My Demonic Ghost #3: Hunters and Creators

by Maree, Jacinta

  “I found Delilah pressed against the bathtub with her arms wrapped around her abdomen. A dark patch was blooming on her clothes where she clutched herself and was pooling to the ground. She looked up at me, a dribble of blood in the corner of her mouth, and I just knew it was him. All I remember was seeing red. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. I eventually found him out in the garage fixing up his bike. He turned just in time to see my hand swing down into his shoulder. He was a big man and I was still small enough that he overpowered me easily. I can’t remember the pain as he drove his fists into me; I can’t remember the pain when he took the knife out and ran it along my chest. We were fighting so wildly that everything was just a blur. He pressed me into the floor, pinned his forearm against the back of my neck and pushed all his weight down to choke me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a canister within reach, so I snatched it and poured the petrol all over his face. I got backsplash of acid on myself and I remember it burning my earlobe and down my neck. He was howling and thrashing, both palms over his face and writhing on his back like a spider doused in poison.

  “I was in such rage that I took his lighter from his pocket and set the whole place on fire. It was memorizing, the golden cocoon swallowed him completely in a matter of seconds. I watched until he stopped moving and smoke filled the room. But fire moves fast, faster than I was expecting. It crawled on top of the other canisters and they exploded. I was thrown off my feet, hitting my head against the back wall and knocking myself out. I was dazed, but managed to move my body inch by inch towards the back door. I was bleeding heavily, my vision was pooling into darkness. The fire had already reached the rafters and painted the walls. By the time I reached Delilah she had already died. I just sat there next to her till the smoke spat me out of my body. When I awoke, I was this.” He gestured down to himself.

  I could only hold my breath; I mean… what can someone say to make it better? I felt words couldn’t do my feelings justice. ‘I’m sorry’ just wasn’t enough, yet it was all I had. Gargoyle mistook my silence for something else, and he growled under his breath, “I shouldn’t have said anything.” I pulled him into a hug before he had the chance to flee. He went rigid in my arms.

  “You did what any loving brother would do.” Gargoyle slowly relaxed his posture, before lifting his arm around so his palm rested on my head. He patted me gently like he was scared I was the one about to shatter.

  “Don’t feel sorry for me. What’s done is done.”

  “Your sister… Delilah. Where is she now?”

  “She’s safe, but she doesn’t smile anymore. Not because she is angry about what happened to her, I think she’s angry that I joined her in death.” He pulled my head in comfortably, so I nested into the curve of his neck. It was like sitting next to a heater on a chilly night, or sipping hot chocolate at a snow ski resort. It was bliss.

  “Hey? What are you guys doing up there?” Damage peered up from ground, both hands on her hips. Chaos was beside her as he gasped in an overdramatic manner.

  “Are they cuddling? Boo! Gargoyle, you girl thief.”

  Gargoyle quickly cleared his throat awkwardly and we sprung apart. “Shouldn’t you guys been doing your rounds?” He barked down authoritatively.

  Damage only rolled her eyes and shook her head, trying to hide her grin, but it pressed to the surface like a zit makeup couldn’t cover up. Gargoyle bounced to his feet briskly, before indicating with a tilt of his head for me to follow.

  “I think it’s time for you to go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow.”

  I took his hand as he landed us back on the ground. Chaos waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I quickly turned my head and ducked inside. I could barely sleep. My heart was hammering. I wished morning would never come.

  Chapter Twelve:

  I must’ve fallen asleep at some point because I found Chaos sitting at the end of my bed, like always; bouncing energetically so the mattress rocked. It was sunny today, perfect ‘return-to-your-boring-uni-life’ weather.

  “Hey, wake up,” He grinned and I flashed back my morning smile, which was a lopsided grunt. “You’ve slept for a long time, come on. We have a train to catch.”

  “You’re going back with me?” I patted my hair down and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

  “We did say we’d escort you back.” Gargoyle and Damage were both waiting by the door, immaculate as always despite not having a wink of sleep. I checked my phone for the time. It was nearly 4 pm; I must’ve really needed the sleep. I rattled my phone, trying to knock some reception into its useless body, but the bars kept at a dead zero. Only Chaos walked with me back to the train station where I waited for nearly 30 minutes for the next city train to arrive. It only took us 2 hours via train, it being a nice change to have all green lights when crossing the countryside.

