Master of Demons by Jay Bower

Author:Jay Bower [Bower, Jay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jay Bower

Eighteen

True to his word, Mike smoothed things over with his boss. He’d been a pretty good worker and his dad’s legacy still lingered over the company. He knew his boss erred on the side of giving second chances and Mike took advantage of it. A tinge of guilt settled in, but he needed to keep his job to keep Noelle.

For days after his last visit, Mike couldn’t stop thinking about it. He still was no closer to answering why, though a little closer on the how. He was certain alcohol affected his existence in a very peculiar way, transporting him through a hellish landscape to fantastic locales and interesting settings. There was no way in hell he’d ever go to Russia, or be on an expedition, or fight off the Sponsors if it wasn’t for the worlds beyond. What he still didn’t understand was why didn’t he go to the same place every time? Why did alcohol make him go anywhere to begin with? He spent most of his waking hours trying to piece the puzzle together.

Later that week as his mind wandered, Noelle tried talking to him.

“Mike, did you find help yet?”

“Huh? Help? Oh, yeah. The company has a doctor for behavioral and psychological problems and I’ve been talking to him during my lunch hour,” he lied. He was not about to seek help for a problem he didn’t have.

“Good. I’m glad to hear it. I know you didn’t want to, but I think it’s worth it. You’ll get better, and we will get better.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” he replied absently, too busy worrying about his next trip. He had a stash of Gene’s ‘shine hidden in the computer room, and when the time was right, he was going to have a drink to see if he could get back to the other world. He honestly didn’t care where he ended up. He just knew—had a feeling—that he was needed there.

For the rest of the evening, they sat quietly watching TV until they went to bed. The next day, Mike got his chance to go back.

It was Saturday, and Noelle was going on a shopping trip with her friends. They were only supposed to be gone for the day, but that was good enough. He desperately wanted to get back to the other worlds. Not so much the screaming souls, but the adventure which awaited just outside their domain.

It wasn’t an ideal situation, because if he was gone long, she’d be pissed to find him on the floor again. But it was a risk he needed to take.

Noelle left and before her car was in the street, he was already at his bottle of ‘shine. It was some of Gene’s best, and he kept it around just in case. He drank it straight, not bothering with a chaser. It burned worse than he remembered, and he had to stop and take several deep breaths. It stung his throat and ignited a fire in his stomach. This was the good stuff. The pain told him so.

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