Free From Darkness Comes: The Horror Box Set by Scott Nicholson, J. Thorn, Tw Brown, Kealan Patrick Burke, Michaelbrent Collings, Mainak Dhar, Brian James Freeman, Glynn James

In fact, the next time I saw her, she had some serious ‘splainin’ to do.
    “… when the deal was made, I must have been careless with my words. A demon is always looking for an angle to give you what you ask for without giving you what you want. I made a mistake somewhere.”
    I sat there for a few moments, waiting to see what else she would say, but she didn’t say a word. She was done. I know that I had drifted a couple of times, but nothing serious. I considered all that she had told me. I didn’t see where there was anything in the narrative that was going to help. Maybe I should have asked something else.
    “So,” Adrianna said with her Cheshire grin as she flipped that one long lock of hair that hung down in her face, “now I guess it is my turn to ask my last question.”
    Once again, Adrianna was silent. I imagine that she was trying to find that perfect question. She wanted to make sure that she asked something that gave her some relevant information. The only problem with that was the fact that I wasn’t all that relevant.
    “What would it take for you to join me?”
    That question hung in the air, and I bet the look on my face was priceless. I hated the fact that this was the end of our session. And hadn’t she implied earlier that she wanted me to join her? I think so, but that was one of those Ava moments where I had let my mind wander way down the path. Still, it never even came to me in the slightest to ask her why she would want me to join her.
    I gave the question some thought. Actually, I gave my answer some thought. It was almost like playing a game of hide-and-seek with this ju-ju induced pain. I was not anxious to experience that feeling again. That was probably one of the biggest reasons I was so careful not to have children. I’d been to the hospital with a friend of mine once who was going in to labor. She was one of those workout types. If I had a dollar for all the times I’d heard her say, ‘No pain, no gain!’ I could have given up waitressing.
    She had her baby in her actual room. I don’t know anything about having babies. I guess I expected them to rush her off to the delivery room. This place didn’t have one except for when there was a problem. I guess the thing was for the woman to have the baby in her actual room; something about making it a more ‘complete and relaxing experience’ for the mother and b aby. Personally, I don’t think a baby cares where it is born.
    I made the mistake of staying in her room because I just a ssumed that sooner or later they would take her out. There was this one moment where she let loose with this scream. It started as a low moan that grew to a growl that changed to an oh-my-God-this-thing-is ripping-me-open shriek. I doubt anybody even noticed me leave. She never did call me again.
    So I let my mind ease to wards what I thought might be an answer, but was a little shaky about just how little I was going to say. When I let the answer fully form, I waited for a second. Then it was my turn to smile big and let her feel a bit concerned.
    I watched her eyes. I wanted to see her reaction. I wanted to put it in a bottle and spray it on my pillow.
    “Nothing.”
    It was even better than I had hoped. You know that thing they do in cartoons where somebody gets hit in the mouth and all their teeth fracture and then shatter and crash down leaving nothing but a gaping hole? Well if her face was made of glass, it would have been all over the floor.
    There was just one problem. I was expecting her to say something snotty and that would be that. What I got was a look that I am pretty sure could have done damage to a regular h uman. In fact, I am certain that when she shot that look at me, she expected me to burst into flames or something.
    “Fine,” she said .
    Crap, there was that deep voice lurking under her regular one again. Yep, she was mad.
    “If that is the way you want things, know that I will not be extending this offer to you again. Once