Baby Blue Demons

Chapter 1

I'm not one of the most easy-going person to exist in this world. Definitely not the least paranoid. I once nearly peed myself because June and her other group of friends decided to prank me with Beelzebub's mask (found in your local drug store apparently); instead of peeing myself, I nearly passed out and gave myself hiccups for an entire week.

So maybe I'm not perfect for this whole "gotta deal those demons and spirits before they maul your face off and kill you and your loved ones" business, but I do try. I've never really Sealed a single non-corporal thing though, so I've never bumped up from F rank. F rank sucks by the way. I get no respect, and my pay is only five cents above minimal wage (you would expect more when you're risking your very soul).

But even the tiniest bit is worth it when you've only been eating canned spaghetti for the past week. Or month. Ok, I've ate nothing but spaghetti for 5 months. I used to love it.

So there's a good reason why I'm going to take on a freaking 2 star demon (with June). I really need something new or else my body may not be able to put up with 5 months of just spaghetti.

It's already hard enough to stay conscious, much less still, when my stomach hurts so much. June brought a small lunch bag in case the Sealing drags out, and she already offered me half of her BLT sandwich; but I had to refuse. If I was going to eat, it'll be through my own hard-earned cash. I roll down the window and stick my arm out. It's only 5 pm and cold enough for my angry neighbor Beth to complain about it. It was mildly humid in the middle of summer.

"Sarah, you sure about not eating part of my BLT? I mean, you can just pay me later," June asked me while driving. "You're getting a bit too ditzy..."

"Trust me, I'm good! Plus, being more ditzy equals more positivity! We always need that!" I reassured her while arranging my precious baby blue drawing set.

She reluctantly gave way and returned to driving, focusing on the worn, dirt pathway. I kept on rearranging my drawing set, going from color order to sectioning them off to least sharp to most sharp. With every neat, orderly arrangement, a soothing warmth would temporarily ward off the oncoming fainting spells. Within the silence, there would be the occasional clacking of my pencils along with small cusses from June. I didn't really pay attention. I usually don't when we're sent on cases together.

Nobody, not even the high rankers, goes into a Sealing without feeling the slightest bit wary. We all have a fear of the unknown, whether we like to admit it or not. As children, we fear the darkness that cloaks the monsters within the corners of concentrated black; we fear the insecurities and paranoia that the darkness brings. Some of us can see those creatures that wait in the corners. June was one of those people that saw them. The Lurkers.

The closer we got to the quaint, little house, the louder June's cusses grew. I snapped the lid into my drawing set with shaking hands and mentally prepared myself. June's probably doing the same thing while she was cussing. She removed one hand from the wheel and grasped onto the tiny box with such strength that I'm pretty sure my fingers would've been broken if it was my hand.

The house had nice, light yellow paint with little dragonfly wind chimes and everything. It didn't look like something a spirit, much less a demon, would want to occupy. The car eases to a full stop. We unbuckle our seat belts. I take out my chalk and June opens her box of precious metals.

We're ready.