Wrong Demon Delivered

Demonology 101: Summoning for Beginners

Jett sat cross-legged on her bedroom floor, surrounded by candles, ancient texts, and an assortment of occult paraphernalia. Her room was a gothic shrine to all things dark and mysterious, complete with black curtains, pentagram posters, and enough skull decor to make a graveyard feel underdressed.

She glanced down at the worn leather book in her lap, its pages yellowed and brittle. The title on the front was almost illegible, but it promised power beyond mortal comprehension. Jett smirked. This was exactly what she had been waiting for.

"You're really doing this, huh?" Adison's voice broke the silence. Jett's girlfriend leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and eyebrow raised in amused skepticism. Her light blonde hair and easygoing vibe were a stark contrast to Jett's all-black ensemble.

Jett didn't look up from the book. "It's not just a ritual. It's a statement."

"A statement that you're bored on a Friday night?"

"No," Jett huffed, finally glancing up, "a statement that I can summon something real. Something... powerful."

Adison chuckled. "Uh-huh. And what's this something going to do? Help you clean the apartment? Get us takeout?"

Jett rolled her eyes. "It's a demon, Adison. A demon."

"Right. A demon. Cool." Adison pushed herself off the doorframe and wandered over to Jett, peering down at the mess of candles, chalk symbols, and incense. "So, what, you mutter a few spooky words, and poof! Instant demon delivery?"

"Basically." Jett grinned, flipping to the summoning page, marked with a detailed diagram of a demonic circle. "And if I did this right, we're about to meet something from the darkest depths of—"

"Uh-huh. Well, good luck with that." Adison ruffled Jett's black hair before heading for the door. "Call me if you accidentally summon a pizza."

"Ha-ha. Just you wait." Jett muttered under her breath as Adison disappeared down the hallway.

She focused back on the task at hand, lighting the last candle and arranging them in the exact formation the book instructed. This wasn't just about proving she could do it—it was about proving herself, period. Jett wasn't content with dabbling. She wanted to touch the otherworldly, to leave a mark on something beyond this mundane life.

She took a deep breath and read the incantation out loud, her voice steady, the words foreign and ancient, rolling off her tongue with surprising ease. As she spoke, the room seemed to shift. The air grew heavier, the candles flickered, and for a moment, the shadows stretched unnaturally long against the walls. This was it. The moment. Jett's heart raced.

A faint, almost imperceptible rumble vibrated through the floor. The smoke from the incense coiled tighter, gathering in the centre of the circle. Jett leaned forward, eyes wide in anticipation. Any second now, something terrifying, powerful, and awe-inspiring would emerge. Her demon—her personal piece of hellfire.

The smoke swirled faster, darkening until it formed a small, vaguely humanoid shape. Jett held her breath. The figure solidified, standing just over three feet tall. As the smoke dissipated, Jett's brow furrowed.

The demon blinked up at her with wide, round eyes. Its horns were comically short, and its tail twitched nervously. It looked more like a cartoon character than an ancient, malevolent force. The creature gave an awkward wave.

"Uh... hi?"

Jett blinked. "What... what the hell are you?"

The demon shuffled on the spot, its little wings fluttering uselessly behind it. "I'm Bumbles. You, uh, summoned me?"

Jett's mouth hung open. This had to be a mistake. She quickly checked the summoning circle, her chalk lines, the symbols. All correct. The book hadn't mentioned any possibility of a... defective demon.

"You're... Bumbles?" Jett repeated, still trying to process the situation. "But I—I summoned something powerful. Where's the fire? The brimstone? The wings of darkness?!"

Bumbles scratched its head, looking sheepish. "Yeah, um, there must've been a mix-up in the infernal registry. I'm not really... high on the demonic chain. More of a... trainee." It winced.

"Sorry?" Jett stared at the small creature in disbelief. This was not what she had signed up for. "You're telling me I got a demon intern?"

"Technically, I'm out of probation," Bumbles offered with a nervous smile. "But yeah, first summoning. So... thanks for that."

Jett groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Of all the demons in the underworld, I get the one that can't even summon a decent amount of terror."

Bumbles looked hurt. "Hey, I can still do demon stuff! Just, you know, on a smaller scale. What do you need? A minor inconvenience? Maybe a spooky breeze?"

"A *breeze*?" Jett's voice was flat.

"Or—oh! I could make your TV remote disappear for a few hours! It's a classic demon trick." Bumbles smiled, clearly proud of its suggestion.

Jett stared at the demon, then sighed. "Of course. This is my life now. Demonology 101, and I summon... a defective package."

From down the hall, Adison's voice called, "Everything okay in there? Any pizza?"

Jett glanced at Bumbles, who shrugged apologetically. "Not exactly," she muttered, already dreading what came next.