  “So, what are you guys going to do now?” I asked as we entered the underground tunnels closer into the city. Chaos sat opposite me, his hands behind his head and his back slouched. He was watching outside, his eyes distant and distracted until I brought him back.

  “What we do best I suppose.” He shrugged.

  “What if you can’t find the Creator?”

  “We’ll just have to win this war the old fashioned way, with soldiers and force.”

  I nodded and readjusted my posture so my legs were tucked underneath me. “Has this ever happened before? The rebellion?”

  Chaos sat up, “Yeah, but not to this extent. Usually it’s the Royals fighting other Royals. The living never see the problems of the spirit world… Why do you keep looking for him?” His tone suddenly changed.

  “Who?” I turned my head back from scanning down the train aisle.

  “Gargoyle. Don’t try and play dumb, I know I look young, but I’ve been around longer than you have.” Chaos studied my face, and as though he spotted something extraordinary, his mouth popped open. “No way! He told you, didn’t he? About why he’s tainted?” I could only nod as Chaos inched closer. “That’s unusual. He’s usually so secretive about his past and for good reason too. You must be special…”

  “Did his dad become a banished?” I whispered, leaning forward as if Gargoyle was hovering above us listening in.

  “Sure did. Gargoyle wasn’t the one to destroy him though. It left a void in him, like he can never be at peace. He treats all Banished as if they were like his dad, but…”

  “But?” I shuffled forward again, dropping my voice into a whisper. The other passengers, though scarce, were turning their gazes over at our unusual conversation.

  “Don’t tell him I said this, okay? Sometimes I feel sorry for them.”

  “For the demons? Why?”

  “It’s not a perfect system. Someone who could’ve been a devoted spouse, loving parent and generous neighbour can still become a banished.” He started toying with the hem of his shirt, “To kill someone or to kill yourself, accident or not, brands you with the banished mark. There’s no way out. None. I understand that sometimes sacrifices are necessary for the greater good, but when they transform into these demons they are stripped of their joy and left with only their faults. They live in the memories of their darkest moments. You see, some good people become these creatures of hate. Death is a kinder option than living with that burden. At least when you become a Hunter or Reaper you get to keep all your memories. Good and bad.”

  My mind flickered back to the Banished with the red eyes and how he lashed out me, everything supposedly human replaced with a demonic desperation, “That is really sad.”

  “Don’t be fooled though. They aren’t the same person anymore. They have to be destroyed.” He quickly held his finger to his lips and winked, “Remember, it’s our secret.”

  Just at that moment Gargoyle and Damage appeared standing next to us. “We’re here.” Damage muttered as the train rolled to a stop.

  ***

  We walked in absolute silence. The oncoming task was terrifying. Gargoyle took the lead with Damage only one step
behind him, Chaos stayed by my side and tried to keep the mood light. By the time I hit my street, a knot of dread had already grown in my throat like a fat tumour. Damage glanced back at me over her shoulder, and I could see the spark in her eyes. She was thinking about it too. Chaos placed his hand on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

  “Don’t worry Rachael.” He whispered. I looked back at him, unable to relax.

  “Do I really have to forget?” I asked, “I promise not to tell anyone.”

  Chaos and Damage exchanged quick sullen glances. “You’ll remember until you fall asleep, then it’ll just feel like a dream. It’s better for you this way.”

  Gargoyle was at the door. He slowed, glanced up, and noticed that the kitchen light was left on indicating Kate must be home. He put my bag down on the ground by the doorstep before turning to face me. It was awkward to say the least. I didn’t want to walk across the threshold, knowing the moment I did they would disappear.

  “Well…” He began, but closed his mouth again. It was dusk now; the roads were still busy with people humming past in their cars and joggers panting as they made their way towards the park. I stepped up to the door. I put my hand on the knob and twisted it but, didn’t step through. I looked back over my shoulder again, but they were gone.

