Babysitters Folly (for Seraph)

[Life on Mars]

Six-year-old Matthew was bright for his age, more than most adults gave him credit for. He started reading well before his peers and never had any problems in school. Of course like any young boy he had a curiosity streak that could get him into trouble sometimes and his rambunctious nature always drove his parents up the wall. So when the had a chance to take a short vacation by themselves, a chance to catch up on some well-deserved rest, they took it. So now Matthew found himself being babysat by a young girl he barely knew. So of course he went out of her way to make things difficult for her.

Every time she turned her back he was off running somewhere, crawling up things he shouldn't, sneaking snacks, and raising hell. So when she told him to sit down and play with his toys so she could get her homework done, and then tell him not to even look at her books on advanced demonology, he knew what he had to do.

He was on them like a fly to honey when she left for the bathroom, pouring over the papers in the book and looking over the strange, demonic pictures. Without even thinking he started reading aloud the words on the page, the strange language almost using him as a medium. Many had read these words but this time something was different. The six-year-old could barely comprehend what he was doing, but for the first time in century the stars above were perfectly aligned and the boy read the words just right. The boy barely had a time to scream as he was thrown back from the table and into the wall as electricity and smoke poured from the book and filled the room. The round rocked the house tendrils of black mist filled the room and enveloped the boy.

 

[Seraph]

Part of her wondered who she had ticked off in a past life to get stuck with Matthew, not that he was a bad child per-se. He was just a handful to babysit and she worried about doing her homework around him, especially her advanced demonology work. It wasn't as if he could actually conjure a demon, at least, she thought he couldn't but it was the worry that he would run to his parents and explain all the manner of horrifying and detailed prints that were on most pages in the thick textbook. She had waited until the last possible second and when he seemed to be distracted by his toys before she hurried off to the bathroom and relieved herself. As she washed her hands, she look a moment to review herself in the mirror--she had put on a few pounds since fall semester had started and her body had fleshed out some giving her a softer, more feminine appearance. Her eyes were still too wide for her face and stared out searchingly from skin bleached from fluorescent lights. She dried off her hands before she splashed water on her face to wake herself up--she didn't mind long babysitting jobs, but when she couldn't get the adventurous child to bed...well, it quickly became a long night.

She ran her fingers through her tousled brown hair and unlocked the bathroom door before she stumbled into the wall as the house rocked and her eyes widened at the barely there shriek from Matthew. All the terrible things that could have happened in her absence--he turned on the shove and let the room fill up with gas before he lit a match, or someone broke in! A bomb went off in the neighborhood. Her breath came in short pants and she ran through the rumbling house and back into the living and her breath caught in her throat as she watched the chaos that emitted from her textbook.

It was impossible, but it was happening. Her eyes, one bright blue and one bright green, scanned the room quickly before she stare Matthew's crumpled body at the base of the wall and she ran towards him before falling to the ground beside him and hesitated at shaking him, "Matthew? Matthew, oh god, don't be dead!"

 

[Life on Mars]

The boy was still breathing but unconscious, a blessing for him as the sight of what he had unleashed would have scared the boy senseless. The black smoke twisted around the room and seemed to smother the girl, pressing underneath her clothes and feeling the contours or her body as if it itself was alive. Electricity crackled around the room, snuffing out the lights and leaving only a dark red luminescence emanating from the book. Cries and howls came from nowhere as the door to the other side was unlocked and something stepped through.

It seemed to grow from the table, a huge black thing that seemed impossible large and wolf-like. Burning red eyes and sharp fangs were its most prominent features through the haze of smoke and one could only make out the outline of the rest of its huge body. It stared the girl and her charge down, like a predator does its prey, and let out a growl and struck the soul.

And then, it stopped. The smoke slowly retracted itself and the creature began to change. What was once a huge, bestial wolf became a man, or at least the semblance of one. He stood well over six feet tall on the table, his toned muscular body putting those of mortals to shame. His skin was a dark and his eyes still retained the blood red from before. Two black horns sprouted from his forehead, marking him for what he was: demon.

He looked down at girl, his black coat moving to reveal a clawed hand. "The child, give him to me."

