Viral Magic

“Fenrir, I’m home,” Em called excitedly as we made our way into the house. The heavy sound of paws padding against the floor made their way down the hall as Fenrir trotted into the room. Running directly up to Ember he looked on expectantly for a nice rub behind the ears. She knelt in front of him, doing just that as she spoke to him like an infant, “Who’s a good boy, Fenrir? You are. Aren’t you?”

Smiling, she patted his head once more before heading toward her bedroom to change out of her school clothes and undoubtedly leave her things everywhere for me to pick up later. Raising an eyebrow I grinned at Fenrir, mocking the voice she had used, “Who’s the best little doggo in the whole wide world? Is it you?”

Fire sparked in his eyes as he glared back at me, snarling quietly, “Let’s get one thing clear… You ever talk to me like that again I will tear out your insides and make you watch as I eat you alive.”

“Such a scary, wittle pupper,” I laughed, setting my bag on the counter. Reaching toward the ceiling I attempted to stretch out the series of knots I had developed throughout the day; finding my arms would only extend halfway.

“Looks like you took quite the beating,” Fenrir remarked, trotting into the kitchen after me.

“Four demons tracked down her school today. The closer it gets to her birthday…”

Ember entered the kitchen, the fluorescent kitchen light seemingly bending about her as she moved. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and she was wearing her favorite shirt, a Childish Gambino ‘Camp’ tee.

“I can only feel her power growing,” Fenrir said to me, Ember oblivious to his words. “With every day it threatens to break free, refusing to be contained. When her birthday comes…”

“I know,” I whispered solemnly, staring at the floor.

“You say something, Dad,” Ember asked. Concern flickered in her smile as she watched me closely.

“Just talking to myself,” I did my best to flash her a reassuring smile that she wasn’t buying.

“You don’t look so good. Is something wrong?”

“I…”

“Well if it isn’t my favorite people,” Baldur’s voice boomed as he entered the kitchen, taking in the lot of us.

“Hey Uncle B,” Em replied with her signature smile. Her golden eyes however still glanced over toward me like she knew I was hiding something from her.

“How was school today, little star,” Baldur asked, hoisting her in a massive hug.

“It was fine,” She choked through the breath being smothered from her body. “That was when certain, overprotective parents weren’t harassing any boy that so much as dared to talk to me.”

Setting her down, Baldur turned to me, his face aghast with mock surprise, “No? Don’t tell me your father would be caught lurking about your school?”

“Yes, what a shocker,” Fenrir chimed in for me and Baldur to hear. Em of course was unable to hear him thanks to whatever plot device prohibited my having to explain why a dog could speak. Something about having to know he was actually an ancient Norse god to be able to hear him.

“You know, one of these days you’re gonna have to let me fly free of the nest, Dad?” Em, crossed her arms as Baldur stood near her nodding like he wasn’t aware of why I was so protective.

“Yes, and when the day comes you sprout wings and start flying I will find a way to accept it. Until them, I’m pretty sure you have at least some homework you’re supposed to be doing.”

Sighing dramatically she turned down the hallway, tossing her hair behind her, “Cause that’s going to be tonight’s greatest challenge.”

“Doesn’t matter if it’s easy, you still have to do it,” I called after her as she vanished into her room. Every day she didn’t just grow toward the potential some prophecy decreed… every day she grew to be more like her mother. Strong, determined, full of raw, powerful life. Her mother burned so brightly the stars would have been jealous of her. There was no doubt Ember was destined to do that and more.

“Looks like you took quite the whoopin’ today,” Baldur remarked, interrupting my internal monologue.

“Yes I did. I’m also so grateful to have you and Fenrir here to point that out. Not to mention having you be all Mr. “Yeah, can’t believe your dad is lurking about’.”

“That bad huh?” The smirk had fallen from Baldur’s face, concern lingering in its stead.

“Guess so. They’re finding her so much easier these days…”

“It will be alright, Deagan. I’ve seen enough out of you to know you won’t let anything happen to that girl.”

Rubbing my outstandingly sore neck, I muttered more to myself than them, “Well, it may not be up to me.” Stretching my shoulders I looked at the clock. Fifteen till eight. Better get a move on.

