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Written by Nickin Alexander
Concept by Patricia Tamayo

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Magic started to die when technology stomped in.

Magic became hard…it became the artwork that no one was bothered to learn, the stain that was once a delicious meal… technology was easier.

You didn’t need to make an incantation or study ruins or spells or channel any energy. You could press a button, watch a screen and talk over long distances without moving a muscle….and so, Slowly, old Mages struggled to find students.

Most kids deciding that they’d rather make money or learn something constructive over a lost artwork that no one gave a shit about.

Magic died out….and with it, so did Demons. Exceptionally tall humanoid creatures from a parallel world that took the shape of different animals around Earth. All with specific jobs that they studied for ….Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants….just like us.

But with one difference.

They were experts in and born in Magic.

And because of that…their existence in our world started to dwindle as well.

Which begged the question.

Why the fuck was there one standing next to Charlie’s Grandmother, in their kitchen… on a Sunday evening.

Charlie was still in his work clothes… This weekend, like last weekend, the weekend before that…and like many more weekends in the past, was a weekend of work.

He had spent this Sunday dragging his own arse to the office for some overtime.

Charlie had swapped church with his Ammachi for eating lunch from a Tupperware container, by himself, in an empty office.

His absence in the house meant she would barely see him. He even noticed a change in everything she did…she looked more tired and drained, like seeing him tired had made her tired as well.

Maybe his stress was rubbing off on her…which he understood.

She’d barely got a word out of him most mornings, as he whisked a banana away for breakfast. And she would barely catch him later that night as he scoffed whatever dinner was left on the table.

SO naturally he could understand why she’d feel lonely…

But lonely enough to read some old incantation and bring this Humanoid Dog looking thing into their home?

That seemed excessive.

“Look dude, can you just explain why you’re here,”

A forgotten question that seemed so obvious as he walked in through that dimly lit hall, and laid eyes on the tall brown-haired, yellow-eyed, creature that stood a foot and half taller than his grandmother in their ageing yet cozy kitchen.

Charlie had expected his Ammachi’s laughs to be because an aunt or family friend stopped by. Not a tall Dog-Demon blabbering in their native tongue of Malayalam, helping her cook omelettes.

He spent the first 10 seconds in shock as he watched them talk endlessly. His Ammachi hitting the Demon’s shoulder as he joked and carried on. The Demon chopping onions and chilli, chatting back in a language most people didn’t know existed.

It was unnerving, to say the least.

It wasn’t until his presence couldn’t be ignored for any longer did they notice him. His Ammachi casually patted the shoulder of her new friend, teasingly saying that she got tired of being alone and decided to summon some company. A sly dig at her tired and tempered Grandson.

Charlie knew it was all bullshit…Demons were only summoned for a real purpose…not to be a fucking Penn Pal.

“Right right…sorry ….,” Its expression changed from a smile to a slight shade of nervousness….It must’ve noticed Charlie’s steely eyes throwing deadly daggers.

“…Charles was it? Can I call you Chuck? ….maybe you wanna take a seat”

His voice was silky and smooth…like a James Bond Villain.

Charlie exhaled …his eyes refused to break from those bright, yellow pupils… no one ever called him Chuck.

Only Charlie and Charles.

It ignored his leer and decided to start talking again.

“So…ah maybe I should introduce myself….my name is Maximus…you can call me Max if you want..”

“Max?” Charles replied with a sneer, chuckling slightly as Max stared back at him with question.

“What? ….oh…yes,” he started. “I do realise I am a humanoid dog with the name Max…yes very funny… very fitting…”

“Very much so…” Charlie muttered

“Well yes…ah…,” he stopped as Ammachi chuckled, turning back to the bowl of eggs she was cracking.

“Well…your Grandmother…she thought both of you could use the company, and… well…she was worried about you…”

Charlie raised an eyebrow, he assumed that it was the same old bullshit that everyone else had thrown his way.

His grandfather had passed away the previous year. And instead of crying…Charlie threw himself into his work.

That bothered some but it was perfect for him.

He’d spend less time in sorrow and more time making money.

