Pooja Amrita (2)

He appeared out of nowhere as I read the incantation aloud. I didn’t know what to do, I was just supposed to keep the book out of bad hands and here I was, already acting like the bad guys and making a demon wake up from death.

He was malnourished, to say the least. Even after eating from the plate I had given him (which had to be a large one since demons were usually taller) he didn’t speak a lot. He didn’t even tell me his name, apart from one thing he kept saying out loud furiously: “I will come back and kill you.”

I tried to ask who he was talking about but his anger only escalated. Grabbing a pen and paper from my table, he drew a dark-skinned demon with fiery red eyes. I figured that djinn to be his enemy.

Still, for the time being I could not risk anyone discovering him, so I moved him downstairs, in the basement. I also brought him some supplies to paint so that he would be occupied for the time Naheere came back.

He was moved by my ‘generosity’ –as he called it- but his cold stare did not falter even after his neck wound had healed. That day, I was shocked to see how well he could paint. I bet he was on the same level as that brat Daniel. His painting was a portrait of a dark-skinned demon with red eyes. With his permission, I fixed the painting above the fireplace in my living room.

On the other hand, the book was awesome and I started using some notes from it in my lessons occasionally. And that is when it disappeared.

I had gone out for a walk yesterday evening but when I came back, my book was not there. Furthermore, the undead demon was also speaking so loudly that I could hear him even though he was underground.

I hurried down to the basement where –much to my surprise- I found him crying bitterly. When I enquired, he said: “I had felt the aura someone and I mistook it to be of my family for a moment.”

I could not understand. Was he talking about the trespasser who had stolen the book? And his family?

“Yes, my family. I’m sorry for showing this undignified sight to my savior.” He said as he wiped away his tears. He thought that it was a mistake. But I knew better, there was nothing in this world that happened without a reason.

…

Oh, but more importantly, I lost the book! What would I do? Naheere had given it to me for safekeeping, oh my demons!

…

…

…

The next day, that brat and his other brat friend approached me.

What would that bomb of a boy have to do with me? I wondered. And in the following few seconds, it was apparent who was the thief. I would see this to the end this time, I thought. But what was this? He was proposing a ceasefire.

What is this now? Another one your traps? I wondered.

“You don’t have to worry so much, Ms. Amrita. I’m a good son who takes care of his father’s worries well. I won’t go against our peace treaty if you let us off this time.”

I had to agree with him, Claude had grown to be important to me and all this had to work sometime.

“Oh, also! I have a few questions which I’m sure you’ll be happy to entertain.” He had said as I shook my head in response.

“Your privilege of being my boyfriend’s son ends with me agreeing to the ceasefire. If you want anything more, then you’ll have to give something equally-“

“Demonic? Equally demonic, I presume?” He replied: “Well, as a free gift of being a candidate to be my mother, I’ll tell you one thing; Their world is dark. The day is dim and the night has no moon.”

He turned back, leaving me bewildered and his sidekick lagging behind.

What was that? How did he know that the Jann realm doesn’t have a moon. No way! Did he read the prologue of this book?

But how? There’s no way any human other than me can read this script!