I turned my attention back to the ghost's diary.
Its worn leather cover felt different now. Heavier. As if the ink within had gained weight from the story it carried.
With a breath drawn deep into my lungs, I resumed from where we had left off.
September 10th, 18XX
Dear Diary,
It has been several weeks since I locked myself at home. The weight of my actions weighs heavily on my heart. The attempt I made on someone's life hangs over me like a shadow, a constant reminder of my desperation. That night, I forged a sinister contract with a demon, seeking power at any cost. But when it came time to carry out the act, I faltered. The thought of taking a life, of extinguishing someone's existence, sends shivers down my spine.
Fear grips me whenever I approach another person now. My mind becomes a whirlwind of doubts and questions. "Can I truly end their life?" "What if they have loved ones who will mourn them?" "Is this the path I should be on?" "What if they are innocent of any wrongdoings?" These thoughts swirl around me like a storm, each question a lightning bolt of doubt striking my resolve.
I retreated to the confines of my home, seeking solace beneath the covers of my quilt. But even in the safety of my room, I cannot escape the turmoil within my mind. The quilt cannot shield me from the guilt and fear that plague me, nor can it silence the haunting questions that echo relentlessly in my ears.
I long for a reprieve from this torment, a sign that I am not irreversibly bound to this dark path I have chosen. I search for a way to untangle the knots of doubt and fear that threaten to consume me. Perhaps there is a way to break free from the demon's grip and find redemption for the choices I have made.
Yours,
[Anon]
September 13th, 18XX
Dear Diary,
Days have blurred into nights as I've immersed myself in the pages of the enigmatic book. Its secrets whisper promises of a solution, a way to undo the irreversible. The only path it offers, however daunting, is to summon the very demon I once bargained with. I am acutely aware of the risks that lie ahead, the uncertain consequences that may befall me. Yet, deep within, a conviction stirs – a belief that this is the right course of action.
The hours tick by, and the weight of my decision grows heavier with every passing moment. Tonight, I will take the plunge. I will beckon the demon that I am bound to, hoping against hope that it will hold the key to unraveling the darkness that engulfs me. The anticipation gnaws at my insides, a mixture of anxiety and grim determination.
As I prepare for what may be my final act, a thought lingers in my mind – the possibility that this entry might be my last. If fate should lead me to this juncture, know that I embrace it without regrets. These pages have been my confidante, bearing witness to my struggles, fears, and aspirations. If nothing else, I find solace in the companionship of these blank sheets.
There is a bittersweet sentiment that accompanies this closing. I wish we had shared more moments together, dear diary, yet circumstances have led us to this crossroads. Regrets and wishes for an earlier decision tug at my thoughts, but there is no changing the past. And so, dear diary, I bid you farewell for now. May fortune favor me, and may we reunite under brighter skies.
With gratitude,
[Anon]
"Oui! I thought he was really going to kill someone." I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"Me too. Thank goodness, he has a kind soul." Ronald smiled, a gentle warmth crossing his features. But then, as quickly as it came, his expression turned thoughtful. "But... what do you think would happen to him? He's going up against a demon."
I tilted my head slightly. "Who knows. Hopefully it's a kind demon like Lyndall."
Ronald nodded, clearly hoping for the same.
"Or it's an evil demon who might steal his body so it can commit more crimes." I let the words drop with a teasing lilt, mischief curling on my lips.
Ronald's face turned pale, his eyes ballooning. Lips trembled.
"Just joking," I giggled, clapping a hand over my mouth.
"That wasn't funny!" Ronald blurted out, his voice a conflicted cocktail of relief and residual terror.
Still, I couldn't help the laugh that slipped through. "But..."
"NO!!!!" Ronald cut me off with a shout, waving both hands like I'd just summoned a demon myself.
I bit my tongue and raised both hands in surrender. 'Oops. I better stop teasing him before I get addicted to it. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.'
Then—resistance.
The next page wouldn't turn.
"Huh?"
I frowned, attempting again to flip it, but it was stuck. Not glued. Not damp. Stuck.
A shimmer of light flickered from where my fingers met the paper. Like a ripple across water. Tiny golden sparks shimmered between the pages and my hand.
"What's happening, Llyne?" Ronald asked, stepping closer.
"I-I don't know…" My voice felt distant, my body locked in place as the magic reacted.
My heart thumped loudly in my ears. Curiosity and dread clawed up my spine.
Then, slowly, the lights faded. And the next page… revealed itself.
"What was that?" Ronald whispered, both awestruck and alarmed.
I stared at my fingertips. 'That sensation…'
'It's the same. The same as when I punched the ghost.'
'This diary… It's more than paper…?'
"You alright, Llyne?"
His voice pulled me back. I nodded, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for the concern, Ronald."
And then—we read on.
September 13th, 18XX
Dear Diary,
I transcribed the intricate pattern onto the floor, each line and curve crafted with meticulous precision. The room's atmosphere seemed to shift, the air growing heavier as an eerie energy settled around me. The very act of invoking the demon I had once contracted with sent shivers down my spine. My heart raced as a sense of trepidation coursed through me, but I reminded myself that this was a necessary step to break the binding contract.
And then, there it stood – the demon, summoned through the mystic pattern, its presence sending a chill through the room. An eerie smile graced its shadowed features, its eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and something far more sinister. Despite my apprehension, I mustered the courage to greet the otherworldly entity.
"I wish to break our contract," I spoke, my voice wavering slightly but determined. The demon's smile widened, a response that filled me with both unease and a sense of relief.
The demon's response, however, was accompanied by a cryptic condition. There was a price to pay for severing the connection that had bound us. My curiosity piqued, I inquired about the nature of this price, seeking to fully understand the implications of my decision. Yet, the demon's lips remained sealed, its silence a haunting reminder of the enigmatic forces at play.
After a contemplative pause, I reluctantly agreed. It was a gamble – one I hoped would liberate me from the grip of the contract. The demon's powers surged forth, its magic enveloping me in an otherworldly sensation. In an instant, the world around me blurred, and an agonizing sensation washed over me.
It was as if my very soul was being torn from my body, a sensation both disorienting and agonizing. My mind spun, confusion and desperation clouding my thoughts as I futilely resisted the unrelenting force pulling me apart. The world around me faded to black, and my senses were overwhelmed by a dizzying void.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the sensation ceased. My surroundings shifted, and I found myself gazing upon my own body, now possessed by the very demon I had summoned. Devastation washed over me as I beheld the embodiment of my own fears. The demon's triumphant voice echoed through the room.
"Finally! After so many years, I have attained a mortal vessel," the demon exulted, its voice dripping with malevolent satisfaction. "Thanks to that foolish mortal, I am no longer a mere spirit bound by summoning. Now, I shall reclaim my strength and exact my revenge upon the exorcist who once destroyed my corporeal form."
The demon's gaze shifted, its malevolent eyes locking onto me – or rather, the diary I now inhabited. With an unsettling smirk, it approached me, its aura radiating malevolence.
"Normally, I would obliterate you without hesitation, but where's the fun in that? With a fragment of your soul trapped within this human vessel, you will bear witness to the chaos I shall sow in your name."
Its laughter echoed off the walls, sharp and cruel. Then, it turned, stepping through the doorway with a casual confidence only monsters possess.
And I, the voice within the diary, was left to watch—trapped in the pages—as my own body walked away without me.