Devils and Demons

So I am have had this story bouncing around in my head for months. I have published this as a Short Story but I am toying with the idea of expanding on this. Let me know what you think. Is there anything interesting enough here to expound on?

 Devils and Demons

The incense smelled of rose petals and mold as Jael nestled a coal among the herbs and shut the lid to the thurible, tails of smoke whispering through the small holes of the metal ball as it swung from the gold chain wrapped several times around her hand. She allowed herself to wrinkle her nose once, despite growing up in the temple where the herb burnt constantly; she had always found the scent unpleasant.

Hanging the thurible from a hook next to the door frame of the cramped room she was currently occupying, Jael slipped off her winter coat, replacing it with a burgundy robe. The robe’s only embellishments being a golden cross gracing its front and tiny gold stitching on the cuffs. Patting her hair, she could feel the braid she had plated earlier had grown loose. Unraveling it hastily Jael smoothed her auburn curls down before twisting her hair into a low bun. Finishing, she lifted her hood and reached for the incense once more, her sleeves nearly covering her fingers, hiding them completely after they had circled the thurible’s chain. Clipping the chain of the thurible to the woven belt tied around her waist, Jael traced a cross on her forehead and opened the wooden door.

The flood of color was enough to blind a person, tables overflowing with fruit, jewelry, and clothing packed both sides of the street. Each stall fighting to caught the attention of the passerby. Jael merely blinked at the splendid array. After being a Prayer Minister for over three years at the city’s largest trading center, she had learned to not be drawn in by the market’s dazzling appearance. Spotting two other figures in red robes identical to her own, Jael felt a tinge of guilt that she had taken as long as she had to change. The taller of the figures turned. It was Adam, the leader of their Prayer Follow. His blue eyes met Jael’s and she found herself slightly distracted by the strand of blonde hair that had fallen in front of them, the urge to tuck it back under his hood plucked like a string at her chest. No sooner had she had the notion she felt shame for her sinful thoughts and shoved them from her mind, sending a quick prayer up to the Lord for forgiveness.

Adam inclined his head slightly and Jael let her own gaze follow his. It rested on a woman. She was striking, but then the Changed always were, Jael thought as she took in the lady’s appearance. She was tall, at least 6 feet, and her skin was the color of creamed coffee. However it was her hair that warranted a second look, or rather the mane of peacock feathers in place of her hair. Swept back from her face, the feathers brushing her shoulders seemed to shift from blue to green then back to blue again with the slightest toss of her head, the ends of several curling up to kiss her cheeks. They didn’t just end there. The plumage flowed past her shoulders continuing down her back, till it dragged the grounds behind her. As the woman passed, Jael caught sight of the yellow irises and the long talon like nails. Nodding to Adam, she fell into step behind the female. Raising her hands so they face the woman, palms out, Jael began the sacred chant. The words rolled off her tongue with ease, comfortable on her lips. Jael could see the Changed’s shoulders stiffen and she briefly turned, her gaze raking over Jael. Steeling herself, Jael lifted her voice slightly as she prayed, keeping her head bowed. With a huff the woman continued through the market. Jael didn’t miss a step and tailed after her, praying all the time.

As Prayer Ministers, Jael and the Follow were tasked to pray for the Changed. The Priest of their temple taught that the Changed were humans who had opened up themselves to spirits and demons by thinking of impure things. After the spirit had taken over and changed the body, the souls of those taken remained trapped.

As she chanted a prayer to guide the soul from the shell the demon had created from its host’s body, a thought rose unbidden into the back of Jael’s mind. What if the body was Changed, not by a devil, but by God himself? The question rose up unexpectedly as Jael watched the peacock woman shop, a small smile lighting on her lips from time to time. A second after the notion formed Jael crushed it, shocked and ashamed by her own lack of faith, her chant faltering for a split second. She sent up a silent prayer, repenting of her blasphemous thoughts and hurried after the Changed.

Jael found herself outside a bar moments later and judging by the triumphant look the woman had shot her before entering the pub she thought because Jael was from the temple she wouldn’t follow her into the establishment. Jael felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth as she entered the darkened building behind the woman. As the Priest always said, prayer need not only happen the church.

