Angela's Demons: A Short Story

Angela took in the words Viviana had just spoken. Pure evil. The thought of communicating with her sister seemed a foolish idea. It wasn’t something she was willing to let get in her way. I’m going to find out who killed you, Lil. I promise you.

Viviana got up and went to an alcove at the back of the room. Angela could hear her rummaging around and a few minutes later Viviana came back out with a flat object wrapped in a cloth. After placing it in a bag, she placed it in front of Angela.

“This is what you’ll use,” Viviana said. “Wait until you get home to open it and you must communicate clearly what you want from the other side. Like I said, there are forces that want to trick you and to hurt you. You have to be strong and ask for only

The bag felt extra heavy. It was as if God Himself were warning her not to do this. But it was already too late. Not God, not Viviana Talbot, not Mr. Henshaw, not even Big Donnie Tremblay could stop Angela from what she was about to do.

Reaching the old brownstone, which loomed large against the bleak sky like a desolate shadow, Angela stopped in the yard. She looked up at the window to Lil’s room. She couldn’t be certain, but it looked like the curtain fluttered for just a second.

She walked up the icy steps without managing to slip, and she fumbled for the key to the front door with numb fingers. Finally fitting the key into the lock, she opened the big oak door and let herself into the house.

Angela could hear Dancing Queen playing from the upstairs radio even as she entered the door. The melody was especially haunting in this weather and she felt gooseflesh break out on her arms that had nothing to do with the cold.

Walking over to the kitchen table, she placed the bag down and the music suddenly stopped. She heard the underlying creak, creak, creak from the basement, but it went silent just as fast. It was as if the house was waiting for