Red Bones

Bookman

Key Twelve: Bookman:

"Lavi!" Ami wailed in her hospital bad. "Lavi! Lavi!"

"He's not here," an old man's voice said. Ami's eyes trailed downwards. Bookman sat at the foot of her bed.

"Oh, it's you," she said. "Where's Lavi?"

"Out," Bookman said.

"Oh," Ami said in a flat tone. Bookman held a talisman in his right hand. Six months in and this child was making things worse at an alarming rate. It turned into six months last night. The demonic presence around that damned child was getting worse. Bookman knew he couldn't stop what was coming, but he could try something.

"Why are you here?" Ami asked.

"I am going to stay with you until you are discharged from the hospital," Bookman said.

"Why would you do that?"

Bookman didn't answer. Did he always have to look at her with judging eyes? From the first meeting, this old man didn't like her. Ami rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I'm hungry," she said. The heiress reached over for the remote.

"Nurse!" she yelled. "Where's my breakfast? Nurse! Nurse!" Bookman frowned at her. What did Lavi see in her?

Bookman had to wait until nightfall. Too many people were coming in and out of the room. He wouldn't leave the foot of her bed.

"How long are you going to stay there?" Ami asked. Bookman didn't answer. She folded her arms across her chest.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Ami asked. He doesn't speak. He still won't let go of talisman in his hand. The whole time, he wouldn't let down his guard. The old angel kept his eyes and ears open for any demons waiting for him to leave.

Right now, Ami lay asleep in bed. He could see the shape of her belly under the sheets. Bookman could hear the whispers from the unborn baby inside. He had one chance to get tis right.

The old man held out his talisman. The golden paper started to glow. Bookman's eyes trailed around above his head.

"I know you are here," he said. "Come out and show yourself." The room grew colder. A trail of vapor floated through the air. Bookman moved his talisman into a cross motion. He began his chanting. Ami started crying out in her sleep. Chattering circled the old angel's ears. He wouldn't let up. His grip tightened on his talisman. Bookman's chanting grew louder. Even the heat from his talisman didn't break his concentration.

"Do you think this will stop me?!" a high-pitched voice at a rapid tone asked. Bookman didn't respond. The presence was circling him now. Left, right, front, back, above, below. The angel chanted louder. Ami screamed louder as sweat covered her body.

"What's going on here?!" a voice asked from the doorway. Bookman wouldn't turn around. No one would break through the barrier he set up earlier.

"You will not win!" the voice shouted around his head. "You will not win! You will not win! You will not win!" Bookman opened his eyes.

"There!" he shouted. The angel pulled out a small silver nail and stabbed the air. Ami's body tensed up in her sleep as she let out a breathless scream.

"What have you done?!" a voice screamed. But which one was it? Was it behind him or in front of him? Bookman couldn't tell. The clear flesh pulsed around the nail. Small red cracks formed in the air. The voice panted in pain. Bookman smirked.

"I got you," he said. A pair of golden eyes glared at him.

"You!" the voice hissed. Bookman smirked.

"Still not showing your face, huh?" he asked.

"Fuck you!" it shouted. The nail held them in place. More cracks began to form. Bookman could even see the veins in the thin air.

"What do you want with this child?" he asked.

"What's it to you?!" the voice barked.

"My student is involved with the child's mother."

"Your student? What are you...?" It started to click in the intruder's head. "Oh! Your student is this baby's father!"

"He will not claim this child as your own."

The voice laughed. "You sound so sure about that." The eyes narrowed at a frowning Bookman.

"I'm not going to tell you anything," it hissed.

"You don't need to," Bookman said. "You are not my target."

"What?!" the voice hissed.

"You won't be around for a long anyway," the angel said. "That nail is going to break down your body and you will cease to be.

"Wait! Wait! I do know something! Gah! It's burning! What the hell is this nail? It hurts! It hurts!"

"Nail dipped in holy water," Bookman said. "You got forty-five seconds before your body breaks down. So you better start talking."

"Fuck you!" the voice shouted. "Fuck you!" Little fires covered its body.

"You better start talking," the angel said.

"Fine! The Woman in Red is coming for that baby."

"Go on..."

"He will be our new king. The Woman in Red will lead him to rule of this world. You are too late to stop it. It's all over for..." The bodyless vanished as the blames burned away. Bookman stood silent.

That was all that he needed to know.

By morning, Ami awoke covered in sweat. She found herself alone as she rubbed the back of her neck. Was all that a dream last night? Ami looked up when she heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked. She looked up to see another nurse standing in the doorway with paperwork. She broke into a huge smile.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yes," Ami said. She climbed out of bed as the nurse handed her the paperwork. Three signatures later, the pregnant heiress was on her way home.

She had no idea that something else was following her home.