With agonizing effort, I raised my head and found myself gazing into a pair of yellow eyes, flecked with gold, that were not of this world.
Chapter Two:
Things are not always as they seem.”
-MANDRAKE
ONCE, in the woods, I found myself face to face with a snake-cat. On another occasion, I encountered a spiderbear. Now, faced with a demon, I decided to pattern my behavior after that which had saved me in the aforementioned situations. I froze. At least, in hindsight, I like to think it was a deliberate, calculated act.
The demon curled its lips back, revealing a double row of needle-sharp teeth.
I considered changing my chosen course of action; I considered fainting.
The demon ran a purple tongue over his lips and began to slowly extend a taloned hand toward me. That did it! I went backward, not in a catlike graceful bound, but scrabbling on all fours. It’s surprising how fast you can move that way when properly inspired. I managed to build up a substantial head of steam before I crashed head-first into the wall.
“Gaahh. …” I said. It may not seem like much, but at the time it was the calmest expression of pain and terror I could think of.
At my outburst, the demon seemed to choke. Several ragged shouts erupted, then he began to laugh. It wasn’t a low menacing laugh, but the wholehearted enthusiastic laughter of someone who has just seen something hysterically funny.
I found it both disquieting and annoying. Annoying because I had a growing suspicion I was the source of his amusement; disquieting because . . . well… he was a demon and demons are….