Charmed: The Next Generation
"Eat My Heart Out"
The lights of the city glowed bright that San Francisco night, it was three days before Valentine's Day. Michael Miller was tired from working at the local fire department, he decided to go Marty's Bar & Grille downtown. The streets were busy with cars of all sorts and people huddled in a narrow broken lines to enter the bars and clubs. Clouds formed in the sky and thunder roared behind them. When he entered Marty's he noticed all the usual people that came by on a daily basis. Billie Joe was Marty's brother, he ran the place since Marty died from lung cancer five years ago. His appearance was typical low income bar trash, Michael pitied him. Michael took a seat on a stool chair at the bar to order a few drinks since his girlfriend Melissa decided to cheat on him with her fitness instructor. She moved out within 20 minutes without so much as a goodbye.
"Bitch." Michael mumbled to himself as he glanced at the engagement ring from Tiffany's 24 caret gold rim with a diamond the size of an pebble.
"What can I get ya chief?" Billie Joe interrupted his misery train of memories' past.
"Give me a shot of tequila...make that three." Michael ordered blankly he had no interest in Billie's company, he was a goober.
"Everything alright there chief?" Billie Joe asked as he dried a glass cup with a rag.
"Nothing I'm just tired." Michael responded as he chugged his first shot. The alcohol burned all the way down to his stomach. He felt slightly better now that he felt buzzed from the tequila, he prepared himself for his second. After his third his head was swimming so he decided to head home. Marty's was packed tonight but luckily he was on his way out, the fresh air felt great but the clouds remained.
He decided to take a shortcut he found when Marty's became his usual after work hang out place since Melissa left. Fog began to stream below invading alley that Michael was walking through, it felt and looked eerie.
He heard footsteps following him from a distance and this worried him so he quicken his pace. His heart raced it felt like someone was using it as a punching bag, his breathing was a lot more shallow and panic ridden. A horrific shriek echoed from ten feet away, he jumped at the sound and turned to see a dark scrawny figure. It had long arms with sharp claws, long muscly toned legs. He couldn't see its face, just its body. His fear grew to a frenzy that caused him to run the opposite direction as fast his legs could take him.
The fog didn't dissipate it thicken further making it hard to see while he ran from the now louder footsteps that seem to be running after him. He heard heavy breathing not far behind him, it sounded like an big animal; like a bear charging at his prey. His prayers were answered when he saw to his left a street light glowing green, he raced towards it to escape whatever was following him. Michael waited until all the cars had passed but he was so terrified of what was growling behind him that he almost considered crossing the busy street to get away.
"Oh thank god!" Michael sighed with warmth and safety when he spotted his apartment building two blocks away from where he stood. He ran across the empty street with such haste that he almost tripped, he kept himself calm as best as he could, finally he reached the apartment building. Michael entered his code on the keypad to allow him access to the inside of the building, the growling began again.
"Whoever is there you sure do have nothing better to do, asshole!" Michael hollered and it echoed throughout the empty street. He shut the door behind him and went upstairs still in a hurry, he wanted to forget the whole thing. Once inside he continued his usual "home routine." Since Melissa left he drank a beer or two and heated up a frozen microwave dinner everyday, Michael could not cook.
As he entered the kitchen a sick feeling churned in his stomach violently, he thought of the growling from before. Fear over came him and his limbs stiffen as he replayed the sound that came from the fog, terribly wondering what was lurking within and more importantly what did it want with him. Michael jumped at the sound of the microwave timer going off, he giggled to himself.
"Grow a pair." He said to himself with a bit of disgust. A loud shattered intruded into the room and startled him to jump back two feet in the air.
"Who's there!?" Michael screamed, there was no reply. He quickly unfroze himself into action by reaching the second drawer to his left where he recently added to new sets of knives, he chose the biggest one and led the way into the next room, he pounced plunging his arm back and forth with the butcher knife. To his surprise there was nothing there but the patio doors open by the wind. He felt stupid and threw the knife on nearest sofa, he shut the doors and latched the extra locks on top of the doors. He lost his appetite but still had two beers, watched a little TV then decided to go to bed.
