Reality

Chapter 7

  A murderous scream cut the silence. I choked on my coffee and scrambled to catch the cup.

"Go!" Mrs Dozier ordered, crying again. Mr Dozier was holding her back, Poppy holding down her thrashing arms. The woman wanted nothing more than to help her son even though she couldn't even touch him. I couldn't help but feel like I stole this privilege from her and suppressed my guilt as I raced up the stairs.

  He was white. Whiter than white. His hands were clamped over his ears and his eyes were squeezed shut. He staggered around his room, crashing into his bookshelf and sweeping his things off his desk.

"Too loud... Too bright..." He hissed. I cautiously approached him, narrowly missing a blow to my face.

"Alfie, it's me. Stop, it's going to be o-"

  He dispersed into black smoke and appeared in my face. I held in a sceam of my own as he roared, spit flying and teeth bared. I gritted my teeth and curled my toes, doing my best to stand my ground.

"Are you done?" I said slowly, pulling the edge of my shirt up to my cheek. "You need to brush your teeth. Your breath smells worse than your poop in the evenings."

  He didn't laugh. I didn't know why I expected him to, he was looking at me like I was a stranger. Instead, his eyes softened and lit up, almost like a child's. A wide grin stretched over his face and I backed away, squinting.

"Um, hello? Earth to Alfie?" My back found the door and I flattened against it. He started to bounce on his feet as if he was in a manic high, his hair lifting as his speed increased. He sprinted towards me and I looked away, preparing myself for the worst. But when I opened my eyes, what I didn't expect was to see him on his knees, hands clasped together like he had realised something exciting.

"Mama!"

  My heart stopped. HIs voice had risen a hundred octaves and he sounded squeaky and innocent. Tentatively, I lowered myself slightly so I could meet his eyes. He sent me a goofy grin and I inwardly awed. 

That was cute.

"You want your mum? I can go get her- she's down stairs and very worried."

  He shook his head, and I gasped as he started to shrink. His clothes continued to swallow him until I couldn't see him at all. Panicking, I tossed away the empty clothes to find a very naked baby Alfie.

"Mama!"

Oh no. Terrified, I stiffly lifted him into the air. He wriggled in my grasp, trying to get closer to me. I kept my elbows straight and made my way downstairs. Alfie's head lolled to the side, weighted by his horns that seemed to be the only thing that didn't reduce in size.

"Mrs Dozier?"

 I cursed at how pathetic I sounded. The woman rose to her feet unsurely, staring at the giggling demon in my hands.

"Is that...?"

"Yes," I confirmed, pushing him to her chest as politely as possible. He started to cry with no tears, screeching because he couldn't talk and wanted attention. Mrs Dozier began to back away and I followed her until I had her cornered.

"Please take him," I begged. "I don't know how to-"

"Well, you might as well learn, because I don't want him either."

"What do you mean?" I shoved Alfie closer and she shook her head. "He doesn't want me."

"But you want him."

"I'll only make things worse." She crossed her arms and met my eyes with a sincere look in her own. "During transformation phases, a demon will imprint on somebody if lucky enough to do so."