Haley Thistle
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Leraye the Demon: Part One (rough draft)
🕑 Added 2022-12-28 22:00:01 +0000 UTCIt was barely even light out when you opened the back door to the cafe. You glanced up to the sky, seeing the moon was still out. For a moment you held your breath and counted to ten, letting the moon wash over you and prepare you for the long day ahead.
“Where are you with that moon water?” Your mother shouted from inside.
“Coming!” You yelled back. You grabbed up the pitcher and stumbled with a second. “It’s heavy,” you grunted as you went back into the kitchen.
“Good!” Your mother exclaimed. She took the pitcher and looked inside. “The extra heft means the moon was happy last night. Whatever we make today will be imbued with that special energy.” She took the pitcher and filled a measuring glass.
“Perfect!” You said excitedly.
Your mother turned back and squinted at you. “How so?”
Your cheeks flushed. “Well uh…it’s wednesday! Hump day. People need that extra push over the uh-” your mother’s stare made you squirm. “The hump.” You forced a smile.
“The green suit comes in today,” she said with a nod, turning back to the counter where she added yeast to the water.
You glanced aside, seeing your older sister, Bo, watching you from the coffee bar, her pitcher of moon water clutched in her hand, angled to begin pouring.
“What green suit?” You chuckled.
Bo let out her sharp but melodic laugh.
You turned and glared at her, mouthing “shut up.”
“Don’t sass your sister. We all know why you’ve been coming in every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday despite school,” she scoffed. “The green suit comes on those days at exactly 10:45. He orders a large flat white, a charmed rosemary scone, and the sandwich of the day.”
“He’s also a demon,” Bo added in.
Your mother raised a finger. “We let him have his privacy. He wants to pretend to be human, we let him. He’s not hurting anyone so there’s no reason for us to intervene.” Your mother then snapped her fingers at you. “Get to work, stop arguing with your mother! Get the front ready so when your father comes in he can awaken the place.”
You gave Bo one last look before heading out to the front of the shop. You took chairs down off the table, making sure the charm written on the bottom of each one is still clear and unsmudged. If any are, you’ll have to have your dad speak to them when he arrived.
Outside the window you could see shadows moving about, watching the inside before the wind swept them up, tossing them like smoke. They swirled and evaporated, but another would always take their place.
A ghost came through the door, their eyes distant and unfocused as they shambled towards the counter.
“You need to wait outside,” you said to them. “We’re not open yet.”
The ghost approached the counter with a mournful moan.
“We’re closed Hester!” You snapped at her. “Just because you lived here before doesn’t mean you get the run of the place,” you scoffed.
Hester didn’t move, she stood there at the counter, her pitiful moan getting louder and louder until your mom had to shout from the back. Hester slowly retreated then, but she didn’t leave, she just huddled in the corner holding her knees while her blood stained dress rippled out along the floor.
“Chill out Hester, be glad she didn’t come out here,” you sighed.
A while later your dad arrived, carrying a back pack in one hand, your baby sister’s hand in the other.
“Why is Jia not in school?” Your mother fussed.
You smiled at Jia, noticing she looked a bit off.
“Poor thing got sick on the way in. I told her she could sleep in the office and if she got worse I’d take her to Granny.”
Your mom sighed as she knelt before Jia, pinching her cheeks, swiping her forehead then kissing the top of her head. “Alright, she does have a changed scent today.”
“I’ll get her settled,” you said. You took Jia’s hand from your father. “Hester is pouting in the corner,” you said to your father.
He clicked his tongue. “The full moon last night must have her riled up, I’ll get her settled.” Your father took out his bells and incense.
You took Jia to the office, placing a blanket down on the old sofa so it wasn’t scratchy on her sensitive skin.
“What happened, Jiji?” You asked her.
Jia burbled and let out a burp. “Bad smell,” she murmured. “Very bad smell.”
You placed a pillow under her head. “Another one?” You sighed. “Where was it this time?” You reached into her bag, taking out her plush bat that was filled with dried rosemary, lavender, and sage.
