There I was, standing alone in my kitchen, and without any help. I leaned forward against the kitchen counter, listening to the faint sounds coming from floors below. I needed to figure something out.

I pulled out my phone and called Tim, but the only thing I heard was the voicemail greeting.

"Hey, it's me, can you get back to me? I need to figure something out really fast."

An hour had passed and, feeling increasingly uncomfortable inside the flat, racing my thoughts through a list of places where I could maybe find help, I felt a familiar cold draft wafting around the room. Not sure whether this visit from Ra'zizi would be her last, I decided to just get out. At least if she started manhandling me outside, people would see and believe me.

"Mister McNowdy," a familiar voice sounded nearby as I was checking directions on my phone. I stood in the shade of trees in front of the building, near the waist-high fence where I'd usually feed Scruff. "Still not up to the task of cleaning your windows?"
I clenched my free hand and took a deep breath.
"Miss T- Suzanne, I'm sorry about the windows..."
"You haven't cleaned the doors either as I see," she said as she approached me, clicking her pen and getting her writing pad ready. She stood next to me, one eyebrow raised and head slightly tilted while I tried avoiding her look. "I think I'll just add this to your rent after contracting cleaners to do it."
I put my phone back in my pocket. My hands gripped the railing of the fence tightly. I still kept on looking ahead.
"And by the way, I know that you've been feeding that mutt that comes around. I'll still count this as keeping a pet, since it sometimes comes here and some tenants have complained about it whining in the middle of the-"
"Oh would you just piss off for a while?!" I turned towards her and yelled. She took a step back, mouth slightly agape, but quickly recollected herself. She stared at me, as if she couldn't believe what just happened.
"Just leave me alone!" I yelled at her while slamming my hands on the railing.
She took a few more steps back, put the pen back in her pocket and cleared her throat.
"Right," she said, adjusting her glasses. "I'll speak to you about this some other time. Soon."
She momentarily smiled, then turned on her feet and walked away.

I couldn't help but smirk to myself as I turned away from her. I heard Ra'zizi's giggle and I almost wanted to join her, but then I noticed Izzie coming back home in her track suit. She must have seen me flip out. She waved at me from a slight distance, and gave an awkard smile.

"Tough day?"
"Yeah...", I nodded, feeling red in the face. I waited for a moment, leaning against the fence, until I could no longer hear her footsteps. I was too angry. Then, I felt Ra'zizi's hand on my shoulder. With all mental fortitude I had in me, I pulled away before my mind got clouded again. I had to go.

I couldn't afford to wait in any secluded place - bus and metro stops were off limits. It was a good thing my first destination was within walking distance. Passing by a musical instrument store, I remembered how I used to try and learn the guitar in high school. I imagined what could have been had I actually applied myself, if I had stayed after school to practice. It was a bittersweet memory,

"Come on, stop moping around and let's go back home!" Ra'zizi made her demands again. "I'm bored of this walking."
"No," I said firmly.
"What? Are you actually denying me-"
"Yes, I am," I replied. I felt so irritated with everything.
"That's too bad then, we have a contract-"
"I don't give a damn about that contract!" I hissed back at her. A passerby shot me a strange look, but averted her gaze as soon as I looked back at her, pretending to be fixing her hair while walking away.
"Oh, but you will..." Ra'zizi said and stroked my cheek.

The rest of the walk I was trying to avoid her touch, twitching left- and rightward every few steps, as if dodging invisible flies. Ra'zizi kept on telling me about the depravities she'd want me to do to her, in between taunting me and mocking me. Whenever someone looked funny at me, she told me I looked hilarious. If I stopped at a traffic light, she would fondle my crotch, and I'm sure at least two people saw my pants bulge out from my erection. Eventually, I tried running, but she would then reappear everywhere I looked - popping up when I turned a corner, leering at me from a passing car's passenger seat. The first few times, she would remove whatever little skin-tight clothing she usually wore. Eventually, every time she reappeared - in a store window, in an alley, on a flight of stairs - she would spread her legs, or spank herself, or masturbate moaning out my name. She would be on her knees, sticking out her tongue at me or on all fours, pushing her ass towards me. I couldn't get away from her and her laughter, and I knew I wanted to bone her every time I passed her by, and it was terrifying.

The more the people looked at me, sweat dripping from running, fending off a demon they evidently couldn't see, the more I was second guessing my own state of mind. I took out my phone and quickly dialed a number I haven't called in a long time.

