The Demon Inside

Chapter 3: A Chance?

"Poppy...I need help..." Branch looked at Poppy as he spoke while tears fell off his cheeks. Poppy looked shocked as she held Branch's hand in her own. "Branch...what's going on?" She asked as he looked down and said nothing. He wondered if he should tell Poppy what's really happening. He knows he should, he just doesn't know how to say it. Hey, so get this. I have a demon living inside me! He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "Remember when I was grey?" She nodded hesitantly. "And how I hated music so I shut everybody out?" He nodded again. "Well...while that was happening, I would shut people out, not only because I hated hugs, singing and dancing. But also because I had a...I had a..."

Branch couldn't say the last word and just looked at Poppy hoping she was just say that it was okay too stop talking but she wasn't having anything of it. "Had a what?" She asked as she gripped his hand tighter. "A...demon." Branch whispered the last bit. Poppy leaned closer too hear him better. He repeated at the same volume and Poppy still couldn't hear him. "A demon." She said at his normal volume. Poppy sat up in her original position and looked at him questioningly. "A...a demon?"

Branch nodded. "W-what do you mean?" She asked while looking like she didn't believe him. "As in ever once in a while I get 'possessed' and the demon takes over. I can see what I'm doing but I can't do anything about it." Poppy nodded in understanding. "How often does the 'demon' come out?" She asked. "It's random. So I don't know." Branch explained. Poppy nodded and went silent for a minute until Branch spoke, "You don't believe me?" He asked. "What? No! I mean, of course I do! It's just a little hard to process." Branch looked at Poppy as if he was asking for her to further explain what she was thinking.

"Is that what happened last night? Instead of the creature attacking you?" Poppy asked out of curiosity and Branch nodded in shame. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" She asked with a concerned look on her face. "Because I thought it was gone and I thought that if I talked about it again then it would come back. But it seems that it came back without me even trying." Poppy understood what Branch was saying but she still had one question, "Is there a chance that you could hurt me?"