My Demonic Ghost #3: Hunters and Creators

by Maree, Jacinta

  “Oh my god…” Was all I could utter as James smiled, opening up his arms to greet me.

  “Rachael.” His voice unlocked a flash flood of emotions; my shy awkwardness, rosy cheeks and dry lips that always seemed to happen whenever I got nervous. My heart hammered so ferociously that I started to feel sick.

  “Hey Rach, who is this?” Tom stepped around and offered out his hand.

  “Err, um, right, sorry. This is James from my high school. James these are my Uni mates, Tom and Kate.”

  “Hi James.” Kate bit her lower lip as she smiled, quickly flashing me a glance as if to say ‘lover boy is here.’ I hushed her with a stern stare and awkward laugh. A nervous tickle kept trying to climb up my throat, making it difficult for me to laugh normally or speak without having to clear my throat.

  “It’s nice to meet you guys” James always had a chirpy personality, which is the reason why I had liked him so much. Rain or shine, he always wore a smile.

  “Yeah you too. Hey Rach we’re just gonna go get some food. We’ll let you two catch up alone” Kate raised her brows with a suggestive wink before she led Tom away. I was one moment away from slapping my palm to my forehead; she really can’t be subtle can she?

  “I’m glad that I got to see you.” James then spoke. “I had a feeling that you may come here.”

  “I’m glad to see you, too.” I smiled back when a troubled thought pushed itself up to the tip of tongue.

  Noticing the sudden pinch of concern James leaned forward, “Is something the matter?”

  “I’m sorry,” I blushed furiously, “It’s just me thinking about when we were back in high school.”

  James grinned and nodded, his own mind reeling back, “We had some fun times. Hey, remember when Mr Pritchard caught you smuggling out all those instant hot chocolate sachets from the staff room under your shirt?”

  “It wasn’t just me! Don’t forget you were there with both pant pockets and blazer full.”

  “Ha, and then we tried to blame it on an upcoming zombie breakout and that we needed supplies!” James bent his head back in laughter.

  I was laughing so hard that I had to cover my mouth, “The look on his face was priceless, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone go that shade of red before. When my parents found out I had detention, they were so furious.”

  Our laughter subsided as James checked over his shoulder before indicated with a small tilt of his chin, “It looks like fun, do you wanna dance with me?” I looked over his shoulder at the mingling crowd and nodded. He slid his hand to mine before linking our fingers and securely grasping my hand. He turned his back to lead the way, and I had to take a few deep breaths and suppress the smile that threatened to burst free. By this point the band were loud enough to cause a constant ring in my ears and the earth beneath my feet vibrated with every strike of the bass. James spun back to face me before he took my other palm. Immediately I felt small in his big grip.

  “You look beautiful tonight” He smiled genuinely. He was such a kind-hearted guy; even after everything that had happened to him he still went out of his way to make me feel good and warm.

  A sense of guilt anchored me to the ground. As James slowed I suddenly shouted, “I’m sorry.”

  He cocked an eyebrow, “Sorry for what?”

  “For all the things that had happened to you when we were together. I promise it’s not going to be like that anymore, I’m not the same girl as I was back then-”

  “You think I left because of these so called spirits?” He stopped moving as if the idea stunned him. I suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed that I had said something so stupid.

  “Well… isn’t it?”

  “No. No, Rachael of course not. That never worried me, not even for a second.” It had felt like I had hurt him as he pulled his head away shaking.

  “But, what about all those times when you tried to kiss me and… I had just thought…” What am I saying? My face was burning up under my cheeks. I was so embarrassed, I felt like I was stuck back in my sixteen-year-old body. Surely, I had matured enough that the concept of romance wouldn’t make me bashful.

  James’ face softened, his eyes seemed warmer as his brows lowered with a genuine look of admirable humour. “I was just a kid then, but I’m not anymore. Let them try and stop me…”

  I hadn’t expected the kiss. My body froze as he took me by the shoulder and his head lowered to meet mine. His breath was a brush of warmth against the corner of my mouth, touching me ever so lightly that I felt myself almost fall into him. Then his hand moved to the back of my head, curling his fingers into my hair and cradling my neck. I don’t know if it was the fireworks soaring above our heads or perhaps the intoxicating bliss that warmed my cheeks, but I felt incredibly happy. I was grateful for the chance to stand here at this moment, grateful that I took the chance to drive down to Whitehaven to see him again. We pulled apart and lifted our heads back. Each pop of colour rained sparks of red, rocketing up from the ground and forming amazing shapes once hitting the deep black.

  For the first time in a long time, I felt normal. I felt that this could be my life from now on. With a gorgeous man who’s devoted and charming by my side, and friends who will support me no matter what’s going on in my life. This could be my new beginning. This could be my chance at true happiness.

  The heavy tribal drums ricocheted through me. For a moment, I even had to place my hand on my heart, soaking in my surroundings, really treasuring this moment. James was by my side as he turned his face to smile at me, Kate and Tom just a bit ahead lost in their laughter and the swoosh of fireworks followed by the boom of explosion. How could I not want to imprint this moment into my brain forever? I let my ambitions go and just swayed with the music, allowing it to control me.

