So Scary 5- Cheap Imitation
David Crockman had been one of the best occult researchers in the world. In fact, he was the only person, working in this town where some people have a thing against it. But for David, he didn't care. He had worked too hard for this kind of position that he couldn't just leave it behind, and then do something else instead. After all, he was taught by the best teacher back at the university. He didn't think that a subject like Occult 101 would land him a permanent position in the supernatural field. Therefore, he opened a shop where he could sell books, and other sorts of out-of-this-world items that were deemed too satanic at the time. Some religious protesters stood outside his shop, demanding him to shut it down. But David had rights when he wanted to work in a job like this. And he had contacted his lawyer about it, in case if his shop got vandalized. If that were to happen, he would have to sue one of those protestors eventually. After all, it was his shop. His parents knew that this thing would happen to him, if he had chosen this career. David already knew the consequences, but he wasn't afraid to take risks.
But there were other consequences that he hadn't expected it to happen. Because his teacher had said about summoning a demon would become too dangerous that David himself couldn't think of anything else on how to prevent these protestors from doing his job. After all, he wasn't an occult practitioner, he was both a researcher and a salesman. That was all. His teacher warned him about it when David had asked about releasing a demon from its hellish realm of existence. He knew the risk alright. So, he decided against his teachings and summoned a demon for help.
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David made preparations for the summoning ritual. He drew a white circle around him, and then he slashed his hand with a sharp knife. The blood dripped it on the golden cup. Then he chanted some unholy words. Once summoned, a demon appeared in grotesque form. He expected that he could use it to drive the religious protestors away. So that he didn't have to come to court and ask the judge about his own rights. After all, he needed to work out his own solution without getting too much media attention. One reporter had asked to come to interview him. David was then asked unnecessary questions like "What do you hope to achieve by becoming an occult expert?" or "Is your job safe?" or "Do you think you should do something else that is decent than this?" At the sound of that third question, David became so furious that he told the reporter to get out of his shop. So much for the media attention.
Now that the demon was summoned, David asked it to drive anyone away from his shop, whether it was robbers, vandals or anyone else that would go against the thing he loved to do most. The demon asked something for return. But David knew that there had to be some kind of bargain in the summoning process. He sighed and asked, "What?"
"I want human hearts. I want them alive." David wasn't surprised by this revelation. Of course, if he were to summon a demon, he would have done it for a very specific reason. And that was the pact. It was like a gambling debt. But David wanted nothing to do with this kind of bargain. He said, "No, I can't do that. That means I have to kill them." The demon shook its head. "I want their hearts. Fresh and alive. Only then, I will drive them away." David again said no. The demon got furious about it, and then disappeared.
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The next day, David regretted that he actually summoned the demon. And he didn't think that he could do it. It was a mistake to summon it in the first place. He thought, What have I done? He knew there were so many other ways to keep his shop intact. He figured opening a shop in this quiet town would give him some peace of mind. But the locals couldn't have it. One of them had said, "Anyone who was doing the devil's work, should get out of town and not come back. Or else, there will be trouble." Maybe, David should have thought of opening a shop in a secular place. He didn't think that the town was too conservative to begin with.
But then the news have been spreading the town like wildfire. A newspaper boy dropped the paper on the front porch of David's house. When David read the paper, he was so shocked that he couldn't believe his eyes. The headline said this,
HEARTS TAKEN OUT OF LOCAL TOWN
Jesus Christ! He thought the demon went back to hell because he knew the summoning ritual was just temporary, only if he allowed it to remain on Earth for a number of days. Now he was in for it. He had just broken one of his teacher's rules. He had to clean up the mess by sending the demon back to hell. But then where he would look for it. He didn't know. Then he thought of a spell that could detect a demon. It could roam anywhere around the town and that would take a certain amount of time to find it. He was so mad at himself that he wished he hadn't summoned the demon.
So, he conjured up a spell in his head. He had closed his eyes to perform it. He had learned it from the books ever since he took lessons from his teacher. When he opened them back, he went out to search for it. He called out its name since he had summoned it. But the demon didn't reply back. He was so worried that it would kill the entire town just for his sake.
Then he finally found it in the deserted park. He saw a man himself taking out something from his victim's chest, and eating it. It was one of his customers who had recently bought The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. It was so brutal that David had to puke himself. The demon had taken a human form like the victim, lying on the ground. He realized that eating those human hearts, have changed its appearance. So, nobody else could recognize the true imposter, living in this town.
When the demon saw David, it smiled. "You see? This is what I've wanted. But you didn't allow me. This is what happens if you don't make the bargain."
David thought, Yeah right. He already knew the demon would do something like this, even if he made the bargain. Demons have lied all the time. But now that David had seen enough carnage, he summoned another spell to send it back to hell. But it didn't seem to work.
"What's the matter, David? Hm? I'm too strong for you? You can't send me back. Besides, I like it here." But David shouted, "NO!" He ran and fought the demon.
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The next day, a customer just came inside the shop to buy a book called The History of Witchcraft. He had been waiting for an old copy of it. And David had reminded him that he will search for it. But there had been no calls from David recently. The customer thought he might have been busy doing something else. So, when he arrived at the store, he noticed that David was putting some old books on the top shelf. He said, "Um... Mr. Crockman?"
David turned around to see his customer and smiled. "Hello there. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Um... I've asked you about that book, The History of Witchcraft. Remember?" David thought for the moment and nodded. "Ah yes. I remember now. I'm sorry about that. I had too many things on my mind lately. You know... those protestors? They're driving me wild these days and I had to take care of them."
"Yeah... I know." David picked up the book from the top shelf, and then handed it to his customer. The customer who looked like a nerd, looked at it. "Oh thanks. This is the one what I've always wanted."
"No problem." David went to the counter, and gave the change. The nerd was about to leave the shop and said, "Say... have you heard about the news lately?"
"What news?"
"You know... hearts being taken out? The police haven't caught the sicko yet."
"Oh... that one. Well, there are real sickos living out there, even in this town. So, who knows? Right?"
The nerd looked at him strangely. "Yeah... right." He went outside the store. Then David went back to the shelf and whistled. He thought, I should have taken his heart out. Oh well... maybe later.
Next story- The Black Mass.
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