Haunted House Flipper

Chapter 42

I waved the sword around below me through the roof. With the blade facing down I dragged my hand across the tiles until the sword made contact with the demon. He screamed and pulled harder, so I moved the sword back and dragged it with all my might toward the place I had felt it hit his body. He let go of the cloak.

I scrambled up onto my feet, pulled the cloak off and wrapped it around myself under my armpits and into a large knot. My upper body was exposed now, but it seemed better than being choked to death. I stood there panting and jerking my head around in a total panic, unsure of where the demon would pop up next. I waited there for probably five minutes, but it felt like an hour.

Then the demon rose up from the rooftop coming at me with what remained of his sword. Less than half of the blade stuck out from the handle, and the end was a clean sharp looking break. It almost looked like it had been designed that way, like a thick long dagger.

I was terrified he would go for my legs and they felt very exposed, but I didn't want him to pull me down again. He flew up and slashed at my head. I ducked and threw up my arm in defense. My forearm took the blow under the cloak, and I swung my blade up into the demon's chest again.

He flew back, slipping off the blade. He howled in pain and stayed back. Then he came at me again, but he was moving much slower. I watched his extended arm come near, and then swung my blade with all my strength. This time it connected, cutting clean through the handle of the sword along with a couple of the demon's fingers. He shook his hand and flew away from me.

Then he doubled back with his hands outstretched flying toward me at a chilling speed. I took a step back and raised my sword, holding firm as the tip stabbed into the demon's shoulder. He had come at with with such force that the sword went clean through him and he still came, colliding with me and knocking me onto my back. His face was inches from mine twisted in agony as he flew up and away wrenching himself off the blade. One second he was there. The next he was gone.

I lay there for a few minutes just trying to convince myself it was over. Once my brain finally let go of the terror I had felt during that fight I was able to get up and think about something else. I looked around. Several of the roof tiles were broken now. I should have tried to get the demon to fight me on the ground. I didn't want to think about how expensive that fight had been. Not only in the cost of replacement roof tiles, but in the time it would take me to get it all fixed. That made me think of Claire.

I wondered how she was. I got on the lift, and headed back down to the ground. As I took long unbalanced steps I slipped the sword into my belt and tried to catch my breath. I opened my car door with some trouble, and fell into the driver's seat. I started the engine and pulled away toward the hospital.

On the way I stopped at the grocery store and picked up a 12 pack of diet soda. At least I had some good news to tell Claire: the demon was gone.

I went back to the emergency room parking lot, found a spot, and went inside. I asked at the front desk, and they let me go back toward E.R. room fourteen where she had been placed. I hoped it was a good sign she had not been admitted to the hospital yet.

I stopped a nurse in the hall.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"Would it be too much trouble if I could have a cup of ice for my friend in room fourteen?"

She hesitated. I'm sure she had more important things to do. I'm guessing the strained look that must have been on my face made her feel sorry for me.

"Sure. Let me get that for you."

"Thank you so much."

As I waited I studied a small painting on the wall. It was a vase of flowers near a window with sunlight streaming in. Quiet beeps slipped out of the doorway I was near monitoring someone's vitals. I didn't know what I was going to say to Claire. The nurse came back and handed me a large cup full of ice.

"Thank you!"

"No problem."

And with that she left me alone with the beeps. I continued down the hall to room fourteen. I stopped right before walking into Claire's room and braced myself. Then I walked in.

She was laying in the bed watching TV. When she saw me, she grabbed the remote sitting next to her, and turned it off.

"Hi. Are you okay? I brought you something," I said, holding up the cup of ice and soda as a peace offering.

She nodded. Then, with a lot of effort, she raised her hands toward me and waved me forward.

"Come give me a hug, but please be very gentle," she said.

I walked up next to the hospital bed, and bent over making sure not to put any of my weight on her as I carefully wrapped my arms around her and gave her a light squeeze.

"Thank you, and thanks for the soda," she said in a quiet voice.

"For what? I am the reason this all happened to you. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault you got hurt. I want to help..."

She held up a hand and shook her head. I could tell that movement hurt her.

"Alright I'll shut up. Don't worry about moving for me. I'll just listen," I said.

"The doctor said you saved my life. It was quick thinking getting me down with a demon around. I'm not sure I could have done that. So thank you."

"What are you talking about? I'm the reason you fell. All I did was get you down after you were already injured."

"If you wouldn't have done that right away, I could have died from suspension trauma."

"Really? What's that?"

"I guess if you're hanging upright, and your legs are slack, a ton of blood gets pulled into them by gravity and then your heart doesn't have enough blood to pump to the rest of your body. People die from it if they are upright in a harness for too long. If you would have kept fighting that demon, or waited for help to come get me down I probably would have died," she said.

"I'm so glad I got you down," I said.

"Me too."

"Well of course I wasn't just going to let you hang there. I care about you."

Claire didn't say anything. She lifted her hand out toward me, and I took a step forward and held it in mine.

"What are you going to do about the mansion? There's no way you'll be able to fix it up yourself. You're going to have to hire someone else now," Claire said.

"I don't want you to worry about that. I'm going to do as much as I can by myself and with the help of Cordo. He's that homeless accordion player I brought to the pastor. Maybe with some online videos or something, I'll be able to do a lot of it. I just came from the mansion. I got rid of that demon up on the roof. I wanted to let you know."