Page 17 of Unbinding the Demon

Tires softly crunched over gravel as Ashton pulled off to the side of the road. We were in a dense forest with a crooked wooden sign nailed to a tree marking the entrance to Mockernut Falls. “What are we doing here?” I spared him a curious glance. My eyes were still somewhat puffy, but my tears had dried.

“There’s something I want to show you.” He unbuckled himself, slipped out of the car, and then opened the back door to let Belzar out. I slithered out of the car as well, wondering what he might have to show me.

As we strolled hand in hand down the short dirt path, I was careful not to trip over the many large roots and jutting stones. I smiled as I took a deep breath of the crisp forest air, filling my senses with its earthy aroma. The serenade of chirping birds and wind rustling through the trees was like a serene song floating all around us. Little squirrels busily rustled around and chattered as they prepared for the long winter ahead. The prismatic leaves were dense from the sky to the ground, enveloping us in a pantheon of burning colors. I envied the leaves, thinking they must be proud to become so radiant in their death.

It wasn’t long before we came upon the sight of huge roaring torrents pouring out from the side of a steep cliff. A peaceful sense of serenity surrounded the falls as the water cascaded down the rocks. They crashed upon the sharp, mossy stones below, creating swirling clouds of mist and violent rapids.

“Come on, we’re going up to the highest ledge,” Ashton stated with a slight laugh as he pulled me from my waterfall viewing.

After commanding Belzar to stay down below, we climbed the steep terrain together. The roughness of the stones made them easy to grip, but my feet slipped on the mossy ones a few times. Ashton was quick to help me regain my footing each time and lifted me up some rather steep ledges I couldn’t reach on my own. We eventually traversed the highest ledge reachable. It was flat and overlooked the treetops and rushing water below. The chilly breeze blew through our hair, causing our wispy hair to dance playfully around us.

Ashton pulled me close as we gazed into the distance, admiring the blazing autumn mountain range. The lofty peaks stretched across the skyline and softly dipped down to a small glistening lake below. A red-tailed hawk screeched as it glided gracefully over the landscape like a sword skimming the surface of still water. Crepuscular rays slipped through small cracks in the heavy clouds, creating bright patches of foliage throughout the ridge as if the sun were kissing the rusted hills with its golden light.

“It’s so beautiful.” I was breathless because of both the view and the fact that we had just scaled to the top of the falls. “Is this what you wanted to show me?”

“Yes, it’s a lovely view,” he murmured while gently caressing my upper arm with his thumb. “However, the real reason I brought you up here was to show you that you can trust me .” He seized my forearms and yanked me over to the very edge of the cliff.

“Whoa! Wait a minute! What—what are you doing!?” I stammered in fear as my heels were dragged right next to the massive drop-off. Large, jagged rocks and rushing water lingered like howling whirlpools of death below me.

Oh my God! Is he actually going to fucking kill me!?

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Now, I want you to lean back,” he spoke with complete sincerity, as if he seriously believed I’d blindly throw myself off a fucking cliff for him.

“You can’t be serious! No way, José! This is way too dangerous! What if you drop me? I’ll literally die!” I tried to squirm away from the edge, but he held me firm. The damp wind gusted up along my back as though teasing my lack of stability. It felt like I could swallow my heartbeat from how hard it was pounding.

“I want to show you that you can trust me, even with your life. Now go on, lean back.” He gave his strict instructions while maintaining a stern expression.

“No, please, I trust you. I really do! Just please don’t make me do this!” Panic seized my soul, growing tighter by the second, just as I seized his forearms.

“Hmm, now that didn’t sound very trusting to me,” he tsked. “You’ll be fine. I swear I’d never drop you. Just trust me, Buttercup.” His voice had an unsettling calmness, sending a chill up my spine as he gazed directly into my terrified eyes.

I gulped and glanced back down at the rushing torrents, feeling the mist whisper across my face. They crashed onto the sharp rocks that could easily bring about my demise in the span of a single breath. My gaze then lifted back to him. The wind blew his long black hair in twisting strands around his taut yet handsome face, while his mesmerizing eyes held a strange, maniacal plea.

Fuck, he’s actually crazy.

“Please, Ashton, can’t you just earn my trust like a normal person?”

“Oh? And how exactly do normal people earn trust?” He shoved me a little closer to the edge, causing a few pebbles to plummet down to the rushing water below.

“I don’t know; it just builds naturally with time! But certainly not like this!” Panic rang like an alarm bell in my voice.

He laughed darkly. It was the kind of laugh that came from a chainsaw-slinging maniac chasing some poor, unsuspecting soul. “Well, that priest didn’t have to build your trust with time, now did he? So I’ll ask you again, lean back!”

I couldn’t believe this lunatic actually thought that this, of all things, would get me to trust him. Regardless, the fact of the matter was that he was an unpredictable, psychotic fruitcake, and he literally had me on the edge of a fucking cliff. If he wanted to, he could easily shove me off. There was no flipping way I’d stand a chance against him. So, with much reluctance, I looked into his crazed eyes for a moment and gripped his forearms even tighter.