Michael got cozy in his bed dared not to think about the alley. In the pitch darkness it came back...the growling. It somehow came in...the patio doors. His eyes widen, his throat tighten as the growling got louder and closer, air was blowing in his face practically made his eyes water.
"I'M HERE FOR YOUR HEART." It talked in a demonic voice.
"Ohh my god!" Michael began to get up when a huge weight slammed him right back down. It was on top of him.
"Open your mouth!" The demon ordered but forced it open. It's tongue extended and moved around serpent like, it had a mind of its own. It catapulted into Michael's mouth slithered its way to the chest cavity, Michael shook violently. The tongue created a passage out of Michael's chest...blood gushed out and soaked his clothing. It slithered with something on its end...Michael's heart.
"Mmmhmm." The demon cheered as it placed its hands on the heart and brought to its nostrils. The demon strikes at the heart with its razor sharp teeth, it began eat it. When demon was finished it vanished into the night leaving Michael's dead body behind.
The sun rose beautifully that morning, the fog had just cleared up. Lewis enjoyed the view as he sipped his coffee, 6 am was his favorite to start the day. He decided to use one of his vacation days from work to relax at home. He was making comfortable money, he could miss a day or two he had never been late on any household payments. He took a seat and read his horoscope, he enjoyed what it said about the prediction of his day and scoffed. The newspaper suddenly had a mind of its own when it magically flipped to the front page of the paper. Lewis read curiously about last night's brutal murder, what caught his eye was only one word. Inhuman.
"Inhuman...this tragedy of violence is inhuman." Lewis read out loud. He suspected a demon had something to with it, it wouldn't surprise him. He heard footsteps approaching the kitchen;it was Ericka.
"You heading to work early?" Lewis asked he took another sip from his coffee cup.
"Yes unfortunately. A man was murdered downtown and I have to question informants. A tenant in the same floor as the victim complained to the manager last night by voicemail about a ruckus that was coming from the victim's apartment. The manager shows up this morning to catch the man residing there on his way to work, he knocked and no answer but his car was out back in the same spot he left it the night before last." Ericka explained as she poured herself some coffee into her thermos cup. She poured herself a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with fresh strawberry slices, she loved cereal in the morning.
"About that...I have a feeling that this might be something more to it, look." Lewis handed her the newspaper while he makes his way to her. Ericka reached the newspaper and once it was in both of her hands a shiver emerged and her vision went blank for a few seconds until it was pitch black...suddenly a streak of light coming from another room reflected. She saw the victim. Michael Miller, she was reliving the moment he was killed. Ericka was having a premonition.
A loud thud crashed two feet in front of her. A demon! Ericka shrieked as a large razor sharp tongue slithered inside of her mouth and ripped her insides and ripped her heart out through her chest as the blood gushed uncontrollably.
Ericka shrieked.
"What did you see?" Lewis asked curiously as he helped Ericka sit down.
"Some kind of reptile demon, ripping the heart out of an innocent...with it's tongue." Ericka shivered at the memory.
"I knew...something wasn't right." Lewis added while he ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair.
"This one caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting a scary ass snake demon scuba diving its tongue down my throat." Ericka announced revolted.
Michelle surprised them both when she dragged herself into the kitchen half sleep. Michelle wasn't a morning person, she enjoyed long naps and rest. When she is fully awake she'll be her bubbly self again. Eventually.
"Morning sunshine!" Lewis hollered to tease the fact she was out and about at 6:45 AM.
"Emmy! Why are you up this early?" Ericka shook her for a response.
"Aya! Stop! I haven't peed yet." Michelle confessed shamefully and Ericka completely stopped.
"Thanks for saving me time and not making me vomit after you peed all over my shoes." Ericka laughed still disgusted.
"Anytime." Michelle teased as she ate an apple.
"We have a demon problem." Lewis reminded as he stood up and focused on the new demon in their lives causing chaos and killing innocents.
"What demon?" Michelle asked confused as she stared at both of them.
"Ericka had a vision of a reptile demon killing a man and taking his heart with its razor sharp tongue." Lewis caught her up on the demon at hand.
"That's a horrible way to start the morning." Michelle joked as she yawned next.
"Sounds like you didn't get much sleep last night. Are you?" Lewis pointed as he washed his dish in the sink.
