The Monsters of the Mind

Part 27

I shook my head, "You won't find it - You don't have the keys."

"Ah, but you do," Jimmy's hand was held out, waiting patiently, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way... I'd rather not have to use my strength on you in attempts to get the keys, should I unintentionally hurt your sweet boy's body. I wonder how he would think of that - his own mother thinking she was trying to protect him by hurting him to keep the truth about where his own father was buried... I'm even curious about what the press would have to say about that?"

I felt my teeth grind together, "You wouldn't."

The demon said nothing, flicking his fingers slightly. I sighed, pulling my keyring out. 

The one key he wanted was old and rusted - neglected of use since that horrible day when I buried Hugo under the hotel. It took a bit of time to free it, but I eventually handed it over - dropping the offending item into the demon's hand as the fingers curled around it, a smug smile resting on his face.

"Thank you, mother," the demon's lips connected with my forehead, a reminder of the promise his father had given to me years ago, "I appreciate you thinking this through."

***

Jimmy's possessed form had gone down to see Hugo's grave. I paced the ground floor, hands clutched to my head as my mind whirled.

I knew that it would only be a matter of time until my protection seal wore off - nevermind that I wasn't even sure if Jimmy's demon had given me one. But I didn't want to stick around to find out. I was now alone - I had no one to blame but myself for everything that had happened.

The hotel's reputation had gone down the lue, guests were few and far between, Jimmy's demons were making it harder and harder to keep everything under control - even the last of the staff members were planning on leaving the place. I couldn't blame them for everything.

I knew what I had to do.

The bottle of turpentine and the lighter were still in Harvey's room from the fire. I knew that Jimmy had stashed them down in the basement after the incident with the Bell family and that Jimmy had started the fire in the boiler room. I had half hoped the fire would've spread to the secret room and burned Hugo's body in the process - but it didn't.

It was only wishful thinking, after all.

Taking the bottle and lighter, I made my way to my own room - the room that I had raised Jimmy in from the day he was born.  

Room 207.

Once inside, I locked the door behind me, feeling the fresh tears of pain begin to prickle at the corner of my eyes. This was my only way out, my only means of escape from Hugo's wrath as a spirit - my only escape from the Asmodai that now lived in Jimmy.

I opened the bottle and dumped the remaining contents on my body, covering my hair, face, clothing - everything - until the bottle was completely empty. Tossing it aside, I pulled the lighter out.

I clasped it between my hands like it was a rosemary, praying for God to forgive my sins and accept that I was a broken woman looking for salvation. I asked to be free from these chains that bound me to a demon's wrath, to be free from the pain that I knowingly and unknowingly caused. I crossed myself, promising to love and respect in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit - then I turned the lighter on.

Flames jumped onto my fingers as I dropped the lighter to the ground, the hot fire licking up at my skin like wind on the plains - eating away the flesh of my body. I didn't feel the pain until much later - the fire now consuming to my bones. I let out loud screams and refused my body to move - too afraid I would spread the fire into the hallways and through the hotel.