by Kish Knight
Chas and Shanice had disappeared first, claiming exhaustion, and slipped away into Shanice’s room. Then Rob had dragged Deanna next door to the guest room, with Deanna laughing the whole time. Bri had been left alone in the living room, wondering what to do next. For a while, she had flipped a few channels on the TV listlessly. But as the action in the next room got louder, she burrowed under the covers trying to block it out.
Thinking about her lack of a boyfriend or even anyone close to it, she frowned. It wasn’t exactly that she was unpopular with guys; it was also that there was no one she actually liked like that, except for…..
Now she lay on her back, spring forgotten. “I wonder if I have the nerve to call Korey and invite him over?” Her whisper was barely more than a stream of air leaving her lips. Why shouldn’t she call him? He was, after all, technically one of their friends now, and the only one that apparently hadn’t been invited to this little shindig that Shanice had set up. Though he clearly hated her guts, that was no reason to leave him out of the party.
‘Really, I don’t have anything to lose, if he actually does come, at least I’ll have someone to talk to.’
In spite of herself, Bri snorted. Shanice was so full of crap, she thought. All that talk about having a girls’ night to help them get over Aeryal’s death, when really she and Deanna were planning on inviting Chas and Rob to sleep over.
“I guess it didn’t matter if they told me to invite a guy or not, I wouldn’t have had anyone to invite anyway.” Bri sighed, wishing not for the first time, that she had Deanna’s boldness. Deanna and Rob didn’t date, but whenever they felt like it, they got together. Like now.
Bri imagined doing the same with Korey. Just a phone call, a soft whisper, and he would show up at Shanice’s door. She would let him in, quietly, and they would lie together on the couch. His hands would be gentle and he would kiss her as if she was the only girl for him. Then after making out, they’d sleep in each other’s arms. In the morning, to her friends’ surprise, she would act as if it was no big deal.
‘What’s the matter? Korey and I do this all the time.’
Bri exhaled a loud sigh and eyed her cell phone laying on top her bag.
Just punch in his number and press CALL.
Why? So he can laugh? He hates you, remember?
She pulled the covers tighter over her head and willed herself to go to sleep. But she couldn’t. Slipping on her slippers and pulling her robe around her body, Bri padded to the back door and slipped outside. There was a slight chill to the air, and she shivered, but stepped off the porch and began walking.
The night air was gentle and cool against her skin. Beyond Shanice’s yard was a small wooded area, and Bri headed in that direction, hoping that the calm of the night would quiet her racing mind. Inside the woods, a lonesome stillness overtook her and she could hear the light thudding of her own heart echoing in the quiet. The still trees cast thick, dark shadows, but she didn’t mind. Darkness didn’t scare her.
This section of the woods was very dark, as even the moonlight was blotted out by the trees; a roof of dense foliage knit overhead, with bare slivers of light shining through the leaves. Already chilly, the crisp air seemed to grow cooler as she walked. Crisp leaves crunched beneath her feet as she walked deeper into the woods.
It was then that she heard an indeterminate whisper, so faint that it barely reached her ears. Bri drew to a stop.
A wall of power slammed into her so hard that her vocal cords were crunched, impacted to the point that she couldn’t make a sound. The sensation of being yanked into the air was terrifying. Whatever it was had her pinned tightly in mid-air. She felt as if she was pressed against a sheet of solid rock, but Bri didn’t have to look to see that there was nothing behind her. Not that she could turn her head anyway. Just from what she could see from the corner of her eyes told her that there were no trees or hills around her. She was being crushed by air.
Another blow came, this time crushing against her head. It was quickly followed by another and another, pain descending on her hard and fast. Bri wanted to scream or cry out, but she still couldn’t. At this point, she could barely breathe.
Suddenly, with lightening recall, she remembered the mysterious attack that had left Aeryal recuperating in the hospital for months. Panic sliced through her brain as pain ripped through her body.
Right in front of her, the air rippled, a slight shimmering disturbance, before a figure appeared. A scream built in Bri’s brain, begging for release as she watched the figure grow larger and larger until it finally loomed over her.
A huge demon with glowing eyes. Its body was enormous, muscles as big as watermelons bulging as the creature leered at her. Sharp green horns curved over in a spiral behind the demon’s head and matched the four inches of sharp green claws that sprang from its fingers.
YOU ARE THE NEXT ONE TO PAY. Its voice boomed inside her head. Pressure built in her brain, as the words sank deep into her, settling into her stomach. Her panic had now rocketed way past mere fright and was halfway into mind-shattering terror.
The pressure slipped a bit and suddenly, Bri found that she could speak. “Who….who are you?” Talking still hurt, since aching agony had replaced the pressure in her head. Her body was another matter; she was still suspended painfully in the air.
At least the thing wasn’t attacking her anymore.
Angry eyes leveled on hers, and the massive head dipped as if insulted that she dared to address it. I AM THE ARCHDEMON RIKGSO. YOU BELONG TO ME, AS DID YOUR LINE BEFORE YOU.
Bri managed to lick her lips, though that sent spikes of pain throughout her body. “You’re crazy,” she gasped. “I don’t belong to any demon, and I don’t have a line, whatever that means.”
