A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King

tells me I’m doing my job effectively. It was
clever of me to suggest she put this chair in here; it’s so much
nicer when I have a comfortable place to enjoy the show.
    “ Stop, stop it…you’re not
real. You’re not real…” the woman gasps. Rocking back and forth, I
twirl a lock of hair around my finger and hit her with another
vision. It’s Tatiana’s duty to find me humans who have violated
Natural Law. Then, it’s up to me to deliver a suitable punishment.
Lately, I’ve been favoring psychic torture over the physical; it
just seems to be much more effective. It’s amazing how dark the
human mind can be, so I let them choose their own punishment by
living out their own worst nightmares. It’s poetic, really. And
amusing to see what they subconsciously pick.
    She curls up, convulsing as if she’s
been electrocuted. She presses her face in the corner, weeping,
head in her hands, trying to hide from the terror seeping through
her mind. On the other side of the room, under the protection of a
simple sleeping spell, her husband snores soundly, blissfully
unaware of the torture his wife is enduring. Just as he’s unaware
that his two infants didn’t die of SIDS like everyone thought, but
had their tiny lives snuffed out by a selfish and uncaring
mother—the same mother who now cowers in a corner screaming at
ghosts, unable to escape the sounds of her babies crying out for
her.
    “ Here you are.” The
masculine voice causes me to jump.
    “ Bones, what are you doing
here?” I ask, annoyed. “You scared me half to death!”
    He sits on the corner of the bed and
glances at the screeching woman. “Kind of like that?” he asks with
a raised eyebrow. I roll my eyes.
    “ What are you doing here?”
I repeat.
    He doesn’t answer me right away.
Instead he watches the woman writhe and moan on the floor. “I
followed your scent. What’d she do?”
    “ Double
infanticide.”
    He shakes his head slowly. “Shame. She
looks real nice.”
    My chest feels heavy as I gaze at
Bones’ strong profile. Even here, in the dimly lit room, I can see
he’s not happy. I know it’s my fault. But there’s nothing I can do
about it.
    The husband snores and rolls over in
the bed. The woman screams again. I wish Bones would leave me alone
so I can enjoy the symphony of torment, but obviously he wants to
talk.
    “ Silentium. ” I swish my hand in the
direction of the woman, instantly muting her cries. “What’s
up?”
    He stands up and paces around the room
for a moment before leaning against a far wall, hidden in
shadows.
    “ I was worried about you.
You never showed up at Old Lady Sullivan’s last night, and tonight
you didn’t stop at the Bar. What’s going on?”
    It’s true. After slaying the Parastes,
I’d blown off my tormenting duties in favor of the sanctuary of my
secret spot; a secluded place high in the hills overlooking the
valley. A place I go when I need to be alone and think. I can see
clear out to the Lake of Adonni and listen to the Sirens sing their
enchanting melodies. Their soothing songs help me to
relax.
    I didn’t want to see Bones last night,
and I was hoping to avoid him tonight. It’s why I’d taken my drinks
from the emergency stash Tatiana keeps in her room instead of going
to the Bar.
    “ Sorry, I just wanted to be
alone. I didn’t think we had some sort of special date or
anything…” My voice sounds snappier than I intend, and I feel him
wince in the darkness.
    “ Okay. I understand. I’m
just glad you’re all right. I was sorta worried about you is
all...There’s been some talk of some funny business around here,
and I was concerned when I didn’t see you. But I guess you have
your reasons and you seem to be fine.” His voice is tender.
Sweet.
    Damn him .
    “ I am fine.” If you’re not counting the
knots in my stomach or the sickness in my chest.
    I can feel the pain and
confusion in his wordless exhale, and I feel even worse. For so
long, ever since the
night , Bones