Random Shorts

Prompt 1: Chicken Sou--Oops

The demon stands amid your destroyed kitchen screaming, "How? How were you able to summon me?!" You were standing in the corner flipping through your grandma's cookbook as fast as you can, screaming back, "I don't know!! You were supposed to be chicken soup!!"
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   It's an early Wednesday morning, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I'm laying in my bed refusing to be awakened from my slumber. I've always hated- no, despised mornings. Whenever morning came, I'd burrow under more blankets hoping Mother or Grandma would leave me be. On occasion, that would happen, leaving me to sleep once again. So far so good, for they haven't yet come up. It didn't take too long for me to start falling back into slumber. Ahh, sweet, sweet sleep. I can already see the reds, greens, and yellows of my dreams. I start to see a green meadow with a ray of sunshine shining through some trees. There was a silhouette in the middle of the meadow, crouched down, picking what seemed to be flowers. I tracked my way toward it to get a better glance, but before I got there, it turned around. Since everything was still a little out of focus from just being thought of, I couldn't get a good look at their face but it seemed as though it was someone well-built, with dark colored hair, a mossy green shirt, and faded blue jeans. They said something but I couldn't make out what it was; I gave them a questioning look and when they started to repeat what was said, the sides of my vision turned dark until everything was engulfed in it.
   I woke up with a start. I scanned my room to get clear of my surroundings, acknowledging and confirming it was my room I was in. I flopped back onto the bed and heaved a long, heavy sigh. I'm so tired of mornings. They're exhausting, long, and over-rated; why anybody would ever want to wake up so soon is beyond me. I closed my eyes, hoping time would fly by.
   "Jared!! Get in here," was heard from down the hall: Mother. I groaned, not wanting to get out of my comforting chamber of fluff. "I heard you, mister. Get in here now!" I lazily rolled out of bed and ventured towards the location of Mother's voice.
   I had to find Mother before I could find out what she had wanted. She was in the kitchen, running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
   "Mom. What'd you need?"
   "Grandma and I are going to the store. We need you to hold down the fort. If you get hungry there is some food in the fridge, and don't mess with Grandma's stuff. Okay, sweety?"
   "Yeah, I got it. Be careful." and then they headed out the door, well at least Mom did. Grandma, on the other hand, stayed behind for a second.
   "If you don't like any of the food here," Grandma said while gripping my shoulder through my shirt. "You can use one of my cookbooks to make something." And with that, they left.
   After hours of binge-watching shows, I decided to search the fridge for something to munch on. I scanned the contents it held and figured I'd be better off using one of Grandma's books. I set off for her room: down the long, pale grey hallway and past my near empty room.
   I guess I could tell you more about Grandma and Mother. Grandma's name is Jade L Marygreen; I never figured out what her middle name was, I just know it starts with an "L". She is an old and withered, yet keen and wise, lady, with salt and pepper hair. She has soft, bottle green eyes with a hint of golden yellow around her irises. She's small in stature and has help moving around with a small, hand-carved, cognac colored cane.
   Mother has a petite form although she is much stronger than she appears. Her name is Flora "Flo" Marygreen. She has mousy brown hair with midnight blue streaks throughout. Her eyes are weird, they're a combination of a sea green color and an electric blue: very striking and beautiful. She's never been in the military but she walks straight as if she has, for she stands so straight.
   Anyways, back to the storyline. When I got to Grandma's room, I looked all over. Her room is trashed. There's papers scattered on the floor, dirty dishes laying about, and clothes littered the entire room. The only part of the cubical that wasn't dirty was the area where all of Grandma's books are. They were neatly placed in alphabetical order, by author, and not a single speck  of dust was present on the shelf they're placed on.
   I skimmed through the books, not paying much attention to the names, looking for one that relatively looked close to the word "cookbook". After what seemed to be a few moments, I found one; I grabbed it and waltzed out of the room.