‘Just my luck to get approached by a schizo demon.’
EACH GENERATION OF YOUR ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY ME, THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING PROVIDING NOURISHMENT FOR MY ENJOYMENT. I SHALL CONTINUE WITH YOU. BUT WHO SHALL YOUR SUCCESSOR BE, HUMAN? YOU HAVE NONE.
“What are you talking about?” Fright masked the exasperation in her tone.
YOUR SUCCESSOR FINALLY PROVIDED ME ONE BEFORE SHE DIED. YOU. I EXPECT YOU TO DO THE SAME, PROVIDE ME ANOTHER OF YOUR LINE TO FULFILL THE PUNISHMENT OF YOUR CURSED FAMILY.
Bri’s mind was racing. She didn’t think that the demon was delusional, not anymore. It was talking about something important, she just didn’t know what. Punishment of her family? Someone who had just died? No one in her family fit that bill, and the only person she knew that had died was Aeryal.
The agony in her chest increased as another wave of power slammed into her, and she whimpered. “Please….just let me know how to stop this. I didn’t do anything wrong to get punished for. Just tell me what you want.”
The toneless voice sounded almost amused. INSOLENT ONE, YOU ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS. ACCEPT YOUR DEATH, FOR IT IS SURE. THE ONLY THING THAT CAN BE DIFFERENT IS THE AMOUNT OF SUFFERING THAT I PLACE UPON YOU FIRST.
His hand slammed forward and shockingly, into her chest. Bri gasped, not only in shock, but in pain as well, for there was a sudden tightening in her chest. She staggered back, mind reeling. Their eyes locked and she could feel it intruding into her brain, seeking, searching.
Finally, the probing stopped and Bri clenched her jaw at the awful sensation of the demon’s slithering retreat out of her mind. The hand remained, however, and Bri closed her mind to the hysteria that threatened to take over. ‘I’m not crazy, I’m not crazy, I’m not crazy….’
IT SEEMS THAT YOU CAN BE OF SOME USE. The heavy words cut through her thoughts. Rikgso seemed thoughtful, making her wonder what information the thing had gleaned from her brain.
I WILL RELEASE YOU IF YOU BRING ME THE BLOOD OF AN IMMORTAL.
“How?” she whispered, but there was no response. It only stared at her evenly, jaw set. Bri got the impression that once it had spoken, it didn’t change its mind easily. This time, though, it would have to; the blood of an immortal?
“They don’t exist,” she said, voice still dropped to a whisper. Angering the beast would probably be the very worst mistake she could ever make in her life; Bri didn’t intend to let that happen.
I WILL TRADE THAT FOR YOUR LIFE.
‘Didn’t he just hear me?’ she thought desperately. Immortal creatures were made-up things, from fantasy novels and fairy tales. Not real life beings. Everyone died sometime, Bri just didn’t want her death to be anytime soon. Which was why she found her mouth agreeing to the crazy bargain.
“Ok,” slipped out of her mouth as the thing continued to look at her. “Ok.”
The enormous hand withdrew from her chest, taking the pain with it, and for the first time, since Rikgso had appeared, she breathed. Really breathed. Then she dropped, hitting the ground with a thud, as there was no longer anything to keep her suspended in the air. Drawing in deep breaths, she fought the panic attack that she could feel rising.
LITTLE SACRAFICE. IN CASE YOU DECIDE TO PLAY GAMES WITH ME…
Against her better judgment, she glanced up to the huge demon towering over her. Then she covered her face and screamed. And kept screaming.
Only because she knew that there was NO way she had seen what she thought she had before turning away from the demon. Definitely not her heart, pulsing, in the demon’s hideous claws.
****
She didn’t remember the long run all the way back to Dead-End Avenue, didn’t remember her panicked dash through a maze of streets, wearing just her robe and slippers, until she’d finally recognized her own house.
Chest burning, she continued running even as her breath seized and threatened to cripple her. Finally, her house came into view and panting, she dragged herself up onto the porch and inside.
‘The letter,’ she thought, ‘where is it?’ Finding the two pages lying on the floor by the couch, she snatched them up and scanned again. Maybe she had missed something. That last line caught her eyes again.
And Bri…I’ll miss you….
“No,” she snarled. “No! That’s not it. There has to be more. My best friend didn’t jump across from the ghost world to just tell me that she misses me. I know there’s more, there has to be.”
And she was going to find out tonight, even if it meant going to Aeryal’s house in the middle of the night.
****
The Swan house was dark, as she fully expected. After all, Aeryal was gone and Greta would have no reason to stay overnight there. The attack from the thing was still wearing on her; her breath still came in labored gasps and occasionally, Bri paused to catch her breath. As the house came fully into view, her breath caught in her throat and then resumed with a ragged pace. Small swallows didn’t help to slow her breathing and rapidly beating heart. The moonlight cast an eerie glow on the house, only bathing half of the house in slivers. It looked terrifying.
She headed straight for the edge of the garden. The house key was no longer there. Not about to be deterred, Bri circled the house. There was a slightly rusted drain pipe attached to the side of the house. Maybe if she could climb it, she would be able to boost herself into Aeryal’s bedroom window.