“Please, don’t drop me.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

My heart pounded as I ever so slowly inched backward. The corner of his mouth turned up in a cruelly pleased half-smile while I continued to lean back even further. My feet were half on the cliff and half over the drop-off, with our locked arms holding my outstretched body above the crashing water below. It took a few minutes, but eventually, our arms were completely outstretched, holding my leaning frame over a watery grave.

This is absolutely bonkers!

“Good, now I want you to let go of my arms.”

“What! No fucking way, I—”

“Do it! I’ve got you. You can trust me,” he interrupted my frightened blubbering. There was a sinister gleam in his eyes, like a demon gazing at the object of his possession through a cursed looking glass.

The wind eerily blew through my ponytail and disheveled my bangs, as I stared at my murderous and downright insane boyfriend. Did I trust him not to drop me? No, I did not. But considering the position I was in, I didn’t want to aggravate him to the point of doing something irrational. After a long moment of hesitation, I released my grip on his arms, hoping for the best.

What in the world am I thinking? This is fucking nuts!

My gaze drifted to the swirling gray clouds above. Little beams of sunlight were breaking through the stormy shroud, allowing golden rays to pour out. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the roaring falls, the chirping of birds, and Belzar’s distant, angry barking. Even though I was suspended over a terrifying death, an unexpected sense of peace washed over me. I slowly began to trust that he wouldn’t drop me. However, I wasn’t so sure that I could trust him after this.

He gripped my arms a little tighter and then pulled me back up. We carefully stepped away from the edge. Once we were safe, he wrapped me up in an intimate embrace, cradling my trembling body against his for a moment. “Well done, Buttercup.” He grinned and gave me a quick kiss. “You see, you can trust me.”

“I feel like I might throw up.” I glanced at the ground with a nervous laugh.

He laughed with genuine joy, thrilled that I had complied with his horrifying stunt. I didn’t know what to say or do, so I kept laughing, which only made me feel more anxious as I tried to compose myself. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made it impossible to stop shaking. I worried that if he let me go now, I might actually stumble off the cliff and die. He sat on a stone and pulled me onto his lap. Large arms wrapped around my body and held me against his chest. We gazed out over the colorful mountainous view together, him with a look of serenity, and me looking like an electrocuted potoo.

“Thank you for trusting me,” he whispered, and then nuzzled his nose against the crook of my neck. I didn’t respond. I stared into the distance with a blank expression, determined to hold back my tears this time.

The shadow of night had gently enveloped the land in its dark embrace. I sat on the couch in the living room with my half-eaten bowl of carrot chickpea curry and homemade roti, watching mindless cartoons with Lacey and William. Pepper Paws and Esquire begged for my food even though I had already fed them. They meowed while rubbing back and forth along my legs, eager for a possible morsel. I was tempted to put the whole bowl on the floor and let them devour it. My nerves still hadn’t settled from what had happened earlier, and I didn’t have much of an appetite.

William “casually” stretched his arms up and landed one around my shoulders in an exaggerated manner. “So, tell me, babe. Are you going to eat that?” He grinned as he eyed my dish.

For fuck’s sake, he’s just as bad as the cats ...

“It’s all yours.” I rolled my eyes with a smile.

“Yes!” He flung his arm off me and swooped the bowl from my hands.

I tried to focus on the show to get my mind off the day’s events, but my attempts were futile. William was still gobbling down my dinner, and Lacey had fallen asleep on the other side of the couch. So I quietly excused myself, grabbed my jacket, and went outside for some fresh air.

The moon was full and gently pouring its silvery light across the leaf-adorned lawn. A barred owl hooted nearby, and coyotes yipped in the distance. I gripped the porch railing and took a deep breath of the crisp night air as I despondently gazed up at the mystifying moon. The chilly breeze rustled through the trees and kissed my face, sending shivers down my spine in a way that brought more unease than comfort.

“What am I doing?” I whispered to myself while leaning on the railing, spreading my fingers across my forehead as though I had a throbbing headache.

Thoughts of calling it quits and moving back to my hometown ran wild through my mind. With everything considered, I wasn’t sure how things would go if I broke it off with Ashton and stayed in the valley. I didn’t think there’d be any avoiding him if I did that. It was times like these that I desperately wished Aunt Elowynn were still around. I could have really used some of her impeccable advice regarding my current situation. He had somehow managed to completely captivate me, and I did want to be with him. However, my infatuation was proving to be dangerous. He was dangerous.

The danger aspect usually only made him seem more alluring, but dangling me over a fucking cliff was crossing a serious line. Perhaps it was the push I needed to muster up enough common sense to end things with him? I mean, he had murdered someone, kidnapped and blackmailed me, was unpredictable, and had some major psychopathic tendencies. The guy didn’t just have a few red flags; he wore an entire red cape.

