Almost Demon (The Sigil Cycle) (3 page)

Is this the part where I started praying? Our family stopped going to church the day my mother walked out the door and never came back. If I gave in, it would all go away. Everything would stop, including the pain, and I wouldn’t have to figure out what came next.

The small voice in the back of my head that always sounded like Brian told me to get over it. There was no way I was giving up. That’s when my instincts kicked in. Allison was inching her way towards me. Picturing Brian’s face, I gathered up all of my remaining strength and released the mournful dirge that had been bottled up inside me. I kept the stream going until the being’s grip was loosened, freeing my arms. The steady drone of my voice filled my ears and I wrestled out of the spirit’s hold. 

The dark ghost refocused its attention on Allison. She picked up her pace as the fog around her grew thicker. I huddled closer to the ground, away from the battering wind that was surrounding her. 

I kept screaming, hoping someone would come to help but it continued to swirl, creating a vortex of endless energy. With every spin, it delved deeper into Allison’s body. And then everything stopped. The haze cleared and the air settled. The spirit was no longer standing in the hallway but peering at me from behind Allison’s eyes, which had turned from hazel to a black as thick as ink. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” A voice came from down the hall. Someone was coming. 

I watched as the newly-possessed Allison flung the jump rope onto her shoulder.

“Hey there, hot stuff,” she replied. “Just showing Gem here some moves. Since her leg is all messed up.” 

When he turned the corner, I got my first look at the mystery guy and was relieved. His board shorts hung low on his lean waist and the slight tan coupled with his azure eyes conjured images of sand and surf. I watched as he ran a hand through his black hair.

“Hey,” he said, tilting his head towards me. His biceps flexed beneath his white tee. 

“Hey, yourself,” Allison smoothed down the front of her gray crepe blouse and did a signature flip of her long auburn hair. “You’re new.” The corner of her lip turned up in a half smile and I watched the shadow in her eyes dissipate. As Allison walked away, I felt the tension in the air release. I gripped the sides of my arms and massaged the cold dread that had me pinned to the wall only seconds ago. 

“I couldn’t help noticing you and your friend there.” he answered.

“Right, friend.” I watched as Allison walked her fingers across his forearm. “I’m Allison.

He pulled back and I caught his gaze. “Ian.” His eyes softened. 

Before I could form a coherent thought, Allison, obviously in search of my brother’s replacement, threaded her arm through Ian’s and spun him around, leading him away. He looked back over his shoulder but continued walking while Allison blabbed about the town and her upcoming back-to-school party. I made no move to follow them. This was the first time I had seen the blackness do anything other than sit on its proverbial behind and, for now, I was staying very far away from Allison.

 Slowly, I peeled myself off the concrete wall and checked the hallway. Empty. The school bell rang, followed by the usual bustle of students out into the hallway. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and jumped. Books went flying from my arms, including a math textbook, which made contact with my ankle. I knelt down to rub the tender spot. 

“Are you okay, Gem?”

I looked up and saw Charlotte, who immediately knelt down to help collect my things, including my AP English workbook that I had left on the seat next to her.

“Thanks, Char.” 

“Are you sure you’re alright, Gem? You’re definitely on edge. I worry.”

We both stood up and I tried to chase the fear out of my voice. “I’m fine. Really. Where are you next period?”

“Well, I was trying to keep it a secret but in this town that’s close to impossible. I’m joining the Drama Troupe. I know. Doesn’t really fit with my image but I decided that if anyone is going to take my dream of being an actress seriously, I’d have to bite the bullet and join the geeks.”

“Real sensitive. I wouldn’t call them that to their faces.” I adjusted the strap of my bag and started walking down the corridor with Charlotte by my side.

“So I’m going to just come out and say it. Are you coming to practice?”

I thought about the uniform I had refused to put on this morning. “I don’t know.” 

“No pressure. You have a spot on the team whenever you’re ready. Whatever I say goes. I’m captain now.” She smiled and I envied her for the ease with which she could see the good things in life. It was easy to assume that everything was fine and dandy at the Harris home. It was anything but. I could count the number of times I’d been to her house on one hand. She kept everyone away from her bickering parents: her father the Senator and her mother the drunk, and the reason why Charlotte wasn’t with us the day of the crash.

“I’ll think about it,” I said.

“We’d get to spend more time together.” There was a flatness to her voice that someone else would miss, but not me. I tried to get the courage to push away all the reasons I didn’t want to show up on the football field ever again and try to be normal again. I just couldn’t.

“Like I said, I’ll think about it. I have to check what days I’m going to be at the library.”

“Why do you insist on working for free?”

“It’s better than sitting in an empty house,” I said.

“Yeah, but I told you that I’d come hang out. Plus, I’m sure Senator Harris would love to pay you to make his coffee.” 

“Sorry, Charlotte, but a paycheck cannot make spending time with your Dad any more enticing," I said, patting her on the back. 

We both laughed and it seemed for a moment that everything just might go back to normal.

C
HAPTER
T
HREE

“Charlotte!” I called out, waving out the passenger side window of Mimi’s Prius. There was no room to park the car in the large circular driveway in front of her palatial home. There were cars parked everywhere, even on the lawn. She was waiting near the wrought-iron gate at the front of the property, wearing something that could only be referred to as a frock.

“What are you wearing?” Jenny called out.

After smoothing her hand on the crisp cotton of her dress, Charlotte pushed off the wall and approached the car, walking gracefully in heeled sandals over gravel. 

“I’m sorry, guys. I can’t come.”

“Why?” I asked. “I thought you cleared it with your parents already.”

