Demon Tamer

News Flies

“Like it? It’s totally made up!” I waved the paper accusingly in his face.

He sighed, “I know. I just needed something exciting. People were starting to only read the paper for the sports. And my teacher was threatening to give me a D.”

“Then take the D! Or find something that’s real. You can’t just make up stuff and put it in the paper!”

He blinked in surprise, “Clearly you haven’t worked in journalism before. It’s 80% made up, 15% of nothing, and 10% truth.”

“But what I mean is…wait, that’s 105%.”

He grinned, “Exactly.”

I stared at him, hoping I was pulling off the ‘you-belong-in-the-loony-bin’ look I got so much, and shook my head. “Whatever. But if you were going to do this anyway, why did you even come and ask me all those questions.”

“Because I wanted to capture yours and Demon’s personalities. And don’t worry, the next one will be real. I just needed a strong beginning. An auction would be boring. Look, it’s no big deal, really. It’s not like anyone will notice it.”

“Notice it? It’s on the first page! All over the first page!”

“And sports is on the back page. Trust me, you’ll be fine. Thanks, by the way, you earned me an A.”

I scowled at his back as he walked away. The most annoying thing was that he was right.

“Hey, Heather!” Daisy’s voice came from behind shortly before a poke in the back.

I turned to her and smiled, “Hey, Daze. What’s up?”

“Uh, you! Everyone’s reading it! I thought your dad brought Demon at an auction!” She was jumping up and down with excitement.

Oh, boy, this was not good. If Daisy had even thought to pick up the school newspaper today, that meant everyone else had done, too.

“He did, Daze. The story’s totally made up.”

“Really? But it’s in the paper,” Her little childish face scrunched up in thought.

“Yes, Daze,” I said slowly, “But they can make stuff up in the school paper.”

“But Charlie wrote it. Everyone knows he never lies.”

I sighed. Great. If Daisy didn’t believe me about something that she had lived through with me, it wasn’t likely anyone else would.

“There’s the Demon Tamer,” Sam was grinning as he walked towards me.

I pulled a face at him.

“Oh, boy, what did I do?” He asked, turning to Daisy for counsel. What, did he think I wouldn’t tell him?

Cooler heads prevailed as Daisy explained, “She says the story’s made up and she hates it.”

“I was wondering if another name for ‘barbed wire’ was ‘auction house.’” Sam said with a grin.

“Sam, it’s all lies!”

“Of course it is. Otherwise it wouldn’t be called news. But who cares?” He grinned, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and starting to lead me to homeroom.

“I care!” I cried.

Sam sighed, “Do you want me to go beat Charlie up? Because I will if you say so.”

I smiled and hugged him, “You’re the perfect boyfriend. But don’t. if you do that he’ll probably put you in the story as the evil villain trying to distract the heroine from saving the horse.”