A Short Unfortunate Event of Being Demon Bait

"Goodnight Miss Alice."

"Goodnight Lydia."

Lydia gently closed the door to my bedroom. I heard her footsteps echoing outside in the hall. After we got back, Lydia asked me what had happened several times. However, I managed to cut her off and said "I'll explain everything tomorrow." Yeah. Tomorrow. If I'm still alive by that time.

Slowly, I sat up in my bed and waited for Jack to appear in front of me. There were many questions whizzing inside my head. Would he at least try to save my life? Or would he not even care about me? After all if I did survive, he would have to cure Lucille and probably wait a long time before finally claiming her soul.

"Yo."

I nearly screamed.

Because by my bedside, Jack had suddenly appeared without any warning. He had his scythe over one shoulder, the scythe being dangerously close to the wall.

"You scared me!" I whispered.

Jack shrugged casually like it was no big deal. "I didn't scare you. You were scared yourself."

"Oh be quiet."

I slid out of bed and faced Jack. In my nightgown.

"What's the plan? How do I complete my end of the deal?" I asked.

Jack dramatically turned around to the window, his black cape "flying" behind him like some sort of hero. Yeah. The Grim Reaper who claims lives has become a hero.

"I have no idea!" he replied happily.

***

I stood on the corner of Watermill Road. The cold air of October blew right through me. I was cold tonight, but I never changed out of my nightgown. Probably not the best choice that I've made in my life time.

After Jack came up with a plan and explained it to me and answered most of my questions, the two of us walked to the streets and then Jack dropped me off there.

"Will I die?" I asked at the end of the explanation.

Jack smiled. "Of course not."

But I have some doubt in those words of his. Wouldn't Death be happy to get another soul for one he lost tonight?

"Grr..."

I snapped my head to my right where I had heard a loud growl. A growl that could match the sound of thunder. Without the moon's light, I could barely see the demon, but it was there. A blob of black and slowly slid towards me...in the shape of a ginormous hound.

I gritted my teeth and ran to the left. The demon was chasing after me with incredible speed. A part of me wanted to glance behind and see how far away the demon was, but it was moving so fast...that if I stopped to even look behind I would be caught and eaten.

"Jack!" I yelled as loud as possible. "Jack! Where are you?" I screamed.

If this went on any longer, I wouldn't be the only one being affected by the demon. Not me, but everyone on this street. Once demons were on a roll, they didn't stop until they got what they were after. In this case, they were after a nice meal.

The demon roared again. I covered my ears and stumbled down another street. After a short run, I realized that I had accidentally went down an alleyway. Great. An alleyway.

"JACK!"

I could fully see the demon even without the moonlight. It looked like it was drooling black slime down at the ground. I backed up to the wall and closed my eyes. Well...this is the end isn't it.

"I'm sorry Lucille," I whispered.

"ROAR!"

One second later...

Nothing happened.

I peeked open an eye to see what was taking the demon so long to devour my head. It usually only took demons a second to finish off their victims from what I've heard.

"Sorry I'm late!"

I gasped. Jack was blocking the demon hound's mouth with his scythe. He looked like he was struggling, but the demon was pushed back.

"Jack! You're here! You actually didn't leave me to die!" I shouted in shock.

"Pfft. You actually thought you were going to die?" he asked.

With a swing of his scythe, he cut through the demon hound easily, like a blade cutting through water. I watched the spellbinding scene as the demon erupted into a blinding light and eventually disappeared into nothingness. Well, not exactly nothingness. The only thing that was left of it, was a small golden orb that had dropped onto the ground, then rolled over to my foot.

I picked it up curiously and examined it.

"What's this?" I asked Jack.

He snatched it from my hand and placed it into his pocket.

"The heart of the demon. It's nothing. Just proof of it's death," he said with a grin.

I sighed. Of course. Expect Jack to suddenly arrive at the last minute and save me by swooshing down and killing the demon! But for some reason, I didn't feel scared. No...I never did feel scared. Even when the demon was on the verge of killing me...didn't I readily accept death like it was no big deal? At that time...I didn't feel scared.

Why didn't I feel scared?

"Alice?" Jack called. "I'll drop you off at your house!"

I forced myself to nod. Jack's scythe disappeared as he walked over to me.

"Hmm...Alice?" he asked. "You look pale."

I groaned, "How are you supposed to tell if I'm pale or not if there's barely any light?" I asked with a frown.

Suddenly, Jack picked me up off the ground.

"H-Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!" I yelled, trying to get off. Sadly, I was never strong to begin with.

Jack grinned. "Alice. You look so worn out and scared out of you life. I think I should probably carry you back. Don't you think that'd be the gentlemanly thing to do?" he asked.

"No! It's close enough that we can walk back!" I insisted.

Jack shook his head sadly. "No...it's just too far. I'll just fly you back!"

"FLY?!"

Without another word, Jack jumped up into the sky. I caught my breath and I was afraid to look down.

"JACK! You know I hate heights!" I screamed.

Jack landed on top of another building before jumping up again. This endless pattern of up and downs only made me hate heights more than I already did. I felt like I was falling and about to smash my head on the ground.

"We're here!" Jack chirruped.

I opened my eyes. Sure enough, Jack had already dropped me onto my bed.

I sat up and swung my hand at Jack's face, desperately trying to punch him.

"Woah, woah, woah," he said, stopping my fist mid-blow. "Calm down! What's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong?" I repeated. "What's wrong? You want to know what's wrong? Well, I don't know what's wrong. I mean, I almost died at the hands of a demon hound! Plus, I was forced to drop from very high grounds!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Jack winced. "Sorry about that first part...there was some unexpected business. But you really did look sick."

I scoffed. "I think that's the third time you've said "you look sick" to me in one day," I said, throwing my hands up in complaint.

"Shh! Lydia's coming to check up on you!" Jack yelled.

Without another thought, I jumped underneath my covers, waiting for the doors to my bedroom to fly open with Lydia asking me why I was yelling so loudly in the middle of the night.

But she never showed up.

"Hey!"

By the time I realized Jack had played a prank on me, he had already disappeared out the window.

That's okay. I'll talk to him tomorrow morning, when he shows up in the middle of my work time again.