La Morte de Cassie

“People used to go trick-or-treating on this day,” Amy explained, working to form syllables around the chocolate in her mouth. “Well, they did it at night, actually. That somehow made it spookier.”1

Josh gave a nod. He generally accepted Amy’s comments about the past as fact: she was a very honest girl, after all; and she was his best resource. Books never said much about history—at least, nothing before the War—but Amy’s parents told her things that made too much sense to be wrong.2

Josh studied Amy’s face as she thought. He could practically see the untold years of history cycling through her brain. Her hazel-green eyes lit up when she remembered another relevant fact:3

“They used to dress up like monsters, too.”4

Josh laughed, “That’s what trick-or-treating was? Playing dress-up?”5

Amy nodded, “They’d get into costume and go around ringing people’s doorbells, expecting candy and stuff. And people would decorate their lawns with scarecrows and ghosts and fake severed hands…”6

“Weird,” Josh said, shaking his head.7

“Yup.”8

Amy tossed Josh a candy bar, and he caught it just before it slipped into the puddle at their feet. It rained nonstop at this time of year, and Josh kind of hated it. But he was thankful for the awning over his front porch.9

“And,” Josh added, “why would they want to dress up like monsters? Didn’t they know how dumb they must have looked?”10

Amy shrugged, “They didn’t have monsters back then,” she said, giving ‘monsters’ silly air quotes. Josh noticed that Amy didn’t like the people from the past too much.11

“Right.” Josh felt stupid, so he focused on a candy bar. “Monsters and demons weren’t always around. You told me. I wonder what brought them into the world…”12

Amy tapped her chin. “That, I don’t know.”13

Josh looked up, causing his wavy blond hair to bounce out of his face. “Why is all this stuff not in our books?”14

“I think,” Amy replied carefully, “that too many people just don’t want to remember how much better things used to be.”15

“You’re probably right,” Josh muttered. He seized Amy’s hand suddenly, a feverish grin on his face. “I want to fix things,” he said. His bright blue-green eyes were so full of hope that Amy had to take a moment to find her voice.16

“You’re fifteen,” she stressed. “What can you do?”17

“I’ll do something.”18

Amy held Josh’s expectant gaze a moment before she broke away, laughing ruefully.19

“It’s always so simple with you,” she exclaimed. “God! I don’t know how you do it.”20

“Easy. I make up my mind.”21

“I guess so,” Amy snorted. “Well…you know I’m behind you, whatever you decide to do.”22

“Thanks,” Josh said, smiling.23

“Yeah… But I have to go now, so give Cassie a hug for me when she finally shows up, ok?”24

“Of course.” Josh helped Amy to her feet, and embraced her.25

“Bye,” Amy whispered. She kissed his cheek, and stepped out into the sheets of rain.26

Josh didn’t have to wait long at all for Cassie to arrive. When she stepped onto his porch, though, it was as if the rain had spat her up: she looked so tired; not herself.27

“Uh. Hi, Cassie,” Josh greeted tentatively. “You’re soaked.”28

Cassie smiled wanly as she wrung out her dark hair, “Can we go inside?”29

“Oh, sure.” Josh stood quickly and opened his front door. Cassie followed as quickly as her water-weighted jeans would allow.30

Josh closed the door after them both and watched Cassie carefully.31

“You’re different,” he said cautiously. He squinted at her a moment, as if there were fine print on her that he could read better if he tried.32

Cassie blinked, her brown doe-eyes wide, her thin lips arched in a soft frown. It wasn’t right.33

“You’re not Cassie,” Josh accused. He took a step away from her.34

Cassie sighed, and her lips curled in a strange smile. “I should have figured you would notice. You’re a smart boy.”35

‘Cassie’ waved her arm through the air, and Josh found himself thrown over the couch he had been leaning on. He was end-up in the seat, and Cassie appeared above him. That wicked, foreign smile was stretch her lips wider.36

“Who are you,” Josh demanded. He somehow understood that this thing wearing Cassie’s skin was a demon.37

“My name is Lilith,” she hummed pleasantly. “I was in the area; thought I’d come say hi.”38

“What do you want with me? With Cassie?”39

“You’re special,” Lilith answered. “So is your friend.”40

Lilith put Josh properly in his seat with a wave of her hand, and dropped down beside him. “It’s kind of a shame, these circumstances. She’s a great host, but them’s the breaks.” She snickered,  “Oh, I almost wish you could hear this: The bitch won’t stop praying in there, like anyone can hear her.” 41

Lilith giggled. It was high and cold. “Silly mud-monkeys. Hard to believe you’re all Adam’s children.”42

“Why do you need Cassie,” Josh demanded again, surprised that he felt so unafraid.43

“I need to off a martyr to come back into power, and, well, you probably know how devout this one is.”44

Josh nodded despite himself. Cassie was the type to go to Mass every Sunday, recite verses to herself when she was upset, and chat with God when she was bored. It was only when Lilith produced a pistol from somewhere that Josh processed what she had said.45

“Don’t,” he said, his throat tightening. “She’s like family to me.”46

“Hold on,” Lilith crooned. She sounded like a small child comforting a smaller child. “Altair girl has a chance to save herself.” 47

Lilith waved her hand. Josh watched as his mother’s coat rack and precious coffee table snapped on themselves. The window sustained a crack, and the curtains came down. 48

“What are you doing,” Josh asked. His voice sounded to him like it was coming from down a long tunnel.49

“Gotta make it look like a robbery,” Lilith exclaimed, grinning like a six-year-old playing house. “Suicide just wouldn’t make sense to this poor town.”50

No, it wouldn’t. Not that Josh would say that aloud.51

Lilith focused on Josh suddenly. “Hold still. This will only hurt a lot.”52

Josh heard an awful crack; and another. He crumpled over as surges of pain ripped through his torso. Lilith had broken his arm, and several of his ribs. He drew in rattling breaths, and watched her as best he could through his fading vision.53

“Look at it this way,” she said, watching him with the air of poisoned honey: “You can make up a harrowing story about how hard you tried to save the girl.”54

Lilith giggled again, apparently pleased with her own wickedness. That sardonic smile still distorted Cassie’s lips. 55

“H’bout it, Cassie,” she chimed. “Do you still believe in God in all this?”56

There was silence as Lilith glanced upward, like she was looking at some inner Cassie, locked behind bars in her own head. For a moment, Josh considered crying out; pleading with Cassie to save herself, but Cassie would never do that.57

“I will never deny the Lord,” said the Cassie in Josh’s head. She held up her precious cross necklace proudly. “He is my shepherd. He will deliver me from all evil as long as I keep Him close.”58

Lilith clicked her tongue. “‘Yes’. Well… I tried.” The real Cassie seemed to be of the same mind after all. Lilith raised the pistol to her temple. “Are you sure?”59

Silence followed; Lilith grinned a hideous grin.60

“…Oka-ay,” Lilith trilled. She screwed her face up dramatically and shut her eyes, pressing the barrel to Cassie’s temple. There was silence as Lilith’s finger trembled on the trigger, and then she burst into a raucous peal of laughter.61

“Sorry, sorry. I know I’m being silly. This is just so exciting! Hehe!” 62