Convoke

Chapter 14

Tom worked two more quiet shifts, and Ezra still didn't show. He wondered what the demon was doing, and whether he was busy with soul stripper duties. Tom finished at eight on a Sunday evening. The pub closed in three hours, but his dad insisted that there didn't need two members of staff working when there were only three locals in the pub.

Tom was thankful to finish, and planned to read Demon Crimes in Wileshire, but halfway up the stairs, he heard his sister and her husband arguing. Tom retreated and went for a walk instead. For the start of April, the weather was still bitter, and he zipper his coat up to his chin and dug hands into his pockets.

By the time Tom reached Berry Pond, the sun was a hint of purple across the dark horizon. He sat on a wooden bench and stared at the murky still water. The pond was lit by cute fairy lights that draped around the surrounding thin trees. Mice lived all around the pond, as did ducks and birds and foxes the occasional owl. Despite the wildlife, Tom heard nothing other than his own heartbeat.

He wished he had grabbed the book and the headtorch before leaving. Sometimes, sitting with his own thoughts was the wrong type of company. Tom thought about his future, and how he had made no effort to look at his options. Tom worried that he would keep putting it off until one day he was in his forties and had wasted years by waiting for the right time.

He picked up a small pebble and chucked it into the pond. He watched the water ripple until it was still again. Would he cause a ripple in his parents' life by leaving the pub behind? What if there was a bad fight and he wasn't there to help, and someone he cared about got seriously injured or worse? What if his parents struggled to hire someone new and they had to work too much? What if he committed to studying online and he hated it? And then he would've wasted all his savings on a life that he didn't want. What if-

Tom heard what sounded like another pebble plopping into the water. He looked up and saw a dark shape at the other end of the pond. It was too dark to see if it was anyone he knew. The the dark shape stopped crouching and started walking around the edge. For a moment, Tom wondered if Ezra had returned, but there was more than one dark shape. Tom spotted three people moving towards him, and then the pit of his stomach churned, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. He had a sudden anxiety drop and knew that demons were close.

The first one emerged into the light with a smile. "You there," she said, leaning against a thin tree, crossing her arms. "You own that pub up the road, don't you?"

"My parent's own it. I just work there," Tom said, returning the smile to hide the fact that he was on high alert. "It's still open for another . . ." he checked his watch. "Two hours and thirty minutes."

The other two demons emerged from the shadows. One was short and beefy with big arms, round shoulders, and a very broad chest. He was smiling at Tom too, but his eyes twinkled with something that made his heart thump a little harder. The other demon was tall and skinny, and she was cracking her knuckles.

"Feel free to go for a drink at the pub," Tom said. "It's demon friendly."

"Is it," the tall demon said, in a tone that was too hostile for Tom's liking.

"It is." He stood up, still forcing a smile. "I'm gonna head off now-"

"Why are you hanging around a soul stripper?" asked the woman who was leaning against the tree.

"What?" Tom asked with a frown.

"We saw you sitting together on the hill this morning."

"Oh," Tom shrugged. "He's a regular in the pub. We talk sometimes." He wasn't totally lying. Ezra had been a frequent visitor for over two weeks now.