Wanted: Undead or Alive

Echoes

The smack of something hard smashing against the Honda's hood made me jump so suddenly I dropped my phone. It clattered down around my feet. I stared out the windshield at the woman from the insurance agency, who stood with both hands firmly planted on the car. The sling hung unused from her neck. Her narrowed gaze held worlds of rage. Her lips moved, peeling back over her teeth as she snarled words I couldn't hear.

I don't exactly remember, but it's likely I muttered a string of curse words while I pressed the start button repeatedly, which didn't work, because my foot was on the gas, not the brake.

The woman darted around the side of the car and yanked the driver's door open.

Note to self: Lock the doors as soon as you sit down, idiot.

"You need to stop pursuing me," she shrieked in my face.

Sathanas. Shit.

It finally occurred to me to shift my foot to the brake. I smacked the button and the Honda's engine turned over. I threw it into drive and stomped on the gas.

The insurance lady grunted, but held on tight to the door frame, preventing me from going anywhere.

The tires spun against the pavement, screeching and sending up plumes of smelly white smoke from beneath the stationary vehicle.

"Stop. Pursuing. Me."

Somewhere a quiet little voice that lived far in the back recesses of my mind piped up. Supposedly, the crucifixes offered me a level of protection from possession, but Sathanas could have killed me half a dozen times in the sixty seconds he'd been mauling my vehicle. I eased off the gas pedal and shifted into park.

"Why?"

The demon inside the insurance lady blinked at me.

"You missed your court date, and it's my job to take you in. Why shouldn't I do that? Are you in some kind of danger?"

"Nothing on this earth could harm me."

Since I was already swimming in shark-infested waters, I figured I may as well splash around a bit. "Could something harm the holy woman?"

The demon/woman stepped back from the car. "If you hurt that woman, I will hunt you until —"

"I'm not planning on hurting anyone." I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "If you're in trouble, we can help you." I was writing checks without knowing the balance in my account, but my gut told me Nick would back me up if it came down to it.

She/He shook her/his head and took another step back. "Just stop pursuing me."

A poof of black smoke burst out of the lady, and she crumpled to the pavement, landing on her bad arm. I jumped out of the car and ran to her, kneeling down just as her eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?"

"I think you fainted," I said. "You were walking toward my car and then you just... fainted." Maybe it should disturb me how easily the lies came. Maybe someday I'll discuss it with my therapist.

She winced as she sat up. I helped her get her arm back in the sling and asked if she was okay.

"Yeah. I think so. I..." Her gaze drifted around the area as if she might see some explanation for whatever lapse existed in her memory. "I was sitting at my desk. My window was open because I like the fresh air and the wind knocked something off the windowsill and..."

"It happens. I faint when I have PMS sometimes."

Her agreement sounded vague and unconvinced, but she let me guide her back inside.