"I kept having creepy gory sex dreams all night." Michelle bluntly confessed in disgust.
"Ew over-share." Lewis said embarrassed and covered his face with his hands.
"Hey you asked." Michelle reminded as she ate her cereal casually.
"Nightmare?" Ericka asked as she sneaked by Michelle to listen carefully.
"Apparently." Michelle dryly and disturbed.
"I was going to work. I guess I'll call in sick." Ericka made up her mind as she took off her blazer.
"Why can't we ever have demon free day!" Lewis complained dryly.
"This calls for the book of shadows." Michelle simply said and they headed to the attic to search for the demon in the book.
Kitana was teleported into the underworld as she was directed by the warlock Malleck. The Source wanted Kitana to kill the innocent but at the moment it seemed impossible to distract the charmed ones from ruining the master plan. The Source sat in his throne waiting for the Succubus, Kitana.
"My lord you sent for me?" Kitana hissed as she knelt before him.
"I want the charmed ones distracted by any means necessary kill them if you must but kill the innocent! I want to make them regret ever receiving their charmed powers!" The Source hollered and ordered Kitana out of his sight.
Kitana knew her orders...she left to fulfill them with honor.
"Hello, I purchased this jeans the other day and I'd like to return them." Jason Bell placed the bag on top of the counter.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there is something I could do to change your mind handsome?" The clerk woman flirted as ran her finger up and down his arm. Jason was use to women hitting on him on a daily basis so he wasn't surprised.
"They don't fit I'd like to get a bigger size." Jason smirked as he licked his lip a bit.
"Certainly. Let me pick out the right size for you handsome." The sales clerk led the way to the men's clothing department. She picked out the right size and handed them to him to change into dressing room 20 feet away. He walked into the dressing room and just when he about to close the door for privacy she was already inside.
"Whoa! What are you..." Jason didn't finish his sentence she slashed his throat.
"I want your heart baby." Kitana whispered.
"Pleassss!" Jason struggled to breathe with the blood gushing out his neck.
"Begging doesn't work with me sweet heart, pray!" Kitana said with a smug smile across her demon face. Her red eyes glistened in hunger. She dug her sharp teeth into his neck and created a new stream of blood and licked it clean.
Jason was terrified inside, he couldn't comprehend what was happening. His eyes were closed when he decided he didn't want to die;he kneed her. He was disoriented but he got away from her claws, he ran out the nearest exit. He came out in the alleyway behind the department store where he was a hostage. He thought he was going to see the inside of the hospital when all he ending up seeing was a hand over his mouth and another hand introducing itself to his face. He was taken.
They looked in the book until they found the demon they've been searching for. Kitana. A Succubus demon who eats hearts from men who been burned by love. She can lay eggs to bring more like her into the world. The only way to vanquish Kitana is by a vanquishing potion and power of three spell.
"Sounds easy enough." Lewis said calmly regaining focus and perspective as he went searching for the ingredients for the vanquishing potion.
"Can I write a verse to the chant?" Ericka asked as she got a piece of notebook paper.
"Yeah, make it hurt a lot!" Lewis agreed and laughed.
Ericka began rhyming in her head, it all came to her naturally. She wanted to show her vanquishing skills and prove her worthiness for the fun of it. When she was finished she positioned herself in usual spot letting them know that she was finished. Lewis tossed herbs into the cauldron, the scolding flesh variety kind. He wanted it to hurt, make Kitana beg for death. He too positioned himself in the casting circle opposite side of Ericka. Michelle finished with the last touches to her summoning spell, she enjoyed writing them to lure the evil that would breathe its last breath.
"Come to us, Kitana.
You have no choice, hear the power in our voice.
Come to us, we witches three summon thee!" They chanted Michelle's summoning spell.
