She Became The Devil’s Stepmother Who’s About To Be Killed - Chapter 19

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Chapter 19 – I Am The Mother Of This Child…

“Keeeiik!”

A bird three times bigger than Theodor was being strangled and suffering in his tiny hands.

‘Oh my God… Look at that long tongue.’

Ugh… In addition, the yellow, sticky saliva was flowing down Theodor’s arm.

I wanted to retrace the road and go back. I wanted to pretend I didn’t see this violence.

But I couldn’t.

‘Even if he has the power to beat a monster like that with his bare hands, I’m that child’s mother.’

I had to observe the situation. That way, I could take care of it appropriately.

“Theo!”

When I called, Theodor’s surprised shoulders curled.

“Theo.”

When I called again, Theodor’s moving hand stopped. The monster pecked Theodor’s head with its beak.

“Ah.”

Not missing the moment when Theodor’s hand loosened, the bird tried to run away with a ‘screech!’ sound.

“No.”

But Theodore was stubborn. He grabbed the bird’s leg as it was about to run away. The bird pecked the back of Theodor’s hand for its life.

“Meanie, meanie! Bad bird!”

The bird spread its wings and flapped in a loud rage. A desperate struggle to soar into the sky. Finally, Theodor’s foot rose dangerously from the ground. I ran quickly and grabbed Theodor’s body.

“Theo!”

“Det me go! Go!!”

As I caught him, Theodor shook and shouted.

“It’s dangerous! The hand! Let go!”

“No! I dun wanna!”

As I pried his fingers grasping the bird’s sharp talons one by one, Theodor struggled.

And finally, the bird, freed from Theodor’s grip, slammed the thick branches with its large head and flew toward the sky over the forest with a loud shriek. Theodor clenched his fists and shouted at the fleeing monster bird.

“Meanie! Meanie!”

“What’s wrong, Theo? What’s going on?”

I was startled as I turned Theodor’s struggling body. His front hem was stained with blood, and the area around his lips was also stained red. Bloodstains were scattered on the ground, and feathers were clinging to Theodor’s thighs.

Without realizing it, my legs lost strength and my knees buckled to the ground. As my height decreased, my eyes became the same height as Theodor.

Theodor’s red eyes looked at me and twitched anxiously.

“What’s going on, Theo?”

He pressed his lips together and took a step back. I thought he’d run away.

“I’ll keep it a secret.”

Only then did Theodor look at me.

“Theo. I want to help you.”

Still on my knees, so he wouldn’t be wary, I crawled toward him slowly. However, Theodor stepped back as I approached him. Then he got caught on a tree stump behind him and half-fell onto his rear. But Theodore jumped into the air as if his ass was on fire.

‘Wh- what? What’s wrong?’

I checked the tree trunk in a hurry.

“Hyuk!”

A small yellow bird resembling a canary was covered in blood and feathers askew. Theodor lifted the bird carefully and showed it to me.

“He wanted to eat him.”

As I stretched out my neck, it was no surprise to see the small bird’s neck and a large scratch on its stomach.

Ah…

I felt so sorry for the misunderstanding…

“How did you get here?”

“My tummy felt hungwy.”

I should have brought snacks after the morning incident, but while reading a book in the library, I had a fight with Gerard and totally forgot the child’s snack time.

“I’m sorry, Theo. I should have taken better care of you!”

Theodor shook his head vigorously.

“Itz fine. I’m used to it. Here are edible fruits.”

“Oh, no. You shouldn’t get used to picking fruits at places like this, it’s dangerous.”

I quickly took a handkerchief out of my skirt pocket and wiped the red marks on Theodor. I was angry.

‘How the hell are they taking care of the young Lord?’

“Yee~”

I put my index finger to the bird’s beak on Theodore’s chest, and then to its neck. I couldn’t feel a breath or pulse.

“Theo, the bird has gone to heaven.”

“Sky?” Theodor’s eyes widened.

“Theodor’s mom and dad are floating in the sky.”

“Yeah. Theo’s mommy and daddy will take good care of this bird.”

His eyes widened even more.

“Iv Theodor become a bird and die, can I see Mommy and Daddy?”

Ah… I made such a mistake!

“Probably? But if Theo goes too soon, Mom and Dad will be sad.”

“Why~?”

“Because…”

No matter what kind of people they were, one thing was clear. Before they died, they would have wanted to see their son more than anyone else, and they would have wished for his happiness.

Before I lost consciousness in the explosion, all I wished for was for my family not to feel sad.

“Stepmom, youd eyes are wed.”

Theodor’s small hand touched my eyes.

“I was thinking of Theodor’s mom and dad. Maybe because they went to heaven earlier than expected, they want Theo to do whatever he wants before going there.”

“What Theodor wantz iz see Mommy and Daddy.”

Theodor said sullenly as he dug his toes into the ground.

“I see. What else do you want to do?”

“Hm… nofing.”

It was a shock. Aren’t there a lot of things you want to do when you’re a child?

