Blood demons

chapter 7

What could I do? Wait! I closed my eyes, took one last breath and dived down. The sound was muffled to silence. I felt the door in front of me and leant my back against the wall. I lifted my feet up so they were against the door and pushed. Nothing. Again I tried to summon up all my strength and push against the door. Still nothing. By now I was running out of breath. I swam back to the top and gasped the last air that was left.

I dived back down and suddenly had the urge to open my eyes. It was one of the few things I had done as a child because I was terrified of water. I opened them. The pain was irritating, because it was just a stinging sensation. I looked around at the greenish water. But there in the bathroom I saw a blur move across. It was black and small, but still noticeable. I knew my time was running out and truly wanted to give in but there was a candle inside me filled with hope. I couldn't let the water put it out. Not yet anyway.

I felt sick and realised that I couldn't hold it any longer. For the second and maybe final time today, the darkness fell. I felt like I was getting stuck into a whirlpool. I heard a crash, and water. But why do I feel like I'm trapped at the bottom of a deep well... Why am I here? Where was I? I...don't remember anything...But now I'm swimming up towards the light...Home? The stinging is coming back.

Ahhhhh, I gasped, as my eyelids popped open. I kept breathing heavily. Where am I? But then as I looked around it all came flooding back, literally. I found myself sitting on the shower door. I felt someone move. I looked up and my head turned to the window. All I saw was a black shadow. It was so quick that I couldn't make out what it was. Was that the creature that drowned me? Or did it just save me?! It was all too confusing.

I carefully stood up and turned round. The shower head was still going but when I went to grab a towel to dry myself it turned to a single drip. The bathroom floor was soaking, but that didn't matter. Someone had set this up and I was determined to find out whom.

Seth? He's a git but he wouldn't try and kill me.

Chloe? Why did you even consider that option you idiot!

Maggie? Huh, she seems like a nice lady but something just isn't right. I know she's a demon and all, blood in the fridge, but, it doesn't seem right...

The shadow? Yeh, that seems pretty obvious, but it could have been trying to save me? Or did it just almost kill me and then save me to "play" with me? If so, that's just sick...

I shook my head trying to forget about it. Without thinking I plodded downstairs with soaking wet clothes on. I was really weak and couldn't do much plus soaking wet clothes are heavier than you think, but I needed to tell the others. Halfway down I noticed the fact that I was drenching the stairs but didn't care. If I was Chloe I would probably have dried off and got some clean clothes on. But I'm not. So what if Granny's floor gets wet. I'll just clean it later. Anyway, if I got changed then there would be no evidence that the shower tried to murder me... besides the fact that the shower door has been pulled off.

I could hear laughter and chatting from the other room. I took in a deep breath and stepped in. Everything stopped. A shiver went down my back from the cold but I think part of it was the tension as well. The three of them just stared at me. Chloe was filled with shock, Seth with shock and a hint of anger. Yet Maggie just sat there with a blank expression. When she saw I was looking directly at her she flinched and realised it was going to be her that was saying something first.

"What happened dear?" She asked as if I was a three year old that fell over and had a grass stain on my knee. Well I was checking the shower and I... Great no talking, idiot! "Tristan" Seth said looking impatient. Then his eyes widened and a smirk appeared on his face. "You can't talk can you, ha." Seth laughed but stopped straight away when Maggie turned to him. "Look, I'll just get you a pen and paper. Why don't you come outside with me, the stuff's in the shed."

I followed her as she hobbled outside. The front door slammed shut and we walked round to the back of the house. It was weird because anyone could get to the back of the house but the garden was spotless. There was a neat little shed in the corner of the well trimmed lawn. We walked over to it. It was a good thing there was a breeze today, that meant I was drying off already.

When we got there I stepped inside. But standing in the shed was a black cat. "You" she cried. As soon as it saw us it tried to run but Maggie was too quick for it. She stretched her body out and grabbed it. When I say stretched I don't mean bending down. I mean literally stretching, Mr Fantastic style. She grabbed it and completely ignored this cat's hissing and biting. I just backed off and stood there wide eyed.

She placed the cat in a box and like lightning sealed the lid. Then she spun round her eyes glowing redder than blood. They quickly faded and she smiled sweetly. "Sorry it's just that they always dig up my garden. As you can see I like my garden perfect." And with that she walked out the shed and acted like nothing had happened. The last thing I heard from the shed was a small "meow."

As I walked back inside I was almost dry and only my jeans were really damp. We walked into the lounge and Maggie handed me a notepad and a pen. What just happened in there, why is she acting like nothing happened? I put the pen to paper but all I managed to write was "I was in the showe..." before the ink ran out. I tried scribbling on the page a few times. I unscrewed the lid, and sure enough it was out of ink. I looked at them and took out the cartridge. I tipped it upside down to show them I was out of ink. "Only you..." sighed Seth. For once he was right. I pointed towards the door and Maggie nodded. I stepped outside. I took a big gust of air.

I strolled towards the shed but then realised something. She had trapped that cat in there. Maybe I could free it without her knowing. I mean... It's only a lawn. I just hope it likes me more than it likes her. As I approached the shed I gained another wave of dread. I just shook it off and stepped inside. Firstly I grabbed a pen and checked it worked. Then I stood there staring at the box.

What to do? I don't want to betray Maggie but...Oh well. I grinned at my sudden burst of courage and opened the box. I saw the cat in a bundle. Yet something looked different about it. It seemed smaller and weaker. It looked up at me and then I noticed something, its eyes seemed to change from sorry to hope. It sat up and sprinted out the box. I smiled as it ran away and felt great inside. I walked out the shed and closed the door but as I stepped away a hand grabbed me from behind.

All the courage and happiness I had gained was drained out of me in a second and then I found myself pinned up against the wall. It was Maggie. But she was filled with rage. Her eyes were a glowing red and her face seemed to droop more. "HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed at me as my eyes widened with fear. "YOU LET IT GO!" She screeched once more and calmed down. She began muttering to herself "no, no, he'll be back. He has to come back. Then I shall deal with him." She turned back to face me "Now don't even think about telling the others about are little encounter" She laughed "What am I saying, you can't!" And then she grinned an evil grin and whispered in my ear "and don't try anything funny or I'll get you too..."

A shiver shot right down my back and the dread inside didn't go away. What did she mean "you too" and why did she hate that cat so badly. Either way I couldn't tell the others anything, at least not yet anyway.