Love

The young mother tasked with the burden of giving birth to the Monster Child struggles against her anguish at the burden of her child, Jasmine.

The monster child was born on November 7^th, year 5999. It was said by many so-called prophets that it would mark the beginning of the cursed era. According to myth, it was being of frightening appearance that was born out of rape by an Oscur-Ser, a malicious entity.

Most were sacrificed upon birth as a way to ward off evil.

However, had one survive enough to grow into an adult, it would bring bad luck to wherever it would stay.

 

But all of that is just a myth, right? Right?

 

…

 

 

"Push! She's almost out!" Sweat trickled the exhausted doctor's forehead. There was no reason for him not to be: the birth process had taken twelve hours.

The anxious mother struggled with the same birthing pains she had already endured for many hours.

At last, with a final shriek from the mother, the baby's cries were heard: little Jasmine had survived the process of earning her place in this world. The doctor and the mother let out relieved sighs as their missions were completed at the moment.

But happiness and relief shortly turned into horror as the nurse holding the newborn child voiced her fears: "Doctor, there's something wrong with the baby!"

The doctor stood up as he slowly took the child in his hands.

"What... what's wrong with my baby?" Asked the exhausted mother.

The doctor remained quiet as his eyes remained focused on the child’s features: corpse-white skin, a head of poisonous-green hair, and an open mouth filled with rows of shark-like teeth.

The mother's face contorted in terror.

"Jasmine!!!”

 

One Year after...

 

Little Jasmine's development of odd features did not stop after she was born. Upon opening her eyes, her startled mother noticed that the whites of Jasmine's eyes were completely red. Her teeth had also noticeably darkened to an opaque gray.

Not to mention her strangest feature yet: a third eye located at the back of her neck, which remained closed most of the time.

By the time little Jasmine was a year old, most medical tests had been done to her, which provoked in her a deep dislike for anything hospital related. 

Inside her mother’s mansion, little Jasmine took a break from the billion needles she had been subjected to by devouring her breakfast.

Next to her, her mother listened intently as the country’s most prodigious doctor spoke about the different results displayed on the medical tests.

"The studies are complete Miss Steiner," the doctor's eyes sprinted from left to right in an anxious lap. "Despite Jasmine's bizarre features, she shows no health problems. In fact, it’s quite the contrary, she seems to be healthier than the average child." the doctor shrugged.

“But,” She paused and involuntarily glanced at her daughter. “Her appearance…”

A few steps from where they were, Jasmine was playing with her food. She smiled broadly, displaying the gray, sharp teeth that seemed to be more akin to a shark’s than to a one-year-old girl.

As Jasmine’s mouth tore into her food, her mother could not help but cringe internally.

"Isn't there a way she can be normal?" Miss Steiner asked, desperate for an answer.

"Not without damaging her, no." The doctor picked up his briefcase. He seemed to be in a hurry to leave the room.

"I'm afraid her 'condition' is a permanent thing." He looked at Miss Steiner feigning empathy. "I'm sorry."

A sorrowful sigh left the pained mother's chest as she gestured for the doctor to leave.

 

 

 

Two Hours Later…

 

Now alone in her room as the child slept, Layla Steiner stared outside of her window. 

The sky was dark, stormy, and with lightning bolts shrieking through the heavens.

"Of all people," tears fell from her eyes. "Why was I the one chosen to give birth to a monster?"

She gritted her teeth as she dropped to her knees, fists clenched and raised.

She wanted to scream. Instead, only a choked hiss came out.

Her nails dug in deep into her cheeks, drawing thin tears of blood as her eyes took on the look that only demons take.

Her body shook as if possessed. And in the midst of her anguish she stood up and headed towards the door.

Her distorted mind seemed to be grinding ideas faster than any industrial machine could. All the ideas were being directed.
Directed at the specific object of her hatred.
The one that put this burden onto her.
It was all because of him!

 

The frenzied mother entered the room. Her eyes scanned viciously for the object of her anguish.

There, the child slept peacefully, blindly trusting that she would be protected from any harm.

Layla’s frame loomed over her daughter’s. Lines of blood reached from under her eyes, dripping from her chin onto Jasmine’s crib.

Inside her mind, Layla struggled.

 

 

That horrible little thing came from me.

My daughter.

No. That monster’s daughter.

Part of me wants to love her.

But part of me also wants to hate it.

Look at her, sleeping peacefully in her crib.

It would be so easy to kill her.

But should I?

She does kind of look like me.

She’s my daughter after all.

And a monster.

I hate her.

I love her.

Let’s put it to the test then.

 

Layla then took her daughter’s small body onto her arms.

The child did not awaken.

She slowly walked towards the room’s terrace.

Upon opening the gates towards the terrace, a cold gust of wind slashed at her face.

Now stepping onto the dark night, Layla looked down. It was a three story drop, enough to kill even her.

She held the small creature before the drop.

Surely it would be painless. Such a small body should break on impact. She would not suffer, or if she did then it would surely be less suffering than what would await her on the world.

Yes.

An act of mercy.

And who would question, since she was no short of a princess? No one would even know Jasmine existed.

Jasmine.

 

Jasmine.

My baby girl.

When our souls meet in the after-life, please forgive me.

Understand that what I am about to do, I do out of love and mercy.

 

She counted up to three.

 

One. Goodbye, Jasmine.

Two. Rest in peace, my baby girl.

Three. I now let you go.

 

She closed her eyes.

Within her, she heard the wind whistle. And then the loud crack of the floor.

 

But when she opened her eyes, the child was still there, in her arms.

However, she was awake this time, probably due to the night’s cold.

Now with the moonlight shining upon the child was Layla able to notice how her daughter’s eyes looked at her.

The child’s glance was fixated in hers. Unwavering. Immovable, and focused.

But her glance was but magnified due to how her beautiful eyes glowed in a phosphorescent purple in the darkness, reminiscent of gems in the middle of a dark cave.

 

Something then broke.

Shattered, into many pieces.

Layla felt it, deep inside, how the shattered pieces of her heart pierced through her soul.

Involuntarily, she then held Jasmine close to her, right next to her heart, as from her chest emerged a powerful sob.

 

Jasmine, my baby girl, forgive me for what I was about to do.

I did not see it before, but I love you. I love you more than anything I have ever known.

More than this planet, and ten times more than my own life.

I’ll protect you from everything, and nothing will ever come to harm you ever again.

You’re my baby girl, and I love you.

I love you now, and I will love you forever.

Because you’re my daughter, and I’d die before watching you get hurt.

I’ll repeat it to you now, and for every day I live. And I will watch you grow and live happily, because you’re my daughter, and you deserve nothing less, and much more.

I love you now, and I will until the day I die.

 

 

Now listening to her maternal instinct, she hugged Jasmine with all of her love.

It was then when the Vermandy’s princess, Layla Steiner, realized that there was more to living than her own good.

The little monster girl had already achieved a spot in her mother’s young, cold heart and in the world.

But she would need much more than that to survive her father.  

Author's Note

This chapter has some issues with spacing, and explanations. If you meet with any issue, don't be afraid to point it out.

Reviews

[hallowsun]

I like this chapter, it leaves a lot of mystery and anticipation, I didn't have any issue with spacing or explanation though, in my mind I actually see it like flashes of things happening one after the other and I enjoy it this way.

[Number Six]

Thank you for taking of your time to review my chapter.
I'm glad to see that there are no issues for now.
I hope to post more chapters of Monster Child soon.

Once again, thank you.


Number Six