The Witchstone

by Henry H. Neff

Maggie shifted uncomfortably. “You make us sound like animals.” “You are,” said Laszlo cheerfully. “But you’ve also got souls, which is why my kind finds you so irresistible. And really, being an animal isn’t a bad thing. The trouble starts when humans pretend they’re something else.” Maggie spoke up as the song changed to something with a heavy bass. “What do you mean?” The demon shrugged. “Laws punishing natural instincts; governments and churches forcing people to be things they’re not. It’s hilarious, really. Billions of self-hating fools trudging through life believing their very existence is a sin. Everything’s just another loyalty test to satisfy the demands of some touchy, all-powerful authority. Call me crazy, but God seems to have a lot in common with your average Mean Girl.” He shook his head. “And people accuse demons of being prideful.”