Every night, the events of that fateful day played through my head again and again. I remembered looking up at the massive towers; watching them seem to bend into the sky overhead. We had to switch elevators as we went to the observation deck at the top. The tower was so tall, no elevator could travel the distance in one trip, so they had a stop-over point half-way up. My ears popped 3 times as we went to the roof! When we finally got to the top, the teacher said it was OK and all of us went around taking pictures.
It was a crisp and windy September morning, and I was glad I brought my thick hoodie. With my disposable camera clutched tightly in one hand, I began snapping pictures near the edge, taking in the beautiful view of New York City skyline below. I could see for miles in every direction!
Each snap and ratchet as I turned the next film exposure into place felt like an adventure! I was lost in the moment when a small, pointy finger jabbed at my shoulder.
"Excuse me," an almost squeaky voice called out. "Could you please take my picture?"
I spun around to see a girl about my age, but she wasn't with the group from my class trip. With a bushy head of curly, black hair, a red sweater, and some bluejeans, she looked like she could have come from just about anywhere.
Seemingly reading my mind, the girl quickly added, "I'm um—with another group. But can you please come over to this railing? I don't want to miss this opportunity!"
I followed her over to the side of the tower she indicated and she squatted down a bit.
"Here," she said, handing me a clunky Polaroid camera. "Aim it down a bit so it looks like I'm over the city."
I took the camera, flipped up the flash and got ready. The girl pulled out a watch and looked at it.
"OK, you have to take the shot exactly when I say 'Now'," she said, looking at her watch, then dropping it and holding up a peace sign. "Ok... and... NOW!"
I pressed the shutter and heard the Polaroid work its magic, squeezing out the perfect recording of that exact moment. But what I saw in the viewer confused me.
"Wait, was that a plane—?" I started before a thunderous crash shook the building.
Effortlessly, and completely unperturbed, the girl glided over to where the impact had knocked me flat on my ass and swiped the picture from the camera. She immediately began the shake it, brimming with glee.
The rest of the people on the roof were like me, shocked and confused, but after a few moments, the screaming started. The rest was a blur. So many people came up from the cafe on the lower observation deck, the teacher tried to get us all together. After a few moments, a charred man arrived, coughing up blood. He told us that the lower floors were an inferno: there was no way out. And with all the smoke, there was to be no helicopter rescue, even if they could get enough to save this many people. As the flames and smoke made their way up higher, a few started jumping from the roof.
Nearby, seemingly oblivious to the commotion, the girl danced and hopped. Sensing my stare, she giddily pirouetted over to me.
"Oh, it's perfect!" she gushed. "You took a perfect shot! Look you can see the plane in the background! You know, they didn't have cameras the last time this kind of thing happened. I've been waiting so long!"
My face must have conveyed the situation better than the scene around us because her mood shifted suddenly from elation to pity, or even concern.
"Are you... okay?" she asked.
"Am I—? Of course not!" I spat. "I'm going to die here just like all these people!"
A timely shudder of the World Trade Center beneath us lent more weight to my words. Everyone else let out a wail, but the girl remained collected, though pensive. She bit her thumb thoughtfully before speaking again.
"Well," she began. "I am kind of in your debt... after a fashion. Tell you what, if you make a pact with me, I'll save your life."
"A pact?" I repeated aghast as the building lurched beneath my feet.
"Yes, dumbass, a pact!" she spat back. "We'll work out my end afterwards. It's gonna collapse any second now. Take my hand or die!"
Without thinking I grabbed the girl's hand and watched, mind awash in relief and horror as I watched her transform before my very eyes. Her skin turned a deep red and a pair of blood-red horns sprouted from her temples. A wicked smile crossed her lips and her words filled my ears as everything around me went blank.
"It's a deal!"
🚽🚽🚽
"Doing your business?" that familiar voice rang out from my shower stall, echoing ever-so-slightly off of the tiled walls.
A moment later, the face of Gabby—my unwanted demonic tormentor—poked out from behind the curtain. After giving the air an exaggerated sniff, Gabby smiled widely. Her deep, red skin somehow took an even more flushed tone as she slinked out of the shower and crawled along the tile floor to the toilet where I was sitting. Placing her hands on my feet, she knelt in front of me, preventing my escape.
"Hey!" I hissed. "Back off! I thought the priest banished you."
"Oh," she chuckled. "I can't believe the two of you fell for that little show I put on. You can't be rid of me so easily~! We have a deal, remember?"
Nosily, Gabby peered between my legs, inspecting the contents of the toilet bowl before letting out a satisfied sigh.
"I see you've been a busy boy," Gabby said, looking up at me with a smirk. "Going to leave a lot for me to clean up, eh?"
With that she stuck her tongue out and dragged her finger down it before pressing the fingertip to my stomach.
"You're disgusting," I huffed.
"What?" Gabby asked. "Just because I want to taste some good ol' man juice? Is that so bad?"
"It's disgusting!" I barked, feeling like a traitorous hypocrite.
It was true that my libido had gotten the better of me in the past when it came to this demon, but I didn't feel like being flirted with by this little brat while I was on the pot.
"Come on~," Gabby pressed on. "You're parent's are out for the week. It's just you and me~. What's a high school boy to do when there's a girl who wants him and will do anything he wants? Anything~"
"You're a demon," I corrected, trying to ignore her steamy breath upon my thighs. "And the things you want to do with me are always disgusting!"
"Oh you mean like how I want you to let me lick and