Just Checking Up! Part Twenty-Three: Hollow Corners

Silks:

Staring brokenly at the empty chair in the corner of my bedroom, Liz’s silver bell glinted in my trembling palm. Wishing that I could call out to her, silent tears stained my cheeks. Remembering the brutal snap of our bond, a sharp jolt shattered my soul. Snow fluttered outside my window, holiday music twinkling away downstairs. Today was Christmas, Avery shouting with joy down the hall. Placing her bell on the nightstand, early morning light guided me through erasing my sorrow. Avery leapt onto the bed, his skeleton pajamas brightening my mood slightly. Ruffling his messy hair, my own silky frilly emerald and black plaid nightgown felt wrong on my skin. Jumping up and down next to me, words of excitement went in one ear and out the other. Rip skidded into the open door, the weight of my exhaustion making myself known via darker bags. Noting the ever growing pile of ancient spell books, solutions were growing hard to come by. Leaving would have to occur at some point, a kiss to the top of my head whipped me back into reality. Fighting another wave of tears, his palm grazed my sorrow glazed face.

“Avery, Grandpa is here. How about you help Miss Sally Sue bring in the presents? Don’t forget your boots!” He sang cheerfully, Avery bouncing away hesitantly. Stopping in the shadow of the door, a blow of a kiss from me granted him a small amount of relief. Basking in an equal moment of grief, neither of us were prepared for a day of blithe holiday chaos. Burying me into a hearty embrace, his chin rested on the top of my head. Expensive jet black cashmere brushed against my cheek, his dark jeans creasing between soft weeps. Too torn up to cry, the decision had been mine for her to live in Heaven. The last week of her living with me had been full of that discussion, her true desire being to live by her family’s side. Squirming out of his arms, depression carried me through the action of changing into a scarlet sweater dress with beautiful bell sleeves. Tugging on a pair of gray tights, a nice pair of boots completed the look. Covering up my bags with a bit of powdered this and that, no one would know about my lack of slumber. Undoing my buns, a swift brush of my curls gave me the flawless nineteen forties hairstyle I adored to wear. An embrace sent me leaping ten feet into the air, Rip catching me in his arms. Chuckling under his breath, his smirk stole my breath away.

“Ever the fashionista, my dear queen.” He sang sweetly, his eyes shining proudly. Kissing my bump, a purr tumbled from my lips. Carrying me downstairs, Sally Sue playing with Avery warmed up my soul. Setting me down on the couch, a full pile under the Christmas tree threatened to trigger horrible memories. Herb plopped down at the same time as Rip, Avery offering to pass out the presents. Zoning out while he did such a lovely thing, my own heartbeat echoed in my ears. A familiar scent wafted up my nostrils, roses and a touch of orange stung my heart. The dried potpourri I made for Liz quivered in Avery’s palm, an eerie silence swallowing the room.

“I forgot that I made that for her.” I choked out awkwardly, the corner of my lips trembling. Rising to my feet, the scene had become too much just like that. Walking away from the shining Christmas tree, way too many emotions slapped me in the face. Pausing in front of the doorway, a quiet fear held me back. All safety resided here, I thought dejectedly to myself. Tugging on Rip’s heaviest coat, an urge called out to me. Crossing into a bitter bluster, snowflakes floated onto my open palm.

“Merry Christmas, Liz.” I sobbed openly, my hand reaching for the sky. “Hell, you better be having the best Christmas up there.” Crunching towards the dock, sticks cracked behind me. Spinning on my heels, nothing could be seen. A black dog stumbled into view, ruby eyes glowing in my direction. An obvious injury caught my eyes, the poor thing taking off into the bushes. Sprinting after it, branches scratched my cheeks. Worry wrote itself all over my features, dark energy swirling around behind me. Fears vindicated themselves at the worst times, a summoning of flames woke up Flamios.

“The demon is right behind you. Unfortunately, he thinks you are trying to steal his hellhound.” He informed me briskly in my head, a long sigh drawing from my lips. Icy air acted as daggers with every suck in, a clawed hand sliding onto my shoulder. Snatching it to cook it to ash, a blast of flames blew the bastard back. Skidding onto the thick ice, any grace left the building. Slipping around like a damn fool, skates certainly would have aided me. Ominous creaks adjoined frightening cracks, clawed hands digging into the edge of the ice. Howling winds announced a blizzard, my visibility dying in a matter of seconds. Ice fishing houses slid into the water around me, panic draining the color from my cheeks. Cursing under my breath, a web landed me in a severe trap. Crashing into ice cold water, Flamios heating up my core prevented me from freezing to death. Black forms swam towards me, the energies reminding me of a damn Bull Shark. Swimming to the surface, a cool air nipped my exposed skin as I sucked in a deep breath. Cutting my palm on a shard of ice, a decent spell should cleanse this fucking lake. Hanging on for dear life to draw the miniature versions of the symbols on my empty palm, the sea of darkness was nipping at my heels. Yanking me down into the water, a clasp of my water sent out waves of orange flames. Killing demon after demon, the final wave cleansed the entire lake. Realizing that I was drowning, a raw burning sensation raged in my lungs. Flailing my way to the surface, the icy gust cut into my lungs in the harshest manner. Paddling my way over to the snowy bank, a familiar weakness claimed my muscles. Hoisting myself onto a stump, ruby drops contrasted the snow piling up in my palm. Melting in the blood, a nose bleed proved that a limit had been met. A whine ended my internal downward spiral, the hellhound limping up to me with a wagging tail. Smiling warmly in its direction, the way it ripped its head back spoke of a rough life. Poor thing, I thought to myself.

