Demons Deal

Prt 1- Names

Exhaustion was something I had become too familiar with. Pain, exhaustion, fear… what had I done to deserve this pain, this nightmare of a life? In some past life had I been such a horrible person that I would be haunted by it in this one? Or was my luck really just this bad.

“Oh no, not again…” I think I was, dipping? Or maybe I was just dreaming.

I could sort of hear Ofelia, her voice sounded so muffled like I had pillows pressed to either side of my head. My eyes refused to open, they felt heavy like stone. My throat was dry and it pained me to breath but my stubborn body refused to give up and forced me to breath in and then out.

“I’m sorry about this” That voice… It was so familiar.

“The poor thing, look at the marks. It’s been getting worse, I hope you keep your damn word and keep him away from her” Ofelia muttered.

“I know, in a couple weeks we’ll be gone. I’ll keep an eye on her to keep him away…” The voices faded away.

I sat straight up in bed a scream fading away into the darkness of the room, the air felt stale as it usually did when the window remained shut. Goosebumps covered my skin and tears cooled on my cheeks, my throat was tight and my body shaking.

The lights switched on in my room chasing away the tattered remnants of my nightmare. My hands clutched the covers, my knuckles were white with the force at which I had clenched my fists.

Letting out a shuddered breath I had been holding the tears started anew, the nightmare wasn’t over it would never be over. Ofelia sat on the edge of my bed her soft brown eyes filled with worry and sadness. As she leaned in to hug me an image of Jera snapped over her, my mind instantly spiraled into fear I screamed pushing away from her.

Her spectacled eyes grew wider still, pulling her hands back she waited patiently for me to calm down. I ran my hands through my hair and choked on a sob that caught in my throat.

“Lucy, it was just a dream” she said her voice soft.

I looked at her and my eyes watered, I shook my head at her. It wasn’t a dream it was my living nightmare. Jera had bent me into this twisted scared child again, it was just like when I was little all over again.

I looked at the red block lettered clock, fourth period had already begun, I pulled my knees up against my chest. The past weeks I hadn’t been able to go to school, as Jera put it I was being ‘broken’.

I wonder why he hadn’t come for me yesterday. Maybe the perverted Carni-elf killed him, I hoped he killed him. I really did.

“I called the school, you don’t have to go in today Lucy” Ofelia said in a soft voice.

I looked up at her and gave a sheepish smile, I couldn’t stay home with my thoughts. Shaking my head I made up my mind at least I could go to last period.

“I’m fine. It was just a nightmare” she frowned squinting her eyes at me, worry lines forming on her forehead.

“Lucy” her tone was starting to sound more frustrated as I protested.

“It’s ok it’s over” and I hoped with all my heart that the statement was true.

That I was free of Jera for the rest of my life that the nightmare was really over. She gave a weak smile nodding her head, I wasn’t going to budge on this. Staying at home would lead to me worrying about Jera showing up, and if he did then I wanted a crowd of people around me to hide in like the coward I was.

“Alright, I’ll give you a lift” she said patting my hand.

She stood up and smoothed out the long grey skirt she had on. I ran my hand through my hair and sighed.