Midnight Playground

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Cassie watched the demons lay the girl to rest from her high bedroom window that overlooked the garden and the surrounding forest. She observed them from afar with a dominant scowl on her face and they were by no means unaware of her watching them. Occasionally, they would let out an unpleasant hiss of warning at her that would only cause her to roll her eyes and shrug her shoulders unhappily. Their threats didn't really bother her anymore. She figured that since they hadn't tried to end her life a few minutes ago, then she probably still had 3 months left to live no matter how hostile she became towards them. In fact, she wasn't even sure if they could kill her before the end of the fulfilment of the agreement between them - surely that would have been considered a breach in contract? She didn't pin her hopes on that very much.

All she could do now was simply watch them, for what seemed like hours, in her very own little bird cage. The girl was buried in the garden, behind the tree and just a little ways from the house. The large brown mound appeared dominant in the lush land of green. The demons had positioned the body within the stretching shadows of the large outer-line of forest trees, the darkness masking the expression of the demons that remained silent as the grave whilst they levelled out the ground. It was confusing to have seen them avert their gaze from the blood drenched body, almost as if they feared that the girl would completely dissolve from their dark touch. Cassie slumped her cheek against her knuckles, letting out a questionable sigh. If they were going to look so tormented after it, then why had they killed her in the first place? She really didn't understand.

Cassie turned around and slumped her back heavily against the wall with her head leant to the side slightly against window pane. Her mind was confused by this but at least her heart had had some time to settle down. The truth of it was, there wasn't a particular need for her to feel so betrayed. If the demons were using her, then what did it matter? She was thoroughly using them for her own gain as well. Cole had never hidden anything from her about the contract.  

"In return for your wish, I will devour your soul." 

Those were the very words he had used on the day that they had entered the contract with each other. And unless she was mistaken, it was pretty much self-explanatory, right? There had been no question about that. Just thinking about that scene again made her logic unwantedly quake. Even if she tried to reassure herself like this, it was really no use. Her heart still stung with doubt and misgivings about everything.  

"Enough, I don't want to think about this anymore." She said solemnly, her entire body numb. Her eyelids began to feel heavy in exhaustion. She didn't welcome sleep as she had often done. This time, she feared what sort of dream awaited her frightened mind but there was no stopping the inevitable. The wind caressed her cheeks with warmth as though a tender hand held them softly. Soon, her mind started to slip away from reality and she unknowingly stumbled back into a memory that she hadn't allowed herself to remember in a very long time.

"Allan, spit out that mince pie and help me bring in these chairs already!" A woman huffed impatiently from the doorway, watching her son rather reluctantly place the mince-pie back down onto the table plate. Once she was satisfied that he had actually listened to her, she scurried back through into the other room, her bobbed hair bouncing energetically behind her. Still grumbling about being caught in the act, Allan trudged his way across the room until he spotted someone coming into the room through the open kitchen, carrying a tray of turkey sandwiches in her hands.  

At first glance, Cassie could tell that he had been annoyed about something; although it was heavens guess what it was. Besides, his sour mood already appeared to be on the mends. She sighed quietly to herself and slipped passed him, her head tucked low to avoid eye contact with him. The last thing that she needed today was to be teased by him. Walking as quickly as possible to evade him, she was startled when she found herself being tugged backwards by her hair.