• ...And so I did what I like to think any normal person would do in my situation.
    I punched him in the face, grabbed my bag from off the door, swung it around my shoulder and walked out, slamming the door behind me, leaving Noroto shocked and confused on the floor.
    I had expected him to follow right away, but after checking the hallway for younger siblings or parents, I had to go back and inform him "You're supposed to follow me, dumbass." word for word.
    He nodded and followed me sadly, like a dog with a tail bitween its legs.
    It wasn't cute in the slightest, if you're wondering.

    In our house we have an attic. A big attic. Mostly full of old childhood memories, it also has a dusty old desk used for studying when the noise of the house is unbearable, due to the fact it's soundproof. I often went there as a child to shout at nothing and break things. It seemed like a suitable place to take a demon to shout at him and throw things at his face...
    No, I'm joking, I actually needed something.
    The stairs are attached to the wooden trap-door on the ceiling.. or floor, depending on your point of view.
    I pulled on the rope, pulling open the entrance and unfolding the stairs.
    I climbed inside, following by Demon-puppy.
    In my bag was a flashlight, which I kept on the demon at all times while I searched for the overhead lightswitch. He stood there looking emotionally hurt. The punch probably hurt his ego a little.
    Good.
    The overhead light flickered on and a dull, yellow-ish light iluminated the room.
    Pushing a few cardboard boxes out of my way, I found an old bookcase, coated in dust and spiders' webs.
    'Where is it, now... I know it's up here...'
    The demon clicked his tongue from across the room.
    "It didn't hurt, you know."
    "Yeah?"
    "Human weapons don't really affect demons; including fists."
    Well then.
    I found the book I wanted and pulled it out carefully. I blew some of the dust off it and stared at it's cover. The old thing's words had started to fade, and it was torn and missing pages. However, it was just what I needed.
    I placed it on the desk facing with my back to Noroto.
    "Index, index... Page 363... Flick through... 227.. 345... 373, no, too far..."
    I could feel muffin-scented breath on my neck, causing all the hairs on my back to stand on end.
    "'Demons, the devil, and exoricism', huh? That's cute, Kyro. Really cute." He flicked through the pages, smiling. I didn't say anything.
    "If you want me out, you could've just asked." Really?
    "Okay. Will you go away?"
    "No." Figures.
    He seemed unfussed by the words on the page, and literally threw the book over his shoulder, causing it to land open, pages falling out onto the floor.
    He didn't seem to care he had ruined my book.
    "You're being very rude to the creature who just brought you back from the dead, you know."
    "...Excuse me?"
    Now, once again, I cannot describe my shock. I have some dignity, and I fear the scene may hurt said dignity if I did.
    I will say that Noroto just about p*ssed himself with laughter when he saw my shocked expression, though.
    "Y-your fa-ace..." He gripped his sides, eyes closed and grinning from ear to ear (not literally, although I'm sure if he tried he could make his mouth form that shape).
    "Heh... Yeah, that's right, Kiddo." He is the same age as me in human years. I confirmed it. "You humans really don't survive much, do they? You just fell down a hill and fwoosh. Dead. And you didn't fall far, either."
    It was actually a fair point, if I thought about it.
    "That's ridiculous. Nobody has ever died from falling down that hill like that.. Including myself."
    "You think i don't know a corpse when I see one?" He pointed to his animal-eyes. "I'm a demon, Kyro. I think I know a body when I see it."
    "I'm not questioning your sight..." I was, actually. "But I just don't see why I should believe you. Where's your proof that I ever died?"
    I wasn't expecting anything, really. Just a p*ssed off demon.
    Instead of ranting, he just pulled an old piece of paper from inside his jacket, unrolled it, and showed me a list of names with numbers next to them.
    "This." he said, as if that solved everything. It actually did, but it only with an explanation.
    "This is a list of souls meant for the reaping in this area. We obtain a fresh page on the second of the new day in human time, or when we move to a different place. Whether we demons are involved or not in these deaths happen on the time specified."
    I stared at the list, not wanting to touch it. Most of the names were ones I didn't recognise.. Except for...
    "Peter Andrews... he dies in 57 minutes?"
    Noroto shrugged. "If it says so, then, yeah. Somebody you know?"
    "Neighbor. Currently on holiday in Spain..." The demon nodded, pulled the paper away from my face and started looking inside his jacket.
    "October 3rd, October 3rd... No, wrong location..."" Mocking me, mocking me....
    He made a little 'Aha!' noise, and showed me another piece of paper.
    I can't deny seeing my name there.

    'KYRO AKINTIE. DATE OF BIRTH 25 JULY 1995.
    DEATH 3 OCTOBER 2010 6:41PM HT'.

    I later discovered 'HT' is 'Human Time'.
    I also later discovered that, yes, Peter did die 57 minutes later on that day.

    "This is..." I scanned my brain for an appropriate word.
    "..Cool?" hey, i didn't say I found one!
    "Noroto... With this, think of the lives you could save! Knowing when someone dies at all times, you could rescue them or send them to hospital, or--" The paper was snatched away with such force it created a breeze that sent my fringe flying upwards.
    "No. No, no, no, no. Not happening. No."
    I stared up at him, confused.
    "Look, here's the deal. Here's the reason I'm even here-" he crossed his legs and sat, floating, in mid-air with animal-eyes staring right into mine.
    "We can't just go around doing what we like in the Human realms." Plural..?
    "We have rules. Rules that, if broken, equal death for us. It's not just humans that fear death so strongly. We're afraid too. But, of course, it's not just that..." He paused, in a failed attempt of adding suspense.

    "A long, long time ago some humans discovered of the demons' existance. Instead of fearing us for reaping the dead, they came to worship us for saving the living... Yes, with the ability to know when a human is about to die can also be used as an ability to save them. Not only that, but if a body hasn't started rotting yet, and is more or less intact, the demons can bring the body it's life back.
    Humans discovered that they could bribe demons into giving them imortality. Keeping them healthy and preventing their death.
    However, bringing life to humans is not the purpose of demons. And so the Demon-King banished it, and all humans who bribed the demons were killed along with the demons themselves for being bribed.
    So many humans had made deals with demons that it was impossible to tell who was guilty of requesting imortality and who was simply caught up in it. And so every human who is resurrected by a demon must now be put to death, whether or not it was his freewill to continue life."

    The demon sighed, unfolded his legs and fell to the floor. So much serious talking was tiring for him.
    I stared where he had been floating.
    Thoughts had yet to enter my head. The words that had just been spoken were still swirling around in circles.

    I'm glad i chose the attic to talk with him.
    If we had been in my room someone may have heard a chair being smashed over a leather-wearing, winged, feather-haired boy.
    And then a bookcase.