“Really? What should I do? I have a lot of things I want to do with Theodor!”

My words brought life to Theodor’s eyes. Like pebbles in the banks of the stream, they sparkled.

‘I hope my heart and Theodor’s will be in sync.’

I began to speak of my small and simple wishes. Praying that these little memories will accumulate and that the curse will not break Theodor.

“First of all, I want to build a new grave with Theodor so that this little bird can go to heaven.”

At my words, Theodor’s face filled with anticipation.

‘It was what Theodor wanted. Shall I tell him a little more?’

Touching Theodor’s dirty hands and face, I said,

“I want to help Theo wash his dirty body.”

Theodor twisted his body, perhaps embarrassed.

“I also want to make delicious food and feed Theodor.”

Theodor quickly put a hand to his mouth.

“Also, I want to invite Theodor’s friends and have a nice party…”

Theodor’s eyes fell down, and the little cheeks twitched.

“But if Theodor doesn’t have one, with whom should we make a party?”

“Stepmother iz busy as Dad Uncle, Theodor can’t be with Stepmother all day.”

“Sorry. I was looking for books because I want to give Theodor clean water and delicious food.”

Hearing my wish, Theodor’s mouth opened wide like a morning glory flower. And he quickly lowered his gaze out of embarrassment, but the corners of his mouth were still drawing an arc.

“First of all, should we make a tomb for this baby bird to sleep comfortably?”

“Yeees.”

Then Theodor squatted and whispered to the pale yellow bird.

“Beebie, Theodor iz sowwy because I couldn’t do it. But don wowwy, Theodor’s mommy and daddy are in the sky, they’ll pwotect Beebie.”

Then he clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes tightly. I patted Theodor on the shoulder. And I looked around to see what could be a tool to dig. But there was nothing suitable. We decided to collect pretty and small stones and build a stone tomb. In the dark forest, under the warm tree stumps illuminated by the bright yellow sun.

The stone mound was piled up, and the fruit that I had eaten with Theodor was placed in front of it.

“Bye.”

Theodor waved his hand moving his mouth slightly.

Suddenly.

Kueeeeekk!!

From the sky, a threatening sound shook the forest.

We looked up at the sky in surprise. The demon from earlier appeared, leading a yellow cauldron of its mates. The monster bird, with its back to the sun, rushed down towards us as if it were falling to the ground.

Theo opened his mouth but stopped halfway and looked up at them in surprise.

“Dangerous!”

I took Theo in my arms and ran away.

Fortunately, the birds had slow reflexes. Some birds couldn’t avoid the trees and fell behind us. But the rest of the birds came after us, controlling their speed, thanks to the sacrifice of the advanced squadron.

But then again, some of the birds chasing behind us couldn’t avoid the trees, making dull hitting sounds, and seemed to have fallen behind. But their sound was threatening. I had no choice but to run deeper and deeper into the forest to avoid them.

‘Damn, does living near the Demon Realm mean that you have to enjoy such a thrilling life?’

It was unimaginable that I would be attacked by a kettle of birds that made terrifying sounds like Hitchcock’s birds in that movie I saw in my childhood.1

Theodor, who had bravely fought the bird before, hugged my neck tightly and hid his head on my shoulder, terrified when the monster birds chased us in a swarm.

Even though I tried to speed through the wood, Sinclair’s muscles were not so trained.

Suddenly, one of the monsters caught up with me and pecked at the back of my head with its beak. The shock almost made me fall forward.

Afraid that the monster would hurt the cute and handsome Theodor’s face, I ran while supporting his back and buttocks, wrapping my arms around him and cupping him to my chest.

As expected, they were not fools. Some monster birds attacked us from the front. I turned toward a pile of vines on the side. The bird chasing us and the birds attacking us in front collided.

“Theo, you can’t come out!”

I pushed him into the vines so the talons and beaks of the monsters wouldn’t reach him. And I picked up some random stones and threw them at them like a shot putter. With a dull sound, the stone hit the birds flying in the air. The monster birds faltered a bit at the sudden attack.

‘Shit, monsters aren’t tireless, but how long can they last?’

Comparing the description in the book and the one I saw earlier, they were bigger and louder to the point I felt my ears were going to explode.

Then suddenly,

“Dis meanie beebie!”

Before I could say anything, Theodor was already out of the vines, throwing stones next to me. But as soon as he appeared, the monster birds quickly ran towards us.

I shoved Theodor back inside the vines and wrapped myself over them.

“Kueeeeekk!!”

Like a 5G horror movie, the vibration of the air around me felt different.

‘Break the curse.’

I thought about the frail body under it and I embraced the vines with all my body.

Come to think of it, even in my last life, I died holding a homemade bomb made by the chairman’s son…

I guess it’s my fate to die while holding something?

May this young life live thanks to me…

I hoped the seed of ‘goodness’ in his heart would be well protected.

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1. [The Birds is a 1963 American natural horror-thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock]↩

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