Chapter 6

Gabe sat on his bed, playing with his hands. Michael and Julie were having an argument of some kind.

Michael: “Well, we can’t just leave him here.”

Julie: “Yeah, but there’s no way that we can just take him out into the city now that his hands are free.”

Gabe frowned.

Michael sighed.

Michael: “Look Gabe, we need you to be on your best behavior. That means no looking at anyone. No speaking to anyone. And, god-forbid, no eating anyone.”

Gabe salutes.

Gabe: “Don’t worry captain. You can count on me.”

-

The three walk through the city streets.

Michael: “Thankfully, this should be the last day of the festival if I remember correctly.”

Julie walks right behind Gabe. Almost uncomfortably so.

Gabe looks back at her.

Gabe: “Hey, uh, Julie. Can you stand a little further back?”

Julie: “No.”

Gabe faces forwards.

Gabe: “Okay.”

Michael: “Alright guys, remember our goal here. We need to be looking for a demon. So, if you see any hint of one, don't be afraid to shout out.”

As soon as he said this, a voice came from behind the three of them.

Voice: “You’re looking for a demon, is that right?”

The three spun around instantly.

An orc roughly the size of a small house stood in front of them.

Michael pushed his way between Gabe and Julie to talk to the giant orc.

Michael: “That’s right. You know anything?”

Orc: “I hope none of you humans are looking to make a contract. We don’t need any of that in our city.”

Michael: “Don’t worry, we’re with Team X.”

The orc scratched his head.

Orc: “Team X?”

Julie stepped forward.

Julie: “You know, the demon management society.”

The orc's eyes widened.

Orc: “Oh, yeah. I think I have heard something about you guys.”

Michael: “You were saying something about a demon?”

Orc: “I heard something about a demon near the edge of town. Most of us have been trying to avoid that area. We don’t want to ruin the festival.”

Michael: “Thank you so much! You’ve been a great help.”

Orc: “Of course.”

The orc looks up.

Orc: “I guess your friend already headed off.”

Michael: “What?”

He turned around. Gabe was gone.

Michael: “Julie! Where did he go?”

Julie shook her head.

Julie: “I don’t know. I just looked away for a moment.”

Michael: “Come on!”

Michael pushed his way through the streets. Along the sides of the roads, numerous street vendors had been set up.

Michael’s eyes darted back and forth.

The hoards of people made it hard to pick out anyone.

Julie: “There!”
Julie pointed as a man with short, bleached hair turned a corner.

The two sprinted forward, hoping not to lose sight of the man.

They turned the corner to find a long, dark alleyway. The narrow walkway seemed out of place in the vibrant city, but neither one of the two cared now. A door to the right was slightly ajar.

Julie: “What’s he doing in there?”

Michael: “Only one way to find out.”

Michael walked toward the door and Julie hurried to follow him.

-

Through the door was a small room. The room was completely covered in what looked to be pill bottles. There was a dim light coming from a few recently burnt out candles, but other than that the room was dark.

As Michael stepped into the room, a flock of birds flew out, catching him in the face. Julie ducked out of the way.

Julie: “This reminds me of my cousin Albert’s place.”

Michael: “What?”

Julie blinked.

Julie: “Nevermind. Forget I said anything.”

Michael shook his head.

Michael: “How did I get stuck with you two.”

Julie: “Hey, don’t compare me to that weirdo.”

The two continued forward, trying to make as little noise as possible.

With Michael in front, they groped around in the dark for a second.

Julie: “You find anything?”

Michael: “Does it look like I found anything?”

Suddenly Julie heard a noise behind her.

She froze. Then she spun around. There was nothing there.

Julie: “I heard something.”

Michael: “Where?”

Julie: “Behind us.”

Michael turned around.

Julie: “Can you make a flashlight or something.”

Michael shook his head.

Michael: “Sorry, I haven’t practiced it.”

Julie: “Great.”

Michael: “What about you?”

Julie: “I can only make weapons.”

Michael took a breath.

Michael: “Let’s go back and open the door. Maybe the light from outside will help us see a little better.”

They started making their way back. Suddenly a voice came from behind them.

Both of them froze.

The sound of laughter filled the room.

Michael shook his head.

Michael: “It’s coming from over there.”

Michael ran in the direction the sound was coming from.

Julie: “Wait!”

Michael slowed down slightly. He put his hands out in front of him. He felt something cold.

Michael: “I think there’s a wall here.”

Julie: “Let me see.”

Julie put up her hands as well.

Julie: “Yeah, there is.”

She felt along the wall. Her hand ran into something else.

Julie: “There’s a door here.”

She felt for a knob, but didn’t find one.

Michael: “Really?”

Julie: “Stand back for a second.”

Michael took a few steps back.

The smoke arose from Julie’s body and covered her arms. She backed up then rushed forward, taking down the door and falling to the floor behind it.

The room inside was lit with a few candles and inside it stood a familiar face.

Gabe: “Hey guys, what are you doing here.”

Michael walked into the room.

Michael: “What are we doing here? What are you doing here? No one told you to run off by yourself. What were you thinking?”

Gabe shrugged.

Gabe: “Sorry.”

He plopped something into his mouth.

Julie pulled herself off the ground.

Julie: “Of all the reckless… What the fuck are you eating?”

Gabe shook the bottle that was in his hand.

Gabe: “I found this guy on the street offering free candy.”

Michael: “What?”

He walked over and grabbed the bottle out of his hand.

Michael: “This isn’t candy. This is prescription medication.”

Julie: “Were you actually eating that?”

Gabe: “Why? Is that bad?”

From the darkness behind them came a booming voice.

