We're All a Little Crazy

Devil on my Shoulder

        "ANTI!"
He woke up, eyes wide, Jack standing over him. He tried to speak, but his lips wouldn't move. Can't move, he said through Jack's mind. He tried to gather air but his lungs wouldn't move. Can't.......breathe....

Even the voice in his mind was choked and in pain. Jack placed his hands on Anti's chest and started pumping once more, but it had no effect. Anti was trying to draw in air but something wouldn't let him. Panicked, Jack did the only thing he could think of. He leaned over his friend and placed his lips on Anti's, breathing for him. He could feel him fading, falling unconscious. NO! I Won't. Let. You. Die! Jack kept going. He felt a burst of air and opened his eyes. Anti was gasping for breath, his lips blue.
Mark walked into the room. Anti glanced up and saw the demon staring at him. Whimpering, he pushed himself farther away. Jack followed his gaze and noticed Mark. "Get out of here! Haven't you had enough?"
Mark looked at Anti's condition and his jaw dropped. "What happened?"
I̖̘͕̺t̨͎͍'̺̳͔̰s̜̹̼ ̗̫t̛̹̰i̜͙̜̲̤͔m̮̺̬̪̱̱̗e̫ t̴̠̯͙̮o̴ ̡̹d̙̣̻̟̝̠̰i͍͕e̩͕̹̠͟ͅ.͏̩͎̣ The demon's voice echoed through his mind. Anti held his hands over his ears and groaned. "leave me alone."
Jack looked over at Anti as Mark's demon threw him onto the floor. He pushed himself up but a foot landed on his chest and held him down. The demon held a sliver blade to Anti's neck. B̗̬̗̝̥u̷̳͕̖̼̱ẖ-̬͍͓͖̟̘Ḇ̻͇̭̮͟y̺̩̫̙͍͈̦ȩ̜͉̤̬͓̹
Suddenly he was gone. Anti opened his eyes and saw Mark leaning over him, a worried look on his face.
"y-y-y-ours." He croaked. A look of realization washed over Mark's face. Getting.....stronger Anti said through Mark's mind. Mark picked up the injured demon and brought him over to Jack.
"What d' fuck was that!" Jack yelled. Anti tried to speak, but his throat was so sore. He looked at Mark.
Mark sighed. "I have a demon too. That's why I freaked out when I saw Anti. I thought he was like mine." Mark looked down at Anti, asleep in his lap. "I thought he wanted to hurt you."
"Mark, whaddoes he do?"
Mark looked up fro Anti. "He takes over my body. I can fight him, but he always beats me. I try to make sure I'm alone when it happens but..."
"That was him? At PAX?" Mark nodded. "Oh god." Jack looked at his own demon. "Glad I've got Anti."
"Speaking of which, Jack, what's with Anti? He seems to care about you a lot."
Jack thought for a moment. "I've known since I was - 6? Anyway I was walking home from school and this kid just starts talking t' me. I started t' cross t' street but 'e pulled me back and this huge truck goes by. The kid lets me go an' he's got this huge smile on 'is face. Said he knew it was gonna happen and I started to ask how but suddenly he got this scared look, said he had t' go, and vanished."
"Then two years ago I finished recording a video and I turn around and this guy is just standing there staring at me. And then he smiles and he's all like, 'hey, I remember you!' and I get this picture in my head o' the exact moment he saved my life. We hung out for a while and he was pretty cool but t'en he got scared again and vanished."
"A week later someone rang the doorbell and it was him but his clothes were all torn up and he had cuts. He just sorta smiled and then he fainted! I got him inside and cleaned him and stuff but in his sleep he was sayin' weird shit like 'I don' wanna kill him' and 'please don't make me go back there'. When 'e woke up I asked him about it an' he got real worried I'd hate 'im but I promised I wouldn't and he told me what he was."
Anti groaned in Mark's lap. "I don' wanna" he murmured. Mark looked at Anti then back at Jack. "Like that." Jack said.
"you can't make me" Anti kept talking. "He's my friend." "I won't let yo-" Anti was suddenly cut off, not moving. "--n-o--"
"Anti?" Jack had a frown on his face.
"--y-o-u----c-a-n-t--"
"Anti!" Jack shook him, trying to wake him up.
"---j---a---c---k---" Mark dipped his finger in his cup and tapped Anti on the shoulder.
Anti screamed, sitting up. He grabbed his shoulder, a look of pain and terror on his face. "Wha-"
Jack grabbed him tight. "Anti ya' started talking in yer sleep."
Anti looked at his shoulder, then Mark, still whimpering from the pain. "y' coulda' just slapped me or somethin." Mark shrugged. "Sorry"
"What is that stuff anyway?" Jack asked. Mark picked up the cup and flicked the side, making the contents swirl around. Anti backed away from it. "Holy water." Mark said simply, replacing the cup. Anti kept staring at it, as if he were afraid it would become mobile and attack him.
"That explains it." Anti groaned, the burn on his shoulder starting to fade. Mark looked at him confused. "You've known your dæmon how long exactly?"
Mark pondered. "Two, three years. Why?"
Anti stared back. "By all means, you should be dead by now."