Chapter 32

A Desert Demon

During the night Yarrl began screaming that a demon was on top of him. That woke me, I sat up and looked around. Yarrl lay still. Paralyzed by fear, he hadn’t moved in his blanket. Not knowing what to do, I stayed in my own blanket.

“Be gone you devil, why do you torment us?” A great shout came from the darkness; and as Arsenius walked toward us he continued to bellow. “Out of here, demon!” He waved his arms overhead and round about; his sandals on the now dry twigs and leaves made quite a racket.

“What was that?” Yarrl hollered.

“That was a demon.” Arsenius didn’t appear to be surprised. “It was one that has visited many times. It will likely return now that it has found us. You were lucky those smelly plants confused it enough that it didn’t know for sure you were really there.”

“Where were you when the demon came?” Yarrl’s mind raced, full of questions.

“I have a special place close by where I like to meditate. I was there when the Great One told me you were in danger.”

Yarrl and I breathed a little easier, but he was still tense, thinking the demon might come back.

“It’ll be OK, Yarrl, if you can just tell me about the demon. What kind was it?” Arsenius waited for Yarrl to speak; when he did it was with some hesitation.

“It was some kind of beast. I woke up because I felt a great weight on my body and I couldn’t move. It had glowing red eyes and terrible, sharp teeth. It shifted about and put its ugly face in mine. It’s mouth smelled like fumes of rotting flesh. It slobbered and sniffed the air all around as if trying to find my scent. I was too scared to think what to do and my heart was beating so hard you probably heard it.”

His words had tumbled out in a rush until he had to stop to catch his breath.

“Those red eyes kept staring at mine, and there was a low growl in its throat. I thought it was going to bite me. I heard you yell at the demon; then when you came up close and looked right in its face at those terrible eyes, I held my breath. I was terrified of what might happen.

“Then after that ear-piercing roar, it was gone, like it had wings and flew away.” Yarrl took in a great gulp of air that sounded kind of ragged.

“Arsenius, I don’t think I can sleep with that demon still on my mind. He might come back. What in the world was that awful thing? Are all demons like that one or are there different kinds? I don’t see how anyone could deal with something like that all alone. I’m so glad you were here.”

 NEXT.....Chapter 33
Arsenius Explains