What was the big deal anyway?

The way he saw it, it was a great way to cope…

A great way to take his mind off things…

And he didn’t need to grieve like before…His Appachen was a good man. He’d helped Charlie get through a lot of things…his first breakup, the anxiety of University….the death of his father….

“Anyway,” he cut off Charlies train of thought.

“Where I’m from Chuck, much like where you’re from,” he said motioning to air around him. “Us Demons study for specific jobs…and I, believe it or not, studied to become a counsellor…”

“A what…,” Charlie knew the basics, he had learnt early on that Demons were knowledgable and skilled at what they did, partly because they studied their respective fields for a long time….Demons had much longer lifespans than humans.

But they often became doctors, lawyers and artists…not shit like Counsellors.

“Yes, I did my work in Psychology and Psychiatry…ya know… helping people,” he said nonchalantly.

“Yea but that doesn’t explain…” started Charlie

“Yes,” he said calmly.

For what it was worth…Maximus was holding it together for someone who had to deal with Charlies attitude.

Charlie took a moment. He was being rude. And you couldn’t blame him. But a twinge of guilt stung his insides. If anything, he was to blame…he had forced his Ammachi into a pit of loneliness that resulted in her seemingly needing a Demon Counsellor to talk to her own Grandson.

He exhaled and looked off and out the kitchen window. He could see the soft glow of the moon in its upper corner…it was a cooler summer night, something that was a rarity in this part of the world.

“Would you like to go outside?…maybe get some fresh air?” His snout moved slightly as he dug his eyes into Charlies.

Before he could answer, Max had started ushering him towards the door.

Charlie hadn’t realised how truly tall he was…easily 6ft 3 or 4…quite lean and fit as well, he could see the chest muscle ripple slightly underneath his white buttoned shirt.

“After you…” Max said, waving an arm.

It took him a moment to comprehend what was happening. This Thing was trying to take control… Charlie looked him up and down.

A swift sting of annoyance cast his guilt aside. Maybe this was the time to grab him by the cuff and swing his arse out onto he curb…

But what would that mean?

Old lessons from introductory Mage class started to slurp back into memory. Demons were notoriously stubborn. They always latched themselves, whether wanted or not, to their Summoner. For now it looked like Charlie had to humour this “Counsellor”.

“Just go,” The soft words of his Ammachi’s voice broke the tense silence. “He’s been here since morning…and he doesn’t bite…”

Charlie swung his head to the back of his Grandmother. She was slowly cutting up onions and scraping the remains of a green chilli to one side of a cutting board. He tensed his jaw and turned back to the Demon to his side.

“…thank you Sheela-amma,”

Charlie raised his eyebrows. Not many people used His grandmother’s first name and even more so, it shocked him that this was all still in their mother tongue.

Malayalam speakers were very rare…and it made Charlie that much more suspicious.

Charlie started towards their fly screen door, clicking it open but eyeing him closely…Max returned his leer with a smile and a wink.

He stepped out into the night air and into their pergola.

He heard the footsteps of the Demon behind him, he seemed to float in a polite manner, passing Charlie’s shoulder out and onto the grassy backyard.

Charlie watched as Max’s great big head floated in the darkness, finally turning his devilish eyes to the clear night sky overhead.

Without thinking much, Charlie walked beside him and stared at the sky himself.

The stars were blinking in and out of focus as the moon at full strength glowed like a perfect pebble in a sea of night.

Charlie exhaled as he tried to compute what was happening…..there was a freaken Demon in his house…that his Ammachi somehow summoned…for him.

Barely 15 minutes before hand, he was in his car trying to figure out his plan for another early work day, and now he had to have a late night dealing with this.

A headache for anyone, but especially Charlie, who would have to deal with the mammoth task of attending to clients on very little sleep.

Now he’d be tired ….and on top of being in a shitty mood at work, he’d have a Demon to worry about back home as well.

“Why an omelette…,” the smooth voice coated the air and broke Charlies thought.

Charlie turned to where he thought Max was…he wasn’t there anymore. He swivelled around and to his annoyance, The Dog-Demon was now sitting quite comfortably on an old lawn chair.

