I open my eyes to see trees all around me. I go to get up but pain shoots through me. I can't move without grunting the pain away. But I manage to get on my back, seeing that I'm in the woods at night. I hear an engine and see headlights on my right side. I glance to see my truck wrapped around a big oak tree. It's crushed beyond belief and the windshield is smashed. Well that explains how I ended up on the ground. But I swore my seatbelt was on. I closed my eyes, trying to collect my thoughts so I could get a plan in motion when I hear something walking in the trees. It sounded bipedal but with hooves. It can't possibly be a deer or an elk, this sounded much bigger. I start looking around, pinpointing the noise at 50 yards on my right side. I started thinking about the predator animals that could be making this noise and could be possibly trying to get an easy meal. This was no bear, no cougar, or wolf. My headlights on the truck turn off on their own as the engine dies. Fuck! No lights! I'm blind out here and injured beyond repair. I reach for my knife in my pocket, ready to fight this thing if I had to. The walking was getting closer and closer by the second.
"Come on you bastard, show yourself!" I whispered. The footsteps stopped at 10 yards but I couldn't see anything. I looked around the dark woods for eyes shining or shadows in the distance but there was nothing. Another noise starts to emit from the woods. It sounded something like a growl and whispering. Trying to listen to what the whispers were about, it sounded like a different language like Latin or something. It sounded like it was all around me. I can't pinpoint it anymore. "SHOW YOURSELF!!!" I shouted. The noise stopped. Nothing in the woods was making a noise. No crickets, no bats, nothing at all. It was dead silence. No wind either. This was definitely creepy and weird. I used one of the trees around me to get up, pain shooting through my body. It's almost enough to make me pass out even with a high pain tolerance. I pant heavily assessing my injuries. My right leg was the thing that was mostly hurting. I pulled up my pant leg and saw that a piece of my femur was sticking out of my thigh. I sigh in annoyance. I turn around and I see something literally two feet away from me! I look up to see a seven foot tall, shadow-like creature with red glowing eyes. It had horns, hooves, claws on its hands, one wing like a bat on its left and the other one was like a bird. I immediately started hyperventilating with fear as an evil grin grew on its face. It begins to form into smoke as I had involuntarily opened my mouth. Its misty form soon enters my mouth in a matter of seconds as I black out.
I awaken in my bed as the morning sun rises out my window. I pull my legs to the side of my bed wondering how I was home. Was the accident a dream? Was this nightmarish creature just a nightmare that I kept having? As I began to run the questions in my head I started coughing violently as my stomach got upset. I run into the bathroom, open the toilet lid and throw up a black substance. I question what it is but I am not going to the hospital if this is something that can be fixed in a couple days. I grab my toothbrush and put some toothpaste on it, running water so I can brush my teeth from my puke. As soon as my mouth feels clean, I put away my toothbrush and rinse out my mouth. "Damian." A voice calls out. I look up as the voice sounded like it was close to my ear. No one was there. I shrug it off to look in the mirror as I see my reflection in the mirror! Black eyes, fangs, claws, horns, a halo, and wings! I scream, falling backwards and hitting my head, knocking me out.
I woke up again to an immediate headache. I groan as I get up to search our medicine cabinet for Tylenol. I take two pills out of the bottle, get a glass of water and swallow them. I looked in my reflection again to see what the hell scared me but I didn't see anything. I sigh as I begin to head downstairs. "I'm still here." The voice says. I jump in surprise as I quickly turn my head to see no one but dammit I heard a voice!
"This isn't real, Damian. You just need more sleep, less stress, no more horror movies." I repeat to myself as I close my eyes and rub my temples.
"Food!!!" The voice yells. My eyes widen as my legs involuntarily move on their own. Oh shit! I tried to stop myself but I couldn't! Now that I'm in the kitchen, I see my mom and my brother, good thing my dad left for work. "Mmmm food."
"Morning Damian, have a seat and I'll get you some eggs, toast, and sausage." My mom smiles as she cooks everything. I nervously make my way to the table and sit uncomfortably. My brother looks at me weird as he reads a book.
"Are you ok?" Owen asks. I nodded my head and gave a reassuring smile but he knew this was a fake smile. My mom hands me my plate and as soon as it's down I engorge on the food. I wasn't even using silverware as I ate hungrily like I had been starved for years.
"Damian, chew your food! And use the damn silverware!" Mom says.
"Yes mom." I say.
"Back off bitch! I'll eat your eyes next!" The voice replies with anger. I'm not in control of my body so I did what I thought was necessary.
"Can you hear my thoughts?" I asked.
"Yes." It replies. I gulped out of fear but managed to stay calm.
"What is your name and what do you want?"
"My name is Dragodeus."
"What do you want?" I asked again.
"I am a part of you that was left out until your eighteenth birthday. I was born the same day you were and I was sent straight out of Hell to find you since we are one." I raise my eyebrow because I am confused with this demon's words. What does it mean it's a part of me? How am I part demon if Dragodeus was separated from me all these years?
"If I'm a part of you, how am I not evil?"
"Not all demons are evil. We are mistaken as such due to our appearance. We simply want to live in peace alongside living beings so that we may draw energy from them in order to stay alive. Us however are more different than any other demon or human out there. Eventually you will get my meaning. Right now you need to focus on your surroundings."
"Damian!" Owen shouts as he snaps his fingers. I look around the kitchen to see my mom staring at me and Owen looking at me with concern. "Bro, what's going on with you? Why were your eyes clouded?"
"Uh, sorry I… I'm going to go out and get some air." I excused myself from the table but my mom stopped me with worry lacing on her features.
"Damian, are you sure you are okay? You seem a bit off today." My mom says.
"Yes, I'm fine mom, I just didn't get enough sleep last night. I'm sorry for worrying you." I give her a reassuring hug. My mother had always been the caregiver of the family and she regularly checked me for bruises, cuts, and other injuries from my training with dad. She always made sure to patch me up, take care of me when I got sick, and to always have a meal ready for me at any time. I've learned to always appreciate my mother and anyone who disrespected their own mother. I would put them to shame unless they had a good reason. That went for any mother disrespecting their children in front of my mom, she would always put someone in their place. She was a no nonsense type of woman and I guess that's one reason my father picked her as his.
"Okay Dai, just remember you can talk to me and your father about anything no matter what it is. Do you understand?" She asks, cupping my cheek.
"I understand mom." She smiles and kisses me on the cheek. "You need to shave that fuzz off of your cheek. I like the goatee look but that fuzz needs off." She laughs. I can't help but laugh too.
"I'll see about that. But first, I need some sun." She nods as I walk away, opening the front door. I step out onto the porch, taking a deep breath of air. I noticed that my truck was in the driveway. It wasn't even damaged even though I wrecked last night!
"It wasn't a nightmare. I am capable of many things Damian so forget logic and clear your mind." With that said, I decided to strip off my shirt and tan for the day.