Mother's hums lull me, a warm light on my skin- Her hums go away to the sound of children screaming. I open my eyes and and large gaping maw hangs over me. The jaws clamp down, I keep them from shutting, my gut gives again, but another pair of hands pull them apart. The jaws crack and bend unnaturally. A knife goes into the scaly creature's eye, an angel pulls it out and it goes into it's large skull. It falls on top of me.

The man lifts it off with ease and looks down at my stomach. "Damn." I blink- Demons surround a baby, smiling wild, hammers in hand. I doze off and the baby screams.

A gasp for air and my eyes open to warmth, yellow and red gas, crackling, night sky, the man sits on a log, spear in hand, amongst the children. "Morning sunshine." I look down at the kids, my heart sinks. I try to keep my eyes open, but they shut- Sofiel screams amongst those demons. The hammers swings down and I scream. The children scream awake, "Damn it! You woke em' up!" I sob uncontrollably. I left her! Why?! Why didn't I go back? The man covers my mouth, "Shut up. We're not safe here." My eyes pan to eyes reflecting by the fire's light, they circle us. "Just go back to sleep." He lays me back down slow. "Just gain your strength." My eyes close, little by little.

I'm back in my Oracle Office, amongst superior oracles. They stare ahead and tremble. I pull on my supervisor, "They're gonna break through! The last line is-" He mumbles, "May the demons have mercy on our souls." "Sir! They're gonna kill the children!" He goes limp and laughs lightly, "We're all dead." I look around the room, they all stare, tears flowing, hugging family. "We gotta run! Sir, please!" He just stares ahead with dulled eyes, he mumbles, "Do what you want, kid." I charge at the door and it slams out my way. I run towards the children. When I get to the nursery, most of them are gone. I run to a crib and the name reads, Sofiel. She fades away and I grab for her. "No! I'm not leaving you! Please! Don't leave me!" A baby coos behind me, I turn and the children remaining smile wide. I go to grab them immediately.

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My eyes open, sunlight shining through dense leaves. I'm being dragged with Thadius on my chest, he looks into my eyes. The man grunts, "Can you walk?" "I think." He stops and lowers the makeshift sled "He speaks!" I move the children off my chest and get up. My hands peel away the leaves on my stomach. I wince, the sticky blood tries not let go, but I keep peeling, revealing the cut. My stomach grumbles as my fingers poke around inside the cut. Not as deep, no poison. "You good?" I sigh, "For now- Got any food?" He shakes his head, "That bipedal lizard was poisonous. We found out the hard way."

He stretches, "Can you watch them? I'll get us some food." I dart around, then I cry- Sofiel is actually gone. Am I fit to raise them? I lost one, hours into my care. This angel would be better suited. "I'll get us the food we need." He shakes his head, "You're in no state-" I point at Thadius, "Exactly why you need to protect them." He looks down at the children, then at me, he rolls his eyes and takes his knife out. He holds it by the blade, "Fine, be careful." I take the knife and stare into it's reflection, bruised face, bent nose, dirt, blood and grime. I turn and set out. I look back and they're all watching. I clench my teeth and walk away.