The Seventh One

We. Tré, Billie and I, did a bunch during the day. We went outside and Tré insisted that we play 'hide and seek' in the forest surrounding his house. I was hesitant to be running around aimlessly in a woodsy area I'd never been. Only to get lost and have Billie eventually find me with a smirk on his face and a laugh about to erupt. So no thanks, I'll pass...
Billie and Tré insisted that I join them. Or that I at least count for them. I heaved a heavy sigh and turned to lean against a mossy tree lazily. Covered my face in my hands and began to count. I could hear they're laughter and footfalls as they sprinted away from my location. I suddenly felt so alone. After 45 seconds I spun around when I heard a twig snap. I'm not particularly afraid of the woods, more so of what lives and wanders in it. I stared into the heart of every shadow. Trying to keep my cool. I knew which way Tré's house was if I did need anything. But I wouldn't burn out on a good game of hide and seek. So I cautiously took my first step forward into the woods. Easing my way in with every step. I followed the ribbon of dirt trail that fell down between a few bushes in the shadows. I continued to walk until the canopy of leafs high above me blotted out all sunlight. It hadn't been very bright to begin with, actually overcast.
I kept walking at a slow, fluid speed. The only sound was the sound of the soles of my boots connecting and disconnecting with the moist forest floor. I listened to it intently to bring down my nerves. To calm myself. I was actually on the verge of relaxing into the game and actually enjoying it when I heard a big snap in the trees above me. My eyes flashed up but saw nothing. I was now, on the very verge of panicking again... I moved a little quicker when something hard hit me square in the shoulder. I stopped, frozen, praying that it was just Billie or Tré. I turned around. Hearing nothing but the birds tweeting pleasantly above. The cars whooshing by somewhere on a nearby street. The rustling in the leafs when a bird took flight. But eery quietness took over entirely. I looked head on where leafs shook behind a tree. I unconsciously reached over my shoulder and rubbed the area that now felt sore. It was an hard, rocklike item that I'd felt. But it was still there. Wedged into my skin I pulled it out to look at it. It was an stone dagger. The blade thin and on the verge of crumbling all together. Blood stained the blade. I felt every drop of warmth and comfort drain from my body. Leaving me cold and numb. The stone knife looked handmade, And what really freaked me out was that it didn't look any older than maybe a few days. Freshly carved as powder from the stone was still fresh. Warm wetness spread over my shoulder and I reached over. Touching the deep cut. Without another thought, I ripped off the bottom hem of my shirt with an large shredding sound that filled the empty air. I pulled it over my shoulder and pulled it around my arm and tied it tightly. I knew in my heart neither Tré or Billie would have done this. I was determined to find them now. I turned back the way I had been going and ran. Tripping occasionally and peeking everywhere they'd try to hide. Then. I started calming again, when a figure stepped out onto my path. I almost slammed into him in my hurry. But I froze. The blood ran from my face at the realization that I had nowhere to run. His familiar face. Grave and wiped with ash. The old tattered clothes and his scraggly white beard. The most memorable thing about him was the orange and yellow flames, flickering and lashing out behind him as they raked smoothly up and down his spine. It was him, the flaming  demon.
I choked on my breath in surprise. A mere three feet divided us. I looked at his face with the expression that I'm certain is fear... Every thought in my head went blank, and a high pitched scream sounded loudly in the air. I was startled, then realized I'd screamed, it was me. He grinned widely at my fear. I stumbled backward onto the damp ground. All sounds and signs of forest life fell silent. And I looked up at what may be my certain future. I scooted backward as far as I could before he took a step forward. Then a hand landed firmly on my shoulder. But not from the direction I'd expected. I let out another bloodcurdling scream and spun around to look behind me. My heart racing. Billie looked down at me in utter confusion. I looked back and the demon was gone. My proof.  I looked back at him. Taking in a big puff of relieved air and fell into his open arms greatly.  Hugging him for a bit while I waited for my heart to slow. I took a few more deep breaths and Tré arrived to the scene a few moments later. His expression pretty close to what Billie's had been. But j honestly was in no mood to explain to them why I screamed bloody murder. I honestly didn't even know I could scream like that.
I pulled back from Billie's chest within the following minutes. In no mood to start crying and feeling sorry for myself.

“Hey, what happened to your shirt?” Tré asked in absent minded curiosity. Lifting the torn bottom of my shirt.
Then his eyes wandered and saw the bloody mess my shoulder must have become. I looked down at the smooth soil. Feeling all eyes on me.
“Your shoulder...” Tré whispered in awe. As if he had no idea how I could have gotten hurt. I honestly didn't need him to know either. I just shrugged slightly and shot a look at the curious faced Billie. I'm pretty sure he read the problem in my features. He bearly nodded so Tré wouldn't notice.
I let out a breath of relief and looked away from my saviors. Out beyond the trees.

“We should probably go bandage up your shoulder.” Tré piped up. Climbing to his feet and turning to pull me up after him. I merely nodded and let them weave they're arms into mine so I wouldn't trip on the way back. I just let them guide them and listened to they're silence.
I was so happy to be out of the woods and standing on the edge of the stretch of scruffy grass to his house. We moved quickly and jogged up his front steps.
Tré left us in silence as he went down the hall to the bathroom to retrieve the first aid kit. I sat on the couch with Billie. Looking down as I wringed my hands together in my lap.

“What happened Amy?” he finally asked. His voice coming out in a cold whisper.

I took a deep breath and shifted my gaze to his face. “I saw him.” I whispered. Equally as cold as his.

His face darkened “Saw who Amy?”

“Him. The fire demon. He chucked a stone knife at me and stepped out in front of me while I was trying to find you and Tré.” I smiled softly.

