The Arcadian books and prints store sat nestled between a cigar shop and an old rundown laundromat, just a few blocks away from Rafa's home. The building had a pale cream shade, almost resembling white, with peeling, wooden double doors at the front stained a dark brown.

As Rafa reached to turn the worn and rustic doorknob to enter, his gaze fell upon a fresh sign hanging on the door that boldly declared, "No Returns."

"That's new," he thought, scanning the rest of the store for any other changes. Everything else appeared the same. The shopkeeper's worn recliner still sat by the entrance, its surface scattered with autumn leaves, and the chubby cat that often lounged on it remained as plump as ever, making its way over from across the street.

With no windows to peer through, the store retained its forlorn atmosphere, instilling Rafa with a subtle sense of unease each time he stopped by. The sign affixed to the door only heightened his discomfort.

Stepping into the dimly lit bookstore, his eyes widened, exploring the cramped aisles in search of a section that could unravel his nightmare's enigma. It felt like a labyrinth. The shelves, stacked with weathered books, spoke of ancient secrets as his fingers brushed against their faded spines. With every step, the old floors whispered, their voices echoing through the building.

The place was known for having old textbooks and rare manuscripts that couldn't be found anywhere else on the planet. They had your usual books by your favorite authors, but there were also whispers about soul sacrifices and cookbooks with human flesh as the main ingredient.

Those were just rumors though. Rafa's buddy Joel came up with that last one during gym class to try and scare a girl that he liked. He wasn't exactly smooth with the ladies. But even though he was making it all up, with so many books stacked inside the Arcadian, it was hard to tell if a certain book was actually there or not.

The shopkeeper, who was known in the area as a brujo, knew exactly where everything was hiding within the vast maze of scriptures. But he always claimed ignorance when someone asked for anything out of the ordinary.

Rafa didn't quite know what he was looking for, but he knew that if he mentioned Belial to the brujo, he might point him in the right direction. However, the brujo was nowhere to be seen, and the more Rafa searched, the more it became apparent that he was completely alone in the building. He was beginning to wonder why the place was so deserted until suddenly a dark figure darted behind him, making him tremble with fear.

"What the hell was that?" he wondered, carefully returning a book to its shelf. Rafa's heart began to race as he sensed an unsettling presence lurking nearby, watching his every move. As he stepped out of the aisle, driven by his discomfort, it began to feel like someone was hovering over him, trying to make him feel miniscule. Yet, there was no one in sight, and an oppressive weight began to settle upon his shoulders.

Rafa, ever so wary, ventured into the nearby aisles, his curiosity piqued as he sought to unveil the origin of his unrest. Then, at the end of an aisle, he saw a pretty girl sitting at a wooden table engrossed in a weathered textbook. A dim lightbulb hung above her casting peculiar shadows across the bookshelves, and Rafa knew that the unnerving sensation was emanating from her very essence. "Looks like I have company," he thought.

Rafa couldn't help but wonder why it felt like she was piercing through him with her gaze, even though she wasn't looking in his direction.

As he approached her, the eerie sensation grew stronger. The weight on his shoulders intensified, and a sinister presence crept closer behind him. In an instant, a bone-chilling breath brushed against his neck, causing the tiny hairs to stand on end.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of trepidation, Rafa swiftly turned around, only to be met by an abyss of emptiness. As the weight on his shoulders lifted, a grotesque shadow receded, retreating from the corner at the end of the aisle, leaving him bewildered and on edge. He turned back, his heart pounding, only to find the girl still absorbed in her book.

Her presence was cloaked in a somber aura, making him ponder why it mirrored the sinister entity that was hidden in the shadows behind him. Intrigued, he cautiously pressed forward, determined to uncover the mystery.

"That's not your typical book you've got there," he commented, settling into the seat across from her. The book's title read, "The Book of Aquarius," and Rafa couldn't help but wonder what had drawn her to such an intriguing read.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Their eyes locked, and her gaze widened in pure astonishment. Clutching the book tightly against her chest, she guarded it as if it held a precious secret. "Yeah, it's... kind of unique, I suppose," she nervously replied. "Do I... do I know you?"

Rafa gazed into her puzzled brown eyes, and an indescribable warmth washed over him. It was like a flame had ignited deep within him, and his heart raced like a wild horse.

He found himself captivated by a magical and enchanting spell, where excitement and vulnerability danced together in perfect harmony. It was a blissful state he had never known, and in that moment, he struggled to find the right words as he noticed a shift in her aura.

He saw the energy swirling and untangling itself from the girl's form, gracefully ascending into the vastness of the open air. "Uh oh, this can't be good," Rafa worried to himself. Suddenly, time froze, locking Rafa in a state of petrifying terror, allowing him only to scan his surroundings with fearful eyes. Gradually, the swirling energy merged behind him, and before he knew it, a powerful grip clenched tightly onto his shoulders.

The sensation of icy coldness seeped through his thick clothing and something slimy and gooey brushed against his cheek. Slowly, a monstrous face appeared, turning to meet his eyes. A chill ran down his spine as he felt a warm breath whisper into his ear followed by a lick of its sticky cold tongue. Then, in a bone-chilling scream, it ordered him to "GET OOOOOUUUT!" As its piercing cry echoed, the very fabric of time shattered, jolting Rafa back to reality.

