An Undeserved Punishment

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3rd Person

Alex rubbed her newly dyed hair with the previously white towel once more before throwing the piece of cloth into the hamper. She couldn't wait to show her mom and dad.

Alex's mother and father were very laid back. Most parents would freak out if their child told them she wanted to dye her hair, but Alex's mom had personally gone with her child to pick out the perfect color. That color had been a silvery-blue, which went really well with Alex's cerulean eyes.

Alex walked out of the bathroom she shared with her twin sister, Allie, and headed for the stairwell. Allie and Alex had the whole second floor to themselves. Alex felt a bit sad that her sister wasn't there to see her new hair, but Allie had been invited to a party, and Alex wasn't about to stop her social twin from hanging out with other people.

CRASH.

As Alex stepped up to the stairs, the sound of breaking glass filled the house.

"M-mom, Dad?" Alex called out, before immediately cursing herself. 'That's how people in horror movies die!'

Alex waited in anxious silence. Perhaps her dad had dropped a coffee mug. Any second now, he'd call 'It's alright, everything's fine!'. But her mind was already doubting that theory. For one, it was almost ten at night, why would anyone be getting coffee? Secondly, no one answered.

Grabbing a bat that was leaning against the hallway wall (Alex had been planning to play baseball with her friends tomorrow), Alex creeped down the stairs.

When she reached the first floor, Alex was struck by how dark it was. All of the lights were off, sure, but it was unnatural. Only a little bit of moonlight filtered through the windows. And it was completely silent. Alex thought that the silence was more intimidating than any noise.

SCRITCH. THUMP.

'I take it back.' Alex shivered, holding the bat up higher. 'I'd rather have silence.'

"There she is." Someone whispered. "Get her."

There was a loud crack! as something large and hard hit the back of Alex's head.

~*¶*~

"...ring you this sacrifice in hopes that you can be reincarnated in her!" Someone said excitedly as Alex came around. "Now, we start the ceremony for our Lord Daemon!"

Alex's head was throbbing, and the thick ropes that were tied around her torso and wrists to keep her pinned to a large pole, were too tight. She was in the middle of some forest, probably the ones behind her house, surrounded by figures in blood-red robes and black masks with no features. The only light came from the moon and a fire. One of them walked forward, two large chalices in hand. One was silver, imbedded with rubies, and the other was gold with opals. As the person walked closer, Alex could see dark liquid sloshing around inside.

"Baptism of blood--taken from the sacrifice's own family, the mother and father." The same voice said, coming from the man (it was definitely a guy's voice) walking forward.

Alex wanted to throw up. That was her parent's blood?! Alex began to wriggle in her bonds, but that just made them hurt more. Tears started to well in her eyes, and threatened to spill over as the man stopped in front of her. He gave the silver chalice to someone to the side and said something in another language. Ominous chanting started up.

The man forced Alex's head down, until it touched her chest. She let out a choked sob as he began pouring. The blood was thick, slow to move, and still warm. The tears Alex had been holding back started flowing freely. When the golden chalice was empty, the man traded it for the silver one. He lifted Alex's head and made sure to cover her whole face with the warm, sticky blood, though her tears created lines on her cheek.

"Now," The man said, handing the chalice off. He began walking toward the fire. The chanting got louder and faster. "The sacrifice will be marked with Lord Daemon's symbol!"

The man pulled something from the fire. A long, metal rod. The end was some sort of circular mark, and it was glowing orange.



The man walked quickly back to Alex and forced her head down again. Alex was too exhausted to put up a fight. He raised the rod and forcefully pushed it onto Alex's neck. She let out an blood-curdling scream.

The man shouted something else in that same language, but it turned into English at the end.

"...and rise!!" The man yelled. A blinding light emitted from Alex's body. The blood was gone. Alex lifted her head--except that she didn't. "Lord Daemon!!"

"Get me out of here." A growling voice came from Alex's mouth. Alex herself was completely bewildered. What was going on? Had the strange cult succeeded at their task? Was she being controlled by some demon lord?!

"Y-yes, my Lord!" The man stuttered, hastily pulling out a knife. He sliced the ropes releasing Alex's body from the pole. "How I have yearned to see your red eyes again!"

"Hmmph." Daemon rubbed Alex's wrists and surveyed the area. "Bring me a mirror."

The man snapped his fingers and two other people rushed forward, holding a large mirror. Daemon studied his new face.

"Hmm, a female." He noted. "Is the hair natural or dyed?"

"Dyed, my Lord. Just tonight."

"..." Daemon studied the hair for a few more seconds. "I don't like it."

'Oi, it took forever to find this color! It's perfect!' Alex snapped in her thoughts. The mirror, still being held up, showed Daemon's look of surprise. Alex's right eye turned back to it's original cerulean color.

"Oh, this is new." He mused aloud. "She's still here."

"S-sir?"

"The girl." Daemon offered as an explanation. "She's still here."

"I-impossible!" The man (priest, Daemon told his new host. She replied that he could go fuck himself) exclaimed. "We did everything as described in your writings!"

Daemon waved a noncommittal hand.

"It's not you." He said in a bored tone. "She just has a strong will."

'My name is ALEX, jerk.' Alex spat. She felt angry, so, so angry. She wanted to hurt these, horrible, horrible people. To see the life drain out of them, for them to die.

"Oh?" Daemon sounded astonished. "You want what?"

"S-sir, if she's giving you trouble, we can find anoth--"

"Kill them?"

The cult, if you could've seen their faces, were gaping.

"My Lord, surely, you wouldn't kill your faithful followers, the ones who brought you back!" The 'priest' said, sounding like he was begging. The people who were holding the mirror began to back away.

All of them saw a knife appear in Alex/Daemon's hand before both of her eyes turned back to blue, and she lunged.

No one was around to hear their screams.