Demoness' Pet

Chapter 2

The only sound I could hear was of the wind rushing past my ears. All I knew was that I was running through a narrow tunnel, a black nothingness that encompassed everything there was to know. It didn't matter how long I ran, how long I continued, the tunnel never ended. I pressed forward, urged my legs to keep moving. There was something behind me. I couldn't understand but I  knew that if I stopped, the thing behind me would win. I couldn't let that happen. A peculiar inner instinct pushed me forward. I kept going, kept running, but nothing was different. I was surrounded by a complete blackness that saturated every pore of my being. The next step I took had me sliding backwards, and I could distinctly smell the coppery odor of fresh blood, felt its warm stickiness clinging to my feet. I was baffled, stunned at the suddenness of the blood. An eerie laughter echoed in all directions, piercing my ears like the sound of shattering glass. I searched for the source, but instead witnessed three immobile heaps in front of me, maybe bags of flour. The blood on the ground glistened as a moonbeam spilled upon it, and the true forms of the heaps morphed before me. Two of the heaps were lions, the other a young lioness, brutally mutilated. A lump swelled in my throat as I peered over the deceased, noted every mark of violence, every scratch, every bruise. The ground caved in where I was standing, everything fell apart. The bodies and I were swallowed into a black hole, the space that engulfed everything was cracked into a million puzzle pieces. Something grabbed the back of my neck, pierced my flesh, and I screamed.

Cheshire purred like a motorboat on my chest. I rubbed her chin and looked up at the wall to see the clock. 10:35. A little later than usual, but not bad. My neck and back ached from sleeping on the floor, and it didn't help that my pillow was halfway under the couch. Jaz was still sound asleep. She was so quiet that if you didn't notice the covers rising and falling slowly you'd think she was dead.  I pushed the blankets to the side and stood with as little motion as possible so that the floor wouldn't creak with the shifting of weight. Holding my breath, I soundlessly maneuvered around the couch, through the hallway, and into my room.

After snatching my cell-phone which was on the nightstand next to the bed, I bounced onto the corner of the mattress and dialed the number of my best friend Claire. Her voice was like a fresh change of scenery to me. "Hello?"

"Claire, hey. It's Liam."

"Oh, hi, Liam. I was actually gonna call you later but you got to it first." I smiled. I always smiled when I was on the phone with her. Although she couldn't see me, I still grinned and couldn't help it.

Claire had this relaxing, happy quality about her voice that I enjoyed. "Are you busy?"

There was a pause. "Right now I'm at work, but I'll be done in about an hour.” “Why?"

"Well, something happened last night, and it's really complicated. I need you to do me a favor. Please?"

"Sure. I'd like to know what happened though."

My knee was shaking. "I met this girl and she really needed my help, so I helped her and took her to my place, but she's beat up real bad and I need some assistance with her. She was chased by some guys with guns and hasn't woken up yet since she fell asleep last night. Could you maybe bring over some clothes for her please?"

"Clothes? Like, what kind of clothes? Does she need a shirt or some socks-" She was interrupted as someone yelled something and silverware clanged. "I gotta go. I'll be over after I'm done here. Bye."

“Bye." I replied dully as she hastily hung up. Damn people and their damn work. I set the phone on a pillow and went back to the living room to check on Jaz. To my surprise she was awake and staring at the floor as listlessly as a porcelain doll. "Are you OK?" I asked.