"Steve"

"Ms. Mallinger, you understand you are being charged with murder? I'm the only one who can help you now but you will have to talk to me."

I blinked. I blinked again. An overwhelming feeling of hope made me tear up before crashing to utter despair. My lawyer watched me warily. This was our fourth meeting but this time I was fully in control of my body.

"Please help me." I whispered as tears ran down my cheeks.

"Ms. Mallinger, your silence has worked to an extent but you need to talk to me. I can't help with your defense if I don't know your side of the story. Are you ready to tell me what happened that night?"

"Kate, I'm Kate. And you're going to think I'm crazy." I looked down at my shackles. "I almost believe I am and I lived it."

"No matter how crazy it sounds, Kate, I still need to hear your side of what happened that night."

I shook my head, marveling that I could move the way I wanted when I wanted. And that I was finally able to speak. "No, I'll have to start a few months before so you have a chance of understanding what happened."

"Alright. Do you mind if I record what you tell me?" I gave a half shrug. To be honest, my life was already over so what did it matter? "Kate, is that a yes I can record our conversation?"

"Yes, you can record it."

She placed a small device in front of her. "Let's begin."

***

It was a normal Tuesday. Not too hot, not too cold. I went to work like any other day and after work me and Jen went out for tacos. There's a little known hole in the wall bar that has the best and cheapest tacos on Tuesdays. Anyhow, Jen and I get there, we sit in our normal table, have our usual order. No big deal. It's routine, regular, fun. And then these two studs walk in with their supermodel arm candy, which catches our attention before they start heading straight for us. Jen was sipping on a half full beer and I still had a taco I was nibbling on. The guys stop at our table and stare at us, odd but hey.

"Can we help you?" Jen studies the four over the rim of her glass.

"Could you, uh, maybe, uh, move or something so, uh, we could sit here maybe?" The younger of the two says, his eyes darting around the room.

"Uh, no. We are still eating and there are plenty of open tables." Jen said setting her drink back down. I was so shocked that I could only blink at their audacity. The guy swallowed nervously, nodded and started to walk away but the girl with him planted her feet and wouldn't budge.

"Ray-Ray, I want this table." She pouted. "She's done eating." And with that statement she swept my plate onto the floor.

"Hey! You owe me a taco." I said jumping to my feet as the other girl knocked Jen's beer onto her lap.

"Looks like you're both done here." The second girl nearly growled. There was something off with her eyes but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

I grabbed Jen's arm before she could react and dragged her with me to the bar where Justin was staring in shock. He offered and apologetic smile.

"I saw the whole thing. Thanks for not making a bigger scene. Tonight's on me for that and you can have free tacos next Tuesday for dealing with that." We protested but in the end left him a big tip before heading out. The weird girl made eye contact with me as I walked out the door. If felt as if an icy hand grabbed the back of my neck. Me and Jen went our own ways after that, she needed to change and I'd had enough of people for the day.

Besides the normal "Can you believe this?" talk, I kinda forgot about the whole incident. I'm not one for confrontation and they weren't regulars so I'd probably never see them again. The next week, Jen had the flu so I went straight home instead of going for tacos. The next morning I saw it on the news. The girl that had given me the heebie jeebies had gone back with her friends for tacos. There were only two occupied tables in the whole place. Her and the other girl once again demanded one of them and caused a scene. Only the two biker guys weren't having it. There were angry words exchanged as well as flying food and drinks from both parties. Justin called the cops just before the real horror. The girl with the messed up eyes? She ripped out their throats. With her teeth. Not just the dudes who refused to move, her friends too because they wouldn't help her. Thank goodness Jen had the flu.

Some of the story Justin told us later and some was on the news. Then three days later, the girl was dead too. Suicide. Somehow drank poison while in prison. Does that sound possible to you?

Anyhow, we went on with our lives. Horrible, senseless tragedy aside, life keeps going forward. About three weeks after that, I went to a coworkers party. A get together just because. I'm sure we called it something but honestly we just wanted to let our hair down. Jen and Justin met me there and that's when I knew something was going on between them. Despite what people are saying now, I was truly happy for both of them. There was drinking and music and games involving drinking. There may have been drugs but I've never been into that myself. The party started wrapping up, those with DD's got taken home. A few people used apps to call for rides. Me, Jen, Justin and Stacey were offered to stay the night. We all accepted. None of us were stupid enough to try driving impaired. I forget who else was there but there were six or eight of us.

