It Travels with Them

Chapter Eight - God Hates Me

P.O.V. ALEX

I stand beside the truck keeping an eye on the storefront while Michael and Tyler go to talk to Henry. As I do my mind wanders. The events of yesterday seem like the distant past now, bygone and harmless. I look down at my leg... no, not harmless, very much the opposite. I sigh, I'm way to reckless, I could've died. Stubborn, reckless those are just some words to describe me, idiotic too. I need to be more careful but I act on instinct when it comes to these things, I don't think I act and while that can be good— I look back up at the storefront, interrupting my thoughts.

What was I thinking about...? I don't remember now.

I turn and glance behind myself, feeling exposed. I see Henry talking to a man near the red and black gas pumps and the boys moving to his sides.

Nothing important.

I turn back around and jump so hard I fall backwards onto the blacktop. It's the girl, she's standing uncomfortably close and staring down at me, but the thing that scares me the most; her eyes. They're sunken and completely black. They stare out at me like two glistening, depraved beetles.

"Found... yoooouuuu..."

Despite the warmth I start to shiver violently.

No... no, this can't be real. It's a dream I'm asleep. It's just a dream, just a dream—!

"Thisssss... isss... no... dream. You... foolish child.... you... thought... you... could run..."

It moves closer, leaning over me unnaturally.

"There... issss... no... placccce... to hide... nowhere... to... go."

It tilts its head and a terrible grin splits the girl's face.

"No one... leffft... to hide... behind..."

I wanted it to leave, to die but I didn't want to hurt the girl, it's host. I needed to exorcize it... but I still couldn't move, I could barely even breathe.

As if in slow motion its hand starts moving towards my neck. I watch it, then it makes contact and something inside me snapped. I kick out with my good leg, connecting with it's gut and throwing it backwards. I stare in shock, I didn't kicked her that hard... did I? An abnormal strength filled me, maybe it was just adrenaline.

I crawl over and as I do I start chanting the words. I'm almost finished when I reach her and as the black smoke roils out of her mouth a chilling scream rips through the peaceful afternoon silence. I slam my hands over my ears trying to block it out, it's even worst than the laughter. I shout the last lines and the screams stop. Relieved, I let my hands drop.

"Why's it always me?" I ask, though I say it in my head so no one heard it but me.

"Seriously!? A demon, what are we, demon magnets?" Tyler exclaims, throwing his hands in the air.

"Not you guys... me," I say this in my head as well, while nodding to Tyler. Then I stand, grunting.

"Could you check on her? I'm gonna go sit in the car." I hobble to the car and flop into the backseat with a huff. I close my eyes for a moment then roll over onto my back. Opening my eyes, I stare at the ceiling, then sigh and close them again.

"Hey, kid."

I open my eyes again, and see Tyler's face above me. In the slanting afternoon light I could see brown and gold flecks in the blue of his eyes.

"So... you gonna tell me what happened?"

I sit up and pat the seat next to me. He sits and I begin to explain what had happened. After I finish he stares at the ceiling, thinking.

"Did it say anything?" He asks.

Immediately I feel nervous. I hadn't told him about what the demon had said. I feel my hands begin to sweat.

"Well-umm, I—"

"It did say something, didn't it?" He interrupts me, sounding worried.

"Alex— Alex! Look at me!" He grips my shoulders and forces me to look at him, "I know you well enough to know when something's wrong. You've been off for days now. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

I swallow, nervous, then a chill runs through my body and I shiver. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and I get the uncomfortable feeling that unfriendly eyes were upon me.

"I-I don't know if I should tell you," I say quietly.

His brows furrow, "What'd you mean? Why?"

"...I don't think they'd like that," I say not realizing I had spoken out loud.

"What—!?" He sounds alarmed, "—who are 'they?'"

Shit.

"They— its-its nothing," I stuttered. Then my eyes flick over his shoulder and I see a man in a black suit across the street. I feel the blood drain from my face, his eyes are black. Then a car passes in front of him and he disappears.