“One foot up…how do they do this in the movies again?” Clinging tightly to the ridges along the length of the pipe, she started up the side of the house. The slick pipe didn’t make for great handholds, as the little ridges were too small to assist much, but she was determined.
Perhaps the last page of the letter had slid under the bed, and Aeryal hadn’t noticed before she’d left the house that day. It had to; Bri refused to believe that Aeryal had written all of their friends, but hadn’t even found the time to warn her about this Rikgso creature.
Her heart slammed against her chest as she inched her way up, toes jammed against the siding of the house. It was a good thing she had kicked off her slippers before beginning the climb; she would have fallen a long time ago, if she hadn’t.
“If I can just reach it….” The window sill was finally within her grasp and gratefully, Bri pulled herself further upward until she could see into the room. The curtains had been left open as usual, the way Aeryal had preferred, and Bri noted that there was no sign of Rikgso. Bracing her hand against the jamb, she yanked the window up and very carefully swung herself into the room. Collapsing on the ground below the window, she realized that she’d never been so happy to be on a floor in her life.
“Totally cannot believe I made it up here without falling and breaking my arm or something.” She shook her head and got to work searching the room for stray papers.
Thirty minutes later, she was dejected and disturbed. There was no more of the letter to be found. Not under the bed, not on Aeryal’s desk, and she’d even searched the old bookshelf where the pendant had been hidden. Nothing.
Taking one more glance around the room, her skin prickled as her gaze fell on the eerie bookshelf. The memory of the last time she had touched it came creeping back to her. Bri swallowed hard. Unconsciously, she moved closer to it, hand out-stretched.
The long shadows around the still room grew even more silent, it seemed, as time seemed to stand still. With her fingertips almost grazing the wood, she recoiled quickly. Tightened her fingers into a ball. ‘Just touch it,’ she scolded herself, ‘….what are you so afraid of? Furniture doesn’t feel like skin. Touch it!’
Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she chickened out, Bri held her breath and slapped her palm against the nearest shelf. Nothing happened.
A pent-up giggle burst from her lips and she shook her head. “Idiot! Bri, you are losing it!” Carefully, she made her way back to the window. “So, this means that all I found out is that my friendship meant basically crap to Aeryal, huh? No letter, nothing.”
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Bri hurried back to the bookshelf, and slid the chunky pendant out of her pocket. Dangling it over the cut-out, she held her breath. A strange murmur began to emanate from the shelf, and she yanked the little heart away, shoving it hastily into her pocket. The noise stopped.
Now, she could feel a distinct presence in the room with her, pulsing and waiting. Backing quickly toward the window, Bri let her eyes scan the room. Nothing.
Sitting on the window sill, she eased her legs out of the room and debated trying to slide the window shut again. With a bitter bark of laughter, she just shook her head. “Not possible, kid, so don’t try it.”
Greta would have to deal with the open window when she came, and in the meantime, Bri would just hope that no one broke into the house. No one else, that was. She’d already gone that route.
Swinging herself back over to the drainpipe would be the difficult part. Shimmying down after that would be the easy part. She would count herself off before the jump and then hope for the best. “One, two, three, four…-,” something bright flashed out of the room, over her head and Bri glanced up, momentarily distracted.
Then she fell, and found the last page of the letter in the dirt outside, before passing out cold.
CHAPTER
12
When she re-opened her eyes, her fingers still clutching the piece of loose leaf, she was in her bed and her mother stood glaring down at her. Sunlight peeked through her curtains, and the last thing she remembered was falling out of Aeryal’s window. An inner voice told her to slip the page under her pillow.
“Mom, wha-,”
“Don’t even start, Bri! Clearly, there’s a lot that you haven’t been telling me!”
Bri paused. Her mother knew about Rikgso and his threat to kill her? How long had she been knocked out? “I only just found out about-,”
Snatching the bottle of sleeping pills up from the nightstand, her mom shook it in her face. Falling quiet, Bri just stared at her mother, eyes wide. The light rattle from the remaining pills inside was the only sound between them. Being a naturalist meant that her mother didn’t even condone taking the occasional aspirin for a headache or monthly cramp. Finding Bri’s dark secret was pretty damn bad.
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br /> With a deep breath, her mother closed her fist around the bottle and let her eyes drift shut briefly. “Darling, every time I ask you how you’re coping with Aeryal’s death, you say fine. Fine, fine, always fine. Now I find out that you are overdosing on prescription pills and having breakdowns. Bri, you need to talk to me about what you’re going through. You’re not coping with Aeryal’s death well.”
‘I’ll say,’ Bri thought sarcastically. ‘Demon curse and all.’ If her mother only knew about Rikgso.
“What happened? How did I get home?”
Her mother perched on the edge of the bed and exhaled slowly. Then a bit calmer, she replied, “You’re very lucky to have the friends you do. Shanice and Deanna found you passed out in front of the Swan house. They say that you left Shanice’s house in the middle of the night without saying anything to anyone. At some point, they heard you screaming terribly from the woods behind Shanice’s house, but when they rushed out to see what the matter was, you were gone.” Giving her the eye at that, her mother continued.