HOME | DD

Description
Al took a deep breath and shut her book. Nothing new, of course not. She attempted to blink the blurriness from her eyes. She really needed to go out, but there was no time, she'd just have to power through it.

"Just a little break." She whispered to herself.

"No time to dilly-dally."

She whipped around, jumping to her feet. A familiar young man lounged on the back of the sofa. His clothes had changed some since his appearances at her parties, but the vivid colors remained the same. The silken kimono looked like it had come off the set of a cheesy Japanese historical drama. He took a puff from a long thin pipe.

"You don't mind if I smoke do you? Interacting with humans is quite stressful for me these days."

Al balled her fists. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

He motioned toward the door. "It was unlocked."

"Funny, I didn't hear anything. Also strange that I don't smell any smoke."

He blew white tendrils of smoke through his lips and stowed the pipe away in a billowy sleeve. "I'm exceptionally quiet and you were very distracted. I assure you it was no magic that allowed me inside." He thumped on his chest. "I'm quite solid."

"That only answers one question."

"I'm not here to answer your questions. I'm here about the demon. I'm sure you know which one."

Al narrowed her eyes on him. "Is that why you were so interested in Gerry?"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed before swinging his legs off the couch. He stood smoothing his clothes. "Motives, motives. Everything thing is motive with you people. I interacted therefore I must have a desire, I must be after something. " He shook his hair out. "It's infuriating."

"If people didn't want things the world would never move. Everyone and everything has wants and needs. I don't think you're any different." She said calmly.

"My needs harm no one. Every time I've played into the desires of a human I've been hurt. I tire of it. I did well to keep to myself, but then you two showed up. The thing you brought here will not be fond of me, but my safety is not the concern here. My kind is near extinction as it is, I'm certain my presence would not be missed. Especially if there is no one around to miss it."

Al smirked. "And here it sounded like you didn't like humans."

"Affection plays little role. When one's sole reason for existence is to protect humans it is difficult to shake the urge. The bloodline that created me is long gone, but here I remain, with no other purpose."

"Just what are you?"

He stepped lightly on his way to the kitchen. "The word used when I was young, no longer exists. Dead language for a dead people." He hopped up onto the counter to sit. "Now, stop worrying about me. Your seal is faulty and it is failing."

Al winced. "I was afraid of that."

"What will you do about it?"

"What can I do? Gerry has my hands tied. His other flings weren't a problem, this one has authority. I can't force him to come home so I can fix the seal."

He cocked his head to the side. "I was under the impression that you could. He has a libido."

"That's not an option... It hasn't come to that yet."

"Spare me." He tossed his head back . "Things are worse than you seem to believe. It is slipping through and only suffering will come of it."

"You think I don't know what's at stake here? Do you think I haven't thought about it every single day since his possession? If there was an easy way out of this I-"

"There is a very easy way out."

Al shook her head. "No, that was never an option."

He met her eyes then. "Never even considered it? Not even once?"

"I can't say the thought didn't cross my mind, but there are lines I don't cross."

"But you've crossed so many. Just can't give up your pet can you?"

Her jaw clinched and her lips drew tight. Her fingernails dug painfully into her palms. "I made a promise." she spat. "I intend to keep it."

The stranger smiled and slid to his feet. "I'll buy you what time I can, but do hurry. "
He took a silken bag out of his sleeve and placed it into her hands. "I know what you plan to do, but I'm unconvinced your will power alone is enough. We can all use a little fortification now and then." He tilted his head to the side as she weighted the bag in her hand. "That spell is very old, older than your little book. Mostly forgotten. Old magic is generally just as unpleasant as it is effective." He leaned in dropping his voice low. "This potion is very, very effective."

Al looked up at him without lifting her head. "Are you trying to scare me?"

A sly smile spread across his face. "Heavens no, it's just a warning. I maybe a trickster, but letting you believe that was anything like a modern potion... that's simple cruelty."