A portal bursts in the middle of their casting circle, kitana shape shifted through the portal and screeched loudly in anger. They stumbled back as Kitana swung her arm to slash them with her claws. The potion had slipped out of Lewis's hand when he stumbled back, he flung Kitana six feet in the air to fend her off using his telekinesis. Ericka jumped back up and manipulated the water in a bowl she kept near a window to use as a knife to slash kitana's stomach. Kitana shrieked and counter-attacked Ericka with a punch in the gut. Ericka double kicked Kitana's side causing her to lose her balance. Michelle jumped in the riot between Kitana and Ericka, she punched Kitana's ass causing Kitana to use her reflexes to kick Michelle from behind like a horse. Michelle crashed into the podium breaking it apart to pieces that scattered around her. She regained consciousness and tackled Kitana like an angry football player on steroids. They crashed into an old end table, Michelle got punch happy with Kitana's face until she blocked her last punch and threw one herself. Michelle crashed through a old standing mirror, Lewis used his exploding power and it sent Kitana flying through the stain glass window. They all raced to the window that Kitana crashed out of to see where she landed...but she was gone.
"She's gone." Lewis said sounding disappointed as he walked away from the window and back to where the podium stood to pick up the book of shadows from the floor covered in wood shavings and broken chips of wood.
"I think she almost broke my jaw. Bitch." Michelle grabbed her jaw to caress it.
"Those were some sick punches Michelle!" Ericka cheered as she saw Michelle in a new light that she had never seen before. She was impressed.
"I've been practicing ever since Mr. Tate went all Smack Down on me." Michelle bragged as she posed martial arts positions of combat.
"She's been a busy girl. She's about to become even busier. We have a demon to fry!" Lewis reminded them to focus so he could join in on the fun later.
"Don't be such a worry wart!" Ericka nagged trying to get him to relax.
"I am not a worry wart! I'd gladly dance my ass silly to some Britney if I could but unfortunately there's some demon bitch out there devouring half of San Francisco's eligible bachelors! Like leave some for me ya know!" Lewis replied as he crossed his arms.
"You said it! This girl is ready for a ride, a ride I tell ya!" Michelle hollered as she too crossed her arms.
"That's too much effort, I'd settle for a good lay." Ericka answered she looked over her verse for the vanquishing spell.
"Me I'd like to get bumped, over and over." Lewis confessed as the doorbell rang causing them to pause their conversation.
"Who can that be?" Lewis wondered as he raced downstairs to answer the door.
When he reached the door he could see the silhouette of someone slouching, no leaning against the door. As he slowly walked to it he heard groaning noises of pain. Lewis opened the door and a man fell on top of him. They both slammed on the hard wood floor, Lewis was fine but the man was unconscious. Lewis had never seen him before. He had been throat slashed and bitten on the neck. He looked around his age, also someone who went to the same college he did. He maneuvered his body carefully off of his and stood up as Ericka and Michelle walked into the room he was in.
"Oh my god what happened? Who's that?" Ericka questions him as she knelt to check his pulse using her index finger and middle finger.
"I don't know. He just fell on top of me when in I opened the door." Lewis explained as he rubbed his neck.
"Here let me see." Michelle interrupted Ericka's procedure of pulse reading. Michelle turned him around and all of sudden Ericka received a premonition. She saw the demon Kitana throat slashing and biting Jason Bell, the innocent.
"He's an innocent!" Ericka returned from viewing her premonition. She opened her eyes and looked at Jason Bell for the first time.
"What did you see?"Michelle asked as she healed Jason's throat other wound.
"Kitana wanted to eat his heart but he escaped." Ericka recalled briefly trying to not remember the fear she felt when Kitana slit his throat.
"Something doesn't add up...how did he know to find us? Better yet how did he get here in his condition?" Lewis analyzed the unanswered facts of the mystery guy on their front porch.
"You're right...it doesn't make sense." Michelle realized as turned to glance at the unconscious man.
"Why don't we ask him?" Ericka pointed out as Lewis turned to find Jason conscious.
"I don't know what's going! This monster chick attacks me in the men's department store!" Jason freaks out as starts to remember the trauma.
"Calm down. You're safe here trust us." Lewis reassured him as it brought some peace within him just hearing that.
"What's your name?" Ericka asked as she took a seat on the couch next to Lewis.
"Jason...Jason bell." He simply said rubbed the back of his right arm with his left hand. He was six feet tall and short shaggy brown hair. His eyes sparkle a brownish green in the light. His body was kept toned in all sorts places women admired staring at.
