Warmth - love or horror?

A long time ago, in a faraway land there lived a couple in an old mansion inherited from their family. Their names were John and Eva. Their mansion was at half an hour's distance from the village named Lockheart. The mansion was surrounded by dense forest and villagers find it creepy to go there at night. The village was sparsely populated, had lush greenery and agriculture output was abundant. Everyone lived there happily, having abundant to eat and enjoy their life in peaceful green fields. John used to sell farm animals to villagers to earn the living while Eva used to help him raising animals and doing house chores. Everything was perfect in their life except that they were childless. They went to every doctor and priest, did everything in their power but couldn’t have a child despite being married for 8 years. They had lost their hopes and had just accepted their destiny. But somewhere in Eva’s heart, there is an emptiness. Whenever she went to the village with her husband, seeing children play wounds in her heart use to reopen. She always thought “Had I have a child; he would have played like these kids.” her husband always knew what is in her mind but he couldn’t do anything for her. Poor he. He always tries to make her happy and she used to give him a fake smile to reciprocate his feeling. She wanted to be like other mothers, laughing, playing, and eating with her child. Her wishes were like dreams – felt real but were far away from being true.

Deep inside the forest on the other edge, there lived a sorcerer who used to perform black magic. So, people feared going near him as they thought he would bring bad luck to them. One day the sorcerer was roaming in the forest and felt thirsty. He saw John and Eva’s home and went there and asked for water. Eva although afraid of the sorcerer but helped him quench his thirst. The sorcerer was happy looking at Eva helping him so he told Eva that he would fulfill her one wish. Eva knew the power of sorcerer. There is only one thing that Eva always wanted so she asked him to bless her with a child. The sorcerer looked at her, his facial expression was tensed as if what she asked, she shouldn't. He told her this is against the law of nature. But Eva’s hopes were raised by sorcerer’s word. She insisted he fulfills her wish. It looked like that she was being possessed by some evil. She could go against God to fulfill this wish. The sorcerer had to fulfill the promise he gave to Eva although he knew the consequences that might follow by breaking the law of nature. He touched her belly and blessed her with a child. Suddenly the sunny weather transformed to cloudy. The dark cloud covered the sun and the blue sky turned completely dark. The sorcerer looked up and understood what mishap has happened just now. The wind blew fast and it started to rain heavily. Sorcerer told her he would visit her on her child’s birth. Saying this he went on his way to the forest and disappeared in the rain. Not knowing what impossible she had asked, Eva was happy that she could be a mother, could give her warmth to her child which she had always wanted. When John came back from the village, she told him about this incident. John looked worried listening to it as he knew nothing impossible could be achieved without consequences. But looking at his wife’s happy face he couldn’t bring this concern to her as it would break her heart. All he could do was to be happy for her.

After 9-months Eva went into labor. It was the darkest night of the year with the complete pitch-black outside. The sorcerer sensed that his blessing is going to be true but he also felt the uneasiness in the atmosphere. It was a long night for both Eva and John. Finally, she gave birth to a boy and passed out shortly after that. John saw the boy and was terrified, the cloud of fear surrounded him. It was no ordinary child. He had pale grey skin, it was rough and dry. Suddenly John heard a knock on the door. With his hands trembling he somehow went to the door and opened it. The Sorcerer was standing there. He told John that he warned her not to wish for it but she ignored his warnings. Sorcerer Stepped inside the mansion and asked him to show the child. Suddenly John heard a scream. It was Eva. John ran toward their room. Eva was sitting in a corner and trembling in fear. She couldn’t believe that she gave birth to such a thing. The sorcerer went to the cradle and looked at the boy. He knew what it was exactly. He told them that the child was born defying the law of nature so he doesn’t belong to this world. ” He is half dead half alive.”- sorcerer told them. He told them that they had to feed him fresh raw meat. John was unwilling to raise that creature but Eva being afraid, didn’t want to lose her child who was her last hope. John had to accept her wishes but he locked that child in the basement away from the world.

John feared inviting his acquaintances to his home and always looked worried. Eva was happy but fearful at the same time. She feared her own child because he was different from the others. She didn’t hug him even once since he was born. At first, she fed him with the blood of the farm animals but when his teeth started to grow, she started feeding him with the raw meat. Once she tried to feed the child with the milk he threw up and made strange sounds like he was going to die. She hoped if she would feed him with humanly food, he will turn human but it didn't happen. John never looked at him since he was born and pleaded Eva to keep him locked inside the basement. He even hadn’t named him and always called him a monster. But Eva used to call him the Von means “hope”. Although the child was abnormal by his looks but had the purest eye in the whole world. That child didn’t even know what was his mistake to be treated like this. His father didn’t visit him, not even once after his birth. His mother didn’t hug him. He felt cold in the basement alone. Eva looking at him sometimes had thought to kill him but at last, couldn’t due to her motherly heart.