   Strolling into the kitchen with oh so much confidence and grace that'd put a swan to shame...that also meaning I went in there with so much of nonexistent confidence and tripping over every little thing in my way. I flipped through the pages and found what seemed easy enough to make that even I wouldn't screw it up: chicken soup. I skimmed through the recipe and went to collect the items needed.
   "Let's see...chicken," I said, drawing out the 'e', to no one in particular while looking in the freezer. I quickly put it in the sink with hot water running over it to quick thaw.
   "Carrots?...you sneaky little twats, where are you?" As I scurried around the kitchen searching for ingredients, I start to read the instructions further down the page. Since I was reading it to myself, the words jumbled together and ended up not sounding English.
   In the midst of reading, the house began to violently shake, and everything started to fall from their designated places. Due to the sudden movement, I jerked and slammed the book shut, losing my place. I cursed under my breath and scurried to take cover.
   The shaking stopped just as fast as it begun: time froze. I held my breath, in fear that if it excaped, the whole house would crumble. Nothing happened and a sigh of relief escaped my lips, and I gradually came out of my spot and scanned the room. It looks like a tornado ran through and left the walls and everything scattered. The only thing left standing, was a guy. But they weren't completely human. He had big, chocolate brown horns growing from his temples, but other than that he seemed to be an average human. He had a mossy green tee on, faded blue jeans, and a plaid jacket tyed around his waist. He has shoulder length, medium brown, shaggy hair. I couldn't get a good angle to see his eyes but from his appearance I'm just going to say they're some shade of brown.
   Full of shock, I backed into the corner of the counter, bumping into the coffee maker, resulting in a ear-splitting "bang!" The guy darted around and glared at me with bright cornflower blue eyes, as though they were piercing my soul. Almost instantly, his glare turned into a look of worry and anguish.
   Demon Boy stands amid the destroyed kitchen screaming, "How? How were you able to summon me?!" I darted to Grandma's cookbook and back to the corner, flipping through its pages as fast as I can, screaming back, "I don't know!! You were supposed to be chicken soup!!" I kept turning pages until I found the right one, him on the other hand was pacing back and forth and mumbling to himself with a few grunts of frustration.
   "I did everything right, so what went wrong?"
   "Oh jee, chica, I wonder. Here's a few ideas, your kitchen is a pigsty, I'm in some mortal's house, and I'm not in hell doing my job!!"
   "Hey, hold on a minute. First off, I am not a chic, I'm clearly a guy. Second of all, you being here is on you and my kitchen being a mess is probably your fault too. And finally, what do you mean 'You're not in hell doing your job'?"
   "Listen, I'm not human-"
   "Clearly."
   "-And I have a job to get back to if you could just send me back. I just need to go now or else my boss won't be very delighted with me. So, any time now would be great!"
   "Hehe, small problem with that. I don't exactly know how you got here or anyway to 'send you back' as you said," I replied, sheepishly rubbed the nape of my neck in embarrassment.
   "What!! No, no, no, this can't be happening! I have to get back now! Whether I have to take your soul to do that or not, I will be getting back." He's marched towards me, anger emitting off him.
   "W-wait. T-that won't be necessary," I stuttered, scared of what he could do. He has a bigger build than I, and it's clear to see he's much stronger than me. If I tried anything, it'd be child's play for him to overrun me. He continued getting closer and closer until I was pinned against the wall.
   "You find me a way, any way, back. Now."
   "O-okay. I will but I can't with you on me!"
  "Hmm, you seem to like it. Considering you're stuttering and your face is as red as a baboon's bottom," he purred into my ear. I could hear his smirk as the reddening on my face increased. I'm starting to really despise him.
   "Get off me-" I demanded, while shoving him off of me- "and I'll go look!"
  "Quickly. I don't need Boss outraged with me. That wouldn't be good for my image."
   He followed me to Grandma's room and watched my every move. He seemed to be intrigued about my movements or how I did things. I don't like how he's looking at me and his intense stare was making me uncomfortable.
   "Could you stop watching me like that?"
