Juniper James and the Slayer Moon

Chapter 6 Pompous Reality

I was sitting on my bed with my Social Psychology textbook, trying my hardest to study, but the images of that demon kept flashing in my mind. I hadn't heard from Chase for hours since I left him at the library.  I hoped he got the hint that I was not getting involved in his crazy demon extermination lifestyle.

I rubbed my temples from the stress that was starting to build in my head.  I needed to force it all out of my mind.  If I just didn't think about it or acknowledge, it wouldn't be real.

I scanned my book some more, trying to focus on the words, but I couldn't connect with their meaning.  I was too distracted and all I saw were meaningless symbols on the page.  I slammed the book shut and sighed heavily.  Just as I did, my phone began to vibrate with the name "Ty" flashing on the screen.  I picked up and casually said, "Hey, big brother."

                "Hey, June, how's it going?" My brother asked on the other line.

                I thought about the strange events that had transpired over the last twenty-four hours.  "Uh, nothing really, just been studying a lot."  I felt a pang of guilt inside me.  I hated lying to my brother, even if was for the best.

                I heard him laugh.  "You're in college now, out on your own, and all you do is study.  Go out into the world and do something crazy, June!  You're young, you gotta start living...responsibly." He always struggled with telling me to have fun, but also including a warning about not losing control. He was a detective for the Baltimore police, so he was always in cop mode.

"What if I told you I've been chosen as a demon slayer to protect innocent humans? Is that "living" enough?"

Ty chuckled. "June, just because you're a Psych major, doesn't mean you have to say everything so philosophically. It comes off a little pompous. "

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed annoyed.

"Last week, when I told you I wanted to switch from the iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy, you told me I was projecting my fear of perfection onto the iPhone by rejecting it first."

"You were!" I insisted, but he only laughed harder.

"Slaying demons," he choked on his laughter that was now roaring through my phone's speakers. "And I'm Sherlock Holmes!"

I scowled at the phone like he could see my face. My life was so ludicrous, my own brother didn't even believe me, not that I actually expected him to.

"So how are things at home?" I mumbled, changing the subject.

Our home was in Baltimore, a quick thirty minute drive from my college.  We lived in a small three bedroom apartment on the edge of the city. I had moved in with Ty after our mom died three years ago in a car accident.  It wasn't something we liked to talk about much because of the pain it brought to the surface when we did.  It made us closer than ever, though, and he had become the parental figure in my life since our father abandoned us when I was just a baby.  Ty had been five and he remembered our father, but I never asked about him.  There was a rage that opened in his eyes when someone mentioned our father making his anger and hurt as clear as day.  I never like to put him through that.

                "Everything is fine; it's really quiet without you."  I could hear the sadness in his tone.  He missed having me around; he let on in every phone call.  "You should visit soon; I know the boys at the station would love to see you!"

                I smiled, thinking about how much better I felt talking to my brother as he reminded me of my peaceful life.  "Yeah, sure, how's next weekend?"

                "That would be perfect," he said with an obvious hint of happiness and excitement.  "I should probably get going, but I want you to be careful.  There have been some strange things happening out here."

                "What do you mean?" I asked curiously, thinking about the strange things I had seen also.

                "We've found two girls dead.  Both separate instances, but both found lying in the street with their eyes wide open in terror.  It looks like something just sucked their lives right out of them.  The autopsies haven't come back with anything helpful.  There are no traces of drugs in their systems.  Nothings adding up, but someone out there is going after these girls."

Or something, I thought.

"Just be careful, June.  I couldn't take it if my baby sister showed up on one of these streets."  He was so protective of me because of the horrible things he saw every day.  I didn't like to make him worry.

                "I'll be careful, I promise."

                "Alright, talk to you later, June. Try not to overdo it with the demons," he snickered.

                "Bye," I muttered as I hung up the phone and looked around my room.

My eyes landed on the clock with eight o'clock showing in its big red numbers.  I hadn't seen Skye since this afternoon when I took off with Chase. I thought about what my brother said about those girls who had been found dead and my mind went back to the night before with the girl walking out of the club with that demon. What was he going to do to her?

                I grabbed my phone and texted Skye, "Where are you?"

                It took her a couple minutes to finally text back, "Firrrflly."

                "Great, she's sloppy.  Someone's giving her drinks," I muttered to myself.

I jumped off the bed and pulled on my black leather boots over my black skinny jeans.  I quickly changed into a shimmery red cowl neck sleeveless shirt so I wouldn't get an earful from Skye about not ever dressing up.  I grabbed my leather coat and keys as I rushed out the door.

Author's Note:

This chapter was a little longer and I didn't want it to be overwhelming, so I split it in half! This chapter serves more as background information now, but the best part is in the next chapter ;) Hope you keep reading and enjoy! Please feel free to comment! I love the feedback and it really helps me improve!