Page 1 of Higher Demon

Chapter1

Ian

They saythat in the moments before death, your life flashes before your eyes. I’m not dying, but I’m still seeing a montage of scenes from my life… specific ones, though. The ones that caused my teachers and older brothers to shake their heads and despair of me ever growing up to be an intelligent, responsible human being. In other words, all the things I did to deservethismoment.

And as I stare at my seventeen-year-old student, I silently apologize to everyone I ever made feel what I’m feeling right now. Though I seriously doubt I ever asked a question this fucking stupid.

Did I?

Nah. Not possible.

“No, Jolynn. They’re not already streaming the next season ofThe Bachelorin the otherworld.” I’m super proud that I manage to say it without clenching my teeth or adding any profanity. These kids are old enough not to care if I drop the occasional f-bomb, but I’m still not supposed to.

How the fuck did I get stuck teaching a bunch of teenagers?

Jolynn frowns, not looking convinced. “Are you sure? Because you just said that their time is different to ours. So they could be ahead of us. Like Australia is ahead of us and it’s already the new year there when it’s still New Year’s Eve here.”

I blink at her. This is a joke, right? She’s fucking with me.

“Yeah, but Australia doesn’t get to stream shows before us even though they’re ahead,” Tim, another of my students, points out, and I switch my incredulous gaze to him.That’swhat he’s focused on?

I interrupt before their conversation about whether that’s fair or not can pick up steam. “I think you’ve missed the point,” I say, a little less-than-calmly. “Yes, time in the otherworld runs different to ours. But they don’t have access to our entertainment—no streaming. No Netflix or Disney+ or any of that. It’s a completely separate dimension with its own entertainment sources.” There. That was clear enough. I’m definitely going to have to save the part about timekeeping not truly existing in the otherworld because it’s a human construct for another day, though. I don’t have the patience to?—

“But Australia is a separate country, and they get access to our shows, and vice-versa,” Jolynn argues.

Yeah, I can’t take any more of this. “Class is dismissed. See you next week.” If I can’t find a way to get out of it.

Half the students scramble toward the door, while the others protest in confusion. “But there’s still twenty minutes left,” Tim says. “And I have questions.”

I hesitate, because as much as I hate this and never wanted to do it, I do have a responsibility to these kids. “What question?”

“You said the otherworld is a completely separate dimension and that’s why their time is different,” he starts, and I nod, suddenly hopeful. “Does that mean they don’t have Wi-Fi?”

My hopes shatter along with the last of my patience. “You have three seconds to get out of here,” I tell him, and the no-fucks-to-give tone of my voice convinces him and the other stragglers. The room clears, and I slump against the table in front of the whiteboard. “There is no hope for this generation,” I mutter, even though part of me is sure they were kidding. They had to be. Nobody could be that stupid… right?

Whatever, whether they’re messing with me or not, I need a way to get out of this. It’s Dial-a-Bestie time. If anyone can help figure out a way to palm this class off on someone else, it’ll be Matt.

I listen impatiently to the phone ringing in my ear and mentally urge him to pick up. He’s in Oregon, dealing with some nutjob cultists who thought it would be a good idea to summon demons to farm for them. There are so many things wrong with that idea that it makes me weep for the future of humanity. I mean, if people are going to bethatstupid, what even are Matt and I and the Collective fighting for?

I push the thought away as memories of that night six years ago rise. No time for that right now.

“Ian, I’m busy,” my best friend says, finally answering the phone. “The people here deserve my undivided time and attention.”

If he really meant that, he wouldn’t have answered at all. Someone must be there with him, and he’s desperately grateful for my interruption.

“Sorry, but it’s urgent.” I use my “busy and important voice.” “I just need a few minutes.”

He sighs. It’s so fake. “Hold on.” He must put his hand over the microphone, because the next bit is muffled. “I need to take this call. It shouldn’t be long. Donotsummon a demon while I’m gone.”

Whoa, he really hasn’t made much progress at all, if he needs to say that.

The person he’s talking to replies too softly for me to hear, and then Matt’s back. “Ian?” He’s walking, I can tell. “What’s up?”

“People are too stupid to live,” I declare.

“Fucking tell me about it.”

“I’ll trade you. The idiots who think demons should pull plows for the ones who asked if the otherworld has Wi-Fi so they can watchThe Bachelor.”

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