I opened the door, he offered one last time to walk me to my car.
"I'll be fine. I parked right out front."
"Please, Jay, take care of yourself," he said sternly. "I will see you in the morning. Nine o'clock?"
I nodded. "See you then."
I got in the elevator and pulled out my phone.
D-e-m-o-n. I typed the letters into the search window.
In religion and folklore, a demon is an evil supernatural being or spirit. Many demons in literature were once fallen angels, however some are said to have been born in darkness, forged in the fires of Hell itself.
My car was parked as close to the building as possible. I scanned my surroundings and descended the steps, feeling confident that I could walk the forty-foot stretch to my car, get in, and drive home without incident.
When my foot hit the last step, I hesitated. A gentle breeze swept past me, carrying with it something that made my heart flutter. A familiar scent, musky and earthy. One I could never forget. It hadn't filled my senses since the night I met Vince. I turned around, wishing to see him standing behind me. But I was alone.
Months later, even in his absence Vince had the power to intoxicate me. It didn't matter how hard I tried to forget him. Something wouldn't let me. I lingered on that last step, clinging to this bittersweet, intangible reminder before it disappeared.
As I approached my car, the lights overhead suddenly went out.
Really?
The row of bushes beyond my car seemed harmless in daylight, but in the dark formed a wall of terror. Staring at them seemed to bring them to life. They quivered to the beat of my nerves.
When I heard the bushes rustle, I froze. My heart was thumping full-force when the rustling suddenly stopped. I hurried to my car with the key in my hand, and hit the unlock button. I kept my eyes fixed on the bushes as I pulled the door open, but before I could slip inside, my body slammed against the door. From behind, someone bigger than me, stronger than me, pinned me to the car, and his forceful hands wrapped around my neck.
"Did you really think you could hide from us forever?" his deep voice slithered into my ear. His face pressed against mine and his grip around my throat tightened. As I was pinned beneath him, I felt his body strengthen and expand until he towered over me. His breaths grew deeper and warmer. Panting like an animal, his mouth opened and globs of saliva ran down my face and neck. His long, sharp teeth pressed against my skin, about to sink in. He was not human.
"Where is it?" he growled in a deep, terrifying voice.
He wanted the athame. With each second, I grew more lightheaded until I was sure I was going to pass out. I needed air. I couldn't speak, but even if I could, I never would have told him where it was. His body pushed harder against mine, crushing me. He pinned my legs so I couldn't kick free. My vision began to blur. All I could do was hold onto consciousness and hope that someone would help me. Just then, I heard a soft and steady swish behind us, and it was moving in our direction.
The weight of his unusually massive body continued to crush me as his head turned toward the sound. Just then, a sharp crack cut through the air like a bullet. I fell backward, pulled violently by my neck until finally he lost his grip on me. I landed on top of him and he didn't try to regain control over me. He was out cold I assumed as I pushed myself up off his limp body. The sharp sound, I suddenly realized, was his jaw cracking behind someone's fist.
I couldn't look back. I reached for my car door and hurled myself into the driver's seat. I slammed the door behind me and fumbled to lock it. Then I threw my car into reverse, hit the gas, and peeled out of the parking lot.
I gripped the steering wheel with both hands. My back didn't touch the seat the whole way home. I rifled through my bag for Mr. Whitmore's business card. At the first stop light, I dialed his number and waited for him to
"I'll be fine. I parked right out front."
"Please, Jay, take care of yourself," he said sternly. "I will see you in the morning. Nine o'clock?"
I nodded. "See you then."
I got in the elevator and pulled out my phone.
D-e-m-o-n. I typed the letters into the search window.
In religion and folklore, a demon is an evil supernatural being or spirit. Many demons in literature were once fallen angels, however some are said to have been born in darkness, forged in the fires of Hell itself.
My car was parked as close to the building as possible. I scanned my surroundings and descended the steps, feeling confident that I could walk the forty-foot stretch to my car, get in, and drive home without incident.
When my foot hit the last step, I hesitated. A gentle breeze swept past me, carrying with it something that made my heart flutter. A familiar scent, musky and earthy. One I could never forget. It hadn't filled my senses since the night I met Vince. I turned around, wishing to see him standing behind me. But I was alone.
Months later, even in his absence Vince had the power to intoxicate me. It didn't matter how hard I tried to forget him. Something wouldn't let me. I lingered on that last step, clinging to this bittersweet, intangible reminder before it disappeared.
As I approached my car, the lights overhead suddenly went out.
Really?
The row of bushes beyond my car seemed harmless in daylight, but in the dark formed a wall of terror. Staring at them seemed to bring them to life. They quivered to the beat of my nerves.
When I heard the bushes rustle, I froze. My heart was thumping full-force when the rustling suddenly stopped. I hurried to my car with the key in my hand, and hit the unlock button. I kept my eyes fixed on the bushes as I pulled the door open, but before I could slip inside, my body slammed against the door. From behind, someone bigger than me, stronger than me, pinned me to the car, and his forceful hands wrapped around my neck.
"Did you really think you could hide from us forever?" his deep voice slithered into my ear. His face pressed against mine and his grip around my throat tightened. As I was pinned beneath him, I felt his body strengthen and expand until he towered over me. His breaths grew deeper and warmer. Panting like an animal, his mouth opened and globs of saliva ran down my face and neck. His long, sharp teeth pressed against my skin, about to sink in. He was not human.
"Where is it?" he growled in a deep, terrifying voice.
He wanted the athame. With each second, I grew more lightheaded until I was sure I was going to pass out. I needed air. I couldn't speak, but even if I could, I never would have told him where it was. His body pushed harder against mine, crushing me. He pinned my legs so I couldn't kick free. My vision began to blur. All I could do was hold onto consciousness and hope that someone would help me. Just then, I heard a soft and steady swish behind us, and it was moving in our direction.
The weight of his unusually massive body continued to crush me as his head turned toward the sound. Just then, a sharp crack cut through the air like a bullet. I fell backward, pulled violently by my neck until finally he lost his grip on me. I landed on top of him and he didn't try to regain control over me. He was out cold I assumed as I pushed myself up off his limp body. The sharp sound, I suddenly realized, was his jaw cracking behind someone's fist.
I couldn't look back. I reached for my car door and hurled myself into the driver's seat. I slammed the door behind me and fumbled to lock it. Then I threw my car into reverse, hit the gas, and peeled out of the parking lot.
I gripped the steering wheel with both hands. My back didn't touch the seat the whole way home. I rifled through my bag for Mr. Whitmore's business card. At the first stop light, I dialed his number and waited for him to
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