THE GHOST AND THE EARTHBOUND DEMONS

KILL THE SOUL MAN

Lucifer was angry. Even Klaus can feel it from the other side of the call. 

"Just an instruction, Klaus. A simple instruction and you messed everything up."

"I apologize a thousand times for my shortcoming, Lucifer-san."

The caller from the other side screamed back. "No, Klaus. Apology alone can't rectify this. You know our first commandment, don't you?"

Kaul nodded. He was afraid it would come to this. "Yes, my Lord."

"Forgiveness is a sin, isn't it?"

Klaus tensed, "am afraid so."

There was a long silence and then the voice was in a whisper. "I will give you another chance to redeem yourself. You won't fail me again, will you?"

"I won't, Lucifer-san."

"Foul it up one more time and I won't hesitate to put you in the sewage stream."

"Oh, Lucifer-san. Be rest assured that I won't fail."

"Where is Shrek?"

"I have locked him up in an underground cell under the church."

"Good. Let him remain there until I decide a befitting punishment for him," Lucifer mumbled and then added, "The sewage stream is too lenient a punishment for a demon like Shrek."

Klaus swallowed another mouthful of saliva. "What about the soul man?"

Lucifer inquired back, "What about him?"

"Something ought to be done about him, Lucifer-san."

"He is just a human ghost, you claimed."

"Exactly, Lucifer-san."

"Well, you don't expect me to teach you how to get rid of a ghost, do you?"

"Not exactly. I just need to know your stand about this."

"He is not important to me, Klaus. If you see  him as a threat then get rid of him."

Klaus bowed obsequiously as the call was disconnected from the other side of the line. Time to deal with the soul man and then send him back to wherever he comes from, Klaus thought and then tried to hide a grin. It was an evil grin.  

Jimmy was in school the following day, and along with him came Terry and Holo. Contrary to the previous Jimmy who always walked with his eyes fixed on the ground, the new Jimmy walked with his head up and a big smile was plastered on his face as he made his way towards his classroom. Suddenly, his braggadocio vanished at the sight of Bobby and a few of his friends. 

The scrawny-looking boy was the first to spot Jimmy. He immediately pulled Bobby's arm and then pointed at Jimmy. 

Bobby raised his hand up and then gestured to Jimmy to step close to him. "Hey, loser. I warned you never to step your legs in this school again, didn't I?"

Jimmy released a loud breath. He was expecting Bobby to attack him because of what happened yesterday afternoon.

"He didn't remember, Jimmy. I guess it was because he was possessed by a demon when you struck him," Terry informed him. 

Jimmy unsuccessful tries to hide a smile. 

"Are you deaf, Jimmy?"

"This is my school," Jimmy managed to answer back. "And I have the right to be here if I want ."

Bobby Shit's face was as red as an ember. "You are a sad case, Jimmy. Have you forgotten what happened to your friend? Keep this attitude of yours up, and you will find yourself six feet under the ground in a few days."

"Are you confessing to killing Terry?"

"And what if I do? What will you do about that?"

"Can you hear him, Terry?"

"What?"

"Oh, not you, Bobby."

Bobby placed his hand on his chest and asked, "Not me?"

"Bobby will be punished," Terry announced.

"He better be."

"Better be what?"

"I am not talking to you, Bobby ."

"Then who are you talking to?"

"Don't tell him about me."

"Of course, I won't ."

"You won't what?" Bobby stared at him and leaned forward until they were just nose-to-nose. "You are going crazy, Jimmy. This is no place for mad dogs, get out while you can."

With a Stony face, Jimmy watched them leave. He knew he had just been insulted, but he wasted no time thinking about it. Instead, he turned toward Terry and then inquired, "How long before Bobby was made to pay for his crime?"

"Am working on it. Why did you think I insisted you come here?" 

"I hate all of them with passion."

"I know the feeling. Hearing him speak sets my blood boiling. "

"You are a ghost, Terry. Ghosts don't have blood."

"It was a figurative expression, Jimmy. Don't be a clown. "

"Oh! I see."

Terry turned towards the orb that was effortlessly floating beside him and asked, "Did you see any demon in or around Bobby?"

"No, Terry. I would have informed you if I did."

Terry sighed.

"Did you expect the demon to still possess him even after he knew we had found him out"

"I never expected him to act otherwise."

Holo chuckled, purely for effect since holograms have no sense of humor. "You must thought demons were stupid spirits"

"I didn't think they were.."

 " Well, If you ask for my opinion, then I will suggest we start investigating where the demons were hidden, instead of wasting our time here.

"I never ask for your opinion, Holo. You can offer it when I do ."

"Time was of the essence, Terry. We can't afford living as if you have years to live, instead of a few days."

"I said keep shut, Holo."

Holo managed to look hurt, offered what could be likened to a shrug, and then remained quiet. 

"You do have a plan, Terry. Don't you?"

Of course, Terry has a plan. Bobby must be forced to stop bullying students and then confess his crime to the right authority. This he was bound to do whether Holo liked it or not.

"And one more thing, Terry. I would love to smack Bobby one more time. Maybe a straight nose-breaker, or a few kicks in the kidney when he's down."

"What about a headlock till he begs for mercy?" 

Two red spots appeared on Jimmy's cheek. "Good. The mere thought of this is making me happy."

Some hours later, Jimmy sat in a large and rectangular classroom that was filled to the brim with students. Outside, nature mixed some turmoil in the skies. Stirring up rain in the bellies of clouds, and throwing lightning bolts across their underbellies. Real melodramatic stuff. 

Far off, five foul-looking demons stepped toward Anderson College. Their mission was straight and simple. Kill the soul man and any human who stands in your way.