Chapter 2

Zemar laid still until he heard them leave the clearing and it was safe to rise from underwater. He pushed himself out of the cold swamp and sat there, not bothering to wipe his face clean of blood and muddy water. He knew it was coming. They weren't drinking real beer, it was the gross non-alcoholic kind, and after the first sip he knew. It still shocked him that Eric pulled the trigger, and with surprisingly good aim, the bullet nailed him square between the eyes.

"This was for the best... I'm free of all the killing. No more being hated by everyone," he sighed but no matter how much he tried to comfort himself, he couldn't stop the tears from falling and dripping into the dirty water. What will he do now? With no purpose in his life anymore, what was he good for? Who would take a useless Demon that's only skill was fucking murdering people, he thought.

"I guess my only home now is here. I hope the lady in red doesn't mind having company, heh," he snickered and stood up, water ran down his thin, silky fur and his muscles bunched up underneath his jacket as it stretched the leather when his black wings slipped through holes in his modified leather jacket. They appeared empty due to the feathers being plastered together, and so they resembled the real Grim Reaper's boney wings of death.

A flash of light crossed the sky as it lit up his distraught features and thunder was close to follow, another streak welcomed the rain. The weather suited his emotion as he slumped towards an old culvert at the other end of the pond, these culverts were scattered across the forest. They were here way before this place became a national park and instead of cleaning them up, they just left the metal and concrete to sink into the earth and crumble. He crouched inside and out of the rain just to stare out into the trees, just watching the falling water ripple the smooth surface of the swamp, it was relaxing. He heard the fast drip and roar of the rainwater hitting each leaf in the forest, the sound was like a distant echo of a waterfall and the smell; The raw earthy smell of wet mud and grass filled the night air as it chased away the fog. Everything was filled with hidden life as woodland critters ran for shelter.

The summer rains fell hard and created a blur, the huge red trees seemed to vanish within the wall of water. He was too tired to be concerned about anything or anyone looking for him as the blur increased, the rain falling even harder and the roaring sound melded into one noise. It blocked all his senses outside of the culvert shelter but, occasionally he would hear the soft ting of droplets that leaked their way through the roof and onto the metal. He closed his eyes softly and zoned out to the sounds of a free forest, it was peaceful enough to block out all the bad thoughts. This was the first time in 3 years where he could finally lower his guard and relax. He rested his head on the muddy ground and was able to sleep without fear of nightmares.

The bright morning rays of calming sunlight filtered through the verdurous canopy, penetrating through the leaves and casting an unearthly green–gold luminescence over the ground. Gnarled roots dipped in and out of the ground and twisted branches reached down, fingers grasped thin air. The trees were ancient, timeless as they disappeared into the sky, rough with age, yet their roughness had been worn down by the soft greenness of moss that had slowly made them home. Leaves varying in shades of green; some were still budding, emerging a fresh, limey color into the summer, whilst the grown, flatly panned leaves were brushed a lush emerald under the overhead sun. The scent of fresh dew from the night rainstorm misted the mossy-green floor as he awoke to the soft crunch of a deer that had walked up to the pond to take a refreshing sip. His blue eyes narrow from the bright sunlight, it resembled that of a cat in hunt. He slowly rolled onto his back and felt a droplet fall from the roof and land on his forehead, navigating its way through his damp fur. He lazily glanced over to his right and outside, he was about to close his eyes when something caught his attention. He sat up quickly to get a better look and there, in the middle of the lush greenness of the bushes and leaves was a hooded figure of a woman. What got to him was that the hood was bright red,

"Shit! Eric wasn't lying."

Zemar scrambled to his feet, still a little dizzy from being shot in the head, but he managed his way toward the figure. He waddled through the dense muddy pond water and around thick undergrowth, he snuck closer just as the hood turned slightly. It was actually a cape, like from the story, Little Red Riding Hood and he saw the pinkish tint of a woman's cheek. Her luscious scarlet lips puckered to release a piecing whistle that seemed to call to his heart, his blue eyes glow bright red like a spell was put on him just by the sound of her voice. He quickly stood from his hiding spot and his two 10 inch, crimson horns got tangled in the twisted branches above his head.

"Fuck!" his sudden noise startled the woman and she fled, she blended into the red background of the Redwood forest,

"No! Wait! I'm sorry for startling you, please come back!" he called desperately. He was determined to find out who she was as he craved her voice like a drug addict. He needed to hear her beautifully soft voice again before he explodes.

He managed to free himself from the gripping branches and hurried after, he jogged carefully through the underwood as his large frame made a new pathway. Being 8ft tall didn't help his pursue of the small, nimble woman of the woods.

