The young boy loved to venture into the woods, whether frolicking with the forest critters or scouring for some interesting finds. Every morning, he would enter the woods while every evening, he would return home with pockets full of wondrous things.

One evening, the young boy returned from his trip with something curious suspended over his fingers. It seemed to be some sort of insect. The insect stretched its body, showing off its long flexible curves. It looked like some worm, however, its body covered with ebony shells.

“Mom! Look, look!” The young boy rushed to his mother while holding the insect up for her to see.

“This is?” The mother questioned her young child while her eyes met the shiny outer shell. “Centipede?”

“No, it’s not centipede. It’s millipede.”

“Millipede!” The mother screeched in horror. Hurriedly, she tried to brush the millipede off her son’s finger. The millipede – well known for its venom – could definitely kill young children like her son.

The millipede scurried off the mother’s wrist, tumbling to the ground in the process. Without scruple, the mother stomped on the insect, ending its short existence.

“Mom!” The child cried out in surprise. “Why did you kill it?”

“Those things…they’re venomous. I expect to not see you even remotely close to them…ever! Do you comprehend?”

“I-I do. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t do it in the future.”

“Ok.”

“Good. Come, let’s go home. It’s dinnertime.”

The young child hummed before holding onto his mother’s outstretched fingers. Just when the two entered their house, they found some envelopes on the ground. One brown envelope stuck out from the rest.

The mother bent down to pick up the envelopes when she suddenly seized the brown one. “T-This!”

“Is something wrong?” The young child inquired worryingly when he found his mother dropped onto the floor, the letter fluttered to the ground while she clutched something tightly in her fist.

The young boy picked up the letter. The contents of the letter sent him into the world of shock.

To Mrs. Jones:

Why’re you still living? Shouldn’t you’ve died?

- Z

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” The young child cried out furiously, but while he looked to his mother, he found his mother gone. “M-Mother?”

The young boy scoured every room but could not find his mother. When he returned to the front door, he noticed the thick sheet of dust covering the ground.

The letter, wrinkled to the point where the words were illegible, somehow found itself on the front desk. The picture…where’s the picture? It’s gone! The young boy clenched his fists in shock. He felt something prickling in his right fist.

The young boy opened his fist out of curiosity, finding the crumpled picture. The picture…it showed his mother…guillotined!

Huuurghh!

The sound of terror echoed throughout the night while the source of the yells woke up from his terrible illusions of sleep. Footsteps drew closer to the door, followed by two light knocks.

“Mr. Jones? Is everything fine?” The butler behind the door questioned with worry.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry Kyle.” Mr. Jones replied shortly.

Once the butler left the premises, Mr. Jones sighed with sleep still lingering on the corners of his eyes. He looked up slowly, setting his eyes on the picture propped up on his desk. The picture depicted two people – mother plus child.

“Mother…who could do something like this to you?” Mr. Jones sniffed before drifting to sleep once more.