I don't own Death Note...I only own Demetra, Adelle, and Marie, Amayia, and the father, and Mika (who will be here in later chapters) the concept of this, and the plot.

"No, Mama, let me do it,"

My mother smiled at my innocent eagerness to tend to the dishes. She knew I only willingly did chores if I wanted something.

"Oh, dear Demetra, what is it this time?" She patted my head playfully.

"Oh, Mama, why would you say that?...Well, I'd really like to have a puppy 'cause everyone else in school has a doggie, and I want one, too!"

My mother smiled knowingly. "But you know how I feel about dogs…they could turn on you any minute, they bite. I was bitten by one when I was your age, you little teeny-bop, you, and I had to go to the hospital to get stitches."

I cringed at the reminder of hospitals and stitches. They were always creepy.

"Yeah, I know…OK, mommy…"

"Your father feels just the same." I thought it strange that she brought up my father, as he died, and I never met him. "Your sister doesn't, but, come now, you know her—"

"Yeah, she's funny when she comes home from work." I closed my eyes momentarily, admiring her for being so big, so old, but in a young way. She was twenty three, she was almost done school and had a part-time job at a trendy restaurant. I was only ten, so she was just cooler for being older, more grown-up.

"OK, fine, no dog. But someday, I'm gonna get one, and I'm gonna move away with Amayia." I smiled, opening my eyes. I loved my sister's name, and I loved mine, too. They were very unique names…even though our parents probably took a couple names that they liked and blurred them together to make a new one.

"All right, then. Take the garbage out, and I'll read you a story when you get to bed."

I grabbed the filthy bag and walked outside. I went to the dooryard and froze. There was a woman sitting on the trashcan. She was pale, thin, black haired, black-eyed, impossibly tall, and impossibly beautiful.

"Um, who are you, Miss?"

She smiled, but I didn't like it. "My name is Adelle, dear, dear Demetra. Where is your mother?"

"Inside," I backed up a step, but I only seemed to get closer.

"Well, how 'bout I talk to her. Take me in, will you?"

"I can't bring strangers into the house!"

She frowned, then smiled warmly. "Of course you can't, but your mommy knows me."

"She does?"

"Yes, I'm a…an acquaintance of hers. She'll know me the minute she hears my voice, the moment she sees me. She'll know. Let me in."

"OK," Then, she disappeared from the trashcan. She just vanished, before my very eyes. Seconds later, I heard my mother screaming.

"Mama!" I hurried in the house, and saw the kitchen covered in blood. My mother's blood.

Adelle looked at me, holding my mother by her head in one hand, and a green bottle in her other.

"Don't hurt her!"

"Sweet child, I have to. It was a deal."

A deal?

"Mama, don't let her! Mama—" Even though I didn't completely understand what was going on, I didn't like the blood, though I soon became comfortable ignoring it.

"Why?" I began to cry. "Don't hurt her! She did nothing! Mom!"

My mom began to cry. "I have to," She moaned, "And—"

"And it's all your fault!" Adelle cut her off.

I gasped. "My fault? I take it back! Honest, I do! Just don't—"

"I'm afraid that I could very well undo it, sweetheart. If you were never born, this wouldn't have to happen."

"What—"

"I'm a witchdoctor. I helped her let you into the world." She let my mother down, chuckling. "Oh, Marie, it's either telling her or lying to her. She might as well know.

"Demetra, your mother was on a road that was occupied by a couple of cults that belong to me. They worship me, and I reward them. Your mother was in labor and the car ran out of gas. My people are a kind people, though we can get even and pay our debts…and need others to pay theirs.

"They took her to my home, and I helped her with dark magic to bring you here. She didn't have anything with her at the time, and she didn't want to worship me, joining my followers. I saved her life, but I didn't want four lives to be wasted for the debt of one. And Demetra is such a pretty name, don't you think? I named you, as you are a child of mine, as you were brought to life by my magic. That is also why you have black hair. However, I let you keep your pretty blue eyes.

"When I name a child, they belong to me. I renamed all of my children—my followers—and they belong to me. I changed your sister's name, too. Your mother was a goodhearted woman, and wanted her to live, as well. And the only way to live was to be my child. Your mother is not my child, as she accepts her fate of not being mine, death shall become of her." Then, swiftly, she shoved the bottle down my mother's throat, and my mom dropped to the floor.

I then thought of something.

"What about my daddy? You killed him, too?"

"Yes, he wanted to die for your mother, even though I told him it would only buy her time, not an eternity."

My mouth dropped. I never met my dad because he was selfless. Too selfless. He was so selfless that it was selfish. He took his life so I could never meet him. Why couldn't my mom keep me in her tummy, never to bring this tragedy upon herself…upon myself…my sister…she was selfish, but selfless at the same time.

She clasped her hands, as if it settled something. "Well, your sister, tonight, has died. She killed herself. It was her time to determine her future with or without me. She said before she died that her death should not affect what I want with you, and it doesn't. You belong to me, now, but I don't want you to kill yourself—"

I screamed and kicked her knee.

She kneeled, slightly weakened by the blow, but not really. "Demetra, you're my child, and as your mother, I must punish you for disrespecting me. If you did this in front of my followers, they would have killed you instantly. But I'm a kind goddess to all, even those that take that for granted."

"You're crazy! I hate you! You're not my mother! I—"

"Demetra, my child, you're family was cursed to die. You will be cursed to save."

She embraced me, immobilizing me. She chanted, making me sway against her thin frame. When she finished, I could barely stand up. I felt as if she had drained my blood form my entire body.

"Now, my Demetra, I shall hurt you, and you will heal yourself by bringing me or yourself pain."

"What are talking about—"

Her long, disgusting pinky nail slit my arm. Blood shot out like leaking water. "Now, if you want to heal, cut yourself that is equal to the pain now, or cut me in an equal way."

I scratched her with all of my nails on her face. She yelped, but it was as if she expected it. Then, as she bled, my arm healed. There wasn't even a scar. I cast her a curious look, but her face healed.

"I am a witch, I can do whatever I wish to," she explained. "But you, you are cursed to save. Do you not see this?"

I stared at my arm. "I see."

"And with this power, you will be able to see things others can't. You can see, if you will, death. Those who take charge in it, anyway."

"What do you—"

Then, a monster appeared behind her. I jumped back, frightened out of my wits.

"Beings like this will appear all the time. You must ignore them. As my child, they will not hurt you."

"Wh—wh—what is that?"

"Oh, this is a shinigami. A death god. Death." She giggled girlishly. She handed him an apple, talked in what I believed was Japanese, then it disappeared.

"He won't hurt you, dear. The others won't, either. If they do, then they caused a little wrinkle in our agreement, though it has no affect on them, and it wouldn't directly affect me, but I help them out a lot, as a goddess, so with out my services, sure, they could still do anything, as gods, but they still appreciate me and my work. Ah, and I should also tell you that you can heal others, as well, and you can do anything you want…with a price."

I remained silent, my mind still catching up from the shinigami.

"Let's say….you wanted to fly. If you hurt someone or something enough, you could fly. If you wanted to kill someone, but not directly, so no one would suspect you, you could hurt someone or something enough, and that person would die, though depending on how much pain you bring, determines how the person dies, how long it takes, and so on. Understand?"

I nodded.

"Good."

She disappeared.

And I've been doing all that I can to be involved with Adelle and the shinigami ever since.