"Hey lady! Where did you go?" he tried calling in a calm tone to get a response but, everything was silent, nothing stirred, and he felt lost in the huge forest. He gave a quick 360, everything looked the same,

"Dammit..." he sighed and scratched his head with both hands roughly in frustration from losing the woman. He's never wanted something this bad before and it drove him crazy. He walked in the direction he thought was back towards the pond but, the snap of a twig grabbed his attention. Something dashed just behind him and it was the red hood, he took the chance to not lose her this time and ran after. The breaking of branches and shrubbery made the forest spark with life as the loud sounds spook the wildlife in the area and scared the woman even more. She let out tiny squeaks of fright under her rapid breath,

"Stop fucking running lady! I only want to talk," he hollered. He gave his mouth a quick wipe to find that he was drooling. This started to freak him out a little but, he didn't stop the pursuit. Her movement through the shrubs and her weaving around the trees gave him the sense that she knew this forest well, he took a quick glance back and realized he was destroying the greenery. Being large was such an inconvenience to both Demons and Angels, what with living in the human world where everything was too small for them.

"Fuck this shit!" he hissed and took off his soaked leather jacket, his wings weren't quite dry enough to hold his weight but, they were dry enough to help catch her.

Zemar leaped into the trees and flew from limb to limb like a leopard hunting prey, and he easily caught up just as the red hood exited the safety of the trees and into the open area of an emerald field. He was so close to catching her when she suddenly stopped mid run as a strong breeze blew the hood back, releasing long, dirty blonde curls to dance in the wind. Underneath the intense scent of fear was something delicious, something delicate. Fresh, like newly fallen snow over a moonlit field of lavenders and it made him lick his lips, it was arousing. Impure thoughts overflowed his mind, they felt like it was ripping at the seams and it forced him to squeeze his temples tightly just so he could calm down. Not completely under control this was the best time as any to try and calm the frightening situation that he accidently created for the poor woman.

"Hey miss? I'm sorry for giving you a scare back there. I only wanted to talk," he slowly walked up behind and when she didn't turn around, he moved to the front.

"Miss?" He waved a hand in front of her face and tears exploded to run down her flushed cheeks. She leaped backwards only to trip over her own feet and landed roughly on the grassy ground.

The wind swept the field flat as he stood over the frightened woman, her eyes clouded by the tears that streamed down her face. The red flush wasn't only located to her cheeks, it was across her neck, on her hands, as she held them close to her rapidly moving chest. This woman was truly terrified. How can he fix this? He thought. He didn't know what to do to help, normally he created the fear purposely.

"Hey, p-please don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered in the best soothing tone he could, it wasn't his strong suit. He didn't quite have a calming voice as it was unnatural, almost horror movie kind of scary deep but, like Morgan Freeman tone. Two factors that collided with each other. She looked up in his direction and he noticed something more than just tears in her beautiful eyes,

"Y-Your eyes. What's wrong with your..." a loud crumbling of rock interrupted him as the earth underneath gave way.

"Shit!" he yelled as he fell down the edge of a rocky cliff. The field had ran the length of the rocky shore of the Pacific Ocean and was a gorgeous sight to see but, extremely dangerous.

This was not a good predicament for him, his wings were too wet to catch the updraft but, he didn't care. Away from the overwhelming aroma of the woman, the hurt of betrayal came back. He did just get shot in the head only hours ago, so what if he dies again he thought. It was a quick fall as he landed full force on a huge boulder at the bottom of the cliff. The blood-curdling snap of his back breaking completely in half grabbed the attention of a nearby family exploring the slick grey shore. He groaned in pain and spat up blood as he watched the woman in the distance carefully lean over the edge before disappearing,

"Fuck me... Can t-this day get any worse?" he coughed in a ragged, bloody breath.

Zemar painfully rolled over onto his stomach and felt the crunch of bones rub together when he landed roughly on the rocky ground. Barely conscious he heard footsteps approach and a boy appeared around a greenish-brown, algae covered boulder. The boy nearly slipped on the oily plant life but caught his footing just as Zemar coughed up more blood, causing the boy to scream.

"Oh My God! Hey man, a-are you alright?" the boy's voice cracked from both adolescent and shock.

"Go f-fuck yourself..." he growled before passing out on the hard stone,

"Mom! Dad! Come quick!" the boy called for his parents as he ran to the side of the large Demon.

A man and woman both in their forties came rushing to their son's cry,

"Andy! What happened? Are you alright... Get away from that Demon!" the mother shrieked once she saw the huge black shape that her son was beside.

"No mom, he's hurt. I'm pretty sure he fell off the cliff," Andy argued as he attempted to drag the lifeless body,

"Andy, Demons don't need our help. They can fend for themselves," Andy's mother urged him to leave the body, but Andy didn't budge.

"Everyone needs help at some point in their lives, why don't Demons deserve our help? It's not like they're evil. They're just from somewhere we don't understand," Andy defended the stranger. It's not like he knew any Demon personally but, he's a strong believer that everyone, Demons and Angels alike deserved their help because without the mortal's souls, what purpose did they have? The older gentleman walked up to his son and messed up Andy's short brown, frosted tipped hair,

"You're too good for this world son Ha! Ha! Okay, you grab his legs and I'll carry the rest," the father chuckled.

"Richard!"

"Elizabeth. Our son is right, who are we to decide who doesn't get our aid," Richard argued a valid point and Elizabeth held her tongue.

