Free The Demon Rolmar by A. Griffin Page A

as he made his way up the stone steps and knocked on a large, oak door flanked by columns. John’s foot tapped in anticipation. After a moment, a dark-haired man with horn-rimmed glasses opened the door.
    “Yes?” he said.
    “Hi, Mr. Sellers. Umm, it’s about Scott…I don’t know how to say this, but something’s happened,” John said.
    “Scott?” the man said. He looked confused. For a moment he disappeared inside the house where they heard him yell, “Honey, do we know anyone named Scott?” When he came back he said, “We don’t know any Scott.” He started to close the door.
    John placed his palm on the door and raised his voice. “You don’t understand. Scott’s gone.”
    “I hope this isn’t a prank.”
    “This isn’t a prank. He’s really gone. Don’t you remember me, Mr. Sellers?
    “I’m sorry, I don’t know you and I don’t want to have to get the authorities involved.”
    Zelia whispered to John, “Are you sure that this is the right house?”
    “Yes. I know it’s the right one,” John replied.
    “I’m sorry, but we’ve never had any children,” Mr. Sellers explained.
    Adam put his hand on John’s shoulder. “Let’s go,” he said.
    “All right,” John said quietly.
    Adam looked at Mr. Sellers and said, “Sorry for disturbing you.”
    They headed back to the car, and Zelia started up the engine. After they pulled out of the driveway, John shook his head. “I don’t understand. Mr. Sellers knows me. I’ve been to this house several times to work on projects with Scott when we still had the same major. Mr. Sellers didn’t even remember me. Something was different about him—he had a blank look in his eyes.”
    Zelia switched on the radio. “Adam, have any theories? You’re the most logical of all of us.”
    “Not really. I don’t know what’s going on.” Then at the bottom of his stomach he felt a churning that sickened him. “But I know it’s him.”
    “Who?” John said, still confused.
    “The demon…he did it. Why didn’t I think of this before? That night when I first encountered him, he read my mind.”
    “Whoa, I didn’t hear that part of the story,” John said, and perked up with interest. “You said you encountered some creature on the street, and it came into our home.”
    “Well, you weren’t exactly very willing to listen that night. You just brushed me off and went into your room. You didn’t give me a chance to finish.”
    “Of course not. I thought you were joking or something.”
    “Obviously, I wasn’t,” Adam said. “When I came home that night, he imitated your voice. I thought you were home but when I came in, he was in the foyer instead. He told me that he read my memories and that’s how he was able to imitate your voice.”
    “That’s pretty scary,” John said.
    “I should have realized that if he had the power to take a memory, then he could also erase one.”
    Adam had thought about going to the police earlier, but after encountering Scott’s father he decided that it would be a fruitless effort. There had been no news on the radio about the incident. Everyone must be oblivious to Rolmar’s deeds . I think that’s exactly what he wants. He told me that this was just a game to him. All this secrecy and memory erasing must somehow be part of that. We’re the only ones who know.
    Zelia pulled into Adam and John’s apartment complex and parked. She turned around and looked at Adam. “Do you know why he’s doing this?”
    “I don’t know. All I know is that this is all just a game to him. The fact of the matter is that humanity is now just a Tinkertoy.”
    Adam and John got out of the car. John scratched the back of his neck and said, “This is all like a bad dream.”
    Adam gave a sigh. “I wish it were a dream.”
    “What can we do?” Zelia asked. She was still clenching the wheel.
    Before walking to his apartment, Adam turned back around to face Zelia. In a deadpan voice he said, “You know how to pray,