E'steem: Demons Anonymous Chapter 1 and a note

 I’m feeling a runner’s high as I jog through the tree-lined paths of Riverside Park. Man, these morning jogs are a great way to start a day.

I look up at the sun rising out of the morning sky and realize how late it is. John and I have got to be at the office in about two hours; I better see if he’s getting ready. I slow my pace, slip my iPhone out of its armband sleeve and switch off the Whitney Houston Mp3 I was listening to in my Bluetooth earpiece. After I punch in John’s number the phone picks up on the third ring.

“John Haynes.” John’s voice greets.

“Hey John, just wanted to know if you were up.”

“I just came out of the shower.”

“Great. I should be back up there in about five minutes for breakfast-”

Before I can finish my sentence, I’m startled by a teenage boy who jumps out from behind a tree onto the path. When he points his Glock pistol at me I stop dead in my tracks. “Gimme the cell phone or I blow your brains out lady!” He barks.

John hears the threat and becomes concerned. “E’steem-”

I let him know everything is going to be okay. “John, I’m gonna have to call you back. Looks like I’m being mugged.”

“Don’t hurt him.” John laughs.

I hit end on my cell phone, slip it into the waistband of my running tights and greet my mugger with a friendly smile. The boy becomes frantic on seeing how relaxed I am. “You crazy. How you gonna call him without a phone?”

Time to scare another one of Harlem’s hoods straight. “Because you have to take it from me.” I growl as my brown eyes change into reptile ones.

The mugger’s eyes grow wide on seeing my fingernails change into cloven claws and long Black horns shoot out of my forehead. He shakes so nervously he can barely hold his pistol. “OH MY GOD! YOU’RE A M-MONSTER!”

Demon. I’m a demon. Don’t they ever see the horns?

The panicked thug fires shot after shot at me that echoes in the silence of the empty park. I flash him a smile with my canine teeth as the bullets bounce off my chest. A wet spot begins to form on the front of his sagging pants when I snatch the gun away from him and crumple it in my hands like tissue paper.

“I guess they don’t make boys like they used to.” I jab looking down at his peed up pants.

When I toss the remains of his weapon to the ground, His fight or flight response kicks in. Before he can get two steps, I grab him by the shoulder and a gentle yank sends him tumbling onto the path. Because he’s a kid I’ll let him off with a warning.

The once unrepentant thug is on his knees praying when I make eye contact with him. “GOD, PLEASE DON’T LET IT KILL ME!” the boy pleads with tears streaming down his cheeks.

“It? I’m a she.” I retort smiling at him.

“Please don’t kill me, I don’t want to go to Hell!”

Looks like I’ve convinced him to start walking down the straight and narrow path. “Then you better do what it says in the Bible.” I say. “What was that Commandment again you were breaking just now?”

“Th-Thou shall not steal.”

“That’s the one. You don’t want to have to deal with creatures like me for all eternity now do you?”

“N-No.”

“Then I suggest you go to church every Sunday and follow what’s in that Bible from now on.”

“I-I’ll do that miss.”

“Good. Now go on home to your mama.”

The crying boy springs off the asphalt and scurries up the path running like he has a motor tied to his behind. As I change my face back into its human visage, I hear a round of applause behind me. Looks like I’ve got company. And since I can’t see anyone on the path I have to wonder what realm it’s from.

A flash of light explodes in my eyes and when it dissipates I’m greeted by a tall handsome honey colored young man casually dressed in rinsed blue jeans, a white print button down shirt and black trainers. I greet the sexy stranger with a smile as his dark brown eyes meet mine. “Wow. You really put on a show.” He tells me.

I’d have to say he puts on a show himself. Just looking at this sweet taste of honey is giving me a sugar rush. “Just doing what I can to scare the sinners into saints.” I say. “Sometimes you have to believe there’s a Hell in order to start heading down the road to Heaven.”

“You know the Lord isn’t going to be too happy with you costing him souls.”

Whoever this demon is, he seems to approve of my approach to converting the heathens. “You seem to know a lot about me…”

“Claudius.” The man says extending his hand. “I’ve been reading about your “scared straight” campaign online for the past few months.”

“I had no idea it was that popular Claudius.” I say shaking it.

“It’s all the demons talk about in the E’steem group on Facebook.” He gushes.

I really need to Google myself. “Do you want an autograph?”

“No, I was kind of hoping to ask for your help.”

Help? I’m persona non grata in the realm of Hell. Whoever this is must be very bold to approach me. Or very crazy. “You know I’m no longer part of the Legion. Just being seen with me can get you killed.”

“I know. But we need someone like you to help our cause.”

“What cause is that?”

Claudius reaches into his messenger bag, pulls out a piece of paper and hands me a flyer. “My organization “Demons Anonymous.”

E'steem: Demons Anonymous is a KDP Select exclusive book! You can buy for 99 cents or borrow for FREE if you have Prime on Amazon. It'll becoming to Smashwords soon!  

NOTE: Due to a glitch with Jury Duty (thought I had to serve) I couldn't get a blog written for today. But there will be new one this Sunday. Working on two books and trying to finish up All About Nikki Season 2. So I'm real busy. If you have a gift card, hook a brotha up with an eBook sale or two!