Once inside she scanned the room and spotted the Peacock woman a moment later waving to a young man and a woman seated at a booth in the corner of the room. At a glance Jael could tell they were also Changed.

“I see you have acquired a shadow.” The male remarked. Even with her head bowed Jael glimpsed the green scales that spread from his temples to the back of his head, before giving way to messy black hair on the top of his scalp. The female across him chuckled, both of her forearms resting on the table, making the cuffs of snow white fur on them obvious. Of course, they played second fiddle to the ram-like horns curling from the girl’s mop of pink hair.

As the peacock woman slipped in the booth next to the female, she directed her golden eyes towards Jael.

“Sorry, looks like there isn’t room for you, I guess you won’t be able to stay," She said with a fake smile.

Jael simply continued chanting the fifty third verse of her prayer. Seating herself cross-legged on the floor beside the woman, Jael lifted her hands skyward, never ceasing in her prayer

“We could ask the manager to throw her out.” The scaled male suggested.

“It probably wouldn’t do us any good if we did.” It was the girl with the pink hair that replied. “There’s just as good a chance it will end up being us who get thrown out. You never know if the owner will be a supporter of the temple or not.” She lifted a hand, motioning for the waiter. “And since I’m not going anywhere until I get some fries, let’s not find out if he will feel religious when he sees the ’hood’.”

Jael tuned out their conversation after that, focusing wholly on her prayer and letting the words pour out of her.

“It must be horrible to be you.” A voice spoken nearly directly in her ear and it took all of her self-control to keep from jumping. She continued on with her eighty sixth verse of prayer. Staring straight ahead, Jael’s sight-line was blocked by yet another Changed. This one looked as though he were part monkey. Lanky, his hair was a sandy color and stuck out wildly, curling around the furry ears. A thin tail the same color as his hair whipped the air behind him, punctuating his words as he spoke.

“The only person who is even more unwanted than a Changed: A Prayer Minister.” He leaned closer, peering under the lip of Jael’s hood.

“Well, what do you know? It’s a woman!” The young male exclaimed and the table chuckled. “I must say I am shocked.” The ridicule in his voice was thick but Jael steadfastly ignored him. Sometimes it happened this way. She had long since learned to let such words roll off her.

“I have to ask though, is it just the shapeless robe, or do you not have any boobs?” And the questions didn't stop there. The Changed moved even closer. Resting a hand on the booth behind her, his arm and body boxed Jael in. “What's it like being raised in a cult.” 

 Jael finished the ninety seventh verse of the prayer but wasn’t able to completely tack down the ruffle of anger that rose from his comment. The remarks continued, but Jael turned her mind back to completing her prayer.

“Lord take this soul and guide it to your light.” Jael finished the hundredth verse of her prayer and lowered her hands, sliding them into her sleeves. The monkey Changed was still close and the party at the table was discreetly watching.

“Oh, are you done at last?” He appeared to be about to go on but Jael lifted her head letting her own eyes meet his black ones.

“Yes, I'm finished.” She stated calmly. “Now, let me pass demon.”

At Jael's words the table went dead silent, even the monkey Changed took a step back, shock written on his face.

“She can see me.” His voice sounded awed.

The horned girl's brow furrowed,

“But she can see my Shadow then that would have to mean she is…”

“Or about to.” The male with the green scales interrupted, standing. Jael was already on her feet and backing away but he stopped her, a hand encircling her bicep. At his touch Jael felt a shiver run through her body. She attempted to jerk away from him but his grip was unmoving.

“How many of us do you see? Three or four?” He demanded. His gaze was intent and Jael found herself distracted by his brilliant green eyes, their pupils nothing but black slits. Another shiver racked her torso and Jael gasped, struggling to pull free. The man didn’t give up though.

“How many?” He questioned again. Her legs suddenly felt weak and Jael thought she might let the bowl of oatmeal she’d had for breakfast fly. Other customers were beginning to look in their direction and Jael just wanted to be gone.

“Four, alright!” She spat out before trying once more to tear her arm from the man’s grasp and stumbling back when the scaled man released her.

