MY DEMON LOVER

*MY DEMON LOVER"- EPISODE 1: "The Symbol" They say you never forget the day your life changes. Mine was a Tuesday. 2:14pm. Room 12B, Mercy General Hospital, Chicago. The doctor who was in charge of my mother walked in. I was holding my mother's hand when his word interrupted me. "Miss Nia, I need to talk to you". "Ok, what is it doctor", I panicked. "Not here, in my office", he said as he moved towards the door and I followed behind like a lost puppy. The doctor wouldn't look me in the eye. "Miss Nia, we've done everything we can." "What does that mean?" My voice cracked. "It means your mother's cancer is Stage 4." He exhaled. "Without the new drugs... three months. Maybe less." "How much?" "Four hundred and seventy thousand dollars. We need one hundred and fifty thousand to start this week." One hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This week. I nodded. "Thank you, Doctor." Then I walked to the bathroom and threw up. I was so sick and tired of moving around the hospital, the smell of drugs and other things... I just couldn't bear it anymore. When I got back to Mom's ward, she was waiting. "Nia? What did he say?" I forced a smile. "More tests. That's all." "Don't lie to me." Her hand in mine felt like paper. "Whatever it costs, we don't have it. Don't sell yourself. Promise me." Tears burned. "I promise. I'll find a way. The right way." I meant it. That night, our apartment on the South Side was silent. I cooked ramen with the last cash in my account. Folded Mom's laundry. Pretended I wasn't terrified, but deep down I was breaking; I don't want to lose my mother, she's the only one I've got after my father eloped with another woman while I was six years of age. By 10pm, I couldn't breathe. I'm an artist. When I'm scared, I draw. I opened my laptop and typed: "ancient symbols for miracles." Stupid. But praying wasn't working. I found one. A circle with spikes. Like something from a horror movie. "Just for inspiration," I whispered. For authenticity, I pricked my finger with my sketch pen. One drop of blood fell on the paper. The lamp flickered. "Power surge," I muttered. The room went cold. Like someone opened a freezer. I grabbed my phone. Turned on the flashlight. And saw that's when I saw him. He was stepping out of my wall. Like the wall was water. Six foot three. Caramel skin. Blue eyes.Tattoos that moved under his skin. Eyes blue and Charming. I dropped my phone. "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?" "Do not scream," he said calmly. "I'm not screaming! I'm asking how you got into my apartment!" "I didn't get in," he said. "I was already here. Trapped." "How,"I looked at him in disbelief. "That's none of your business for now." He tilted his head. "You don't believe me." "I don't believe in demons! I believe in rent! In hospital bills! In my mother dying!" He took a step closer. "And yet... your blood called me." He looked at my finger. Still bleeding. "That was an accident." "Nothing is an accident, Nia." I froze. "How do you know my name?" "I am Asher," he said. "And I've been waiting a very long time... For someone to summon me." "And," I took a deep breath. "You eventually did, summon me." I backed up until I hit the wall. "Get out. Please." "I can't," he said. "Not until you make a wish." "I don't want anything from you!" He laughed. It wasn't nice. "Liar. I can smell it. Desperation. Grief. Your mother. The money, all of it seems to be bothering you." "How do you—" "Because I'm bound to you now. Your blood, my prison. One drop was all it took." My heart was pounding. "What do you want?" He sat on my couch like he owned it. "I want to make a deal." "I don't make deals with strangers." "I'm not a stranger. I'm the answer to your prayer." He leaned forward. "One wish. Anything. Your mother's health. The money. I can give you everything." "What's the catch?" A slow, dangerous smile. "One condition." "Say it." "You have to fall in love with me." The room went silent. "Excuse me?" "Fall in love with me," he repeated. "Truly. Deeply." "And if I do?" "Then the bond completes... and I can finally be human again." Relief hit me before I could stop it. He wasn't asking me to die. "And if I don't?" His eyes went dark. "Then I remain trapped. Alone. And I become one of the most evil, wicked demons that has ever lived." "That's blackmail." "It's survival," he said. "For both of us." "Why me?" He moved closer. I could smell smoke and old books. "Because your blood was desperate enough to call me. Because in 300 years, you're the first human who didn't run. Yet." "300 what..." "You heard me right, girl,"he smirked. He was inches from my face. "So," he whispered. "What do you wish for, Nia?" That's when I knew. I didn't draw a symbol for inspiration. I drew a door. And something ancient and hungry had walked through it. Knock. Knock. Knock. Someone was at my door.