Chapter Thirty-One: Cleaning Calm:
Hotaru leaned
over Mike lying on the floor.
“Close your
eyes,” she said. Mike gave her an odd look.
“Why?” he asked.
“Just do it,”
she said.
“Fine,” he said.
The demon closed his eyes.
“Good,” Hotaru
said. She lit up some sage and incense.
“Take a deep
breath,” the loli demon said. Mike slowly did so. Hotaru waved the sage over his
head. She gave off a low hum.
“What are you
doing?” Mike asked.
“Shhh,” Hotaru
whispered. “Just relax. Shhh. Shhh.” Mike drew his mouth closed. Hotaru started
to hum again.
“Hmm. Clear your
mind. Force out all negative energies. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.” Mike
in slow breaths.
“Yes,” she said.
Hotaru slowly waved the sage around. She closed her eyes herself. So calming…
But then she
froze. Something was here. Hotaru used her mind’s eye to look. She felt cold all
of a sudden.
Who’s there? Come out and show yourself!
Faint whispering
caught her ears. Hotaru slowly looked up. The buzzing made her ears hurt. She
narrowed her eyes. One… Two… Ten… Twenty…
Whoa! How long have you all been in here?
Buzz. Buzz.
Buzz.
I’m sorry, but you’ve got to go.
Buzz!
Hotaru frowned.
Right… She held up her right hand.
Hotaru deepened her humming.
Buzz! Buzz!
Buzz!
Find the source. Find the source.
The buzzing
blended into screaming. Hotaru closed her eyes tighter. She pushed herself
deeper into her center. The hairs on her neck stand up. She ignored the shivers
down her spine. The buzzing-screaming got louder. Hotaru’s mind focused on the
source. Everything started to close around her.
There!
With her free
hand, Hotaru reached above her head. Tiny needles pricked her fingers. She
squeezed despite the pain. The sage on the outside seemed to dull everything on
her skin.
You will not beat me. You have to leave. Let him go!
Hotaru gritted her teeth.
Crunch.
Hotaru opened
her eyes. A small black moth turned into dust in her hand. The rest of the moths
died and rained down on her. Hotaru didn’t flinch. Take it all.
Show him that you are there for him. The dead moths cut at her hair,
skin, and dress. She wouldn’t scream or run away.
Do it for him. When the last moth fell, Hotaru lowered her hand and
bowed.
Thank you.
She closed her
mind’s eye.
---------
Hotaru let the
rest of the sage burn out.
“Okay, you can
open your eyes,” she said. Mike opened his eyes.
“How do you
feel?” the loli demon asked. Mike sat up, amazed.
“Yeah,” he said.
Hotaru grinned.
“See? Told you
it would work,” she said.
“Now what?” he
asked. She folded her arms across her chest.
“Don’t let them
back in,” she said. “Got it?” Mike slowly nodded.
“I need to hear
you say it,” she said.
“Yes,” he said.
“Good,” Hotaru said. She would have to keep a close on him if Vivian was going to come home.