The Devil And His Rose

Rose sat on her bed, her fingers tangled in her white-silver hair, frustration gnawing at her from the inside out.

She ran her hands through the strands absently, the motion mechanical, her mind trapped in a loop of anxiety.

How was she supposed to go down there and say goodbye?

Was she even supposed to say goodbye? Of course, she was. She had to. But what if, as she was about to do just that, he appeared out of nowhere and forced her to leave?

The thought made her stomach churn. Was he ugly? Monstrous? Or maybe he was good-looking? He should be, right?

Because the demons that lived among them were often… attractive. The thought barely crossed her mind without her stomach flipping at the potential reality.

But then her father's words echoed in her mind. He was a rogue demon, not one of the usual types they saw, which meant… he might be ugly.

Red skin, horns, a tail. The image made her skin crawl. Gosh, he better not be like that if he expected her to willingly follow him.

What was she even thinking? This man could kill her without a second thought. He could end her, just like that.

So why? Why did it have to be her? The weight of it felt heavier than before, like the world was pressing down on her chest.

Rose had always felt tired, but today it was different—more intense. Her body ached from the inside out, her mind fuzzy, like someone had drained her of all her energy.

She was exhausted—no, more than exhausted. She was completely drained.

Just then, a knock on the door snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. She stiffened, heart pounding, before her voice came out softer than she'd intended. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and a maid stepped in, her head bowed low in respectful silence.

"Miss, a car is here for you."

Just those words alone were enough to send a cold shiver down Rose's spine, and her breath hitched in her throat.

Dread washed over her in a cold wave, making her feel even more drained than before. She stared at the maid, her words barely registering as her mind went blank.

She could hear the thudding of her pulse in her ears, feel the nervous sweat gathering on her palms.

Rose sat bolt upright, her chest tightening as the maid's words hung in the air. A car. For her.

Her stomach twisted violently, a cold wave of dread washing over her. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Her throat was dry, constricted, as though it knew something she couldn't yet face.

The maid stood still, her head bowed low, waiting for Rose to react. Rose's fingers dug into the fabric of her dress, the tension coiling in her muscles.

This was it. The moment she'd been trying to avoid, the one she could never be ready for.

"Did…" Rose's voice cracked, barely a whisper. She tried again, her words trembling. "Did you see who… who's in the car?"

The maid hesitated, eyes flicking up nervously. "No, miss. It's… a black car. Very large. The driver didn't get out."

Rose's breath hitched. Of course, he wouldn't. Whatever—whoever—was in that car wouldn't be human enough for any politeness, for any decency.

Rose's hands shook as she stood, trying to calm her nerves, but the panic was already crawling up her spine.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely audible as the maid stepped aside. The maid didn't meet her eyes again, her gaze fixed to the floor.

Rose lingered at the threshold, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear the hum of her own thoughts.

She had to go. There was no escaping it now. But how could she possibly walk down those stairs?

How could she face what was waiting for her? Her limbs felt like lead, her breath shallow as she moved toward the door.

She stepped into the hallway, her feet almost moving on their own, driven by some instinct she couldn't control.

Each step toward the stairs felt heavier, as though the weight of everything in her life was pressing down on her chest.

When she reached the staircase, her fingers clung to the banister, trying to steady herself. The cool wood felt like an anchor as her legs threatened to give way.

At the bottom, her family was waiting. Her father stood with his arms crossed, his face a mask of unreadable emotion.

Her mother was beside him, her eyes red from tears, a hand clutched to her chest. Her siblings stood close, wide-eyed, unsure of what to do.

Rose's heart wrenched at the sight of them. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to leave.

Taking a steadying breath, she forced her legs to move. Down she went, each step feeling like an eternity.

It seemed to take forever to reach them, the space between them stretching impossibly far.

When she finally reached the bottom, her mother rushed forward, her arms wrapping tightly around Rose.

"Rose…" Becca's voice cracked, thick with emotion. "You'll be okay. You're strong. Stronger than you think."

Rose closed her eyes, biting back the flood of tears threatening to break free. She felt like a child again, clinging to her mother, hoping she could somehow make it all go away.

Her father stepped up then, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "Remember what we told you," he said quietly, his voice shaky despite his attempt to sound strong.

"Be careful. Be smart. And…" He hesitated, the words almost too painful to say. "Don't let him see your fear."

Rose nodded, her throat tight. She couldn't say it. She couldn't promise him that. The thought of facing whatever was waiting outside felt impossible.

How could she stand tall in front of something she couldn't even comprehend?

Her siblings stepped forward one by one. Linda was the first, wrapping Rose in an awkward, tight hug. "Don't forget us," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Of course they all thought she was going to college, and it was obvious they were all confused, about how sudden it was.

Rose stared at the girls and the twins who stood by the door.

Maybe it's a good thing it happened when they were still so young, at least the departure won't hurt that much right?

"I could never," Rose managed, but her voice cracked, betraying the raw emotion she was trying to suppress.

The sound of a car door slamming outside sliced through the moment, sharp and final. Rose's heart dropped into her stomach. It was time.

Her chest tightened, her breath caught in her throat. The finality of it hit her all at once—this was happening, no turning back.

Without another word, she pulled herself away from her family's embrace, her legs unsteady as she turned toward the door.

She wasn't ready, she couldn't be—but there was nothing left to do.

Rose took her suitcase from where it lay by the door, the weight of it pressing down on her in a way she couldn't quite describe.

She forced herself to take one step, then another, her feet moving mechanically.

Linda stepped forward first, still fighting back tears, but her voice was strong despite it all.

"I still don't understand," she said, her eyes locked on Rose's. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure," Rose whispered, though she felt anything but sure.

Isabella, ever the sensitive one, wrapped her arms around Rose, her face tear-streaked. "Just don't forget us," she pleaded, her voice fragile.

The twins stood by the door, clutching each other, their wide eyes full of confusion. They didn't get it, not really.

Rose knelt down in front of them, brushing their hair back gently. "I'll always love you," she said softly. "Be good for Mom and Dad, okay?"

They nodded solemnly, unable to fully understand what was happening, but sensing the weight of it nonetheless.

The car outside gave another ominous, loud honk, the signal that it was time to go. Rose felt a tear slip down her cheek as she forced herself to stand.

The door creaked open as she stepped into the cold, dark world waiting outside.

There was no turning back now.