Here Be Monsters - By M T Murphy Page 0,29

of four, three of three, five of one!” Jamie was screaming by the time the orderlies got to him. It took six of him to pull him off of me.

“What does that mean Jamie?” I asked. Before he could answer, they sedated him and carried him away. I rubbed my throat and tried to fight back the cough I felt at the pain. I felt a poke in my arm and I turned, finding another orderly pulling an empty syringe from me. Everything spun as Tyler caught me.

“I didn’t do anything…” Everything went black.

I am not sure how long I was asleep for but when I awoke in my room, a figure loomed over me. As I opened my mouth to scream a hand clamped over my mouth.

“Shhh.” I realized it was Jamie. He uncovered my mouth and handed me something cool and round.

“Two of four, three of three, five of one,” he spoke softly, his blue eyes visibly upset in the small sliver of light from the window. “Demons control the man who plays his vicious game. Oh how the mighty have fallen and now evil will reign.” He left my room and I looked down at what he’d placed in my trembling hand. A St. Jude emblem engraved on what looked like a coin. The patron saint of lost causes. What was that supposed to mean? It was then that I heard the dogs growling again and I started screaming.

* * * * *

“And then he gave me this,” I told Tyler, holding the coin out for him to see. His gray eyes turned dark as he narrowed them but he didn’t take it. He just sat back against his chair and studied my face.

“This is a very precarious time Jani. There are a lot of things that came to pass to get you here.”

“Yea I get it. I’m not blind,” I chuckled and took a sip of my water. We were seated in a small corner of the cafeteria discussing the events that had occurred.

“What do you mean?” Tyler asked.

“Well, addicts spend their whole lives trying to fight urges and to stay sober. I didn’t. I made the deal with Leviathan and I never had an urge to get high again, not once. Rehab and the meetings were a show for my probation and to keep me out of jail. That was it. Now I can hear the dogs all the time, Ty, except when you’re around. Plus, I’m in a mental hospital when I have no business being in one. I’m not stupid. You guys are doing this to protect me so when they come to collect, you can grab them.”

Tyler looked at me with a wicked grin.

“Nice set-up by the way,” I said as I took a bite off of a carrot stick. “With the bank accounts and red flags with the cops just waiting to bust me on something. Good idea. Should have known you weren’t an amateur but still. Props to you my man.”

Tyler’s smile grew a little wider. “Can I give you a piece of advice?”

“Sure.”

“Stay away from Jamie.”

“Why?” I asked. “This isn’t like an angel stronghold? I thought everyone here was a protector or something.”

“No, even the strongest of fortresses still have their weaknesses. Look at the devil.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lucifer,” he said the name like it pained him, “was in heaven of all places and tried to overthrow things. Look how well that went. Nothing is completely safe.”

Tyler finished his water and stood. He touched my shoulder, sending that same odd sensation through me. Even though it was pain, that same strange burning, I gripped his hand. In twenty-eight years I’d never begged for anything, but I was about to.

“Tyler do you have to go? Can you please stay?” I pleaded.

“No,” he said flatly and pulled his hand away. “You’re safe here. Be good, and stay clear of Jamie. Things are going to be tense around here for the next few days. A hurricane is coming and we’re all trying to prepare for it. I’ll be back when I can.”

“Oh, a hurricane, right,” I said and nodded. It would be a good cover for the fight I was sure that was going to happen. I doubted it would be as simple as an angel coming in and taking one of Hell’s prized hounds.

“Goodbye Rajani.”

Tyler looked at me for a moment, his eyes drifting down to my hand and his lips pressed into a thin line. He turned his back to