Page 41 of Greed

“Wow, I had no idea.” She pulled her library card and held it out to the librarian to scan.

“Is there something specific you were looking for?” the librarian said as she scanned the books into her computer system.

“I’m not sure yet. Have you ever heard of a creature that can make a room really cold, and look so pale that it was almost translucent with black eyes, a flat squished up face like a pug, but a lot scarier, with nails like claws? she asked and then took a breath. “Oh, and a really long tail, like a scorpion.” She paused as the librarian looked at her over the top of her glasses. “It was a dream after a scary movie,” she said and then cleared her throat as she realized what she must sound like to the older woman.

The librarian stared at her and blinked. For a moment, she thought the woman was going to confirm that she was indeed going nuts and needed to get the hell out of her library. But instead, she said something she hadn’t expected.

“Sounds like an ice demon. They’re not known in these parts, mind you. Their lore is based mostly on areas that are cold, as you can imagine. Their name slips my mind, but you will find it in this book.” She tapped the one that was the newest addition to her stack.

“Really? So do you believe in all this stuff,” Minetta asked, her voice a soft whisper.

The woman removed her glasses, so they dangled from the little chain around her neck. “My dear, this is a big old world with many things in it that we cannot explain—everything from life on other planets to the age-old battle of how humanity came to be. You will always have science and religion pulling in opposite directions, but I think there is value in learning about both. Why can you not have a Devil simply because you believe in science? Do you see what I’m saying?”

“I think so.”

“Let me put it to you like this. Have you ever had a moment where you thought to yourself, I’ve done this before, or I’ve met this person, but can’t remember where? Or, how about you felt a presence around you, maybe someone that has passed, that you loved?”

“Yes,” she said and shivered as she remembered the feeling she got for weeks after her dad passed. She felt like he was always in her room at night watching over her as she wept.

“And how did you explain that away? Like, how did you decide that it was nothing?”

Minetta bit her lip and thought about all the times since her father’s death she’d thought she felt him around her like he was still looking out for her.

“I guess, I just thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. When my dad passed, I wanted him back so badly that I thought my mind simply believed he was there as a coping mechanism. I missed him and figured the sensation was my way of still having him feel close.” She shrugged. “That must sound absurd to you.”

“Not at all, my dear, but what if he really was still watching over you? Would that make you happy or freak you out?”

Minetta leaned against the librarian’s desk and didn’t know how to answer the question. The idea of her father still looking out for her was what she’d always wanted, but if he really was watching out for her, then what else was out there that she couldn’t explain?

“I’m not sure,” she answered truthfully.

The librarian smiled and put her glasses back on. “I think you know the answers to the questions you seek.”

“I do?”

“Yes, my dear, you do. The problem is you are not ready to face the reality of the answers in your heart or mind. Here you go.” The woman held out a bag with the books, and she added it to her hand, holding the dress.

“Thanks.”

Minetta walked out the doors feeling more confused than when she went inside. If there really were things like this supposed ice demon that couldn’t be explained, then that meant she had to re-evaluate everything strange that had happened to her throughout her life.

She looked back at the building and thought she saw a shadow in the top window staring at her, but when she blinked, it was gone.

Minetta pulled the headphones off her head and hooked them over her monitor screen. It had been another strange day filled with people doing things to themselves or others that left her shaking her head. It didn’t help that all she could think about were the books she’d stayed up reading all night. That had been a mistake.

So many different demons and devils. She hadn’t even known there was a difference. She’d always thought there was one devil, the archangel that was thrown from Heaven, Lucifer. She’d ended up turning on every light in the house and had candles lit just in case as she wrapped herself in the throw her mother made for her. She sipped her tea as she curled up on the couch and began to read.

She found her ice demon alright. It was terrifying how similar the hand-sketched image was to the thing that had been in her home trying to kill her. Yes, she was coming around to the idea that the whole incident had been real. The question was, why was it after her? As she’d read, it sounded like, for the most part, despite their fierce appearance, they were actually quite docile. Like the librarian had mentioned, they preferred cool climates due to their cold nature and only attacked when threatened or if they came across an animal like a polar bear or fur seal being attacked. They would defend the animals that felt most akin to them.

She’d never been anywhere that cold, other than here in winter, and she’d certainly never hurt an animal. While she was feeling brave, she began searching for what her friend Penny might be. Yes, Penny was still her friend, but she could be one of these creatures at the same time. The thought baffled her brain, but if she was going to be open-minded, well, this was a good place to start.

It had taken most of the night, but just as the sun was rising, she found it, or her, Penny. There was an image of a male and female demon that had flaming red hair that floated around them with pale flawless skin. Their eyes were always an unusual orange, but they could charm their appearance to make themselves look human. They were fast and strong, and they carried a flaming sword as a weapon. But what caught her attention was that they had red feathered wings, the symbol of their fall from grace. Erinyes was the term used to describe the angels cast out for falling for temptation. Banned from their home, they were dragged down to Hell, where they took on their new appearance and struggled to fit in. They were not demon enough to be a demon and no longer able to go home, so they were left floundering and walking the Earth in a form of purgatory.

Minetta reached out and picked up a picture of her and Penny together. She ran her thumb over her friend in the photo, taking in her smile and her pale skin. She’d felt drawn to Penny like they’d always been friends and had finally found one another. Penny said she didn’t speak to her family, that there had been a big blow-up, and she hadn’t seen them for years. What had seemed like a simple conversation about family now had created so many more questions. Putting the picture back on her desk, she headed for the elevator and arrived just as the doors opened.

Penny was the only one inside, and Minetta swallowed hard as she stared at her friend’s face. Their eyes locked, and as they did, she saw Penny in her home sipping coffee looking the way she did now, but she also saw her with her glowing eyes and fiery weapon.

“It’s true, isn’t it?”