I accidentally summoned a Demon and I call him Fred

First year spirit guide Ceremony

I held my knees tightly against my chest as if I were trying to hug myself goodbye, giving myself any comfort before the end. I gave up my soul, laying it perfectly on a silver platter, and I didn't care. I was never a devoted Christian like my mom, but I didn't deserve heaven or anything for that matter. More importantly, she didn't deserve to have a fucked up daughter like me.

The tears kept flowing as if it was making up time when I didn't grieve for my mom. The last thing I ever wanted for her was to feel any pain, and that's all she ever experienced until the very end. I couldn't, with good conscience, believe that she would ever be at peace. If there was a chance for her to be reunited with her own mother, I had snatched it away from her by accepting Fred's offer. Once the tears suddenly stopped, emptiness was all that was left inside.

I lifted my head, staring at Fred, who had a mischievous and devilish glint in his piercing, blood-red eyes. The sudden movement from the desk to sitting crisscross on the floor in front of me would have shocked and terrified me- only I didn't have anything in me to feel scared. I felt like a prey that was doomed for the slaughter.

The demon's cool and dark shadow was inches from my face. Fred inhaled deeply. His hot breath blew warmly against my skin. The smell of burning flesh will soon be my own.

"If you had said this before the contract was made, I wouldn't have hesitated." Fred sighed with great disappointment, his black nail pushing a strand of hair from my puffy eyes and red face. Did he say he's not going to take it? My body froze, utterly stunned that I didn't even have control over my own death.

"Why the fuck not? You are a fucken demon! You're supposed to eat souls!" I shouted despite the cracking and pain in my voice. I was sick of hearing the annoying repetitive phrase 'because of the contract crap.'

"The contract merged our souls, MK. If I ate your soul, it would be as if I'm eating myself." Fred answered with a hint of disgust in his tone. So, the devil draws the line with self-cannibalism?

"So what am I supposed to do with this?" My voice was growing soft and tired. "I don't want this..." Left with no tears to cry but this heavy burden, I didn't know what to do with myself. I couldn't kill myself because Fred would find any means to prevent himself from dying, too.

"Listen, MK, I'm not going to pretend I don't enjoy your sorrows, but this merge is annoying on my part, too. If it gives you any purpose, your mother's death was not an accident..." Fred answered, creating a new wave of coldness flowing through my body.

"What do you mean-" I started but immediately felt the door pushing against my back. Jenna moved the door far enough to peek her head through. For the first time, I was grateful for Fred darkening the room. It would have been easy for Jenna to see the redness from my forehead and clear snot coming from my nose. This is one of the many reasons why I hate crying because I was an ugly ass crier.

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" Jenna asked as she slid her slim body through the door's opening. I wasn't ready to talk, nor did I have the energy even to speak. I was so fucken tired.

She crouched down to my level with her voice incredibly light and soft, "Hey, I know something isn't right, but I'm not going to pry either. I just wanted to let you know I'm still here for you if you ever need someone to talk to. Heck, if you don't want to tell me anything, that's okay too." She smiled, giving me a tight hug around my shoulders. Usually, I was awkward in receiving hugs, but at this moment, I felt some relief for a brief second.

"Thanks, Jenna." I coughed slightly, trying to disguise my pathetic, cracked voice from revealing that I had been sobbing for a while.

"Don't mention it. That's what I'm here for!" She grinned with the utmost sincerity. After years of not having friends or never needing to seek them out, I was grateful to have Jenna around. She was a true friend that actually wanted to be there for others.

Through the shadows, I had thought that Fred would reappear again, but instead, a smaller figure leaped onto Jenna's lap. Jenna's chocolate brown eyes widened in surprise, finding her spirit guide nestled in her arms.

"Midnight! What made you decide to wake up from your lazy nap?" Jenna said, stroking her black cat with beaming yellow eyes. The cat wasn't an apparition, or at least not that I could tell.

"So this is the famous Midnight," I said, smiling at the adorable animal. I couldn't help reaching out, wanting to stroke Midnight's back. My hand didn't even get a chance to reach over and pet him before he started hissing with his thin canine teeth baring at me.

"Midnight, don't be rude," Jenna said, scolding her spirit guide. The cat was not lowering his guard by any means, with the ends of his fur and tail lifted.

"It's alright, Jenna, he's just protecting you," I said, knowing he had every reason to be on guard. I could hear Fred's breath sounding heavy and very hungry.

'I can't eat your soul, but...' Fred thought hungrily.

'Don't you ever touch my friend's spirit guide or her.' I instantly thought, snapping at Fred.

I was only joking...kind of.

A loud alarm broke my conversation with Fred. Jenna immediately dug into her pocket to find her phone blasting. She unlocked her phone quickly and pushed herself up from the floor. Midnight returned to the shadows, but his gleaming yellows still carefully observed me.

"Shit, I almost forgot about the first-year spirit guide ceremony." Jenna sighed, cursing at herself.

"Huh-" I was completely confused about why this was important, seeing Jenna's expression filled with worry. It sounded like another lame orientation.

"It's basically where new students find what type of spirit guide they have. I should have told you that from the beginning. I'm sorry about that. They announced it at the last hour of class today." She said quickly, apologizing. This is a shittier version of Hogwarts sorting...

Exactly...

"It's also the day you place your spirit guide in a vessel, so you better think of your favorite animal or an object to place Fred in because the Ceremony starts in like 5 minutes," Jenna said, her voice almost sounding panicky as she glanced at her phone again.

I couldn't think of any place to put Fred in. I dug through my pockets, hoping to find something I could use, but I only felt my mother's ring. Definitely not that...

"So, do you have any idea where you are placing Fred?" Jenna said, pushing for a quick answer before they were on their way, rushing down the halls.

"Will a roll of toilet paper work?" I found myself asking out loud.

Fuck you. You wouldn't dare...