Stoned

Tera watched her mother with wide eyes as she slowly lifted the knife to her neck. “Mama, no!” She cried and ran forward as Elijah pulled her back away from her mother’s bleeding body. He held her tight in his arms, pressing kisses into her hair. Tera buried herself in his chest, trying to muffle her cries against his shirt. It was too late when it happened, a scream of terror leaving her mother's lips as the blade cut through her flesh and bone. Her face was still in Elijah’s embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks as she shook uncontrollably. It was all she could do not to throw up. Elijah cradled her protectively, stroking her head until her sobs turned to sniffles.
Her mother’s body lay limp against the bed sheets, her blood pooling beneath her head. Her father stood frozen by her side. He did not look at either one of them as he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Eli laid Tera gently on her bed, covering her gently as she wept quietly. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, brushing the hair out of her face as he did so.

“Tera, there was nothing much we could do again for your mother. You knew this was coming didn't you?" Elijah said to Tera lowly.

"I know... I know.... but not like this!!" Tera bursted out again in tears.

"I know..." Elijah whispered before Tera's father came rushing back into the room. He returned back carrying a cloth and a bowl of water.

“You need to wash her body my dear, make sure all of her injuries are washed and bandaged. I will leave that task to you." the father urged Tera.

He placed the things beside the bed before placing one more kiss to her head. "She is gone my child," he murmured before exiting the room once more.
Tera sobbed as Elijah wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely.

"I know you loved her very much... but she made her choice. Common babe, we need to clean up her body now before anyone starts to suspect anything". Elijah urged Tera whom was still silently sobbing and sniffling.

Tera nodded her head before grabbing some water from the basin next to her bed. As carefully as possible she began washing her mother’s body. The smell of blood and death hung heavy in the air as Tera struggled to remove her clothing. Her clothes became soaked with blood after several attempts of washing her off but she continued.

Eventually she took the final item off; the long, black nightdress her mother always wore. She placed a hand over her mouth, fighting against the urge to vomit as she did so. With trembling fingers she began cleaning the blood stained cloth before tossing them both into the corner of the room.

By the time Tera finally finished the blood stains had become nearly black with dirt mixed in and her mother’s skin looked pale and fragile, almost translucent.
“We should burn these… or bury her. No one needs to see her body like this… especially you”. Elijah told Tera sadly.
Tera nodded her head before climbing into bed with her boyfriend, wrapping her arm tightly around his waist as they hugged each other, sharing their last moments together with the mother before Elijah and Tera's father would go on to bury the body outside, in the backyard.

“Goodbye Mama... good bye….” Tera whispered after the entire deed was done that night.

---

The next morning Tera awoke from nightmares that seemed endless. She felt cold sweat clinging to her skin, causing her to shiver and rub her hands rapidly across her arms as if to ward off the goosebumps. Her breathing hitched painfully as her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the sounds around her. She clutched at her own chest as the sound rang loud in her ears, threatening to deafen her.

"Mama! Mama!!! Don't do this!" she shrieked aloud finally with eyes wide open in dreadful terror.

Immediately, she glanced around her bedroom for a moment before sighing. The only light in her room came from the small lamp on her dresser which cast its warm orange glow across her room, making everything feel ethereal. Inhaling deeply Tera reached out and switched off the lamp before pulling the covers back, standing up and walking towards the door. She walked out into the hallway and into the living area where she saw her father sitting in the rocking chair, staring blankly at the wall in front of him.
The sight of her father brought a sense of familiarity to the dream.

"Dad..." she quietly spoke to her father whom was quietly rocking, face back, on his chair.

"It was just a dream my dear. Your mother is dead. Don't worry, we all get dreams like these after a sudden death. You'll get use to it" the father replied to his daughter very calmly, seemingly with no hint of sorrow or remorse.

"I know that dad… I am sorry I woke you" Tera responded.
"It's alright sweetheart. Go back to bed. Goodnight" the father told his daughter.
As her feet carried her back to her bedroom she heard her father say "goodnight" once more. Turning, she closed the door, locking it. She collapsed onto her bed and cried her eyes out. She tried to shake the image of her mother lying lifeless in a pool of blood from her mind but it persisted, haunting her. Eventually she fell asleep clutching at a book to ease her nerves.

---

"Tera? Are you awake love?" her mother asked as she entered the room, kissing the girl's forehead.
"Yeah mum. I couldn't sleep so I read for a bit. What about you?" Tera asked, looking at her mother curiously.
Her mother smiled weakly, "not really… I can't sleep anymore." The woman sat down in the chair next to the bed.
Tera looked at her mother who's usually bright hazel eyes were dulled.
"Are you okay mom? Are you in any pain?" she asked hesitantly.

"No darling, not anymore.." her mother assured her, putting her hand on the girl's cheek. "You look exhausted though honey. Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll wake you when your breakfast is ready?"
Tera yawned. "Okay mom. Goodnight" she gave her mother another quick peck on the cheek before turning over and snuggling under the blankets. Her eyes fluttered shut as she drifted off to sleep.

---

"Tera..." A voice called from the end of the room. "Tera, wake up. Are you okay babe?" the voice spoke again. "You've been sleeping all day, it's 5:30pm silly!"

Tera groaned slightly before pushing herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. Her head was pounding and throbbing from the lack of rest.

"Eli... is that you?" she asked.

"Of course it's me silly. Looks like someone's been sleeping for way too long!" Elijah teased Tera. "Common, let's go get you some breakfast or shall i say, dinner!" he fairky chuckled.

When the two got downstairs to the kitchen, to their surprise, they were met with Tera's dad cookings.

"Oh there she is! Now, I know it's getting dark but that never too late to fry up some breakfast eggs for my daughter..." the dad spoke in a hearty tone. Tera recieved the dad's giddy cheerfulness rather well and replied:

"Jeez dad, you made eggs for dinner?".

A couple minutes had passed and Tera was still sitting in the kitchen counter with Elijah while the Dad was busy doing some dishes. It took a little effort from her part, but she finally mustered up some courage to ask a peculiar question:

"Hey Dad! I think I saw mom last night or at least I think I dreamt of her" Tera asked and immediately the father heard her question, he panicked and dropped some of the dishes on the floor. Then, with fear in his eyes he said:

"What did you just say my love?"

"I said, I think I might've seen mom in my dreams. Yeah, she even said she was going to make breakfast for me later. I know mom's dead but the whole thing felt so real!" Tera rumbled. Then, without a second to spare, her father paced straight towards her and grabbed her tightly by the shoulders, looking her deep in the eyes.

"Alright sweetie, It's important for you to know that whomever it is that you think you saw in your dream, is certainly NOT your mother. Honey, is your mother is with God!" The father kept ranting. "Look Tera, I want you to promise me that if you see that person again in your dreams, that you'll quickly run away! You'll run away very fast Hun!!" The dad urged the girl with so much fear in his eyes.

"Why?.. Why? Who is that person?" Tera instinctively asked.

"Not who sweetheart, what. It's angel of death - The stoned one." the father replied dreadfully. "I think he wants to get you too. Don't let him..."

Thanks for reading and keep exploring!