Demon Bitch

Just then off in the distance we heard an unnatural sound, a sound that could only be described as hatred. Phyllis became scared, "Oh my GOD, she knows!"

Phyllis began to tremble as the realization of her dead mother's "demon ghost," as she called it, became aware of our love. "This was expected Phyllis, calm down and let's get dressed and get down the hill. You will not go home tonight. You will spend it with me. Never again will we separate. You will be safe at my place, but tomorrow we have to confront your mother at your house."

"I won't be safe at your place, John, I'm afraid."

"Don't be. Remember our first time making love, it was at my place, she didn't know we were together then, she won't be able to get to us now, trust me."

"I do trust you, but how...how can we be safe at your place?"

"First we need to get out of here, we're not safe out in the open."

We made our way down the hill. I got Phyllis in her car giving her strict orders to go directly to my place, stopping for nothing. I followed her in my truck not letting her out of my sight. "Something wicked this way comes" was a thought that came to mind from an old movie, corny but accurate. A darkness was coming and it was getting closer. Then an unknown voice was in my head saying "Soon...soon, everything will be as it should be." Not sure what that was all about or who said it, but I had other immediate concerns.

After arriving at my apartment Phyllis ran from her car to me and was near panic, "Come on John, she's almost here! We have to get inside!"

The air was heavy with dread. There was no wind, but a howling of an unnatural sort was approaching. I grabbed Phyllis and ran into my apartment locking the door. "John she'll get inside. How are we going to be safe here?"

"Don't worry, I had the apartment blessed when I moved in. We're safe."

"Blessed? Why would you have you apartment blessed?"

"I'm not very religious, but my family has always been and blessing a new home, even an apartment, is a tradition. I didn't see a need to stop when I came here. She can't get passed the door. We'll be safe here until it's time to confront her at your house."

It took some time to calm Phyllis down. There was wine left over from our dinner date so we both had a glass on the sofa without much conversation. How do you talk about THIS? I realized Phyllis had fallen asleep with her head on my shoulder. Maneuvering myself so I could lift her without disturbing her sleep, I gently carried her into my bedroom. As I was pulling the covers over her I was beginning to realize just how much this girl has been through.

Being haunted by a dead parent, unable to have any boyfriends, constantly worried about what would happen if she does. And now that it looks to have finally happened, she has to worry if her "mother's demon spirit" will kill me. The internal strength she possesses is incredible. To fend off all suitors, especially me, for so long must have been depressing as hell. Then to finally allow herself a chance at love must have been frightening. Then when she experienced physical and emotional love she ran from it worried that I could be hurt or killed. It was tearing her apart, but she stayed away. Not until earlier today on top of that hill would she be forced to decide between true love or loneliness. She chose love. Love with me and there was no way some dead bitch was taking that away form her!

I knew whatever happened tomorrow I was going to need some rest. Like I said, I wasn't very religious, but I had seen enough in the Corps that an occasional prayer made it past my lips. I did so tonight as I laid myself down next Phyllis. A comfort came to me I did not expect, but it was accepted and I fell asleep.

I awoke to find Phyllis spooned up against me. Her body felt incredible and I started to dream of waking like this for the rest of my life. She started to stir rolling over looking into my eyes. Before I realized it, "Morning beautiful."

"Good morning yourself handsome."

"Are you hungry? I make a mean three egg omelet. You can have either a meat lovers or veggie lovers special."

"Surprise me with that later, right now I just want to lay here with you holding me. This feels to good and I don't want it to ever end."

"Don't worry, we have the rest of our lives to do this and when your ready we'll do this with our children" I said.

"CHILDREN?" a startled Phyllis asked.

"Yes...children. A husband and wife should have little people running around the house, don't you think?"

"Are you asking me to marry you?" she asked timidly.

"Yes...Phyllis will you be my wife?"

