The Septic Curse

Twenty- Five

Marvin was confused. 

His senses told him... To go around back. 

He followed reluctantly, hoping that it wasn't true. Why was Sam there?

'Unless I've been getting it wrong this entire time... The answer's been right in front of my nose, and yet- no. No, stop thinking like that. It can't be... Sam and the demon are NOT the same!' 

Marvin circled around- a bit off to the side of behind the house, just visible to someone on the street... Was a small hill with a dead tree on it. 

'Sam is a kind, childish creature. It may throw tantrums and cause mayhem, but it's a good soul. It never wanted to hurt us- and gave us every opportunity to fix things on our own. It was perfectly fine with everything. It only wanted to teach us a lesson- it said so! And the demon was...'

"Um, Marvin...? You're not leading us where I THINK you're leading us, right...?" Jackie asked warily, slowing down. "I... No. No, I don't know..." This only served to confuse them more- including Marvin himself, who had said it.

'The demon was... Evil, right? A foe? Our tormentor! It wasn't... It wasn't a person, and certainly not a kid. Not like Sam. Sam could be a full-grown adult for all I know- but at this point, it doesn't matter! It'll always be a kid in our eyes! It's not... It's not that monster.' 

But as Marvin went up the hill, he heard a bell ring. 

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

'It can't be...' 

Underneath the tree stood Sam... No, not Sam. That was never its name. 

"Why...?" Marvin asked, his breath being taken away. There was no point in asking 'who'- that was obvious by this point. 

"04? y0vr3 tA1klng t0 w3? t40vg4t y0v 2AlD y0v m0v1Dnt?" The demon used telepathy again, though at this point it didn't have to. Its words were teasing, but the meaning behind them was hostile. 

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?! WHAT ARE YOU?!" Jackie yelled, unable to control his anger now. 

The demon raised his fist, speaking out loud now. 

"I am the hand bestowed to pass your mercy and your judgement." 

"And I am the one you shouldn't have killed." As it said that last bit, the white 'cover' whisked away and revealed its true appearance.

Everyone was breathless for a second, seeing how much frailer and more starved the demon looked without their filters of boiling rage. But despite that, Marvin whispered the words of the spell quietly, so that the demon couldn't hear it. He hid his hand behind his back, preparing to release the spell at any moment.