“Last minute fund raiser. Dutiful daughter must attend.” Her voice cracked from the sarcasm and I could only guess what was going on between her parents at home to have gotten her this upset. Charlotte never wanted to be the reason that they were at each other’s throats. I kept telling her she might as well be, that would mean she was at least living life the way she wanted to.

“Are you sure?” I asked, reaching out to tug the hem of her bright cornflower blue skirt. 

“I’m just trying to get through the summer. As soon as school starts, they won’t even notice when I’m out of the house. You know how it is. Don’t worry, go have fun without me. We’ll catch up later. My flight isn’t until ten.”

“Will you be joining us today, Miss Pope?”

“Uh, sorry?” I turned to face Mr. Flynn and was immediately struck by how attractive he was, and confused at how I hadn’t noticed it earlier. 

Must have been distracted
.

“AP English. Will you be joining?” He had one hand on the doorknob and motioned me in with the other. I don’t recall actually walking to my seat but there I was, in the front row again. 

“Tick tock,” Mr. Flynn said, glancing at the clock and tapping the white board a few times. “We are here to wax poetic about Shakespeare and Chaucer and let’s throw an American in there for good show, Fitzgerald.” 

As he passed out the syllabus, I scanned the reading list and groaned. My entire course load had been scheduled at the end of last year under the expectation that I would have Brian helping me. So much for plans.

“Excuse me.” 

The temporary bedlam in the classroom drowned out my voice.
Now would be the perfect time to sneak out
. I gathered my things, my intentions fully focused on trying to get out of this advanced English class and into something better suited for me. 

Mr. Flynn stopped me mid-stride and blocked my exit. 

“I think I’m in the wrong class,” I whispered, pleading with my eyes.

He stared back unwavering and replied, “That is where you’re wrong, Miss Pope. I am pretty confident that I saw your name on the roll.”

“Oh don’t worry, Mr. Flynn, nobody would mind if Gemma wasn’t here.” Allison’s voice carried across the room. “Or if she fell off the face of the planet.” 

I resisted the urge to respond amidst the half-concealed giggles and mumbles that followed her comment. “Well, you see, I just don’t think I’ll be needing the credits so I’ll just go settle it with the office.”

“One day. Just give me a chance. I’m not too horrible.” His smile was warm and disarming in its imperfection, one front tooth protruding slightly in front of the other. 

I settled back into my chair and for the rest of the period kept my focus on note taking. With fifteen minutes left to the class, and only three spitballs to pull out of my hair, I was relieved to find that I enjoyed listening to Mr. Flynn’s enthusiasm for old books. 

My gaze wandered to the door. There was no one there but I couldn’t shake off the sense that someone had been staring into the classroom. I rubbed my eyes and checked the clock. Fourteen minutes to freedom. 

Looking back at the door again, I caught the slow movement of black tendrils creeping in from the spaces along the jambs. I inhaled with an audible gasp.

“Is everything alright there, Miss Pope?” Mr. Flynn asked.

The black pillar now clung to the corner of the room and remained motionless. The pain in my hands called me back to myself and I watched as blood erupted from the surface of my palms in the shape of four crescents each. I looked back up and saw that the entity was still there and had taken on a more opaque blackness. The muscles in my neck coiled with tension and I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed the strange creature. 

Just then, the door slammed open, hitting the wall behind it in the process.

It was Ian.

“Hey, sorry I’m late.” He gave Mr. Flynn a meek smile.

“Fascinating.” Mr. Flynn nodded towards the empty seat to my left. “Just don’t make it a habit.” 

Ian sidled right in. “Hey,” he said. 

“Hey.” My mind was spinning between the black spirits and the hottie sitting next to me.

It had started after the crash. The doctors insisted that the only injury I had sustained was to my leg but they had run the gamut of tests to check for any damage to the brain. 

I mentioned these “black spots” to my dad as soon as I regained consciousness. There were three of them standing in a row, as if they were waiting for me to wake up. No one refused him but after what seemed like an inordinate amount of MRIs, CT scans and even ultrasounds, the doctors spoke to my dad in hushed tones, spitting our terms like “psychosomatic” and “PTSD.”

Until now, they hadn’t bothered me much. I passed one every day on my run and saw a few more near the library and bank. This was the first day that I felt they were stalking me. 

The final bell rang and after a bit of mingling, only a few stragglers were left behind. Allison made it a point to pass by and scratch her long fake acrylic nails against my desk. She winked and said, “Bye, Ian. Catch you later.”

I tried to check for any signs of the spirit, though nothing in her appearance clued me in. It was possible that it was no longer with her. I hadn’t seen her for the rest of the day, keeping my promise to Charlotte to run out and get some pizza. Then again, it was also possible that I had been hallucinating.

When Allison was finally out of earshot, Ian let out a sigh and said, “She’s a handful.”

“Yeah.” I laughed. “That’s an understatement.”

“You alright? From before, in the hallway. It looked like she was about to give you a hard time.” 

He offered me his hand as he stood up, but I brushed it away, bracing my hand on the desk and lifting myself out of the chair to take the stress off my back. 

 “I…yeah, I’m fine.” 

The words came out harsher than I had expected so I made a mental note to stop letting the pain affect my mood.

“Just making sure.” His smile was a mixture of sly and endearing. “You never know.” 

We started to head out when Mr. Flynn called out to us. “Are either of you interested in the book club?”

“Book club?” Ian responded.

“You know, those pesky things with a back and front and a bunch of pages stuck in the middle.” 

I smiled at Mr. Flynn’s attempt at a joke.

“Not my style,” Ian answered. “I’ll catch you around. Gemma, right?” He put his hand on my shoulder and I felt the tingly sensation of energy pass through my body.