   "Like what? You intrigue me. You're not like the other humans, most of them are flirty or just plain disgusting. But you're neither. I'm curious to why that is."
   "What do you mean? You don't even know me." He scoffed at me as if I said something stupid or so obvious and I missed it.
   "Please, you think I don't know you. I know more about you than you know about yourself, Jared." Now it was my turn to scoff. There's no way he could know me, I've never met him in my life.
   "Oh, I'm sure you do! I want to know everything, and I mean everything, that you know about me." By this time I've stopped looking for a way to get him back and turn towards him, cheeks puffed out due to anger.
   "Awe, the little Jared thinks he's all big and bad. Whatcha' gonna do, huh?" He jeered, with confidence pouring from his pores and knowing he's much stronger than I. "Exactly, nothing. You're just going turn around and get back to what you were told like a good, incompetent human you are-" flicking his wrist frantically, shooing me to get back to business. "-god, you're just like your sisters, except they accually listened to what they were told."
   I was well aware he was trying to get a reaction from me, succeeding in doing so. "What was that," I spat, venom dripping from every syllable.
   "That got your attention didn't it? Aah, such good pets they were. Unlike you, they didn't hesitate to do what I--" I cut him off before he could continue.
   "Don't ever mention them again, got it?!"
   "Ooo. Looks like I stuck a nerve with that one."
   If looks could kill, he'd be dead. How does he know them? They've been gone for years, there's no possible way he, of all things, could know them. We had an intense staring contest, and I just so happened to be the one to turn away. Man, he's good.
   "So, what all do you know about me?"
  "Everything," he stated matter-factly and smirked.
  "Everything? How so?"
   "Well, being one of the top, most important, and irrepla-"
   "Someone seems a bit cocky."
   "Dont inturupt me. Now as I was saying, being one of the top, most important, and irreplaceable people in the down below, it comes with perks, such as knowing about desired people. And assigned people too of course, it's not like I wanted to know tons of details about you."
   He seemed anxious about me thinking he wanted to know about me. Interesting.
   "Mind telling me what you've learned."
   "Hmm, don't see what it would hurt. Let's see, where to begin-" he started to stroke his nonexistent beard, as though he was an old man in deep thought. "-I guess I could start with the basics. You're name is Jared Rex Marygreen, you're almost 19 years old, and you've never been a social butterfly, but the complete opposite when with friends.
   You have anxiety, though not much. You had two sisters, whom were twins, their names being Atlas and Edan. When they died you were merely 5 years old and you haven't trusted anyone ever since they've been gone. Anything else you want to know?"
   By this time, I've already gone through Grandma's bookshelf and now sitting on her bed, listening to Demon Boy talk.
   "Yes accually. I want to know about you," I replied, not expecting him to talk about himself. I mean, why would he, it's not like he needs to. Though, it would be nice to know the mysterious demon.
   "I guess. Let's see, my name is Xavier "Drogo" Vilare. When deceased, I was 17 and was killed from a drunk driver while I was on my way to pick up my sibling from a party they went to." He shrugged as though none of it mattered and he didn't care. "That's just about it. I wasn't an interesting person, like the ones in your family line. But hey, it's something I guess."
   "My family line?"
   "Yes, your family line. High ranked demons have been in contact with this line for quite some time, well, your dad's side of the family that is. That's another explanation to how I know you. My "brother" was assigned to your grandmother, my uncle to your dad, ecetra. Quite a family if I do say so myself."
   "I'm so confused. What are you talking about? How does Grandma fall into all of this? And my sisters?"
   "Woah, kiddo. One question at a time. That's a whole 'nother story to be told at a different time that's not now. Capish? Capish. Anyways, you find a way to send me back yet?"
   I slouched into the bed and heavily sighed. "Not even a hunch."
   "Dang. Might have to wait for Jade herself to find a way. She's done so before with her own of our kind."