"And why should I trust you?"

He shrugged and spun on his toes around her on his way to the door. "Trust or trust not, that is up to you." He pulled open the door and slipped into the hall. "Ja-ne."

Al looked back at the bag in her hands and carefully opened it. Inside were several smaller bags and a small scroll. She unrolled it to find instructions and a list of additional ingredients.

"Lovely calligraphy. A regular old note in ball point would have sufficed though. "

Mrs. Eckstein watched Gerry clear the walkway from the window as Pepper spoke.
"That's why he was absent yesterday, but he seems much better today. Still I'd really appreciate it if you'd give me a call if you notice him acting out of the ordinary."

"I would have never known." The old woman whispered. "I knew he had memory problems, but..."

"He's unfortunately very good at hiding his problems-"

"Tell me about it! I had to take it upon myself to have something done about the snot-nosed punk next door. He would have been fired on the spot when he came in, if he had. No call-no showed his way out of that business."

"Punk next door?"

"Gerry didn't want to make a fuss of it, but the brat is gone now. School-bully, pushing him down, teasing-"

Pepper crossed her arms. "The ladder?"

She nodded. "I couldn't get him to call the police out."

Pepper shook her head her cheeks going red. "I knew something was up. I don't know why he is so stubborn. That's why I wanted ask you this favor in private."

"I don't mind keeping an eye on him."

Pepper smiled. "Thank you so much. It would really take a load off of my mind-" She paused and frowned. "Who's that?"

Mrs. Eckstein looked over her shoulder and spotted a young woman talking to Gerry.
"Couldn't tell you. The dear boy has been quite popular lately."

Gerry gripped his push broom to his chest and stared hard at the ground.

"I'm not joking Gerry, you need to come home." Al said firmly her voice her own while her body was that of a stranger.

Gerry shook his head. "No, Pepper is helping me get better..."

Al narrowed her eyes. "Better from what?"

He pushed his hair out of his face. "From this. From this bullshit fantasyland I've been drowning in. It's not real, none of it makes sense-"

"Are you serious?" Al's voice went cold. "You can't seriously believe our whole lives are make-believe."

"Think about it Al, no one else believes in magic and demons. We grew up in a cult- we were brainwashed-"

Al laughed, but there wasn't any humor in it. "You always were naive, but this? This takes it to a whole new level! After everything we've seen and done! I mean, look at me!"

He shook his head again with agitation. "That's just a delusion, it's all in my head-"

"How the fuck would I know what you see Gerry? Think about that. You need to come home, bad things will happen if you don't-"

Gerry's head shot up. "Pepper, make Al leave!"

Al glanced over her shoulder to find Pepper watching them from the doorway. She gave Gerry a confused look. "Never mind, I'll ask someone else." She said for Pepper's benefit. She lowered her voice as she passed Gerry. "I warned you."

Pepper stepped forward and touched his arm. "Gerry, are you sure you wanna work today? We can go home- I can take a sick day."

"I'm fine now that Al's gone. She won't be so bold with you around-"

"Gerry, that wasn't Al. Okay? That wasn't Al."

"But..." He wet his lips.

"We can go home. Your boss knows the situation."

He frowned. "Would you stop telling everyone that I'm a fruitcake already."

"You are not a fruitcake. She needed to know that you're on new medication-"

"It's nobody's goddamn business!" He snapped.

Pepper sighed. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, stop getting so pissy about it."

"I have work to do." He grumbled brushing past her on his way back inside.

She took a steadying breath before getting into her car. He just needed time to adjust, that was all.

"Some stinking tourists messed up non-fiction." Mrs. Eckstein growled. "Take care of that would you."

Gerry smiled, at least someone knew he wasn't an invalid. "On it."

He found the section in shambles. Books had been place haphazardly on the shelves and several had just been tossed onto a nearby tables. The perpetrators had obviously just been making plans to visit a much bigger city just a few hours away. He went to work grabbing rogue books and sliding them back into the proper slots.

