was struggling with my arms under his. “James?” I asked, desperately trying to get a response. He was starting to freak me out.
“ It's her,” he said. It didn't take me long to figure out who he was talking about. Sydney. His dead friend. I recognized the pain in his eyes and the weakness in his limbs. That's how I'd felt when I'd seen Boyd. Lost. James was lost. I lowered him to the floor gently.
“ Why?” He asked, his voice no more than a whisper. I didn't respond. I had no idea what I was supposed to say. Because the universe is cruel. Because you told me yourself that if we don't see the one that started this then we won't know why we're still here. I sat on the floor with him for a moment, holding his hand and wishing we were invisible. The demon hadn't noticed us yet but if I'd learned anything by being around the others, it was that they were pissed. I glanced up and watched the white blur shimmer up and down the aisles like it was pacing. Does she know who he is?
Sydney paused and I was finally able to get a better look at her. She was actually quite pretty, for a demon. Her fur was like virgin snow, untouched and perfect, and it fell from her lithe body in curling waves, like the branches of a willow tree. Her black eyes locked onto mine and for a moment, I thought I saw her there, deep down. There was a girl with strength and poise and inner beauty that never died. My heart jumped into my throat and I knew without a doubt why James had loved her.
“ I tried,” he whispered, grasping onto the edge of my sweater with cold hands. “I tried to keep her here. I've followed her and I've them at bay. Why now? Why?” I pushed him away and stared down at him in horror. Sydney didn't deserve to be a demon. I didn't know much about this new world I was now a part of but I knew that. I had seen Boyd and the sandman and the red dog. They were angry and they didn't deserve to be. Death was supposed to be their time of rest. I shoved James from my lap and stood up.
Sydney was watching me carefully, her brown antlers lowered in anticipation of a fight. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. This was going to be quick and easy. The stitches in my belly itched and I vowed that I wouldn't be getting anymore. I approached her carefully, my eyes tracking her dancing hooves and her dark hair tangling in her antlers like kelp as she danced between stacks of boxes. All I had to do was touch her, once. I swallowed my fear and pushed forward.
She continued to prance, the long mane of her tail swishing back and forth like a cat's, until I had closed the gap between us and was standing within arm's length. Something inside of her must of recognized something inside of me because she lowered her head and paused, almost like she was surrendering to something bigger. I was shocked, to say the least. I had been expecting a fight, almost wanting one. Fights made more than just limbs ache. They took the mind away from the troubles that plagued it. A fight would've been welcome. My stitches twinged. Okay, almost welcome.
I reached my hand forward, not wanting to take any chances. She looked like a deer, maybe she was just acting like one, lowering her head for the charge. Fingers that were so pale they barely looked like they belonged to me anymore brushed against the feather white tips of her hair. I heard the scrape of sneakers on pavement and then I was falling.
My head slammed into the cement floor while roses of pain blossomed behind my eyes.
“ Stop!” James screamed, the heavy weight of him draped across my weary shoulders like a shawl. “Don't, god, Neil, don't!”
“ What the fuck are you doing?” I screeched. The pain was bad enough but I could only imagine what it would feel like to have one of those hooves against my temple. I sat up too quickly and found myself collapsing against James' shoulder. He grasped me by my upper arms and locked his gaze to mine. There was desperation there, and fear. I
“ It's her,” he said. It didn't take me long to figure out who he was talking about. Sydney. His dead friend. I recognized the pain in his eyes and the weakness in his limbs. That's how I'd felt when I'd seen Boyd. Lost. James was lost. I lowered him to the floor gently.
“ Why?” He asked, his voice no more than a whisper. I didn't respond. I had no idea what I was supposed to say. Because the universe is cruel. Because you told me yourself that if we don't see the one that started this then we won't know why we're still here. I sat on the floor with him for a moment, holding his hand and wishing we were invisible. The demon hadn't noticed us yet but if I'd learned anything by being around the others, it was that they were pissed. I glanced up and watched the white blur shimmer up and down the aisles like it was pacing. Does she know who he is?
Sydney paused and I was finally able to get a better look at her. She was actually quite pretty, for a demon. Her fur was like virgin snow, untouched and perfect, and it fell from her lithe body in curling waves, like the branches of a willow tree. Her black eyes locked onto mine and for a moment, I thought I saw her there, deep down. There was a girl with strength and poise and inner beauty that never died. My heart jumped into my throat and I knew without a doubt why James had loved her.
“ I tried,” he whispered, grasping onto the edge of my sweater with cold hands. “I tried to keep her here. I've followed her and I've them at bay. Why now? Why?” I pushed him away and stared down at him in horror. Sydney didn't deserve to be a demon. I didn't know much about this new world I was now a part of but I knew that. I had seen Boyd and the sandman and the red dog. They were angry and they didn't deserve to be. Death was supposed to be their time of rest. I shoved James from my lap and stood up.
Sydney was watching me carefully, her brown antlers lowered in anticipation of a fight. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. This was going to be quick and easy. The stitches in my belly itched and I vowed that I wouldn't be getting anymore. I approached her carefully, my eyes tracking her dancing hooves and her dark hair tangling in her antlers like kelp as she danced between stacks of boxes. All I had to do was touch her, once. I swallowed my fear and pushed forward.
She continued to prance, the long mane of her tail swishing back and forth like a cat's, until I had closed the gap between us and was standing within arm's length. Something inside of her must of recognized something inside of me because she lowered her head and paused, almost like she was surrendering to something bigger. I was shocked, to say the least. I had been expecting a fight, almost wanting one. Fights made more than just limbs ache. They took the mind away from the troubles that plagued it. A fight would've been welcome. My stitches twinged. Okay, almost welcome.
I reached my hand forward, not wanting to take any chances. She looked like a deer, maybe she was just acting like one, lowering her head for the charge. Fingers that were so pale they barely looked like they belonged to me anymore brushed against the feather white tips of her hair. I heard the scrape of sneakers on pavement and then I was falling.
My head slammed into the cement floor while roses of pain blossomed behind my eyes.
“ Stop!” James screamed, the heavy weight of him draped across my weary shoulders like a shawl. “Don't, god, Neil, don't!”
“ What the fuck are you doing?” I screeched. The pain was bad enough but I could only imagine what it would feel like to have one of those hooves against my temple. I sat up too quickly and found myself collapsing against James' shoulder. He grasped me by my upper arms and locked his gaze to mine. There was desperation there, and fear. I
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