by Amy Barrett
“Dan what the hell man? Your family is in there we need to kill the bitch.” Nick tried to approach her. The creeper wasn’t moving. She seemed to like to watch the boys struggle against each other and waited with eerie patience.
“Dude if they are what I think we need to get out of here. My family can escape out the back!” Dan pulled Nick along behind him. He had a hold on Nick’s sleeve now and was not going to let go. Nick was forced to come along. Dan was bigger than him at the time and moved him with no trouble.
“What?” Nick gasped out as the woman grew smaller in the distance. “What are they?”
“They’re demons Nick. I think they are demons.” Dan stopped suddenly, and Nick ran into the back of him. The rotting man was infront of them again and this time there was no running back. They were surrounded.
“Smart boy,” the demon said, “what a waste to have a friend like this.” He nodded to Nick and stepped towards them both.
Dan stood in front of Nick and glared at the demon.
The demon laughed. The sound echoed around and bounced back to him. “You can’t even become a wolf, there is no fullmoon. But if you insist on dieing with him I will oblige.”
Dan looked over his shoulder at Nick. He was breathing heavily, and his voice shook. “You need to make us turn.”
Nick blinked a few times and looked at the demon. He was transfixed by the threat before him and his vision narrowed into a tunnel with the demon at the end of it.
“Now Nick!” Dan barked. He ran to the side, giving Nick the space he needed to turn into the gargoyle. Nick wanted to turn. If he didn’t the demon would destroy him and the others. This was his moment to be the hero he was meant to be. His heart hammered and a cold sweat spread over his body. He willed the gargoyle to emerge, but he remained human, trembling uncontrolablly.
The demon moved closer. Nick bit down on his lip hard enough to sting and was vaguely aware of Dan yelling something at him.
Nick hadn’t heard anyone approaching but the demon suddenly shifted his focus to over Nick’s shoulder. Nick was too scared to take his eyes off the demon. Eventually, his mother came up beside him with a large kitchen knife in her hand. Her long dark hair sat around her face like a mane and she glanced at her son as she passed.
“This is where you ran off to then?” the demon asked her.
While the demon was distracted Dan tried to pull Nick down a sidestreet. He wouldn’t leave his mum behind and shook Dan off.
“Man come on! She is giving you a chance to run,” Dan whispered.
Nick didn’t reply, he was watching his mum edging closer to the demon. Her eyes never left the monster and she held the knife in her steady grip like she had done it a million times before.
“No hello? You don’t want to know what you have missed since you were gone?” The demon smirked.
Nick’s mum flew forward and swung the knife out in a wide arch. The demon folded back to avoid it without breaking a sweat. Nick’s mum retreated a step as fast as she had struck but the demon made no effort to chace her.
“You don’t want to fight me,” he said, “you have been away from home for a long time, you must be out of practice.”
Nick’s head was spinning. What did he mean away from home? She was always at home with her family. A cold feeling of dread crept up his spine and he clenched his hands into fists. “Mum what is he talking about?”
“This isn’t the time Nick,” Dan pleaded, yanking on his arm.
Nick shrugged him off and kept his eyes on his mother. She didn’t turn to face him, instead swiping for the demon again.
The demon reversed out of her range but without a second’s hesitation she followed after him, slashing down with the blade and catching the side of his face. He ducked out of her way and she dropped into a crouch a few paces from him. He touched the bloody gash left on his cheek and hissed.
“Maybe you aren’t too out of practice.” He examined the blood on his fingertips.
Nick had never seen his mother fight like this before. She was not a violent woman and opted out of any battle that she could. She dressed wounds, not made them.
“Mum!” Nick was becoming desperate for an explanation, anything that would make his mind stop running riot. He needed her to tell him that she didn’t know this demon and there was no connection between the two of them. Even if he knew that wasn’t true, even if he had heard the things the demon was saying to her, he would make himself believe it if she said it.
She looked over at him and there were tears in her eyes. She pressed her lips together. “Run Nick, please.”
The demon cackled. “Your son doesn’t know?”
Nick’s mother threw herself at the demon with the knife held out in front of her. The two became wrapped up in a scuffle. Nick was finding it hard to distinguish between one body and the next as they swapped rapid blows.
Dan whirled on Nick. “Man, if you aren’t going to run then you need to turn.”
Nick was struggling to think. His mother knew how to fight like the demon did and he had said that she was away from home. He knew her and there was something that she wasn’t telling Nick.
A sickening crack woke Nick from his daze. When he looked over his mother was on the ground. Her hand was folded back against her arm and bone was protruding out from her wrist. The knife clattered onto the pavement, both the handle and the blade were coated in blood. The demon was standing over Nick’s mum, his face red and his hands slick and wet. Sweat and blood trickled off his forehead. Nick’s mum gritted her teeth and cradelled her hand.
“You are a poor excuse for a demon.” He spat onto her face. “I will make you watch as I kill your mongrel son.”
She roared and flew up onto her feet again, beating at him with both her injured hand and the other one. The demon spun to the side and kicked her kneecap. A bang echoed around them and she collapsed to the floor again. The demon swung his foot towards her stomach, but she rolled away, getting to her feet and clawing at his eye with her good nails. He growled as blood erupted from his eye socket and threw his body against hers. As he made contact with her injured hand she yelled out and hit the ground with a thud.
