Human Spines

Everybody Can Waltz-III

        "Why are you sitting on me?" I hear myself ask. She tilts her head.

        "Because I want to and the laws of physics are letting me."

        "Oh." I can't think of anything to say to that.

        We remain like this until the room falls silent and every dancer freezes. Each student sits where they have stopped and looks toward Hans, standing in the middle of his now slightly spooky audience. He begins to clap, and slowly, everyone in the room starts to applaud. Even I'm clapping.

        "Very good job, all of you!" He is able to speak above the roaring cheers. "Class dismissed." He bows to his students. They rise and make their way to their belongings, scattered about the edges of the room.

        "Looks like he's finished, let's go talk to him." I prepare to stand.

        "Class is finished, but he most certainly isn't. He's still talking to some of them." She nods in his direction. He's bent down, speaking to one of the children.

        "What about all the Demons? Where'd they go? Are they still here?"

        "Yes, they're still here. They are actually sitting all around us, watching me, waiting for me to say something I think. Hello." She waves at a tight circle of invisible beings close enough for me to touch. Maybe she's sitting on me because there is nowhere else to sit. Not cool.

Hans

        "Oh now my dear, why is your face saddened? Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!" I tell the younger students as they leave with their parents, their faces glum until they hear my words.

        "Teeth are always in style." I slyly whisper to the teenagers before they walk home, and as they turn to each other, one by one, they begin to grin.

        "Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." I quote for the adults, watching them hold themselves higher as they strut out the door, their thankful smiles free and joyful.

        I find those that I know had an especially uplifting time and personally compliment them on how radiantly they were shining today. I call them "my dear" and "my sweet" because I have no idea what any of their names are. I know exactly who they all are, as if each one were my best friend, but I don't know a single student's name. They don't know, though.

        Once everyone but Cecilia, Mr. O'neil and the two non-dancers are gone, I lay down, right in the middle of the floor, directly beneath the new chandelier. My, is it beautiful. Silver sparkling lights glittering everywhere. Absolutely grand.

        "Sir? Are you alright?" The wide-eyed boy is asking, blocking my view of the chandelier.

        "What're you looking at? What do you see?" The girl pulls him away so I may view the chandelier again.

        "The most illuminating, bedazzelating, and fascinating chandelier anyone has ever seen," I answer.

        "You were right," the boy admits to the girl. She obstructs my view completely.

        "Will you please stand and talk to us." She does not smile. So I do. I sit up and invite them to join me upon the floor. The boy does. The girl spins in place, looking about the room.

        "What's your name, my dear?" I ask the boy. His eyebrows twitch before he answers.

        "Dumaine." He speaks the word but I know that it's only one truth. I'll ask him again when no other's are around.

        "And yours, my sweet?" I look to the other. She becomes as frozen as a popsicle but her face reddens like fire. It takes her a moment, but she speaks. "Emmeline Jefferson."

        "Hey." Dumaine reaches for her hand and gently pulls her down beside him. He whispers something that I don't try to hear. She nods, relaxing with us. I still want to ask Cecilia for some cantaloupe.

        "We think you may be able to help us," Dumaine starts. "What we're trying to do may seem ridiculous and impossible, but I'm pretty sure with your help we could get much further."

        "You can see things others don't, correct? Like the chandelier. Dumaine can't see it at all, and I see something else. A Demon. An eight-legged, dark maroon Demon, the size of a gorilla. And when you look around us right now, what do you see?" Emmeline doesn't look away from me as she gestures about the room. My eyes wander over the little ducklings sitting quietly around us, patiently watching nothing in particular. Some aren't even facing us.

        "Fluffy little ducklings. Hello, duckies!" I wave to those who are looking.

        "These aren't ducks you're waving to. These are bipedal Demons. Some look human, a few are penguin like, a couple are a bit like monkeys. They all look different but they all walk on two legs. I've noticed bipedal Demons tend to follow or imitate humans in their spare time. Every one of these Demons were taking part in your dance class and you didn't even notice. There are four other Demons in this room too. There are Demons all over the Earth, and no one knows it."

        "That sounds beautiful! I would like to teach them all to dance! I—"

        "I'm not finished yet." She interrupts my interruption. "They're not as similar to humans as you think. Respect is of the utmost importance to them. They all follow what I believe is their creator, the Reaper-Mother. Next in line are a select few Demons—"

        "And Emmeline," Dumaine adds.

        "Yes, and myself. But I... the Demons are able to forcibly possess me. They can be in complete control of my body for years at a time—"

        "Except for when she's asleep but then they possess her the exact moment she wakes up so she can't really remember that bit," he adds again.

        "I've shut my eyes to blink and opened them again to find years had passed. And Demons like to travel. I'll suddenly find myself in another state, wearing different clothes, doing something I've never done before. I need to figure out how to make them unable to possess me unless I agree to it. They've already taken eight years of my life."

        "Golly gee! That was excellently honest! I thank you for sharing that with me. But there's just one problem with what you said, my sweet. How do you know they're Demons?" I wonder aloud. I really am impressed by this girl's honesty.

        "Because they are. They're Demons who kill others and possess me." I can see her eyes watering. I think she may be afraid of something. I don't want that, I like her.

        "But my darling, have they ever used that word before? Has a single one ever called themself a Demon? Ever even uttered the word 'Demon'?" I speak as politely as possible and I see Dumaine appreciates my effort.

        Emmeline stares at her own shadow. Nothing she's said has surprised me besides her calling them Demons. It takes a true lie to surprise me. Dumaine watches Emmeline eye her shadow. And I watch Cecilia walking toward us.

        "You wouldn't happen to have any cantaloupe would you?"

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment!! I want to know who your FAVORITE CHARACTER is!!

And after you comment you can go download the TAP app or use the link at the bottom of my About Me section, and read my featured chat story, Shadows Of The First Born! It already has over two million taps! And since TAP doesn't have a comment feature yet, I'd welcome any comments you have for Shadows Of The First Born on any of Human Spine's chapters! So download the app and get Tapping!!