Jia took the bat and held it to her face, breathing in deeply. “The mall.”
You nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about. She had been smelling bad things from there for a while, not to mention you had been seeing a black cloud hanging around the place. “We’ll call Uncle Hector to come inspect things. You just rest okay. I’m sure Bo is already making you your ginger tea.”
“You smell nice,” Jia murmured. “You’re excited aren’t you?”
I arched my brow at her. “Your little nose is too good, Jiji.”
Jia giggled. “Is it the green suit? I like him! He smells…different.”
You hushed her. “No more talk of the green suit. All of you just love teasing me about him.” You then left, dimming the light so Jia could nap easier.
In the front you heard Hester’s agonizing wails while your father tried talking to her with a calming tone.
You turned the open sign on and suddenly Hester went quiet and floated back towards the counter. You sighed, placing a hard candy on the counter. A smile appeared on her drawn, sunken face and as she took the candy into her hand she began to disappear. A shining penny sat on the counter where the candy had rested. You placed it in the tip jar.
“I can’t see why we can’t just put the peppermint dish back out,” your dad said.
“Because then she’d start her shit all over again,” you scoffed. “Things have been so much better since we started enforcing her to obey our hours just like any other customer.”
Your dad shrugged, looking around the restaurant with a pleasant smile. “It’s going to be a wonderful day, I can feel it.”
Your mother came from the back, carting one of the big trays full of her baked wonders. “Not if bad shit keeps happening at the old mall.” You took the tray from her and she arched her brow.
“Is that why Jia’s reacting?” She asked. “The mall again?”
“I’ll call Hector, don’t worry,” you dad huffed.
The day went on as normal after that. The morning rush came and went, and right as things were getting quiet and you could do some cleaning, it was 10:45.
The door chimed and you looked up, your heart swelling with excitement and joy. It was the green suit, aka Mr. Leraye. On first glance he was not someone you would pay attention to, at least that’s what he wanted.
“A flat white and a rosemary scone,” he said with that quiet, smooth voice of his. “What’s the sandwich of the day today?”
You smiled brightly at him, watching as he took off his sunglasses. “It’s a good one!”
Mr. Leraye smiled. “Yes, but what is it?” He pointed to the sign that usually advertised the sandwich of the day, and it was noticeably blank.
“Oh!” You gasped. “I’m sorry. Things got hectic early today.” You took out the chalk and started writing.
He chuckled. “Quite alright.”
“I’ll tell you then. Today’s sandwich is banh mi with fresh carrot, cucumber, cilantro and marinated chicken.” You set the sign back in place. “It’s one of my favorites.”
“Sounds good. I’ll take one of those as well.” He took out a completely black credit card he used to pay for his order. “To be fair though, everything you make here I would consider a favorite. You’ve not disappointed me once with the sandwich of the day.”
“I can’t take credit for that. My mom does most of the meal planning,” you said with a chuckle. “I used to cook but university takes up a lot of time and energy these days.”
“That’s why I come here as often as I do. Work takes up all of mine.” He said this in such a way you felt like you couldn’t follow up with anything.
You decided to persist though. You wanted to keep talking to him.
“Nice day today, isn’t it?” You asked, hoping to spark up some conversation.
Mr. Leraye turned to look out the window. “I suppose.”
You tried to keep your customer service appearance up, but it was so hard to start a conversation with him. You’d been wanting to strike up a friendly rapport between the two of you for so long now, but it always seemed he was trying to get a thirty-nine and a half foot pole between the two of you.
“Not much for sunny days?” You asked.
“I’m not an outdoors person in general.” He placed his card elegantly back into his wallet, then tucked it into the pocket of his jacket.
“I don’t think you’re alone there,” you chuckled.
“I know,” he stated flatly.
Fuck, you cussed in your head. You’d had a crush on him for ages! Why couldn’t you catch a break? You decided to just do your job and get his order ready. You laid out the paper to wrap his sandwich for when your mom got it ready. You also got his flat white and fixed it with a lid and the paper holder.
