A brief interruption to The Old Salem Cemetery to bring you

JENNIFER HONEY AND DEMONA, ANGEL OF THE NIGHT

Part 1.

JENNIFER HONEY did not sleep well, for many reasons. Matilda's wanderings were the latest in a long list. There was also the house. When Agatha Trunchbull had fled town, Jenny moved in. She tried sleeping in the master bedroom the first night, but couldn't. She could calm her mind, but her body was full of a type of energy that was like fear. She moved into her childhood bedroom and slept the second night, but fitfully. She kept hearing footsteps in her dreams, and waking to this feeling where she was split into a frightened body and exhausted mind.

Her Therapist said she wouldn't feel this way forever, she just needed to process the trauma of living with Agatha Trunchbull as a child. In the meantime she needed to do something proactive to make herself feel safe. The complex home security system had helped for a few weeks, then she adopted Matilda and let the little girl have her childhood bedroom. In the daytime it made her so happy to see Matilda curled in the old window seat of the bedroom reading David Copperfield or Northanger Abbey, but at night she could not sleep.

She had to take a few days off work so that she could fall asleep at 4am and wake up at noon. She could tell Matilda was worried, and tried to reassure her that she was fine. One day the little girl came home from school with a newspaper clipping balled up in her hand.

"Miss Honey?"

"We're at home, dear. You can call me Jenny."

"O...kay…" Matilda seemed to be considering whether to try out the name now. Jennifer wanted to save her the deliberation.

"What did you want to talk to me about, dear?"

"I answered this ad," Matilda said, handing Jenny a balled up newspaper clipping. Jenny unfurled it and smoothed it against her knee.

PROTECTION

LIVE IN NIGHT

GUARD FOR HIRE.

COMPETITIVE RATES

WOULD SUIT

PRIVATE RESIDENCE

The ad included a PO box address. Jennifer carefully kept her face and voice neutral. "Matilda, did you give them our home address?"

"No, our telephone number."

"How long ago?"

"A couple of days."

Jenniver breathed out a sigh of relief. She and Matilda had a long talk that night about communication and asking each other's permission before making big decisions like this. The sun went down and they drank cocoa. Jennifer was even beginning to feel good about herself when the phone rang.

"That could be the guard," Matilda said, a look of guilt on her face.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Jenny said. Embody confidence. She was already preparing the rejection as she walked towards the phone. It was a misunderstanding. My friend sent the inquiry, trying to be helpful. Thank you and best of luck to you.

She picked up the beige wall phone.

"Hello Jennifer speaking?"

"Good evening. I just received your response to my ad in the classifieds."

It was a woman's voice, rich and deep. She spoke with… maybe a transatlantic accent? (did people still have those?)

"Uh yes… I mean, are you the night guard?"

"I am. I wondered if you would perhaps like to meet. We can see if I would be a good fit for your situation."

"Um…"Jenny's excuses simmered at the back of her throat. She found the woman's voice reassuring, but did that mean she should meet her?

Some athletic women reminded her of her shotput champoint aunt. It didn't matter how nice they were. Something in their gait, or the way they handled objects would shoot adrenalyn into Jennifer's body.

"If you would prefer I didn't come to your house we could meet at a coffee house?"

"I… okay."

- / -

Jennifer didnt know what to expect. A military type? An ex-prison guard? She was staring into space when a red haired woman in an ivory trench coat approached her.

"You must be Jennifer," the woman said, extending her hand over the table.