章 5: 5. Coffee and cream.

The moonless night sky was dark with no traces of stars visible when Que stepped out of the library. The once heavy torrents had turned into a light drizzle at some point half an hour ago. Street vendors are already closing and the road is mostly vacant. Lights from the street lamps were the only light illuminating the sidewalk.

The climate of Softdale had always been gloomy, having rain through most of the months of the year save a few. One moment the blazing sun is threatening to turn you into crispy baked potatoes and before you know it, the next moment dark clouds are looming overhead with promising rainstorms.

Holding up the umbrella Nana borrowed her, Que ran into the drizzle absend mindedly. Her mind still reeling with the new information she've just gotten from her conversation earlier with Nana, and the book she read afterwards which had lasts through the whole evening. She is really having it hard to believe more than half of it, some of which she'd marked off as a complete BS. Yea, like a human can ever procreate with a demon. That part got her the most. What does the author took them for? Two year olds? When dogs and cats start giving birth to humans then maybe.

Although she didn't believe it, that doesn't mean she wasn't scared. She wasn't the bravest person out there. The recent occurrence and the haunted storeroom didn't really help. Deep down she knew mystical beings exist, and they are right in her city. Soph even hinted that she might be possessed.

Sigh.

She had left in the rain two hours ago when her phone kept buzzing nonstop with calls from her mom and her grandma. Those two more than the rest of her family members were more than eager to whisk her away.

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦, they said straight to Que face one time they happen to meet along the way. Now her dear friend is urged to find a life partner sooner and settle down. They've been organising blind dates for her over the past months when she made no effort, it was a funny story.

That was how Nose-buds ended up knocking on their doors one day. They happen to cross paths on one of her various blind dates, after much probing on his part who as nosy and Soph herself, he came to realize she was on a blind date forced by her family. He used that opportunity to introduce himself to her grandma as a concerned colleague.

A scheming bastard. Soph's words. Now they are supposedly seeing each other.

She side stepped on the sidewalk narrowly avoiding water ponds and being sprayed by the occasionally racing vehicles.

Que touched her neck which tingles from the warmth of her necklace. Some moments ago while she was in the library, the necklace became uncomfortably warm against her skin and she had to rub it to sooth the burn. This is the second time it happens since the strange incident last weekend. Yesterday in the grocery store was the first time it occurred.

Right, the grocery store was attacked last night shortly after she left.

"That was a very close shot." She whispered and quicken her steps. She thanked the deity out there for sparing her life.

It was 9:15 pm, though the night is still young, to Jiji it isn't and now she's probably already worried crazy. Jiji hates it when she stays 'late' outside without giving her heads-up. You know, she is supposed to maintain her dignity and not add to her already tainted image. Even though Jiji isn't here parent, she was brought up by the woman according to her parents instructions. And thus her respect for the woman even though Jiji had grew to dislike her. Jiji believed that since she had a massive flaw that sent people running to the opposite direction as hers, she could only compensate that by being the perfect little wife to her future husband who had always been Kevin.

Jiji was more than estatic when Kevin proposed to her, maybe even happier than Que herself. It spared her the pain and shame of having to go husband hunting for the little doom bringer. Que could only imagine her heartache now that the engagement was annulled. Fiddling with her bag fishing out her phone which had died at some point.

"Great." She muttered.

She didn't remember using the phone since forever which was last saturday after that phone call with Kevin. She have no one else to talk to now that a certain someone is out of her life, so why is it dead? WHEN did it even die?

"Last night at the grocery store, remember? You know there's this thing called charger, to keep your phone batteries alive." Came a very much unwanted sneaky voice inside her head.

Sometimes she do wonder if she's truly possessed. She had this voice inside her head ever since she remember, maybe it's her subconscious, maybe it's not. She don't really know. Does your subconscious talk?

"Oh no, maybe there's a demon living inside me," She gasped playfully laughing at her cringe worthy joke.

Speaking of demons, she glanced around. She read a lot of spooky things about them at the library, like the fact that they can assume different forms and shapes, understand every language known to mankind, infiltrate solid objects, possess humans and become invisible if they want to.

She suddenly became wary. Knowing that they can be anywhere without at any moment, at anyplace and you won't see it coming. Are they even safe?

Subconsciously, her steps turned skipy at almost every sound and she could've swore something flashed by a building beside her.

Right now she believe she's seriously loosing her mind. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

She reached into her bag and brought out a the paper Nana had given her. It contained an address and a name on it. Supposedly the new shaman she is seeing this month.

Sigh.

She clutched the piece tightly lost in her thoughts when...

"Boom!!"

"Argh," She jumped screaming.

"Scared you, didn't I?" That's when she saw Sofia doubled over clutching her stomach and laughing her heart out.

So much for unseen danger!

"You! How could you do that to me! My heart almost gave out." She clutched her frantically beating heart trying to prevent it from lurching out.

"Aha- sorry, haha, you are just so easy to mess with. Hahaha, you were jumpy so she thought, aha, this is fun. Phew, no wonder Kevin does that to you all the time. You are so adorable." She said amidst laughter. "A cute little bunny," she reached out trying to pinch her cheeks.

There comes the name again, Kevin.

She scowled, "Haha. Nice to know you find joy in my mystery."

Maybe because there has been a lot on her mind today, she didn't remember him. The last half of today to be precise.

Well that's good, she suppose. No more men. Or fiances. Or husbands.

Just her, Bubu and Jiji. Well, maybe just her and Bubu.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. It's my faulty brain." Sofia's voice brought her back, probably only realizing it now.

"Whatever."

