You hear about all kinds of evil in the world.

Anything from the most ridiculous to the most heinous can earn the title of "evil", and that causes the word to lose meaning.

Evidence is everywhere that true evil intent still exists, though few still believe in evil entities like devils or demons. The instinctive fear of wicked things has dulled with age, and now most any creature's reaction to the notion of demons would be to dismiss it as myth.

What a shame. I didn't beleive in them either.

But...It'll be their heads, in the end.

Sit still for me dear," The nameless witch offered a smile that looked warming through my blurred vision. "This'll only take a second, I promise." She extended her hand and lifted a clawed finger as if she were pointing, the tip illuminating with a strange symbol...I recognized it from her petpet.
She touched it to my forehead, and I heard the sound of burning flesh before I felt it. All I could do was gasp weakly at the searing pain.
She removed her hand and stood back with a sly smile on her face, as if admiring her work. I felt sicker, and weaker. She turned to the petpet and moved her lips, and it floated towards me...the last thing I saw was it's hollow eyes boring into mine as blacked out.

A faint red tinge framed my vision, but I could see everything clearer than ever. There was shouting and chaos, and blood, lots of blood. Anyone who moved into my field of vision was promptly sliced to bits by a pair of dark hands, armed with claws like talons. But the best part was seeing the life leave their bodies...it was quite literally intoxicating. I went through the unfamiliar house killing more and more until there was nothing left.
But then...
Why did they have to die?

My surroundings were suddenly clear to me, and the stillness of my darkened bedroom underlined the contrast between the horrific dream and the current reality. My eyes were wide, and I clutched the pillow as beads of sweat ran down my face...my heart still raced from the realistic nightmare. I buried my face in the pillow and tried to stop trembling.
Just a dream," I huffed, hoping that the sound of my voice would snap me back to reality. It took a moment of trying to clear my mind before I felt I could safely think of the dream again.
If it had been a dream-and I was certain that I'd never go on a killing spree, no matter how much I'd had to drink at that party-...Right, the party...that much was real, and the Witch must've been imaginary. But the sequence of events seamlessly transitioned from conciousness to imaginary...I couldn't remember driving home or even deciding to leave the gathering.
I sat up and looked around, everything seemed to be normal. A few clothing items were strewn here in there in the floor, and the jacket I'd worn out last night hung over a chair. The window let some light in from Neopia Central's nighttime light pollution, and...noise pollution that seemed unusually loud tonight. And sharper, too, maybe the window was open.
Standing, I went to the window and reached to close it, but found it was already shut. Nothing else I could do about the noise...perfect. I growled and pulled the thin curtains shut anyway.
The had dream begun to erase itself from my memory. Even so, there was no way I was going to get any sleep tonight after that, the--CLACK
Sounded like something fell...in the kitchen..I froze mid-step, afraid of being detected by whoever was out there. Nobody had the key to get in, and I surely would've heard someone breaking the door down to get past the deadbolt. So what was that?
After a few minutes of silence, I deemed it safe to go investigate...but I'd already formulated a plan to grab a knife from the kitchen counter if I needed it.
I unlocked my bedroom door as quietly as possible, then let it swing open, with only the slight whoosh as it slid across the carpet. The few steps to the kitchen took longer than they should have, as I moved slowly and stopped frequently...despite the delays, I wasn't quite ready as I reached the corner of the kitchen entryway. But it had been at least five silent minutes since the first noise, and no crook could hold his breath for that long. I held my breath and came around the corner.
There, hanging in mid-air, was my cat burglar. The hollow eyes of the Witch's petpet looked directly into mine, and the nightmare came rushing back.
I hand flew over my mouth to stifle a scream and the sudden nausea that almost overtook me. I stumbled backwards until hitting the wall, then crumpled to the floor.
That was him, the ghost petpet that hovered over the Witch's shoulder and watched as she posessed me. If the hollow, sorrowful and creepy eyes weren't enough proof-and I'm sure there weren't a pair in the world that were the same-he wore that same strange symbol on his face, the one that I saw on the Witch's fingertip.
If he was here, and I really had become posessed, the sickening realization that the rest of my nightmare could've been real. What does that mean? That I maliciously killed a dozen people, maybe more? And that I enjoyed it?
Do not be afraid of me please, dearest," the ghoulish voice came from the ghost, who had drifted down near my face. He set his tiny hands on mine, as if trying to keep it firmly over my mouth. "Do not scream."
His voice sent chills down my spine, but that was nothing compared to the tremors that rocked me when another wave of realization came over me. I remembered the petpet not just from the witch, but from...going upstairs, killing everyone. I remembered the annoyance that it was to slice through the petpet but not cut it down.
I did not mean to frighten you. But someone such as yourself should not be afraid one bit of someone such as myself." He said, almost soothingly.
Someone such as myself? Someone who murdured innocent people and asked for more? I'd imagine he'd say something like that after I'd taken more than a few attempts at his life. I looked at him with frantic questions in my eyes.
He seemed to understand. My name is Tek. Now, if you will promise not to scream, I will let your hand down."
Beyond screaming, I nodded slightly. He pushed my hand downward, but didn't release it. I got the sense that the tiny thing thought he was restraining me.
What would you like me to tell you?" Tek blinked, his voice patient.
What kind of stupid...? I'd like him to tell me everything! Why his demon-witch friend decided to pick me to...I assumed I'd been posessed, but I realized that nothing had been explained. If he really would tell me...
What happened to me?" My voice was hardly audible, but Tek heard me. He seemed like he'd done this before.
Please specify, in the future. But I will tell you everything, quickly, so that I do not have to bother with explaining in detail the wrong subject." He cleared his throat slightly.
In the past, you were a mortal. In the present, you are part mortal and part demon. And in the future you will be a servant to my master, the demon-witch you met earlier. That is, after you are reborn as a full demon."
I reviewed what he said a few times before grasping the meaning; and even then, I'd had enough shock to have an explosive reaction.
Tek watched my face carefully before continuing.
I don't expect you remember anything from her presence onward_ That was my master's handiwork. She specializes in making demons."
Making a demon...out of...me?"
Yes."
So then..." I'd retained some small hope that it wasn't actually me who killed them, and as it was snuffed out, I felt all the life drain out of me.
I killed...all those people...?" My fingers grasped my head and tangled in my hair.
Tek floated down, trying to get a better look at my face.
But please do not upset, dearest one. This will all come to an and in a matter of hours." He moved to a space between my elbow and tried to squeeze himself in better.