Voice: “I made a contract with the demon of taking unsolicited prescription medication and now I’ve gained incredible power.”

Michael: “For fuck’s sake. Is this the reason we got called here?”

Voice: “I used to beg on the sides of the streets, but after taking enough unsolicited prescription medication, I created a demon in this town.”

Gabe: “Awesome.”

Michael: “Gabe, how did you not notice that this guy made a contract with a demon? Actually you know what I don’t even care.”

Voice: “Now I’m going to make this town feel my wrath for not giving me money. I lived on the streets for years, but not a single person ever stopped to help me.”

Julie: “That’s probably because they knew that you were going to spend the money on drugs.”

Voice: “No more talking. You sound like my parents. But now, I have the power to make people notice me. I can finally have my revenge!”

Coming from the shadows, a large figure seemed to come closer.

Julie manifested a dagger. Michael put his hands up. Gabe just stood there.

The figure came closer and closer, getting bigger with each step.

Closer.

Closer.

Then,

A hunched-over man stepped out, much smaller than the shadows in the smoke.

Michael: “Oh.”

Gabe laughed.

Gabe: “Too bad he didn’t make a deal with the ‘good posture’ demon.”

Julie cringed.

Michael looked at him.

Michael: “You’ve already seen him before. You were just waiting to make that joke, weren’t you.”

Gabe: “No I wasn’t. That’s not true.”

Hunched over man: “I said STOP TALKING!”

A wall of black mist floated out of him.

Gabe: “That’s probably not good. Which one of you got him mad?”

Julie: “Shut up and fight.”

Julie ran forward, slashing through the mist with her dagger.

A black mist started to rise from Michael.

Gabe looked at them and then shook his head.

Gabe: “Hey, Barth. Wanna help out?”

Barth came out of Gabe’s body slightly and took a look at the man.

Barth: “That’s a waste of my time.”

He went back into Gabe’s body.

Gabe: “Guys, looks like Barth’s a no show. What am I supposed to do?”

Michael jumped back as he blocked a blow from the man with his own smoke.

Michael: “Just stay out of the way!”

Gabe: “Okay.”

Gabe walked back to the door. Suddenly, Julie came flying back and hit the wall beside him.

Julie cried out in pain.

Gabe: “You okay?”

Julie glared at him.

Julie: “No I’m not fucking okay. You could help out whenever you want to.”

Gabe: “I’m trying. Barth said no.”

Julie: “Well, convince him.”

Julie summoned a knife into her other hand and jumped back into the fight.

Gabe put a hand to his chin.

Gabe: “Convince him? Hmm…”

Gabe looked around his feet. There were piles of pill bottles everywhere.

-

Michael dodged a blow from a tentacle of smoke that came out at him. Another one came to his left and he put up a wall of smoke to block it.

Michael: “Julie! Did you get Gabe to help?”

Julie jumped out of the way of a blow.

Julie: “No, the bastard is just sitting there.”

Michael: “Great.”

Julie: “You got a plan?”

Michael: “Uh. Yeah I think so. I’ll distract the tentacles to the right, and you run around the back and try to get him.”

Julie: “Okay sounds good.”

Michael sprinted to his right. He created an alarm clock with his smoke and hurled it up in the air. The alarm started blaring loudly.

Man: “What is that? Turn that off?”

The man covered his ears. His tentacles stopped momentarily.

Michael: “Julie, now!”

Julie lunged at the man from the back.

The man saw her at the last second and slapped her with a tentacle. She flew back into the wall.

Michael: “Julie!”

He looked back at the man who had now turned his full attention to Michael.

Michael put his smoke up to block, but the tentacles were already in full swing. Michael fell backwards as the tentacle slapped him across the face.

The man walked towards Michael as he struggled to get up.

Man: “This is for ignoring me every day as you walk by and live a perfect life!”

The tentacle swung down.

Something grabbed the tentacle.

The man turned. A large, dark cloud formed around him. A face appeared out of the cloud. It had beady eyes and a stitched over mouth.

Barth: “Time to dig in!”

The stitching slowly fell off the demon’s mouth as it widened. The mouth grew bigger and bigger.

Man: “No, what? Stop. Stop that! What are you doing? Get away from me! Stop! No!

The man’s pleas grew muffled as he was slowly absorbed into the belly of the demon. Barth chewed a few times before swallowing.

Barth: “Maybe that was worth it after all.”

Barth looked back at Gabe.

Barth: “I guess we’re done here.”

The smoke all got absorbed back into Gabe’s body.

Michael pulled himself to his feet.

Julie spit a bit of blood out of her mouth.

Michael: “What the actual shit just happened.”

Julie: “That's what his demon can do?”

Michael sat up, trying to catch his breath. He put a hand to his chest.

Michael looked at Gabe. Gabe met his gaze and titled his head. Michael looked away.

Michael: “I never should have taken those ropes off. Test run, my ass. What was I thinking?”

Julie managed to pull herself off the ground.

Julie: "How did you manage to convince your demon to help, anyways?"

Gabe held out the bottle in his hand.

Gabe: “I just gave him some of this stuff. I liked it, so I thought he would too. I guess I was right.”

Michael and Julie limped over.

Michael read the bottle.

Michael: “Eww. You fed him Viagra? Wait. Does that mean…?”

Michael looked at Gabe.

Gabe: “What?”

Julie snatched the bottle out of his hand and walked out.

Michael’s face drained of its color. He quickly followed Julie.

Gabe: “What? No ‘thank you?’”

Gabe stared as they left.

Gabe: “You know I just saved your lives, right.”

There was still no response.

Michael: "We're putting those ropes back on as soon as we get back to the inn."