"West Park general practice," a slightly annoyed female voice answered.
"Hi, uh, I... I was wondering if it would be possible to have a consultation," I spoke while crossing the street, trying to ignore people's looks while I dodged Ra'zizi's hands. I promptly identified myself.
"Okay, and what sort of consultation?"
"I well, uh," I tried to step away from the crowd before continuing. "I feel like there's something wrong with me." Maybe I do need meds.
"Like what?"
I turned away from a grandma passing me by.
"Like there's uh, an..." I noticed Ra'zizi's naked reflection in the store window. She was cusping her breasts while leaning over above me and licking her lips. "There's an entity... Haunting me..."
"An entity?"
"Like a demon..."
I could tell some guy turned his head as he passed me, but I just kept on marching forward.
"I see. And, have you felt this, presence for a long time? Does it bother you?"
"No, it's recent, and," I paused as I realized people were looking at my crotch. Turning away, I half-whispered, "Yes, it's very bothersome."
"Hey, don't say 'it'!" Ra'zizi scolded me while messing with my hair. "I have a name..."
"Okay, well, I can schedule a psychologist appointment for you..."
"Yes, okay," I answered with exasperation.
"But you'll need to wait at least a month."
"A month?!" I was sure I wouldn't live that long.
"There's a long waiting line, you see..." the female voice didn't sound concerned at all.
"Yes, I see..." I spoke through clenched teeth.
"Looks like maybe even two months..."
"Can I just get something, anything?!" I yelled as I paced more rapidly to catch a green light.
"Okay, relax, no need to get angry... let's see if I can squeeze you in... the earliest first diagnostic visit I can offer is on the tenth of next month, at one thirty," the receptionist said while typing something.
"But... That's more than a month from now!"
"I'm sorry, but there's a queue... So... Shall I put your name in?"
I sighed and agreed. I had nothing to lose.

"... But I mean it, this is serious!"
I was standing on the cool, tiled floor of a local Catholic church. It was fairly big, with old-time gothic columns and arches on the inside, and rows of pews leading to the altar. The air was still and the sounds from outside were filtered by the thick walls. It was the first time in a long, long time I've been inside a church.

"Please, we don't do exorcisms, this isn't Hollywood," a priest I was speaking with reprimanded me.
"But can't you call the Vatican or something?"
"Please! You're welcome to attend today's mass, maybe reflecting on it will help you, but we don't chase away any ghosts or demons or vampires!" he seemed to shake a bit, his greying, thin eyebrows furrowing as he spoke.
He was taking steps towards me, pointing with his hand towards the door, pushing me out. I passed a nun that seemed to look worried when she saw me.
"Do you really not do exorcisms? I thought I saw that in the news-" I dodged the priest and tried asking her.
"I... I'm sorry, but I don't think you'd... You'd need to make a good case with the Vatican," she replied. Her long-brown hair was neatly tucked in under the headdress. The black of her wavy habit underlined how fair her skin was.
"But-" I tried asking.
"Sister Theodora!" the priest scolded her while cutting me off.
"I was just telling him the truth," she said and excused herself. She seemed very calm as she walked away.
"Alright, you go now, mass is at noon," the priest said and I felt him pushing me away physically this time.
"God damn, it seems like no dice from the church, huh?" Ra'zizi said and snorted form laughter as I stepped outside. I looked around, not knowing where to go.
Then my phone rang.

"Tim?" I answered.
"Matt. Listen. Come over," he sounded extremely tense and commandeering.
"Not again..." Ra'zizi sighed.
"What?"
"Seventy two, Chestnut road. It's near the Westchurch tram station."
"Saventy two, Chestnut...?"
"It's past the railway bridge. Hurry!"
I started walking as soon as I felt hands wrapping around my torso and soft breasts pressing against the back of my head.

"This is what you need," Tim said, handing me a thick, ancient-looking leather-bound book. "Don't let her distract you when you do the ritual."
He was eyeing me as I sat inside what I presumed was the guest-cum-reading room of his tiny, cramped apartment. Rows of shelves, full of books and binders lined the walls. In the middle was a table cluttered with bogus-sounding investment advice, unbound sheets of copy paper and paperclips strewn around a laptop that made the space feel even more cramped, especially when two people were sitting on the opposite sides. I noticed one row of books, the lowest one to the back of the room, was full of similar, strange-looking books.
Tim's hands trembled a bit when I looked back at him. It felt like he was already concerned about me touching his doorstep. It didn't make a difference to me at that point.