..An end? How can there be an end?" Even if somehow this demon and her petpet left me alone, didn't he say that I wasn't mortal anymore? Besides that, I'd have to deal with the blood of so many people on my hands for the rest of my life. There would be no end to this, not by a longshot. I did entertain myself with the notion though, just for a moment...
My master does not typically allow your type to retain their conciousness for so long, she does not do this often at all..." Tek wrung his hands anxiously as he looked up at me, a worried look on his face.
It was a marvelous bit of serendipity that you woke up as your old conciousness. By this point in time most of the people my master has set her sights on have already fallen to the spell. You must be very lucky, quite fortunate indeed..." He examined my tortured expressi*n before revising. "...Or most unfortunate, to have your mortal conciousness realize what you have done. But either way, there is no way you will be able to resist the seal my master placed on you. You will die."
I certainly could've done without the pain, but this seemed fitting of a punishment...I'd fallen to the demons, after all. I'd killed lots of people. Even without demon involvement, that would mean death as society's punishment for me.
Detached from the situation, I quietly explored all my options, from this ploint in time. None of them lead towards anything good, and all of them ended in death. I decided finally, as the sun began to filter through the kitchen window, that I'd choose the peaceful way out.
Tek?"
The ghost turned from where he'd settled on my knee, watching the sunrise. "Dearest?"
So how long do you think I have to live?"

But...do you have some sort of contingency plan?" Tek's whining was grating on my last nerve.
Don't mock me," I snapped, a little harsher than I should've been...but he'd been moaning in my ear ever since I'd made the decision to go out today. "I don't need a contingency plan."
Do not be foolish, think of what could happen!" I swatted him out of my way to pull my coat on. He evaded my assault and kept complaining. "Why are you not concerned about the mortals?"
Why are you concerned about them?" I wasn't trying to dodge his argument, at this point there was nothing he could say to convince me to stay cooped up in the apartment today of all days.
I am not worried for their sakes alone," His eyes dodged mine. "But you must have forgotten what it is like to kill people."
...That's not something you forget."
And you have made my point!" The poor little guy wrung his hands anxiously and gave me a pitiful look. I almost felt sorry for the ghost...almost, but not quite.
Forget it, I'm going out into the real world today. Y'know, where people live? And you might want to come with me or I'll forget your...oh, whatever it was you wanted to buy..."
The iced cream," he finished eagerly, then realized what I'd made him do. "I will come then...if I must remind you to buy more iced cream."
I smirked. "Yeah, that." Too easy. He even floated to where my scarf hung on the coat rack and handed it to me.
I mention a certain frozen treat once and you're ready to go?"
Tek closed his eyes resolutely. I am merely accompanying you to retrieve some groceries. I will help out your memory in the places it is lacking." He opened one eye and noticed the scarf still in my hand. "...Now let us be off, then."
Uh-huh, I beleive that..." Far, far too easy. I thought maybe I'd toughened him up a little bit, at least. I tucked the fabric around my neck and opened the door.

A gust of biting wind greeted us as we came out from under the awning of my apartment complex. I looked up at the sky, blinking to keep the snow out of my eyes, while Tek huddled close to my shoulder to hide from it. Everything was dusted in undisturbed white...the snow here in Central wasn't thick enough yet for anyone to build snowmen out of yet, but I was sure it'd be a sloshy mess once we got to the Plaza.
I felt a small smile creep up on my lips. It was Christmas Eve, today joy was contageous, right?