  Chapter Thirteen:

  I felt my heart sink. As fast as they crashed into my life, they just vanished from it. Can things really go back to normal? Can I really just forget? At that same moment, my phone came back to life. The tones of missed phone calls and messages blared out of it like a crowd stumbling through a single person door. I looked at my screen to see over twenty missed phone calls and thirty new messages, all of them frantic and from different people.

  “What?” I scrolled through them before my phone blinked off, the battery drained. I looked up and around myself. Ms Patcher from next door was standing outside her house too, her hand clutching her petticoat close and her face ringed with worry. She used to never pay me the slightest bit of attention, but now she watched me like I was a bomb about to explode. A younger man, probably her son, walked up her pathway and also stopped to look at me. She walked into the house without a single word to me or the man. He lingered for a moment before following her in.

  Once they stepped inside, I quickly picked up my bag and let myself in. I called out to Kate but there was no reply. I first went to the kitchen to find it bare, then I walked upwards to check her room. It was empty too. I connected my phone to a charger but the battery had completely run so flat that I couldn’t even turn it on.

  I went to get the home phone when a sound caused me to stop. Music was playing from downstairs. I recognised it instantly and hesitated. At the top of the stairs I put my hand on the railing, balancing myself, as I crept forward to sneak a peek into the lounge. I crept carefully and slowly down each step, expecting them to buckle underneath me. When I got to the lounge Kate’s laptop was open and playing the song from the CD. I immediately stopped in my tracks. Two people were in here. The man from outside now sat on the couch, typing onto Kate’s laptop. Beside him stood Ms Patcher who watched by the kitchen door, arms crossed her chest, and her face turned towards me. I looked from one to the other but they didn’t appear uneasy about being caught breaking in.

  “What are you doing in my house?” My voice was shaking. The music was chilly and strangely misplaced. They exchanged looks before the man on the couch turned the screen towards me.

  “We know.” He said.

  On the monitor was a video clip of the Whitehaven carnival. I could see random heads jumping around the screen until the focus suddenly spun out, turning towards me where my image stood still amongst the festivities. There it was. The Creator, holding its hand out to me, fingertips mere inches from my face. A scream hit the speakers causing the spirit to whip its eyes in Tom’s direction as he fell out of focus. Then there was just panic. Screams, and bodies hitting into other bodies, bombarded the screen till the Creator’s screech shattered the camera. The recording stopped there. In the scrolling comments below was a frenzy of fear and amazement, most of them asking the question, ‘what is that?’ and ‘who is the girl?’ Suddenly the 20 missed calls and 30 new messages made sense.

  That didn’t explain why Ms. Patcher was in my house. Until something familiar tickled me. A shift in the light was moving around them, coated by invisibility. I stumbled until my back hit the wall.

  “Is it with you?” Ms Patcher asked but I couldn’t respond. They’re Reapers! I tensed up before spinning on my heel and bolting for the front door. The male blocked me within a heartbeat, slamming the door shut as I tried to yank it open. Panicked, I turned and raced back up the stairs only to have Ms. Patcher appear directly behind me, snatching my wrist and dragging me back down.

  “Don’t Teresa!” The male shouted, jumping forward to pry her hand off me. But it was too late. I wrenched my wrist free, and spun back for just a moment to see their Reaping disguises melt off their faces. Ms. Patcher transformed into a young, dark skinned girl, her hair dyed blonde and brushed back behind her ears. Eyes of green glared from beneath her bangs. Behind her, the man instinctively dropped his face and concealed himself behind his hood, but his smudged features were sharpening into blonde hair, silver eyes and a dark tattoo down his right cheek.

  Above her head, hovering upside down with its claws digging into the roof was a gigantic vulture. It angled its’ large beak to the side, so its smoky eyes could focus on me. I screamed, propelling myself up the stairs backwards. The creature squawked and opened up its wings, suddenly doubling its size. As I got to the top of the staircase another Goon greeted me, but this one was a gigantic wolf that bared its teeth, eyes of matching silver smouldering out of its sockets.

  “Don’t run!” The male Reaper shouted then redirected his tone towards the wolf, “Catch her Raix!” I turned and tried to hide in my room, but the wolf cornered me. I was trapped.

  “Get away from me!” I shouted.

