Emma groans as she sits in front of her laptop at the table. “It’s so boring here,” she says to herself. She continues to browse around various sites, searching for excitement. But, to no avail, not a single spark of enthusiasm from her computer. Feeling a need to pass time, the warthog gets up from her seat and starts walking toward one of the bookshelf aisles close by. That’s when she stops in her tracks and notices it; an opened book laying on the floor. “Oh, what’s this?” She glances at the cover. “Dark Arts for Dummies?” Picking it up, Emma scans the contents within the pages, which conjure a look of shock on her face. “Oh my God!” The warthog takes out her phone and starts texting to her friends: “I’ve got something interesting we need to try!” After her friends respond back and ask what it is, she responds: “Help me get all of the ingredients first!”
Number 1: Candles
Winnie walks around the home décor section of the store, searching around and glancing at her phone to refresh her of one of the ingredients. “Biggest home décor section and there’s no candles?!” She turns the corner down one of the aisles and takes notice of a big box labeled “dinner candles” on it. “Eh, good enough me.” The chicken walks past the stock cart, bends down, and picks up the box with both of her feather hands.
As she ambles away, a worker in a green apron stops and notices her leaving. “Miss,” utters the worker. “Where are you going with those? We haven’t stocked those yet.”
“Uh oh…” Winnie pretends she can’t hear them and continues on.
Number 2: Black Rose Water
Zach shows up in the garden area, putting his phone away after reviewing his friend’s text. “So, Emma wants black rose petal water…” He looks around the area. Rows of shelves line the entire space, all stacked with various and colorful plants and flora. “Um… this will be a bit tricky…” He finds a worker dressed with just a green apron. “Excuse me… Can you tell me where I might find black rose water?” The employee points to the back row. “Thank you.” The fox makes it to the designated area, where he sees the black rose water on the top shelf. “Ah! Perfect!” He stretches his arm for it. Not able to reach it, he stands on his toes and quickly grasps it. “Got it! Whoa!!!” His balance gives way, causing him to knock into the large shelf case. “Uh oh!” He and the case collapse to the ground, even knocking other shelves along as if they were standing dominos. The garden department becomes clouded with dust from the falling furniture. Zach quickly gets up and surveys the surroundings. “Uh… oops…” He quickly gets up and ambles away with the bottle.
Number 3: Chalk
Ralph searches the office supply section and looks around for the last item sent to him via his phone; Chalk. “I wonder why Emma needs chalk.” He’s directed into the aisle of chalkboards by an employee and looks around. Once taking notice of some pieces of chalk, he picks them up in his paw. “This ought to do.” He goes to grab another, which knocks some erasers onto the floor and generate a chalk cloud, which engulfs him. “Oh no…” Becoming immersed into the grey fog, the rabbit lets out a reaction. “Ah-choo!” Bless you. His sneezing becomes frequent with more time standing there, so he scurries off, sneezing and coughing.
***
Nearly twenty-minutes later, after everyone arrives at Emma’s place, the friends have set up a pentagram in the middle of the cleared away living room. Around the outside are lit candles, which are the only lights brightening the dim room.
“Okay,” starts Emma, holding the opened book in her clutches. “That looks about right. Yep! Smells nice with the candles Winnie got, and the dark rose water from Zach. Now, all that’s left is to say the incantation.” The other three animals stare quietly.
“Uh, you sure about this, Emma?” Ralph questions, breaking the quiet. “What if something bad comes out of that thing and harms us?”
“Oh, I’m sure it won’t be too bad, Ralph,” she tells him. “Demons are usually loyal to their summoners and obey. Shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I don’t know about this,” Winnie spurts. “I still think this is a crazy idea.”
“Yeah,” agrees Zach. “I second that.”
“All right, fine,” Emma says. “We’ll take precautions, okay?” After much configuration, the four decide to don protective gear and arm themselves with weapons. Of course, I mean makeshift armor made from cardboard boxes, kitchen wares, and sports gear. As for the weapons; pretty much a pan, baseball bat, and a kitchen knife. Emma, now wearing a soldier helmet made of plastic, raises her book. “Okay, we all ready now?” She begins to speak. “For thou who lives trapped in flame and clay, heed this call, rejoice and pray.” Ralph holds his paws closer to his mouth as the room glows cyan. “Gather upon thy mortal door…” The candles start to burst and rise in mass, which causes Winnie to stand behind Zach for protection. “Break the gates, and emerge once more!” The pentagram upon the floor opens and spits out a sphere, which forms in the center of the markings, floating in the air. The ball’s outer rings begin to push in and out like waves in the ocean.
The gang ready themselves as a dark shape appears before them. Once the light dims, the silhouette now stands before the gang, showing to have horns, bat-like wings, and a devilish tail. Huge, glowing, amber eyes materialize from its head. The figure is revealed to be an imp, far shorter than Emma, with burgundy skin.
The imp rubs his eye as if waking from a long sleep. “Ugh, out of all the demons in the netherworld to be summoned, it had to be me…” He looks upon the group in front of him. “What? Never saw a demon before?”
“That’s it…?” Winnie says, coming out from behind the fox. “This is what we get?”
The demon crosses his arms. “Well, what were you expecting, Toots? A tall, muscular, macho devil with goat legs to pleasure you? Another world.”
