The sunlight shimmered across the bedroom as my eyelids slowly opened, revealing a new day that had finally arrived. The morning sun shined brightly in the sky as the room was filled with light that illuminated the entire space from the windows.
“Good morning, Adam,” a soft gentle voice greeted me as the door opened.
A smile creased on my lips as I turned to see Lilith standing in front of me, “good morning, mommy,” I replied as I stretched and yawned. Lilith gave a slight chuckle as she placed a cup of coffee down on the table beside the bed, “you slept for a long time, honey. Did you miss your mommy?”
“Yeah, a lot,” I smiled as I sat up on the side of the bed. “What is that?” I pointed at the cup of coffee she placed on my table beside the bed, “is it for me?”
“Yes,” she answered as she leaned down to kiss me on the forehead before sitting back on the chair. “You need to drink this,” she told me, “it will make you feel better and give you energy to get ready for the day. It is a special blend of coffee that I made for you,” she explained.
I took a sip of the hot beverage as it tasted like heaven to my taste buds, “wow, this is delicious,” I commented.
Not wanting to disappoint her, I decided to gulp all of it in a few seconds and chug it all in one go. Lilith’s eyebrows raised in shock and concern as she watched as I emptied the whole mug of coffee, “Adam, why did you do that?”
I shrugged, “because it is made from you,” as I burped with satisfaction. “Because all the food you made for me is wonderful and awesome!” My stomach rumbles as it craves more of the same. Lilith’s eyes widened in happiness, “how sweet of you! You are such a sweet boy.”
Feeling fluttered from how much she adores me and praised me. I cannot explain how her affection towards me has grown stronger than ever since she adopted me. She looked so happy every time I spent with her, seeing her joyful expression felt as though it warmed my heart.
“Thank you, Mommy,” I said with a big grin, “but do not worry, it was not that bad,” words of reassurance escaped out of my mouth. “But it was a bit bitter,” I added with a hint of regret.
She pulled her hand in front of me, gesturing to hold her hand, “come on sweetie, let us talk about this during breakfast,” as she held me up straight. “Okay,” I nodded. Lilith then grabbed the empty cup with her other hand, “we are having pancakes today, so eat as much as you want,” she giggled.
We both walked to the kitchen together, and I immediately saw the plate filled with different types of pancakes, waffles and crepes. The smell of bacon and eggs cooking wafted in the air as well as the aroma of fresh fruits and juices.
Wow…did mommy do all of this, for me!?
I could not help but smile as I sat on the table, where Lilith also sat beside me with another chair placed for her. The scent of fresh food tickled my nose as it smelled heavenly. We started our meal by eating a variety of foods as we enjoyed each bite of it.
“How do you feel now, Adam?”
How do I feel? I feel great!
“Feeling great mommy, why?” I asked, still munching down the food on the table, using my bare hands to scoop up the delicious pancake onto my face.
As I turned to look at her face, her once sweet display changed into a cold and unusual expression that was plastered on her facial features to the point that I had to stop whatever I was doing. The sight of mommy giving me a blank and soulless look was something that he is unnerving because she usually has her gentle smile whenever she goes home or walks around the village.
“Adam…”
I froze, suddenly aware that the expression on her face was not normal.
“Adam,” she repeated as she stood up from the table, staring down at me with her cold expression, causing goosebumps all over my body. “Why did you leave at night without telling me,” she stated, her voice carrying a tone that is grave and eerie.
I could not believe this was happening.
My eyes widened with shock as I looked back at her, “mommy, it is okay, it was just a mistake,” I replied as calmly as possible, trying to calm the situation.
However, that did the opposite as her once beautiful visage turned to an ugly and demonic like expression on her face. Her expression remained unchanged as she slowly approached me until her shadow covered mine.
“You were with someone, right?” She coldly spoke to me, but the sound of her voice caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.
“W-What are you talking about, mommy,” I stuttered, as I tried to remain calm but my nervousness gave it away.
“I heard voices coming out of your room last night. Who was it? Is this the reason that you left without saying anything to me, Adam!” Her sharp gaze pierced straight into my soul as I could not answer.
I have to tell her, I have to tell her, I have to tell her! But would that be a good idea? Yes..yes it is! She will understand my predicament, surely. “Mommy,” I started, as I nervously gulped and swallowed while holding my breath in fear. “It is not what it looks like.”
Her icy glare intensified as her lips curled into a wicked grin as she knelt on my level, placing her hands on my face as her strange alluring smile and beautiful red eyes gazing onto mine. “Do not lie to me, Adam. You know that is not how it is supposed to be between us,” she whispered as the air in the room became thick and uncomfortable.
I could not think straight nor open my mouth to speak, it felt like a vice grip on the back of my head as it constricted the blood flow to the rest of my body.
“Mommy,” I finally managed to say as I gasped for the air that was now being choked off, “I was meeting my new friends with Alice and Bobby.” I said as I forced myself to breathe. She continued on holding my face, “You do not need to worry about them anymore, Adam.”
What does she mean by that?
“What are you implying mommy?” I asked as I stared at her with wide-eyed. “Why do I no longer have to worry about them, mommy?”
