Black Sheep

by Alexa Harlowe

God might be blind to me, but the Devil isn’t, and now that I’ve embraced my demon, he’s given me a gift. A chance to be who I was always meant to be.

“Psshhh,” he hisses. His eyes soften to their resting level of cutting intensity. “Do not fault an old man for wanting to spend quality time with his favorite niece.” “I’m your only niece. And technically not.” “Irrelevant nonsense,” he grumbles.

The ice burns its cold sting into my skin. I wince as I press it harder to my wrist. “I went to the library.” Fletcher scoffs. “And what, battled a velociraptor? You look like shit.”

Eli stands motionless in stunned silence, a dark hunger rising to the surface in his eyes. “Who are you?” “Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…” I say as I step toward him. I place my hands on his chest and rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”