  The dancing colours kept my chin tilted upwards as I watched the birds take to the sky and a lone butterfly linger above the crowd. The moonlight caught onto the blue shine on its wings, flickering light into my eyes. Something strange about it grabbed my attention as the flying bug got closer and closer, till I lost it among the bobbing heads of the crowd. I slowed my dancing when something extraordinary swept over the entire celebration.

  Like a spell was cast, everything was two seconds too slow. Everyone was off beat. Colours became sharper. The noise of the crowd hushed so only the whip of the fireworks roared overhead and the heavy vibrations of the drummers thrummed through me. Then the crowd started to break apart. Girls’ hair suspended in motion, bouncing behind their heads as they danced and their clothes moved as if floating in water. Parting the crowd was a creature I had never seen before. Eyes of detailed teal burned into my very soul, warming my blood and stilling my body. It was naked underneath a pattern of colours patched across its skin. It was genderless with wispy white hair reaching past its ears, long arms but short legs, and a face of painted skin.

  Despite its alien appearance, I did not feel frightened. It steadily approached me, deliberate and cautious. It was in tune with everyone, or maybe everyone was in tune with whatever this creature was. By the time it reached me a numbness had already overwhelmed my body. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even react. It had snuck into the crowd so flawlessly that no one noticed it until Tom called out. He had turned the camera on me, catching the moment the creature reached out to touch my cheek.

  He stumbled back into Kate, turning her attention to me and she screamed. Like dominos, people were spinning on their heels, completely caught off guard by the creature. It was no larger than a skinny child, but the way its body moved felt extra-terrestrial. The creature glanced over its shoulder, its eyes dilated and nostrils flaring. It then caught a scent that sent it spiralling into madness. It hunched and screeched in a high sonic boom that the concussion bowled people over. The crowd who had so desperately waited for a chance to meet something supernatural now fled from the scene. The chaos drove the spirit into a frenzy, disorientating it. It cupped its hands to its ears and bolted from sight. I snap
ped out of my trance a moment too late. People came charging forwards, shoving me to the ground. The music came to a crashing stop. The fireworks overhead started to sound like gun fire. Contagious fear controlled everyone until they scrambled to get as far away from the creature as fast as possible. Unable to see beyond the bodies and legs trying to climb over me, all I could do was curl into myself, protect my head and pray they didn’t trample me to death. A hand was fast to grab me, pull me up from the ground, and set me back on my feet. James’s face was stretched in concern, noting the scratches that marked my cheek while trying not to get swept away with the rest of the crowd.

  “Are you okay?” He asked. In that instant, another boy stepped up to us and grabbed his shoulder. Effortlessly, he shoved James to the side like he was a thin cardboard cut-out. The boy then marched forward, his arm around my neck so that I was dragged into a backwards shuffle. I began to struggle, but a voice inside my head ordered me to be still. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught flashes of red whipping around the crowd, but I couldn’t be sure, they look like mere blotches.

  The boy that clasped me to him quickly turned my chin up. A face of soft tan skin, warm walnut eyes underneath blood red hair spiked in heavy gel peered down at me. Yet as soon as he saw me, his glare tightened.

  “Chaos!” He barked as a younger boy swooped to his side. The man shoved me into Chaos’ chest abruptly. “Get her out of here!”

  Within the depths of the crowd a woman’s voice called up, “I can’t get them all! Too many are escaping.” I looked over my shoulder and spotted a woman with sunset hair; harsh red at the roots and fading towards golden yellow near the ends, who was interweaving through the masses. She showered them under some sort of white dust that was putting them out. I quickly shifted my gaze back to the small white haired alien, but it had disappeared.

  “Gargoyle?” The woman screamed again.

  “It escaped! We must find it!” The older male ordered then redirected his attention to the younger boy, “Chaos, I told you to go.”

  “Right!” The boy grabbed my arms and pulled me out of the crowd and into the forest surrounding us. Despite his slender frame and small hands, Chaos was strong - strong enough that even though I tried to dig my heels into the dirt he kept me at a walking pace. We got into the denser parts of the forest when I was finally able to wrench my arm from his grasp. When I turned back to him the young boy was gone.

  I immediately darted back the way I came, calling out for my friends when something pushed me gently against a tree. The boy known as Chaos was perched on one of the branches in the air above. Beyond the hint of green and gold in his eyes and a flicker of red hair he was completely covered in darkness. He had his knees bent, one hand placed in front of him for balance and the other casually resting against his legs. He leaned forward and tilted his head.

  “What do you want?” I demanded and when he didn’t answer me I spoke again, “Let me go.”

