3. Eliza

"Ugh… ngh…" I groan, shifting slightly, a sense of disorientation washing over me like a wave. The memories of the forest, the ache of exhaustion, and the looming sense of impending doom collide.

But why is the ground so soft and squishy?

As I open my eyes, squinting against the harsh morning light filtering through the windows, a throbbing pain pounds insistently in my head. Confusion clouds my thoughts as I take in my surroundings, realizing that I am not in the forest as I had last remembered. Instead, I find myself nestled in a luxurious bedroom, cocooned in silky sheets that whisper of comfort and elegance.

Where am I?

With trembling hands, I reach out to touch the silky fabric of the sheets, the reality of my situation sinking in slowly. I"m not dead, as I had feared in the forest—so where am I? Is this the afterlife?

Just as the question forms in my mind, the door to this strange room creaks open, sending a shiver down my spine. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest, as a monstrous figure lumbers into the room. Its massive, hulking form casts an ominous shadow on the walls, and its eyes glow with a malevolent, otherworldly light.

A scream rips from my lips, raw and primal, as I stumble out of the bed and cower in the furthest corner of the room. My entire body trembles with fear as I press myself into the cold, unyielding stone, desperately trying to make myself as small as possible.

The creature steps forward again and another scream burns its way up my throat.

"Stop that," it growls at me.

The creature"s voice is deep and guttural, like the rumble of distant thunder. I can feel the vibrations of its words in my chest, and it takes every ounce of willpower I have not to scream again.

"Please, don"t come any closer," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don"t know who you are or what you want from me, but I"m not going to make this easy for you."

The creature snorts, a sound that is equal parts amusement and annoyance. "You should be thanking me," it says, its tone sharp and biting. "I saved your life, you know."

I stare at the creature in disbelief. "Saved my life?" I repeat, my voice trembling. "What are you talking about?"

The creature rolls its eyes, a surprisingly human gesture that momentarily throws me off guard. "You were dying on the forest floor, were you not?"

"I'm dead," I stutter weakly, clutching my hands to my chest as I curl up impossibly smaller. "I died, didn't I?"

"You aren't dead, girl," it says, waving a massive hand dismissively. "I found you and brought you here. This is my home."

I frown, trying to process this new information. "But...why?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why would you save me?"

The creature ignores my question and gestures towards the bed with a jerk of its head.

"Get back on the bed," it orders gruffly. "You need to rest."

I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I should trust this monstrous being. But my body is still weak and shaking from the ordeal in the forest, and the thought of lying down on the soft mattress is too tempting to resist.

Never in my life have I been able to sit in a bed as soft as that one. My family could never dream of affording such a thing—and if we did, I wouldn't be allowed anywhere near it.

"Now," it shouts impatiently.

As I slowly climb back onto the bed, I notice that the creature has set down a plate of food on the stand beside it. My stomach rumbles at the sight of the steaming meat and vegetables, and I realize that I haven"t eaten anything in hours.

But before I can reach for the food, the creature barks out a command. "Eat," it orders, its voice leaving no room for argument.

I whimper fearfully, feeling like a small animal cornered by a predator.

"What… what are you?" I ask hesitantly, my voice trembling with fear.

The creature lets out a low chuckle, a sound that sends chills down my spine. "I am a demon, girl," it says, its voice dripping with menace. "The demon Abbadon, to be precise. And you are in my domain."

The word "demon" sends a shock wave of terror through me. I"ve heard stories of demons and other monsters all my life, of how they prey on humans and feed on our fear. And now, here I am, on the doorstep of death, waltzing right into the arms of one.

"Please," I whimper. "Please don"t hurt me."

Abbadon lets out a deep sigh, as if my fear is an annoyance to be endured. "I have no intention of hurting you, girl," he says impatiently. "But you need to eat. You won"t be any use to me if you"re weak and malnourished."

I stare at the plate of food in front of me, my stomach twisting into knots. I want to eat, I need to eat, but I can"t shake the feeling that this is all some kind of twisted trap.

"What do you want from me?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Abbadon regards me for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "I want many things, girl," he says finally. "But for now, I want you to eat. And then I want you to rest."