 

[Seraph]

Matthew's quiet but quiet breathing sent a shudder of relief that turned to a shudder of revulsion when the black smoke seemed to feel her up and brush against her skin as it explored her without embarrassment. She waved her hand at it, trying to disperse it as she coughed and pressed Matthew's face against her shoulder--what ever that smoke was, it probably wasn't something he should be breathing in. Felicity jumped as the lights finally went out and she stared at the malevolent red glow from her textbook, and she pressed closer to the wall, cradling Matthew to her. Her eyes were wide as the howls started and she felt cold down to her very soul and started to shiver.

She closed her eyes tightly as it lunged at her and she was prepared to feel the painful glance of claws or fangs. As nothing happened, she peered towards the book and stared at the demon on the table. More bestial than humanoid, she paled even more as he revealed a clawed hand and spoke. Her mind reeled for a moment--he wanted Matthew? She looked down at the unconscious child in her arms and shook her head, "N-no. You, you can't have him!" Felicity racked her brain to remember how to banish a demon, or at least change their pursuits but nothing came to mind, except to make a deal and that was the last thing you wanted to do with a demon. A deal could have a loophole and the demon would be more than willing to exploit said loophole and take everything, even the things he hadn't been promised before. She swallowed and made her voice more firm, "No."

 

[Life on Mars]

The demon regarded her impassively. Though his features were human-like and betrayed no emotion you could still feel the malevolence behind them, the raw darkness that surged beneath his skin, if it was skin. He pulled back his hand and with one small gesture flames erupted at her feet, breaking though the floorboards and hitting the ceiling. It was a simple display of power, meant to cow her into submission and surrender. He was not one to suffer the weak.

"Give him to me," he repeated, stressing every syllable and making it clear that he was not a being to be trifled with. "The child has summoned me to this realm. The contract that binds us now makes it clear that I may take him back with me to my kingdom to be my heir. You will surrender him, or suffer the consequences."

 

[Seraph]

Felicity yelped as flames erupted at her feet and she pulled them back quickly and watched as they scorched the ceiling. Her heart pounded in her chest and her throat was tight as she watched the display of power. It frightened her, but terror was a natural reaction in this case. She held onto Matthew and shook her head even as he stressed every syllable as if she were a young child. She glanced down at Matthew--how could he, a little boy with no formal education in demonology or languages, have managed to summon this monster into his living-room?

Oddly enough, an odd thought popped into her head--what would his parents say when they returned to see the broken floorboards and scorched ceiling, and possibly, their son missing?

She shivered slightly before she shook her head again, "No. You can't have him..." She bit her bottom lip and considered it, "A deal...H-how about a deal?"

 

[Life on Mars]

His lips curled back in a short sneer revealing a row of sharp, white teeth designed to rip and tear. He was quickly growing frustrated with this situation but, as were all his kind, he was bound by laws. For the first time in a century a mortal summoned him and a young child, the perfect template from which to mold his heir. But, though the boy was bound by the blood oath spoken from the book he was under the care of his parents who were the only ones who could release him. Of course, they had transferred their power to this young girl, so perhaps she would be more willing to bend.

His eyes bore into her as he took one step forward. At least it seemed like one step but the next moment he was right in front of her and holding her chin gently with his fingers. His black claws were a hairs breath away from her neck and he could feel the life-blood pulsing through her. "What do you offer?"

 

[Seraph]

She yelped as her chin was suddenly held gently between his fingers and Felicity could feel his claws brush gently against her neck if she so much as twitched. She looked to the side as she tried to think of a deal that would interest the demon; what did they normally want, she thought desperately? How did all of the things she learned in class just disappear the moment she needed it the most? She swallowed hard before she took a breath and tried to calm her nerves--think, she encouraged herself as her arms kept Matthew's unconscious form closer, especially with the demon's proximity.

She licked her lips before she spoke, "I...I...offer...Six days! Six days in the mortal world to change your mind, but...you can't leave this house or cause visitors harm." Her voice was strangled towards the end; what was she thinking? Matthew's parents would be home in six days, and if she could change his mind...they wouldn't have to know about this at all. She looked up at the demon, her bi-colored eyes showed nothing but desperation, slight fear, but overwhelming worry.