The door to the kitchen opened, and Jia walked out, holding her bat. “Mom said I could have a croissant.”
“Just a second Jia, we’ve got a customer.” You motioned over towards Mr. Leraye who was looking at his phone.
“Sorry, mister,” Jia said.
“Quite alright.” He peered up from his phone to glance at Jia who was already staring up at him.
“I like your suit,” Jia told him.
Mr. Leraye looked taken aback. “Thank you.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Did you know, a long time ago, they had to use arsenic to make the color green for clothes?” Jia asked.
You bit your cheek to keep from laughing.
“I think I heard that somewhere.” Mr. Leraye stated with an uncertain tone.
Jia took a step towards him. “If your suit was made like green clothes used to be, you’d be covered in ulcers and vomit up blood. Even people around you would get sores and scabs from just brushing against the fabric!”
Mr. Leraye just stared at her.
“Aren’t you grateful it’s not?” Jia asked, stunned that he wasn’t reacting to her claims like she wanted.
You broke a bit, snickering as you took the tray containing Mr. Leraye’s sandwich from the window to the kitchen. “I’m sorry Mr. Leraye, she’s bored with telling us her favorite facts and she doesn’t have her school teacher to terrify today.”
He just shrugged with a stunned look on his handsome face. “I’m more shocked that such a cute looking girl knows such disgusting facts.”
Jia was offended. “History is very disgusting, sir!”
He nodded. “Well, right you are young scholar.”
You reached into the counter and got Jia her croissant. “If you want cheese you can get some from Mom in the back.”
Jia instead looked back at Mr. Leraye. “Did you know that Marie Antoninette used a face cleanser made with pigeons?” She took a bite of her croissant looking Mr. Leraye dead in the eye. “Actually, it was made with eight whole pigeons! Could you imagine?”
“I…I honestly don’t think I can.” There was a slight chuckle to his voice.
Her gaze didn’t move from him as she took a bite of her croissant. “Rich people are weird.”
“She may have been rich, but in death she was treated no more than a pauper.” he leaned down slightly towards Jia. “Did you know she was buried in an unmarked grave?” He asked her.
Jia’s eyes widened. “Yes!” She said with excitement.
“You are a morbid little doll,” he said.
“I wish I was a doll. That would be cool,” Jia sighed.
You placed Mr. Leraye’s order on the counter. Once again, you had written your number on his cup. This would be the third time, and third time was always the charm. “There you go, Mr. Leraye. Hopefully my sister hasn’t put you off your food too much.”
He picked up his bag. “Not at all. I’m sure I’ll think back on it fondly later today.” For a moment, his glamor faded in front of you. Green smoke billowed off the top of his head, which shrouded the great horns hidden within. His pure white skin had deep green stains around his mouth, fingers, and down the center of his throat.
He picked up his flat white, his hand covering your desperately placed number. “Have a good day then.” He turned and faced an unblinking Jia. “Do you have another morbid fact for me before I go?”
Jia stepped forward a bit. “Siberian bears will dig up dead bodies for food.” She took a bite of her croissant again. “They used cemeteries like refrigerators.”
“You’re not a Siberian bear are you?” Mr. Leraye asked.
Jia shook her head.
“Good.” He said with a nod. “Thank you again,” he said towards you.
“Thank you, have a good day Mr. Leraye,” you said to him as he left. You then cut your eyes at Jia. “How long have you been sitting on that green dye line?”
She just smiled wickedly as she nibbled on her croissant. “How long are you gonna put your number on his cup?”
You glared at her and she glared back. “Better be glad you’re still cute, Jiji” you grumbled at her.
That evening you stop at the grocery store like always. You get your favorite drink, as well as whatever few things are needed at home. You’re going down the cereal aisle when you see an emerald glow from the corner of your eye. You look up, and there he is, the green suit himself holding a box of overly sugary and childish cereal.
