How To Make A Demon

On Air

I reached the radio station before I even knew it was my destination. I didn't want to go home, Mother would be startled by my frantic state, and she would be probing about how early I was too. All I wanted in that moment was my best friend.

Once I entered the building, I stormed through the welcome area and straight past the receptionist, not even caring about her irritation.

"Excuse me?" She snapped as I walked by, "you can't just go back there!"

I ignored her, heading straight for the studio. I knew where I was going, I'd been here enough times. In fact, that same receptionist had seen me often. She usually gave me dirty looks and hard stares, especially if I was with Alastor. A clear case of jealousy. I rushed down the corridor and finally found the studio door, pushing it open. But my heightened emotions melted as soon as I saw him there.

He was leaning back in his chair, feet on the desk and one hand behind his head all while chattering away happily into his microphone, a huge smile on his face. He looked so relaxed I suddenly wanted to laugh. I'd watched him do his show a few times before and it never failed to captivate me. He was so charming and charismatic, you couldn't help but be drawn into him. There was a thrilling energy he added into his shows, it was very hard to ignore him as he spoke. No wonder the whole town had fallen in love with him.

I'd forgotten how much he enjoyed his work. I smiled peacefully for a moment, forgetting my worries.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" A man suddenly hissed angrily at me. "You're leaving, right now." He grabbed me by my shoulders and forced me to turn around back towards the door, but Alastor caught my eye just as I was thrown out of a place for the second time tonight.

"Are you one of his psycho stalkers?" The man asked gruffly, speaking louder now we were back in the corridor. Alastor was a local celebrity and his good looks, charming personality and fame attracted attention from a lot of women. Some of them had gotten a bit carried away.

"N-no!" I stuttered, annoyed that the assistant didn't recognise me. "You know me, I'm his friend, I'm-"

"Aurora!" A familiar, loud voice gushed. "What are you doing here? I'm not meeting you for another hour." Alastor appeared then, leaning against the doorway with a huge grin on his face.

"Alastor, get back to work!" The man moaned, exhaustion in his voice. I had often sensed his colleagues distaste for him- particularly the male ones. They tired of his enthusiasm, and the female attention he received.

"Oh, relax Bertie, I've just put on a track for our listeners. Why don't you fetch us some tea?" Alastor suggested brightly.

Bertie groaned and decided to leave us to it. I heard him mutter something about not being paid enough as he stormed down the corridor.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Alastor smiled kindly down at me. He was tall and lean, towering over my short and soft frame. I gazed up to meet his eye.

No sound came out when I opened my mouth. Obviously the events of the evening had caught up to me. I wasn't quite sure where to begin.

"What happened? Don't tell me you lost another job?" He chuckled, but the grin faded from his face as he began to sense my mood.

"I'm so sorry to burst in on you like this... I was just robbed. And I didn't know where else to go," I gushed. My eyes fell to the floor. It was embarrassing to be so helpless.