DEMONIC WHISPERS

I dabbed at the mustard stain upon my jeans with my worn out napkin. It didn't come off. I had bought a corn dog and unfortunately, I had been mustard crazy. I wasn't attracting much attention at the park. I only spotted a couple of people running and/or sitting down at the other benches.

Shopping had cured my worries. Despite the fact that I hadn't bought anything, I enjoyed myself. I started my first job tomorrow, it was my free day, at an antique store. All I had to do was stand behind the register and wait for customers to come in. The manager would be in his office waiting for me to call him out so that he could help the customer.

I looked down at the mustard stain in vain. Only a wash could get that out. I crumbled the napkin and dropped it in the, surprisingly, not smell trash can beside me. I glanced behind me and didn't see anything or anyone in the bushes. Call me paranoid but I know what I saw at the bus stop. I was sure I hadn't seen a dog; it had been too fast and dogs didn't hide in bushes.

I had always been a believer of the paranormal and all that voodoo stuff. My dreams were proof of that belief. Demons did prey on the souls of people. I couldn't explain why I was having dreams about being eaten. I only hoped, for my sake, that they weren't after my soul. I didn't think that I tasted all that yummy.

I stood up deciding to go back to my dorm. As of late, I wasn't walking during the night. The sky had already darkened and it wasn't five yet. I should have gone back to the dorm earlier, I thought. Now my mind is going to be imaging things in the dark.

I grabbed my bag pack off the ground and shouldered it. I walked out of the park glancing at every shadow that I walked by. Paranoid . . .sang a little voice at the back of my head. At the end of the sidewalk, I stopped. The green light overhead was a beacon to cars. The lamp beside me was not helping my nerves. It made even more shadows.

The bright lights of the stores were just across the street. The light turned red and I walked across. Made it, I thought with relief. I hadn't even realized my heart had been pounding this entire time. There was a movement to my left. I frowned and unintentionally took a step toward the movement. Surely, I had to have imagined that.

I wanted to go investigate. Maybe someone needed my help. The idea seemed absurd. How could I ever help someone? But still, if they needed me . . . I walked to where I saw the movement. It was an alley: dark and scary and empty. I can run if I get in trouble,I thought. I walked in.

“Help,” I heard someone cry.

I didn't see anyone. Like I mention before, it was empty. A woman appeared in the alley running toward me. She had fear in her eyes. She kept looking behind her. I stood frozen in my spot. I couldn't see nothing behind her. She tripped and with a cry fell. I hurried toward her determined to help. I knelt beside her.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “Help,” she sobbed. “It's after me. . .”

I grabbed her from under her arms trying to lift her up. “Who is after you?” I asked.

She kept sobbing. Then she went hysterical. “HELP!” she screamed.

She was torn away from my grasp by an invisible force. I lunged my myself at her. By the time I hit the cold ground she was gone. N-no, I thought shaking. Where is she? What could have taken her? There was no one there!

I stood up and ran back to the exit. I had to get help. There was a mad murder on the loose. The smell of rotten eggs was strong in my nostrils. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed it before. There was soft scrapping behind me. I turned around seeing nothing. My heart pounded even harder. A sense of dé ja vu fell over me.

When did the alley get so long? I thought.

The hair on the back of my neck rose. A hand gripped my ankle and I fell. I cried out as my chin hit the ground. My books slammed into my back knocking the breath out of me. I looked over my shoulder in fear. There was something at my feet. I couldn't see the hand around my ankle but it was there.

“Help!” I yelled, “Someone please help me!”

I was dragged back into the alley. “NO!” I screamed.

I clawed at the the ground. I twisted around hoping to loosen the hand. It still held on to me. I dragged deeper into the alley. I screamed my head off hoping someone would hear me. I couldn't die just yet. I was still in college!

The smell of rotten eggs was so overwhelming, I almost gagged. My fingers were bleeding and my nails were barely stubs. Then my body stopped moving. Tears were rolling down my face. I was swirled around. I came face-to-face with my abductor.

I screamed.

It was the worst, evil face I had ever seen. It wasn't even human. This imp had a twisted grin on it's face. Rows of sharp teeth adorn his mouth. A dark liquid was splattered all over his chest and chin. I recoiled in horror. I was going to be eaten!

The thing started to laugh. I scrambled back, away from it. There was no way I was going to be eaten. I scrambled to my feet. My feet were knocked from under me. I hit my shoulder on the way down. Pain flared up my arm. I was going to die.

The imp got closer to me. His arms dragged as it walked toward me. His long, knife-like nails scrapped against the ground. That was what I had heard earlier. His left hand shot out capturing my left ankle. It slowly pulled me forward.

“N-no!” I yelled. “Please don't kill me! I don't taste so good!”

The imp kept grinning. It released his hold on my ankle and gripped my neck instead. I gasped. I couldn't breathe. It's mouth moved toward my face.

It came closer and closer . . .

I could smell the scent of blood from his breath.

It opened his mouth wider and with one final effort, I screamed.