Each step Claude took was as light as a feather and as slow as a turtle. As he exited the dining room, he kept his movements delicate, preferring not to make a single sound as he moved throughout the halls of the home. His paranoia constantly drew up images of a lone demon, just hiding in some corner of a room, patiently waiting to strike back and enact revenge. It kept his mind sharp and his body aware of his immediate surroundings.
Once the bottom floor was cleared, Claude gently made his way up the stairs to the top floor. As he checks more rooms, all of which turn out empty, he slowly gains confidence in the assertion that he has killed all the demons inside the house. Though it filled his stomach with relief, his heart began to ache for his mother. So far, there was no sign of her, as if she had disappeared.
He eventually approached his mother's bedroom door, the last place in this ravaged home he could possibly search. If his mother wasn't inside, then Claude has no idea where she could be. He could call, of course, but that would be a last resort.
As he grips the cold metal knob, he breathes in and out to calm his nerves, just like all the other times he searched a room. It helped to keep him at ease, his mind sharp. However, as he tries to twist the knob over, he is shocked to find resistance. It meant that the door was locked, presumably from the inside.
Claude found it strange that the door to his mother's bedroom was locked, especially when all the other doors weren't. Adding to that fact, he had also not encountered another demon since he left the dining room, leading him to believe that something was up.
He thus foresaw two possibilities. Either his mother had locked herself inside her room when she saw the demons come in, or a demon had locked itself inside with or without her, using it as an opportunity to get the jump on him.
Although he hoped that the first possibility was the correct one, he wasn't entirely confident that he got all of the demons. Thus, instead of needlessly risking his life, he decides to prepare for the worst, just in case it does come to fruition.
Claude's plan hinged on his knowledge regarding his mother's behavior and actions. If she was trapped inside with another demon, she would warn him by screaming off the top of her lungs. If she doesn't respond, he can assume that she is either dead or not inside. If she is safe, she'll immediately respond and unlock the door for him. There were a few more possibilities as to how it could play out, but given the circumstances, these three were the most likely to occur.
With this plan in mind, he gets to work. Claude takes a step back from the door and tightens his grip on his spear. He then extends his hand, knocks on the door, and yells.
"Ma! Ma! Are you in there? It's me, your son Claude! I'm back, and I am here to get you out of here!"
"… Claude? Claude, baby, is that you?" He hears the muffled, gentle voice of his mother through the door, almost immediately after he yells. Claude then hears the sounds of footsteps, not too heavy but not too light, approaching the door. He then hears the sounds of the lock click, followed by the twist of the knob. The door opens, and his mother, Bella, walks out.
Despite the horrid look on her face, her dress was well-kept and clean, contrasting with Claude's rougher and "damp" appearance. The two of them immediately embrace each other for a hug, glad that the other is safe.
"Oh Claude, baby. I was so worried for you..." she spoke. She then pulls back and looks at him, examining his body for wounds.
"Are you alright? You got blood all over you!" she points out in a worrisome tone, befitting of a mother who just saw her son covered in blood.
"Don't worry, Ma! I am fine! It's not my blood. I...," Claude responds. But before he could finish, his mother interjects.
"Not your blood? What do you mean "not your blood"? What happened?" Bella throws a barrage of questions at him, demanding an answer.
"I fought those monsters that broke into our house, Ma. Killed a big blue one with one of your Japanese knives and got this spear right here…" He raises the spear in his hand to show it off to Bella.
"There were two others, but they didn't give me trouble. They were much smaller and weaker. This blood right here," he points to the stains of red all over his body.
"It's theirs, not mine. Didn't even get a single scratch!" he finishes, giving his mother a short and concise explanation. His face was plastered with a little smile, as the recollection of the events filled Claude with joy. He hoped that his mother would also take in at least a little pride in his accomplishment, just like he did. Unfortunately for him, however, Mrs. Bowman did not see it that way.
"You fought those monsters!?! My lord, what is wrong with you?" She replies in an angry, visceral tone, much to Claude's disappointment. She felt that he took a big, unnecessary risk in trying to save her.
"Come on, Ma! I had to! How else was I going to get you out of here?" Claude argues his case in a polite tone.
"I don't know! Maybe you could have…" Bella pauses to think for a second.
"… called the cops!" she responds.
"I couldn't rely on the cops, Ma. They are too busy dealing with those magical rapscallions in the city," Claude retorts in a calm demeanor.
"By the time they would have gotten here, those monsters would have broken down this door and gotten to you! What would have happened then, huh?" he adds.
"And besides, if calling them was an option, why didn't you call them?" Claude asks, questioning his mother.
"I did!" Bella claims.
"You did?"
"Yes! I did. The moment I saw those monsters' downstairs! I hid inside my room, and I called the cops. I told them what you said, I told them what I saw, and I was going to wait for them to come!" she responds.
"But the police aren't here, Ma," Claude speaks up.
"I drove all the way from New York, and I somehow got here faster than those blue bastards did. Do you really think they would have made it in time, before those monsters got to you?" Claude adds. Bella opened her mouth to talk back, but no words came out. It took her a while, but something does end up coming out.
"I... I... yes. I really did. You…" She stuttered.
"You didn't have to come save me."
"Listen, ma…" Claude places his hands on her shoulders.
"I already lost everything in that fire last night. I didn't want to lose you either. I... I couldn't live with myself if I did," he finishes, stuttering a little at the end there.
"Now, let's just pack our things and get out of here. We don't want to stay around for too long. Alright?"
Claude waits for his mother to respond, informing him that she was willing to comply. But instead, she appears to just stand there, staring deeply into his eyes. At first, he thought she was trying to think of something to say, to respond, and to object to Claude's reasoning. But then, a single tear slips from her eye and slides down her face.
Bella, upon sensing the moisture, immediately wiped it off with her hands and nodded, agreeing to move on. No words escaped her mouth, but they didn't have to. Claude understood exactly what she meant.
"I am glad you understand," Claude responds with a smile. He then starts walking towards the doorway to his mother's room, wanting to help her pack everything.
"Thank you," Bella suddenly speaks out.
"Thank you for saving me. I… am glad that you are my son," she tells him.
"You are welcome, ma."
And with that, Claude helped his mother pack everything they needed for the evacuation. They mainly focused on packing clothes and valuables while keeping the rest behind. They packed their stuff inside the back of Bella's SUV, a large vehicle capable of carrying all the items they packed. Once the two finish packing, they hop inside and drive straight out of the area.