The Demon King

Chapter 2

      Serena had ended up working late at her desk while writing the article. She wanted to get everything printed while all the info was still fresh in her mind.

      After yawning like one of those lions that you see in documentaries, she got up and decided to grab herself a cup of coffee. Not the cheap decaf kind that the illustrator usually bought. No, Serena was craving some coffee that was 100% caffeinated.

      It took her a good twenty minutes to find some half decent coffee and cream. While she waited for the machine to finish brewing, Serena went back to her desk to continue writing her story.

      She was certain that the editor would love it. It had everything a front page murder story should have; location, appearances of the corpses, eye witness reports, all she was missing was identification of the victims.

      She had only typed a sentence when a loud crash came from the break room that she had just left.

      "Henry?" She called out the name of the photo editor, knowing that he was also notorious for working late at the office, "Henry is that you?"

      When she didn't get a reply, she decided to go look at his desk. Knowing that he had a bad habit of leaving his monitor open when he took his breaks, Serena went to check to see if it was on.

      The monitor and computer, as well as everyone else's, had been turned off for the night.

      Serena rushed back to her desk and grabbed the small bottle of pepper spray that she kept in her purse. When you're as infamous as she was for writing stories that had nothing but hard facts, even if they offended some people, it wasn't uncommon for someone to try to intimidate or even attack her during her late night shifts.

      She slowly walked towards the break room, pepper spray in hand.

      "Hello?" She called out, "Who's there?"

      When she didn't get an answer, she opened the door to find a window broken. Nothing seemed to be missing, but it wasn't the damage of property that had her frozen in shock.

      The coffee that she had been brewing was smeared all over the wall to make a message:

      "YOU ARE NEVER ALONE"

                                                                ~_~

        After she saved her file onto a flash drive, she instantly called the police and her brother after they arrived.  

      Her brother came in his cruiser to come pick her up from the office. Once he pulled up, he ran over to where she sat on the front step being questioned by a detective.

      "Are you okay? Did you see anyone? Did someone try to hurt you?" Ethan bombarded her with questions, his inner investigator getting the best of him.

      They may work in different fields, but both their jobs require them to be able interview and interrogate people whenever the occasion may arise.

      "I'm fine, Ethan. I just wanna go home," He nodded his head and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he lead her back to his car.

      On the drive home, neither sibling spoke to each other. Both too engrossed in their own thoughts to speak.

      Suddenly, Ethan broke the deafening silence, "Mind telling me exactly what happened tonight, Rena?" She didn't particularly want to recall the nights events, again. But his use of her nickname broke her resistance.

      "I don't exactly know. I was typing my story when I heard a crash coming from the break room. I got up to check, thinking it was Henry, and then I saw the broken window and the coffee on the wall."

      Ethan thought for a second before speaking again, "Are you sure you didn't see anyone, Rena? I mean, you were alone in a pretty big building. Someone could have easily walked behind you while you were working, and then snuck out through the window."

      Serena rubbed at her temples, already gone through these same questions a dozen times with the other officers, "No, Ethan. There was no one that I saw in the building after hours. You can even ask my co-workers. We always lock the doors down when someone is still working after hours so that only the front door is left open, and my desk in right in the front of the building. I would have noticed if someone walked in. No one could have gotten in unnoticed without a force entry. Now can you stop being a detective for five minutes and start being my older brother, please?"

      Ethan ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair, "You're right, sorry. I'm just worried about you, is all. Someone threatened you tonight, Serena. That's not something to be taken lightly."

      She laughed, "Actually, it is. This wouldn't be the first time someone has tried to scare me in a way that's related to an article that I've either written, or was currently working on. Some punk is trying to freak me out, knowing that I'm in charge of that murder story."

      "Okay, but what if it isn't? Serena, I've never found these pranks funny, and neither should you."

      "I don't, actually. I find them annoying, a waste of our time, and-"

      "How is this a waste of my time?" Ethan and Serena were both starting to get equally annoyed with each other.

      Serena sighed at her brother's simple way of thinking, "It's a waste of your time, because while you could be out there working on that murder case, you're sitting here fretting about some neighborhood hooligans who just want to start some trouble."

      "Okay, but you would think by now that people would take a hint and realize that you're not going to be fazed by this stuff."

      Serena rolled her eyes, "And I would think that by now you would realize that these pranks are harmless and that you really shouldn't be putting this much time and thought into them,"

      While at a red light, Ethan threw his hands up in annoyance, "Well sorry for worrying about you!"

      "I don't need you to worry about me, Ethan! I'm a grown woman who is fully capable of handling herself! We're not in high school anymore! You can't protect me from everything that life wants to throw at me!"

      "I can sure as hell try, though!" They were both quiet for a moment before he sighed, "Look, Serena. I get it, you're tired of me hovering like an overprotective mother. But I'm your big brother by a good two and a half years. It's kind of my job to be protective and annoying."

      Serena chuckled, "I know, I just wish you would stop worrying about every little thing that happens. I'm a big girl and I've got a lot of the town officers in my contact list, thanks to both you and my job."

      Ethan smiled at her and she smiled back.

      "I'll be okay."