We continued drinking and chatting until someone found the Ouija board. Drunken partiers with a Ouija board? No thank you! We left the three who wanted to mess with it upstairs while the rest of us went to the basement. Stacey found a book and was showing it around trying to figure out what language it was. I couldn't translate it but I knew enough to recognize it was Latin. Then Justin and another guy, Marc? Maybe. Anyhow they flip to a random page and start trying to read the words which we all found hilarious because they had no idea what they were doing. It just looked like a regular book. No drawings or anything to make us stop and wonder what exactly they were reading. Anyhow, they butcher the page and Stacey put the book away. That was it. I went to the bathroom. I remember Jen asking to be let in. I said sure but when I opened the door she was on the other side of the room. We all had a few more shots and we passed out. I woke up the next morning with a killer headache but figured I was due a massive hangover.

So far, nothing too weird right? Well, this is where everything went to hell. Literally went to hell. The next day I had a headache, like I said and I felt off all day. I felt like I was moving underwater, I was slow and everything seemed distorted. Almost like how it feels when you are coming down with a major sickness. It was a weekend so I was able to sleep and relax the rest of the day. I remember having strange dreams but no details, just waking up thinking "that was weird". The next day my headache had gone away but I still wasn't feeling right.

Have you ever had a high fever and had that feeling of surrealness? Like you're living in a fantasy world instead of the real world? I don't know how well I'm describing how I felt but trying to remember certain things is like trying to recall and elusive dream a week later. You can remember general feelings but not exact details. That's how the next few days were for me. I call in to work for two days but I didn't think too much of it, the flu was still making the rounds. It wasn't until the third day of missing work that I started to worry, not because I was still feeling sick. The flu can last for a week after all. No. I was losing my mind, I was sure of it. I would be reading a book, blink, and I would find myself in a completely different room doing something else. I became obsessed with looking at the clock because I was losing chunks of time too. I know I sound like a crazy alien conspiracy nut job but it wasn't like that! I could foggily remember somethings but it was if I was a bystander in my own body. Able to observe but not act on my own. It scared me so much that I went to Jen for help.

She had been calling to check up on me every day and this time I asked her to come over. The episodes were becoming more frequent and I was more aware during them. Jen was at my place within twenty minutes of me calling her. She's always been the most amazing friend, she always has time for her friends. When she showed up, I just started crying because I was so relieved to have someone on my side who would help me. When I calmed down, I opened my mouth to tell her everything that had been going on and. No. Words. Came. Out. I felt as if I was choking on the words I was trying to say.

Jen was looking at me with concern and I was freaking out. So I ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. I stood, leaning on the sink staring into the mirror panting, when I noticed the same strangeness in my eyes that I had seen in that girls. I barely made it to the toilet before becoming violently ill. Jen was knocking on the door and I was going into full panic mode. What the hell was happening?

Next thing I knew, Jen was driving me to the hospital. She was talking but it was as if I was underwater trying to hear her. My head nodded once in a while but I wasn't doing it. I fought to hold my whole body still but I wasn't in control. I tried yelling at Jen but not even a squeak came out. I don't know if I passed out or blacked out or what but when I was aware again, there was a doctor talking to Jen about the flu and dehydration. They kept me overnight to give me fluids and to keep an eye on me. No one seemed overly concerned so I guessed my check out went unnoticed.

It was while I was alone in that hospital room at two in the morning when things shifted again. I pretended to be asleep when the nurses looked in on me but there was no way I was actually going to let my guard down. It was just after one of these visits that I heard it. It sounded like a radio with poor reception at first but slowly the channel became clear.

Kate I know you can hear me now. Let's have a chat.

"What th..." I managed to half sit up before my whole body seized up.

Now, now. I can take over and will. No need to talk out loud. I'll release your body but not your vocal chords. Let's try this again.

