The demon stood in the snow.
Fergus saw it standing in the knee-deep powder through the small window of his front door.
“I won’t, don’t worry,” he answered distractedly.
Fergus could hear his daughter playing upstairs and nodded.
With his winter jacket, boots and gloves already on, Fergus pulled his toque down over his ears and with a deep breath opened the front door.
It wasn’t very cold although the wind packed a sharp bite as Fergus grabbed the shovel leaning against the house. Ignoring the demon, he began tossing snow from the driveway onto his lawn.
Not much time had elapsed when a burning sensation erupted in his chest. Damn acid reflux.
“What hurts?” Fergus asked, keeping his back to it as he dug into the snow.
“I saw you that day,” Fergus said.
Fergus dug the shovel into the snow and heaved the pile aside.
Fergus shook his head. “No, what scared me was wondering what you said to him.” He took a step toward the demon. “What did you say?” He glared into the demon’s eyes, noticing that they rippled in the wind.
The front door opened and Amber bounded from the house into the snow, drawing her father’s attention. “Hi Daddy,” she called out playfully.
The demon blinked and time stopped, frozen in place. Snowflakes hung motionless in midair. All went deathly still. Fergus found he could turn his head but quickly grew concerned when he realized the demon was no longer in front of him. It was kneeling in front of Amber. Her eyes were wide, full of fear; her mouth open forming an ‘O’ shape. She’d never looked so fragile or terrified.
The demon had the tips of its fingers inside of her chest.
“Get the hell away from my daughter!” Fergus screamed trying to run but his feet would not move.
It twisted its hand slightly deeper into Amber’s chest.
In a flash the demon was back in front of him. “You made the right call,” the demon grinned.
Time resumed as Amber shook her head, slightly dazed. She looked at her dad and smiled as the demon plunged its hand into Fergus’s chest. The cold, demonic fingers wrapped around his heart, slowly constricting it.
With his legs growing weak, Fergus sat back in the snow. A tingling spread through his body but after a few seconds it began to subside. Fergus then felt nothing as the demon pulled its hand out.
“Are you okay, Daddy?” Amber asked.
Love it. My grandfather died shoveling and every time I head out in the snow, I think about that. I guess dying is better than losing your soul to a demon, though!
Thanks, brother! Sorry to hear about your grandfather. The story originated from shoveling this year and my eyes played a trick on me where I thought a tree was a person. Thanks again!
Well done! Loved the line about the wind rippling across the demon’s eyes.
Thanks, Brian! Glad you enjoyed it, brother!
Great story, Jon! Such a sad twist at the end… Awesome stuff!
Thanks a lot, Lee! I appreciate it, brother!
I always enjoy the demons you conjure up Jon, great tale!
Thanks, brother! I’m always wondering about whether or not we have ‘fates’. Sometimes you’ll hear certain people say ‘God has a plan…’ but the ‘Others’ have their own plans and agendas as well. And as we all know, plans often go awry… thanks again Joe!
Ps – thank for the lack of blood and guts this week, one is having her bum kicked by sodding morning sickness!
Thanks for reading! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully that morning sickness won’t prevent you from enjoying the dark and damned we bring!
Haunting. This story makes me want to invest in a snowblower. Wow… hits too close to home, and that’s what makes a story excellent. Bravo, sir.
Thank you very much! It hit a little close to home while I was writing it! It was actually one of the more difficult scenes I’ve written since I wrote it picturing my daughter. Thanks again!
And a snowblower will be one of the best investments you can make!