Maybe I’m just as batshit crazy for dating him in the first place?

My gaze drifted down to the dark shadows that danced beneath the trees. The blackened abyss beyond the treeline seemed to enchant me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. I stared warily but curiously, feeling as though unseen eyes were peering right back at me from the darkness. That all-too-familiar feeling crept over me, but this time, I felt as though it was meticulously weaving a hypnotic trance over my mind.

“Who’s there?” My voice was a whisper in the wind, almost lost to the breeze.

Although I knew rationally that no one was out there, it felt as though something sinister called back to me. It was as though the darkness was silently whispering into my soul, its unheard voice mingling with the ambient sounds of the night. It was beckoning me to enter the shadows. Asking me to succumb to it, to belong to it...

SLAM!

I jumped in terror with a small scream at the sound of the screen door slamming behind me. William had stepped outside to smoke a bowl of weed and let the door swing shut behind him at full force. He was still wearing his big hoop earrings, but the plain purple T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and messy bun on top of his head gave away that he intended to go to bed soon.

“Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” He laughed as he lit his bowl, the small flame from the lighter illuminating his face.

“Jeez, way to give me a fucking heart attack!” I giggled, but my heart raced in my chest from the sudden fright.

He laughed some more and took a hit. “What are you doing out here, anyway? It’s cold out.”

“I, uh, I don’t even know, to tell you the truth. I just needed some air, I guess.” I shrugged while looking up at the glittering stars.

A frown pulled at the corners of his mouth as he glanced at me with concern. “Is everything all right, love? You seemed a bit off this evening.”

“I have? Oh... I don’t know, it’s kind of complicated.” I shook my head and waved my hand. “I’m not sure if you’d understand.”

“Bitch please, try me,” he said with sass while gazing up at the moon. The lunar light highlighted his sharp features and prominent brows as he blew a swirling cloud of smoke up into the air, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

I sucked in a deep breath. “I’m considering breaking up with Ashton and moving back to Cedarville. I really, really like him, more than anyone that I’ve ever dated before, but I’m not so sure that he’s good for me. He scares me... like a lot.” My gaze whipped back over to the darkness. It seemed like something became perturbed and stirred in the shadows. It was likely just a coyote or a similar animal, though.

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” William’s face darkened with anger. It was a look that rarely crossed his features.

“Um, no.”

“Did he cheat on you?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” The thought of him with another woman sent a surge of jealousy through me, but I quickly stamped it out, reminding myself that I was considering leaving him.

“Good, otherwise Lacey and I would have to go slash his tires and stuff his mailbox full of spring snakes.” He snickered and took another hit, stepping closer to me.

I laughed along with him, but it was a humorless laugh. William noticed and put his arm around me. I leaned against him and hugged his slender frame in return, enjoying the comfort he offered.

“Do you love him?” he asked while shrugging and looking down at me.

“Well, I’ve definitely never liked someone this much before, but I think it’s a bit too early for that.” My eyes remained on the eerie shadows. It was true. The lust between us had been immediate, but love was a whole other ball game.

“So, the only thing wrong is that you’re scared?” He raised a brow.

“It’s more than that. He’s kind of psychotic.” I stole a quick glance up at him, my heart racing.

“Gwendolyn, love ... This sounds like your incessant self-sabotage.” His grip tightened, and he glared down at me. “I know that the last two guys you dated were total douchebags who kind of ruined dating for you... Especially that last one . But I can tell Ashton isn’t like them. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s like you’re the most important thing in the world to him, almost like he’d die without you. He might not be perfect, but I think he’s good for you.”

“I know, I just—I—I,” I sucked in a deep breath. “He’s put me in danger just to prove a point. I don’t think I can trust him.”

“What did he do?” William tilted his head, and his fingers curled into my shoulder a bit tighter. It was the only indication of his displeasure. Yet I knew my words had triggered something protective within him.

“He held me over a cliff so that I would learn to trust him,” I scoffed, feeling tears swell in my eyes. “He terrified me.”

“Yeah, that’s fucking psychotic; damn. I mean, break up with him if you want to, but at least stay in the valley.” He lit the bowl again with his arm still around me and leaned in so that his face was right in front of mine as he took the hit. “You scored free tuition to Mount Greybirch, for fuck’s sake. Don’t throw an opportunity like that out the window just because of some crazy guy.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I coughed from the smoke and tried to fan it away with my hand.

“I know, I’m always right,” he teased and then burst out laughing. “Plus, if you end up leaving him, he’ll have Lacey and me to deal with if he ever shows his face around here again.” He hugged me a little tighter, and we both laughed together.

The matter was still conflicting, but I took William’s advice to heart. I also took the fact that he didn’t know the entire story into consideration. I stayed snuggled up under his arm as we chatted for a little longer. The chilly wind eventually became too much to bear, so we went back inside and said goodnight. I went into the kitchen for a late-night snack and sat down at the table with a jar of mixed nuts.