Demons Beside You

Bord and David finally remembered that they were running for their lives.

“What’s that? A magic spell?”

“That’s the illusion of the Snake of Desire, but it can only delay Maria for a moment. The mixed evil spirits behind is the most terrifying.”

“Do you have another trump card? Like your grandma?”

“No. I only have three evil spirit servants.”

“I thought you’d have your entire family.”

“My grandma is a witch too. If she becomes an evil spirit, that’ll be scary. I’m not powerful enough to make her submit to me.”

“Where are we now?” Bord asked.

“It looks like the entrance to a small town,” Sienna said. “We can’t go in.”

“It seems to be Mountain Town… Chen lives here.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Sienna said. “That man can’t help us. He’s just deadweight too.”

“But can we even turn back?” David pointed to the mixed evil spirits hurrying over a few hundred feet away.

“They seem slower now, but…why do I feel like they’re even scarier now?”

“This is their celebration,” Sienna answered. “They’re eating each other. This isn’t a good sign.”

David suddenly took out a key. “When Chen left that day, he gave me this key. He said that if we’re in danger and can’t contact him, we can hide in his basement.”

“You believe him?”

“I believe Chen,” David said firmly.

“You must know if that if we really hide into that basement, we won’t have any way to turn back.”

“We don’t have a way to turn back now. We can’t go far on foot. Plus, we don’t have anymore strength.”

“Take us to that Asian’s house,” Sienna finally decided.

…

Knock, knock, knock.

Hearing the knocks, Fali rose up from the sofa.

“Is that *sshole back?” she muttered to herself, upset. “He didn’t bring his key?”

When she opened the door, she saw strangers instead—two men and a woman. They seemed to be running for their lives. There was an unconscious girl in a wheelchair too.

“You are?”

“Uh…are you Chen’s girlfriend?”

“No, I’m his roommate. Are you his friends?”

“Yes, please take us to the basement,” David said anxiously.

“Chen doesn’t let me into the basement. We agreed to it.”

“We have his permission,” David said. “I have the key.”

“I don’t think there’s a lock to the basement. Why would you need a key?”

“Let’s not talk now. Time is short. Take us to the basement.”

“Wait…you’re really Chen’s friends?”

“Yes. Is he not home?”

“He’s not, so I can’t let you in.” Fali was still guarded against these people.

“F*ck, the call won’t go through!” David yelled in panic.

“You can’t run. Offer your souls!” Maria had already reached the door. She held the magical awl that Sienna had used.

“Who’s this girl? Is she your friend too? She’s huge.” Fali looked at Maria behind everyone with a doubtful expression.

Sienna smacked Maria’s face with the bag of magical phosphor. When the phosphor touched Maria, it exploded immediately.

“Ah…I’m going to kill you all…” Colorful flames flared up on Maria’s body. It was a terrifying sight.

“You…” Fali was dumb with shock. Were these people criminals?

The next moment, Maria stood up again. The flames were still burning. Her menacing and twisted face and huge physique made her look even more frightening.

Sienna pushed Fali aside. “The basement!”

“What is that? What is that?”

“An evil spirit… Where’s the basement?”

“Under the stairs.” Fali followed the group.

They reached the basement and pulled the door.

“No lock?”

“Go in, go in,” Sienna urged.

They reached the basement and turned on the light. There were some medical tools and books.

“This can’t stop Maria at all, let alone the mixed evil spirits,” Sienna said. “We were tricked. That Asian wants to trick us.”

“Hey, there’s another door here.” David saw another door in the wall.

Bord went up to look. “There’s a keyhole here.”

David reached over and pulled it. The door opened, but there was a wall behind it—nothing else. Just then, a bunch of noises came from outside the basement.

Everyone grew more nervous. Maria…or those even scarier things had already entered the house.

Sienna looked at the door and the keyhole on it.

“No, this is a concealed magic door.”

“What?” Everyone looked at her in confusion.

“Close the door and put the key in.”

David moved and twisted the key.

Crack.

A damp feeling seeped out of the door, making everyone shudder.

“This…is there something hidden behind it?” Bord asked in fear.

Scratch.

Just then, everyone heard something like scratches behind the door. David looked at Bord and then Sienna.

“Do I open it?”

If Bord hadn’t spoken, Sienna wouldn’t have hesitated, but now…

Huff, huff—

They all heard heaving breathing behind the door. It definitely wasn’t a human’s breaths. It was more like some huge…creature breathing.

But while they were still hesitating, Maria’s head already poked into the basement. The menacing and scarred face appeared before them all.

“I found you all, hehe… Wait, why can’t I come in?”

Maria was too big, so she couldn’t squeeze inside the door.

“Can’t evil spirits go through walls?” David whispered.

“It might have something to do with this door. We opened it and changed the environment.”

“Thank god she can’t change like clay…” Bord said, patting his chest.

Maria forced her way in and her body was indeed like clay. Everyone stared at Bord. Rather than the terrifying Maria, they hated Bord more.

“Okay, okay… I know. I’ll shut up.”

“You can’t escape anymore? My dear Sienna, don’t worry. I’ll leave you to the last… I’ll protect you carefully, just like when you were little.”

“Sienna, do you have any other spells? Use them now.”