The Dream Demon

Chapter 9 - Moloch

Peter 4:12

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Abigail

It'd now been two hours since I climbed into my bed, and so far all I've done is tossed and turned. I just can't seem to sleep. My brain is bouncing around inside my head, throwing all sorts of thoughts out. Every time I close my eyes, I see Typhon's dark ones staring back at me. Haunting me. Maybe I can't sleep because deep down, I want to see if I dream of him again? The only way I could do that, is to leave Polo outside of my room once more.

Stepping out of bed, I picked Polo up as he purred away in his sleep. I walked to my bedroom door, opening it as silently as I could, placing Polo in the hallway and closing the door behind me. I'm still not sure if this is a good idea, but at this point, I was too wrapped up in the excitement to care. I wanted answers, and only Typhon could give them to me.

Lying back in my bed, sleep came to me almost instantaneously. This time when I opened my eyes, I was once more in the beautiful garden, but now, I was at the top of the waterfall. Peering over, I looked down at the beautiful Lagoon, where I saw Typhon for the first time. If this was real, then I was right. Typhon was real too. I couldn't help smiling to myself triumphantly.

"Hello... Hello, Typhon, are you there?" I called out, echoing everywhere. So far, he remained nowhere to be seen. Disappointment settled into my stomach. Maybe I was just making things up in my head after all. But then, how am I back here, in this same place once more?

"And just who are you?" came a voice from somewhere behind me. "Obviously somebody very stupid to be calling my father by his name" he continued.

Goosebumps irrupted all over my skin. His voice was silky smooth, almost begging me to follow and find it's owner. Looking around to my left, I saw the biggest tree I had ever seen in my life. It was beautiful. Magnificent even. It's twisting branches were covered in lush, green leaves and many different varieties of fruits, flowers and berries. The actual tree trunk was thicker than a house. It was huge! There, sitting propped up against the tree, was the owner of the voice, his face buried in a book.

"Well? Who are you?" he asked, looking up at me.

As our eyes locked, an inexplainable feeling washed over me. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt like I couldn't talk. Nervousness had overcome me, and I suddenly started to get self-conscious. My hair was a mess, where I'd been lying in bed for the past few hours. I was still in my Care Bear pajamas. Anxiety was rolling out of me in waves and I'm not even sure why! I'd never even saw this boy before.

He was absolutely stunning. He looked around the same age as me, and had the most gorgeous blue eyes, with a red rim around them, just like Typhon. His hair was the kind you want to run your hands through, black, shiny and styled expertly. The kind that makes all the girls swoon. He looked like a typical bad boy, the exact kind that our mother's warn us about.

"My name is Abigail, I am here to speak with Typhon" I replied nervously.

He slowly got up from where he was sat, walking over and eyeing me carefully. I could feel his eyes burn through my skin, as they gave me the once over, from head to toe, making me blush nervously.

"I see. Well, Abigail, he's not around at the moment, but you're more than welcome to wait with me if you'd like?"

I pondered momentarily before making a decision. "That would be great, thank you. Do you know how long he will be?"

"I don't think he'll be too long, he's been waiting for you to make an appearance" he said, whilst smiling and walking back to sit underneath the tree. "I'm Moloch by the way, but most people call me Loch".

I walked over to join him. Sitting down next to him, I felt butterflies swarming inside of me.

"It's nice to meet you Loch. What are you reading about?" I asked, trying to initiate conversation and avoid awkwardness.

"I'm reading about an angel and demon who fall in love, but their love is deemed unacceptable. The other angels were ashamed and scared of the mere thought, that one of their own could fall in love with something so dirty and disgusting such as a demon. Eventually, they cursed the two that fell in love, ensuring that others would never make the same mistake."

"Sounds like a religious twist on Romeo and Juliet" I said with a small smile.

"Yes, I guess it does" he said whilst smiling. "What about you, Abigail? Do you enjoy reading?"

"I love reading" I replied. "I just wish I had more time to do it. I'm always busy with school, Bible Study classes, and baby sitting. My hobbies and interests take a back seat.. Anyway, I hate to judge, but you don't really strike me as the 'type' to read romance novels."

"Romance? I don't really see it as that. I see it more as a fight for justice, or revenge. It's always the ones who proclaim to be good and just, that bring pain on others. They are the ones justifying their actions on things such as religion, or being right and wrong" he answered earnestly.

A bad boy with a brain. Who'd have thought. Just as I was about to agree with Loch, we were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming closer.

"Master Moloch, dinner will be ready soon" said a man appearing from the trees.

I couldn't help but gawk at him in shock. He was tall and lean, and covered in multiple quills, as long as my fingers. As soon as noticed me there, his quills retracted, as if they were never there.

"Thank you Bravus, I'll join you in a few minutes" Moloch replied, from beside me.

With a nod, the man disappeared into a puff of purple smoke. I blinked rapidly, rubbing my eyes.

"What was that? He was real, right? Those quills, were real? He just disappeared into thin air?" I asked, looking to Loch for answers.

"Yes Abigail, Bravus is real. He is what we call, an Enforcer Demon. Only a hand full of his kind are left. They were almost hunted to extinction centuries ago, because of the abilities they possess. He's a very close friend of our family" smiled Loch to himself.

"A good guy? He's covered in spikes and is a DEMON!" I almost shouted in fear.

"So you're judging someone you don't know, and have never met before on their looks, Abigail? Rather shallow of you. Have you not thought that here, on this plain, maybe you are the strange looking one?" Loch retorted, raising his eyebrow.

"If you say so. I am a good, honest person. Even if I do look 'strange' here, at least I am not a demon" I spat back at Loch, annoyed.

Loch stood up, dusting himself down. "You know Abigail, There is no such thing as being completely good or bad. Even the brightest lights cast the darkest shadows."

With that, he walked off into the trees from where Bravus had appeared, leaving me to think back on his words. Leaning back against the tree, I let my mind wander. If Bravus was a demon, then Typhon and Loch surely are too. Loch looked far too human though. He didn't give me the sinking vibe that I feel when I am around Typhon.

Coming here has left me with more questions than I'd originally anticipated. Soon, the sinking feeling appeared inside of me, the feeling that was telling me to 'run and get away from here'. I knew it meant Typhon was close. I could feel his presence before I could even see him.

"There you are Abigail, I didn't expect to see you again so soon" came Typhon's voice, carried in the breeze. Almost instantly, he was in front of me, blocking out the light with his sheer size.

"Yes, I've been waiting a while. I even met your son, Loch." I watched as Typhon visibly bristled, although he tried to maintain a deadpan expression.

"That doesn't surprise me, you are sat at his mother's tree. It's one of his favorite places to come and spend his time" answered Typhon, tenderly touching one of the tree's branches. "So Abigail, what brings you here today?"

"At first, I just wanted to see if you were real, and not a figment of my imagination. Now that I know for sure, I have questions. Questions that you said you'd answer for me."

"I also said I'd answer those questions on my own terms, Abigail" said Typhon with a deadly grin. "I will allow you one question today, for free, but any after that will require a price. What do you want to know?"

Only fools bargained with devils, so the first question I needed answering was simple.

"Are you and Loch demons?"