I Was Free Once

Chapter 6

A crashing window was heard from outside the bedroom.

“Darien,” my mother said, spreading her wings in defense, “hide in the closet, until I find out if its safe for you to be seen.” I did as I was told, while she waited for whatever made the noise to enter the bedroom. I listened, as the door burst open, to my mother’s gasp.

“Cal?” she asked. “What are you doing here?”

It was my father’s voice that I heard answer. “I’ve come to claim what is rightfully mine: my son.”

“You left when he was five years old. I had to raise him on my own. Why do you want him now?”

“Does it really matter, Vera? He’s my flesh and blood, as well as yours!”

“Well, you can’t have him. He hardly remembers you, anyway.”

“Then, I’ll make him remember. Darien must come with me. Now…” he continued, while walking around the room, “where is he?”

“That’s none of your damn business. Cal, you know what I am and what I can do to you. So, just get out of my house.”

“That’s true; you aren’t of the human race. But, you don’t know all that I am. I am Calcar Maleficus!” My mother let out a small scream.

“You’re a…a…”

“Yes, I am a demon. And now you, Vera Beneficus, shall perish from this earth, never to return again!” I heard the sound of the back of his claw hit my mother’s face. She gasped and I heard her body hit the floor.

“You’ve been planning this from the day we met, haven’t you?”

“You’re damn right I have. And tonight, the plan shall be one step closer to complete.”

After this, I heard many different things. I heard the sound of what I thought was metal on metal. I heard my mother scream. Finally, and worst of all, I heard my father laugh with triumph.

“You can come out of the closet now, Darien,” he said, in a satisfied voice. I stayed where I was; I was afraid to see the truth of what he had accomplished. “Get out here, now!” I was then thrown out of the closet by an unbelievably strong force. I landed on my hands and knees, afraid to move.
I looked up at my father. In demon form, I didn’t recognize him, not even his eyes. He was the exact opposite of my mother, both morally and physically. The gray skin and black wings… The claws on his hands and talons on his feet…His long, cerulean hair and red, glowing eyes…I looked away from him in fear.

“Now that I’ve finished off your mother, you are to come with me.” I looked to my left and I saw my mother lying on the ground, surrounded by blood and mortally wounded by my father’s claws. “I am going to turn your wings and heart black and teach you how to use the dark magic laying dormant in your body at this very moment.”

“Darien,” my mother struggled to say in her last few breaths, “don’t listen to him. Train to defend yourself with white magic. Use what I’ve taught you.”

“Shut up, you piece of shit!” my father screamed back at her. “I thought I killed you.” He walked over to her and picked her up by her hair. “Now, son, you will see who is stronger! Rot in hell, you dirty little bitch.” I closed my eyes, as my mother screamed one final time.

“Get up and follow me. You have the potential to become one of the strongest demons of all time, and I can help you on your way.” I stood up and, for the first time that night looked my father in the eyes.

“No,” I replied.

“No? Why not?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Your fifteen years old, how do you know what the hell you want?”

“I don’t want to follow you or your ways. You’re a demon.”

“As are you. Now, come with me!” He grabbed me by the wrist. I pulled away from him, but not with out getting cut by his claws.

“Leave me alone! I want to let the angel in me be the controlling force. I don’t want to be a demon!”

“Fine, I might as well kill you, too. I’ll just have to start from scratch again. No problem.” He started towards me. I ran towards my mother’s body, and grabbed the knife she was using to defend herself. I turned and stabbed my father in the arm.

“Stay away from me!” I yelled, holding the knife, ready to strike again. He lunged at me and took hold of neck. I dropped the knife and was lifted off the floor, against the wall. “Let me go!”

“I’m sorry I have to do this to you, but there are circumstances that you don’t understand right now. Good bye, Darien.” He held his claw at the ready and I cringed in anticipation.

I’m not sure what happened that night. I don’t know if it was truly my white magic beginning to strengthen, or if it was a protection spell placed on me by my mother. But, whatever it was, it gave me the strength to switch the scene. Now, my father was the one being strangled.

“Get your fucking hands off me!” he screamed, shooting me across the room. He returned to his human form and continued. “Fine! I have a better idea. You train yourself. You train yourself well, too. When you least expect it, you’ll be begging me for your very life.”

He pulled a gun out of the trench coat he was wearing. “Take this as a warning,” he said, while shooting me three times in my left shoulder. “Be weary of your actions, Darien. I’m much stronger than you think, and I will kill you. But, I want to torture the hell out of you first! Where’s the glory in killing a child anyway? I can wait…”

He gave me one last sadistic smile as he turned to leave.