Short Stories

One - #J387e9

    “Sir, we just got a call.” My secretary said, a concerned look on his face.

    “Not again!” I groaned, slumping in my chair. “This is her ninth-”

    “-Twelfth-”

    “-Twelfth monster. Every single one of them have quit! Every single one is more terrifying than the last and every time they come back quicker and quicker.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I even assigned her a demon and that one came back too.”

    I sighed. “Bring me her file, Daemon.”

    Daemon grabs the file that has made its home on his desk and hands it to me. Every child is assigned a monster under their bed, but this child in particular is being very difficult.

   

Case: #J387e9

Status: Disastrous

    I read through the file and review all of the monsters I’ve sent to her. The first one was assigned to her on her 2rd birthday and came back on her 4th birthday, one day, she simply wasn’t scared of them anymore, which was normal for kids, but for her first one to come back when she was still so young… it was almost unheard of. The second one came back 8 months later. The third, five months. The fourth, four months. The fifth and sixth, twins, three months. The seventh, two and a half months. The eighth, five weeks. The ninth, a month. The tenth, three weeks. The eleventh, two weeks. The twelfth, a demon… three days. She’s currently six, this has been going on for two years and none of us know why,

    I’m at a loss. The monsters are confined to live under the child’s bed and they cannot venture out from under the bed. So, the only real information I got was from the demon, said she heard yelling, and then silence, #J387e9 came into her room, looked her dead in the eye, and the next thing she knew she was back home.

    “I have no choice, Daemon. I have to go down, I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but until I get back I’m appointing you to take over my position.”

    “I understand, My Liege, I will be waiting for your return.” Daemon said as he slowly started organizing his desk so it could be easily transported.

    “Daemon,” I said. He turned to me. “I will not be going as her monster.”

    “What do you mean? I’m afraid I do not follow.” Daemon said confusion flooding his face.

    “I will be investigating why she does not fear her monsters and substituting for the time being. I don’t know what’s going on, but I intend to find out.” I informed him.

            "Good luck, Azazel." Daemon said.

    I walked through the door to find myself in Christine Owen’s bedroom. I looked around the bare room and found that a little girl was shaking and crying in her sleep on a small bed in the corner of the room.

    “I’m sorry…” She whimpered softly. “Please… please…” I made my way over to Christine and crouched beside her small sleeping form. She had short, wavy black hair, olive skin, and dark bags under her eyes. She continued to whimper in her sleep, her forehead creasing and her small hands clenching around the blankets she held tightly to chest.

    “Shh, you’re safe.” I whispered to her as I stroked her hair. Slowly, after hours of doing just that, her whimpered ceases and the shaking slowed to a stop. Just as the sun was starting to rise she took a deep breathe and sank into her bed, at peace at last. I watched over her until after the sun had risen, and when her nightmares came back I continued stroking her hair and telling her that she’s safe.

    Until, that is, the door crashed open and a very angry looking man stormed into the small room. Christine bolted awake, her blue eyes wide and her back straight and alert.

    “You’re supposed to be downstairs with breakfast ready! Instead your up here lazing around? What kind of a daughter are you?” He yelled at her. She lifted her head up in defiance.

    My eyes widen in disbelief, and so did her father’s. While I was amazed and proud, he was angry. He clenched his hand into a fist and right before it connected with her face I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, using his momentum against him.

    “Don’t lay another hand on her.” I told him in a deep gravelly voice that can only be described as demonic.

         He started screaming incoherently, not that I blamed him. After all, I didn't bother to hide my demon form…

         I put my hand over his mouth to silence him.  "I am taking Christine, and you will do nothing about it, am I clear?" I growled. He nodded. I threw him to the ground and muttered some words in Latin. I grabbed the girl and as we walked through the doorway I heard the painful screams of the man and the woman.

         We walked into the entrance of my home and I called Daemon.

         "Yes, My Liege?" He answered.

         "I have Christine, she will be staying with me for a while. Close her case and burn it." I told him, and without waiting for his response, I hung up.

         I turned back to the little girl, she was staring out the window at the snow, an icy expression on her face. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked as I sat on a nearby chair. She nodded. "Are you alright?" I asked, realizing she hadn't said anything yet. She nodded once more. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

         She stepped away from the window and looked around the rest of the house. Not to brag or anything, but my house was beautiful. I lived in the middle of a forest in a dark wooden house. Bookshelves covered the walls, comfortable furniture could be found everywhere. And, it smelled like vanilla. All. The. Time.

         All of a sudden Cerberus ran into the main living area and started licking Christine. And for the first time, I heard her laugh. She sz-,,,z-at on the floor, petting Cerberus and his three h. eads, he was still a puppy, so he was pretty small, and yet, to everyone but me, and apparently Christine, he was still horrifying.

         I slowly and quietly walked to the kitchen leaving the two alone and made some hot cocoa. I even put some Faery Dust in it, which is rare, and makes the flavour of whatever it's in five times better. I walked back in the living room to find Christine sitting on the sofa with Cerberus.

         I walked over to her and handed her a cup of hot cocoa.

         "Thank you." She whispered.

         "There is no need to thank me Christine." I tell her sincerely.

         "Will I have to go back?" She asked, fear flooding her face.

         "Never." I assured her.

         "Report?" Daemon asked.

         "She was being abused." I said, my voice dripping with hatred. "She stopped being scared of the monsters under her bed because there were worse monsters. Daemon," I said, voice filled with emotion, the words getting stuck in my throat. "She's six years old."

         "I know…" Daemon said softly.

         "She's staying with me until she comes of age." I said, leaving no room for debate.

         "I understand."

        When I returned home I found Christine curled up in a ball on my bed, sound asleep with Cerberus snoring beside her. I will never let anyone hurt her again.