Soon the up and down took its toll. Just twenty books in and he had to pause, squeezing his eyes shut and leaning his head on the shelf. He heard the familiar shuffle-thumps of his boss' gate, but jerking his head up wasn't an option if he wanted to stay upright.

"Dizzy?" Mrs. Eckstein asked in a voice softer than usual.

Gerry nodded weakly without opening his eyes.

"Take five. If you fall out you're likely to take half the shop with you, gangly fool."

He grinned. True, in the tight quarters a tumble in any direction would land him in a heap of furniture and books.

He remained in place until the spiraling in his head eased up enough for him to take a seat at the table. He just rested his face on the cool wood at first. It felt good, refreshing. He sat up at last and pulled a book in front of himself. The travel guide had been left open on a page describing botanical gardens. A lot of good it would do them in the dead of winter. He flipped absently through the colorful photos of local festivals and attractions. Too soon he reached the end of the photos and two walls of text filled the pages. The florescent lights above flickered distorting the type.

Gerry looked up at the lights, they gave off an insectoid buzzing as they flashed. "Bubbe, is the power going out?"

"It's pretty icy out, probably a limb on the line." He heard the familiar sound of her shuffling and his cup was sat down beside him. The spicy sent of chai filled his nose. "Sip at that if you feel up to it."

"You didn't have to do that-"

She just smiled and patted him on the shoulder. He swallowed hard and rested his head on the book, not something he'd normally condone. The sporadic light had his head swimming again. He closed his eyes , but the darkness grew tiring. He stared instead at his cup. The beautiful colors and serene dragonflies seemed more sinister in the irregular lighting. It was as if he could almost catch the movement of a wing or the stiff crick of a leg. Was that buzzing really coming from the ceiling?

He no longer wanted to look at the cup. He sat up, his head felt far too heavy, saturated. He took a deep breath and decided he would go back to his book, but as he looked down the pages were nearly blank. It looked as though all the letters had slide down into the binding. He tilted his head to the side. Had he done this somehow? He scratched lightly at the clumps of text. They seemed to vibrate with the disturbance. He just needed to fix the pages before anyone noticed. He scratched a little harder. The letters sprang to life, but they had changed. Hundreds, thousands of inky bugs erupted from the binding. Small with many legs, they charged up his arms.

Gerry yelped jumping from his seat and scooting the table across the floor with a high pitched squeal. He batted at his arms frantically.

"Gerald?" Mrs. Eckstein called from around the corner.

Dragonflies pulled themselves free of ceramic, wings making a retched hum. He backhanded the cup, sending it smashing into a bookshelf. The books rattled, reinforcements at the ready.

"Gerald!" She shouted rounding the corner.

They were coming. More of them. Millions. He gripped the table and heaved, flipping it into the shelves. Must slow them down.

"Gerald! Stop! What's wrong?!"

The humming didn't stop. Must escape. He ran for the bathroom. Slammed the door shut and locked it. He ripped the paper towels from the wall. Jammed sheet after crumpled sheet into the bottom crack. Can't let them in. Can't let a single one in. He panted. "What do they want, what do they want?"

"They want to eat you. That's all."

He froze as the monsters outside beat against the door. Called his name.

"You really shouldn't resist. It will only make them angry."

He pressed his forehead against the door. "Go away. You aren't real."

"Aren't I?" Cold hands pushed against his back.

He whipped around, swinging as he did, but Al was against the opposite wall of the bathroom. Just out of reach. She smiled at him, her face and sundress splattered with blood. She kept her arms behind her back, fingers interlaced most coyly. "Stop trying to make your role bigger than it is. Everything that lives, must die and everything that dies must be devoured."

He shook his head. "No, you aren't real. None of this is real-" He pulled a bottle from his pocket. Hastily he twisted off the cap and popped a pill into his mouth.

Al grinned. "You'll have to do better than that. I'm still here."