She then grinned, leaving a cold shiver down my spine, “because they hurt my poor Adam. Those were never your friends. But do you remember how much your father hurt you?”
Father…? Why is she bringing him into this conversation?! What is wrong with her?
“He was not the only one that had done it though,” She went on as the color drained from my face, “Do you recall how much he hurt you, thrown you like a ragdoll, hit, punched, kicked, strangled, starved, neglected, abused, and tortured you until he died, Adam?”
My mind flashed back to the memories of the past. The sound of neglect and screams, including the demeaning comments about my pathetic existence had slowly drove me closer and closer to unknown darkness clawing into my psyche, the pain of it all is unbearable.
I could feel the tears rolling out of the corner of my eyes as it dripped on the floor, “Why are you telling me this, mommy?”
Lilith closed her eyes, placing her forehead between mine as she spoke in a whisper. “Because the world keeps hurting you Adam. The world does not love or accept you. It hurts you. And it always will until the day it kills you. That is why, Adam. Your friends are just a distraction. They are nothing more than a fleeting illusion of a false hope that could save you, but it will not.”
She is right about Alice and Bobby. They hurt me, betrayed my feelings and even did not even listen to a word I said. Bobby complained and complained about why mommy hurt his little sister and in turn, hurt me!
“So do you see Adam?” Lilith asked, “nobody is worth your time and love. Everyone around you keeps betraying you and causing more harm to your life. Even those that love you, they will end up hurting you and cause even worse damage to yourself and everyone around you. But I am different, I am your only true person that deserves your love, trust and affection. You need to be strong for me Adam. For us. Do you understand now?”
I nodded with a slight smile at the thought of having someone who truly cared about my pitiful life. “Yes mommy and I am sorry for not telling you sooner. Thank you for protecting me all this time and for saving me from all of the bad things in life. I promise to be stronger for both of us.”
Her lips curved into a gentle smile before she kissed me on the cheek, “good, because we still have not finished our talk.” She let go and stood up, walking to the nearby cabinet as I watched on with anticipation. She then pulled a paper with two drawing figures that were identical to Bobby and Alice.
Are they drawings of Bobby and Alice? I could not help but think about them.
“Adam, do you know who these are?” She asks as she holds the paper in front of my face, waiting patiently as I examine them carefully.
Bobby and Alice, their faces looked like their own, but their hair is a bit darker than their usual color. Other than that, I know who the two figures represent. “They are my…former friends?”
Lilith nods, “Yes, they are indeed. These are the people who were very close to you. People that hurt you Adam.”
My heart aches as I feel a pain in my chest that feels like it is being ripped apart from the inside out. Despite feeling angry with the siblings, deep down; I still cared for both of these siblings. “What is this all about mommy?”
Not saying a word, she approached a nearby chair in the kitchen, sitting on it as she gestured to me to sit between her lap. “Come on honey, sit down here. We are going to talk about these unpleasant people that hurt you so much.”
I obeyed her as I stood up from my chair and then walked up to her before sitting between her lap, her arms gently wrapping around me. She looks down at me with a warm gaze, giving off a calming and comforting aura as I stare back at her with a worried expression.
“Look at them Adam,” she said as she held the drawn paper in front of my eyes. “These friends have done so many terrible things to you, never deserving of your affection and love. They are your enemies Adam, parasites that feed on the blood of others and spread their filth and misery across your life. So tell me, do you hate them?”
I..I do not know. I cannot imagine hating them, I just do not want to consider such things.
“Do you hate them Adam?” Her words echoing in the room as it sounded so cold and harsh that it felt like a knife cutting into the flesh of my heart and soul.
“Yes..I do,” I replied after a moment of thought, “I do not want to remember them anymore. I never want to see them ever again!”
Lilith nodded as she smiled. “That is right Adam. That is exactly how it should be. You should be happy to forget about all the bad memories of the past and move forward. But you have me now and that is all you need. It is all that matters to us anyway. Do you understand Adam? The most important thing to all of us is that we are together. Nothing else matters, no one matters expect you and me.” The words of Lilith’s voice filled with emotion as she spoke.
I nod as tears welled up in the corners of my eyes. “I am afraid of people hurting me mommy! I do not want to ever see them again!”
A cold smile crossed over her lips as she continued talking, “now let us tear this paper together piece by piece to show that they are nothing more than trash that needs to be thrown away. Now say it with me, ‘they are not worthy of my love’…say it with me Adam, ‘they are not worthy of my love.
I did as instructed as I repeated the phrase, “They are not worthy of my love…” We tore the pieces of the drawing in half, tearing it apart, ripping it to shreds as it fell onto the floor.
Every piece tore from the paper had slowly removed my memories of them, the times the siblings and I got to know each other. And as the torn fragments of the picture crumbled on the ground, the last bit of memory of my friendship with them shattered into ruins.
So with that, all that remained was the two of us, the mother and son, the only ones left standing in this world. The only ones that mattered to one another.
“You’re right. They are not worth your love Adam. They were not even worth remembering. All of those people that hurt you and abused you are not even worth thinking about.”
My lips opened as my head turned to face her, smiling with joy,
“Okay mommy.”