  Darkness flooded the hallway, pouring in from every corner as the wolf lurched forward, spitting and snarling. Eyes of thorns were tearing into my face; I had to turn my head and cover my eyes with my hands to stop them from burning. I felt a sharp pain run down my calf. I wrenched my leg away as the wolf tried to bite me, dragging me towards him with the strength of his jaws.

  In a flash of light, Gargoyle met the Wolf’s oncoming body. He rammed his shoulder into the canine, throwing it off balance. There was a loud bang as they clashed. Magic whorls of white and gold were spiralling around Gargoyle’s body as he lashed out and whipped the wolf across the snout. The wolf pinned its ears to its skull before it lunged forward, its jaws large enough to close over Gargoyle’s head and swallow him in one gulp. Gargoyle buckled underneath the wolf’s weight, but Damage ran in from behind and threw what looked like a sword into the Wolf’s torso. It whimpered at the impact before disappearing into darkness. I could hear a loud confrontation downstairs, where Chaos and the two Reapers were fighting. Gargoyle and Damage charged downstairs to join the fray. The noise ricocheted up the stairs and bounced down the hall where I crouched with my back against the wall, my hand instinctively applying pressure to the wound on my leg.

  Adrenaline kept my fingers and toes tingling and my chest heavy. The wolf’s howl clenched around my throat before a violent bang shook the house and rattled the walls. Then there was just silence. Chaos appeared first, his clothes ruffled, his hair tossed messily as he limped out of the air. He collapsed on all fours and I quickly scrambled over to him, pulling him upright.

  Gargoyle appeared next, stumbling over and hitting his back on the wall. He slumped down and landed on his rear. Damage cradled her arm as she knelt down by Gargoyle, inspecting the gash over his cheek. It was a long claw mark that split his face from ear to the corner of his lip.

  “Oh my God…” I was shaking so badly I felt myself drowning in shock.

  “Are you okay?” Gargoyle asked me as he brushed Damage’s lingering
hand away from his face.

  “Oh my God!” Was all I could mutter again.

  “We can’t stay here.” Damage’s voice commanded, “They’ll come back with more.”

  Chaos rolled over so he was now resting on his back. The bruises and gashes all over his shoulders were slowly closing up; even though they didn’t bleed, their bodies could still tear.

  “Rachael, we have to go…” Gargoyle ordered as Chaos groaned and rocked back, as though the pain was too unbearable to move. I could feel shock freezing me up. I shook my head, not sure what I was answering.

  “Please, Rachael we can’t stay here. We have to leave … now.” Gargoyle struggled to rise, reaching over to help ease me to my feet. I hobbled on my injured leg and bit back my wince.

  “Chaos…” He instructed. Chaos sat up, scrunching his face in pain before kissing his palm. He then ringed his fingers around the gash on my leg, soaking up the pain and repairing the tear in my skin. It appeared to be exhausting for him to do it, so I gently removed his hand as soon as I was okay.

  “There’s a video…” I mumbled as Gargoyle hoisted me into a stand.

  “I know.” He gingerly looked down the hall, “Everyone knows.”

  Chapter Fourteen:

  I was hustled out of the house as if the sky was raining bullets. Damage and Chaos took to the streets first, frantically checking every corner and patch of shadows for snooping demons before reporting back.

  “It appears to be clear.”

  “We can’t risk it; it’ll only take them a second to reach us. We have to leave. Just go!” Gargoyle ushered me forward and we ran madly towards the closest train station. A thousand things bombarded me and I felt filled to the brim, giving my mind no choice but to go on autopilot. I felt like a president who has just been threatened with assassination. The Hunters had healed themselves, so they no longer limped, Gargoyle’s claw mark across his face was now just a tender patch of pink skin. He was healing faster with every passing minute. Damage raced back to the spirit world, calling up a few Reapers they trusted to keep guard over me. The Reapers didn’t appear as regular citizens, their disguises no longer shielding their identity. Each Reaper and their ugly pet stuck out like a blinking red light in a dark room. They looked around with anxiety on their tattooed faces. Their Goons grunted and hissed, and they were no friendlier than the wolf that attacked me.