My Demons

Chapter Five

Tess walked through the front door of her house. She cautiously looked around for her father, but there was no indication anyone was home,
"Hello?" Tess called. Caspian their Siamese cat came over by the door with a loud meow, rubbing up against her legs.
"Not you, fluffy," Tess said, but picked the cat up rubbing his head. She carried him into the living room noticing a note on the fireplace,
"Hey Tessie, went on a grocery run, be back soon!"
Tess stroked Caspian,
"Looks like it's you and me for a while kitty," She said. Caspian gave a loud purr in response. Tess walked into the kitchen passing by a giant book on the table. She paused and turned around looking at it. Tess put Caspian down and he let out a protestant hiss,
"Oh shut up," She said, side glancing at the cat. Tess sat down at the table. Something was wrong with the book. Tess had always seen the book lying around, but when she opened it, all she would find were countless blank pages. Some nights she would sneak downstairs and find her parents staring at the book intently their eyes scanning the pages as if words would appear in front of them. Tess grabbed the book and blinked.
This book never had a title. She thought, confused. She looked closer at the golden writing.
"The Seer's Secrets," The title read,
"That's a stupid name," Tess remarked to herself. She opened up the book and its binding creaked from old age. Tess almost dropped the book on the floor. There on the pages, was Latin writing. Her head clouded in confusion, and she closed the book again. Opening it, she found the words still there.
"Weird," She said quietly. She looked at the Latin words thinking that she wouldn't be able to understand a single thing they said,
"Christ will drive out the demon inside," She read aloud and then jumped back, her chair made a loud screech against the tile flooring. Tess looked around the room uncertainly.
Oh my gosh, it's finally happening. I'm crazy. She thought shaking her head.
I just read Latin as if it were English! Tess grabbed the book, and for an unknown reason she sprinted to her room as fast as her legs could carry her. She slammed the door behind her, leaning against it. After a moment she walked over to her bed laying the book down on it softly. She sat down on the bed cross legged and opened the book again. Her eyes scanned the pages with interest. There were drawing of crosses and people shriveling to the ground in front of them. She read the line beside it,
"The only hope of extinguishing the evil in our world is the Seers," Tess paused,
What the heck are Seers? She looked at another picture of a woman who was shouting something at what looked to be like to be a very ill looking human. The human was cowering, a black mist hovering above him,
Crash! Tess jumped and slammed the book shut, scrambling to throw it under her bed. Her bedroom door flew open just as she got it under,
"Hey Tessie I'm back," Her dad said and then looked at her suspiciously,
"You lose something?" Tess looked at her father realizing how goofy she must have looked hanging off the side of the bed,
"Umm no I was just...stretching! Yeah just stretching," Tess said and leaned over the side of her bed more, trying to make the lie believable. Her dad still looked suspicious,
"Well you have fun with that, but you mom went over to help Ms. Norman with her flower bed so you're on your own for dinner,"
"Okay," Tess said, her sides were hurting from leaning sideways,
"Okay..." Her dad said and closed the door slowly. Tess let out a breath and tumbled off the side of her bed onto the floor. She looked at the book from the floor. She grabbed it and sat up leaning against her bed.

  ~ 

Tess read the book for what seemed like hours before she decided she needed to get something to eat. She closed the book shielding it underneath the bed again. Walking down the hallway, Tess heard whispering in the kitchen. She almost walked in thinking maybe her mom had come back early and was talking with dad. Tess froze hearing a man's voice she didn't recognize,
"Christian we had a deal," The man said his tone impatient,
"I'm sure she didn't mean to find the book, I could burn it," Tess's dad answered. Tess's eyes narrowed and she pictured the book hidden under her bed.
So there is something wrong with the book... Tess waited,
"And she didn't mean to toss away her necklace? I saw her myself. She threw it away without a second thought," The man growled. Tess heard her father groan,
"Tess is Seer Christian, and she is a danger to everyone,"
"You mean a danger to you," Tess's dad answered harshly. There was the sound of breaking glass on the table,
"We had a deal Christian! Tess wears the necklace and your family will not be bothered. She has broken your deal and there will be punishment," The man growled. Tess looked around the door-frame, her whole body shook from fear,
"Tess will die," The man growled. Tess gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.