The Devil's Rise

Chapter 11 - Possession With Intent To Possess

Matthew watched the girl's hand near him, and his heart accelerated so fast it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He had no idea why he should be as worried as he was.

Sure, the girl was fucking terrifying. That wasn't up for debate.

But the way he felt as she neared him was how he imagined a man to be hanged felt as they watched their noose get tied.

'Stop her!' He, or rather, the voice in his head thought.

'What can I do?' Matthew asked back, receiving radio silence.

Kashyap moved to step between Matthew and the girl, but Matthew stopped him. He didn't want his friends getting hurt on his account. And judging by the policemen still foaming at the mouth, whatever the girl had done wasn't pleasant.

"It's okay," He said softly, allowing the girl's hand to land on his chest.

She scrunched her nose and bit her lip, concentrating intensely on something Matthew couldn't see.

For a long moment, she stayed in silent concentration, staring at him like he was a textbook to be studied. Finally, Matthew worked up the courage to ask, "What are you looking for?"

She raised her head and smiled, "Don't worry about it,"

Matthew nodded and tried to process this response by imagining all the ways that this whole situation would turn out to be the most elaborate practical joke of all time.

The girl gradually began tracing her finger over Matthew's heart, following unseen lines to unknown conclusions. She suddenly began muttering to herself intensely, pressing harder on Matthew like he was an instrument to be played.

"You could at least buy him a drink first," Max squeezed out a joke that landed in dead air and sat there, taunting him.

Even the girl looked up at him as though examining a particularly disgusting rodent. Eventually, Max hid his head in shame, and she went back to work.

While this was happening, Matthew noticed that the voice in his head had gone mysteriously quiet since the girl started touching him. In fact, he felt calmer now than before she had made contact.

'Hello?' He thought, reaching out in his mind for whatever had been there. Perhaps it had just been his imagination. Then again, perhaps not. Weirder things had happened.

"Is there..." Matthew started to speak but paused when the girl looked up at him. Her eyes dared him to say something stupid. "Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked nervously.

"Yes," She replied bluntly, "Tell me, have you...." She glanced at him searchingly, "Have you possessed anyone recently?"

"Pardon?" Matthew was so taken aback that he forgot to be anxious, swapping nervous tension for confusion.

"You heard what I said. Have you possessed and or been possessed recently?" The girl repeated, watching his face like it was a book she could read.

"I don't...." Matthew paused; he had been around someone who claimed to have possessed a body recently. Did that count?

"I-"

'Stop!' The voice in his head exclaimed.

In the same instant, the girl's facial expression changed. Her squinted eyes and quizzical, pursed lips transformed into a snarl, and she grabbed Matthew, throwing him to the ground.

"I knew it!" She yelled, saying another word in a language Matthew couldn't understand.

When she finished, his whole body felt like it was bound in rope. He couldn't even twitch a finger, let alone run away.