Philip made a deafening sound inside the room.
Mom stood outside with her hands on her hips and shouted, "You useless woman, hurry up and give our family a grandchild, or I'll make you suffer!"
I felt sorry for Julia.
I couldn't sleep, so I wandered aimlessly around the village and ended up at Lara Clay's front door.
Lara was a widow. A few years back, her daughter had been taken by wolves in the hills. She was deeply unfortunate. Even though she had a fiery personality, she had always been decent to me.
When I washed the entire family's clothes in the freezing river during winter, Lara helped me wash a few items and complained about how heartless Mom was.
Sometimes, she would slip me a few fruit candies I had never tasted before. One Christmas, she quietly pulled me into her home and let me try dishes that smelled amazing.
Yet the villagers were a little afraid of Lara because she was a medium with second sight, someone who could perceive things most people couldn't see or understand. They whispered behind her back that she brought bad luck to her husband and child.
To my surprise, the lights in Lara's home were still on at that late hour.
It was as if Lara knew I was coming. She opened the door and pulled me into the living room. She looked conflicted and said, "Kate, I need to tell you something. Don't breathe a word of it to anyone."
"What is it, Lara?" I asked.
"I suspect… your sister-in-law isn't human," she replied.
What? Julia was so beautiful and kind. How could she not be human? Besides, if she wasn't, why would she put up with Philip hitting her and Mom screaming at her every day?
Seeing the disbelief on my face, Lara sighed. "Kate, I know you're a good girl, so I don't want anything to happen to you. Do you know what's hovering over your house every night when Julia takes in clients?"
As if afraid I wouldn't believe her, Lara patted my hand firmly. "It's surrounded by thick clouds of dark energy."
"Why have I never seen it?" I asked.
"I can see things others can't. I'm more experienced with the supernatural than you are," she answered.
"Then what is Julia?"
"I think Julia is a… snake demon."
My eyes widened.
"I heard that your mom found Julia in the hills and that she was injured when she was brought back. Kate, think about it. How could a grown woman be found in those hills where wild animals are everywhere?
"Julia is a snake demon in disguise. Their kind is naturally lustful. Your mom putting her to work only played into that. Just you wait. It won't be long before she reveals her true nature. When that happens, things are going to get very ugly."
"Lara, it's not that I don't believe you, but… how can you prove Julia is a snake demon?"
"Sneak a look while Julia is with a man. If she's a weak snake demon, her shadow will give away her true form. Furthermore, anyone who sleeps with a snake will grow scales on their body within a few days. After a while, they'll rot away and die. Even angels can't save them."
After Lara finished speaking, she grabbed my hand tightly. "Kate, remember—if anything seems off with Julia, run immediately. Now go home. If you stay out any longer, your mom will yell at you again."
I nodded gratefully at Lara.
Because I kept thinking about what she said, I spent the whole day in a daze and even burned dinner. Mom beat me for it.
That night, Mom did something unexpected. Instead of putting the red light out, she pushed Philip toward Julia's room right after dinner. "Get moving. I've done the math on the timing. Give our family a child as soon as possible!"
