(Sorry it's a little all over the place, but I like it. I hope you enjoy.)
I stared at Sarah, waiting to see what she would do. I could tell she was being controlled, but she was fighting it. Her eyes held her fear. I tried to hide mine from her. I didn't want her to freak out even more by knowing I was scared, too.
I turned to face the demon, Sebastian still holding him back. "Release her! She has nothing to do with this!"
The silver haired demon only smirked.
I glanced behind him to Sebastian, hoping he had some sort of plan. He just looked at me sorrowfully. We both knew he wouldn't let her go so easily.
I turned my attention back to Sarah, who was closer now. I could clearly see her tears as she continued slowly toward me. I took a deep breath, then lowered my swords.
"Chrystal..." I heard Lisa warn behind me.
I ignored her. "I know you're scared, Sarah. I know you can't fight him off. You know I would never hurt you, and I'm not going to now." I took a step toward her and placed my swords on the floor.
"What are you doing?" Evan asked me, stunned.
"I'm not going to hurt her." I answered loudly. "And neither are any of you."
All of the demons who had previously been attacking us backed up slightly at my commanding tone. Lisa and Evan stood their ground.
I returned my gaze to my friend, my caretaker. The woman who had spent so much of my childhood and many of her teenage years with me.
In that one moment, my mind went back to years ago, when she had first come into my life. She had originally only been hired as a babysitter for when my parents wanted to go out with friends or had business meetings or work trips or whatever. She was always over at least once a week, and my favorite times were when she would stay the night because my parents wouldn't be home until the next day. We would stay up late eating snacks and watching movies, until I would eventually fall asleep beside her.
At some point, though, she stopped coming to watch over me. Several months went by, and so did many other babysitters, but none of them were as fun as Sarah.
Finally after about six months, she returned, but she was no longer the Sarah I remembered. She didn't smile. She didn't let me stay up past bedtime. We didn't play together.
My parents had noticed my lack of excitement one day, and sat me down in the sitting room to talk.
"Listen, Chrys," my mom said gently. "We need you to be extra good for Sarah for a while, okay?"
"I'm always good!" I'd challenged.
Mom smiled. "I know you are. But for the next few weeks I need you to be even better for her. She's having a rough time right now."
I frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"
Mom lost her smile, then looked over to my father, who'd been scrolling on his phone. He sighed.
"Look, Chrystal. Sarah's family got really sick several months ago. Her mom didn't make it, and her father was left with brain damage. He doesn't remember her."
"I don't understand," I told him. "How can he forget about her?"
Mom moved my hair from my face as she answered. "We don't know, Sweetie. All we know is that her father doesn't know who she is, and that he won't let her go back home. There are doctors working on treating him, but-"
"Then let Sarah stay here!" I exclaimed happily. "Make her my always babysitter!!"
And so they did. Sarah became a maid and my nanny, and she lived with us, using most of the money she made to pay her father's medical bills. After a few days, she was smiling again, and getting back to being herself.
One day, maybe a year later, she came to see me and her smile was a little sadder than usual.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "It's nothing."
"No, you look sad. What happened? Is it something about your dad?"
Her eyes widened, as if she was surprised I knew about her situation or that I could see through her fake smile. A moment later, she sighed. "Yeah. The doctors said there's nothing more they can do. His memory loss is more than likely going to be permanent."
I frowned, then walked over and hugged her. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head as she hugged me back. "Don't be. I'm alright. Yeah, it's sad that he doesn't know who I am, but I think I'm happier here than I ever was back home." She smiled then. "Besides, I'd always wanted a little sister."
I pulled away, confused. "I'm not your sister."
She sighed, smiling, then pulled me in for another hug. And ever since then, she stayed by my side.
My mind came back to the moment at hand. Sarah was closer to me now, and I could see the dagger shaking in her hand. I took one more look at Sebastian, then looked back to my friend and made my choice.
I took another step forward.
"Sarah," I said, trying to call out to her. "I want to play a game. Just like when I was little."
Her fearful eyes widened.
I smiled. "Trust me, okay?"
I saw her give a slight nod.
Taking a deep breath, I did the only thing I could think of to do. I don't know why, but it felt right.
I ran toward her, ignoring everyone around me who protested the movement. I ran up to Sarah and I hugged her tight.
Her movements froze, and I could tell by the shaking of her body that she was fighting whatever the demon was trying to get her to do. I put my head on her shoulder.
"I trust you, Sarah, just like I always have. You know what's best for me."
Her arm holding the dagger moved closer to me, and I could feel the sharp point of the blade on my back.
"Sarah, listen to me. I'm here for you, just as I always have been. Like when you confided in me about your father. I may have told you I wasn't your sister back then, but you've always been the big sister I always wanted."
The blade was shaking in her hand again, slowly piercing my skin as it did so.
"I trust you," I said again. "I love you. I know it's hard. I'm here for you. I'm right here."
The dagger sank into me further. My arms around her tightened.
Release her, I started thinking to myself. Release her. Release her. Release her. Release-
Suddenly, her body went limp and she collapsed to the floor. I was so shocked that I only barely noticed the dagger slice my back as she fell.
"Sarah!!"