TWO

"Are you sure this is the place?" Prue asked as they searched the alley for the third time. "I'm not finding anything here."

"I'm sure this is the place," said Phoebe. "I recognize the graffiti on that dumpster over there."

"Phoebe, those are gang colors," said Leo. "It's possible they're on a lot of dumpsters in a lot of alleys."

"No, I'm sure this is the right alley," said Phoebe. "That pile of trash over by that door? It's the same pile of trash I saw the man trip over as he was running up the alley. I don't understand it. I know this is the alley where I had my premonition."

"There's nothing here," said Piper. "Maybe your premonition isn't for tonight. Maybe it's for tomorrow night or some other time."

"I don't usually have premonition very far in the future," said Phoebe. "They're usually pretty close to when they actually happen."

"There's a first time for everything," said Leo. "Your powers are going to increase as you get older. It's possible you're starting to have premonitions further in the future. Since there's nothing going on here I suggest we all go home until . . . ."

They all turned as they heard a loud clatter up the alleyway. As they looked where the noise came from they saw a man stand up from amidst several trashcans that he had just fallen over. He stood up and watched as the man ran toward them and suddenly fell over the same pile of trash Phoebe had pointed out only a moment before. He stood up again, looking behind him in stark terror, and then turned to face the group. He looked to be in his early twenties and was obviously terrified of something.

"Run," he said, terror in his voice. "Run while you still can. Run before it catches us."

"Oh, hold on there," said Prue, taking the man's arm. "Before who catches us?"

"The creature," said the man. "A monster of some kind. It's after me. It's been chasing me for a while now. I don't know what it is. But we have to get out of here. It's right behind me. It will be here any second."

"Leo, watch our friend here," said Prue. "We'll take care of the monster."

Leo and the man watched as the girls moved down the alley in the direction the man had just come from. They waited patiently for several moments until the girls came back down the alley.

"Well, whatever it was it's gone now," said Prue. "Maybe it saw us here and got scared off."

"It will be back," said the man. "It always comes back. No matter where I go it follows me."

"Okay, slow down," said Prue. "Let's start with your name."

"Crandall," said the man. "Jerome Crandall."

"I'm Prue, and these are my sisters, Piper and Phoebe. And that's Leo. Now, just what did this monster that was chasing you look like?"

"It was tall," said Jerome. "Maybe six feet tall or better. It was all red with these weird black markings. It had this set of horns around it's forehead. It was carrying this kind of staff thing."

"Leo, any idea what demon he's describing?" Piper asked.

"Not a clue," said Leo. "I know several that could fit some of the descriptions but none that fit that particular one."

"Let's get back to the manor," said Prue. "Maybe it's in the Book of Shadows."

"The what?" questioned Jerome. "What are you people talking about?"

"Come on, Mr. Crandall," said Phoebe, taking his arm. "This may be a bit unsettling at first. But we have some things we need to tell you."

"Demon?" questioned Jerome back at the manor. "That thing was a demon? It's not a monster?"

"Well, I suppose in a way demons are monsters," said Prue. "Just not the type most people think about when they think of monsters."

"And you're witches?"

"Yes," said Piper. "We were there because Phoebe had a premonition about you being attacked. We were there to stop the demon from hurting you."

"Girls," said Leo, "I don't think it's such a good idea to tell him so much. He's an innocent."

"And a demon is after him," said Prue. "Until we figure out which one we have to protect him and the more he knows the better. As soon as Piper figures out which demon it is we'll go find it and vanquish it."

"It's not in the Book of Shadows," said Piper, coming down the stairs. "Leo was right. There are several that have characters of the one Jerome described, but none that has all of them."

"So what are we dealing with?" Prue asked. "Is this some kind of new demon?"

"Or a very old one," said Leo. "Some demons haven't been seen on the mortal plane for years or decades. It's possible it's one of those."

"Then why isn't it in the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked.

"The entries in the Book of Shadows have been made by your ancestors," said Leo. "Witches in the past who have encountered those things. If one of your ancestors never encountered it there wouldn't be an entry in it for it."

"Well, that makes sense," said Piper. "But why don't you know about it? You're supposed to be our White Lighter. Doesn't that mean you're supposed to know about stuff?"

"And I do," said Leo. "But I don't know everything. Not even the Elders know everything. But they do know a lot of things that I don't. So maybe I should go check with them and see if they know what type of demon is after Mr. Crandall?"

"Please, call me Jerome. You three just saved my life. Doesn't seem like we should stand on formality now."

"Well, you all ready know our names," said Prue. "Maybe you should get cleaned up. Those trashcans made a mess of your clothes. I can stick them in the washing machine for you."

"I'll get him something to wear," said Leo. "Before I go talk to the Elders."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I was in such a hurry to get away from that demon that I never even saw the trashcans. And that pile of trash I tripped over? Never even saw it coming. Or that I was running into it."

"Well the shower is at the top of the stairs," said Piper. "Just leave your clothes outside the door and Leo can bring them down when he takes your clean ones up there."

"Okay," said Jerome. "Will I be okay up there alone? I mean that demon won't attack again, will it?"

"Probably not right away," said Prue. "If it ran off because it saw us the it will probably take a while before it attacks again. Try to get its bearings. Besides, I don't think it's likely to attack in the manor with all of us here."

"Okay," said Jerome. "Again, thanks for everything."

"Well, he seems like a nice guy," said Phoebe after Jerome had gone upstairs.

"A nice guy who knows who you are," said Leo. "You're not supposed to tell anyone you're witches. You have to protect magic from the mortal world."

"I don't think he's likely to tell anyone, Leo," said Piper. "We just saved his life. I think he'll be thankful enough for that to . . . ."

Her sentence went unfinished as they all heard a blood-curdling scream shatter the air.