The Truth about Griffin

Chapter 9

     We made our way back to the house as stealthly as possible. There was a small clearing half way between where we'd been hiding spot and the burnt out remains of where our house had been. We had just reached the edge of that clearing when we saw the mob. The torch was gone and they were all circled around something. I saw a few of the people looked like they had been in a fight.

     We both froze when a familiar vioce rose above the crowd's tumult. "Please. I've done nothing to you."

     Cries of outrage and anger rose from the mob.

     "Monster!"

     "Demon!"

     "Abomination!"

     Griffin spoke again. "Please-" A smack rang out and he fell silent.

     I pressed my ears flat against my skull. I'd already seen this; years ago outside of Iping, and that had ended in Jack faking his own death. He had barely recovered from the hateful torture that the towns people had put him through. I had to do something, but my fear had frozen me to the spot. A few feet behind me, I heard Sharifa trying to stiffle tears. This wasnt happening again. I forced myself to move forward. At first my legs felt like lead but the closer I got to them the easier it became to move. Soon I was close enough to see Griffim between the tangle og legs. He was kneeling. Blood was welling up from scratches and abrasions that covered his entire body. I could tell he had been fighting because of the bruises on his knukles that were still bleeding. I could here him too. He was breathing in tired huffs. There was pain in each ragged breath and I all I could do was hope that nothing was broken.

     I weaved between the mob's legs and rubbed up against Griffin, just so he would no that he wasn't alone anymore. I'm sure I heard him sigh in relief, and he brushed his hand against my side.  

     Griffin tried to reason with the horde. "I'm begging you, let me go. You have no reason to fear me. Just leave us alone."

     An older man, who I assumed was the leader, stepped forward and spoke. "Hear the demon speak? This unholy abomination must be sent back to where it belongs."

     "No we... I-" another member of the mob jammed the back of their pitchfork at Griffin's head. Griffin let out a cry of pain as blood began to gush from the new wound and fell to the ground.

     "Almer," a younger boy stepped forward to address the leader, "it said 'we'."

     The man, Almer, smiled evily. "You see, this demon is Legion, for it is many. We must destroy the monster before it can fufill it's evil purpose."

     Griffin tried to push himself up right. "You don't understand-"

     This time Almer hit him. "Silence demon!"

     I hissed. I hadn't meant to but it just came out. The crowd took a step back in horror.

     Then Almer yelled. "Kill it!"