"Well Jason, do you know how you got on our front porch?" Lewis asked as he checked the time on his wrist watch. Jason shook his head and told him he had no idea how he came to be there. He remembered when Kitana slashed him, his vision went black and then nothing...he remembered nothing.
Kitana was teleported to the underworld by The Source himself. She was nervous because she knew the innocent had escaped and The Source wouldn't be congratulating her for screwing up. She plan on explaining herself hoping that he would grant her mercy. Deep down she knew it was futile she knew that she was probably going to die.
"You called for me my Lord?"she said in a disappointed voice.
"You have failed me so gravely, now do what you're told and go back to charmed ones and destroy the all!" The source said with a evil voice, he cackled because he knew a secret that she could not.
"Yes my lord right away!" Kitana said in a hurry she was out of his sight.
"Malleck! You can come out now!" The Source said in a low voice.
"My Lord." Malleck said simply as he blinked in front of him.
The source was planning an evil plan to double-cross Kitana and get her out of the way but still get the charmed ones taken care of. It was the perfect plan. She had no suspicion that she was going to be double-crossed by her own master, Malleck the demon of gravity decided to impress his Lord so he volunteered to kill the charmed ones himself. His power was the power to dispel gravity in every room that he was in. Surely that could come in handy against the witches, he knew that with a lot of certainty.
"The task is yours! You did good delivering the innocent to the witches. Now wait for my command! Do not fail me!" The source threatened him as he growled in anger. Malleck blinked out of his sight to do what he was told.
Night has sprung upon them and they did not realize the time was running out to save their innocent they had to move fast. Jason rested comfortably on the couch while the witches decided on the next battle move, suddenly they heard a shuffle in the next room so they decide to see what it was. It was Kitana, she had Jason by the throat. They knew she was going to kill him, her eyes said it all. Darkness, absolute evil dwelled within them. Jason's eyes were full of fear his body was stiff by her grasp on his throat.
Lewis quickly acted, he used his telekinesis to fling the demon away from Jason only to crash into the grand piano on the left of the foyer. Kitana grunted in pain she rose angrily and she shot an energy ball towards Lewis. The energy ball collided with Lewis' shoulder, the pain was unbearable but he was alright he landed safely on the floor. Ericka spin kicked Kitana right in the face making her spin out control and then she swung a punch to Ericka's face sending Ericka flying, knocking down the lamp on our way down. Michelle tried to get into the action but before she could even lay a punch on Kitana she had already been punched her in the face, she fell to the ground to bust her nose hard on the floor.
Michelle was a little dizzy but she can still use your powers, she summoned a root to rise from the earth to wrap around Kitana's foot, she was safe in place. Kitana snarled because she knew she wasn't going anywhere she shot an energy ball to the root to break free but it did nothing. Michelle Summoned another root from the earth, a sharp one and it impaled Kitana's stomach.
"How do you like me and now bitch"Michelle said angrily.
Kitana shot an energy ball up close to Michelle's chest leaving her to fall unconscious. Lewis caught Kitana off guard by using his astral projection power to leave his body and manifest in front of Kitana as soon as the root summoned by Michelle receded and broke Kitana free. He froze her and catapulted her across the room using his telekinesis, he called upon knives from the kitchen to stab katana as soon as she landed on the floor.
Ericka sneaked behind her to use her powers of my control to manipulate her will. She commanded her not to move and to scream her loudest when they decided to vanquish her. It was over. Kitana was done for, her reign of heart eating ended now.
"Let's end her!" Ericka suggested as she stepped on Kitana's wiry fingers.
"Make it painful!" Michelle agreed as she rubbed her hands together like an evil villain.
"It will be." Lewis promised as he returned to his physical body from his astral travel across the room, he made his way to Kitana and lowered his eyes.
"You demons, don't you know? We're not as an innocent as everyone makes about to be. We kill your kind to protect ours;even witches. It takes evil to kill evil." Lewis lectured Kitana as it would be the last words of wisdom she'd ever hear. They gathered in a circle around Kitana to vanquish her with their magic. Lewis tossed the vial containing the potion to shatter in Kitana's snarling mouth. She erupted in boils and lesions all over her black shiny skin. Screams echoed in the foyer, she begged death to take her to make the excruciating pain stop. They began chanting,
"Demon who lusts for hearts,
Away from me you'll be,
Burn inside and out
Your pain is infinite do not doubt.
