My Demon

Prologue

Everything was a blur. All I can remember is torchlights, pitchforks, and screaming.

I was running, running as fast as I could away from them.

He was whispering in my ear, trying to calm me down, but I just ran.

I was confused and scared and aching. All I wanted was to lay down, and sleep, and wake up to my mother's food and my sister's hugs.

I think I tripped, at the border of the forest. The edge of town. And the border of this awful state I'm forced to call home.

He walked up to me, our leader. I don't remember what he looks like. All I remember is a dark, tall, terrifying figure, with a deep voice.

I know what he said.

That I can remember.

"You're weak," he said.

I know that of course, I've always been told that.

Poor, little, weak old me. Nothing interesting, nothing special.

"But you're crazy."

That, I've never been called, or at least, not to my face.

It shocked me a bit, still does. I didn't do anything. But to them, I did everything.

"And you're too young for me to execute you."

His voice is deep and harsh, and terrifying.

I know I was to be executed, I was reminded of it every day.

They don't want me. They don't need me. And now they want me gone.

"I'd lose too much to execute you now."

Of course, he couldn't, that's against that law. One of the few laws we have.

He'd lose all his power by doing that.

Which is all he ever cared about.

Power!

It's always been power this and power that! That's all these people care about! It's ridiculous!

They couldn't have half a decent mind to care about the way others feel.

That's how we're built. As power craving monsters. And it's how we got here, in these awful, fiery lands.

"So, we as the town, have come to a decision."

Well, it's about time. Maybe they will put me out of my misery. That'd be the best thing they could do.

"And I talked about it to the board."

The board?

"And, you are from here, banned from Domburr."

Banned huh? What's that gonna do? I'm the only decent person here.

"You are to leave, and to never come back."

I took a couple of steps back. I was shocked. Because, no matter how much I hate this place, it's still my home.

Or was my home.

I looked at the mob of people.

And what I saw horrified me.

There, just behind our leader, was my family.

My mother, my father, and my sister.

They were smiling, not the sad kind of smile, the relieved kind of smile.

I should have known, of course they're fake.

That small, glimmer of hope they gave me, to maybe see that I was right. That things would get better.

But they wouldn't.

It gets worse before it gets better.

My parents never wanted me. They wanted me to be a girl.

They shoved me to the side, still do.

The second they had my sister, I was nothing but a pile of dust in the house.

And because they are lazy, and hate cleaning, they never took care of me.

"Fine," I muttered.

I don't remember the rest.

I think someone lunged at me. I think they hit me too.

Then the screaming started again.

They screamed horrible things at me. It was nothing that a 16-year-old should be experiencing.

I ran again.

I'm very thankful for the sports I participated in for so long.

I wouldn't have escaped if I didn't.

And, now I'm here, hanging in a net by a tree.

I think I'm stuck in someone's hunting trap.

I hope they don't eat me.

It's cold out here too.

I took off my jacket and wrapped it around me and the sleeves around my neck in hopes to reserve some body heat.

I hope someone finds me.

Maybe I'll get lucky and it's a nice woman who'll take me in. And maybe she won't treat me like I'm useless.

For now, I guess this is the best spot to sleep for the night.

No, bugs and it's hard for animals to reach me.

Couldn't be better!

If only I wasn't in the forest.

Alone.

At night.

I need to stop scaring myself and go to sleep. Maybe things will be better in the morning.