The Choice Is Yours // a.lightwood

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Daniel was paralyzed in fear as he covered his ears, trying to block out the screams of terror coming from his mother's room. His mother sensed something coming and she told him to hid, which resulted in him hiding in the hallway closet. Not having a clue what to do in a situation like this, he stayed put and stay as quiet as he could. Once the screams dies down a bit and his mind was finally clear, he slowly opened the door. He grabbed his mother's bow, that was hidden underneath the rubbish in the closet.

Remembering the weapons training, his mother went through. He grabbed an arrow from the quiver, that he slung over his shoulder. Setting the bow he slowly creped down the hall to his mother's room. Trying to stay as quiet as he could, he pulled back taking aim at the creature before shooting it in the back. It let out a low-pitched groan and ran towards him as he fumbled set up the bow again. Before he could aim the bow he was tackled to the ground, knocking the bow out of his hand.

He struggled underneath the weight of the creature who had its hand around Daniel's neck, as he tried to grabbed the bow. The creature raised its other hand, ready to strike the young boy who was trying to gasp for air. Daniel got ahold of an arrow and shoved it into the creatures chest causing it to stumble backwards, releasing Daniel's throat. He looked around, trying to catch his breath making sure that was the only one. As he walked past the creature, he let out a small yelp as it twitch before it turned to dust.

Noticing that the room was empty, he quickly ran over to his mother and he broke down in tears. His mother was sprawled out on her bed covered in blood, eyes focused on the nine year old who knelt next to her.

She used the last of her strength to say goodbye to her son. "There's a box in the closet on the shelf, I want you to take it and get out of here."

"No mom, please! I can't lose you." Daniel cried out.

He couldn't bare to lose the only parent he had, the only person in his life. He didn't know where his father was now,only that his parents separated when he was younger. Even when Daniel tried to remember him, his mind went blank until his head started to throb. Since his recent birthday, he has been getting these images of a person holding child which Daniel assumed was him. The person's was a silhouette and he never got a good look at the person's face.

His mother started coughing up small amounts of blood, "Stay strong for me, go to the institute."

"No! C'mon on mom stay with me!" He yelled shaking his mother.

But it was to late, his mother's eyes starting closing and her breaths became shallow. Daniel stood up from the side of the bed, wiping his hands on his shirt and went into his room. He grabbed his a from his closet, throwing in as many clothes as he could. He didn't have much, but what he had he treasured dearly. When he was growing up, his mother made sure they had an escape route in case something happened.

He went into the hallway and grabbed the bow off the ground, putting it in the bag. He pulled the quiver off his back and put it in the bag as well, tossing some clothes on top of it. He grabbed Bean from his cage, along with his food and travel terrarium before he rushed out of his room. He took a chair from the kitchen, moving it in front of the closet in order to reach the box from the top shelf.

He put the box in his bag before running out of the backdoor, checking to make sure no one was watching him. He ran down the alley clutching the strap of his duffle bag, debating whether or not to hail a cab. He decided against it because it would have been pointless, for one he didn't have any money. Two, not many drivers will allow a child in their cab without being accompanied by an adult. He took the shortcut, he knew about when he went there with his mother.