Lurking in the Shadows; Creature of the Night

Sebastian still shocked by his own actions, smirked and patted Mirabelle on the head before releasing her arm and walking away. Mirabelle creased her brows as she wondered what kind of strange thing she just experienced. Her heart was still rapidly beating against her ribcage due to the adrenaline that ran through her veins at that moment. "I'm back. Stretch your hand" Mrs Nolan said the moment she got back to her daughter. Mirabelle did as her mother told her and the woman's expression changed to a confused one. "Where's the injury?" Mrs Nolan asked as she held her daughter's arm searching for the injury that suddenly wasn't there anymore. "What do you mean mama? It's on my arm" Mirabelle answered confused at her mother's question. "It's not here anymore Mirabelle" Mrs Nolan uttered in shock and confusion, before Mirabelle could utter another word, she heard her mother say "Are you my daughter? Did you kill her?" Mrs Nolan was suddenly on guard because she had heard stories of how some night creatures shape shift. She feared that maybe a creature of the night had killed her daughter and shape shifted into her daughter.

"Mama!" Mirabelle called out surprised at her mother's words. "It's me Mirabelle" she continued. "But how come? I would have sworn that injury here and it was deep" Mrs Nolan said as she threw away the herbs that she had hand picked to help her daughter's bleeding earlier.

"I'm really confused right now. Let's just head back" Mirabelle said and Mrs Nolan's eyes lingered on her daughter for a while before they headed back to the cemetery. Or was she seeing things? She asked herself. But Mirabelle had felt the pain when it pierced her though.

Mrs Nolan gently pressed her daughter's arm and asked "Does it hurt?". "I don't feel any pain mama. What's going on?" Mirabelle herself was confused but if her mother said the injury really wasn't there anymore, she must be saying the truth.

They got back to the cemetery and continued the burial process. Sebastian who was back in the cemetery noticed when Mrs Nolan and Mirabelle returned and his eyes lingered on Mirabelle for a while. In that same second, he decided to stay till the end of the burial ceremony. Father Roberts was praying over Mathew's coffin and soon, it was lowered to the ground by buff men from Matthew's village. Everyone went forward to place their flowers on the already covered grave. When the whole process was over, the friends of the man went to their various homes. But Mrs Nolan still felt like what happened earlier was still strange. She was certain her daughter had an injury. She walked towards the King, Benjamin and Father Roberts who were conversing. She bowed slightly, greeting them. "My king, may I please speak to father for just some minutes?" She asked Sebastian to allow her speak to Father Roberts. Normally, he would let her but he saw Mirabelle standing behind her mother and he was curious why the woman wanted to speak to the Bishop while holding on her daughter tightly. "You may speak to him. Don't mind my presence Mrs Nolan" came Sebastian's subtle answer. Mrs Nolan couldn't press on further that she wanted to speak to the Bishop alone so she just told him her worries right there in front of the king and his advisor.

"Father, please I think something is wrong with my daughter? She had a deep injury earlier and somehow, it vanished. Leaving no trace. I'm genuinely worried and I think that maybe this is a night...." she was ashamed to say it out loud that she thought a night creature shape shifted into her daughter and probably killed her daughter in the forest while she was away. "I think that maybe it's a night creature that shape-shifted into my Mirabelle" she concluded.

Hearing this, Sebastian's eyes widened in amusement and mirth. He was finally in a good mood and the members of this family were amazing him. First the girl, now the mother. A night creature? Shape-shifted into her daughter?. He wanted to laugh out loud but he let only a smile appear on his face and Mrs Nolan glanced at him and wondered why he was smiling widely. It's not like it was impossible for a night creature to shape-shift but he could tell perfectly that it was Mrs Nolan's daughter because of her scent.

Father Roberts stared at Mirabelle who was behind her mother. Mrs Nolan had a strong grip on Mirabelle's wrist. It looked like her daughter and felt like her daughter but she was scared and confused about what happened and ended up concluding that it might be a creature of the night. But deep down, she knew it was her daughter but she just needed an explanation. "Her name is Mirabelle?" Father Roberts asked as he walked towards the girl. "Yes Father" her mother answered. "Mirabelle" Sebastian uttered under his breath catching the attention of Benjamin.