Your heart pounds and you wonder if you should say anything. It’s your first time seeing him out in the wild, you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself. You stood, adjusting your scarf and fluffing up your hair. You then turned towards him with a smile.
“Good evening, Mr. Leraye.”
He set the cereal box down with force, jerking away from the shelf like he had been caught. His dark eyes focus on you and there’s a visible relaxing of his shoulders. “What a surprise.”
“How was the banh mi today?” You asked.
“It was very good.” His eyes darted about.
“Sorry if my baby sister freaked you out today. She’s been going through a phase.” You say this, but you have a feeling it won’t be a phase for Jia.
“Don’t apologize, it was a surprise, but I found myself looking up green dye today at work just to make sure it’s not still arsenic.” He shrugged. “Funny how the mind works.”
“Yes, funny.” You saw a ghost standing behind Mr. Leraye. The face of the ghost was blurry and jerky. In fact the atmosphere in the cereal aisle became heavy and anxious. You swallowed and the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end, prickling as the ghost stared at Mr. Leraye’s back.
“Do you mind helping me with something?” Mr. Leraye walked towards you. “You know a thing or two about coffee right?” He led you down the aisle, away from their jerking, whispering ghost that knocked over a display of bran flakes as it watched you.
Relief swept over you the further you went. In the coffee aisle, Mr. Leraye picked up a random bag of coffee and showed it to you. “I’ve got a dinner meeting I’m hosting at my house. I was wondering what I should get.”
“You saw it too, huh?” You chuckled. “It was creeping me out, so thanks for getting us out of there!”
Mr. Leraye frowned. “Saw what?”
“The ghost,” you said as simply as possible. “Honestly if you want to serve something at a dinner party, I would recommend getting whole beans and grinding them. It looks impressive to most people.”
His stare didn’t budge. “You can see ghosts?”
You nodded. “I see lots of things. Ghosts are just kind of everywhere, ya know? Like the shadows. But if it’s hidden from the human eye, I can usually make it out.”
Mr. Leraye’s whole body became rigid. His fist clenched tight and there was a wisp of green smoke that would puff from his nose.
You then realized what he was getting tense about. “It’s okay, really. I’ve been noticing stuff like that all my life. It’s sort of a family trait,” you chuckled. You then tapped your finger to your lips. “Don’t tell anyone.”
Mr. Leraye huffed, setting the coffee back on the shelf. “I knew there was something up with the cafe,” he murmured. He then eyed you, trying to figure out if you knew his secret too.
“My mom comes from a long line of witches, and my dad fancies himself an occultist and psychic.” you shrugged. “All my siblings have some sort of special gift.”
“No wonder your sister has such fascinating wisdom.” he kept watching you, waiting for you to spill the beans. “What about you then?”
“My mom calls it my x-ray vision,” you said. “But basically, I can see things most people can’t. My little sister has the scent version of that,” I said tapping my nose.
Mr. Leraye’s shoulders went back and he lifted his chin up. He looked dominating, hot, but unwarranted. “So…what do you see now?”
“Nothing really, just you,” you replied with a smile.
He breathed and green smoke flowed from his nostrils. “That’s good I suppose.” You both started walking, ambling down the aisles together.
“Do you work near the cafe?” You asked out of curiosity.
“The Ettellia Complex,” he said. “I have an office there.”
You glanced up at him. “That pretty building that used to be a cathedral? It must be nice there.”
“It can be,” he murmured. “But like most of this town, it has more than it’s fair share of ghosts.”
“Does it get aggravating?”
“Not for me,” he murmured.
You shrugged. “Yeah. I guess I’m just used to it myself. And we usually figure out a way to deal with them if they get to be too much. And we have a good family friend that deals with really bad ones.”
Things got quiet as you lingered in the baking and spices aisle.
“Have you noticed anything about the mall?” You asked.
He looked up from a bottle of vanilla he was inspecting. “I know I wouldn’t go there if I was paid to. Why do you ask?”