“No harm will come from me. Trust little pup.” I comforted it sweetly, snow crunching underneath its shifting paws. “May I pet you? I lost a friend, much like you.” Activating my flames, a quick crackle dried me off. Digging around Rip’s pocket, a piece of packaged jerky tickled my fingertips. Plucking it from the bottom, a crinkle had it flipping over my fingers. Please entice this little thing to become my friend. Lord knows, I needed one.

“Not what you guys eat but souls aren’t usually on the menu around here.” I joked playfully, his body shifting into a Silky Terrier. A black paw glowed to life on my palm, tears of joy threatened to freeze on my cheeks. Scooping him up, the reddish brown fading into the bluish was a nice touch. Silky fur pleased my broken heart, ruby eyes brightening up at the sight of me. A few things told me that he was a boy, a tag glinting in the sliver of light. Linz was his name.

“Linz, a nice warm place waits for you. Let’s go home. Not that I wish to. Dark corners feel hollow, my heart aching for a friend.” I confessed freely, part of me feeling rather silly. Clutching him close to my chest, hugging something warm and living filled what my heart had been missing. Popping to my feet, any sense of direction was gone. Hopelessness found her way in, a bell ringing in the distance. Sprinting towards it, something felt off about the situation. Hiding behind the closest tree, clouds bounced off of my tongue. Every breath shortened, Deathos sauntered into view, Fixing his new scarlet velvet suit, a tattered Santa’s hat hung off of his head.

“Little mouse, you play silly games. Merry Christmas, by the way.” He laughed maniacally, true terror rounding my eyes. “Fear smells stunning on you. Did you like my little treat earlier? Was it not the perfect gift?” Popping up in front of me, a kick to his rib smashed him into a thick tree trunk. Crunching in the opposite direction, the bastard didn’t need to discover my place of residence. Running until I couldn’t, a cliff stopped me. Rocks tumbled into an abyss, a lack of a surface frightened the shit out of me. Cursing under my breath, a deep level of darkness haunted my heart. Leaping over my head, a kick to my knee knocked me off the ledge. Bitter cold nipped at my exposed skin, icy spikes fast approaching. Panic rounded my eyes, howling winds and blast of flames throwing my back into a thick trunk. Curling my body into a ball to protect my children, the sheer force paralyzed me. Wheezing in a pile of snow, Linz squirmed out of my arms.

“Don’t try to fight him. I can’t lose you.” I wept in between wheezes, his tail wagging as he stood in front of me. Peeling off Rip’s jacket, one tactic remained. Sniffing it vigorously, this next order was going to hurt. Scooping him into a desperate cuddle, his tongue licked away my tears.

“Go get help. Be a good boy and get Rip.” I gasped with a false smile, hesitation lingering in his gentle eyes. “Please!” Watching Linz run in the opposite direction broke me in a whole way, anxiety brewing to life. Flamios stepped out of my soul, his head cocking to the left.

“Thank you for caring.” I choked out, feeling returning to my limbs. Shivering in place, Deathos spun into view, one snap of his fingers freezing time. Pushing Flamios out of the way, cold eyes woke up into a crazed look of revenge. Flitting my eyes all around the scene, no escapes could be found.

“That little hellhound won’t do shit with time paused. Let’s have a chat, shall we?” He chuckled darkly, a quiet fear lingering in my eyes. “You ditched me in that foul memory. I met your husband by the way. Wouldn’t you want all this power?” Disgust replaced all the fear, his boasting pissing me off. Drawing a few symbols in the snow, a slam of my bloody palm erecting a fiery cage around me.

“Try to get me, fucker.” I spat viciously, my chest heaving up and down. “No one chooses my fate! Not now nor ever!” Banging on bars, black smoke twirled into the air upon contact. Feeling like a trapped animal, his spell had to break at some point. Inky blood cascaded from his nostrils, a sick grin spread to ear on my lips. Stumbling back, his spell began to glitch out. A giant black dog appeared over him, claws ripping him to shreds. Tossing him into the air, a large snout pierced him with a deadly accurate chomp. Shaking him around like a rag doll, gentle eyes told me that it was Linz. Crawling to the edge of my cage, a wisp of smoke announced Deathos’ exit. Shrinking back down to his Silky terrier form, his tail wagged a mile a minute as he bounded into my open arms. Smothering him in feverish kisses, uncontrollable sobs wracked by body.

