? Dean's House - Midnight:

  ||| I brought the injured man back to my house. I had no idea what to do with him, especially after he said he couldn't go to a hospital. He looked like a middle-aged man, with dark skin. I tried to stop the bleeding with what little first aid supplies I had - supplies I kept just in case I got beaten up again.

  I was overwhelmed with anxiety and panic. What if this man died in my house? What could possibly be worse than that?! |||

  Dean: "I did everything I could... Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital?"

  Man: "As I told you, I'll die if I go there."

  Dean: "So... that's how it is, huh..."

  Man: [Stares at Dean for a moment] "You really don't understand anything, do you?"

  Dean: "I don't! How did you end up like this?!"

  Man: [Pauses] "My sister and I were attacked. They kidnapped her... chased us down and left me like this. But I managed to escape by diving into the river."

  Dean: [Nervously] "Th-that's horrible...!"

  Man: "I have to save her..."

  Dean: "But how?! You're in no condition to- wait, has the bleeding even stopped?"

  Man: "Hmph... Seems not everyone knows about them... I miss the old days."

  Dean: "What do you mean? Who are they?!"

  Man: [Stares at Dean again] "Why are you so ugly?"

  Dean: [Shocked, lowers his head sadly] "I'm sorry about that..."

  Man: [Smiles] "But... you have a beautiful heart."

  Dean: "R-really?! I... I don't think so."

  Man: "You helped a complete stranger, saved his life, brought him into your home, and treated his wounds without knowing anything about him - and all without hesitation. People like you are rare these days."

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Dean: [Smiles shyly] "T-thank you..."

  Dean (thinking): "No one... no one's ever said that to me before. [Smiles]"

  Man: "Yes, definitely. And I'll reward you!"

  Dean: [Surprised and a bit worried] "R-reward me?"

  Man: "Of course! Tell me - what's the one thing you desire most in this life? [Grins widely]"

  Dean: [Hesitant] "What I want most...?"

  Man: "Yes, tell me - and I'll make it come true! [His grin grows wider, becoming almost sinister]"

  Dean: "Honestly... what I want most is..."

  Man (thinking): [Grin growing more devious] "Say it! Say it, boy...!"

  Dean: "I want to... I want to become..."

  Man (thinking): "Say it and prove to me that you're-"

  Dean: "Acceptable."

  Man: [Goes silent, clearly stunned] "...What?"

  Dean: [Firmly and with confidence] "Yes."

  Man (thinking): "Is this kid really human?"

  Man: "Are you human?"

  Dean: [Startled and anxious] "W-what?! Of course I am! Why would you ask that?! I've been insulted plenty, but no one's ever questioned if I was human before!"

  Man: "What are you saying?"

  Dean: "Never mind..."

  Man: "I thought for sure you'd say you wanted to be handsome... to change the way you look."

  Dean: "Well, that's... [Looks away nervously] impossible. I'm not really interested in that. I don't think there's much difference between being handsome and being accepted. I think they mean the same thing."

  Man: "Hmmmm... Where are your parents?"

  Dean: [Anxiously looks down, voice faint] "They... abandoned me."

  Man: [Surprised] "Really?"

  Dean: [Still looking down] "Yeah..."

  ||| Silence filled the room. Then, a disturbing smile spread across the man's face. His eyes showed a mix of pity, shame, and mockery. He frightened me. I was honestly scared. |||

  Dean: [Worried] "Um... are you oka-"

  |||I couldn't finish my sentence. He let out a loud, echoing laugh while covering his eyes with one hand. His laughter rang through every corner of my grandmother's house. I swear, every hair on my body stood up. He laughed like someone was tickling him... no, like he'd just heard the funniest joke in all of history.

  Well, to him... it probably was a joke. |||

  Man: [Stops laughing, peeks through his fingers with one eye and keeps grinning] "What did you say? You want to be acceptable?! [Loudly and mockingly] Don't make me laugh! [Removes his hand and stares at Dean]

  The boy whose own parents couldn't accept him... wants the whole world to accept him?! What a ridiculous joke!!"

  Dean: [Face saddens, close to tears] "What's so wrong with that?! People can change!"

  Man: "What? People can change? You really are hilarious! Sure, maybe you can change one person... or a small group. But you'll never change how all of humanity sees you - or people like you!"

  Dean: "Then what should I do?!"

  Man: [Grin returns, confident tone] "Agree."

  Dean: "A-agree?!"

  Man: "What's your name, boy?"

  Dean: "D-Dean Frank...furt."

  Man: [Suddenly surprised] "Frankfurt?"

  Dean: "Y-yeah..."

  Man (thinking): "No, no way... it's just a coincidence."

  Dean: "What... what is it?"

  Man: [Smirks evilly] "Ah, never mind."

  |||He raised his hand toward me, as if saying "Join me."|||

  Man: [Confidently] "Look."

  Dean: "Look at wha-"

  |||Dark blue auras, as deep as the ocean, began swirling from his hand - thick and intense. I was more afraid than I'd ever been in my life.

  But... I was also fascinated. |||

  Dean: "Wh... what... what is that?!"

  |||The man kept his confident smile, but the aura quickly vanished.|||

  Man: "Damn it. This body really is finished."

  Dean: "Are you... are you a wizard?!"

  Man: "Listen to me, Dean Frankfurt."

  Dean: [Nervously] "W-what?"

  Man: "Your world isn't as peaceful as you think. There are creatures out there - stronger, scarier, and more hateful than humans - that live among you. You call them... demons."

  Dean: "D... demons?"

  Man: "My sister and I... we're demons. We've been living in this world. But now she's been taken - by those who call themselves 'Exorcists.'"

  Dean: "E-Exorcists?"

  Man: "And I... [Smirks] am their King."

  Dean: [Eyes narrow in shock and fear] "K-King?"

  Man: "My name is..."

  - Dean (thinking): [Panicked and anxious] "What... what's going on?!"

  Man: [Smiling directly at Dean] "...Deus Abrast."*

  ---

  ||| End of Chapter |||