Demoness' Pet

I froze immediately when I saw the lion prowling across the sidewalk in front of Tom’s Pizza. It was definitely a rare sight, if not the most bizarre thing I had ever hoped to come across in the middle of town. I held my breath, admired the golden sheen of the mane, the fur. For the briefest of moments his speckled amber eyes locked with mine- and he vanished.

I stared, transfixed at where the lion had stood a second ago, when the door to the store behind me squealed open. My friend, Todd, stepped out with a bag in one hand. I recognized him from the corner of my eyes because of the trademark checkered baseball cap topping his six-foot six-inch height. He clapped a hand on my shoulder and said, “Hey, sorry it took so long. They had to check in the back for more of the orange hand soap you like.” He paused and waved a hand to my eyes. “Hello, Liam? You okay?”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m okay. I just spaced out for a bit.”

“You sure? I know how things have been pretty rough lately.” He handed me the bag and we started walking. “Have you been checking the newspaper ads for jobs? I saw one today for that sub shop on Birch Street.”

I sighed. “Not yet. I’m not in a hurry. Thanks for buying that little bit for me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Todd grinned and reached into his jeans pocket. “No problem. Want me to drive you home? My car’s coming up on the right.” His keys rattled as he fished them out.

“No, I’m good. I can walk from here.” 

“Okay then.” He unlocked the car door. “See ya later.”

“You have a goodnight.” I waved him off hastily and broke into a brisk walk. The rural Pennsylvania town was quite eerie on a starless night. There was hardly anyone out now, and the quiet ambiance put me on edge like the still silence before a predator strikes.

Usually I wouldn’t have declined Todd’s offer. Although I lived in an apartment on the border of town, I was lazy and carpooled with him a lot, especially since my car was at the shop getting repaired after a sudden accident involving trees and drunken teens.

Right now I had to find that lion. He had given me a warning and I wasn’t too comfortable with it. As far as I knew I wasn’t infringing on any pride’s territory.

I breathed in and searched for the lion’s scent. Nothing. How could a scent just disappear like that so quickly? Chances of finding him without a scent were very slim. The best option now: go home.

I began to jog when I passed an alley. If my memory was correct, then this was the one I took a shortcut through some time ago. Retracing my steps, I slipped into it and proceeded slowly. My night vision was six times superior to a human’s. It would be such a pain if I didn’t know where I was stepping at night. I honestly couldn’t fathom how they put up with it.

A scream pierced through the silence. It came from a distance in front of me. Soon I recognized the fresh, coppery reek of blood. Something was happening right near me. Something not good.

If I turned around now and ran there was a good possibility I’d make it home safe and unharmed. I should really mind my own business and go back, but an unbearable curiosity gripped my imagination and I kept moving forward. There had to be a time when curiosity didn’t kill the cat, right?

The bloods stench grew stronger and I heard yelling, panicked shouting. Here I go, I thought. Into the fray.

The next minute brought me to the rear of the alley which extended into a small paved area. Two dumpsters sat adjacent to each other, and behind them stretched a rusted wire fence. In the center of this were three men-or what seemed to be men- standing in a semicircle, all dressed in thin maroon robes. As I edged closer and peered from behind the corner I noticed that all of them were clutching handguns tightly.