“Good boy! Who is a good boy!” I sniffled jovially, relief bringing a real smile to life on my quivering lips. Rip calling out my name perked up my ears, a flashlight beam blinding me. Hollering to the others, Herb sprinted into view. Killing my cage, ash drifted with the snow. Floating back into my soul, Flamios urged me to have a lovely time. Crouching down to my level, Rip draped his jacket over my shoulders. Petting Linz with the biggest grin, adventure shimmered in his eyes. No wonder we worked so well together.

“Love the hellhound. Luckily, he blends in with the other dogs.” He jabbered happily, relief lacing his tone. “Bringing us certainly makes him a keeper.” Placing me on his back, Linz hopped onto my head. Wagging his tail, his ears pinned back. Burying my face into his neck, exhaustion brought me to this point. Hiking back in a broken silence, Herb kept his eyes out for any sign of danger. Smiling softly to myself, a true treasure lay with this family.

“Sorry for running off on you.” I apologized sincerely into his ear, his loving gaze meeting my tired grin. “Perhaps fate drew me out. Linz wouldn’t have come into my life otherwise.” Brushing his lips against the top of my hands, a rare serenity washed over me.

“Liz affected us all. Part of me wanted to run off with you.” He returned calmly, his understanding of me matching no other. “Bookworth may be odd but he became my friend. So why can’t Linz be your pal? My queen, your heart is mine and mine alone.” Seeing our home come into view, warmth walked back into my soul. Entering without issues, Linz jumped into Avery’s arms. Playing together, his laughter twinkled in the air. Sitting me down on the couch, Herb rushed off to make me a cup of hot ginger tea. Avery plopped down next to me, a Christmas movie clicking on. Clutching him close to my chest, his true smile made my day. Linz squeezed his way in. Basking in the magic of the moment, Liz had truthfully given me a lovely Christmas present. Rip offered me a cookie, nerves nearly preventing me from eating it. A plea of look from both Avery and him helped me choke down the simple sugar cookie, happiness showing in their features. When would this feeling of being on the outside end? Then again, holidays had it out for me. Herb calling my name ripped me back into reality, every footfall into the kitchen feeling like a train hit me. Donning a Santa hat and a red and green plaid shirt, a hand on my shoulder birthed a deep concern. Fretting over a couple of new bruises, today’s events came at a cost.

“Must recklessness plague you. Avery connected to you at the worst moment. Boy, did he freak out.” He uttered seriously, guilt dimming my features. “Keep that in mind as you battle that bastard. Another thing, Avery loves you with all of his heart. Use that connection to make today special. Kids find magic in the simplest things.” Seconds from apologizing, his finger raising gave me pause.

“This isn’t a criticism. One can almost guarantee that you were fighting a hell of a demon.” He continued in a fatherly tone, his fingers wiping away my involuntary tears. “Judging by the black bags underneath your eyes, slumber seems to despise your ass. What’s going on with that?” Parting my lips several times, a specific fright lay within a deep sleep. Hating myself for being weak in the control department, his fatherly throat told me that he needed an explanation.

“Well, don’t shoot the messenger. Any deep sleep sends me into a snake pit full of the worst vipers.” I answered groggily, my new wounds catching up to me. “Would you want to fight vipers every night? When Liz dropped into my life, her presence silenced them and sleep came easier. Minus my body guard at night, trouble is knocking at my door. How can I train Avery if I don’t understand my own shit?” Tapping his chin, his welcome smile melted a bit of the stress away. Disappearing into the garage for a moment, a cup of ginger tea steeped on the opposite counter. Sally Sue spun to me with Avery, her ruby sweater matching her lipstick. Hugging her desperately, her words of comfort brought me back to the state of a blubbering child. Releasing me while wiping away the fresh anxiety, Herb called for her in the garage. Crouching down to Avery, his wet eyes met mine. Holy Hell, what mental torture did I put him through?

“Many apologies for what you witnessed, kiddo.” I apologized honestly, the door to the garage cracking open. “Horrible will be seen until I can figure out to shut them o-” Cupping my cheeks, a rush of heat reversed my wounds into scars.

“Please don’t cry. What Grandpa doesn’t know is that I made the connection on purpose.” He confessed with a sly smirk, befuddlement twisting my features. “Anyone willing to save me deserves to be worried about at all times.” Touched by his heart of gold, the adults could take on that responsibility. Burying him into a bear hug, not one cell in me wanted to let go. When did the sweetest kid become my son?

“Next time be more careful.” I begged in a motherly tone, his head nodding. “Perhaps a spiritual guide ad is required for you.” Laughing together at the same joke, my love for him had been there since day one. Snuggling deeper into my embrace, neither of us wanted to let go. Two palms rubbing our heads had us glancing up at Rip, a look of sympathy greeting us. Scarlet flushed my cheeks, a long sigh escaping his lips.

“Kiddo, let’s open the presents and watch that favorite movie of yours.” He suggested jovially, Avery running into the living room. “Are you up for presents?” Weeping out a quivering yes, his arm snaked around my waist. Waving his father in, Sally Sue flashed me a thumbs up. A prayer for better luck was all I requested for the guy upstairs.