by Sean Stone
My life hasn’t quite gone back to how it used to be. Not fully anyway. I have a new roommate. Ashley moved out of her house because she hates her dad now. My fault I know, I can’t say I feel terribly guilty about it, though. For the time being she’s staying with me in my one room which is now more cramped than ever. Doris doesn’t seem to mind, she likes having another female around the house. I have noticed Gavin looking at Ashley rather lasciviously though. I’ll have to keep an eye on that. The little scumbag. As cramped as it is and as much as I hate not having the same privacy I used to get, I do like having her around. There are benefits to having your girlfriend around all the time. I know what you’re thinking, you want me to tell you all about those benefits. You little pervert. Well, forget—
Sorry, I just got a little distracted. Gavin’s having a bonfire in the garden you see and when I just looked out the window and gazed at the flames I was almost certain I saw a pair of yellow eyes.
I looked over at Ashley who was still sleeping and rather loudly. Good, I really didn’t want her to see what I suspected I’d just seen. I ran down the stairs, past Doris who tried to start a conversation and straight into the garden. As I approached my suspicions were confirmed. Yellow eyes.
“Eddie, you alright?” Gavin said. I clicked my fingers he fell onto the grass asleep.
“What are you doing here, and how?” I asked the fire.
The flames swirled up and into the form of Margie Sheridan. Her yellow eyes looked straight at me and I was pretty sure there was a slight guilty expression there. I told you it was risky summoning spirits. Even the friendly ones.
“Well, I knew you wouldn’t leave my Ashley alone so I had to make sure she was alright,” she told me.
“But how are you here?”
“After Ashley ended the spell I chose not to leave.” She shrugged like it was nothing.
“But you said you was enjoying your eternal rest,” I said. She’d even told me off for disturbing her.
She shrugged again. “I changed my mind. And a good thing to. If I hadn’t put that anti-teleportation spell on my living room then that imp would have escaped.”
“That was you!” I exclaimed.
“Spells don’t cast themselves, Eddie,” she said in her motherly tone.
“But you can’t just stay here. You have to move on.”
“I don’t have to do anything. Ashley has lost her father and her mother now. She can’t be parentless. She needs me watching over her,” Margie implored.
“I’m looking after her,” I said.
“And so am I. Don’t try to stop me, Eddie. I’m her mother,” she said sternly and I knew not to argue. I’d give almost anything to have my mother watching over me again.
“But how is she going to react to this? She just managed to work through her grief, Margie. You’re not back properly, this is just cruelty. Like giving her half a parent,” I said. Margie looked away. She knew I was right.
“I know. That’s why she cannot know I’m back. I will watch over her in secret, Eddie. You must not tell her.”
“You can’t ask me to do this. You can’t ask me to break her trust, Margie.” I shook my head, looking at her pleadingly.
“It’s your choice, Eddie. But if you tell her, you will cause her pain. Like you said I’m not fully here, she cannot have a proper mother-daughter relationship with me. I’m made of fire for goodness sake.”
I sighed as I considered my options. “Break her trust or cause her pain. I could just force you to move on,” I said, but I think we both knew it was an empty threat.
“And if she found out she’d never forgive you,” Margie said softly.
“I’m fucked whichever choice I make.” I looked back at Margie for another alternative but she offered none. “Alright, fine. I’ll keep your secret.”
“Good. Now go back to my daughter. When she wakes up she’ll remember how her family has been destroyed and she’ll need you. Don’t ever let her be alone, Eddie.”
“I never will. I promise that,” I said and then headed back to the house.
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Also by Sean Stone
The Cedarstone Chronicles
Cursed
The Cult of Osiris
The Ancients
Arcane Inc.
Warlock for Hire
Warlock Wanted
Short Story Collections
Horrors from Cedarstone
Horrors from Cedarstone II
Horrors from Cedarstone III
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Keep up-to-date by visiting seanstonewriter.com