The Guy Next Door *editing for publication*

Exams Complete

Angrily the woman pulled a vial out of her dress pocket and waved it as she slowly sang, "I curse you and every demon that belongs to the Coenraad clan.  As long as my soul is reborn so will yours and your family!  Walk the realm of the humans but you will remember each time!"  Throwing the bottle on the ground a puff of black smoke enveloped her.

She coughed and sputtered as she fell to her knees. "With this my death I seal the curse," laughing she grinned evilly as blood came from her mouth, "Tor this curse is easily broken but you are weak and will never do it."

Ashley watched as the man she was speaking to moved closer and plunged a small dagger into her heart. "I have no issue killing a creature that shares your black soul," as he said the words he twisted the knife.

The scene changed and she saw the man standing over the still body of an elderly olive complexion man.  As he looked at the body he mumbled, “Why didn't the curse break?"

The scene changed and the man stood with a dark chocolate complexion woman dressed in dark coarse robes. She threw herbs and bones on a fire as she whispered words in an unknown tongue.

"The curse is easy to break.  Toroñ, you who took her immortality and power for doing what comes natural to a demon must kill her reincarnation in the way you loath."

The man's perplexed voice spoke, "What way is that."

Laughing the woman continued, "Drain the body dry and rip out the heart and eat it so it can never be reborn."

The man mumbled under his breath, "That's sick. Why is it so nasty and specific?"

The scene changed and she now saw a young man staring scared at an older gray haired man.

"Taro, I swear I did nothing wrong," with those words the young man cowered away from the older man.

"Martin I don't want to do this," sighed the other man as he stared down at him.  "You’re a good kid but my family and I grow weary of this existence."

Martin turned to stare at the man he thought was his friend, "Please, Taro! I'm sorry! Spare me."

Pulling a gleaming dagger from its sheath Taro stared at the trembling figure and shook his head.  "Damn this is hard to do," running his fingers through his hair.  "Go away from here Martin, and never speak of this to anyone."

Martin jumped up and ran as fast as his feet would take him.  As he neared the street he didn't slow down and ran straight into the path of a horse.

Taro stared emotionless at the scene. "Shit," he said to himself as he looked at the now dead body of Martin.

The scene changed and showed a little girl shivering in the cold.

"Please spare some change," she called to people walking past her.

"I'll help you," said a brown haired man with a black trench coat on.

Smiling the little girl accepted the coins he offered, "Thank you kind sir."

"I wish to help you more than this.  Let me buy you a meal," nodding the little girl got up.

The brown haired man led her to a small restaurant, "What would you like to eat."

The little girl showed straight white teeth when she smiled while unable to read the menu.  Shaking her head she looked at him with clear blue eyes, "Whatever you order me."