So Hide Your Eyes

Chapter TEN - End Part One

Chapter TEN

____________

DEMON RELAXED HIS SHOULDERS and slipped back his tiny knife.

It was frightening how that strange old man I saw in the mirror could scare him so. Who was he, and what did he hold over Demon's head?

It didn't matter. I shook my head. Either way, he had to die.

Although, it'd be comforting to know why.

"The old man's Priest. He's my father-in-law," Demon finally answered. He gave a tight little laugh. "He has a grudge against me for marrying his daughter, even though he'd pushed me to. If I had my way, I'd rip him a new one for what he did to Wife."

He smiled.

"What did he do?"

Demon frowned. "I'm not going to tell you."

He amended his statement. "I mean, it's not for children. You're too..." he trailed off. "Nice."

"If I killed him, I wouldn't be nice would I?" I argued in a small voice. "Then you could tell me."

I felt distantly disturbed that I was arguing with him, but my curiosity was aching for answers.

Why did I have these eyes? Why murder? Why not make people happy. Dread uncoiled at the thought, because I already knew the answer.

"But you can't." Demon was smiling now, amused like I was a funny baby turtle he'd picked up. "You're just eleven."

"I can!" I insisted. "Anyway, you're eleven too."

Demon's smile vanished. These days, it had turned into a slippery thing. I missed the the times in the fake sea when it was as common as rain in Khoel.

"Do you want to know what they did?"

I nodded quickly and leaned forwards to catch every word.

"The first time they caught me, they cut off my tongue," - his tongue poked out between his lips and he drew an indent across it with his thumbnail - "Then they pushed it down my throat until I choked to death."

"But you lived didn't you?" I glanced towards Wife. She was still lying prone beside him. Good.

"Yeah. But the villagers and The Demon Watch - my failed assassins and well, watchers - have grown smarter."

"These days, they've been aiming to take out my eyes. Not to torture me. They've done that twenty-seven times and it hasn't worked, so they're attempting something new," Demon said, shifting his eyes for dramatic effect. "I don't like that idea. And neither will you if they accidentally find out about your red-eyes, so we'll be staying clear of everyone for now."

"Got it?"

I wrung my fingers together. I glanced up, and was instantly caught by his stern stare.

I broke away from his gaze. "G-got it," I lied.

"What happened to Wife?" He hummed. It was an afterthought, but it still frightened me.

"I didn't do anything!" The words rushed out like a swift jab. "I just knocked Wife on her head a little, b-because her Murgur - her Murgi came out and I thought you might kill Wife your eyes so I made her close her eyes."

"OK."

Bewildered, I swallowed. "You're not angry?"

"Nope. I trust you." Demon cracked a crooked grin. " 'Nuff chit-chat. Time to sleep."