A collection of short stories surrounding death. About living with death, coping, not coping, letting go and holding on.
Because at the end of the day, what do we have but memories?
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She watched him unknowingly as he picked up the book and handed it to her. "Read this," he said. "It will make you feel better. God knows it helped me."
She had trusted him then, only smiling weakly before leaving the old bookstore. I shouldn't judge her too harshly, seeing as it was a rough time for her. Losing so many people in such a short time, it must have really beaten her down. And on top of that, the survivor's guilt tore at her from all corners, the knowledge that she was the only survivor of the car crash that stripped her of her entire family. That might be why her once so proud posture was hunched over, and she was hiding her skinny figure behind oversized sweaters, her black hair messy. To most people, she looked to be about seventeen, while in reality being twenty-one. She had been through so much, and was desperate to forget, to live again.
That's where I enter the picture.
She couldn't have been expecting me, seeing as her face lost all of its colour. I materialized before her, doing my best to make my malicious features look friendly. Normally I would have gotten a kick out of scaring anyone with the guts to try and read from the Demonicum, but with this girl, I just couldn't. She is frightened enough already, I told myself. There is no need for me to harm her more. Instead, I decided to attempt being polite. "Greetings," I said, smiling with closed lips to hide my pointed teeth. "How can I assist you?"
She dropped the book and stared at me, her eyes wide with shock. Her mouth fell open, and it looked as if she was trying to say something, but words failed her. I didn't move, just standing there, doing my best to hide my more... demonic features. She could probably mistake me for being human. "What are you?" she asked, her eyes wide. I straightened my back, and smiled again.
"I am a demon. What else did you expect from reading a book called the Demonicum?" I try my best to sound sarcastic, let her know I'm not dangerous. Of course, I am dangerous, but not to her, not right now, not in this state.
"I have officially gone insane. My mind is gone for good. Thank you, hallucination or whatever you are, for making me realize it." She laughed oddly then turned to leave.
"Wait no, stop right there!" I called after her. Of all the reactions I had anticipated, this was far stranger. "I am real! You're not insane! Come back!" I continued shouting after her, until eventually she turned around.
"You're real?"
"Yes."
"Bummer," she said, biting her lip. "I was hoping you'd be. Then someone might actually lock me up." She sighed and walked closer to me. "Or have you come to kill me?"
"Er, well, no." I looked at the girl in utter bewilderment. "No I have not. The standard course of action would be for me to posses you, though, but I do not have to."
"Shame." She walked even closer. "You could still possess me, right? So why don't you?"
"You- You actually want to be possessed?" This conversation was just growing stranger and stranger.
"You heard me." She reached out to touch me. "Possess me."
I jerked my arm away. "No way."
She glared at me. "Fine then. I don't have time for you anyways." With those words, she left, slamming the door shut behind her. Overcome with curiosity, I followed her. No one but her could see me, so I didn't have to risk being discovered or anything. She continued walking across the city until she reached a bridge, where she paused, one hand on the railing. Oh dear god no. Before I could think, I had slipped into her mind, taking control of her body. Hurriedly, I steered it back towards her home.
"What are you doing?" she shrieked inside of my, her, head. "Go back."
"You were about to throw yourself off that bridge," I retorted."I will not let you do that."
"Oh, so suddenly it's your choice whether I live or die," she said, clearly irritated. "Let go of my body."
"No can do. I can not let you go until I have made sure you're safe."
"Oh yes, the demon wants me to be safe. Aren't you supposed to be evil or something like that?" The disdain was dripping off her voice.
"Not this evil. And for the record, you wanted to be possessed." I steer her body home and into the couch before I step out of it. She blinks, and then she looks at me, angrily.
"Yeah, because I thought you would drive me insane, not take care of me. That's what you're supposed to be doing, isn't it?" She glares at me.
"Nonsense." I shake my head. "Now, do you want something to eat? You're looking awfully hollow."
