The Mistaken Hero

 

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Introduction

A demon forces Aaron to shoot a man, but he didn't realize the man's being chased by police for kidnapping a little girl.

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Rebecca Minton Westerman

Nicely done!

Chapter 1

“On and on and on,” Aaron screamed at the windshield. Belting out lyrics always helped him stay awake when he drove at night. “We are the cha–”

The car jerked to the left on its own and Aaron slammed on the breaks. His headlights cut through the tree line, landing on a dark figure. He blinked and looked again, sure he was seeing things. His knuckles turned white around the wheel. “I’m losing it,” he mumbled.

A stinging cold ran through his veins. Aaron’s body tensed and his foot lifted off the break without his permission. “Not quite,” he said, but it’s not his voice. “I was there, but now I’m here.”

What’s happening? he tried asking. His voice didn’t work. Help! What’s going on?

A sigh came from his throat. “I only have an hour to prove myself to the boss. Stop fighting and this will be over soon.”

Over? What will be over? What is this? Aaron screamed in his head.

“You’re friendly demonic possession. No worries.”

Aaron’s hand moved without his consent, popping the trunk. His legs were stiff as he got out of the car and walked around the vehicle. Under the carpet was a loaded rifle left from a weekend hunting trip.

Put that back, he shrieked at the demon.

“No can do.”

He leaned across the hood, pointing the rifle at the bend in the road. Seconds later a vehicle came hurtling toward them. His finger curled around the trigger.

No!

The rifle kicked back, bruising his shoulder, and the van careened off the road. The front end landed in a ditch with the back tires spinning in the air.

What did you do? What did I do?

A smile spread across his face, but inside his stomach churned.

“Thou shalt not kill,” the demon whispered calmly.

Sirens sounded and the darkness became filled with blue and red flashing lights. “Hands up,” an officer shouted.

Aaron’s body obeyed while the demon laughed in his head.

“She’s here,” another officer shouted. “Safe.”

Aaron’s eyes popped. “What?”

“Perp’s dead. Head shot,” called another.

The first officer stalked toward Aaron, his gun holstered now. “You just saved a little girl’s life.”

Aaron watched a cop pulled a little girl, covered in rope and duct tape, from the back of the van.

“Not again,” the demon hissed. “I’m so screwed.”

Searing heat rolled through him and he stumbled back. The pain belonged only to him again. Aaron wasn’t sure whether to cry or scream or both, but it was all he could do to stay on his feet.

“We need you to come downtown for questioning,” the officer told him. “But I’d say you’re more of a hero than anything.”

A hero? He just murdered someone… Only it wasn’t him. He glanced at the woods again. The same dark shadow stood amongst the trees, pulling his hair out. Two more figures appeared beside him and a screech echoed through the woods before all three vanished.

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