Years passed, now the child is 9 years old. His acquaintances were loneliness and coldness of the basement. The only moment he felt happy was when his mother brings raw meat to feed him. He always looked towards his mother with his big sparkling eyes, wanting to be with his mother always. He couldn’t say a word as they didn’t teach him to speak. His feelings were raw but pure not tainted by the fake words. His eyes used to cry for love, the love he probably won't get in his lifetime. He used to wonder why they always treat him like this. Why they don’t love him though he doesn’t know what is meaning of love. But we all know love is a raw feeling encoded in humans, without knowing what is it, they feel it. He always felt cold in that basement, sitting in a corner without moving much. He was a thing who when exposed to the world would be killed instantaneously

One day a famine broke out in that village followed by the pandemic killing many people and infecting animals. So, villagers decided to move out of there to save themselves. John asked Eva to move out too. Eva agreed but asked their child to move with them. John strongly opposed her and told her to leave him as they won't be able to live in the world with him. Eva agreed with her sunken heart. Eva always feared her child but also love him at the same time. This mixed emotion always troubled her to love her child as she would have if he was normal. Eva last time feed her child but this time looked in his eyes, she was the lush of pure emotion flowing from those eyes. It made her heartache and it tore her heart and her tears started rolling off her cheeks. She wiped her tears and closed the basement and left the house with her husband carrying essential items. After walking few minutes, Eva looked back. She could see her home. Her heart crushed thinking her child would be alone hungry and cold. So, her feet stopped and she decided to go back but John grabbed her hand and asked her not to. Her heart was crying out so does her eyes. The pain is killing her. Though she was afraid of her own kid, she had the tiny bit of motherly affection hidden somewhere in her heart that was stopping her from going. John told her that he would never go back nor he would take that kid with him. Eva wanted to be with her husband but at the same time, she didn’t want to leave her kid alone. She ran toward home leaving all her stuff. John just watched her standing there and for once thought of going after crossed his mind but thinking about his son, he moved away leaving Von and Eva alone.

Von was alone locked in the basement. He knew that his parents had abandoned him. He was feeling cold and was crying. But he couldn’t do anything. He knew he can't force himself on Eva and John. His only wish was to feel the warmth of his mother’s love one last time. He suddenly heard the clicking sound and when the door opened, he saw his mom standing there. He moved in the corner such that there was no space, hoping that his mother does not leave him again out of fear. He sat there and cried, so did Eva. Seeing Von like this made Eva’s heartache. She cursed herself for not loving her child. She stayed in that basement with him both occupying corners on opposite sides. Von out of fear that his mom Would leave him again while Eva for embarrassment to face her kid. 2 days passed; Eva tried to feed left-out cereals to Von but he always threw up. She went out to find the animal to feed her kid but she couldn’t find anything. Everything was destroyed by the famine and pandemic. Animals have migrated to another area. She sat in the basement crying for being unable to feed her child. Her heart ached. The pain was tremendous it was splitting her apart. While Von was very hungry making his stomach growl and in pain. She couldn’t see her child in such a situation. All her motherly love which she wanted to give to him was accumulating inside her, making her burst open anytime. She suddenly stood up and walked outside to grab something. She bought the machete which they used to cut the wild shrubs. She chopped her hand and feed her hand to Von. He happily ate that hand because he didn’t know that it would kill her mom. He was never taught anything. He was like an empty book that needs to be written. He was happy that his mother is feeding him. He didn’t know the consequences. After a few days later she chopped her leg to feed him. Anybody normal standing there would be devastated by this madness. But to them it was love. Eva first time in her life feeling happy taking care of her child and Von being fed by her mom. Eva lost a lot of blood and he felt ill. She knew she didn’t have much time. All she wanted to give every bit of her love to her son. She used to tell him” Mother is always there for you.”. She finally mustered up her courage and crawled near Von and hugged him. The first time hugging her son made her heart full. She has received the greatest blessing. On other hand, Von who had always felt cold was now experiencing the love of his mother. He first time felt the warmth which he was craving for his whole life. He tried to speak something but couldn’t. He gathered all his strength and said “maaaaa” and tightly hugged her. A tear rolled down from Eva’s eyes. It was probably the most beautiful thing she heard in her life. All her wishes were fulfilled. She could peacefully leave now but her heart ached to leave her son alone. The glow in her eyes disappeared and her body turned cold. Von hugged her continuously smiling because he could finally hug her mom.