Chapter Eleven

Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered that she could have lost her life by now.

"He commanded the massive demon to extract my heart, intending to place it within the demon's body," she continued, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"What?!" Vivian exclaimed in shock, while the others stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Even Sam, who had previously maintained a blank expression, now displayed a shocked look.

"I attempted to flee, but there was no escape. I resigned myself to death, but I felt nothing. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the roadside," she concluded, recounting the terrifying ordeal. She looked at their stunned faces; they were all astounded.

"No wonder, when I called Abigail on the phone, she mentioned she was in London," Daniel said, his eyes wide with shock as he realized the connection.

"But why are they interested in her heart?" Vivian asked her husband, who had been silent since Selma began narrating.

"I don't know why they're after me. I do know that the strange occurrences in the kitchen and the library were their doing," Selma replied, even though the question wasn't directed at her.

"Strange occurrences?" Vivian inquired, puzzled.

"Yes, in the library, a piece of paper I was holding burst into flames. And in the kitchen, the cups and jugs moved inexplicably. I told Daniel, but he didn't believe me," she explained, glaring at Daniel as she spoke the last sentence. She could vividly recall Daniel dismissing her claims as mere imagination. After all, why would she not be able to distinguish between imagination and reality?

Daniel scratched his neck, deep in thought, pondering the words that Selma had been spouting out from that little lips of hers that a spoon could barely enter. He wondered if everything she had said was true. Vivian also couldn't stop thinking about Selma's account.

'I hope what she said isn't true, because if it is, she's in danger' Vivian sighed to herself.

While everyone was lost in thought, Sam broke the silence with a profound observation, "There must be something unique about her heart that the demons desire."

For the first time since Selma started narrating, Sam's voice rang through the room, interrupting their contemplation. All heads turned toward him, curious about the seriousness in his expression. To their surprise, he appeared genuinely serious as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. Selma couldn't help but feel puzzled, wondering what could possibly be special about an ordinary girl's heart like her.

"Special?" Vivian asked, still bewildered.  Selma noticed that since their conversation began, Vivian's statements seemed to always end with either a question mark or an exclamation mark.  She knew that Vivian was finding it difficult to digest what she had disclosed.

Sigh...

It was no longer a matter of being called a witch; now it was demons chasing after her. Why can't she have a normal life like everyone else.

"Yes, there must be something exceptional about her heart," Sam affirmed. "Well, Selma, all I can say is, be cautious. These demons won't cease their pursuit until they get hold of your heart."

Vivian gazed at her husband, wondering if he had some knowledge about these demons or if it was just her imagination.

"Okay" Selma nodded in acknowledgment, her voice filled with determination.

After stuffing herself at dinner, Selma waddled back to her room for a well-deserved siesta. She transformed into her elegant nightwear and flopped onto her bed, feeling like a bag of potatoes. Her body still groaned in protest from what happened today. As she glanced at the window, the room was slowly dimming, just like her enthusiasm for more action.

As she began to drift into the land of dreams, a sudden rapping on her door jolted her awake. In her sleepy stupor, she barked, "Who's disturbing my beauty sleep?"

"Selma, it's me," came Daniel's voice from the other side.

She raised an eyebrow in irritation. 'What's on his mind now? I hope he's not about to interrogate me.' Grudgingly, she heaved herself out of bed and lumbered toward the door. 'I'm way too exhausted for an inquisition right now.' She swung the door open, revealing a disheveled Daniel with his raven hair in a state of mild chaos.

He explained, "I came for a chat."

"Come on in," she said, making way for him as she muttered under her breath, 'I hope this isn't about the evening's conversation'. She shut the door behind him, her gaze never leaving Daniel, who had taken a seat as if he owned the place. She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

She approached him with arms crossed, fixing him with a skeptical stare. He grinned mischievously when he noticed her intense scrutiny. They maintained this silent standoff for a few seconds.

"Quit flashing those dimples and spill the beans," she snapped.

"Fine, fine," he replied, his smug grin shifting to a more serious expression. "Did you actually see demons?"

She scoffed, realizing that this was the reason for his unexpected visit. "Yes, I did. Real as day."

"They were after you, but you disappeared. How did you do that?"

"Ask the ghosts of Houdini and David Copperfield,"  she retorted rudely, even though she was also bewildered by her own vanishing act.

Daniel leaned back in the chair and let out a deep sigh, studying Selma intently. "Dad mentioned something about your heart being special."

"Well, I won't keep you from your beauty rest. Sweet dreams," he said, getting up and leaving the room. It seemed Selma was in no mood for further discussion, and Daniel couldn't help but wonder if she was actually mad at him.