Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.
Word Count: 280
Title: Nothing Else
My back hit the wall with a thundering boom. The feel of my ribs cracking was horrible; however, the feel of my lungs being denied air held me back from screaming. My eyes struggled to focus past the pain. I needed to see Shippou. I needed to know if he had a chance to get past this monstrosity.
When my eyes grew focused I saw nothing. Neither monster nor demon or disfigured nightmare greeted my eyes. Yet, I could feel it. The bone chilling knowledge, the fine hairs rising in fear, and the startling squeak of the wooden floor told me it was here. It was in here.
Shippou's screams turned to howls of terror. The knowledge that he could see what my eyes couldn't broke my heart. I didn't know what he was seeing. I didn't know what I was fighting. Oh, but by the gods my Shippou had a front row seat.
"Mama. Mama. Don't hurt, Mama." He was begging for my life. His trembling voice braking over every syllable he said.
The ear grating sound of his cries drove me to desperate lengths in attempts to escape from this demon. My feet kicked out. My hands rose to the thing holding my neck. Spots started to cloud my vision and I wept.
I just broke in the grasp of the nightmare that gripped me. I sobbed at my weakness; the inability to protect my own son. There was no way I was going to win. So, I said it.
Past the wheezing of my lungs I sputtered, "You win. Please. You win."
My last effort was to bargain with the devil, "Just please don't hurt my son."