“Well as fun as our talks always are... “ I took a step back slowly exiting the room, “If I’m going to stick to the goal I set, then I’ve got an hour to get the first blog post done.”

“Ah yes, you’re parenting blog about what it’s like being a single dad,” Fenrir nodded, as I prepped for the latest spew of sarcasm that was sure to follow. “From changing diapers, packing lunches, performing seances to ward off demons that want to destroy your daughter’s human flesh and baptize her in the flames of hell.”

There it is.

“Who are you writing this for? You do plenty of pointless, dare I say, stupid things; but what do you plan on achieving? Even if people believed you were raising the literal incarnation of evil, how do you think they would react?”

Having spent all day prepared to defend my choice to start writing about my experiences, I shot back, “That’s all irrelevant. I don’t expect anyone to believe my story. Most likely if anyone reads it they will think little more of it than a fictional web series, disguised in the form of parenting blog. Hopefully an interesting one.” I’m a good enough writer to be entertaining, right? “Once again though, besides the point,” I continued. “Because it’s highly unlikely that anyone will read my little post. It’ll be just another story swallowed up by the enormous ocean that is Tumblr.

The Next Day

“Three thousand, five hundred and forty two notes. After just one night…”

Rubbing my forehead I stared at the computer screen in utter disbelief as I watched the numbers slowly rise. “Fenrir is never going to let me live this down.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad, boss. So what if a few people checked out your blog? Shouldn’t that be a good thing?”

I looked up from my seat at the bar to find Scott, Jade Coffee’s award winning barista, clichely using a washcloth to wipe down a glass as he spoke. *Side note for those wondering how I maintain income whilst running around fighting demons all day… See Jade Coffee. Proudly founded and run by yours truly. Well, overseen by me and run by my talented crew such as Scottie boy here. Jade Coffee is the best coffee in all of Fayetteville! Even if our earnings compared to Heartbeat Avenue, might say otherwise.*

“Yeah, I guess on one hand it’s cool my post has garnered such attention after just a few hours, but that’s not really what I wanted when I posted it. I just wanted to write down what I was going through, not share it with the whole world.”

Scott raised his eyebrow curiously at me, continuing to wipe the surely clean glass. “Then why did you put it on social media?”

I cracked my knuckles instinctively as I shot him a defensive glare, “You’ve been talking to Fenrir haven’t you?”

“Nah, it just seems pretty self evident that if you post something on Tumblr, chances are people might read it.”

“I get the concept. I just didn’t expect people to start reading it so quickly.”

Setting the glass aside, Scott rested his hands on the counter, the maple counter sparking to life with red and orange hues as rose petals drifted from his lips, “It’s going to be alright Deagan. In the end, I think you’ll find that this is what you wanted to come from this. Just another success to your already impressive resume.”

Narrowing my eyes, I leaned back in my chair, “You just tried to charm me didn’t you? I can’t believe you actually tried to use magic on me.”

“We’ve been over this, it’s not magic,” Scott rolled his eyes as he stepped away from the counter.

“Magic, demon aura, tomato, potato. There’s no difference when it comes to an Infirmus.”

“Infirmus?”

“A demon by the name of Chadwick called me that yesterday.”

“I’ve never met a demon named Chadwick…”

“Yeah he hated the name. Point is,” folding my arms over one another I tapped my fingers against my satchel, “You know better than to try and use your powers on me. Need I break out Tyr’s hand?”

“Please don’t,” Scott covered his mouth, fighting back the urge to gag. “I helped spread the black plague, and yet I’ve still never seen anything as disgusting as that hand.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“It really, really is.”

As I’m sure you’ve gathered by now, my main man and barista, Scott, is in fact a demon. Why would the man who spends his days fighting these hellborn bastards employ one? Well, to be completely transparent… because he makes one damn good cup of coffee.

