His Slave

ASTER

The sudden scream of agony made me jolt up. I looked up from the toys I was playing with. My small eyes went wide, the moment my mother rushed inside the room and locked the door behind her.

" Aster Baby. " She called out to me, her eyes wide in horror and her breaths coming out in pants.

Then, another ear – piercing scream rang in the whole house. I was just ten years old and I was scared shitless.

" What's happening Mommy? " I inquired, my breath caught up in my throat due to the paralyzing fear.

Another male scream and it didn't take me long to recognize the voice this time.

" Da – Daddy? Is he hurt? " I asked innocently and ran to the locked door.

" Shhh...Baby. Don't speak. " My Mom grabbed me from behind and turned me around to face her.

" What's wrong? " I gulped, seeing her teary eyes and rosy cheeks.

" Nothing is wrong okay? Can you go under the bed? Don't come out no matter what. Do you understand, Aster? " My Mom's hold on my upper arms was strong, but it didn't hurt me. What hurt me was the fear in her eyes.

My father's agonizing scream rang in the room again and I jumped up, my heart beginning to beat out of rhythm.

What's happening?

" Do you understand, baby? " My Mom left my arms and cupped my cheeks instead.

Tears began spilling out of her eyes as she caressed my cheeks. I had such a bad feeling about all of this, but Mom was crying. She rarely cried. She was the strongest woman I knew and she never cried in front of me.

" Is Daddy okay... " I questioned, my bottom lip quivering.

" Everything – Everything is going to be fine. " She assured me, but it didn't sound so convincing.

Suddenly a loud thump sounded from outside and my wide eyes glanced at the door behind us. My Mom grabbed my face and turned my head back, not letting me look at the door.

" Get under the bed. Don't make any noise, sweetie. " She whispered in a hushed tone and walked me toward the bed.

I got down on my knees before crawling under the bed and laying on my stomach.

" Mo – " I was about call out to her, because I was too afraid to stay like this when the door to our room was knocked down with a loud noise.

Tears began streaming down my cheeks due to the sheer fear. I placed my hand over my mouth to restrict any sound from coming out of my lips.

" There you are. You should have joined the fun. " The sinister male voice froze my blood in my veins. There was something so scary about that man's voice that I found myself frozen on my spot.

" Marcus. We – We can talk it out, please. " My Mom pleaded as I tried to see the man's face.

Unfortunately, I could only see my Mom and his feet and something about this inability to see him, scared me even more.

" Your husband killed my wife and daughter, Lina. " The man hissed and I noticed the blood dropping down on the floor in form of drops.

It was dropping from his hands. I felt myself paralyzing. It was like the floor under me was gone and I was floating in air. Thousands of needles pricked my body, my senses dulling down.

" It was between you and him. You killed him. Leave me alone now. " Mom broke down into sobs and another wave of panic hit me.

He killed my Dad? I couldn't cry or think anymore. I could just lay under that bed, my wide eyes fixed at their shoes.

" That's right. It was between me and him. He brought my family in it and I have to bring his family in this now. " The man stepped toward my Mom as she stumbled back, her cries getting louder.

In that moment, I realized she was afraid...Just like me.

" Where is your Daughter, Lina? " He inquired and I scooted further away to be out of his reach.

The blood, his tone, the death of my father, the scared cries of my mother...All of this frightened me beyond any limit.

" She is not here. " My Mom lied and stood in front of the bed to block his view. She was protecting me.

" She is here. " He laughed, sending chills down my spine.

" And I will find her. " He stopped laughing all of a sudden and hissed at Mom.

The loud shot sounded in the air and my breath hitched in my throat. The next moment, Mom fell down on the floor, her wide open eyes staring at me.

Blood poured down from the hole on her forehead rapidly and spread toward me.

A scream of horror escaped my lips and my Mom's body was dragged away the next moment. I screamed louder as someone crouched down and placed his hands on my Mom's blood.

He tilted his head and I shrieked harder, turning around to get away from him. Before I could act out, the man had grabbed my waist and dragged me out from under the bed. His bloody hands landed on my cheeks, turning my head toward him.

He whispered sinisterly. " Little Aster. It's time to go. "