Demons (Evil Dead Fic)

Chapter 10

He spots five more young adults in hoodies, standing around a table in a dimly lit room. They turn their heads to stare at him, a hazy, unfocused look in their eyes. Ash sends them a sharp glare, walking up to the table and slamming his metal hand on the wooden table top. Their reactions are delayed, but they eventually jump back in shock, trembling in fear.

"So," he says, trying to remain calm, "where is she? The girl?"

The one in the grey hoodie points a shaking finger to the corner. Growling, Ash pushes the man aside, walking around the group and heading towards the direction the man had pointed in. It isn't long before a figure lies before him, her hair tangled, sticking up in all directions, obscuring her features. He gulps upon spotting empty syringes scattered around her, red dots littering the soft skin on her forearms, bruises now sprouted up on her skin.

Oh, kid...

Ash kneels in front of Mia, using a voice that most people use to talk to their pet. "Hey, kiddo."

Groggily, Mia lifts her head to him, bobbing up and down lazily. She stares at him with glassy, her vision blurry, making it seem as if there are two Ash's. A smile forms on her lips, her eyelids half-open.

"Heyy, Ash," she slurs, stumbling towards him and shoving him slightly. "What's up...how're youuuu...?"

"I'm okay. I've been looking for you," Ash tells her with a grim smile, speaking as if the situation is completely normal, while internally, he feels rage built up inside of him.

Why didn't she tell me? Why did she leave? Why couldn't she just have had a better life? Why couldn't she have a happier life them me?

"Hey...how 'bout we go home? I wanna show you something."

"Okayyyy..." Mia giggles, taking his hand and allowing him to lead him out of the building, away from the five others whose names she can't even seem to remember...

The ride back to the house is a blur for Mia, everything moving in slow motion, the world a brilliant flash of different colors. Every so often she laughs to herself, not realizing it, and not even exactly knowing why. Her thoughts are all jumbled anyway...

"Where're we goin'...?" she asks, still out of it as Ash drags her through his house and down the steps of the basement.

"We're going to the fun place!" he says, faking happiness. Breathing a concentrated inhale and exhale, Ash stops before a metal door, leading to the room he's simply named the "panic room." He's only used it once when someone was recovering from a certain kind of demon that infected their, and had to violently detox for a week. Ash has never had to use it since, and even then he was resorted to killing the person. But now he'll have to. Hanging his head, he leads her inside, locking the door and leaning against it, holding back tears.

"Wee!" Mia flails her arms in the air, smiling as the door slams behind her. Turning around, she staggers towards the door, taking the handle in two hands and turning the knob - it doesn't budge. Frowning, she starts jiggling the handle as hard as she can, trying to open the door. She bangs on the door, slamming her side into it, moaning unintelligible words. "Ash...Ash, where'd you go? Ash?!"

Pushing off the door, he spins around and gazes thourgh the small, square, bullet proof glass window on the door, whispering, "I'm sorry, kid. I'm sorry. It's for your own good."

Mia blinks out the bright spots in her vison, gazing lazily at Ash through the window. "Ash..." Her breathing hitches in her throat, suddenly, paranoia setting in as she feels as if something's watching her. Yelling and banging on the vibrating metal door, she cries out, "Lemme out! Ash, save me!"