Why Me? *DISCONTINUED*

Chapter Sixteen: Little Demon - The Past Hurts

The vintage record player continues to play it's dark tune. I'm once again sitting in the chair, tapping my fingers on the right arm, to the music, keeping a vigilant eye out for the evil little shadow I saw dart into the darkness.

Bored of this incessant mind game of 'hide-and-wait', I called out to it. "You can come out you know. I'm not gonna hurt you. So you don't have to be afraid."

"Oh. It isn't I who feels afraid, my dear Soul. I am most certain that you are the one who is, in fact, actually afraid here. You see, I can tell because I am you, but not you at all. It is a very confusing concept, is it not? But utterly truthful none-the-less."

A foreboding pause followed before the voice continued. "I shall come out. But I will reiterate. You, are the one who should be afraid."

I could feel my body tense and I looked around slowly while my mind raced at who could possibly be in this room with me, telling me to be afraid. My heart pumped at a breakneck pace and I was becoming very anxious.

A few moments later, a tiny arm came out from the shadows. It was... red? And it had long, boney fingers with lengthy, sharp, and unhealthy looking nails. Attached to the arm was a slender neck and on the other side another arm, identical to the one prior. Underneath the neck was a petite and scrunched up torso with stubby little legs holding it up. And atop the slender neck sat a head. But not just any head. A demon's head. Not just any demon's head. A little demon's head. And not just any little demon's head. My little demon's head. Which bore two curved and incisive horns on the sides. One for each.

He was no longer cloaked in darkness, and was now standing before me in the dim light of the room. The demon wore a pitch black suit jacket with white cuff links, a dress shirt the same color as the jacket, and a red tie - much darker than mine. He had on night black suit pants with sleek leather shoes to match.

I looked him right in the eyes which were a more menacing red then I thought possible. He grinned profusely, showing off his full row of sharp, yellow, shark-like teeth. And I noticed one other devilish attribute about him. He bore a frightening resemblance... to me.

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"So, Soul, have you figured it out yet? Or shall I just come out and say it? Oh surely you can't expect me to do that, however. That is just so ungentlemanly if I don't even give you the chance." He looked at me and his grin turned mad. Not mad as in the emotion. But mad as in the mental illness. He was frightening for a shrimp, I'll give 'em that. But he's not going to just sit there and try and intimidate me with his looks and his words!

"Look, Demon! You ar-!"

"Oh! You've guessed my name!" He cut me off. I looked at him, kind of taken back as he continued rambling.

"Though it isn't that hard of a name to guess, I suppose, all considering. But a name is a name, and you've just guessed it my boy. So how about we make a little wager, hm? Let's play this whole thing out like that old children's story you used to love so much. What was it? Rrrumplestiltskin?" He asked, exaggerating the role of the R.

"Well come on now, Soul, I haven't got all day to just stare at your gaping jaw. So what'll it be, hm? A dream you want to come true? A new motorcycle? I know how much you've wanted that, for a while now, yes?" As he listed things he began to turn around slowly so I couldn't see his expression. "The love from a girl – perhaps?" His voice trailed away.

My head sprang up from gazing down at the tiled floor to stare wide-eyed at Demon's back at the mention of a girl. Who is he talking about? Do I love someone? Is it the same girl that I can't remember?

"What do you mean, Demon? 'The love of a girl'?"

I could hear him mutter under his breath "Hook, line, and sinker." I don't trust this little, sharply dressed, demon. And I'm betting I have a great cause.

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