It was a long, labored trekk back to their vehicle as they half carried, half dragged the massive Demon. When they reached the dirt parking lot, there was only one vehicle left and the golden orange glow of dusk glinted off the shiny metal as the last of the light faded in the distance. Richard quickly opened the tailgate of the lifted-up, electric blue Dodge Ram 1500,

"Okay, careful now. Use your legs," Richard cautioned Andy as they barely lifted the 1000-pound Demon into the box of the truck. The shocks sunk from the heavy load.

"This is a big mistake Rick. What happens if he's one of those bad Demons and murder us in our sleep?" Elizabeth was worried,

"Liz, you worry too much," Rick kissed his wife's forehead and opened the truck door for her.

"I do not! I worry just the right amount and if you don't apologize right now, you'll be sleeping on the couch," Liz threatened before she hopped in,

"I'm sorry honey, I love you," Rick apologized and kissed her hand before he gently closed her door. Andy jumped into the back as Rick leaped into the driver's seat, driving 4 hours back home.

The smell of bacon filled the air with its savory scent, making anyone's mouth salivate. Light chatter could be heard in the distance as plates clattered softly against a rectangular wooden table as it was being set for breakfast. A variety of brightly colored flowers were rested in a crystal vase filled with tap water and set nicely in the middle with the three, blue china plates on the edges. Silver cutlery sat neatly on either side and shimmered from the lights of the home. Zemar woke to the interesting aroma of a homemade, hardy breakfast. He groaned from the faded pain in his back and head and rolled lazily to his right just to discover he wasn't laying on the ground. A huge thump shook the building as he fell out of a tiny bed,

"Ow... Where am I?" he rhetorically asked when he opened his eyes, he was inside someone's room. Posters of different metal bands hung on cream colored walls. A sexy blonde playboy calendar hid in the far corner with the air being musty from Axe spray deodorant and used socks. He rubbed his sore head before he noticed the small stack of CD's piled on the light chestnut, carpet next to a stereo system and full computer setup. He glanced back at the Queen-sized bed he fell out of and it had a square, patterned rug that surrounded the base.

"What the fuck?... Wait, who the hell has fucking SpongeBob bed sheets?" he scoffed at the bright yellow square in the middle of light blue cotton blanket,

"They were the only ones I had left. My other sheets are being washed," a voice caught his attention from behind the door.

The boy from the beach opened the brown door with a grin,

"Glad you're finally awake. It's been two days since we found you," the boy smiled.

"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded as he painfully got to his feet,

"Whoa! Easy there, your back is broken," the boy ran to his side full of concern despite the aggressive growl.

"Get the hell away from me! My back ain't broken," he barked and shoved the boy away,

"Listen to me kid, I don't need your fucking help! Not from your kind anyways, cause all you do is kill and betray us. So please, kindly fuck off and move," he hissed. The boy ran to shut the bedroom door and stood in front, preventing Zemar from leaving.

"Number 1, I'm not a kid. I'm 18 but, just cause you 'Demons' live for a long time doesn't mean you get to call us 'kid' and number 2, you fell off a fucking cliff! The doctor told us your back was shattered in half and said you might not wake up, let alone walk anymore!" the teen bared his own threatening teeth at him.

"Fuck you! Doctors don't know shit! I'm getting the hell outta here and you can't fucking stop me!" he spat and threw the teen away from the exit before he ripped the wooden door off its metal hinges. He left it on the floor and stumbled downstairs where he was greeted by the parents,

"Calm down Demon. Is everything okay?" the man held his hands up in submission to show he wasn't a threat.

He ignored them and pushed them aside to hobble towards the front door. He kicked it open with great strength and it flew into the front yard,

"Leave me the fuck alone!" he threatened and jogged down the middle of the street towards where he assumes is downtown. He was breathing heavily and you could see the air leave his lungs as the pain in his back emerged from hiding. He slowed to a trot when he got far enough away that was when his mind really went into overdrive,

"Where am I really? This doesn't look like San Francisco, or the forest," his eyes wandered to see neatly trimmed trees bordering the small, smooth road. Each side was filled with residential buildings as people went about doing their business, mowing their lawn in shorts, a T-shirt, sunglasses, and a hat like they're afraid of the sun melting them to the bone. Women jogged with their baby strollers as they gossip. Children played outside on deep green lawns that were well taken care of, while the parents either sat on the porch enjoying the beautiful weather or chatted with their neighbors. This area was all new to him and it didn't sit right. He was so use to seeing dirty alleyways and dead bodies fresh from an overdose. Garbage that littered the cracks of sidewalks and grease stains permanently turn the light grey concrete black. Instead, the sidewalk was clean as a whistle. No used needle, no vomit in the hidden corners. Nothing but clean.

He took a deep breath, the air was even fresh, he didn't get choked out from exhaust fumes from passing vehicles.

"Fuck this shit, I'm out!" he yelled and sprints away, the suburbs were no place for him and he needed to get away as fast as possible. It didn't take him long to get downtown of the small town and he finally recognized where he was as he saw the huge city in the distance, he was on the outskirts of Sacramento.