Emma smiles. “Oh my God, it worked! I can barely contain my excitement!”
The imp smiles. “And I can barely contain mine. Perhaps we should help each other with our ‘excitement.’”
Zach lets out a chuckle. “Okay, he’s an interesting character. What’s your name, little guy?”
“Don’t underestimate me,” says the imp. “You won’t be laughing after that. Name’s Igor, by the way.”
“Igor?” repeats Ralph. “I thought you’d have more of a Latin-based name.”
“Not all of us downstairs do… We have names not tied to that stupid, fictional book you mortals read for guidance and morals…”
“So, Igor,” starts Zach. “What do you do?”
“What do I do?” the imp repeats. “Just an average imp that sits around and does basically nothing.”
“We summoned a demon who is useless to us then?” Winnie queries. “Well, great… Just great…”
“I have powers, you know. I’m capable of doing stuff.” He smiles. “Though, there are others things I can do that are more ‘pleasuring.’”
“I’m good, thanks…”
“So, now what?” Ralph asks.
“Welp, you four summoned me. So now, I’m stuck in your world, and stuck with you guys. Hope you are happy.”
“I am,” Emma tells him. “You have no idea how cool it is to have your very own demon!”
“Hm. Well if you’re happy, then I guess I’m sticking around with you, Toots.”
“Don’t call me ‘Toots.’ My name’s Emma. And these are my friends; Zach, Ralph, and Winnie.”
“Well, mortals. What be on the agenda?”
“Wait,” Winnie interrupts. “What do you mean you’re stuck with us now? Can’t you go back to your realm whenever you desire?”
“Oh gee, I haven’t thought of that,” Igor says sarcastically. “Let me just snap my fingers and vanish back into the world I came from.” He snaps his fingers. “Well, what do you know? Nothing… It’s not like I can go back there, anyway… I was marked before I left…”
“Marked?” questions Ralph.
“The other demons don’t want me around. To them, I’m nothing more than a nuisance. Outcasted…”
“Aw, you poor little imp,” Emma spurts. “You’re welcome to live with me. I don’t mind having you around.”
Igor smiles and points to the warthog. “I like you already. The rest of you could use some work.”
Winnie turns to Emma. “You are okay with this? Keeping a demon imp as a pet? What if he’s out of control?”
“Hey!” shouts Igor. “Who you calling ‘pet?’ At least I know how to use a toilet!”
“I don’t mind,” Emma tells Winnie. “Will be interesting keeping him around.”
“Heh,” Igor chuckles. “I appreciate your generosity, Warts.”
“All right,” Zach begins. “What do we do now?”
“Well, I don’t know about you lot, but I could use a drink.”
“You want some water?”
“What? No, you idiot! I’m talking the real, good stuff! You know, beer, ale, lager, and the sort! There’s nothing good down there for me.”
“Sorry, but I don’t have any alcoholic beverages,” Emma claims. “But, if you want, we can go to a bar. Not like we have anything else to do.”
“How about we go to mine?” Ralph suggests. “I get an employee discount.”
Winnie turns to him. “Really? Didn’t know that. I would’ve gone to you sooner.”
“Lead the way, Bunny man,” Igor utters.
***
The four friends sit at one of the tables of Ralph’s pub, along with their new companion. They take their time with sipping on their shots, while Igor downs bottles of hard ale.
“Geez, Igor,” Winnie comments. “Slow down.”
“You don’t… have to worry about… me, Toots,” Igor tells her, wobbling and struggling to balance on the table. “I can… handle it…” He lets out a hiccup, signaling he is drunk.
“Okay, it’s obvious you’re drunk… I think you’ve had enough beer for the night.”
“Hold up,” Igor interjects. “Since when… do you command me… on what to do?”
“We summoned you,” Winnie claims. “That means you have to do as we say.”
Igor points to her, still wobbling and heaving. “Don’t get any ideas… Toots. I may be bonded… by you four, but I still can do what I… want.” Emma can barely contain her laughter. Igor turns to her. “What are you… snickering about, Warts?”
“I’m sorry,” Emma says between giggles. “But just seeing you hammered is too funny. It’s cute.”
“You think… I am cute…? Listen here, Warts… I oughta…” He takes a step forward toward her, only to slip and fall off the edge onto the floor in front of the warthog. “Ugh… Do you know… how filthy this floor is…? Get away!” He blows on the floor. “Damn… spiders…” Emma’s smile has extended to its max as she continues to snicker. The moment is too funny for her, as well as Winnie, who can barely keep it in.
Even Zach lets out a chuckle. “Okay, maybe Igor isn’t so bad.”
“Let’s keep them coming, then,” Ralph suggests with a smile on his face. “I feel like we’ll be here all night.”
***
Back in Emma’s living room, the candles, having been extinguished before, regain their flames. The floor where the pentagram is marked begins to open up and light the room in cyan once more. Out of the base comes a shadowy hand, which anchors itself onto the wooden surface. The shadow climbs up from the portal and stands to its feet before it closes behind it. The silhouette wanders about, searching around the area, until it stops and zeroes in on a selfie picture of Emma. It walks up to the photo, keeping its focus on the warthog in the frame. The darkened creature changes shape to match the form of the picture before marching out the door; phasing through it.
