I was warm, too warm. There was something lying beside me, or perhaps partially on top of me. Something soft tickled my nose. Its scent was unfamiliar. I could hear its heartbeat, fast like a rabbit's.
A baritone voice rumbled something indistinct and cinnamon and brimstone filled my nose. My heartbeat increased at that homespun aroma. A higher pitched, childish voice answered the baritone and the thing resting beside me moved. Something large and warm brushed against my cheek and I stirred. The warmth disappeared.
"...el...lanie...Melanie..." I felt I was acquainted with the name. Who was Melanie? Was it me?
A bony chin dug into my stomach. Slowly, I opened my eyes, hissing at the brightness of the room. I shut my eyes again and I heard someone move and warily opened an eye. It was darker in the room when I peeled my eyes back again. A large pair of crimson eyes stared back at me.
I sat up too quickly and the room spun. I hit my head on the headboard and hissed, rubbing my skull. When the room stopped spinning, I stared at the thing...or rather child, perched on the bed.
It was a little boy with unkempt bright red hair. He looked no older than three. He had a crescent shaped mark on his cheek and one corner of his mouth was hitched slightly higher than the other side. His ears were pointed like mine and his little chubby hands were gripping his too-big purple tunic, which clashed awfully with his hair. He was wearing dark brown trousers and his feet were bare. He stared at me with awe, like he had never seen anything like me before.
"Melanie." My head snapped up and my eyes met Will's. He had been trying to get my attention for the last minute or so.
"W-Will." My voice cracked like I hadn't used it in ages and my hand flew to my throat, alarmed by the sound.
A glass of water was shoved into my hands and I took a grateful sip. The boy sitting in my lap placed his hands on my thighs to adjust himself before he reached up and began to play with my hair, looking as comfortable as he could be.
"Will," My voice didn't crack, thankfully.
Will sat in a chair beside the bed, his expression serious. "What is the last thing you remember?"
I looked at him, confused, before frowning in concentration. Flashes of broken memories raced through my head. "I-I remember a spider then nothing."
The boy stopped playing with my hair and looked at me. He released my hair and stood on his knees, reaching toward my face. I didn't move a muscle as he touched my cheek. Will chuckled amusedly. "It's a funny story, actually. I don't recall people fainting because of a little spider."
I slowly reached my hand out, stroking the child's smooth cheek. He blinked and leaned into my touch before breaking into a large smile. Scowling, I pointed out, "Says the big bad Archangel who squealed when Zachary threw a garden snake at him."
The boy, no older than two hundred, pouted and shoved my hand away with pudgy hands. "No Zachary. Zach."
I smiled while Will pouted. "Alright, just Zach then."
Will protested, "It was not a garden snake it was a copperhead! Do you have any idea how venomous those things are?!"
Snorting, I threw the covers off me and picked up the child. "Come on, Zach, let's find another snake and show it to Papa."
As Zach cheered, Will trailed after us, spewing protest after protest before threatening to find the biggest spider he could and throwing it in my face.
Holding Zach in one arm, I passed my hand over my belly, a knowing smile creeping onto my face.
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