“She really can see me” The monkey boy seemed delighted. “Wait, what does that mean?” He looked suddenly confused.

This time the Peacock woman spoke.

“It either means Miss Goody Two Shoes here is hiding some nasties under that robe of hers or she is about to go through the Change.” She gave Jael once over. “Judging by the way she is stumbling around, I am guessing the latter” She took a bite of salad. “This should be interesting.”

Jael had stopped listening now, distracted by the shivers itching over her skin which, considering the fact that she was burning up, seemed more than a little ironic. Panting, Jael flipped back her hood, the heavy fabric stifling. The noise of the bar had become a buzzing and her eyes were suddenly dry and scratchy. A wave of dizziness, accompanied by nausea hit Jael in the gut like two by four and she found herself clutching at the scaled man for balance. She squinted at him past the driving pain in her temples and found herself fascinated by his lack of ears. Reaching up with one hand she took his chin and turned his head so she could see better.

“You don’t have ears.” She giggled as she traced a finger over the wrinkle of skin that sat where they should be. “But you have ear holes.” She laughed as her pointer discovered the small opening. Reaching up her other hand she placed it on the opposite side of his face so that she was cradling it and smiled up at him, delighted. “That’s wonderful.”The young man’s brow quirked but his own lips lifted slightly in response. Abruptly Jael’s fingers tingled as though they had fallen asleep and she let out a small yelp, pulling them away from the man’s face.

Her first thought was that something was wrong with her eyes as she watched the peach color disappear from her fingers, changing to a gray that spread to her palms. But as the gray spread to her wrist and under the sleeve of the still very much red robe she was wearing she realized it wasn’t her eyes, it was her skin. She shoved up the sleeves of the robe frantically, revealing the gray skin she knew would be there. Her limbs grew weighted, so heavy that Jael fell to her knees and that is when the real pain began.

***

The hospital hummed. Sitting in her darkened hospital room Jael noticed this. The machines, the heater, the IV pump, they all hummed, not to mention the hum of the nurses and doctors as they worked and talked, an orchestra of chaos.

Night had fallen and Jael looked through the window out on to the parking lot. From the third floor the cars in the parking lot looked like toys. There was a creak as the door swung open.

“Oh,” The nurse’s tone was surprised. “You’re awake. I thought with the light off you would be asleep.” She paused for a moment and Jael could sense that she was uncomfortable. “Would you mind if I turned the lights on?” She ventured at last.

“No, go ahead.” Jael responded automatically. It wasn’t till the nurse had flicked the switch that Jael remembered why she had left the lights off to begin with. The light combined with the black night outside turn the full size window into an enormous mirror. She turned her eyes away immediately but not before her own refection was rebranded in her mind.

Her hair was the same as it always had been but it was made all the more red by her now ashen complexion and it hung loose and tangled, nearly reaching her waist. She had never worn it down in public but the other girls at the temple always said it was her most striking feature. A bitter smile touching her lips, she doubted any of them would say that anymore. Maybe it would be the pair of horns peeking through the scarlet mane or the matching stubby spikes set along the line of her cheek bones that they would find most eye catching now, Jael mused as she extended her arm for the nurse to draw blood, similar spikes trailing the outside line of her forearm. It was common practice for those who went through the Change to be kept at the hospital for several days, in order to be registered. That included blood work and a full documentation of all unique traits. The nurse removed the needle from Jael’s arm and wiped the spot with an alcohol swab. All unique traits, perhaps what could be deemed as the most note worthy trait of all was the tail, her tail. Thin like a whip, it started out gray and then tapered off to black, the end shaped like a spade. It seemed to have a life of its own, tracing shapes on the bed sheets impatiently while the nurse taped a cotton ball to the place she had drawn blood. The nurse didn’t seem to notice, chatting on about her granddaughter, perhaps mistaking the several uncommitted grunts Jael had offered as interest or maybe just trying to fill the silence.

At last the nurse left, hesitating for a moment before clicking off the light behind her. Jael let her eyes stray back to the window, the outside world once more visible but it didn’t matter. All she could see was her own refection. 

The refection of a demon.

 I hope you enjoyed this, please tear it apart. I really would like to hear your options.