While it is true that most demons are cunning, evil monsters, whose sole purpose is to corrupt humanity; they are a rare few who don’t really buy in to Satan’s agenda. Or at least get bored with it. Choosing instead to pursue their own lives disguised as normal people, living a normal existence. Scott is one such demon. So we have came to an arrangement. He works at my shop, his mastery of desire and lust, allowing him to make some unbelievably delicious coffee. He refrains from any ‘evil’ activity, primarily hunting down my daughter. In return I refrain from bashing his chest in with my gauntlet. Scott gets to lead a human life without being murdered, and I get a tasty drink and a boost to my business. So, win win all around. Besides, if he ever decides to return to his legion of hell ways…

“Monologuing again, huh?” Scott asks, pouring me another mocha.

“No, I wasn’t as a matter of fact. Neither did I ask for another drink.”

“Well, not aloud,” Scott shrugged, placing the mug in front of me.

I tried to resist, but could only hold out a long three and a half seconds before I took a sip of the drink, muttering under my breath. “Stupid demon with your stupid reading my desires.”

***

It has been a week since I posted for the first time on this little blog here, and honestly I’m still reeling from the early success of it. From the amount of notes, to the debates in the comments about either the validity of the story, to simply details of the world that is my life. (Fiction or not.) I am even more surprised by the amount of request for me to post again and shed light on some of the questions you guys have. I promise I’ll do my best to slowly get around to all the questions while also revealing new events as they happen. Which brings me to my own question, how to even continue this?

Looking up from my computer I glanced about the living room, which at its core, had changed little from the day it was first moved into. The furniture, royal blue with silver stitching had been a surprise by Autumn, when we first moved into the house not long after getting married. Knowing how much I loved, blues, silvers, and pinks; she had themed the house accordingly. Smiling to myself, I closed my eyes to catch a brief glimpse of her hazel ones. Just like Em’s they had always sparked with gold specks, seemingly full of life as they danced upon the iris as if they might burst free and take flight.

With a deep breath I fought back the wave of memories that would certainly overwhelm me. We will save that plummet for another day. Turning back to my keyboard, I stretched my fingers, cracking my knuckles. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Three and a half hours later….

“Brain, why do you hate me?” I groaned in frustration, softly but dramatically banging my head against the desk again and again. Come you can do this! You wrote twenty eight pages for the first post. What’s a few more?

Inhaling deeply I allowed my fingers to hover above the keyboard for the four hundredth time that night. Okay, let’s do…

A loud crash came from the just outside the house, a monstrous roar following. Oh thank god. Leaping from my chair I snatched Tyr’s hand and raced toward the backyard. If I had to choose between demon fighting and staring at the computer screen any longer; then I was about to start bashing in hellspawn heads with my monitor.

Closing the sliding glass door behind me I stalked quietly across the grass. Just ahead I could make out a shadow, hidden by the darkest staring out toward the road. “About time you decided to check out the disturbance,” Fenrir’s voice growled as the shadow turned to me, revealing Fenrir’s icy blue eyes as they reflected in the porch light.

Drawing beside him I gripped the skeletal hand, ready to summon the gauntlet. Fenrir’s fur stood on its ends. His paws dug into the dirt defensively, claws ready to fight. I would never in a million years admit it to him, but even in his “domestic” form, Fenrir could be pretty intimidating when he wanted to be.

“I came out as soon as I heard the crash.”

“It took the thing trying to bash its way through the protective barriers for you to sense the threat? Typical,” Fenrir huffed.

“Typical of what?”

“You,” he snarled, baring his teeth. “Too distracted by your stupid, little vanity blog to show any kind of awareness.”

Tightening my fist, I shouted much louder than intended, “It’s not a vanity blog. Or stupid! For the last time it’s just an outlet for what I’m going through!!!!!”

Another crash echoed my words as again the protective barrier around the house was struck with enough force to level any human structure. Falling silent I looked ahead into the night, talking softly this time, “Guess we can be grateful for the unlikely coincidence of a stormy night, tonight.”

Fenrir nodded in agreement, “Yeah, it’ll drown you out enough to keep you from annoying the neighbors. I only wish the thunder was loud enough I couldn’t hear you.”

Crossing my arms, I glared down at him, “You really are an asshole aren’t you?”

“Maybe so, but I’m the asshole keeping that thing from coming for your daughter.”

“Yeah, whatever…. Thanks.” Looking back ahead I sighed, “So what is it anyway? It packs a heavier punch than most demons I’ve seen.”

