Page 28 of Unbinding the Demon
He led me to a small stone bench. It rested beneath one of the oaks that stretched its mighty limbs out over the shoreline. We sat down and listened to the gentle waves lapping against the rocky shore and the eerie cries of loons echoing across the water. Dense forest and large, mossy stones secluded and surrounded the lake. Dancing ripples created a stunning reflection of the setting sun. Whirls of mist glided out from beneath the trees and across the water like spirits twirling out from their graves in the shadows. It all created a captivating and calming scene.
“Have you finished reading the journal yet?” Ashton asked while examining the side of my face, his tone relaxed.
Why does he care so much about my opinion regarding the journal?
“Not yet. But I’ve almost finished it.” I tucked an unruly strand of hair behind my ear to prevent it from blowing around in the autumn-scented breeze. “It’s fascinating how she fell deeper and deeper into what seemed like complete insanity by the end, though. It was a side of her I hadn’t known existed.” A tremendous gust of wind abruptly blew my hair all willy-nilly around my face.
“What makes you think she was insane?” he laughed and began smoothing my hair back down.
“Well, you should know since you read it too.” I reached into my bag and pulled it out. I had to fight the wind as I began flipping through the pages. “Just look at all this crazy stuff she wrote about different dimensions, some dark magical power from‘The Abyss,’and the evil demon that’s supposedly trapped there. It’s all a bunch of madness!” I faked a laugh to hide the hurt that my aunt’s insanity caused me. She must have been mentally suffering in the end, and I had been clueless to it all.
“She really was fascinated by all that magical abyss stuff... Did you enjoy reading about the demon?” He continued to run his hand through my hair, his movements delicate and careful.
“What? No way! That was one of the worst parts. I can’t believe she was actually crazy enough to try to summon that monstrous thing!” I looked out over the water. “Like, really? What a nutcase.”
“What? You don’t think it would be a good idea?” He teased and softly bumped my shoulder, but the laugh he let out sounded forced.
“Well, of course not.” I looked up to see his smiling face, yet something unreadable dwelt within the depths of his gaze. “Especially since they imprisoned this one there for destroying several cities back in ancient times.” I pointed to a paragraph that mentioned the dreadful demon. “Thank goodness demons aren’t real, or she might have doomed us all if she actually tried to summonAzathoth!”My expression was goofy as I dramatically emphasized its name.
“Well, if they were real, I’m sure he would have a pretty good explanation for what he did.” He laughed again and put an arm around me.
I scoffed in amusement. “Doubt it.”
Like a little love bug, I snuggled up against his warm body and giggled. He seemed to appreciate my move and pulled me closer while wrapping his other arm around my front. Together, we gazed out at the setting sun. The clouds lit up in a breathtaking spectacle of rich crimsons that bled into bright shades of purple, orange, and pink. The black crystalline waters reflected the light in beautiful shades of scarlet, gold, and midnight blue.
We continued to chit-chat while the dying sun sank lower behind the silhouette of the lofty mountains, and I found myself eager for the growing darkness. The creeping mist grew thicker, and the loons continued their mournful calls. Ashton held me close, caressing my arm, and occasionally kissing the top of my head as I munched on the almonds. Belzar came over and sat beside us. He rested his large furry head in my lap, enjoying how I was stroking behind his soft ear. I smiled, content to be with them.
The dim light of a chinoiserie table lamp illuminated the old book in my hands. I was reading my poetry assignment while all snuggled up with Belzar on a big, floral Victorian couch. The living room was rather large and matched the outdated look of the rest of the house. The same dingy maroon wallpaper that lined the foyer covered the walls, meeting with the intricately carved designs that stretched across the ceiling. Large marble pillars framed the elegant fireplace, and wooden panes decorated tall windows that faced the lake.
At least three hundred books were perched upon the shelves and piled up all around the room. They lined the walls and stretched all the way out to the dark oriental rug. All of them were occult-themed, making it obvious that the guy had a peculiar obsession.
The only sounds were from the wind blowing through heavy black curtains and the soft turning of pages. Ashton sat in a chair across the room from me, reading his own book. It had been apparent that he wanted to sit next to me, but Belzar beat him to it and took up most of the couch. He had scowled at the fluffy pupper, and if ever a dog could smirk, that was the look Belzar had given him in return.
I shivered from the breeze, and Ashton noticed. He got up and shut the window. I gave him a small smile as he strolled back over to his chair. “Are you enjoying your poetry?” he asked, breaking the silence with his baritone voice.
“Yeah, I am. I’m reading‘The Song of Hiawatha’byHenry Wadsworth Longfellow. Have you ever read it?”
“I have. It’s beautifully written.” He sat back down in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair, letting the inky strands fall to one side.
I noticed an old violin hidden away in the corner behind him. Gorgeous vine-like carvings decorated its sides, and it appeared handcrafted from rosewood. “That’s a beautiful violin over there. Do you play?” With my book in hand, I tilted my head to the side and tapped the cover.
He glanced at the neglected instrument. “I do every now and then to kill time.” He turned back around to look at me. “What about you?”
“I play a little, but I only know a few songs,” I admitted while shyly hiding half my face behind my book so that just my eyes were peering over.
“Would you like to try it out?” he lifted a brow.
“No thank you. I’d much rather hear you play.” It had been years since I’d played, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I’d likely produce the cacophonous sound of a thousand rabid screech owls scratching around on dry chalkboards in a discordant frenzy.
“Alright, as you wish.” He chuckled as he stood and picked up the violin. The sound of stretching strings filled the room while he spent a few minutes fidgeting with the pegs, making sure it was in tune. I watched each movement with anticipation. “Have you ever heard ‘The Devil’s Trill’ by Giuseppe Tartini?” His eyes remained on the small curved instrument as he plucked at the strings to hear if the correct notes were produced.
“Well, yeah, of course I have, but there’s no way you could possibly play that. It’s way too complicated!” I teased.
“Oh really? Is that so?” He looked at me and smirked. “I’ll tell you what, let’s make a deal. If I can play the entire sonata without faltering, then we play with the violin together in a manner of my choosing...However, if I lose, you get to pick my punishment.” His eyes twinkled with trickery as he rosined the bow, causing a small cloud of white dust to fall to the floor.
“Yeah, whatever. Deal,” I agreed with a smug expression. There was no way he could play that whole thing without messing up, so I was certain I was safe. It was one of the hardest pieces out there, after all.
I’m totally going to make this guy get a silly perm and wear a colorful jester hat for an entire week...
