Chapter 8 ~ A Meeting With The Mayor

  The next morning, Lucy is forty minutes early to Dr. Brighton's class. Now that she knows that Dr. Brighton is an expert demonologist, the two of them have to come up with the plan to stop the imp infestation before it gets any worse. After all, Dr. Brighton will be able to tell Lucy what those missing pages of the book really are.

  Lucy sits outside Dr. Brighton's classroom on the cold hard linoleum floor. The door to the woman's office is locked and she doesn't appear to be inside. Lucy knocks a few times to no avail. Eventually her classmates begin to arrive one by one and they all pile up outside of the classroom, but Dr. Brighton is nowhere to be found. It is unusual for her. Very unusual.

  After twenty minutes of waiting, some of her classmates begin to leave. There is an unspoken rule at Robin State College that if your professor is more than twenty minutes late, class is canceled.

  Eventually, Dr. Fogharty peeks out of her office down the hall to notice Dr. Brighton's swarm of students waiting outside the classroom.

  "Dr. Brighton has canceled class," Dr. Fogharty yells down the hallway. "You all can leave now."

  "Why?" Lucy asks. Her voice echoes down the hall.

  "She had a last-minute meeting with the Mayor's office. Something to do with Pumpkin Fest, I think."

  The Mayor? Pumpkin Fest?

  Immediately, Lucy knows what she has to do. She has to find Dr. Brighton and tell her about what happened at Hanaford's last night. What if this is happening all around Robin? What if more people are at risk?

  Lucy runs as fast as she can with her heavy book bag on her back through the streets of Robin, pushing her way to City Hall as fast as possible. It has been quite a while since Lucy has run quite this distance – the last time was probably at softball practice.

  When Lucy makes it to City Hall she is huffing and puffing the crisp autumn air. She is just in time. Dr. Brighton is just making her way up the long steps to City Hall. But when Lucy looks up, she sees something else familiar: an imp. Suspended in air it has its face pressed up against the window to the Mayor's office.

  ~

  "That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard in my entire life," says Mayor Shroud as she folds her arms across her chest. She shakes her head violently as her blonde bob dances back and forth. "This has to be a Halloween prank."

  "I am very serious about this, Mayor," says Dr. Beatrix Brighton as she sits across from the Mayor at a large oak desk. "You have to cancel Pumpkin Fest."

  "I won't do it. I simply won't. This is the 15th anniversary and I won't cancel my event because your academic administration can't get their kids under control. Our community needs Pumpkin Fest now more than ever! One of your students just murdered one of their friends. This is your college's problem. Not mine. And not this community."

  Beatrix takes a deep breath and stares past the Mayor, having her fit. She can see the imp hanging in the window with its face pressed up against the glass as if to mock her. Beatrix is frequently forced to navigate her life through nonbelievers while staying true to her academic focus which is historical demonology. She can't tell the Mayor what is really happening. She would just laugh at her and kick her out of her office.

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

  "Mayor Shroud, I specialize in communities going through transition periods where unstable events have occurred. If you've ever seen a hurricane and wondered why people loot… it's because they feel that they have a right to cause harm because of what has happened to them. This tragic death of Hunter Tanner has affected our students so much that I worry that they are beginning to feel the same way and that's why you have seen so many instances of instability happen around the community. From your window to –"

  "That has nothing to do with that boy's death! That was a politically motivated –"

  "You have no proof of that, with all due respect, Miss Mayor," says Beatrix holding her tongue. "Plus, I should mention what has happened to another student on campus that you might not know about just yet."

  Mayor Shroud sits up on the edge of her seat. "And what is that?"

  "One of our students, Jenny, experienced a psychotic episode. We believe it's related to the one that Richie Dinklage experienced."

  "And?"

  "Well, with Jenny, thankfully we caught it soon enough but unfortunately, she hasn't snapped out of it."

  Mayor Shroud raises one of her pointy eyebrows. "What do you mean hasn't snapped out of it?"

  "I mean that she has become disturbed. Deeply disturbed. And I am not sure if you have heard the latest on Richie Dinklage, but he is suffering the same. They have both been transferred to psychiatric institutions and put on heavy sedatives."

  "Again. What does this have to do with Pumpkin Fest?" the Mayor says plainly. "I have another meeting in five minutes, Beatrix, so you'll need to speed it up."

  "I worry that a gathering of this many people from all over the state, all over the region, really could end in a very terrifying and significant amount of violence."

  "How could you say that? Is that what you want? It's a family friendly event," says Mayor Shroud as she rises from her seat. She slams both of her hands down on the table, causing Dr. Brighton to jump in her seat. "FAMILY. FRIENDLY. Do you understand me?"

  Beatrix says nothing. She just looks past the Mayor and watches as the imp smiles from ear to ear. It raises its finger to the glass and begins waving its pointer finger back and forth slowly.

  Beatrix's stomach turns as she stares face-to-face with the creature. They're really here. In Robin. It's really happening. Beatrix takes a deep breath as she stares into the yellow eyes of the creature, knowing that things are about to get very bad very soon.

  "Now, Dr. Brighton," the Mayor crows. "Pumpkin Fest is going to happen whether you like it or not so I suggest that you get out of my way before I am forced to move you. Do you understand?"

  ~

  Lucy is sitting on the steps of City Hall when Beatrix walks out of the door. She folds her peacoat over her chest and tucks her hands in her pocket, trying her best to avoid Lucy who she knows will bombard her with questions.

  "Dr. Brighton!" Lucy says as she stands up from the steps.

  Beatrix lets out a deep sigh. "Hello Lucy."

  "How did it go with the Mayor? Did she understand the problem about the imps?"

  Beatrix shushes her. "Do not tell anyone about the imps, Lucy."

  "Why?" Lucy asks as she lowers her voice. "They are driving everyone mad! We have to warn people so they know!"

  "Trust me Lucy, I have been dealing with this stuff all my life. It simply doesn't work that way."

  "I read your book. We have to save them. I know how bad this is. I know that it's an infestation!"

  Beatrix pauses and takes Lucy by the shoulders. She looks into her bright green eyes and she lets out a deep sigh. "Lucy, you have no idea how bad this is. You have no idea how bad it is at all."

  "I can help you!" Lucy says smiling. "I can really help you. I want to learn. Please. Please let me help you. I will do anything. I can see them. In fact! I killed one of them last night!"

  Beatrix bites the bottom of her lip as she looks down at Lucy, a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young freshman. Deep down Beatrix knows that the events that are about to unfold are no place for a child. I mean, Lucy technically isn't a child but she still looks like one and quite frankly she still acts like one. To Beatrix, Lucy is a bright young student but a bit of a dote. She can see how the other students treat her even though Lucy doesn't even realize how she is being treated herself. They clown on her na?veté and whisper behind her back. Little naive Lucy Lemon.

  Then again, this is a familiar road for Dr. Brighton and she has been here a few times over the years. It is a lonely road, especially when things get scary. And things are about to be terrifying.

  "Okay," Beatrix says. "Let's talk this through. Do you have time to get some coffee?"

  Lucy meets Beatrix's gaze with determination. "I'm available," she says, her voice low and even. "This is more important than anything else right now."