Description
Al took a deep breath and shut her book. Nothing new, of course not. She attempted to blink the blurriness from her eyes. She really needed to go out, but there was no time, she'd just have to power through it.

"Just a little break." She whispered to herself.

"No time to dilly-dally."

She whipped around, jumping to her feet. A familiar young man lounged on the back of the sofa. His clothes had changed some since his appearances at her parties, but the vivid colors remained the same. The silken kimono looked like it had come off the set of a cheesy Japanese historical drama. He took a puff from a long thin pipe.

"You don't mind if I smoke do you? Interacting with humans is quite stressful for me these days."

Al balled her fists. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

He motioned toward the door. "It was unlocked."

"Funny, I didn't hear anything. Also strange that I don't smell any smoke."

He blew white tendrils of smoke through his lips and stowed the pipe away in a billowy sleeve. "I'm exceptionally quiet and you were very distracted. I assure you it was no magic that allowed me inside." He thumped on his chest. "I'm quite solid."

"That only answers one question."

"I'm not here to answer your questions. I'm here about the demon. I'm sure you know which one."

Al narrowed her eyes on him. "Is that why you were so interested in Gerry?"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed before swinging his legs off the couch. He stood smoothing his clothes. "Motives, motives. Everything thing is motive with you people. I interacted therefore I must have a desire, I must be after something. " He shook his hair out. "It's infuriating."

"If people didn't want things the world would never move. Everyone and everything has wants and needs. I don't think you're any different." She said calmly.

"My needs harm no one. Every time I've played into the desires of a human I've been hurt. I tire of it. I did well to keep to myself, but then you two showed up. The thing you brought here will not be fond of me, but my safety is not the concern here. My kind is near extinction as it is, I'm certain my presence would not be missed. Especially if there is no one around to miss it."

Al smirked. "And here it sounded like you didn't like humans."

"Affection plays little role. When one's sole reason for existence is to protect humans it is difficult to shake the urge. The bloodline that created me is long gone, but here I remain, with no other purpose."

"Just what are you?"

He stepped lightly on his way to the kitchen. "The word used when I was young, no longer exists. Dead language for a dead people." He hopped up onto the counter to sit. "Now, stop worrying about me. Your seal is faulty and it is failing."

Al winced. "I was afraid of that."

"What will you do about it?"

"What can I do? Gerry has my hands tied. His other flings weren't a problem, this one has authority. I can't force him to come home so I can fix the seal."

He cocked his head to the side. "I was under the impression that you could. He has a libido."

"That's not an option... It hasn't come to that yet."

"Spare me." He tossed his head back . "Things are worse than you seem to believe. It is slipping through and only suffering will come of it."

"You think I don't know what's at stake here? Do you think I haven't thought about it every single day since his possession? If there was an easy way out of this I-"

"There is a very easy way out."

Al shook her head. "No, that was never an option."

He met her eyes then. "Never even considered it? Not even once?"

"I can't say the thought didn't cross my mind, but there are lines I don't cross."

"But you've crossed so many. Just can't give up your pet can you?"

Her jaw clinched and her lips drew tight. Her fingernails dug painfully into her palms. "I made a promise." she spat. "I intend to keep it."

The stranger smiled and slid to his feet. "I'll buy you what time I can, but do hurry. "
He took a silken bag out of his sleeve and placed it into her hands. "I know what you plan to do, but I'm unconvinced your will power alone is enough. We can all use a little fortification now and then." He tilted his head to the side as she weighted the bag in her hand. "That spell is very old, older than your little book. Mostly forgotten. Old magic is generally just as unpleasant as it is effective." He leaned in dropping his voice low. "This potion is very, very effective."

Al looked up at him without lifting her head. "Are you trying to scare me?"

A sly smile spread across his face. "Heavens no, it's just a warning. I maybe a trickster, but letting you believe that was anything like a modern potion... that's simple cruelty."