Tears, then sobbing, then hugging kissing and babbling that sounded like YES...YES...YES came from her for at least 15 minutes. Finally she came back down to earth and we made love, this time without worry or fear.

There wasn't much talking during breakfast. Unknown terror laid ahead. Mother-in-laws are notoriously nasty, but this one is beyond comprehension. To free the women I love and make her my wife I have to fight the dead. The evil dead at that. We were worried that once the door was opened to my apartment I would be attacked. But I was betting the demon spirit bitch would be repulsed by the blessing and go back to it's sanctuary, Phyllis' home.

On our drive over to her house I told Phyllis under no circumstances does she leave my side. She would enter the house first to present a normalcy to her mother's ghost hoping that the demon spirit could be kept at bay. I stopped the car in front of her house and saw Phyllis with a look of foreboding on her face. I told her to look at me and stated that no matter what, it ends today! We have a life to share filled with love and happiness and we will fight for that life. Do not go into that house worrying about WHAT your mother or her demon spirit might do, go there knowing that when we're done, we will be together and will soon be husband and wife. That picked her spirit up a bit and that unbelievable smile came back to her face.

Approaching the front door seemed normal enough. Phyllis unlocked the door and walked in with me immediately behind her. We were inside only a few feet when the door slammed shut startling us both. It was unnaturally quiet inside. Even noise from the outside world could not be heard. We walked around the house and everything was in it's proper place, but still, no noise. I noticed pictures of Phyllis' family at happier times. One photo was of her mom and dad with their arms around each other smiling at each other, obviously from the early years of their marriage.

You could see the love between them. Another photo was with all three of them together on a park bench when Phyllis was around 10 years old. The smile of happiness was missing from her mother's face, but you could see the pride and love her father had for his little girl.

Neither of us talked, but we kept a hold of each others hand going from room to room waiting...waiting for her mother to make contact. Phyllis quietly called for her mother...nothing. Again Phyllis called for her mother...nothing. Phyllis proceeded to speak out loud to her bitch mother about how she fell in love with me and how deeply I love her. How we plan on getting married and have a family and she wanted to raise her children here in the house she grew up in.

Suddenly I was hit so hard by an unseen source I flew across the room smashing into the wall behind me. Dazed and scared, Phyllis came running toward me only to be stopped by a dark shadow that stood between us. Still trying to get my bearings, I brought myself up to my feet and took a step toward Phyllis. The shadow spun around throwing me against the wall again, but this time I stayed on my feet.

Suddenly the haziness of the shadow disappeared to reveal a women slight in stature, but her eyes shown nothing but hatred toward me.

"Mother! Don't hurt him!" yelled Phyllis.

The apparition spun around and released a shriek that was ear piercing. Phyllis was startled, but she did not back down and spoke softly, "Mother...mom, please stop this. Why do you hate me so much? I know it was because of me that you hated daddy. What did I do? I love you, I have always loved you. Growing up all I wanted was to be your little girl, to be like you, but you were so cold to me, why? I wanted to be loved by my mom and dad, but all I had was his. He loved you so much and you were nasty to him. He died from a broken heart. You killed him! You took my dad from me!" Phyllis was yelling releasing all of her anger she's held in for so many years.

"WHY?! I loved you and you were a Class A bitch to me!" said with such fierceness that it surprised me.

All of a sudden another shriek came from her mother's ghost and Phyllis screamed in pain and fell to the floor in agony. Without thinking I charged that bitch mother ghost, but my arms and body only passed through her. Phyllis was rolling on the floor in pain asking for her mother to stop. I went to Phyllis and held her in my arms. I begged her mother to stop killing her daughter and to take me instead. "It's me you want you fucking bitch! You hate men, remember...take me! You leave her alone, I love her!"

That must have pissed her off even more because the ghost in front of me changed appearance to a hideous creature that must be the demon spirit Phyllis described before. Except this creature was no longer a spirit, it was solid, it was flesh and blood! If it's real, it bleeds and I can kill it! I had to act quickly as Phyllis was fading, the demon was killing her.

