The Campus Demon {Nanowrimo 2020}

Chapter 13

Jessica placed a plate of steamy fried rice and chicken on the table and gestured for Dami to dig in. She plopped on the large bed, clutching her own food as she watched him limp to the chair and sit ungracefully.

"Does your leg still hurt that much?" She asked, mixing her rice in a bid to dispel some of the heat. Dami gave a curt nod as he dived his spoon, blowing softly as light smoke curled up in the air.

"Is everything alright with Becks though? I saw how you looked so worried," Dami said, amidst mouthfuls.

Jessie let out an exaggerated sigh, stating, "Yeah. She's just having some kind of issues with her boyfriend. That guy is mental, can you believe he uses her as his punching bag?" She grabbed a bottle of water by her side and began unscrewing the lid.

"Whoever does that to a lady isn't worthy of living," Dami said, shrewd.

She patted her chest, gulping the refreshing liquid in one go. "I definitely agree. He doesn't have manners even. I wonder what Valentina saw that made her fall in love with him."

His brows creased, he thought for a moment. A loud belch was expelled as he opened his mouth to speak. Dami smiled his apologies, relaxing into the chair. His food was already halfway finished. "It could be his charms. Or the fact that he's that handsome. I do see him sometimes though. But not much, because I learn off the main campus."

"Yeah, I know." Jessica huffed. "I just hope Becks is okay now. Wherever that douche of her boyfriend went to, I pray he gets shot in the leg."

Dami chuckled dryly. "Careful with your words, sweetheart. They can be very potent."

She nodded; her mind absent. "So, any ideas on who might have broken into your house?" She wolfed her food like a mountain lion, picking up her chicken lap from the empty plate and dusting rice remnants from it.

Dami snickered silently as he watched her eat as if she'd been starved for weeks. "You were that hungry, huh? Anyways, I don't know for now, who would have done that. I mean who would want to break into a guy's house in his absence."

"I don't know, a thief?" Jessie shrugged.

"No, I think it's more than that. The thief wasn't just a thief because all my house items were still intact. My TV, my radio, my oven, my speaker, my air condition, even the money I left on the dining table was still there when I got back. It had to be something else."

"Oh." Her forehead wrinkled. "Meaning the person was looking for something specific then." It was then Jessica recalled the letter that had been dropped off on her doorstep. Could it be that someone else also had an interest in it? Or maybe it was mailed to the wrong address and the sender later realized it, she reasoned. Either way, she was going to find out.

"Did your caretaker see the person? Did he have anything to say about it?" Asked Jessie.

Dami scraped his plate, ridding it of any particles of rice as he emptied it in his mouth. "I don't think he was around at the time."

"Well, that's pretty convenient," she stated.

"I know right," he murmured.

Jessica heaved a sigh, standing up to clear the used dishes. She carried them to the kitchen, dumping them in the sink unceremoniously. Yawning, she stretched her stiff arms in the air. "I'm so tired, man. Been taking care of you all day. I think it's high time I have my beauty sleep." She passed Dami a cup of water he was to use in taking his pain relievers before falling on the soft mattress.

She looked up at the white ceiling fan, the blades spinning so fast as it blew circles of cool air around the hot room. She bit on the toothpick lodged in the corner of her mouth, one of her legs dangling from the edge of the bed.

"Hey, I forgot to tell you. I met with Valentina's dad the other day." Jessie rolled sideways, placing a hand to support her head as Dami quaffed his drugs, face scrunching up at the bitter taste.

"Really? Where did you meet him?"

"On campus," Prisca informed. "We talked a bit. He was to schedule an appointment with the vice chancellor."

"But why?" He asked, confused.

"You know his daughter was murdered na. So, he wants to open a police investigation."

"Waoh. That's big," Dami said offhandedly.

"You see ehn. During my first year in this uni, I used to hear of a number of students being sacrificed to appease a certain demon who ruled the campus underworld. But then, some girls in my hostel kept on saying those were just made up stories, that there was no truth to it."

"Really? I never heard of that." Dami cackled, clutching his belly, he couldn't help laughing at the insanity of the story. Jessica hissed, her lips turning downward in irritation. "I'm telling you something serious and you're laughing. What's funny now?"

"Nothing," he stated, starting to cough, spluttering blood on his palm. His eyeballs doubled in size when he saw the bright red speck. It all seemed to happen in a flash. Heart hammering wildly, lips trembling, body shaking, he hobbled to the bathroom, grabbing a pink towel hanging on the opaque glass door. She followed closely behind him, hands clasped, worry lines etched on her sweaty forehead. Jessie kept patting his back, the sound of water gushing out of the tap, drowning out her persistent plea for him to be calm.

She grabbed his clammy hand, studying the fine lines. "But there's nothing here," she commented, baffled.

"That's because I've have been cleaning the blood, didn't you see me trying to wash it off?" Dami retracted his palm, fizzling as he limped his way back to the room.

"I think your mind is messing with you. Have you slept since the past twenty-four hours?"

"How's that got to do with anything?" He inquired, resting his back on the bedpost and taking in a deep ragged breath.

"It has everything and anything to do with it. I think your mind is beginning to think up things. You need to go to sleep," she murmured, assisting Dami to lay supine on the cool sheets. Jessie tucked her comforter around his frame, his breath rising and falling steadily as his eyelids slid shut.

She flicked off the light switch, throwing the room into thick darkness. Then, she got rid of her slippers and climbed in. Nestling her warm body close to his, she wrapped her arms around his taut stomach.

Somewhere in the distance, a scarred creature with rotten flesh and gangly limbs, roaming around, growled, sniffing the dense air for the scent of fresh blood. It sensed one several miles away, baring its sharp pointed teeth.

It broke out in a fast run, breathing noisily, its red eyes shining in the darkness of the night, emitting laser beams that guided its darkened path.