Friday, July 28th, 2045
Waterford, Ireland.
A young boy, around the age of 12, stood outside a church, staring at the door with vacant eyes.
He was a beautiful boy. Yes, it was the word one would use to describe him. Thick dark blonde hair, which he inherited from his father, and his mother's beautiful green eyes made him stand out wherever he went, and it helped that he was quite tall for this age.
His name was Roy Windson, and soon he was going to become an orphan.
"Roy..." An aged lady, who looked at him from across the street, painfully whispered his name, but then her heart broke and she could not walk up to him.
Everyone in the neighbourhood had tried to spend some time with the boy, trying to distract him from the sorrows, but this filial child refused to indulge in chats, games, and sports. His mind and heart were only towards his dear mother, who was on her deathbed right now.
The Cerebral Cancer that she was diagnosed with was not something that could be cured. The family of two also did not have enough money on them to bear the costs of keeping her at a Hospital, under the care of nurses and medications to prolong her life, which would have allowed her to spend some more time with her only child.
Over the years, Fiona had grown weaker and weaker. At first, she tried to hide the truth from her child, but Roy was a smart buy and understood something was wrong when his mother started paying extra attention to him and searched for every opportunity to spend time with him.
It continued for a month before he made her confess, and it was the first day he had come running here to this church.
For the last three and half years, ever since he found out that his mother had cancer and it was already too late, Roy had not missed a single day where he had not come to the Church to beg and pray to God to save his mother.
He was innocent enough to even promise his life in return, but his prayers had not been heard, and now, he had completely lost faith.
Roy's heart ached as he recalled the state his mother was in, and if truth be told, he was even scared to go home for fear that he might find her dead.
For the last year, her headaches had intensified and she spent most of her time sleeping, which weakened her body even more.
He was young and weak, but he had worked his socks off in the last two years, taking whatever jobs a minor like him could take to earn enough to help with his mother's medications, however, it was still not enough.
They were lucky to have good neighbours, otherwise, he would have surely starved to death by now as his mother could not even stand up from the bed much less go out to earn and cook something for him.
Roy had taught himself how to cook in these years, but once their savings finally ran out, it was all up to his neighbours to feed them. They were people who were also trying to make ends meet in this world, but their generosity and care were something that Roy knew he might never be able to repay.
His mother had begged him to never do anything wrong and made him promise her that he would not turn to crime, but that had not kept him from debating if he should steal something valuable to help his mother.
However, tonight, there was nothing else on his mind but the thought that his mother could leave him any moment now. And in his pocket was the money he stole from a customer at the clothing shop he worked at.
Roy had lost faith now, and it was the reason why he refused to step inside the church, and the money he had stolen today was going to be used to prepare a good few meals for his mother. It was all he wanted to do with it, and he only hoped that she would wake up again.
A tear slipped out of his eye which he immediately wiped away, and then he stubbornly looked at the church.
It was here that his mother had told him about his father all those years ago when he had complained to her why he did not have one like the kids in his class.
That was the day he had learned who he was, and it was also the day he promised his mother to never speak about it to anyone.
His father was a nobleman and a businessman from the United Kingdom, and his mother was born in his castle to a family of servants who served the famous Winford Family.
Alastair Winford was a man in his fifties, and his mother was only a maiden of fifteen when he took her in as his lover, but unfortunately for her, she became his favourite. Things worsened when she got pregnant with his child, and it did not sit well with the Lady of the Family.
However, as long as his father lived, no one could harm them, but to abate things and to appease his ballistic family, including his older children, he promised his old wife that he would not leave the unborn child an inheritance. A mistake that his mother had to pay for.
The day his father suffered a heart attack and died was also the day Fiona was kicked out of the Family, threatened with the life of the baby she carried in his arms.
Everything his father had left for her and him was snatched away, and it was only the pity of the head butler, who secretly gave her some money and arranged for her to reach a safe place to live a quiet life. It was only thanks to him that they survived, and his mother knew that if she ever returned or he ever returned to the castle, they would be killed.
His mother bought an apartment in this peaceful seaside city, far away from the castle she was born in, and here, she raised him with all the love she held for him and his late father.
Since he could not carry the name, Winford, his father had given him and his mother the name Windson, and his mother decided to keep it when she registered herself in this country.
Recollecting the events of that day his mother told him everything, Roy Windson glared at the building before he stepped back. He promised himself that he was never going to come here again.
He had just turned around when he crashed into someone and then staggered back before falling onto his ass. The bundle of cash he was keeping in his pocket slipped out of it, and before looking at the person he crashed into, Roy immediately collected the money and stored it back in his pocket.
"I am sorry." He spoke in English with his Irish accent, and then he looked up at the tall young man and fell into a trance.
There was just something about this man that made him feel a little restless and apprehensive, and at the same time, made him unable to take his eyes off him. Part of the reason was perhaps he had never seen a human so perfect, and he had this silly notion that the man in front of him was indeed not human.
"It's sad to see a young man like you lose his faith, but if you want your prayers answered, you could make a deal with me." The young man said something that made him frown.
"Why? Are you the Devil?" He asked and felt silly when he heard the man chuckle at his words.
"Would you believe it if I told you that I am a God?"
"No." Roy shook his head and then stood up. "Goodnight Mister." He simply said and walked past him, not willing to engage in a senseless talk.
"Goodnight, Roy Winford."
The words thundered in his mind and he froze his track, a chill ran up his spine, and then he apprehensively turned to look at the man, but found him walking away.
"Wait!" He called out, but the mad did not stop. "Wait, Sir!" He called out and then rushed after him, blocking his way.
"Changed your mind?" The man smiled at him. "Would you now like to make a deal with me?"
"Who are you?" Roy ignored his words and asked, his body was shaking a little in an emotion that was heavily influenced by his fear and a little hope.
"I told you, I am a God." The man replied, and Roy just stared into his eyes.
"How do you know my name?" He asked again, not believing the words of the young man. Who would believe it if someone came up to them and told them that they were the God?
"Your mother's life ticks away as you ask these silly questions, young Winford. Or should I call you Windson?"
Roy kept staring at the man, waiting for him to answer his questions, but he only received a smile.
"I don't believe in God." He finally said and did not understand why he said those words.
"I don't need you to believe in me." The man replied, making him more agitated. "Do you want your mother to live?"
"Yes." He subconsciously answered.
"At what cost?" The man devilishly smiled.
"Anything!" Roy resolutely said, and tears pooled out of his eyes as he felt so silly that he was even playing into this man's words. "Save her, please..." He begged as he looked down at the pavement.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