Grabbing a candle stick from the fireplace mantel I attacked the demon with all I had. Striking it's head forcing it to fall back obviously stunned. It was then I noticed Phyllis getting a moments relief. I continued my attack striking the demon with all I had repeatedly while it spewed ungodly sounds from it's mouth. The demon fought back hitting me with its claws tearing into my flesh. I fought the demon for only a few minutes, but was feeling exhausted from the fight and loss of blood. But I refused to stop. I could not stop. Feeling I was close to my end I drew the last of my strength and tackled the demon and took it to the floor hitting it over and over again with the candle stick. One last strike and the demon fell silent.

I ran to Phyllis holding her in my arms as she came to seconds later asking me what happened. Raising her up allowed her to see the the creature on the floor. Phyllis quietly call for her mom. Suddenly the creature sat up screaming like never before, as it started toward us we heard another voice, a voice of a man sternly speaking only two words, "Elizabeth STOP!"

The creature hesitated looking around confused for only a second and brought its attention back to us taking another step in our direction. Again loudly a male voice, "Elizabeth I said STOP!" The demon stopped and had no further interest in us, only the voice concerned it now.

Phyllis knew the voice, "Daddy?"

"Yes angel, I'm here. I told you when you truly needed me I would be there for you." Slowly another shadow figure appeared close looking down on us. "Daddy is it really you? Oh how I've missed you," Phyllis said as her tears fell.

Her father's ghost changed to reveal the man that once was. A handsome man shown in the early photos with his wife. He turned to the demon that was once his spouse and said, "Elizabeth, look at what you have done. Your hate has turned you into an evil spirit and you have terrorized your daughter, and for what? Because you thought I loved her more than you? Do you think I showed our daughter more love than you? I loved you with all my heart and soul. You were my wife, my soul mate and nothing could take that love away. Even after my heart was broken by your coldness, my love for you never failed." His eyes then showed a sadness, "But I eventually could take no more and I wished for death. What you didn't hear was my last words. They were for you my dear Elizabeth. I whispered to you that love you. I still do."

Hearing the words of her husband the demon faded away and was replaced with the form of her bewildered mother's and spoke to her husband, "James, what's happened?"

"Elizabeth, I've been waiting for you for so long. You have let your pain and selfishness control you and you have hurt our daughter. It must stop now. Let your pain go. Let our daughter be free to love the man who has fought you so hard. Look at them. Their love is as strong as ours was once. Elizabeth, it's time for you to leave this house and for us to go home, together."

Her father looked at us both and smiled. Now I know where Phyllis' smile came from, it was her father's. He stepped over and took his wife's hand and said "It's time Elizabeth. Will you go with me?" She looked up to her husband and nodded.

Phyllis fearing the loss of her father again, "Daddy, must you go so soon. I miss you so."

"Do not fear angel, I will always be close. Every time you think of me, it will be because I am by your side. Now that I have your mother with me again, she can be happy. Live your life, love your man and if you truly need me again, I'll be there for you. I love you angel."

"I love you too, dad. Mom...I love you."

"And I love you sweetheart. I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you. Please forgive me," said her mom as they both faded away.

Phyllis sat crying for only a moment staring at the spot her parents stood seconds before. She shook herself to the present realizing that I was injured and still bleeding close to passing out. She ran to retrieve a first aid kit. We couldn't go to the hospital. How would we explain my injuries, claw marks from a demon spirit dead mother? Best for me to heal under her care.

Suddenly everything felt normal inside the house. Outside noises could be heard again. It sounded like a beautiful day outside.

"Well that went better than I expected" I said.

"What? You almost got yourself killed dammit! I couldn't live without you. I love you John"

"I love you too, Phyllis. Now we need to decide on something."

"What's that?" she asked.

"A wedding date, of course" I said.

God I do love her smiles.