Trigger Warning: Blood, Death
It's late, the sun fully set, the moonlight casting unearthly shadows through the branches of the trees lining the suburban street. In the backyard of one of the homes, a figure stands below a second-story window, tossing pebbles at the windowpane. After a few seconds, the window opens, and a young woman leans out.
"Rory! Quiet down! My mom will wake up" She says, whisper-shouting down at him. "I'll be down in a second!"
She disappears, closing the window and pulling down the blinds. A few minutes later, the sliding glass door creaks open, and the girl slowly creeps out. As quiet as they can, they embrace, kissing each other. When they pull away, the girl whispers to Rory.
"When did you get back in town? I thought your parents were traveling again! " She looks overjoyed that he's there.
"The case we were working on ended early, so we came back for a few days! I really missed you Amy" Rory says. Hand in hand, the two make their way out of Amy's backyard, disappearing off into the woods towards their secret spot.
Amy Gerard is eighteen, the only daughter of a single mother working two jobs to keep them with a roof over their heads. Rory is two weeks from being nineteen, son of two hunters. Amy knows about what Rory and his family do, despite his initial lie that they were a military family. They met each other five years prior when Rory's family decided to put down something resembling roots in Amy's town. They fell in love two years ago, and have plans to get married once they're out of high school and to start hunting on their own.
As they get deeper into the woods, following the path they know by heart, Amy's grip on Rory's hand tightens slightly. Even though she knows that there are things out there scarier than a creaky tree branch or a deer snapping a twig, she still harbors the wariness of the dark every creature on this planet seems to have. Rory pulls her closer to himself, glad to play the hero to his love.
The path drops off suddenly, not as they remember it doing. Something is different. A moment later, they find their feet swept out from under them, Amy and Rory flying back until they are pressed against the trees behind them, unable to move. There is a sound of something whistling through the air, and a shaft of wood flies out of the darkness, striking Rory straight in the chest, piercing through him and into the wood. Dark blood spreads across his shirt. He's dead before he even knows what happened. Amy screams his name over and over, willing herself to move, willing this to be just a dream.
A tall man steps out from the tree line, and as he draws closer Amy sees that his eyes are a strange, swirling sulfur-yellow. He is followed by another figure, slightly shorter, with similar eyes. The tall man steps up to Amy, smirking.
"Well, aren't you a pretty one? " His tone is a sickly sweet, sugary poison meant to disarm Amy. "Where are my manners? I must introduce myself. My name is Azazel, and this is…well, he's my apprentice. I take it the runt pinned to the tree was your lover?"
Amy nods through her tears.
"Very well. I can bring him back, but ill need something from you in exchange. " Azazel says, still smiling
Amy recalls what Rory has…had told her about demons. They liked to make deals. "What do you want? My soul?"
No, nothing so…severe. I simply need permission. Permission to enter under your roof once in the future. Don't worry, no one will be harmed, and nothing will be taken, as long as I am not disturbed. A reasonable request, isn't it?"
She takes a few seconds to process this. It seems reasonable, and she only wants to have Rory back.
"Fine. I'll do it. But…I don't want Rory to remember this. I will, but he won't. " She says.
The demon nods and his partner steps forward.
"I'm afraid neither of you will remember this. My apprentice will handle everything. It's just a precaution. " Azazel says. Rory suddenly gasps for breath beside Amy, and an instant later, they are both waking up in their own beds, with no memory of the incident. Nothing seems to come of the deal, not until many years later.
To Be Continued…