Dan shook Nick. “She’s dying out there. We need to be wolves.”
Nick was frozen to the spot. He was watching his mother die, but he couldn’t make himself move. She was a demon. He was sure of it now. Did he even know her at all? If he was meant to kill demons like everyone said, could he help her when he was the gargoyle? His heart felt like there was a fist clenching around it as he watched her struggle beneath the demon’s assault. Nick was terrified, his heart was beating too fast and his skin was soaked in sweat. He wanted to save her, but he wasn’t strong enough. He knew who was. He was scared of what it might do to her now that he knew what she was, but he had no choice, she was dying. He let it take over. He breathed in oxygen and breathed out himself. He felt the beast eager at the doors of his mind. It beat against the chains and broke its claws through the panels of the door.
Its body burst from his in a series of painful snaps. Once free, the creature was keen for blood. Dan fled. The creature saw the demon and knew that he wanted to hurt Nick. If Nick died so did the monster. He could not let that happen.
By this stage his mother was struggling to stand, and the demon placed his foot on her side and pushed her into the pavement.
The demon wiped blood from under his nose. “You should have stayed in hell where you belong.”
The demon brought the blade down at the same instant that the gargoyle rushed him. When they hit, the demon’s bones broke in multiple places.
The demon fell to the ground like a broken doll. The gargoyle threw his head back and roared in victory. He drooled over the remains of his enemy.
Yet, the demon clicked back into shape, his limbs slotting into their sockets like plugs.
The gargoyle was looking at Dan as he screamed “Turn us! Nick please turn us!”
The demon sprung up and seized
the monster’s shoulder and drove his dagger into the stoney skin. The gargoyle howled and flung his body back. The demon moved just in time to avoid being squished.
The gargoyle’s vision turned red and all that he wanted was the blood of that insect who had stabbed him. He rose slowly to his full height, growling hard enough to make his body shake.
The demon licked blood off his own lip. He rolled his shoulders and swore under his breath. Both watched the other, neither moving.
“Turn us!” Dan had cupped his hands either side of his mouth and was shouting just loud enough to be heard over the gargoyle’s snarls. The gargoyle did not care enough to take his eyes off the demon. He wanted to destroy his enemy more than anything.
More demons crept up on the gargoyle. One of the demons rushed him head on. He saw her coming and roared at her. He positioned his massive body facing her and pulled his black lips off his teeth.
She held her knife forward. When she was only a few steps away he threw out his claw and hit her side. His nails entered her skin with a wet tearing sound.
The demon yelled out and shed desperate tears. The beast drew back his claw and reached down and picked her up. She dangled before his face, cowering and weeping. The gargoyle watched her, and his mouth watered. She smelt like fear.
Meanwhile the other demons had stopped. They all watched the ordeal with tilted heads and narrowed eyes. The lead one, who was still bleeding from his lip, chuckled darkly.
The monster thrust his head forward and closed his jaws around her face. She screamed.
There was a brief second when his jaws were still, and the only sound was the screaming. Then her skull creaked under the pressure. She stopped screaming when her head caved in. Blood ran out of her skull like a waterfall. Her brain and bones were visible through what used to be her face. The gargoyle chewed on the lump of meat. Her eyes were seen rolling around in his mouth whenever his jaws were open.
The demons waited and watched her. The gargoyle dropped her and spat out the remains of her face. The chewed-up flesh and bone came to a stop beside her body. There was a stench of blood in the air and cries of terror came from the surrounding streets. The gargoyle was vaguely aware that these yells were coming from the pack who were still human.
The lead demon moved toward the gargoyle. Even the monster could see that he was outnumbered when the other demons followed. He snarled at the wolves as they ran about. All they seemed to do was scream and die. A voice within the gargoyle told him that he needed to make the wolves change. The voice disgusted the monster despite being part of him. It was so timid and weak. Still it made a good point.
The gargoyle prepared all the animal instinct within himself and called out to the wolves to change. The sound rattled the houses and raked through the trees.
The people did not change into their wolf form.
The creature grew angry and threw its head about. Rivers of red stained saliva broke from between its teeth and soaked the nearby demons. The lead demon looked around at the wolves. Dan was shouting, telling everyone to run.
Nodding to the wolves, the lead demon dismissed the others. It was now a one on one fight. He balanced his blade in his hand and beckoned to the gargoyle.
The gargoyle rushed him. Like a bull in the arena he had no grace or poise. But he had a lot of power. Just about dodging the stampead, the demon danced behind the gargoyle and stabbed into his back. The knife did not go very deep.
The gargoyle threw its arm back and caught the demon in the throat. Within seconds the demon had readied for another attack, despite gagging and choking on his own blood. He threw the knife for the creature’s eye. He only succeeded in catching him on the cheek. Blood pushed itself out of the resulting hole. The demon lunged towards his knife, but the gargoyle was faster. He trapped him in his arms, bending them until his claws were within the demon’s lurching body. He took them both into the air. His huge black wings sheltered them from watching eyes. All that was visible was the dark silhouette ascending towards the moon. White light cast shapes down the creatures back.