I stare at the plate of food in front of me for what feels like an eternity, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

Reaching forward, I grab a single cube of meat and nibble on it, intensely aware of Abbadon's unrelenting gaze. He snorts his disapproval at my lack of appetite.

After a few moments of tense silence, Abbadon speaks again. "What is your name?" he asks, his voice low and rumbling.

"Eliza," I reply.

Abbadon"s reaction to hearing my name is strange. His gaze deepens with some untold emotion, and he looks almost… surprised.

"Eliza," he repeats, rolling the name around on his tongue as if tasting it. "Why were you wandering around in the forest, Eliza?"

I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I should tell him the truth. But something about the way he"s looking at me makes me feel like I can trust him, at least a little bit.

"I"m ill," I say finally. "My family was afraid they would get sick too, so they… they sent me away."

Abbadon"s expression darkens at this, and he lets out a low growl. "Your family abandoned you?" he asks, his voice filled with anger.

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Yes," I whisper.

Abbadon is silent for a long moment, his eyes locked on mine. I can see the wheels turning in his head, and I wonder what he"s thinking.

As I watch him, I can"t help but notice that he doesn"t look quite so menacing when he"s looking at me like this. His features are still sharp and angular, his horns still curve ominously from his forehead, but there"s a softness in his eyes that I hadn"t noticed before.

His skin is the blackest of black, as dark as oblivion, his eyes red like the embers of a dying fire. His muscles ripple and shift beneath his skin, and I can see the power that lies coiled within him. He"s easily twice my height, with broad shoulders and a chest that looks like it"s been carved from stone.

Despite his intimidating appearance, though, there"s something about Abbadon that makes me feel safe. When he looks at me, it"s like he sees right through me, like he knows exactly who I am and what I"m feeling. And for some reason, that makes me feel less alone.

"Why aren"t you eating?" he demands, his deep voice rumbling through the room.

I shrink back against the pillows, feeling my heart race in my chest. "I...I don"t feel well," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression darkens, and he crosses his arms over his massive chest. "You won"t get better if you don"t eat," he growls.

I frown, feeling a spark of anger ignite within me. "I"m sick, remember?" I shoot back, my voice laced with sarcasm. "Why do you even care if I get better or not?"

Those blood-red eyes narrow, and he takes a step towards me, his massive form looming over the bed. "You have no right to question me," he booms, his voice filled with terrifying authority.

I shrink back even further, feeling my heart race in my chest. I know I should be afraid of him, but there"s something about the way he"s looking at me that makes me feel...protected.

"I"m sorry," I whisper, my voice trembling. "I didn"t mean to offend you."

Abbadon"s expression softens slightly, and he lets out a deep sigh. "You have nothing to fear from me, Eliza," he says, his voice gentle. "I only want to help you."

As he speaks, he busies himself with righting the blankets I'd tossed aside in my hurry to get away from him.

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "Why? A-Aren't you afraid I'll get you sick?"

"No." His response is firm.

I frown, feeling a sense of confusion wash over me. "But why?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don"t even know you… and don"t demons hate humans?"

"Yes."

So, he hates me, I conclude. I feel a pang of disappointment at the thought.

A lump forms in my throat as I try to swallow down my fear. "Then I don't understand what you want from me." I whisper.

Abbadon turns to look at me, his expression unreadable. "Eat."

I stare at the plate of food in front of me, feeling my stomach twist into knots. I want to eat, I need to eat, but I"m too terrified of what he may do to me to stomach another bite.

I shake my head, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "I don"t understand," I repeat helplessly. "Why are you being so kind to me? Aren"t demons supposed to be...evil?"

Abbadon lets out a deep sigh, and for a moment, I think I see a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "There are many things you don"t understand, Eliza," he says, his voice weary. "Things none of you little humans understand."

I frown, feeling a sense of frustration wash over me. "But why should I listen to you?" I ask, my voice filled with anger. "You"re a demon! You could kill me at any moment!"

"Enough," he commands with his deep, gruff voice. "You will eat!"

With that, the beastly demon turns around and storms out of the room, slamming the door so hard it nearly splinters off its hinges.