 

[Life on Mars]

He cocked his head to the side, slightly interested in her offer. Six days...such time was trivial in the long run he had no real limit for his time on earth. There was nothing she could do to change his mind, of this he was certain. He released her from his hold, pulling back and looming over her as he considered the arrangement. This seemed to be the easiest way to get what he wanted, the girl providing the perfect setup for it all with her desperate gamble. He could commend her on her bravery however. Most of her kind when seeing him would surrender at the first sign of his power.

"Six days," he repeated, "six days I will wait. After that I will take the child and leave this plane." His hand stretched out, calling out to her to seal the deal. The black mist seemed to grow around him as the powers that be oversaw there arrangement. There was no going back after this.

 

[Seraph]

Felicity waited with bated breath as he seemed to consider her offer. The seconds that ticked by felt like minutes, hours, and then days until he finally released her chin and pulled back. She breathed slightly easier as he took a step back before her heart jumped back in her throat as he repeated her offer and shook her head, "No...Not six days and you'll take him. Six days for me to change your mind..." She had to stress the issue, if not, it didn't matter if she took six days or six months if he was still going to take Matthew away in the end.

She looked at his hand before she bit her bottom lip and insisted once more as her fingers, trembling, brushed his before gripping it firmly, "Six days to change your mind about taking Matthew away." She tried not to look at the black mist as it grew and suppressed the growing feeling of horror and worry that she had bad one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Hadn't she been thinking earlier that Matthew was a little monster and that she didn't want to babysit him anymore? Especially not on her Thanksgiving break when she could study to her hearts content.

 

[Life on Mars]

He gave her an expression that was close to a smile but holding no joy, just evil intent. "Agreed," he told her as he gripped her hand. His fingers tightened around her palm with his incredible strength preventing her from drawing away as he worked his magic. The power surged from the underworld through him, burning into her hand to seal their agreement. He held her there, black smoke whipping around her legs and arms before he finally released her.

On her palm there now lay a black rune, a strange, pointed symbol harbored in only the most ancient of books though its meaning was known immediately to all who saw it. She was now in contract with a demon and would have to see it through to the end.

He gestured to her, issuing her to begin. "So then, convince me."

 

[Seraph]

She shuddered a little at the expression before she winced as his fingers tightened around her palm and bit back a whimper of pain as it felt like something was burning her hand. She tried to yank her arm back but to no avail, her eyes widened as the black smoke curled around her before he let go of her hand. She pulled it back sharply, cradling it slightly to her chest before she looked down at the center of her palm. The symbol was unfamiliar to her, but following the lines and how it was placed there she didn't think it was a 'Hello, I'm pleased to meet you' sign. She carefully curled her hand closed and was surprised to note that it didn't hurt exactly, just felt a little tight where the symbol was.

Felicity blinked and looked up at him, unsure of where to go and said the first thing that popped into her mind, "He's innocent."

Thinking a moment on the double-meaning of the words she shook her head, "He doesn't understand what he did, you cannot take him because of that. He's just a little boy. I shouldn't have left out my textbooks..." She ended softly before she racked her mind for other arguments, "Besides aren't you supposed to make a deal with his parents or something to take him away? I'm not his parent, I don't have the power to 'let him go' as it were."

 

[Life on Mars]

He began to circle her as she talked, eying her up and down and studying her like she was a kind of side amusement. It was slightly vexing how she just stood there and matter-of-factly tried to reason with him. He was expecting sputtering, confusion, and the feeling of helplessness from young human girl. It was interesting.

"No one is innocent. From the moment you can walk you are thrust into the horrors of the world. How could anyone be innocent when they are raised by their fellow humans who lie, cheat, and steal in their own little ways?" He looked briefly at the book still lying on the table, which had since closed itself of its own accord. "You told the child not to read from the book, warning him not to look into it. The words were spoken and I was raised, it matters not the age of the person who spoke them."

He moved in close behind her, hands falling upon her shoulders and claws lightly scratching at her shirt. "As for you...the boys parents have left him in your care. You are now this child's guardian and protector in the eyes of the powers that be."

