10 October 2012
Theo held the blade up, making sure I got a good look at it in the low light of the kitchen. My face must have betrayed the disquieting thoughts that flashed through my mind, as Theo's smile grew wider. That was no ordinary weapon and it was dangerous. Much too dangerous to be in the care of such a reckless mortal.
"Oh," Theo started, his tone one of condescension, "I guess you've seen this blade before."
"Do you know what you are doing, bringing that...abomination here, to me?" I said, quietly.
"I know it's one of the only weapons that can actually kill you, for good," he replied, "and then only if I take your head."
"You're wrong," I said flatly, "if my blood touches that blade...we will both end up dead. Or worse. Just leave," I started, hardly believing my own words, "while you still can."
"I think not," Theo frowned, "you are sadly mistaken if you think I can be fooled so easily."
Without warning, he leapt towards me, slashing the blade out in front of him. It hummed as it skimmed through the air; I dodged, but the sharp edge of the knife cut a clean slit through my shirt and grazed my stomach beneath. The tiniest dribble of crimson blood flecked the blade; I held my breath. Theo dropped the knife with a yelp, his hand burned by the handle, which was now glowing white-hot.
"You idiot," I spat, anger and fear edging in to my voice, "you've released it."
"Released what...?" he started - I didn't have time to answer. The knife exploded into a thousand tiny shards, releasing a pool of seething blackness into my kitchen. The apparition phased and blurred, distorting the air around it into ripples, not unlike a mirage, before settling on the form of a foul, gargoyle-like creature. It turned to Theo and with a carefully aimed swipe threw his body into the glass cabinet; he slumped to the floor, unmoving. The daemon glared at me with spectral red eyes as if sizing me up. I bared my fangs in warning, letting a guttural growl escape my throat. Thinking better of challenging me, the daemon instead spread it's large, black bony wings and, with one powerful flap, burst through my kitchen window into the street. The screams of terrified mortals filled the night.
"Trick or treat," I muttered sarcastically. Now I was never going to finish my book. Theo gave a quiet groan from his prone position amongst the debris of my cabinet. I crossed the room and offered him my hand; he eyed me suspiciously.
"I'm not going to hurt you, not yet anyway," I said, "we have bigger problems. And you should consider yourself lucky not to be dead already."
Theo took my outstretched hand and I helped him to his feet. The trickles of blood running down his face were genuine this time; the glass doors of the cabinet had created a cross-cross of paper-thin cuts on any exposed skin. He looked shocked and his green eyes glowed with fear and confusion.
"What the hell just happened?" He asked, righting an upended kitchen chair and sitting on it, wincing
"You just released a daemon into my kitchen," I replied, "and now it's eating the neighbours souls."
Trick Or Treat - Part Four • Opuss № I