   "I still don't see how Grandma fits into all this. I mean, come on, she's a nice, little, old lady. She has a collection of yarn and flowers in the backyard and shed. On weekends she watches whatever old people watch on weekends."
   "Which means you don't know much about her. She may be nice and all, but everybody has secrets and skeletons in their closets. No matter how much you know them. Now, I'm going to go raid you kitchen."
   He left me sitting on the bed, dumbfounded, still confuzed of the whole ordeal. It dawned on me what he said after a couple seconds.
   "Wait! Xavier, you can't just snoop through my house!"
   "'Course I can. Even if I couldn't, it's not like you could stop me. Not with those noodle arms of yours," he joked.
   "Whatever you say Demon Boy," I smirked.
   "Don't call me that."
   "Okay, how about X?"
   "As long as I can call you J," he said jokingly.
   "Okay...X," I smirked as his face turned pink: never knew demons could blush.
   After what felt like an hour or two, we were in the living room scrolling through channels, with the hopes of something to strike our interest. There was nothing. X broke the silence.
   "You know, I've just remembered your grandma can't send me back."
   "What do you mean?"
   "There's only one way to be sent back. It's nearly impossible to do though."
   "Didn't you say Grandma accomplished it? If she did before then why can't she now?"
   "Yes, it's true that Jade managed to send hers back, but that was her demon. I'm yours, so only you can send me back, but not without some kind of price that is."
   "Oh, so what is this price you speak of. Like my soul? Or something different?"
   "I don't know really. I've heard stories about it being a mortal's heart or something but I don't know and they're just stories. I've never got sent back before. The twins tried, by giving me their souls thinking that'd work, but it didn't. So as payment, I stayed with them and we became friends I guess."
   "Wait. So they lost their souls and you stayed with them as payment? Could you go anywhere they go," I was slowly getting angrier and gradually got louder and louder until I was screaming at the top of my lungs. "Were you there when they died? Could you've stopped their death from happening!? Why didn't you do anything to stop it!?" I was was beyond furious by this point.
   "Whoa, calm down J. Yes, as payment. I knew of course it wasn't enough to pay for their souls, but that's all I could do. No, I couldn't always go where they went: sometimes there was wardings, like symbols on walls, doors, or windows, that I can't pass. I wasn't there when they died, but yes, if I was there then there might have been a possibility of avoiding it. I wish I was there, truly."
   Tears have started to fall after him saying that. God, I hated being emotional, expecially in front of others. It made me feel vulnerable and weak and pathetic. But since the tears already roll down my face, there's no stopping them now.
   "Kiddo? You okay?"
   No reply.
   "Hey, cheer up. I didn't mean to upset you, J." He had this uncertainty in his voice, as though he doesn't know how to respond to the situation. He sat there, on the opposite side of the mauve colored couch, contimplating on what to do. I wasn't looking his direction, but I felt him shift and then I was engulfed by arms.
   I managed to choke out a "What are you doing?"
   "It's a hug, dimwit. You know, an act of holding someone tightly in one's arms," X mocked.
   "I know what a hug is, I meant-"
   "Yeah, I know what you meant. I was messing with you. Anyways, it seemed as though you needed one, but don't go expecting much, got it."
   "Now why would I ever expect that from you," I teased back at him.
   We sat there like that for what seemed like an eternity, and I slowly started to doze off. I wasn't all that tired, it was just I felt like I was laying on a comfortable pillow.
   "Hey, don't be falling asleep on me J!"
   I sleepily mumbled incoherent words.
   "Come on. You need to finish that chicken soup from earlier."
   "Later X...later," I yawned and continued to doze.
   "Hey! J! J! Ugh, I think he fell asleep."
   I managed out a barely audible laugh and started tumbling into sleep. The last thing I heard was him sighing; he moved around, then it was silence. I fell asleep with his scent in my nose and a smile plastered upon my face from the feeling of his fingers slowly moving on my back, tracing invisible letters, spelling out one simple phrase:
         I love you, Jared.
   I think he just got his payment,for he just got my heart.
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