The king of everything

Chapter eighteen - A moment of escape

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden warmth over the campus as I walked toward the park with Hope by my side. The weather felt like a temporary reprieve from the heaviness I'd been carrying, and maybe that's why I'd agreed to the picnic in the first place. I needed a break from the chaos—especially the dark presence that had invaded my life.

Hope's flowing sundress fluttered gently in the breeze, her radiant smile doing its best to mask the concern she carried for me. She had been there through it all—the sleepless nights, the fear, the demon that had taken over our lives. And despite it all, she stayed. Maybe that's what scared me the most: her unwavering loyalty, when I wasn't sure if I could even save myself, let alone her.

"You ready for a picnic?" she asked, her voice a gentle melody in the quiet park.

"Yeah," I answered, though my mind was only half-present. A part of me was still on guard, scanning the shadows for signs of that evil lurking just beneath the surface of reality.

We reached a quiet spot near the trees, where the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns across the grass. Hope laid out the blanket, her movements graceful and precise, as if she was trying to create a perfect moment—a bubble of peace where, even just for a little while, the demon couldn't touch us.

I sat down beside her, watching as she unpacked the basket. Sandwiches, chips, some fruit, and cupcakes she'd made herself. Her effort was more than I deserved, especially with everything that had happened. The weight of the demon's presence still clung to me, and it was a constant reminder that nothing in my life was normal anymore.

"Is this enough?" she asked, a playful smile on her lips. "I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for."

"It's perfect," I said, managing a small smile. I didn't want to ruin this for her, for us.

As we ate, Hope kept the conversation light, chatting about classes and life outside the dorm, steering away from anything too heavy. She was trying to keep my mind off everything, and for a few fleeting moments, it worked. I could almost pretend like we were just two normal students on a picnic, instead of two people being haunted by an ancient evil.

But the shadows of the trees seemed to stretch further than they should. The breeze felt colder than it was supposed to. Even here, with Hope by my side, the weight of the demon was still there, lurking, watching.

Hope must have noticed my growing silence, the way I was slipping back into that dark space, because she set her sandwich down and looked at me, her face soft but serious.

"You've seemed... off," she began quietly, choosing her words carefully. "More than usual, I mean. I know things have been hard, with the demon and everything, but I can't shake the feeling that it's getting worse for you."

I stiffened, trying to hide it, but there was no use. Hope knew. She always knew. She had been there from the start, when the first signs of the demon showed up. She had watched me spiral, had held me when I was terrified, had whispered reassurances that we would figure it out. But now... now it was different.

She wasn't just worried about the demon. She was worried about losing me.

"I'm fine," I lied, my voice not even convincing myself. I couldn't meet her gaze. I didn't want her to see the fear, the exhaustion, the doubt that had been eating away at me. I was supposed to be the one protecting her, not the other way around.

"Don't do that," she said softly, her hand reaching out to touch mine. "Don't shut me out."

Her touch was warm, grounding me for just a second, but it wasn't enough to silence the gnawing dread in my chest. I could feel the demon's presence even now, as if it was standing just outside our peaceful little bubble, waiting for me to let my guard down.