Ditching the Demons

Because They May Like You for All the Wrong Reasons

"Bleeping." (CRUNCH) "Arrogant." (CRUNCH) "Jerk!" (CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH).

Myra found a tree in the middle of the main courtyard with a lot of pine cones under it.

He probably thought that saying something like that would frighten me, and then I would rush right over to them so he wouldn't have to wait as long.

Myra's imagination pictured a chibi Sam, sitting on the hood of her car, throwing pebbles at the heads of passers-by.

"I'm tired... and bored" droned chibi-Sam while stifling a yawn and flicking a pebble at a young woman simultaneously. "I want Myra to come and drive me home so that she can wait on me hand-and-foot (and I can eat all of her ice cream again). Where is she anyway? That wench is so annoying. It's just like her to not be around when I actually need her. Although, even when she is around she's quite insubordinate toward me. I need to figure out a way to get her to (quickly) come here." He taps his chin thoughtfully with a finger.

A light bulb flashes on above chibi-Sam's head. "I've got it! Meristu, Nadrumis!" Chibi versions of Meris and Dru pop up on either side of him. "Fetch me a writing quill and parchment." They immediately produce the requested items which he snatches away and begins to scribble something on the paper.

Ten minutes later, chibi-Sam triumphantly holds a folded piece of paper over his head. It seemed to shine with a light all its own. "Perfect! Now, go deliver this to Myra, you two. And be quick about it!"

"Well, if that's what he thinks, then he can just bite my big toe!" Myra screamed to the sky.

Hearing her voice echo off of the surrounding buildings she glanced around slightly embarrassed.

What she saw caused her to blink and squint to make sure that she was not hallucinating. Coming from all directions were her female friends whom she had not seen that day. Each was wearing a long white dress, where the bottom quarter of the skirt faded into a solid color.

What exactly are all of my friends and...is that professor Dihl? What are they doing dressed like that and closing in on me? Are they part of some strange cult they want me to join? It appears that Prof. Dihl is carrying some sort of animal in her arms. Is that what they sacrifice to maintain their eternal beauty? I always wondered how all of them had such perfect complexions.

Sorry girls, but animal sacrifices and blood pacts aren't my style. I'm just going to skedaddle while... Bleep!

Myra found herself surrounded, and unfortunately for her, she wasn't a very fast runner. Seeing no other reasonable alternative, she decided to stay and find out what exactly they were doing.

Ooh! Maybe what Prof. Dihl is carrying is a cute little puppy that they are giving to me as an "We're sorry you've had to deal with those strange guys all day" present.

As it came into clearer view, Myra couldn't help but stare at the creature Prof. Dihl had cradled in her arms, its belly resting against her palms. Judging from the shape, it was definitely a reptile or amphibian of some sort. It looked like an extremely large newt. Myra had always loved newts. It was her favorite animal for many years. Right up until the age of 14. The ranking was then taken by the hippopotamus when she learned that they could crush crocodiles in their massive jaws. But back to the situation at hand, Myra noticed that this particular salamander was (for lack of a better phrase) "Totally Awesome."

Its entire body was semi-transparent, but no internal organs could be seen. Its color was a dark grayish purple and in the center of its body glowed a yellow oblong shape whose edges flickered and moved like flames.

Prof. Dihl was standing right in front of her now, and Myra couldn't help but raise her hand to touch the creature. It was as if the thing was calling out to her saying, "Come, touch me... if you do, my body will jiggle like Jell-O."

Can't..resist..any..longer. She thought. Must..touch..Jelly Monster! And with that, she extended her hand.

With the lightning speed, the jelly monster's tale whipped out and wrapped around Myra's wrist. She gasped in surprise and flashed her gaze to the creature's face. Its eerie look, combined with the shocking hollowness of its two huge, human-like eyes, caused a shiver to run up her spine.

Then, with the equivalent swiftness of its previous movement, the creature suddenly took off, flying about five feet above the ground. Myra, whose wrist was still in the vice-like grip of the jelly monster's tale, tried her best to keep up by running behind. This soon, however, proved unnecessary as the monster's increasing speed caused her to lose her footing altogether.

Noticing that her feet were now flailing behind her, Myra decided to concentrate her efforts on releasing her blood deprived hand from the jelly monster's clutches. Unfortunately she was so fervent in her attempt to unravel the amphibian's appendage from her arm; she did not see the dense forest that they were now quickly approaching. And she most certainly did not see the tree branch which the monster quickly avoided by flying under. No, the next thing Myra saw was blackness, because she did not avoid the branch and her head smacked right into it.