THAT'S NICE

“You look different dear.” Martha said. She straightened her granddaughter's shirt. “I like shorter hair, but the horns and red eyes, where did you get such things?”

“I am the deceiver and the beast. I will send you screaming into the void.” her granddaughter said. Her voice sounded like sandpaper on stone.

“Kids and their jargon. I will never understand it. Give your grandmother a hug.” Her granddaughter walked towards her with a smile on her face. Tendrils of shadows snaked around her back and around the scarf on Martha’s shoulder. Her granddaughter jerked away. The smell of sulfur filled the air.

“It is just a cross, it won’t bite you,” Martha said, “You coming in?” She turned to a door and opened it.

“Will there be any witnesses?”

“Don’t worry, you won’t get into any trouble.” It was dark inside. The bench-like seats were the only things visible. They walked to the front and up to a dais.

“I just need to light the candles.” Martha said. Light created shadows. They writhed and snaked towards her granddaughter. Her eyes glowed.
“I hate this lighter” Martha said. There were muffled curses. “God forgive me!” The shadows grew.

Her granddaughter started to intone, “I am the fear and the hate. I will consume--” She saw the cross illuminated by the light. “Not a church!”

“Of course dear, it’s Sunday.” She thrust her cross into her granddaughter's hand. “Be a dear and hold that for me. I need two hands to light the high candles.” Distracted, her granddaughter took the cross.

"Nooo!" The shadows expanded then broke into millions of pieces. They rained down like dust onto the floor. Her granddaughter awoke.

“No reason to hug so tight, Emily.” Martha said.

“I love you grandma.” her eyes no longer glowed.

“That’s nice.”