The Demon's Soul

Trees rustled quietly as snow began falling from the sky, a night like any part of the winter that had passed by except for a dwarf like a figure in a hood that walked as quickly as its feet could carry. The figure moved from one alley to another, carrying something in its small hands.

When a nearby street light threw light on the dwarf-like person, a creature with pointy ears was revealed to be hidden underneath it. Its scaly hands holding the bundle of the package, ready to complete its task as ordered by its master. Unsure and confused as to which way to go, it looked around the unfamiliar land. Seeing that the note was tucked in the package it waited under the dark alley as instructed but untimely the baby in its hand cried startling the timid creature.

Hearing something rustle and growl behind the trash cans making it hit its back to another empty trash can behind it and it dropped the baby from its hand, down on the snowy floor and ran out of there.

Julius walked down the road, his footsteps imprinting the snow-covered ground as he pulled the jacket he wore closer to his body as he headed back to his house. It hadn’t even been an hour but the temperature was dropping by quickly, the wind getting cooler as minutes passed by.

He noticed that there was hardly anyone in sight due to the weather.

Though it was usual for him to take long walks in the evening he hadn’t expected it to snow. Not that it mattered after all his kind was different compared to the people who habituated this land.

He and his wife were demons by nature, an outlaw in the humans’ eye due to which they had to hide their true form. They weren’t the only demons who resided in the human realm. Most of the demons stayed away from humans to avoid unnecessary attention which was why the humans were ignorant of the demon’s existence.

They weren’t much different compared to the humans, except for the horns in appearance and their age which they needed to hide as the demons aged slower.

He studied his surroundings passing through the dark streets of the town. Just as he was about to take another step he heard cans crashing from the alley he had just walked by. He would have left without bothering to see what it was but when there was another crash he turned around to get to the alley to see a figure retreating at the other end. Strange, he thought.

"Meow," a cat meowed and he saw it pull out a fish from the trash before digging into its food.

Something rustled on the ground and he wondered if it was another cat but when he got closer he was surprised to see a baby. He bent down and picked the little one in his arms.

It was small and fragile. If he walked faster he could catch hold of the creature, he thought to himself but handing it over to the police would be a better decision after all leaving the baby in the cold didn’t sit well with him. But what was the creature doing with the baby? He frowned as he looked at the baby, its brown eyes looking up at him. It was such an innocent sight. Though Julius was married to his wife Ellen for a long time now, they didn’t have children of their own. Not because they didn’t want one but as his wife could not conceive one. The thought of taking the baby home was tempting but a demon adopting a human child was never heard of.

Deciding to leave the matter to the police, he began walking back in the direction he came when he saw something glare in the light. A note was placed midst the bundle of the blanket. Pulling it out, he read it, his eyebrow drawing up. He sighed and then turned around, heading towards his house.

Reaching his house, he went inside and caught sight of his wife. His tall and elegant wife had tied her blonde hair into a pony, who was talking to one of the house cleaners. Sensing her husband’s presence, Ellen turned around and her eyes went wide at the sight of a baby. Before she could ask any questions, he handed her the note which he had read a while ago.

Ellen took the note from her husband, and opened to read it,

To dear Mr. Griffin,

Unfortunately, I am not capable to raise a child and knowing you and your wife hold enough capability I give you the responsibility to raise her as your own until the time comes.

"Who do you think it is from?" she asked turning to him.

"I haven’t got a clue," Julius murmured handing over the baby to her.

"Are you thinking of giving the baby to the police custody?" and Ellen heard him hum and she continued to speak, "The note clearly mentions our name."

"And what if its a prank by some young teens to push their responsibility?" he asked her.

"Then why not take her as a blessing," she placed her hand on her husband’s arm, "Look," she said when the little baby held Ellen’s finger loosely.

Julius knew Ellen well, so much that he knew she sometimes cried at the lack of her ability to be unable to provide children to him. Maybe she was right. Whoever it was had blessed them with a child. Bringing his wife close to him, he placed a tender kiss on his wife’s temple.

"What are you going to name her?" he asked her to which Ellen’s eyes brightened up instantly.

"She already has one."

"She does?" Julius asked tilting his head.

"Look," she handed back the note to him and she was right. There was another line written very faintly.

"Lillian," he murmured the name that was written there.

"Lillian Griffin," his wife smiled looking at the baby in her arms.