Demons

Elizabeth Marge Henderson 04-25-1990 prison psych eval is accounted as follows;

For so long I have never felt like I could give you a reason why. I will try today, although I can say you won't believe me. Jacob had always been able to bring me back from the dark places. In reality, Jacob was going through a much darker place than I ever would. It's been around fifty years since he'd gone, but the memory of what happened to him will never leave me. I was only eleven, he twelve. His birthday was September the seventeenth, a month before mine. He always used to tease me for being a month younger. I won't bore you with that though. You are here to learn about our old barn that burned down. Yes it was a peculiar instance. People from all over came to see the charred remains of that barn, and I can't say I blamed them. I would have too, if I hadn't known the story behind it already. Once the barn was completely burned to the ground, there were a small circle left untainted amongst the ashes. Nothing much special about it other than that no fire had gotten to it, and it were clear of debris. We always search for reason in these circumstances, but none were to be found. In this instance the truth is that much more unbelievable. Jacob and I were as thick as thieves, told each other everything, went everywhere together when we could. I knew his parents were strict but apparently I hadn't learned the half of it. We were just kids, but sometimes you could see the hollowness in his face, if only fleeting.

We sat by each other at school, and one day Jacob wasn't there. I got worried because he hadn't mentioned being sick the day before, so I went by his house. His parents told me he hadn't come home, and they thought he was with me. They didn't seem too troubled. I went home that night and tried not to worry, but it got the best of me. I couldn't sleep so I went out to that old barn, we used to play in there when we were at my house. Pretending to drive the old tractor, climbing up into the loft. It was our spot. But as it turns out, it weren't only ours. I got up into the loft, it was dark in there except for a small hole in the roof, I only remember because it was sort of a spotlight. I started hearing some rustling and I began to get scared, but I assured myself it had to be rats. I couldn't help the chills in my spine though. It kept rustling, but it seemed not to be in one spot, almost as if something were bouncing off the walls and floor. I called out, "Is someone there?" unsure of what I was expecting. To my dismay and surprise, a small scratchy voice answered, "Who wants to know?" Now, I would have bolted on any normal night. But since Jacob was missing I felt a strange urge to stay put. This voice echoed, almost as if there were many voices combined. "My name is Lizzy, I live here" I said almost haughtily. "So you are the one we were warned about." He continued, "I am supposed to tell you that we have Jacob. Goodnight" Those words struck me as I could not believe I was hearing a floating voice just confirm they had taken my friend. "Wait hold on don't leave!" I shouted quickly, "What do you mean you have him? What's happened to him?" I heard the thing let out an audible sigh, as if it were tiresome to deal with me. "Who even are you, why can't I see you?" I started again. "Little girl, I do believe it is not in your best interest to see me. Hearing me is quite enough. I am simply a messenger, The Duke Jacob has wanted me to come and let you know that he was alright, for whatever reason that may be. He is bound to have some attachments, they will go away over time, and time is boundless."

I was lost. "But where? Where is he?" "In Hell I'm afraid, you won't be able to visit. Well at least...not yet." He let out a shrill cackle at his own joke. "Best you just move on." "But I don't understand, and I just can't believe this. What do you even want with Jacob?" "We want to give him a position, in safety." "But who is we?!" I almost shrieked, I was starting to hyperventilate a little. "Look, don't get all in a tizzy. I am a demon, and we is meaning....well, the other demons. You see, the poor boy was plagued by demons. Not for any particularly evil reason, just that whenever there is great pain and sorrow, we demons do gather. There were so many of us clustered around Jacob that he began to catch glimpses. After so often seeing a bit of this and a bit of that, we gave up cloaking entirely and simply hung out in the open. Jacob never tried to shoo us, and would sometimes read aloud so that we may hear too. We were company that did not raise voice nor hand to the boy. So on a particularly bad night we had decided that it had been the last straw. After he had calmed down we managed to talk him into coming here-" I cut him off, "But what has my barn got anything to do with it?!" The demon seemed to clear its.....throat I suppose. A low grumbly growl sort of noise, before continuing. "This land was a sacrificial site in the early days. Before this was here there were many blood rituals performed, making it sort of a thin spot between your world...and ours. Once he agreed, he came to us and we took him so that he may be second to the King."

She was shocked. "But...Why?" she almost whispered. "Your kind" He sneered "Care not for justice. Merely image. None of you would have helped the child or given him a life as we have done. Revered, respected. The actions behind closed doors may go on as long as you do not witness the pain of the innocent yourself, and even then it is no guarantee. "But why would demons even care?" I spat. I was angry now. "Justice is important. Jacob is a kind human, more so than many. He bared no ill will to man or beast, or even the likes of we. Now, I'll be taking my leave, thank you very much. I advise you to do the same, lest you get caught in something you cannot escape from." I had no idea what he had meant at the time, but as quickly as he came, he was gone. I sat out there for a little longer and cried until I could no more. I drug myself back to my room and passed out. The next day the barn was still ablaze, and then I realized what he was talking about. He warned me not to get caught in the fire he knew was coming. Or perhaps the fire he started, I'm not sure. I do know this, sometimes the truth that we see is not the right truth. You must think I'm a loon, and I must be by now. But I know what I heard and it feels great for someone to finally know. All I can do is hope that I'll see him again, that maybe I've done enough bad things in my life to be in his court when I pass.