His wings huffed as they took him through the air. A few swipes of them brought the gargoyle and his victim above the treetops.
The gargoyle dropped him. It was a long way down even for a demon. He watched the demon’s body falling end over end for nearly a minute. He hit the ground like a bomb, cracking the tarmac on impact. The others came to his aid as the gargoyle circled above like a vulture.
The demon’s body was dragged from the hole and taken into the arms of his companions. He was alive but only just.
The demons retreated and the wolves all prasied the gargoyle. They tipped their faces to the sky and called him a saviour for driving away the demons. This was the true proof of the saviour’s power.
The gargoyle feasted on demons for a bit but soon Nick took hold again. He was beaten and bloody but none of the wounds hurt as much as the sights that awaited him. Many of the wolves had perished. Perhaps two thirds of the whole town. Their bodies were lying around like confetti. Slowly, people gathered up their loved ones.
Nick found his mother dead in a heap on the tarmac. She was covered in bloody gashes, but she was also crushed. The gargoyle must have smashed her into the ground at the same time as he had hit the demon. His soul hurt and he cursed himself for failing to turn them all. They had been defenseless. If he had made them wolves or if he had turned earlier then she would have had help. She might have survived. His mothers’ body was all the proof he needed to believe that he was not the saviour. She might have been a demon, but she was one of the kindest people he had ever known. He would remember her as his mother and nothing else. He would never forget he had let her die.
Standing in the doorway of the wolves’ home, Nick couldn’t help but dread leaving them. The possibility of the same happening again was always on his mind. From then, he had learnt how to turn the wolves against the moon and even their own free will. This knowledge did not bring him any ease now that he was laving them here without him. They all slept soundly apart from three who were on watch. Nick asked each of them to do a silly and quick job. He felt sick at how pleased they were to do something for him. When he saw the awe in their faces, he missed Dan more than ever.
Chapter 14
Ivan had gotten a lucky break. The strange woman, Dora, had died. While he held nothing against her, he was glad of the opportunity to leave the station. Kershaw could not hold him forever and with all the fuss going on to get the body to where it needed to be, she just didn’t have the time to keep him. He had said his merry goodbyes and skipped into the new morning.
Ivan loved mornings. It wasn’t the sun or the promise of new possibilities that he loved. He loved the return of light. While it meant very little now, before it had signalled to him that Zerachiel was coming to visit. It was a routine for the angel to visit most mornings to rant about heaven and the other angels for a bit.
Now seeing the pavement throw back the light, Ivan thought of Zerachiel. The only other thing on his mind was Ciara. He did not run to the hospital as Kershaw had already told him that the doctors said Ciara was fine.
Instead he strolled to the hospital. The world was coming to life and the sounds of the people waking up and starting the day were all around Ivan. Some people even said good morning to him as he passed their shops. Ivan helped one guy put out his signs. The man walked back into the cafe to get the final one and as a parting good deed, Ivan cleaned all the chalk off the sign for him.
Ivan continued on his way to the hospital. It took him forever to find the place and when he did, he didn’t want to go into the white (and only white) hallway. The smells of clean and sick were mingled in the air to make a cocktail that made Ivan’s stomach turn. Ivan wrinkled his nose as he crept through the door. The man behind the desk waved him over.
“Hey sir. What’s up? How can I help you?” He smiled fondly.
Ivan looked up the hallway and blinked when the sun came through the window and hit his eye
s. “Someone I know is here. Ciara.”
The man typed for a second without looking up. “Last name?”
Ivan nodded. “Yep.”
The man stopped. He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand. “What is the patient’s last name?”
“Oh.” Ivan pulled the sleeves of his jacket further onto his hands and cringed as a coughing person passed him. They werent even covering their mouth. “I don’t know her last name.”
The man looked perplexed and opened his mouth to complain. As if sent by god, Zerachiel came around the corner and stepped in. “Sorry he is with me.”
The man’s eyebrows flattened onto his eyes and he surveyed Zerachiel from head to toe. “He doesn’t seem to know that. He didn’t mention his friend was already here.”
Zerachiel’s face changed. His smile was gentle and the muscles at the sides of his eyes relaxed. His forehead became smooth instead of riddled with frown creases and he moistened his lips with his tongue. Ivan narrowed his eyes; he had never seen Zerachiel like this and it was unnerving him.
Zerachiel leaned on the desk and nibbled his bottom lip. “He is my friend.” He pointed a thumb to Ivan. “I would be very grateful if you let him in.” He looked at the man from under his eyelashes.
The guy at the desk shuffled and cleared his throat. “Friend huh? That’s fine.” He coughed and his cheeks went pink. “I mean you can go on.”
Zerachiel started to move while towing Ivan behind him. The guy at the desk shot him a wink and held out a piece of paper. The desk groaned when he leaned on it. “Heres the number to call if you need anything else.”
Zerachiel took the gift without care and brought Ivan down the hall.
“Don’t do that again,” Ivan said while stumbling along behind Zerachiel.