Abby,
Eleven year old Abigail Perkins had a big secret. She saw her teacher Mister Phelps' demon today. Daddy says demons are what cause people to do bad things, he told her she had done a good thing telling her about Mister Phelps' demon and he was proud that Abby could see the demons like he could. He had thrown things, screamed and raged at the sky.
“How could you let this happen? In my own daughters school!?” Then he'd calmed, turned to Abby and quietly said, “Angel, can you tell me why I'm upset?”
“Because Mister Phelps is an abomination. A crime against God.” Abby obediently repeated.
“What about Mr. Phelps is a crime against God, honey?”
“Because he... he loves another man like he should only love a woman.”
“Why do you think he does that?” Abby knew what he wanted her to say. “Because he hates God.”
“Good girl. What happens to people who hate God?”
Abby stared at her Father as he paced the torn linoleum and washed down three caffeine pills with a grape soda. His greasy hair fell into his wide, tormented eyes and she swallowed. She didn't want to say it. At her silence he whipped his head around.
“WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO HATE GOD, ABIGAIL?” He shouted.
She flinched. “They die.”
~
The next day Mr Phelps watched Abby concernedly from his desk. The pale, far too thin little girl was probably the brightest student in his class. And, he guessed, the most troubled. She swung her skinny legs and stared out the window, chewing on a wad of her light brown hair. He had never seen her ignore her schoolwork before. When the bell rang and twenty-three kids made a break for the freedom of the playground, Abby slowly stood and gathered her things from the little desk that had been hers all year.
“Abby?” The teacher said, offering her a reassuring smile. “Is everything okay?”
Her head shot up and she turned and gave him a defiant look.
“Yes, Mister Phelps. Everything's fine. I just need to gather my things. Daddy is taking me out of your class.”
Mr Phelps took a step back, shocked at the hatred marring her pretty face. “Abby, honey, what's wrong? Why is your Daddy taking you out of school? Is everything okay at home?”
She ignored him and marched towards the classroom door that led outside.
“Abby! Wait! I think you and I should go have a little talk with the school counselor!”
He knelt down at her eye level and put a hand on her shoulder. “We need to talk about what's going on,” he pleaded, then he reared back in shock as the child's spit trickled down his forehead and into his eyebrow.
She sneered at him. “You're a crime against God, Mister Phelps. You deserve what's coming to you.” Then she broke free from his grasp and ran outside.
The teacher stood. Shaken and disbelieving what had just happened, he wet a paper towel at the little classroom sink and wiped his face.