"And why should I trust you?"

He shrugged and spun on his toes around her on his way to the door. "Trust or trust not, that is up to you." He pulled open the door and slipped into the hall. "Ja-ne."

Al looked back at the bag in her hands and carefully opened it. Inside were several smaller bags and a small scroll. She unrolled it to find instructions and a list of additional ingredients.

"Lovely calligraphy. A regular old note in ball point would have sufficed though. "

Mrs. Eckstein watched Gerry clear the walkway from the window as Pepper spoke.
"That's why he was absent yesterday, but he seems much better today. Still I'd really appreciate it if you'd give me a call if you notice him acting out of the ordinary."

"I would have never known." The old woman whispered. "I knew he had memory problems, but..."

"He's unfortunately very good at hiding his problems-"

"Tell me about it! I had to take it upon myself to have something done about the snot-nosed punk next door. He would have been fired on the spot when he came in, if he had. No call-no showed his way out of that business."

"Punk next door?"

"Gerry didn't want to make a fuss of it, but the brat is gone now. School-bully, pushing him down, teasing-"

Pepper crossed her arms. "The ladder?"

She nodded. "I couldn't get him to call the police out."

Pepper shook her head her cheeks going red. "I knew something was up. I don't know why he is so stubborn. That's why I wanted ask you this favor in private."

"I don't mind keeping an eye on him."

Pepper smiled. "Thank you so much. It would really take a load off of my mind-" She paused and frowned. "Who's that?"

Mrs. Eckstein looked over her shoulder and spotted a young woman talking to Gerry.
"Couldn't tell you. The dear boy has been quite popular lately."

Gerry gripped his push broom to his chest and stared hard at the ground.

"I'm not joking Gerry, you need to come home." Al said firmly her voice her own while her body was that of a stranger.

Gerry shook his head. "No, Pepper is helping me get better..."

Al narrowed her eyes. "Better from what?"

He pushed his hair out of his face. "From this. From this bullshit fantasyland I've been drowning in. It's not real, none of it makes sense-"

"Are you serious?" Al's voice went cold. "You can't seriously believe our whole lives are make-believe."

"Think about it Al, no one else believes in magic and demons. We grew up in a cult- we were brainwashed-"

Al laughed, but there wasn't any humor in it. "You always were naive, but this? This takes it to a whole new level! After everything we've seen and done! I mean, look at me!"

He shook his head again with agitation. "That's just a delusion, it's all in my head-"

"How the fuck would I know what you see Gerry? Think about that. You need to come home, bad things will happen if you don't-"

Gerry's head shot up. "Pepper, make Al leave!"

Al glanced over her shoulder to find Pepper watching them from the doorway. She gave Gerry a confused look. "Never mind, I'll ask someone else." She said for Pepper's benefit. She lowered her voice as she passed Gerry. "I warned you."

Pepper stepped forward and touched his arm. "Gerry, are you sure you wanna work today? We can go home- I can take a sick day."

"I'm fine now that Al's gone. She won't be so bold with you around-"

"Gerry, that wasn't Al. Okay? That wasn't Al."

"But..." He wet his lips.

"We can go home. Your boss knows the situation."

He frowned. "Would you stop telling everyone that I'm a fruitcake already."

"You are not a fruitcake. She needed to know that you're on new medication-"

"It's nobody's goddamn business!" He snapped.

Pepper sighed. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, stop getting so pissy about it."

"I have work to do." He grumbled brushing past her on his way back inside.

She took a steadying breath before getting into her car. He just needed time to adjust, that was all.

"Some stinking tourists messed up non-fiction." Mrs. Eckstein growled. "Take care of that would you."

Gerry smiled, at least someone knew he wasn't an invalid. "On it."

He found the section in shambles. Books had been place haphazardly on the shelves and several had just been tossed onto a nearby tables. The perpetrators had obviously just been making plans to visit a much bigger city just a few hours away. He went to work grabbing rogue books and sliding them back into the proper slots.

