The Demon Within

Learn Fast, or Die

Learn Fast, or Die

Kyra

I was actually staring at my front door. How long had it been since I had last seen this place? I couldn't even remember. I gingerly reached out and touched the varnished wood of the door, like it held some secret. I looked at the driveway and saw that my parent's car was sitting there as shiny as ever.

My parents are home.

My parents!

Finally getting over the initial shock of being back in the place where I grew up, I wrapped my fingers around the cool metal of the front door handle whilst silently praying that the door wasn't locked. To my relief, the handle moved beneath the force of my hand and the door slid silently open as i pushed.

"Mum? Dad?" I called into the house, stepping into the cheerfully decorated hallway. Faces of my family smiled down at me from photographs hanging on the walls. No-one answered my calls as I walked down the length of the hallway and into the kitchen. The countertops sparkled like they had been cleaned furiously. I smiled, my mum always cleaned when she was bored, and from the look of the kitchen, she had been very bored recently. "Mum? Are you home?"

Still no-one answered me.

Maybe they are sleeping?

With that thought I left the kitchen, turning to climb the stairs. The floorboards beneath the plush purple carpet creaked their protest as I steadily climbed to the top landing. The house remained silent, my breathing the only sound that disturbed the silence.

"Mum? Dad?" I called, slowly padding down the hallway as I peered into the rooms that I passed. My room had stayed the exact same as the day I left, but the alarm clock on my dresser was frozen on 6:26am. At the end of the hallway, the door to my parents room stood ajar showing that no-one was lying the bed. I entered the room anyway, scanning it quickly just to make sure it was empty.

It was like the house was abandoned. 

Where is everyone?

As if answering my thoughts, there was the sound of footsteps against the tiled flooring of the kitchen. Anger flared in my veins as I imagined a smug looking Alexander leaning against the countertops like he belonged there. He knew where my family was.

"Alexander you son of a bitch!" I yelled, storming out of my parents bedroom my footfalls heavy against the floorboards as i rushed down the stairs, "Where in the hell-!"

I turned into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks as I laid eyes on the person who had entered my home.

Luce?" I choked, looking at the petite frame of my best friend. Her eyes were wide like saucers as she stared back at me, blinking in disbelief. Her hand was hovering over the counter with the spare set of keys I had given her dangling from her clenched fist.

"K-Kyra?" she stammered, her eyes only now seeming to focus on my face as the pool of tears that rimmed them began to spill over onto her cheeks. "Kyra!"

Her smaller frame collided with my own before I had the chance to react, her arms wrapping around my chest as she hugged me softly. Like i was made of porcelain. This struck me as off. Usual hugs from Lucy were the kind of bear hug that threatened to crush your ribs before she released you.

"I thought you were dead," she whispered, releasing me and stepping back a step to peer into my face, "Where have you been?"

"Where are my parents Luce?" I asked, looking at the keys she still held, "Why are you here?"

"Your parents never stopped looking for you. They're always out, handing out missing flyers. Endlessly searching for you. I check on the house while they are away," Those tears continued to run down her cheeks and she reached up to touch my face, "I never thought I'd see you again."