"Sigh. You know I'm really sorry Que, you are so sweet and innocent and, sigh. But fret not, cuz from now on, I'll protect you. You don't need those evil men with empty promises breaking your fluffy heart. Or evil people in general," She said wrapping her arm around Que when she noticed a guy eyeing them. She really sucks at comforting people.

"Idiot, people might take this the wrong way," Que grumbled letting her drag her along.

"Let them think all they want." She said with an evil laugh.

"What are you even doing here, shouldn't you be home like normal people. Okay, not necessarily normal, is your dinner with your 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 over already?"

Instantly, her mood changed from sunshine to gloom as she recall her misfortune, "Who apart of that grumpy old woman would send me out in the rain to get her favorite tea leaves. Tea leaves for God's sake. I told her I'd get it tomorrow and my loving mom literally kicked me out of the house. So much for a family. They wanted me to walk that cunning guy out so they came up with this. Aren't they all cunning?" She grumbled.

Que shook her head stifling a laugh. She suspect that deep down, Soph might truly like him but don't know that herself yet.

They walked down the road as she complained about her miserable (her words) life when the screeching of car tires came from behind them as a car swiveled. They turned around in time to witness the car speeding towards a building at the end of the road.

It was the library.

Time seemed to slow down as the car ran into the library and the lights went out of all the surrounding buildings throwing the place in complete darkness.

This is so not good.

Due to the city's recent turmoil, everyone freaked out as hell break loose.

She stumbled, and that's was when she realized that she was running being dragged by Sofia.

Everyone was running.

"Wait," she cried, trying to regain her bearings.

"Nana. Nana is in the library, should we just leave her like this?"

"Do you want to die? Did that seem like a normal accident to you? That car was clearly hit by something and sent flying towards the library. If you want to run to your death and be the next smashed human puree then be my guess." She huffed still dragging her along.

"Goodness, are you always this heavy? You're trying to play the super hero saving people? Wake up you idiot this isn't a movie. The police and paramedics will be here soon. Let them do their job and be a good citizen, Run. To. Safety."

She let her drag her away still in a daze.

She could have been there too. Had she stayed 5 more minutes she could've been caught up in the chaos too. She would have died.

She broke out in cold sweat.

Thinking back, she thought she saw something darting on top of the buildings earlier before Sofia showed up. She thought a demon or ghost or whatever mystical creature out there was chasing her so she hurried her steps. She was wrong, it came for the library, or whatever it is. She wasn't loosing her mind after all.

Whatever it came for, she pray Nana will be spared. But deep down she knew if the library shared the same fate with the last attacks, then Nana is as good as dead. They too could only hope to survive.

Please be all right. Lord please let Nana be all right. She could only offer prayers for her sake. Their sake.

She ran as fast as her legs could take her, following whatever direction Soph lead her to. Smoke clouded her vision making it blurry and her thoughts were in chaos. She tried as much as she could to dodge the bodies running helter scatter but ended up crashing into a hard surface, smashing her nose in the process. Her poor nose, it was short already. She moaned, randomly grabbing around the hard surface to keep herself from falling. By the time she was firm on her feet, she came to a painful realization.

The body/object that was pressed to her front radiated a scorching heat and a hot air fanned her face accompanied by an intoxicating smell of coffee and cream. But that was not what she was worried about, no, it was the thing she had grabbed. Whatever she had ran into was wearing a belt, a thick spikey belt and the very graceful her had managed to grab at the belt around it's waist to steady herself. The metallic buckle was cold against her skin and she refused to acknowledge the other object or whatever it is she grabbed along with the belt. Que purse her lips feeling all the blood in her body relocating to her face. No, the innocent, dignified 23 year old refused to acknowledge the truth. It is probably it's flashlight, yes, a flashlight.

It was on a night patrol and brought a flashlight. Closing her eyes tightly shut, she whimpered burying her head to her chest. If only the ground would split open and swallow her. Perhaps the blood was too much for her brain to handle and it seized functioning all together, resulting in the girl's freeze in place clutching the 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘵 instead of running for her life like a normal girl in the face of danger, as the hot air coming from above her head became even more hotter. She gulped, feeling penetrating gaze piercing through her skull which might soon be rolling on the ground.

Seconds passed.

The hard, broad and heat radiating wall in front of her vibrated as a low rumble came from the back of it's throat which was akin to that of a ticked off wolf.

"Move!" she was pushed forward almost pummeling to the ground and was yanked by Soph.

"Que, seriously? What is wrong with you!?" Finally opening her eyes, she exhaled in relief seeing her friend. Looking up, the angry and exasperated face of her friend came into view. She grabbed her friend and dashed forward, this time taking the lead.

"Run! D-didn't you see that?" Que whispered looking back at the place she was seconds ago and furrowing her brows. The place was surprisingly empty, and quiet. She glanced around for the boiling volcano waiting to erupt but was no where to be found.

"Yes, I saw 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. I saw 𝘠𝘖𝘜 standing there stupidly in the middle of the road gazing at the colvate road and shaking like a suffocated fish! In the middle of the chaos! Are you crazy? Do you want to die?" Soph yelled running behind the suicidal girl.

"There was someone else."

"That someone else was you! Are you for real? The talks about demon earlier isn't making you paranoid is it? I was joking when I said you might be possessed you know."

Que chose to do the right thing at the moment, which was to get the hell out of here.

As they scampered to safety, a thick, smoky masculine voice with a heavy accent whispered in her ears.

"𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯.

𝘙𝘶𝘯... 𝘙𝘶𝘯... 𝘙𝘶𝘯... 𝘙𝘶𝘯.

Oh," it moaned. " I love me some chase."