Soon the up and down took its toll. Just twenty books in and he had to pause, squeezing his eyes shut and leaning his head on the shelf. He heard the familiar shuffle-thumps of his boss' gate, but jerking his head up wasn't an option if he wanted to stay upright.

"Dizzy?" Mrs. Eckstein asked in a voice softer than usual.

Gerry nodded weakly without opening his eyes.

"Take five. If you fall out you're likely to take half the shop with you, gangly fool."

He grinned. True, in the tight quarters a tumble in any direction would land him in a heap of furniture and books.

He remained in place until the spiraling in his head eased up enough for him to take a seat at the table. He just rested his face on the cool wood at first. It felt good, refreshing. He sat up at last and pulled a book in front of himself. The travel guide had been left open on a page describing botanical gardens. A lot of good it would do them in the dead of winter. He flipped absently through the colorful photos of local festivals and attractions. Too soon he reached the end of the photos and two walls of text filled the pages. The florescent lights above flickered distorting the type.

Gerry looked up at the lights, they gave off an insectoid buzzing as they flashed. "Bubbe, is the power going out?"

"It's pretty icy out, probably a limb on the line." He heard the familiar sound of her shuffling and his cup was sat down beside him. The spicy sent of chai filled his nose. "Sip at that if you feel up to it."

"You didn't have to do that-"

She just smiled and patted him on the shoulder. He swallowed hard and rested his head on the book, not something he'd normally condone. The sporadic light had his head swimming again. He closed his eyes , but the darkness grew tiring. He stared instead at his cup. The beautiful colors and serene dragonflies seemed more sinister in the irregular lighting. It was as if he could almost catch the movement of a wing or the stiff crick of a leg. Was that buzzing really coming from the ceiling?

He no longer wanted to look at the cup. He sat up, his head felt far too heavy, saturated. He took a deep breath and decided he would go back to his book, but as he looked down the pages were nearly blank. It looked as though all the letters had slide down into the binding. He tilted his head to the side. Had he done this somehow? He scratched lightly at the clumps of text. They seemed to vibrate with the disturbance. He just needed to fix the pages before anyone noticed. He scratched a little harder. The letters sprang to life, but they had changed. Hundreds, thousands of inky bugs erupted from the binding. Small with many legs, they charged up his arms.

Gerry yelped jumping from his seat and scooting the table across the floor with a high pitched squeal. He batted at his arms frantically.

"Gerald?" Mrs. Eckstein called from around the corner.

Dragonflies pulled themselves free of ceramic, wings making a retched hum. He backhanded the cup, sending it smashing into a bookshelf. The books rattled, reinforcements at the ready.

"Gerald!" She shouted rounding the corner.

They were coming. More of them. Millions. He gripped the table and heaved, flipping it into the shelves. Must slow them down.

"Gerald! Stop! What's wrong?!"

The humming didn't stop. Must escape. He ran for the bathroom. Slammed the door shut and locked it. He ripped the paper towels from the wall. Jammed sheet after crumpled sheet into the bottom crack. Can't let them in. Can't let a single one in. He panted. "What do they want, what do they want?"

"They want to eat you. That's all."

He froze as the monsters outside beat against the door. Called his name.

"You really shouldn't resist. It will only make them angry."

He pressed his forehead against the door. "Go away. You aren't real."

"Aren't I?" Cold hands pushed against his back.

He whipped around, swinging as he did, but Al was against the opposite wall of the bathroom. Just out of reach. She smiled at him, her face and sundress splattered with blood. She kept her arms behind her back, fingers interlaced most coyly. "Stop trying to make your role bigger than it is. Everything that lives, must die and everything that dies must be devoured."

He shook his head. "No, you aren't real. None of this is real-" He pulled a bottle from his pocket. Hastily he twisted off the cap and popped a pill into his mouth.

Al grinned. "You'll have to do better than that. I'm still here."