowing this was a matter of do or die, and I had approximately one second. I swung the door open and ran inside, closing it behind me. I melted against the door, sliding down the surface into a sitting position on the cold floor.
Placing my head in my heads, I released the tears.
‘Andrea?’ my Mum’s voice called. I looked up and saw the most terrifying image of my life. My mother stood there, a worried expression on her face. Except this time, she looked like my mum. My real Mum. My eyes widened and I stood up quickly.
‘Get away from me!’ I screamed and she looked taken aback.
‘What’s wrong honey?’ my Dad asked appearing in the kitchen next to my mum, a concerned look etched onto his face.
‘What do you mean what’s wrong?!’ I screamed, and placed my hand on the knife on the kitchen bench. I looked around. We were in my house, but that didn’t make sense, we were just in my house and this house had no walls? Both gazes turned to horrified. I aimed the point of the knife at my mother.
‘You! You tried to kill me!’ I screamed and my parents exchanged glances. ‘Look!’ I screamed holding out my arm to show the blow trickling out of the four scratch marks from her, what I would call, claws.
‘Oh my gosh.’ My mother whispered. ‘She went through the door.’ My mother said to my Dad.
‘Why did you go through that door Andrea!’ my dad asked, a frustrated tone in his voice. What was so frustrating!
‘That door opens to a parallel world Andrea!’ my mum said. ‘It is dangerous, a place you must never go!’
‘So why is there a door in our kitchen?’ I asked. For years I had been prohibited, but it was unlocked so I thought, why not?
‘When there is a visitor from the parallel world, the door unlocks.’ He said.
‘So, what are they?’ I asked. There was no response for a long time so I questioned again more forcefully.
‘Daemons.’ My mum whispered and my jaw dropped. Daemons?
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This story is dedicated to Amor_es_Amor
