The Club

Twenty-One

It’s been such a long day, but I can’t sleep. I’ve been tossing and turning for hours. It’s already midnight and I’m still wide awake. I’ve already gotten up five times to get a drink of water or go potty. This is so frustrating! I sit up in bed for the sixth time as I let out a loud sigh. Why can’t I sleep? Maybe it’s from everything I learned today. It makes sense. I have a demon inside of my mind. Someone did a ritual making me a part of it, which I don’t remember of at all. It brought my dad back, but I never saw him afterwards. It made my mom act differently, though. I guess I should’ve known something happened. My mom acted differently after the crash, with me losing my memory a week after the crash. My mind always hurts and pound every time I try to think about what happened that day. I still don’t understand why it does that. I thought to myself with a sigh.
“Do you want to know?”
I jump when I heard Joz suddenly talking again. But, it makes me feel better knowing he’s alright. “How you feeling?”
“Could’ve been better. Never go inside of a church again or drink holy water. What were you thinking?” Joz asks, annoyed.
“Well, I’m sorry, but if you just told me first hand, then I never would’ve gone inside. Also, I never knew what I was drinking was holy water.” I tell him honestly.
“Yeah, whatever. You know why I couldn’t.” Joz tells me with a sigh.
“Well, now you can, right? I know what you are. You’re a demon. Who made a contract with someone while I was being a part of a ritual. We saved my dad. But why haven’t my mom and I ever seen him?” I ask Joz confused.
“Lonnie, dear, let me make this as clear as I can for you. Your father is still dead. He was never the goal to bring back to life with that ritual. You’re just assuming because of your dreams.” Joz explains to me, making me tense with each word.
“B-but, then why was I part of the ritual then? I know I wouldn’t have done it willingly.” I told him, upset.
“You are correct. You didn’t do it willingly. Do you remember how old you were when your father died in the car crash?” Joz asks me seriously.
“Of course. I was twelve, but why does that matter?” I ask him, confused.
“What do you remember of that day of your father’s death?” Joz asks me, making me upset by the question. 
“I-I remember-uh I-um.” I stop as my head pounded again as I tried to think about that day. I know he died of a car crash, but whenever I try to remember more about it or anything afterwards. I just get a headache instead.
“You don’t remember, do you?” Joz asks me like he knew this was going to happen.
“Ar-are you doing this to me?” I ask him, annoyed.
“I’m not. I’m afraid it’s the affects of the ritual.” Joz tells me slowly.
“What? But why? I don’t understand.” I tell him, groaning in frustration.
“I’ll explain it to you. Are you mentally prepared for what I’m about to tell you?” Joz asks me seriously.
I open my mouth to say yes I am, of course, but I closed it hesitate. If the ritual didn’t bring my dad back from the dead, then why did it happen in the first place? All I can think of someone used me for their own gain. The question is why and why do I not remember it? I know Joz says it’s because of the effects of the ritual, but shouldn’t I remember something at least? I look around my dark room and knew if I slept tonight then I’ll have the same dream again. The chanting, the drumming, the blue flame, and my dad. If my dad wasn’t a part of the ritual, then why do I keep seeing him in my dreams? There has to be a reason for it. Joz can tell me everything, and I’m grateful that he’s finally giving me some answers.
“Joz, before you tell me that, please tell me something else first.” I tell him, needing to know.
“What is it?” Joz asks patiently.
“I don’t know if you can see them each night, but every night since I tried to connect with my-or your magic. I’ve been having the same dream. I want to know why and I want to know why my dad is in it. If it’s not because he got brought back to life, then why?” I ask, upset and heartbroken about it.
“It’s connected to your dream, to what I’m about to tell you. Your father being in your dream every night, well, that will be a little complicated to explain.” Joz tells me with a sigh.
“Can you try at least?” I ask hopefully.
“Of course, my dear Lonnie. Your father, being in your dreams, can represent either or two things. One, it’s because he was the last person you saw, or it could be another demon in disguise.” Joz explains to me.
“That didn’t sound too complicated to explain. But wait, what do you mean the last person I saw?” I ask curiously.
“I’ll tell you. But first, are you mentally prepared for it?” Joz asks again.
I let out a sigh, as I don’t think I am, but I have to be if I want more answers. I took a deep breath before giving him my answer. “Yes. I am.”
“My dear Lonnie. You’re in for the actual story. You were so innocent, twelve years old and happy, as with her parents in Alabama. Happiness can’t last forever though, can they? One day, on a rainy day, a blue car swerved as to avoid a person drunkenly walking in the middle of the road. The person who was so desperately trying to straighten his car was none other but your father. Richard McPurthy. The car swerved off the road and rolled repeatedly. Until. It crashed into a mountain on the bottom.” Joz explains, making tears fall from my eyes.
“I remembered some of that, but I didn’t remember a drunken guy on the road.” I whispered, upset.
“Hold on, my dear Lonnie. There’s more. Your father didn’t die from that, but was just badly injured. In fact, he was desperately trying to get himself free so he can save his passenger.” Joz continues the story.
“What? Passenger? What passenger?” I ask, feeling my head pound once more.
“Your father tried everything he could to free himself so he could save his precious daughter.” Joz says, before I cried out no.
“Stop! Stop it! You’re lying! There’s no way I was in that car with my father! I would’ve remembered! I would’ve been-” I cried out but stop.
“Dead.” Joz simply answers for me.
“No. No, no no! This can’t be true!” I cried out hysterically.
“My dear Lonnie. The ritual didn’t happen for your father to come back. It happened for you to come back. As you can see, it worked as you’re standing here talking and breathing. You don’t have mortal blood anymore, my dear Lonnie. You have demon blood. My blood running through your veins. It’s just like my magic is coursing through your body. You are one of the kind, my dear Lonnie. You are special.”