  “Shhh…” He lifted his hand to his lips before swinging his legs out from underneath him, now planting himself down comfortably onto the branch. My heart was hammering so loudly that I felt dizzy, like the weight pooling into my ears was tipping me over. What the hell is going on? I wrapped my arms around myself just because I didn’t know what else to do. This can’t possibly be happening! This can’t be happening. The boy in the tree appeared no older than fifteen. A soft shaft of moonlight caressed his face between the gaps, revealing a crown of red hair sprinkled with white highlights and a smooth round face. He held a type of aloof confidence about him. I could hear it in the pitch of his voice and the way he carried himself.

  A twig snapping alerted me to the presence of the man who had first grabbed me as he stepped from the shadows, illuminating himself under a wave of white radiance. I held my breath in surprise and instantly shrank further away from him. Something about this man appeared inhuman. There was a scent that shifted around him like some intoxicating aroma. The longer he lingered, the more the scent tickled my nose. He then stopped and looked me over. I was frightened, but determined not to show him so.

  “I don’t believe it. Out of everybody…” He then sighed, “You better come with us.” Unblinking I just nodded my head yes. Despite my eagerness, my body refused to move. Instead, I merely swayed and fell forward. The last thing I remembered was a voice shouting out, ‘catch her’ before a numbing darkness engulfed me. I remember my body falling, but I don’t remember hitting the ground.

  Chapter Eight:

  Warm tingles prickled against my skin as I awoke. I opened my eyes, allowed them to adjust, and was surprised to find myself in a bed facing towards a window. Behind the flutter of the blinds was a grey sky and sturdy brown columns of trees. Just beyond the fog, I could see sunlight pushing its way through gaps in the brewing storm. I bolted up as if I had been jabbed with a hot poker. Where am I? What’s going on? I pressed my fingertips to my temples; my memory was hazy and disjointed, like trying to figure out a picture beneath disturbed water.

  “How are you feeling?” A voice spoke up from the other side of the room. I jolted again, not expecting company. Not surprisingly, it was the same red headed male from earlier in the forest; he stepped around the bed with a pitcher of water and a cup.

  “Who are you?” I demanded.

  He cocked his eyebrow at me curiously, like the question was stupid. He didn’t answer till he filled the cup and set it down by the bedside table. “You don’t recognise me?”

  I studied him further. “You have a very unique look. I think if I had met you before I would remember. Why am I here? What do you what?”

  “Please calm down. We’re not going to harm you, I promise. My name is Gargoyle; and this may be difficult to comprehend, but I am a Hunter of demons. Some call us Angels of Justice but we go just by Hunters. Usually we don’t show ourselves to the living, but we’re under dire circumstances. There’s a massive war that’s only getting worse the more time we waste-”

  “An angel? Like, a real life angel? How am I supposed to believe that?” I found myself laughing at him. Gargoyle pursed his lips sourly, obviously displeased with my response. He merely sat himself down at the end of my bed and clasped his hands together.

  “Maybe we use the word angel too freely. We don’t have wings or halos, but we fight for our beloved God who rules over all the spirits in the spirit world. She is fair and strong, and makes sure to protect the souls under her care. The creatures of the dark do not care for life. All they care about is themselves and taking power.”

  “I’m sorry…what nonsense are you spewing?”

  He growled, “It’s not nonsense. Those who lack faith call it the Apocalypse or the aliens.”

  “That thing on the internet?”

  “Yes. There’s a constant battle between the light and the dark which has gone on for centuries, but before we have always had the upper hand. We didn’t intervene with the living which is why you have not seen us before. There are rotten creatures that we call Goons and Reapers. They used to work for us, but now they’ve turned feral and are trying to tear down the wall between heaven and hell so they can enter our domain. They’ve set loose foul and evil demons known as Banished. These spirits are the worst kind of spirits. Sinners. Corrupted. Murderers.” He turned his face away in disgust.

  “What has this got to do with me?” I raised my eyebrows suspiciously.

  “That creature you saw before with the white hair and strange skin is a very special type of spirit. We call them Creators, one of the few pure spirits. They are the reason for life and existence. They create. The Creator you saw fell to earth in search of something stolen from us. A very special instrument known as the Staff. The Reapers took it to build their army of Banished. We need it back, so the Reapers will be under control and the Banished sent back into darkness where they cannot harm anyone. As to the question, “Why you?” I haven’t got the faintest idea. We’ve been searching for the Creator for nearly five years, last night was its first appearan
ce.”

  “Whoa, slow down. Reapers? Banished? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “They are different types of Demons. Banished are evil spirits of tainted and sinful origins. Reapers are beings of death.” He counted them off with a pompous air, “In any case, they exist for the sole purpose of causing destruction.”

  “And a staff…?”

  “Something of a greater value than both you and I put together.”

  I buried my head in my palms, my mind spinning in directions I couldn’t follow. It was overwhelming; I could feel my heart race and I began to hyperventilate. Gargoyle reached over to stroke my hand and I felt calmer. The building tension suddenly evaporated. With a loud gulp, I whispered, “Just say that I do believe you, just for a second, what will happen if the darkness rises?”

  He paused for a moment before answering, “Heaven will fall. Demons will walk the surface and you will have no protection.”

  “You can stop the demons?”

  “Yes. And that includes that green-eyed demon too.”