The village was completely abandoned. Or so it looked. It was a small village, consisting of only thirty or so wooden shack-like buildings. Each of the buildings had wooden panels hammered over the windows and every door seemed to be securely shut. There wasn’t a single person in sight in the streets of the town.

Near the entrance to the town was a large two-story building that had a sign that read ‘Inn’ hanging on the front door. Just like all of the other buildings, the windows were shut with wooden planks and the inn itself emanated a sense of abandonment.

On his back, the demon was getting antsy, scrabbling against Kota’s back with its legs. This, combined with the ache of Kota’s body from carrying the demon, caused him to kneel and let the demon off. As soon as its feet touched the ground, the demon began to explore its surroundings.

Keeping a careful eye on the demon, Kota walked up the steps to the inn and tried the handle. It was locked. Frowning, Kota pressed his ear against the thick wooden door. Inside the inn, he heard some quiet voices talking. Kota stepped back and pounded on the door three times with his fist.

Several moments later, the door slid open and a burly man with a bald head and thick bushy beard peered out at Kota.

“Is this inn open?” Kota asked.

“You passin’ by this town?” the man asked.

Kota nodded.

“We don’t get many visitors these days,” said the man, holding the door open for Kota. “But you can try an’ find space where ya can.”

Kota turned to beckon the demon over, only to find it already huddled behind his back. It peeked out from behind him, keeping a tight grip on Kota’s tunic. Kota reached down and took the demon by the hand. The demon glanced at his hand for a moment, as if it were debating whether or not to sink its fangs into the flesh. Deciding against it, the demon allowed itself to be pulled into the inn by hand.

Kota’s eyes widened as they got used to the dim lighting of the inn. The inn’s lobby was packed with women, children, and the elderly. Each family seemed to take up a little area along a wall, while a single waitress walked around and distributed food. There were no smiles, even from the children. Somber eyes stared back at Kota as he made his way into the inn.

“Come sit ‘ere, young ‘un,” said a middle aged woman, shifting over to make room for Kota. She wore a baker’s apron and rocked a young baby in her arms.

Kota glanced down at the demon. Its eyes seemed dull and tired, not a hint of bloodthirst. Keeping his arm around the demon’s shoulders, more for the villager’s safety than his own, Kota took a seat against the wall. The demon curled into a ball next to him, yawning and closing its eyes. Kota tugged the demon’s cloak a bit to make sure that its ears and tail didn’t stick out as it slept.

“How old is she?” asked the woman sitting next to him, smiling warmly.

“Uh…” said Kota. “She just turned twelve.”

“Take good care o’ her,” said the woman, glancing down fondly at her own baby. “Ya don’t really know how much somethin’ means ta you ‘til ya lose it.”

Kota could only nod, reaching up to grab his pendant. “What’s the reason for these…living arrangements?”

“It’s the demons!” said the woman, eyes narrowing. “They’ve been runnin’ every town around ‘ere down! It’s a miracle we’re still alive!”

Kota grimaced, thinking back to the ruins of the village he had come from.

“It’s all ‘cuz of young Kip, bless his soul!” continued the woman. “He came up with all the ideas of the traps an’ movin’ everyone in here. Says the other homes are a dis-track-shun or somethin’.”

“Kip?” said Kota. “He’s the one with the red hair?”

“Aye!” said the woman. “He’s always been a bright ‘un. It’s jus’ that…he feels responsible for this entire situa-shun.”

“Why is that?” asked Kota.

The woman leaned in and lowered her voice. “He was th’ one who led ‘em here. Poor boy ran into one of ‘em demons and was scared for ‘is life. Ran all the way back ta his mama and papa. Demon killed ‘is whole family.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Kota, glancing down at the demon next to him. For the first time, he began wondering how many lives it had taken. The demon had been in the ruins of the last village. That meant it had taken innocent lives. And I’m showing this murderous creature pity? The stump of Kota’s arm pulsated with pain and he bit the inside of his lip, forcing himself to remain still.

“After that, all th’ other demons started comin’,” said the woman. “More an’ more each night. Don’t seem like they gonna stop ‘til we’re all dead.”

Next to them, a little boy started to cry.

“Passerby, can I talk to ya real quick?” asked the burly man who had opened the door of Kota.

Kota nodded and stood, glancing behind him to make sure that the little demon was still sleeping. If the demon ever takes the life of another human, I will personally kill it, Kota vowed. And after that, I will take my own life.

“I’m about ta go out an’ join the boys,” said the man, placing an arm around Kota’s shoulders. “I need ya ta promise me, if the demons get here, you gotta fight!”

Kota lowered his eyes. “I’m a writer. I don’t know how to fight.”

“You won’t have to!” said the man, patting Kota on the back. “I jus’…jus’ want a lil’ peace o’ mind…’specially since my wife and kids are ‘ere.”

Kota sighed. “I give you my word. If the demons get here, I’ll try to keep these people safe.”

The man grinned and clapped Kota on the shoulder. But through the grin, Kota could see the fear in the man’s eyes. Kota watched as the man walked over to a woman and two kids sitting next to the counter of the inn. He bent down and kissed each of his children on the head. After giving his wife a long embrace, the man turned and walked to the door. He turned back and looked Kota in the eye briefly. Then he was gone.

Night fell.

-

There was absolute silence in the inn apart from the occasional cough or whimper. All of the candles had been blown out and families huddled together to keep warm. Kota sat next to the demon, keeping a hand on its body, feeling its torso move up and down as it breathed. As he sat, he mulled over the story that the woman had told him.

Demons had plagued the land for as long as Kota could remember, but the more he thought about, it the more he realized he had no idea what they actually were. All of his life, he had thought of demons the same way that the people in the village had – foul creatures that existed for the purpose of tormenting humans. But after seeing how the little wolf demon acted and hearing about demons coordinated attacks on the village, he began to wonder if demons were more than simply pestilence.

Kota’s thoughts were interrupted as screams and shouts were heard from outside. Inside the inn, several people began to whisper and sob. A moment later, the snarls and growls of demons were heard as well. There was a loud crash and the lobby of the inn was illuminated by a large fire burning outside. Frightened faces glanced around at each other, wordlessly praying for the safety of loved ones.

Kota heard a low growling next to him. He glanced down at the little demon, which had raised itself to a crouching position next to Kota. Its yellow eyes glinted in the darkness of the inn and its head twitched around. A baby across the room started to wail.

Kota’s breath quickened when the demon started to prowl towards the baby.

“No!” Kota hissed, reaching out to grab the demon.

The demon whirled around and batted his hand away, emitting a frightening hiss.

“What was that?” a voice asked, trembling.

I was a fool!

Kota cursed himself, springing to his feet. He lunged, trying to grab onto the demon. It darted out from under his arms, letting him crash onto the floorboards of the inn. Kota could only watch as the demon bounded towards the baby, still sobbing.

“Watch out!” Kota screamed.

As the demon approached its prey, it loosed a frightening roar. The people sitting next to the baby began to scream, fleeing away from the wall and flocking towards the side of the inn that Kota had been sitting against.

Kota forced himself to his feet, trying to push his way to through the panicking crowd. Bumping and crashing against strangers, Kota finally made his way out of the chaos. The demon stood by itself in front of the now-emptied wall. Its fangs were bared, and its tail swished back and forth. A continuous low growl rumbled from the demon’s throat.

“What is that thing?” someone whispered.

“Is that a demon?”

“Are we gonna die?”

That’s when another demon exploded through the wall of the inn.