learn more about the full length novel featuring Tronaugh, The Demon of Petty Disturbances
rough draft of The Demon of Petty Disturbances
page 12
by K. Kylyra Ameringer
"It's ... well ... you see, I asked this girl to marry me and ... well, things didn't exactly go the way I'd planned." The look on Joe's face turned to one of understanding.
"Ah, first love, huh?" he asked. "What happened? Did she turn you down?"
"Yeah, basically," Dick said miserably.
"Well, Dick," Joe said, a ruminative look on his face, "I'm not an unfeeling man. Hell, we've all had it happen to us." He looked down at Dick in a fatherly fashion. "But there are ways to get over it, you know."
"I know," Dick replied, cradling his head in his hands. "I'm trying a few of them."
"Hmm," Joe shuffled next to him and cleared his throat. "Just don't try them out for too long, okay, son?"
The thought dawned on Dick: Joe thinks I'm talking about drinking. Joe was still looking down at him in that fatherly manner, a hand on Dick's shoulder.
"Maybe you should take the rest of the week off. Give you some time to clear your head. How about you just come in on Monday ready for work, okay? We'll start again, like this week never even happened."
Dick nodded his head and mumbled this thanks. Why did I do that? he thought. Why did I let him think I was talking about drinking?
He grabbed his coat, left work and headed home. All the while he analyzed the events of the day. Had it been Tronaugh at work again? He'd made her swear to stop interfering with his life.
He'd explained to her that the situation was actually very simple. Her job was to go and do her stuff to Melissa, not him. He wondered again if her promise was good enough to hold DT in check. It should be. But he hadn't been very specific about DT in the promise. And he was beginning to learn from The Demon of Petty Disturbances that his request had to be thorough and absolute.
Tronaugh had pertly told him when he informed her she was to go and pester Melissa that his instructions were not specific enough. "You must give us clear and concise instructions as to what we are to do," she had told him.
"Well, just go on and bother her. You've been here only a few days and you've driven me nuts! Go and do that to her!"
Tronaugh rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "You simpleton! I can't do that! What triggers one person in a petty disturbance will not necessarily trigger another person. I need specifics. Do you want her to have a bad hair day? Break a nail? Ruin her nylons? Have her fall asleep in the sun and get a sunburn? You have to have a grasp of the threads of time and space!" she lectured at him.
"Fine, fine," he said, "just do that."
"Do what?"
"All of it that you said. The hair, the nail, the burn, the whole works."
Tronaugh sighed heavily and shook her head. "Young man, are you sure you want me to do that?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" he snapped at her. "Now go! Do my bidding!"
That had been early this morning before he'd left his flat. When he returned the place was empty and peacefully quiet. He glanced at the clock. Half-one. He shrugged to himself. He didn't know how long it would take for Tronaugh to give Melissa a bad hair day, a broken nail, ruined nylons and a sunburn, but he was sure it would all get done.
He grabbed a cold beer from the refrigerator and flopped himself down on the couch. Propping his feet up, he leaned back and listened to the slow drone of traffic outside his window. He was so tired ...
It was dark when he woke. There was a smell of sulphur in the air, and two pairs of glowing eyes stared out at him from the darkness.
"We-e-e're back!" Tronaugh crooned. DT brayed down by her side.
Dick groaned and turned to look at the luminescent face of the clock. Midnight. "Everything go as planned?" he asked sleepily.
rough draft of The Demon of Petty Disturbances by K. Kylyra Ameringer
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learn more about the full length novel featuring Tronaugh, The Demon of Petty Disturbances
