Chapter 14

Todd sat in the chair he had cleaned off in the attic. He had his head in his hands and he was having some trouble processing what he had seen from the past. He was stuck in a mix of his human disguise and his demon form. He had long sharp claws on his hands and his horns shown through his long, thick hair. His eyes were half human, half demonic. Todd wasn't sure how to feel about what he had found out. A half empty box sat at his feet. It was full of clothes. The shirt that sat at the top, an old Hawaiian shirt, had a couple soot stains on it from the couple of tears that fell from Todd's eyes.

"Just because they couldn't accept him...." Todd wipes the soot stains from his face.

"Some humans change but not all humans." Todd closes the box and puts it back where he found it. He was mad at the human Todd's family now. Because of them, Annette wasn't able to see the human Todd again. So here Todd was, the demon, taken the place of the human grandson all because of mistaken identity. Todd was bound by his contract to serve Annette in anyway possible. He knew she was lonely because of her son. Todd hoped that Annette's son would still keep away from his mother's.

It was to the point now that Todd would hurt Larry. But not to the point in killing him, just enough to scare him. "Makes me wonder if the human Todd is still alive," said Todd to himself as he leaves the attic. He could tell that Annette was asleep in her room. That was one of the many downsides of getting old, you felt tired more and wanted to sleep that tiredness away. That was one thing that Todd didn't miss about being human. Yes, Todd was once human many years ago. Back before people considered slaying dragons and rescuing princesses from said dragons, way back when. He couldn't remember what his name used to be when he was human but he knew his name that he is called now. The name given to him when he became a demon. Todd smirks at the though of Annette learning his true name. Knowing a demon's true name gave yourself power. But a demon never gives its true name. A demon will always trick the human from learning it or give the human a false name. But for now Todd didn't mind being called Todd. Helped him feel normal for once. But hey what's considered to be normal when you are a demon, right?

Todd heads outside to the garden and makes his way to the woods. He had to be careful and choose his routes away from Annette's home when he went exploring Amber Falls since he didn't want to run into that one friend of Annette's or that nosey priest. Once he was further into the woods, Todd let's go of his human disguise, letting his demon form out. He gives his wings a few flaps.

"Feels good to be out in the open like this. With Annette resting, I'll have a bit of free time. It won't be much but enough to stretch my legs to a sense."

Todd walks past a few trees. Out of the corner of his eye, Todd sees a couple of fairies staring back at him. "Good. I can at least find out some information about this city," said Todd. He points to one of the fairies. "You there. Come here."

The fairy was shocked that Todd ordered it to come closer. It goes to him for, not out of fear, but out of respect of the rank that Todd held in Hell.

"Yes?" The fairy asked in a timid voice.

"I need some information. Do you know of Annette? The kind, old lady who keeps the beautiful garden in her backyard?" Todd asks.

"Oh yes we do. She's very nice. It's good to see that she's happy again. She's been so sad after Arthur died and after Todd disappeared."

"I see then. Well here's news for you. She mistaken me for Todd, her grandson. So now I am Todd. But I need information on what happened to her real grandson."

"We don't know. We haven't seen him in so long," said one of the fairies.

Todd decides to take his leave and heads back to Annette's home. On his way back, he turns back to his human form. "Seems the fae doesn't know what happened to Annette's actual grandson." Todd heads back into the house and he could hear that Annette is going to wake up. "She's going to want a cup of tea and to watch the Golden Girls as soon as she wakes up fully."

Up in her room, Annette slowly pulls herself out of bed. Her age was catching up to her. She was in her late sixties, almost into her early seventies. She would be turning sixty-eight this year. But she didn't mind getting old now. Todd was now back living with her and she was happy.