Page 21 of Senescence (Inferno World)

“Again.”

Slowly, I crept back up on my feet and made my way back up the stairs. It took me a fraction of a second longer to make the jump, but when I looked down to see the glow of approval on Pater’s face, I knew I couldn’t disappoint him. I knew Iwouldn’tdisappoint him.

A loud snap sounded as I hit the bottom step, and I cradled my now broken arm close to my body and howled in pain. The in my forearm was now visible to the outside world, and spurts of blood dripped on the floor next to my body. I hadn’t intended on injuring myself in the process, but hopefully this was a good sign that the hellfire inside of my belly was going to die, and soon.

“What do you think, girl. Do you think it’s dead?” Luke asked me.

I knew the baby wasn’t though. I could still feel him moving just underneath my skin. I cried for both my arm, and for disappointing Luke. I needed to get this done before I destroyed my own body and Pater would no longer want me. This baby was already defective. I would be damned if this child was going to make me defective too.

On shaky feet, I stood up, determined. With my good arm, I made a fist and punched my stomach as hard as I could. Luke watched on with a wicked glint in his eye and a nod of his head. Over and over I punched different spots on my stomach that I could reach while Luke looked on in appreciation. A new idea popped into my brain and I took a few steps back before running belly first into the wall. I fell backwards, but got right back up and did it again.

On my third pass, a sharp pain tore through my insides, and I curled up on the floor while it ravaged my womb. I could feel moisture from between my legs and when I looked down, the white nightgown was soaked in blood. I looked up to see Luke smiling, and I smiled back at him, love shining all around us.

“I think it’s working” I croaked out.

“Good,” he said.

When the pain had subsided, I stood up and headed for the front door.

“Where the fuck are you going,” Luke asked.

“I don’t want to get your floors messy with this, Pater,” my scratchy voice responded.

He seemed slightly impressed with my thoughtfulness and I smiled wide just before another pain tore me apart from the inside out. I couldn’t keep myself upright, and without meaning to, I stumbled down the stairs landing in the dirt on my stomach. I screamed out as something inside of me audibly tore. With my good arm, I flung the nightgown off of my body, desperate to watch the monster inside of me die by my hand.

Rolling over onto my back, I reached down with my good arm and stuck two fingers inside of my bleeding pussy. The opening was wide and I could feel the top of the creatin's head. Pulling my fingers back out, I walloped on my stomach again.

“Get out! Get out! Get out!” I screamed with every punch.

My focus came in and out as I alternated feeling for the head, pushing down, and punching my bruised and swollen tummy. Luke sat on the top of the steps and watched, his hand covering his face to block out the sun.

My cunt swelled and with one final push, the dead blue fetus slid out from between my legs, the umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck, his visible heart unmoving just under the skin. His eyes were closed and I thanked the heavens that the dead lump had finally been freed from my womb.

“Is it dead, Lucy Marie?” Luke asked.

Without answering, I looked him in the eye and rolled over onto my stomach leaving the baby on the cold ground. Slowly, I crawled my way across the gravel and grass. Rocks poked at my bare flesh, and my arm screamed out in pain, but still I kept crawling.

Inch by inch I moved, unable to go any faster. I wanted to show Luke that I was capable of being and doing exactly what he asked of me, and that was what kept me going. His love and pride were the only things in my life I needed, and this was going to earn me both.

In the middle of my crawling, another pain rocked me to my core and with a few strong pushes, I looked back to see my placenta on the ground as well. I picked it up and stuck a chunk of it in my mouth, and still I kept crawling.

When I finally made it to my destination, my eyes had become blurry, and my vision waned in and out. I flipped over to sit up and reached between my legs. Pulling on my umbilical cord, I watched as the dead infant flopped along towards me with every pull. When it finally reached my fingers, I picked it up and cradled him to my breast. His blue hue was such a contrast against my white, and red skin, and the coldness of his entire body sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.

“You’re a plague on this world Baby Pater. You didn’t deserve to live outside of Mommy’s belly, but I will tell you a secret. Now that you’re gone, your Mommy and Daddy can work on making a new baby that wasn’t sent by the devil himself, like you were. I would tell you I will always remember you, but that would be a lie. You’ll never be worthy of a singular thought in mine or Daddy’s head. I will thank you though, for without you, I would have never met this gorgeous, incredible man.”

I hadn’t heard him approach, but when he spoke, I turned and looked up. The sun glowed around his head making him look like the angel that he was and I smiled. I loved this man more than I thought was ever possible to love another human being. He was mine, and I was his, and there was nothing, including a dead baby, that was going to stand in our way any longer.

“That’s not true, Lucy Marie. You’ve always been a part of me. I was there the night you were conceived, and I put you in your mother’s tummy. You’re my little girl, and soon, you will give me another baby girl to love.”

The tears rolled down my cheeks as I watched Luke open the grate to the hollow and bottomless pit below. This man was not just the father of my dead child, he was alsoMYfather. I was in shock, but at the same time, I knew it felt right. Luke’s confession had explained the connection between us so much more than I had ever thought possible. This man was not only under my skin, and in my very soul, his blood flowed through my veins. I was his daughter, and in time, hopefully I would be so much more. The love in my chest grew to an amount I didn’t know was even possible.

“Do it, girl, and let’s work on starting a new family.”

Luke turned and walked away, and I looked down at the lifeless lump in my arms. My lips turned up in a sneer, and I spit on the head of my newborn demon spawn, using my thumb to smear in my saliva with the blood and tissue coating his face.

“Don’t worry Baby Pater. I may not love you anymore, but I’ll have even less love for your siblings. No one can ever love Pater as much as I do. He’ll see. I’ll make him see. Go back to hell where you belong.”

With a kiss to the bloody and slimy newborn in my arms, I hurled the abomination into the oubliette. Picking up the cord, I shoved it into my mouth and gnawed away our connection, letting the babe continue to fall into the pit below. I slammed the grate closed and unsteadily climbing to my feet, cradling my broken arm.

---