Falter Kingdom. Michael J. Seidlinger

      I skim the article about oppression, but maybe it’s better to not read it. I scroll to the top of the wiki entry, reading the last word, “possession.” Three big steps and the final is, like, final. It’s all over by then.

      The article says exorcizing the demon is best during stage one, but it is possible up until the end of stage two. But by stage three, the human body is so run-down that an exorcism, “though possible,” ends with “the host in a critical state.” Damn. How do you take that information?

      I’m having a hard time even making sense of it.

      Demons. They’re all around us. Happens all the time.

      But never to “you.” Until it actually does.

      And then you’re...

      I...

      A cold shiver runs through my entire body.

      “Hunter?”

      I watch Becca blast me with more messages.

      I sense it somewhere, watching, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

      In bed, I’m able to feel a little bit safe, but three A.M. will arrive, and even if I do sleep, I’ll probably wake up.

      Becca says, “Keep chatting with me. I’ll stay up all night.”

      And she would and I tell her how much it means to me, but in fewer than a dozen messages, I think I fall asleep because everything goes blank and I don’t wake up until it’s morning.