He must’ve given away his frustration. Everything was happening way to quickly, and Charlie clearly didn’t want to waste time with useless details.

“…sorry…it’s just she insisted on making one for you…and insisted I had one too,”

“…making them distresses her….my dad and my mum loved her omelettes,” Charlie said immediately, turning back towards the night sky.

He figured that if this Thing was what he said he was, then opening up a little, meant he’d go away quicker.

“They met at a cafe, and when my mum returned a bad omelette she ordered, my dad overheard and bragged that my grandmother made the best ones…she called him out on it…so he got her number and invited her over…he was proven right and they started dating soon after…”

It was a tale that his family recited all the time. His grandfather liked to tell him every other morning that his one prize in life was having an Omelette so good that it gave him a daughter-in-law…his grandma bragged that an Omelette gave her a grandson.

“Oh …thats actually quite sweet.” He said. “Your grandmother mentioned your parents…that….”

“That they’re dead.”

The words hung in the air for a moment. The night sky seemed to take it in as well…everything got a little bit duller.

The stars flickered out of light…the moon seemed to loose a shade in its brightness.

They all looked sad. But it wasn’t a reflection of Charlie’s face…his steely eyes and stern expression mirrored that of what he always did.

He had finished being sad about being parentless a long time ago.

“..ah yes… and I am sorry to hear about that Chuck…really, I am,”

The Demon seemed to be being honest. He could hear it in his voice.

Charlie lowered his gaze from the sky and turned back to Max.

“So why are you here then,”

Max shifted his big head slightly, readjusting himself slightly in the old lawnchair.

“Your grandmother is the one that summoned me…but by accident,” he said immediately

Charlie squinted. An accident?

There was silence.

Then the sound of a pan sizzling…Charlie looked over to the open kitchen window…he could see the shadow of Ammachi busying over the stove. She was probably cooking the onions and chillies…probably about to add some turmeric soon….

“ Do you think…that maybe it was for you Charlie?,” he continued

Charlie, turned back to the Demon. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

Demons were summoned based on not just words but innate desires as well. It was a combination of the two that called for a Demon to stop what they were doing, and appear in a puff of smoke. Or that’s how it was described to Charlie.

“…maybe she felt like you needed me now more than ever, I heard the last of the incantation….it seemed to be for strength, courage and some sort of protection for her family…,” Max said.

Charlie knew what incantation he was talking about. It was an old enchantment that called for an old magic…something that was lost long before Demons even existed in their world…

“My grandfather used to say it…even before I was born…it’s been in my family for ages…I think we had a Mage in our family way back when…”

“Oh..okay..”

“Which means it was said the day my Mum died,” he continued. “…and it was said the night my Dad was buried, 10 years ago,” the words stiffly strung from Charlie’s mouth.

He didn’t have time for this.

“Hmm…..”

A moment passed and Charlie returned his gaze back out into the sky. His head started to feel heavy as he kept trying to fathom everything.

Max broke the silence again.

“…can I ask you something then…,”

Charlie hummed in agreement.

“Why do you think I’m here?”

Charlie thought for a moment. He took in the question as much as could…but the only words that he could possibly think of splurged out before anything else came to mind.

“Fucked if I know, Maximus, ‘’ he continued. “But to be honest we DON’T need you…my Grandma and I were fine before. We’re both fine now and we’ll be fine tomorrow as well…”

“I’m guessing you’se are close…,”

A surge of memories cascaded into his mind. Despite his lack of presence around the house in recent times…it was his Amamchi that always watched from afar.

Charlie snorted.

“Yea I guess you could say that… I mean she was the one that raised me when Mum got sick,”

The image of his mother, tired and drained on the day she got diagnosed, comforted by his Dad as a look of shock and sadness plastered itself on her face…his Ammachi holding his hand, squeezing it tight as he looked on.

“…she kept me company while Dad and Grandad went to the hospital, and when she died…. my Grandma was the one who walked me to school all by herself,”

An image of a huddled up, umbrella clad, wet elderly Indian woman who barely spoke english, walking home in the rain, painted itself in Charlie’s mind.