“My sister, she'll get really sick if she goes near it. The smell there really affects her. That’s why she was at the store today. I was just curious if you had noticed anything about it or…maybe knew something.”
“Why would I know?” He asked as someone walked past the two of you.
You walked up to the only register that was open and stood in line together. “Mind if I ask what you do?”
“What do you do?” He countered.
You shrugged. “I dunno. School and the cafe is really it.”
He nodded. “That’s good at least. What do you do at school?”
You smirked and leaned towards him a bit. “What do you do at work?” By now, this was the longest conversation you were able to have with Mr. Leraye, you weren’t going to let it slip through your fingers.
Mr. Leraye sighed. “I do design work for companies.”
Ah-ha! So your mother was right. He did have some sort of office job. “So you're the artsy type.”
He gave you the eye. “I wouldn’t say it’s artsy. Not these days anyways.”
You looked ahead at the line, seeing the blurred face ghost heading towards the glass doors. “What kind of design?” The doors opened for the ghost, causing a woman nearby to get startled.
“Depends. I do a lot of formatting and arraignment on things. Sometimes logos.” He glanced down at you. “And aside from writing your number on coffee cups, what do you do?”
Yoru cheeks warmed and you met his glance. “Oh, so you did notice.”
Mr. Leraye nodded. “I did.”
You stood there awkwardly, stomach grumbling a bit from nerves and hunger. That made the atmosphere feel even more awkward.
“What do you really see? Is that why you kept leaving your number?” He asked in a hushed, urgent tone. “Tell me the truth.”
You licked your lips then took in a deep breath. “Green smoke. Paper white skin,” you said simply.
Mr. Leraye nodded in silence.
“I wouldn’t tell a soul,” you murmured.
The line moved and you stepped forward. Mr. Leraye angled himself behind you. He leaned down to whisper to you.
“All I want is to live my life in peace. There has been too much chaos before, and if that were to ever be ruined-”
“I get it,” you huffed. You turned and looked back at him. “I’m not hinting at chaos. I left my number because I like you.”
His eyes widened and he stood straight again.
“I left my number in a, you know, flirting way,” you pouted.
There was no expression on his face. Those sharp cheekbones and jawline didn’t bridge. “Oh. I see.” he said that in a way too calm a tone for someone who was about to threaten your life for revealing his identity.
“That’s it?” You asked.
“I’m thinking,” he mumbled.
You approached the conveyor belt and placed your items upon it. “About?”
Leraye let out a huff and he smoothed down the front of his jacket. “I’ve purposefully avoided any dating or romantic entanglements while I have been here. Mainly out of fear of being found out and possibly having to leave my life behind to rebuild elsewhere. But…you already know.”
“Know what?”
He glared at you.
You chuckled as you approached the counter and the conversation went quiet. You paid and got your bags. You looked at the door, seeing the blurry faced ghost was standing out there. Your stomach went into a knot, but you knew you’d have to walk past it. It even seemed to be waiting on you.
Mr. Leraye stepped up and led the way. As he walked past the ghost, the green smoke he released billowed off, surrounding the ghost which disappeared back inside the grocery store.
“Thanks,” you said with a breathless voice. “I usually don’t mind ghosts, but that way made me feel uneasy.”
“No problem.” He turned and looked at you before heading to his car. Green smoke came out instead of white steam in the cold air. He took his phone out of his pocket, and the light from it illuminated his very pale skin. “I don’t have that cup anymore, so what’s your number?”
Your heart leapt up into your throat. “Oh uh-” Your thoughts fumbled about for a bit before you blurted out your phone number.
He nodded, tucking his phone back into his pocket. “We’ll talk then.”
A smile blossomed on your face and you couldn’t hold back. “Okay! Sure. Yeah.” You bobbed your head along. “Sounds good. Yup!”
Mr. Leraye Gave you a look. “Don’t get too excited now. I haven’t made up my mind.” He turned and walked back towards his car.
You were still excited. He had your number on his phone, that was enough to celebrate about.