Rafa grimaced in pain, his hand involuntarily reaching for his ear to alleviate the discomfort.

"Hey, everything alright?" the girl asked, her brows furrowed with concern.

Despite the whirlwind of emotions inside him, Rafa summoned his inner strength and straightened his posture, determination shining through his eyes. "Yeah, sorry about that. I barely caught any Z's last night, and now I'm stuck with this pesky headache," he shared, his voice laced with weariness.

Holding onto her book tightly, the girl leaned in, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "So, what were you up to? Or what?"

Rafa let out a sigh, rubbing his temple. "Well, it's nothing major, just a really intense nightmare I had," he confessed.

The girl paused, studying Rafa's captivating features. "What's he after?" she wondered. "And why hasn't he made a run for it?" Intrigued by his mention of a nightmare, her fascination grew. "So, What was it about?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Your nightmare," she clarified.

Rafa hesitated, "I'm not sure if you really want to know all the gory details," he replied. "But hey, I'll share if you open up about that book of yours," he suggested, gesturing towards her hands.

As her eyes shifted towards the book, a fleeting sadness crossed her face, prompting Rafa to change the subject. "By the way, have you seen the brujo around? It's not like him to abandon his post in a place that's usually bustling with people."

The girl kept her head down, "I've noticed something strange," she confessed. "Ever since the other night, people either avoid me or they keep their distance. So if I seem defensive, I'm just a little shocked to see someone sit in front of me, is all."

"Don't worry about it," Rafa reassured her. He had a feeling that the strange reactions from people had something to do with the presence of the demon that yelled at him. "I thought I was all alone in this place until I caught sight of that pretty face of yours reading that book," he admitted with a playful tone. "I couldn't resist finding out who it was."

A faint rosy hue spread across the girl's cheeks, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Since I walked into this shop," she admitted, "people began fleeing, calling me the devil as they hurried out. And the brujo?" she went on. "He vanished into the labyrinth of books and I haven't seen him since."

"That's really strange," Rafa replied, his hand resting on his chin. Then, a firm hold enveloped his shoulders once again, nudging him forward with a subtle force. He wondered if the girl could see or sense the presence of the demon that had taken hold of him. However, she seemed completely oblivious to the supernatural force at play.

All of a sudden, the demon's voice sliced through the air, "Ah, Rafael Flores," it hissed, "the very offspring of Asmodeus," it divulged, its words dripping with a sinister curiosity.

Rafa's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice filled with shock as he demanded, "How do you know my name, Demon?"

The demon let out a laugh as the girl glanced at Rafa, a perplexed expression on her face. "Uh, I don't," she responded, "But hey, now you're calling me a demon too? What's the deal?" she asked.

Rafa quickly realized his mistake and shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, sorry," he said. "As I said before, I'm just really tired is all."

"No worries," she reassured him, checking her phone.

Rafa regained his composure and spoke with a sense of intrigue. "You know, there's something really mystical happening here," he mused. "We should team up and unravel this mystery together," he proposed, secretly hoping to spend more time with her.

The girl's face brightened with a timid smile as she replied, "I actually have to go now. My mom's waiting for me," she added while tucking her phone away.

"Yeah, yeah, no, Absolutely," Rafa replied, his voice slightly distracted as he tried to process what the Demon had said to him. "I'll be here," he added, placing his hands on the table as the weight of the demon pressed him down. "Just stay away from her," the demon told him, caressing his face. "Focus on the task at hand Rafael and come to hell," it said. Rafa's face tensed up as the demon licked the side of his cheek. "We are waiting patiently for you, child." Rafa ignored its words.

"By the way, my name's Rafa," he blurted out, wanting to establish a connection before the girl could leave. "Nice to meet you, Rafa. I'm Marisol," she replied with a warm smile, her eyes filled with genuine kindness. "Again, sorry if I was a little defensive. It's just you're the only person, aside from my parents, who hasn't run away from me in the past few days. Well, there's my neighbor too. But he's a little odd," she joked.

Rafa nodded, understanding her hesitation. "Yeah, it's definitely strange," he agreed.

"Maybe I'll see you around?" Marisol asked, her voice hopeful.

Rafa tried his best to appear composed, despite the whirlwind of emotions inside him. "That would be great," he replied, his heart racing.

Marisol tore a piece of paper from her binder and quickly scribbled down her number. With a smile, she handed it to Rafa who eagerly took it, "I'll text you," he grinned.

"I hope so," Marisol replied, her voice fading as she walked away.

As Marisol unknowingly dragged the demon with her, Rafa felt a sense of relief as the grip on his shoulders loosened. The demon's voice gradually faded into the distance, shouting, "Quit fucking around Rafael! And come to hellllll!"

Conflicting emotions swirled within Rafa. He knew he should be afraid of what had just transpired, but his overwhelming desire to see Marisol again drowned out the nagging feeling of caution.

Just then, a man cautiously poked his head out from around the corner, his curiosity evident in his voice. "Is she gone?" he asked, his eyes searching for answers.