Demon
Chapter 36

Michael

Mmph. I slowly come awake and stare blearily around the room. Why is the door open? Oh, yeah, Laura told me she was leaving it open so I could hear if Timothy needs anything. I lift my head off the pillow and look at the clock.

That can’t be right. After 11? Not really, is it?

I haven’t heard a thing since Laura came in here earlier. What’s Timothy doing? I get up and get dressed, then go look in his room. It’s empty. Um, I haven’t managed to lose the kid already, have I?

I go downstairs, and replace him in the kitchen, sitting at the table eating a bowl of dry cereal, with a big textbook of some kind propped up on the cereal box in front of him.

“Good morning,” I say to him.

He looks at his wrist like he’s checking the time, but then realizes that his watch isn’t there. I hear him say under his breath, “Oh, right.” Then he looks up at me and says, “Hi, Dad.” He goes back to writing something in his notebook.

“You doing ok?” I ask him. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine. I was getting hungry so I just found a snack.”

Well, okay then. I open the fridge to replace something for myself. There’s some hard-boiled eggs, that sounds fine. “Want an egg?” I ask him.

“Um, okay,” he says. “Yes, please,” he adds.

I peel a few eggs, then bring them over and put them down on the table. I sit across from him and look at what he’s doing.

“Is that homework?”

“No, it’s archeology. Natalie and I are studying the history of the bible, and I’m trying to replace information about what scientists have learned about the region.”

Oh. I would not ever mention this to him, but the kid and I just really don’t have anything in common, do we? Archeology? Bible study? I guess it’s nice that he can keep himself entertained, but he never seems to be doing anything that we could enjoy together. “Huh,” I say, not having anything to add.

We sit in silence for another couple of minutes. His pencil scratches across the page he’s writing on, glancing back and forth between the book and his notebook. He finishes his cereal and the egg. It’s so quiet in here.

“Mind if I turn on the t.v.?”

He looks up at me. “No, of course not. I’m just going upstairs. Thanks for the egg.” He gathers up his books and leaves the room.

I sigh and go over to the couch and flip on the t.v. I guess I’ll have to wait until Laura gets back to go replace out what Jim and Ethan are doing tonight. Maybe I can replace a game to watch.

Brad

I poke my head out the back door and call, “Hey Jon, come on in, let’s have some lunch.” He is wrestling around with the dog. He throws the ball but then chases it together with him to retrieve it, rather than just waiting for Socks to bring it back. He’s been a total bundle of energy all morning, ever since I woke up to realize that he was already awake and playing in the back yard.

“Hooray!” he yells. “Lunchtime, Socks!” He comes pounding back in to the house, and flops himself down at the table where he sees the PBJs that I’ve put together. He grabs one and starts devouring it.

“Woah, dude, pace yourself! What’s the rush?” He laughs and crams in another half sandwich.

Boy, I do not know what has gotten into him. It’s almost overwhelming how he has seemed practically frenetic all morning. What is going on?

I’m remembering that this is much closer to the old Jonathan, the way that he always used to be so excited and enthusiastic about everything. But it has been months since he really seemed that way. I thought that he was just maturing, becoming less like a bouncy little kid, more sedate as he approached adolescence. But this is wild. He’s like a whirling dervish, like a tornado of exuberance.

Stef comes out from the back, where she’s been putting some baby clothes away in the nursery. She wants to get ready well in advance of the baby coming. Of course she does. Always on top of everything. She laughs at Jon as she sits down next to him. “Hungry much?” she asks him, as he grabs another sandwich.

“Yep, starving!” he replies, grinning maniacally.

She meets my eyes with a chuckle. “Good thing your Dad works at a grocery store, then, looks like he might need to bring a truckload of food home if you keep this up!”

It’s nice to see Jonathan so full of life. I was worried that he’d be moping around missing Gabe and Natalie while they’re out of town, but he seems just fine. He must be going through a growth spurt, that’d explain the feeding frenzy. Kids grow in the Spring, right?

I reach in to grab a sandwich for myself before they’re all gone. We settle in together to eat. It’s nice to have all of us here, nice to have this Sunday where we are all off work and school. I lean my chair backwards to reach the counter and grab another bag of chips, and toss it over to Jonathan. “Here, buddy, have some of these.”

“Thanks!” he crows, catching the bag and digging in with gusto.

Smiles all around.

Jonathan’s

“Ah, my darling, my beloved, your appetite is restored in more ways than one. As I languished in the darkness, you lived a diminished life. You had lost your intense joy that makes you so much better than all of the other humans. And now with my return you are restored. Yes, enjoy the food, have fun with your dog, laugh with your family, take pleasure in your sense of well-being. I am here, my dearest, here with you, never to be separated again. We are whole.”

Even Jonathan’s parents realize that my return has brought renewed life and vitality to their son. They do not understand the cause, of course, but the difference in Jonathan’s behavior is dramatic. From the quiet child that he had become for the last few months, he resumes his more intense level of activity.

His soul blazes with the brightness that it had lost, even with the ministrations of the Seer. She could not truly heal my dearest one. Only I could do that.

And as his soul has grown in strength in response to my renewed presence, so I have grown as well. The weakness that I had felt upon my return fades. I am not ready to resume my experiments with the use of power in my communications with him, but I am eager to do so.

Now that he knows I am here, I believe that we can both benefit from an attempt to imbue my messages to him with more energy. I don’t know if I will be able to merely control him as I had done before. I don’t know if that’s truly what I want any longer. The possibilities of actual contact are enticing. Perhaps I can truly communicate with him? Perhaps he will be able to sense my words, respond to my suggestions deliberately rather than subconsciously. The prospect fills me with a fervent hope.

What will develop between us?

For the time being, I revel in the togetherness we share, and thrill to watch my beloved enjoying his life, even while accepting my presence. He knows now there was nothing to fear. The Seer was misleading him. I would never harm him, will only ever love him. We will be one, in spite of her wishes. We are united.