I laid there in my bed, thinking about what to do next. The day had been a tiresome ordeal, but it made it all worth it when I thought about the first friend I ever made. The connection I made with her made me reluctant to appeal to Mara about skipping school.

Of course, I confronted Dolores about the lizard monster. At first, she was worried whether I was unharmed, but after confirming I was alright, she just avoided answering anything about that creature.

I rolled around my bed, thinking about what decision to be made, but it didn’t take long for me to solidify my resolve. Though having a friend was fine, if I went to school, my life would be at stake. I felt much safer here at home with Mara and Dolores to take care of me.

Gradually, I got up from the bed, almost struggling to go to Mara. My feet felt like they were crumbling as I walked past the creaky floorboard. It used to send shivers up my spine at some point, but I was very used to the racket it made.

With a loud grating sound, I opened her door. She was in her nightgown, exposing abundant amounts of skin. Though I had gotten used to seeing her naked, the appeal of her scantily clad clothing had some sensual impact to it, as if it was a treasure box waiting to be opened.

I couldn’t help but gulp at that sight. Quietly, I got closer before calling out her name.

“Mara, are you awake?

She tumbled around, her obsidian hair splayed against the sheets like the abyss reaching out to grasp at the light.

Her deep, dark eyes widened as she looked at me. Her expression changed to a warm, motherly smile.

“What’s wrong, my dear Isaac? Are you missing mommy?” She replied in jest.

“I want to ask you something about school.”

“What’s wrong with school, is something bothering you?”

I waited a bit before asking. Her questioning eyes felt like they were enveloping my being.

“I don’t want to go to school anymore. Is it fine if I were to just stay within the house?”

She made a surprised expression, but behind it I could see the blazing fervor of joy she was experiencing.

“I don’t mind if you were to skip school, but let’s just say… there could be unforeseen consequences. Don’t worry about it though, Isaac. Mommy will protect you from anything and everything.” She lovingly expressed before pulling me into a cuddle.

Puffs of her heated breath travelled down my neck. I had a hard time keeping my eyes averted from the blooming valley that was exposed to me. Soon, I could hear the grating sound once again. It seemed that Dolores too had entered the room.

“I don’t want to go either if brother isn’t going!” She complained indignantly.

It seemed she had been spying on our conversation. Her foot stomping along with her comical declaration, it felt like it was all an act.

Mara seemed a bit unhappy about it. She opened her mouth, but words didn’t come out of it. Both of them stared in silence, expressing their intent solely through their eyes. After a long staredown, Mara let out a vexed sigh.

“Fine, you can stay at home too.”

I don’t know what their intentions were, but this exchange was suspicious to say the least.

“Yay, thank you mom!” she chimed before dashing into her embrace.

My mother’s arms still hanged around my shoulders, resting upon them. With her tackle, I fell further into my mother’s embrace, as Dolores hugged me from behind with vivid intensity. Her arms coiled around my waist as she attempted to hug my mother.

They cushioned me between their physique as their scents flared up my nostrils. Their bodies tightly wound towards me as they pushed in further. The deeper I went, the more I could feel their shapely figures.

“Mara, Dolores, give me some space-,” I struggled to get out.

My hands flailed for a while, as my pleas went unheard. Rather, they seemed to revel in watching my endeavour at getting out of their meaty prison.

After what seemed to be a fight for my dear life, did they finally let go. I coughed lightly from the asphyxiation. I really thought I was about to die right there.

“Oh sorry, did we end up hurting you Isaac? Can you please forgive mommy?” Mara asked, before patting my head. Her arms were preparing to ensnare me again.

I quickly pulled away before she got her chance. Seeing this, she let out a disheartened whine.

“So getting back to the subject, you really aren’t planning to go to school anymore, right?” There was a hint of anticipation hidden beneath her words.

The way she worded “unforeseen consequences” made me cautious for a second, but after a moment of thinking about it, I nodded in assent.

“Great! Now brother and I can play all day then!” Dolores said as she grabbed my hand in delight.

“Don’t forget your mother too. I would feel lonely if you don’t give me any attention either.”

With that, I settled my decision, but something felt wrong about it. I could tell from the looks of their eyes, it was returning, or rather, it was resurfacing; The same obsessive desire they held deep beneath. The feeling… which haunted my family their whole lives.

At that time, I was none the wiser. I thought everything would be fine. We would go back to being a ‘normal family’. I wouldn’t have to bother with more complicated matters and just focus on my survival. It was a foolish decision.

In the end, I was just stoking a fire that was threatening to devour me alive. I was feeding my demise with my very own hands. The weight of the suffering this would bring back surmounted what my feeble self could ever handle.

The lights felt faded ever since that incident happened.