"For real?" I asked, not sure what was going on.
"You summoned her, right?"
"Y-yes, but..."
"This is the only thing I could come up with," he replied. "I marked the pages."
Looking at me, he sighed and added, "listen, Matt, I'm not gonna lie, this is as serious as it gets. I never... thought that... that this could be..." he noticed me looking at him. I was sure my eyes were pleading for help. "Whatever."

He proceeded to explain to me in as simple terms as possible what I'd have to do. I recorded his explanation on my phone in case I missed a step.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yes. Do it. Today!" He insisted. "It's the only way!"
"I... uh..." my brain fog was getting worse.
"Matt?"

I don't know what happened. I know that I blinked, and the next moment my hands and arms were contorted in a weird gesture, my left arm pointing sideways then up with the forearm, my right laid on my lap in an unnatural manner. My hands were contorted as well, but I couldn't tell what gestures those were.

I realized Tim was staring at me, wide-eyed.
"... What happened?" I asked.
"You... don't know?" his voice trembled.
"No, what did I do?"
"You went like you were a moment ago", he gestured at me. "And you froze and... you spoke Arameic..."
"What is that?"

Tim just shook his head and got up from his chair.
"You look terrible, Matt. I'm sorry I'm the one telling you that," Tim said. "Do the ritual, please. It's your only chance."
"But wait..."
"Please go outside!"

It was a strange evening, trying to walk back to my apartment through parts of town I didn't recognize. But now, with less people around, no place felt safe. And walking briskly past a shopping arcade, just as I was passing a narrow alley, I felt a hand on my neck. At first, my instincts told me it was a robber. Then I realized she got me. As she started kissing me while pressing me against the wall in that dark, dingy alley, I thought I was likely a dead man already.

But I didn't die. When I woke up, it was early morning. I found myself on a bench in front of the building where I lived. I couldn't remember anything. But I had the massive book Tim gave me, still in my hands. I was clutching it against my chest.

"Matt?" I heard a familiar, concerned voice.

Looking around, I saw Izzie standing over me.

"Matt...! Are you okay?"
"Y- yeah... no..." I replied, trying to get off the bench, the hard wood pressing against my sore back.
"What's wrong? Tell me," she asked.
"I don't know how to say it..." I finally got back to sitting.
"Are you in some trouble?"
"No, I'm... I'm going through some stuff..."
"Did you sleep here?" she sounded more concerned with every question. "Matt, is someone trying to hurt you?!"
"I just... Have some demons I'm fighting with," I tried being diplomatic.
"Oh... I see," she said, obliviously tactful. She waited until I got back on my feet, hands hovering over me to stabilize me if I started falling over. "Well, I don't wanna pry, but... If you feel like talking, we can chat... If it helps you..."
"... Y-yeah, sure..." I replied, not quite certain why she, of all people, was so nice to me.
"Can you walk?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you," I tried calming her by waving my hand.
"Okay, uh... I need to go... get some rest," she said and walked away. "Stay safe..."
But I knew I wouldn't get rest. I didn't want to rest either, I knew what I needed to do.

I felt tired, angry, with all sources of help depleted and my body and spirit at their limits. I was trying to not feel the fear, but I knew it would only get worse from here. My phone rang. It was work. I ignored it and put it on silent mode. Ra'zizi wasn't anywhere around, and I didn't know if I'd get another chance.

And so there I was. A circle with a bunch of symbols around me, with candles burning in their drawn alcoves. The same Bible I used previously laid open before me as I knelt. With the last remainder of my mental strength, I cleared my mind and tore a page out, then set it on fire while imagining nothing but a black wall. I let it burn up and the ashes fall onto a small tray. Still holding the burning page in between my thumb and index finger, I opened up my palm and slashed it with a razor, letting the blood drip out on the candle right above the Bible, until it put it out with a hiss.

I blinked, and in a moment the room was suddenly black. Everything not inside the circle was gone. The page flew out of my hand and danced in front of me as it was burning. Then, a deafening silence. I couldn't move. My skin felt like stone. I felt an unease like I've never felt before. A piercing cold coming from all sides of my body. Then, I almost had a heart attack when I heard a mixture of tenor and baritone voices speak as if one.

"What is your wish?"