A Friend to the Darkness. Katherine Rathbone

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СКАЧАТЬ not mistaken, your mother is due home soon, and I should get out of here. You ok?” His voice was gentle at the end.

      “I am. Thank you, Seth. It’s nice to know you’re listening out for me.”

      He grinned at me. “Just try not to think of me when you masturbate. That could be awkward.”

      I threw my pillow at him, but it sailed through the space he had occupied as he disappeared.

      The next day at lunch, Carmen sauntered over to me. I watched her warily. She seemed to be walking… differently. “Katie!” She called out.

      “What do you want, Carmen?” I asked suspiciously.

      “I have something I need to tell you, Katie.” She spoke loudly, even for her.

      “What?” I was braced for anything.

      “I need to tell you why I am such an insufferable bitch.”

      “Huh. I thought that’s just how you were born.” A crowd was gathering around us. Carmen looked around at everyone, and seemed satisfied.

      “I am so cruel to you, Katie, because I am completely jealous of you. I wish I was half as smart as you, and even a quarter as pretty. I tell guys to stay away from you because secretly I would fuck you myself, if I could.” It was a small country town in the 90’s. It shouldn’t have mattered, but she had just committed social suicide. I stared at her, my mouth agape. Everyone around us was in uproar. She smirked at me. That looked familiar.

      “Seth?!” I whispered incredulously. ‘Carmen’ winked, and walked away.

      That afternoon, I rushed home from school, said a perfunctory hello to my mother, and raced into my bedroom. As I expected, Seth was there. I turned my stereo on, and whisper yelled, “What did you do?!”

      He preened. “And the Oscar goes to… this guy!”

      “What was that? Other than fucking amazing, that is.”

      “Just a minor case of possession. And not the drug kind.” He grinned at me.

      “Holy shit! You can possess people?” I was incredulous.

      “Katie? Who are you talking to?” Mum called out from the living room.

      “Ah, no one, mum. Just singing.” I yelled back.

      Seth spoke quietly. “Yeah, we can. It’s fun, but really hard. Really, really hard. I’ve had to hang out topside all day to rest before I could teleport home.”

      “You did that for me?” I was touched.

      “Absolutely. That bitch shouldn’t bother you anymore, dear one. But I really need to get back. See you this weekend?”

      “Ah, yeah. See you. And thanks, Seth.”

      He grinned and disappeared. I collapsed onto my bed, and reflected on how nice it felt to have friends that would stick up for me, and call me pet names.

      The next day at lunch, Carmen cornered me near the toilet block, out of sight of the teacher on yard duty. She was surrounded by a diminished number of lackeys.

      “What the fuck did you do to me, bitch?!” Her face was contorted with rage.

      I grinned. “Nothing like what you want me to, apparently.” Some of her companions tittered.

      “SHUT UP!!” She screamed at them, without looking away from me. “You put a spell on me, you fucking witch!”

      I laughed in her face. “A love spell?” I taunted.

      She came for me, fists flying, and landed a decent punch on my face. I felt my eye puff up immediately. I returned the favour, and then we were on the ground, rolling around, pulling hair, scratching… bitch fighting. I landed one more good punch, then leapt to my feet and stood over her threateningly. “Stay away from me.” I hissed, turned on my heel and stormed off.

      That afternoon, mum sighed when she saw my face, and got an ice pack from the freezer. “Did you start it?” She asked resignedly.

      “No, mum.”

      “Good. Did you finish it?”

      “Yes, mum.”

      “I suppose that’s a good thing.” Her tone was grudging.

      Four.

      That Saturday night, I met my friends down by the river. They were accompanied by a fourth being this time. As I stepped closer to the fire, Seth leapt up and took my face in his hands.

      “What happened?” He exclaimed, studying my black eye, turning my head from side to side.

      “You should see the other guy.” I muttered, removing his hands.

      “Katie!” Sera seemed angry. “Why didn’t you pray for us?!”

      “It’s no big deal, you guys.”

      “Who did this?” Sebastian’s voice didn’t sound on the brink of laughter this time. “We will destroy them.”

      I barked out a laugh. “Seth already ruined her life.”

      He drew in a sharp breath. “Carmen?!”

      I grinned and nodded.

      “I’m sorry! I didn’t think she’d have the guts to do anything!” He sounded a bit panicked.

      “Like I said, it’s no big deal. I handled it.”

      “What did you do, Seth?” Sera’s tone was cautious.

      He coughed, and glanced guiltily towards the figure at the fire. They had their back to the flames, and all I could tell was that they were tall. Taller even than Sebastian. “I uh, I kinda possessed her a little bit and made her say that she was jealous of Katie. And wanted to have sex with her.”

      Sera and Sebastian’s lips twitched, and they glanced at the figure by the fire too.

      “Oh come on, guys. That’s funny. You should have seen it. It was gold.” I told them.

      The figure by the fire stepped closer to us, and I could make out their features. He was achingly beautiful. He made my other demon friends look plain in comparison. He didn’t have red skin like the others. His was a creamy alabaster, flawless. He had white blonde hair, similar in length and style to Seth. He had horns, but they were massively long and arched delicately well behind his head. They were a gleaming silver, and matched his intelligent eyes. I reflected that silver eyes should have looked creepy, but they just accentuated his beauty. I hoped whoever he was that he was an idiot. It wouldn’t be fair for him to be so beautiful and interesting.

      “Explain that to me, Seth.” He spoke with an unconscious air of command, as if it didn’t occur to him that whoever was listening wouldn’t follow his direction. That irked me.

      Seth СКАЧАТЬ