“Oh it’s not a demon,” Fenrir remarked, raising his head toward me. “Take a look.”

Touching my hand against his snout, my body jolted back as I felt my eyes shift, the world changing with it as I gained Fenrir’s enhanced sight. Peering through the darkness I could make out the shape of it, standing in the neighbors yard. “Is that a horse?”

Fenrir cackled to himself, “That’s not just any horse there, buddy. That right there is the white horse of the apocalypse. The one your baby girl is supposed to ride upon as she conquers the world. According to Revelations 6:2, anyhow.”

Pulling my hand from Fenrir, my normal sight returned as I narrowed my eyes in the general direction of where the horse stood, “You have got to be kidding me? As if I don’t have enough evil spirits to keep away from her. How did it even find our house? More importantly,” I turned to him curiously, “Since when are you capable of quoting bible verses?”

“It’s called prep and research. I know you and Baldy have never been fond of the concept, but I like to know what I’m dealing with when I take a quest. Besides, I probably know more about what the ‘good book’ says than most christians. Don’t forget I watched my people be slaughtered and forced to abandon their beliefs in favor of christian invaders.”

For a moment there was something rare in Fenrir’s eyes. Sadness, loss, centuries of watching the world pass him and his people bye. Fenrir was an ass to me. However, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him.

“Anyway,” Fenrir huffed, sniffing the air, “He smells tasty, and I haven’t had horse in awhile.”

“You are not going to eat him,” I replied, concealing a grin. “What would you do with a whole horse? Besides, I have a feeling that eating an apocalyptic horse might be bad for your health.”

“Maybe so. Want me to run him off at least?”

“No, just keep an eye on him till morning. We will deal with whatever we have to then.”

Reaching down I scratched behind Fenrir’s ears, watching him struggle to keep from wagging his tail. Like any dog he loved pets and scratches, but being him, he was way too prideful to admit it. “Good night Fen,” I said before turning away and heading to bed. He was silent as I left, but when it came to us I knew the lack of sarcasm meant more than he could say.

***

“Well, it looks like our hoofed friend is here to stay.” Standing in the driveway the next morning, Fenrir and I looked across the road as Mr. Selph, our neighbor, stood in his backyard. He was smiling while brushing the horse’s bleached mane. Noticing our eyes on him, he waved at me, “Morning Deagan.”

“Mr. Selph,” I replied, returning the wave. “Got yourself a new house pet?”

Letting out a hearty laugh he shouted back, “Yeah I think he’ll be able to curl up at the end of my bed just fine!”

“What um… Why the horse?”

“I don’t know,” He shouted with a shrug as the horse whinnied happily next to him. “I just woke up this morning with the random urge to buy a horse. Always loved them when I was a young boy. Figured an old man might as well spend his time with things that’ll bring him joy!”

“Yeah I get that,” I replied, scratching the back of my head. “But are you sure this doesn’t break our homeowners agreement? Or you know… a city ordinance? Animal rights?”

Taking a puff from his tobacco pipe, he blew a smoke ring as he shook his head. “Those were my initial concerns, but apparently I have exactly enough room on my land and the right conditions to keep him. Hell, you only need six hundred and sixty six square yards according to city hall. Which I have precisely if you can believe it.”

“Oh I can believe it,” I muttered more to myself. Wishing Mr. Selph a good day I turned back to Fenrir. “Well guess this is a new part of life now.”

“My offer still stands to eat him.”

“You are not eating an old man’s horse! Besides,” I looked back across the street, making eye contact with the massive beast. “I don’t think he is a threat to us or Em. For now at least. Until he is, we give him the same benefit of the doubt as we give Ember.”

Fenrir shook his head as I headed for the house, “You and your giving people chances. You know not everyone deserves that luxury, right?”

“Yeah well that’s what everyone would say about Em and look at her. Anyway we don’t have time for anything else. Me and you have a date with your flea bath.”

“As if,” Fenrir laughed coldly, stopping in his tracks when I kept moving forward. “Wait, you were joking right? Cause if you even attempt to put me in that tub I will do to you what I did to Tyr.”

***