The voice wasn't feminine or masculine, but almost a growly, raspy animalistic sound. I found I could readjust myself in the bed. My thoughts were racing.

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?

Softly, Kate. No need to scream. I am a demon.

Pictures of that stupid party flashed through my mind. Did we summon a demon somehow? A growly chuckle echoed in my head.

Nothing at that party summoned me. You were marked that night at the bar.

You were controlling that woman at the bar, the one who dumped the beer on Jen! Why?

I'm a demon. I like mayhem and chaos.

How can you possess me if I didn't summon you?

Silly mortals. I marked you the night at the bar but you granted me access the night of your party. I asked to come in and you said sure. I had already turned my previous vessel over to my boss and was waiting for my opportunity to move in undetected. Wouldn't have done for you to reject me before I was fully established.

What do you say to that? Being marked by a demon, having one take over? It sounds insane, multiple personality disorderish even but I assure you it was a true demon. So I demanded its name. If you know a true name you hold power, at least that was the only theory I had.

Hmm. Call me Steve, like you ex.

We had other interactions but nothing that revealed much, certainly nothing that offered me a way out of my predicament. Even more terrifying? "Steve" was slowly taking control of me and no one noticed! If he did or said something odd, everyone chalked it up to me having been sick. He gave me less and less time in control until he had completely pushed me to the side. But I was completely aware. All. The. Time. Funny how my body was suddenly able to function without sleep. That leads us to that night.

I want to stress that I was completely awake but it was like watching a movie or a video game clip. I could see my hands doing these things but I couldn't DO anything to stop it. "Steve" just laughed at my screams and pleading to stop. I had to watch the video of what happened, I know what it looks like but it wasn't how it seemed. "Steve" manipulated the whole situation to make it look like a jealous rampage gone wild.

Jen, Justin and I decided to go out to a bar that had dancing. They had admitted being together and I think it was Jen's way of trying to find me someone. It started out okay but I knew "Steve" had a plan. I couldn't read his mind unless he let me or if he was really distracted. I was getting flashes of gushing blood, screaming and pandemonium but I had no idea exactly what he'd planned. I swear!

"Steve" made a move on Justin in front of Jen and was gently rebuffed. Jen looked really hurt so "Steve" went to get her a drink as an apology. I thought he had dropped that date rape drug into the drink but I was wrong. I tried to drop the glass or spill it but nothing happened. Jen downed it in two big gulps. "Steve" was grinning, I could FEEL the grin and it only got bigger as Jen began to foam at the mouth. "Steve" actually laughed as she began to vomit blood. I mean she shot it half way across the bar before she fell to the floor convulsing.

Justin was hysterical, trying to hold her and screaming for help. He never saw the bar stool coming. "Steve" smashed the stool onto Justin's head over and over until only a bloody lump was left. There were screams and utter chaos.The stool had broken, leaving a sharp metal leg in "Steve's" hand. He went through that bar stabbing and smashing anything he could while screaming about hating love and relationships. And when the police came? You saw the video. He put the weapon aside, knelt in Jen and Justin's blood and kept his hands up so they wouldn't shoot.

Shit. Have to be careful here Kate. One wrong move and they'll kill you instead of arrest you. Can't have that now. I have to fill my quota this time or I'll be sent back to hell.

***

"He suddenly left today when you said I was being charged with murder." I began to sob because of all horrible things I had witnessed and because I was grieving for the loss of my friends. "Now my life is over because of him and I sound like a lunatic!"

My lawyer leaned forward and placed her hand on my arm. "I can help you, Kate. Yes, your whole account sounds a bit insane but I believe you. I truly believe "Steve" did all of these horrible things but it was your body on the video. No jury will ever be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that you are innocent. This is where I can help you because instead of trying to prove the impossible, we are going to make a deal."


This was the latest journal entry of Kate Mallinger. It shows that she is still suffering from delusions of demons and that she believes herself innocent of any crime. Further proving her detachment from reality is the choice of describing her lawyer as a woman. It is our recommendation that Ms. Mallinger's court mandated commitment to this facility (Howard's Psychiatric Wellness Institute) be extended for life, unless she regains her mental capacities in which case her death sentence will then take effect.