He surprised me by chuckling. “Well one thing is certain, no more hide and seek in the woods.” he smiled over at me as Tré came back joyously into the living room. Billie was trying to lighten my mood, but I knew already this wasn't the last of the demon conversation. I looked down at my lap again as Billie helped Tré dress the wound. And would you believe that I'd actually been happy today? Ha.
They finished pretty quickly actually, Tré offered to come with when we walked back through the woods to Billie's car that we'd left on the boardwalk. I didn't want anything to do with the woods. So I offered that we enjoy a longer walk together around the block and avoid that chunk of forest all together. They nodded, but Billie could see straight through that plan. His eyes were lighter, but yet he seemed to act pressured by something. He's been acting like this since I told him about the demon.
We gathered our things and walked out of the house. Tré locking his front door behind him. We started walking west. It will be a good two block walk to get to the street we need and cruise out of the forests reach. Then a nice mile walk back to the boardwalk. I know I'm going a long way out of my way, but I'm not risking meeting the demon again. Not if I can avoid it.

I listened quietly to Billie and Tré's conversations. Full of laughter, and various subjects. But I knew from the beginning that eventually the conversations would loop back around to involve me in some kind of joke. I'd roll my eyes playfully and force a light laugh that ended up sounded more like a snort. Which didn't change the direction of their happy banter anyways. I thought about a lot of things myself. What were the answers to the many question I had? I honestly wish I had Jessie back to answer them all for me. Him, back... That dream feels so impossible and distant like a mountain I'll never reach. I wanted to curl up in a ball and pout right there on the sidewalk. But it was bad enough that I kept getting the occasional glance from Billie and Tré. Tré however, was still oblivious to how exactly I'd injured myself. So he was watching me extra carefully. I sighed and kept walking. Staying a safe three feet behind them so that they'd have to turn they're whole torso just to get a good look at me and my expressions. 
We got back to the car soon enough. Before we reached the car, the shiny ocean kicking waves on the bay were in our view first. Then the crush of the sand under our shoes as we marched toward the Parking lot a few yards away.
Billie offered Tré a ride straight away for his troubles, and Tré agreed. Until a pretty blonde walked past the car toward the beach and he waved off Billie and trotted down the sand towards her. Therefor declining the ride now.
Billie chuckled and climbed into the drivers seat. When we were buckled up, he didn't start the engine. Just stared out the windshield blankly.

“Billie?”

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned toward me “Yeah?”

I looked at his expression. Overall his face. I hadn't noticed how much I was draining him by embracing his offer to help me. He had shadows under his eyes like he literally hadn't slept for days. Of course I know that he is a insomniac, but still, he looked like a zombie. All I'd seen him do over the past couple of days was drink cup after cup of coffee and smoke away on cigarettes. I hadn't seen him smoke in a long time. It must be the stress. I can't hold him to me anymore. Rather he enjoys it or not, I know for a fact that no one enjoys being sleepless every night and surviving on caffeine. His eyes were darker and his hair was a mess, which really wasn't too unusual, but still. He looked drained.

“You need sleep.” I whispered. Looking over at him.

He shook his head and chuckled “I can't sleep... I'm an insomniac remember?” he tapped his head.

I smiled faintly. But still, I know that no matter what, eventually everyone sleeps... “I know... I just, ugh... Feel like I'm dragging you down. You need sleep, or you'll get sick and then what good will that do the investigation?”

I reasoned with him and watched his expression soften.
“Ok, alright Amy. I'll go take a nap when we get home. But Amy... Can we talk about something?” his expression was hopeful, but sheepish like he really didn't want to broach the subject. I could already feel in my gut what he wanted to discuss.

I nodded freely “Yeah sure. What?”

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Amy. I know this whole thing... Is terrible and no one should ever be burdened with the job of finishing the work left behind by someone you love. Especially you. You are too happy of a person to be weighed down by it, and I'm worried you may not like the answer you get in the end. Do you understand what I'm getting at? I'm trying to do what's best.”
He opened his eyes and looked at me seriously.

I nodded once and looked down “Billie. I do realize what you're saying and yes it's very heavy to have on my shoulders. But no matter the final answer I get, I'll be happy because... Well because I did it for Jessie. And somewhere in my heart, I know he'd be proud.” 

Billie looked at me for a long moment. Rain drops were beginning to fall from the sky and land on the windshield. His expression looked like a blind man seeing light for the first time. Realizing what I wanted from it. And that it was merely more than just to enjoy the fruits of the labor if it's was some kind of treasure or something. Even so, Jessie didn't seem like the person to burden someone with such a great secret unless he knew they could handle it. And I could. I was determined.

“So about that demon Amy...” he began again.

“It's no worries, I just don't want to see it again.” I answered. His expression was unbelieving that I just wanted to let it go. Actually, I wanted to talk about it. Just the Fact that the unusual paranormal phenomenon he had to share with me, the fact that it wasn't his normal life... I didn't want to change his life in any way.

He chuckled and started the engine and began to drive home. 
I was right about that though, he didn't let go of it, he asked occasional questions on the way back to his neighborhood. And I answered the best I could. He put his car back into the garage and we trucked it into the house under the pouring rain. He obediently dropped onto the black leather couch in the living room for his nap and instructed me to hang around until he passed out. He watched me from his lying position on the couch. 
I flopped back and closed my eyes. Having a small conversation with him until I stopped getting answers, I opened one eyes to see him passed out peacefully on the couch.
I smiled to myself and closed my eyes again and sunk into my own nap. Adrienne wouldn't be home for another hour so 
The house would be quiet. I gratefully fell asleep And caught up on the sleep I'd missed out on the night before.