 

[Seraph]

She tried not to balk under his stare but couldn't help it as she tensed up when he circled behind her. Felicity had never been comfortable with having people walk behind her and having a hulking mass of a demon walk behind her didn't help matters in the least. She bit her bottom lip as he spoke, easily finding rebuttal to all of her arguments. She looked to the damned book that started it all, and considered dropping her studies in demonology all together especially if this could happen again.

Felicity jumped as his hands landed on her shoulders and she looked out of her peripheral to watch his claws as they tugged slightly at her shirt. She swallowed and shook her head, "Only for six more days. When his parents get back...guardianship and protection goes back to them." She took a steadying breath before ducked out of his hands and took a few steps back, heading to put Matthew down on the couch where she could keep an eye on him and the demon in the living room. "Isn't that right?"

She thought on it more before she added, almost curious, "And doesn't the guardian have to give up the child of their free will?"

 

[Life on Mars]

"Correct," he replied to both questions. She was more intelligent than he gave her credit for. "You must give me the child of your own free will and are free to deny me." He leaned in close, eyes blazing red. "Though I am also free to try and convince you otherwise."

He pulled away, gliding over to Matthew and looking over the child. "As for his parents..." he smirked, "the chances of them returning in time are not as great as you may think." She still didn't understand what she was dealing with. As he spoke one could hear the howling from outside as the wind tore at the walls with a strength that threatened to tear the place apart but didn't. "Do you think I would allow them to return at that stage of the game girl?

 

[Seraph]

She seemed a little pleased as he agreed with her on both counts, and that bothered her a little bit. She pulled back slightly as he leaned in, that little bit of fear sparked again and she shivered slightly. She nodded and her voice was solid if not a little quiet when she said, "You won't be able to convince me otherwise."

She listened to the howling winds outside of the house before she looked at the clock and shook her head, "You can't keep them from their home! That's not fair!" She resisted the urge to stomp her foot and attempt a growl before she crossed her arms defensively and looked down at Matthew. She fidgeted before she went about the room and tried to set things to right and pulled an afghan blanket from the back of a chair and draped it over his small frame before she looked back at the demon, "One the six days are up...if I haven't said 'yes', you can't take him, can you?"

 

[Life on Mars]

At this he laughed. She was clinging to hope when there was none, a very human trait. "I don't recall that ever being part of the deal." He moved towards her, pushing her up against and pinning her arms above her head. "Who is true parents are is of little matter. You are now the child guardian and until you can turn him over to them they matter little." His smile was all fangs as he lowered his face to whisper in her ear "and don't try and hope for those six days being up, that wasn't part of the deal. The only difference is that when the time frame is up I no longer have to listen to your pleads and can take more...drastic measure." His serpentine tongue snake up her ear for a slit second before he pulled away and let her drop to the floor.

"So try your best girl," he mocked, "convince me why I should not take the child. Both your lives are depending on it."

 

[Seraph]

Felicity flinched when he laughed before she yelped as he pushed her against a wall and held her hands above her head. Her eyes were wide as she listened to him speak and there was a fine tremble over her body, but she still tried to keep her chin up and her gaze level with his. She pressed herself into the wall more, hoping it would give and she could get away from him as he whispered into her ear. His words sent ice down her back; it hadn't been part of the deal, the only thing she said was he couldn't hurt visitors but with the way the wind was howling...She gasped as his tongue brushed along her ear and she slid down the wall as he let her go.

She took a moment to steady herself before she stood up and looked at him and glared. Her breath was coming in harsh pants before she shouted, "Because I said so, dammit. That's way! You can't have him. He is six! Just a baby! They were my books and it wasn't his fault that he read them. I left them open!"

 

[Life on Mars]

"Six is such a good age for children," the demon hissed at her with an evil grim. "So eager to learn and easy to teach. He would make a fine subject in my world and grow to be a strong general. And with him already having an aptitude for magic...."

His form seemed to disappear into the shadows until it reappeared behind her. "He read the books purposefully, because you told him not to. He did so with malicious intent and weather you want to admit it or not the boy is completely to blame for his own actions." His words were like a steal cage as he moved around her, slowly trying to guide her inside of it. When mortals played games with demons it was always a loosing one and he was already steering it towards his favored outcome.