Witch Hunt

1

"Mom, are you okay?"  I asked, she really hadn't been herself at all today.  She seemed tired, and occupied, like she had her mind focused, just not on shopping, or eating lunch.  Come to think of it, she was looking a bit thinner than her usually dainty frame.  "You seem a little lost today."

As if snapping herself out of her daze, she responded, her voice even tired.  "Yeah, honey, I'm fine.  Don't worry."  She smiled and tried to reassure me with a firm hand on top of mine.  "It's getting late, I uh.  I still need to do laundry, so you should go get some rest.  I know how you've been worrying about that test tomorrow."

Sighing, I noticed her staring off, looking worried out of the window behind me.  "I love you, Mom.  Make sure you get sleep tonight."  Getting up from the lunch table, I gave her a tight hug, and then left for home.  I did need to study, not that I was going to.  I was smart, however not smart enough to get straight A's, but not fail either.

Once home, pajamas were thrown on as quickly as possible.  I flopped down on the couch with the TV remote, when there was a loud knocking on the door.  Jumping up, nearly throwing the remote, I ran to the door and looked through the peephole.  Two police officers.  They looked distressed.

When I opened the door, their hats came off and looked down.  I got really nervous, the last time I saw that, Mom was in a car accident and spent a week in the hospital.  "Miss Robins?"  I nodded.  "There's been a tragedy.  You're mother has passed away."

I stared at them for a minute.  That couldn't be right.  They had to have the wrong person.  "Um, I'm sorry, there has to be a mistake, I just saw my mother just an hour ago.  She was fine, I think she was fine."

"I'm afraid it is her.  Is there anything we can do for you?  We can hang around this area in case you are too distressed.  It's been a quiet night for us."  He had a sad, polite smile, but there was no reassurance even hidden in it.

I shook my head.  "No, I just need to think.  Um, thank you, but I need to go."

They nodded, and left.

My phone quickly came out of my pocket.  I immediately dialed Mom's number.  It rang four times every call, and no answer, I just heard the calm, motherly, calming voice telling me to leave a message.  Bawling my eyes out, I threw the phone down.  The tears were pouring down my face, and I wanted to scream.  Shoving my face into a pillow, a cold breeze washed over my skin.  I could feel someone there with me, and hoping I would look up and see Mom, sadly, it wasn't.  No one was there.  The pillow was back over my face, drying my tears.  A warm hand landed on my shoulder.  Every hair on my body stood up, on high alert.  I was supposed to be alone.  But then again, so was Mom.   I jumped up off the couch, seeing a man sitting there.

He kind of stunned me.  Dark, dark, eyes, black V-neck, red leather jacket.  He was pale, and his hair was pitch black.  He was very attractive.  But he was in my house.  I didn't know who he was.

"Ari, don't be startled.  I'm here to help you."  He knew my name, and his voice was deep, yet light and calming at the same time.  He stood up, and looked deeply into my eyes.  Getting a better look at him, he looked maybe around 20 or 21.  Not much older than me, me being 19.

I ran to the kitchen, and opened a drawer, reached inside, but it was empty.  I went to the knife block.  Grabbed the biggest knife I had.  "Who are you, and why are you in my house?" I yelled through my now, scared, tears.

He slightly shook my head.  "Ari, put that knife down, won't do much to me anyway."  I didn't drop the knife, however I did lower it.  "I'm an old friend of your Mom's.  She asked me that, if God forbid something happened to her, if I'd take care of you.  I promised her I would."

"How do you know my mother?  Why did you come in here uninvited?"  Slightly raising the knife, I awaited the response.

He sat down on one of the chairs in the living room, and motioned for me to sit across him on the couch.  "It's a bit of a long story.  You might want to make yourself comfortable."  I moved over to the living room.  I didn't set down, and he realized I wouldn't get comfortable.  "Okay.  Well.  I'm not going to dance around it.  You wouldn't believe me even if I did.  I'm a demon.  Your mom was a witch, and she was attacked by another demon long ago, it was a horrible event, and she summoned me to help her fix things, and to protect her.  Then when she found out about you, to protect you."

"You were right," I said lightly.  He looked confused for a second.  "Right that I wouldn't believe you."