Mama Yaga

Knock, Knock

The sound of Naomi's knuckles hitting the newly purchased home's door. After a moment of no answer, he turns and begins to walk away.

"I'm sorry," says a gentle voice as the door opens silently, causing Naomi to turn. There before him stands a beautiful olive complexed male with long curly jet-black hair, bare-chested fresh out of the shower.

"I apologize for interrupting your bath," Naomi apologizes, turning to avoid the view of the half-naked man.

"Is that for me?"

Naomi looks down at his hand at the tray of fresh-baked cookies, "Yes," Naomi responds, turning as his hands slide underneath the stranger's who the cookies are intended for.

"I love chocolate chip cookies with pecans."

"I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. My name is Naomi Monroe; I live across the street. If you need anything, you are more than welcome to come over," Naomi continues as he moves his hand away. He then places a rogue strand of hair behind his left ear.

"Well, since you've offered, I haven't had a meal all day moving things in and about the house," replies the stranger. "Pardon my manners, Lucifer." He says, extending his hand again.

"Nice to meet you. You are more than welcome to dine with me. I've prepared spaghetti and homemade meatballs with a family pasta sauce. It's nothing big, but you are welcome to it," replies Naomi looking down bashfully as he swings his right leg from side to side.

"Let me get dressed, and I will be over," replies Lucifer walking up to Naomi. "That's only if you want to company."

Naomi looks up and notices that he is standing in the doorway. "I would love company."

"Then I shall see you in forty minutes or so."

"Okay," replies Naomi as he turns, quickly walking to his home, feeling the deep glare of Lucifer the entire time burning his back.

Naomi turns, Lucifer smiles, and Naomi waves walking into the house. Inside, Naomi paces the floor.

For thirty-five minutes, he paces the floor. Not knowing exactly what is going on. Then there is a knock at the door. He takes one look at himself in the full body mirror by his front door and opens it. There standing before him is an elegantly dressed Lucifer in a black suit with a crimson dress shirt opened at the top.

"I hope I didn't come too early."

"No, you are perfectly on time. Please come in," Naomi says as Lucifer walks past him, smelling of an exotic fragrance that fills Naomi's nose.

"So, do you live here alone?"

"Yes," Naomi replies as he walks into the kitchen, grabbing the hot pan of spaghetti, placing it onto the table. He turns as Lucifer brings in the rolls and cloth napkins and sets them across from one another.

"And you? What made you move here?"

"My mother."

"I'm sorry?" Naomi says, taking a seat.

"My mother lives in the area, and I wanted to be close to her," he replies as he begins to serve them both.

"That is amazing," he says as Lucifer takes his first bite and instantly begins to moan.

"Oh my God, this is sooo good. It feels like it's been an eternity since I've had homemade food," Lucifer says as he pulls a dinner roll and bites into it.

His eating mesmerizes Naomi. As Naomi watches him, a smile comes to his lips, and Lucifer looks up.

"I am so sorry. I am a complete monster."

"No, I'm smiling because it's been quite some time since a man has so thoroughly enjoyed my cooking. I didn't realize how much I missed it," Naomi continues to grin.

As Lucifer finishes, Naomi pours them a glass of wine. "So, you never told me what you do, Naomi Monroe."

"I'm an associate professor of Art History."

"And you?"

"I'm a world traveler, and I dabble in many things. I love the world of antiquities."

"That sounds like fun."

"Do you trust me?"

"I don't know you to trust you," Naomi says, smiling.

"No, seriously?"

"Sure."

Lucifer grabs his hand, "Walk with me. I want to introduce you to my mother."

"You don't think it's a little early? I mean, we just met. I didn't even know you were gay. The way you ate that food, I felt like I was completely barking up the wrong tree," Naomi says, smiling as Lucifer caresses his hand.

"Not 100 percent gay. Identify as bisexual, and I have had many lovers over the years. None have made me feel the way that you just did by feeding me," he continues kissing Naomi's hand. The hair on the back of his neck begins to stand on end.

Naomi leans in and kisses Lucifer on the lips. He pulls himself back as Lucifer caresses his neck.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yeah. Where are we going?"

"I'm seriously going to introduce you to my mother," he says, clinging to Naomi's hand as they walk out of the front door.

As they walk past both cars, Naomi turns and looks back. "We won't need a car to get to mom," Lucifer says as they stop at the entrance to the woods that outline their neighborhood.

"Are you..."

"Do you trust me?"

Naomi looks scared but smiles through it. Lucifer kisses his hand as they walk into the woods. As they walk along a path that Naomi has never seen before, a wave of fog takes over the floor of the woods. The wind begins to blow violently and sounds like wolves running around them.

"We are close. We can stop here."

"Where is your ..."

Naomi stops as the ground begins to shake, and a house on two large chicken legs walks up. Naomi is so completely shocked and terrified that a tear streams down his cheek. Lucifer looks at him smiling and is concerned by the tear.

"Why are you crying?"

"I know this place."

"You what?"

"I know this place. Your mother is ...."

A banshee scream fills the woods as a staircase falls before them.

"Baba Yaga," continues Naomi softly as Lucifer walks up the stairs extending his hand to Naomi.

Naomi grabs his hand, and they walk up the stairs. As they step on the porch, the front door opens, and fog engulfs there feet surrounding the porch. As they continue in, the door slams behind them, and Naomi grabs Lucifer's arm.

"Mom, stop the theatrics; he is legitimately afraid because he knows who you are."

At that moment, a finger snap causes candles to light around the room, filling it with light and warmth. It's as if the fog is forced to diminish--ragged drapery cloaking a figure walking towards them sways in the air as the wind continues to howls outside.

Thump, slide, thump, slide.

"Who is this beauty?" inquires the haggard voice.

"Naomi Monroe. He is my neighbor. He made me dinner," answers Lucifer.

As the thump and dragging sound gets closer, a horrid smell fills Naomi's nose. He does not move his face; he just looks forward in terror as she stands before him. Rotting flesh shakes upon her body, her nose, long and crooked, and her eyes are white as if she has cataracts.

"Naomi, this is my mother, Baba Yaga, but I call her Mama Yaga."

Naomi's body is so wracked with fear it goes limp causing him to lose consciousness, as everything goes black.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Naomi jerks out of bed, feeling around. His heart is beating at a rapid pace, and his breathing is heavy.

"Oh my god, it was just a dream," he says sighing in relief.

At that moment, Lucifer walks into the room holding two cups of coffee.

"How did you sleep?"

Naomi's screams fill the entire neighborhood as the sound of Baba Yaga's house moving through the woods can be heard in the distance.