So mote it be!"
Kitana burned to ashes and melted like goo on fire. Ericka manipulated the water within a flower vase to use to put out the fire. They hugged one another feeling relief that they survived another to fight.
"Is it over?" Jason carefully snuck in the room.
"Yes. It's over, you can go back to your normal life now." Lewis gladly said as he shook off dust from his left shoulder.
"I don't think I'll have a normal life after all this." Jason joked nervously as he headed to the door."
"Before you go please remember to never mention magic exists to anyone otherwise another one of those pesky demons will find you and kill you." Ericka taunted secretly to preserve their identities.
"I was never here. Thank you." Jason smiled and headed out the door. He didn't know Malleck was waiting for him to leave the house to take care of him. He covered his mouth and broke his neck, then incinarated his body to nothing. Malleck chuckled and blinked back to the underworld.
Back in the underworld The Source waited for Malleck to report back to him. He sensed relief coming near, Malleck. He had good news to share The Source could feel it.
"My lord, I have successfully done what you have asked of me." Malleck reported as he knelt to his master's presence.
"Excellent. You are dismissed until I need you again, stay alive! You are very vital to me Malleck, for now." The Source informed.
"As you wish." Malleck simply said and blinked away from his presence.
"Soon!" The Source cheered. He had the most unexpected scheme for the charmed ones...
"We saved our first innocent you guys!" Ericka sang as she did a little dance.
"I know! It was crazy but I feel good knowing I saved someone's life." Lewis realized in gladness and accomplishment.
"I say we celebrate!" Michelle announced as she rose to her feet from the couch they were all relaxing in.
"Uh do you see all this mess?" Lewis reminded her as they looked at the foyer, all destroyed.
"Exactly my point, let's use magic to clean this mess up." Michelle suggested as she was about to chant but was interrupted by Ericka.
"Hello! Personal gain! It's against the rules." Ericka news flashed all over Michelle's magic parade.
"Not necessarily. I know how to word it properly, trust me." Michelle assured them as she brought her hands together like the Virgin Mary pose.
"Alright. Why not?" Lewis was too tired to debate the consequences.
Michelle thought of an incantation to chant and when she was ready she began
"Let the object of objection become but a dream. As I cause the scene too be unseen."
Every scattered object in the room returned to its original state before catastrophe struck. As if it never happened. They were both amazed with the incantation Michelle chanted.
"Wow! That was really good! Did you come up with that incantation?" Ericka asked curiously jealous.
"Nah. My mom uses it all the time. Dad actually still believes she cleans the house magic free." Michelle chuckled at the thought.
"Let's do something more...fun." Lewis suggested as he headed up the stairs.
"Wait for us!" Michelle announced as they both raced up the stairs to catch up with him.
When they were in the attic they looked through the book to cast a spell to beautify their hair. Michelle was planning on changing her hair color to a bright auburn, something to spice up her look. Lewis decided on keeping his blonde hair but to never get grays. Ericka gave herself cooper streaks throughout her hair, she loved it.
"Damn Michelle you look hot!" Ericka complemented her as placed her hand on her waist.
"Girl! You should talk! Meow your hair is sexy!" Michelle danced and giggled.
"I'm never getting grays bitches! Represent!" Lewis joked and dances along with them. Their bonding moment was cut short when orbs manifested across the attic floor. They prepared themselves for another demon attack but their surprise it wasn't a demon, it was a white-lighter standing before them. She was tall and brunette with a track star body. He her eyes resembled a Bratz doll, her sapphire blue eyes glimmered beautifully with a healing light.
" Who are you?" Michelle grew curiously as she was hypnotized by her beauty.
"Hello, I am Faith. You're temporary white-lighter." Faith answered with a British accent.
"Oh wow, nice to meet you Faith. I'm..." Lewis was interrupted "Oh, I know who you all are there's no need for introductions. It will be an honor to help the infamous charmed lagecy." Faith shook his hand as he met her half way.
"Sweet!" Ericka cheered.
