Page 2 of My Demon Desire
"Dad," I yell. But there's an invisible force, dragging me toward the darkness too.
My grip on his ankle wavers and he's jerked from my grasp. His screams fade into the twisting vortex.
"Dad! Dad!" I'm sucked into the swirling portal that spins faster and faster, and I have to close my eyes to keep from throwing up, or passing out, or both.
My arm throbs and I'm falling sideways like I've been shot out of a cannon.
The ground slams against my body. Pain radiates through my back and I moan. Forcing myself to roll over onto my hands and knees, my fingers claw into the cool grass. I look around, my body still trembling.
"Dad?"
I'm in the woods and I blink, trying to figure out where I am. But I can't make out any of the trees and the grass is a weird blue-green color. Maybe I have brain damage.
My teeth chatter and I wrap my arms around myself, my breath coming out in a white fog. It's so freaking cold. Am I in shock? The trees are stark of leaves like it's early winter and not summer like it should be.
I push to my feet, taking a stumbling step forward. There's not a place on me that doesn't hurt.
I can't believe my dad actually tried to bring Mom back from the dead. I clench and unclench my fists, searching for a way to get to town.
And where is my dad? I glance around the thick woods, but there's no sign of him.
I pat my pockets, but my cell phone is gone too.
It's only then that I notice the sunflowers growing in the field and I'm reminded of my mother's favorite flower. A tear runs down my face and I want to fold into myself. I want to run into her embrace and never let her go.
All the guilt spears through me again. She’d called and asked if I would go jogging with her that morning, but I had turned her down. So she had gone without me and soon after our phone call, my arm had hurt so bad I thought I'd accidentally cut myself while slicing an apple for my breakfast. But I had ignored the warning.
Now I rub the burn mark and wish it would have cautioned me sooner. Given me some indication of why it had ached so I could've stopped her that day from going. But as usual, I never knew why it hurt until after the fact.
I maneuver around the sunflowers and spot a small dirt road leading out of the woods.
The only sounds are the trills of some bird I've never heard before. And where are the noises from the city or freeway?
I suck in a calming breath and will my feet to keep going. I'm going to get home and get my dad the help he needs.
A deep growl sounds behind me, and I freeze, the air in my lungs sticking in my chest.
I slowly turn and the hairs on my arms stand. A giant man with horns stares back at me. No, not a man. A demon.
Its eyes glow. Dark fur covers its massive body. Its mouth is open and its teeth are bared.
My heart slams in my chest. Then my instincts kick in and I step away slowly, never turning my back on the monster. My foot catches something behind me and I glance back, but it's too late.
The demon is already lunging, its massive body hurtling through the air at me.
With a scream, I stumble back, throwing myself out of the way just in time. The demon skids to a stop and then whips around, its gaze deadly.
Not taking my eyes from the demon who stares at me like I'm his next meal, I keep recoiling. Sweat beads down my back and my arm feels like it's on fire. My heart races as I will my legs to keep moving slowly.
As though sensing I'm trying to flee, the demon snarls.
"Go away!" I yell.
The monster's brow furrows, almost like it understands me.
I take another step back and my heel bumps into something. It's the book my father was reading over my mother's corpse. My hands shake as I bend to pick it up, but the monster stalks toward me and I leap backward, falling on my ass before I can grab the book.
Its black eyes narrow, sniffing the air, then growls low in his throat. Sharp teeth fill its grimace and a shudder rolls through me. The monster charges and I scream, crab-walking to get away. An arm's length from me, it stops, its muscles flexing. I feel like it is toying with me. Like a cat with a mouse before it kills it and grows bored.