“She took me to the park and pushed me on the swings when no other kid would play with me….she cooked me food and made sure I did my homework…she tried to buy gifts for me on my birthday even though she didn’t understand what I liked….she fed and kept our dog Rambo company when I was away…she made sure my dad paid attention to me…and when he died, she cried for about 10 minutes in my Grandad’s arms before coming to comfort me….because I was 14 and a sobbing mess….,”

The last words stung his insides…

“she buried her only son and only got to cry for 10 minutes….all because of me,”

The words split from Charlie’s mouth. All his life he wanted to make sure she was ok. Appachen instilled the same work ethic that had plagued his own Dad. One that meant that there was no time to really grieve….it was all about getting back up and dealing with it.

So Charlie came to terms with his dad dying ages ago.

And by the time of His Grandfather’s death…he didn’t cry…because by then, he was used to it.

But his Ammachi?

She was the reason why he worked such long hours…why he dealt with horrible customers, why he took shit from his boss, why he saved and saved and saved.

So she didn’t have to worry about him. Because she had worried enough.

She had lost everyone.

Charlie had lost a mother and father and a grandfather….but She had also lost a Daughter, Son and Husband.

And was stuck with him.

So who gives a shit that he wasn’t around much…he couldn’t risk any time that he had.

He needed to work and prove and make sure that they were going to be ok. SO she didn’t have to worry about anything. So she could make omelettes not because she had to distress…but because they could sit down on a Saturday morning or a Sunday arfternoon after church, and actually enjoy it.

Charlie’s breath was now heavy, it took him a moment to realise he was softly panting….he could feel a surge of emotion in his chest.

He shook back into focus, sniffing slightly …he could feel his eyes water.

Why was Charlie pouring all these emotions out…why to this Creature, was everything spilling from his lips.

A hot itchy ball of anger started to form again….he wanted It to go away….he wanted to just go to sleep.

Charlie turned back around, looking Maximus dead into his bright yellow eyes.

Hellish but somehow still straddled with concern, he opened his mouth to speak…

“Chuck….,”

“What dude,” Charlie said immediately.

“..Chuck…I think you should know why I’m here…”

Charlie eyed him…

“You said it was by accident,”

“…ah yes at first…” Max said. “Your grandmother might not have known what she was doing…but she did summon me…but not for herself….”

Charlie huffed.

“I told you dude, I’m ok and even if I wasn’t…eventually, just like it always has been, WE’ll be fine.,”

Almost immediately, Max’s face bowed down. He took a moment before inhaling…there was a look of real sadness that had emerged in his face…his brows had furrowed in concern over his bright yellow eyes.

“….a Summoner summons a Demon for their sincerest desires…for some its out of vanity, for others its for profit…but on the rare occasion, it’s out of love,”

Charlie scoffed slightly. Ammachi didn’t need to summon a Demon to show him her love…she’d done enough for 2 or 3 lifetimes.

“Sometimes that love is for themselves…and other times, like now, it’s for someone else,” The concerned look on Max’s face now formed into a sorrowful gaze as he looked out and passed Charlie.

“…especially when that person may not be able to show that love anymore….”

The last couple of words took a while to sink in….

“What do you mea…..”

A sudden stab of anxiety struck Charlie’s stomach…his insides lurched and a dry wave leached up into his throat and his mouth. His lips hung open as he felt his face give way.

Was he being serious?

No way.

How could he know?

AS if reading his mind, Max spoke.

“….She told me … after she summoned me…me of all Demons…one that could speak her language…maybe it was luck or fate or whatever you want to call it,” his voice trailed off.

Max looked back at the window to the kitchen. Charlie followed his gaze to the warm light shining off her white hair. Was this why she looked more drained…more tired…

He could feel all energy leave him…he could hear her frying the omelette, the sizzle of the pan softly escaping out into the cool air around them .

No….

The word did not escape his mouth but hung in his brain. A slight buzz scratched in his ears. The familiar feel of sorrow…and loss started to slowly coat his insides.

This couldn’t be.

Not yet.

Not again.