Arden was shoving the last of their few possessions into their suitcase. They slowly made their way around the room, running their fingers along every surface to make sure they didn’t forget anything. They tried not to think about how Benny would have been helping them go through a checklist of everything they had in their room. He had an unbelievable memory – he once helped Arden find their old soccer ball that they hadn’t used for nearly six years. They found it in the shed underneath a wheelbarrow that Arden’s parents never actually used, right where Benny remembered leaving it.

They shook their head, trying to push away their thoughts about Benny. Something they found themselves doing a lot.

After the night that Benny … the night they stopped Crantraeth, the Center had been in an uproar. Parents and police were furious to learn that a counselor had been murdering people for a satanic cult, which was the official story that Father Gabriel helped tell. Everyone believe the priest when he said that Brad and Ted tried to sacrifice Misty for a death cult, but he and Arden heard her screams and were luckily able to get to her in time. Father Gabriel managed to get the gun away from Brad to shoot Ted, and Arden had blindly hit Brad with a broken chair, accidentally killing him. Brad had landed on the candles, explaining the small fire that had broken out and torched Brad’s body. The police labeled it all as self-defense with a dose of crazy, and swept it all under the rug.

Helping to stop a satanic cult from murdering someone wasn’t enough to be considered good behavior, however, so Arden had to finish out their sentence at the Center. They spent more time with Misty and some of her other friends over the last few months – now that there wasn’t a demon inside them, people were less unsettled by their presence. Even after Misty was released two months ago, Arden still found themselves hanging out with her group of friends. They even willingly spent a little more time in the church. Never praying, but appreciating being on holy ground without being sick.

It all felt hollow, though. Every time Arden was alone, or trying to remember a random historical fact, or even when they thought of an inappropriate joke that they had to hold back, they missed Benny. The space in the back of their head where he always stayed felt large and empty. They didn’t know how to explain this emptiness to anyone else, so they kept it to themselves.

A knock on the door pulled Arden from their thoughts. The turned towards the doorway and saw the priest’s soul light. That was another thing that caused Arden’s heart to ache. Their eyes weren’t black anymore, but they could still see other people’s souls. It was kind of nice having that advantage, but it still made them think about Benny and how much they missed him.

“Hi, Father Gabriel,” Arden said, crossing back over to where their suitcase was on their bed. They zipped it up and moved it to the ground.

“Hello, Arden. How are you doing today?” Gabriel asked, coming into the room. Arden shrugged and sat down on the bed.

“Same as always,” they replied. Father Gabriel sat down on the bed by Arden.

“Surely you must be happier. You’re getting released today,” the priest pointed out, “You’ll be a free person once your parents get here.”

Arden didn’t say anything. They were happy that they would be out of there soon, but the thought of leaving the Center made their stomach twist. They felt tears prick the corners of their eyes and they cleared their throat.

“I don’t know that I’m ready to go,” they admitted.

“Lots of people feel that way when they leave here,” Gabriel said, “They get used to being in these walls, the routine it provides. They’re not sure what they’ll do with themselves on the outside.”

“I’m not really worried about what to do next,” Arden explained, “I … Benny and I had plans for when we got out of here.”

The priest sucked in a breath. Arden knew he still hadn’t wrapped his head around Arden actually being friends with a demon that had tried to take them to hell, but he always listened when they talked about them. He was a priest in a juvenile detention Center, he was probably used to hearing things worse than that.

Okay, maybe not worse, but still some pretty bad things.

“We were going to work for a year or so, save up some money. We were going to go to Europe, backpack through the mountains, visit some places he hadn’t seen in centuries. We were going to go to the Great Wall of China, visit Big Ben, and avoid Italy because that place is one giant anti-demon zone,” Arden stopped to laugh, “Benny said he possessed someone in Rome once, and walking around the city was like dancing on hot coals the entire time."

Arden paused to take a few deep breaths, their chest feeling tight. Gabriel waited patiently for them to continue.

“I just … I don’t know how I’m supposed to go the rest of my life without him. He was my best friend. He was practically my brother, Father,” they said, “How am I supposed to do anything without him?”

“I think you need to focus on his final day,” Gabriel said. Arden flinched at the idea of that. They had been doing their best to keep from dwelling on Benny’s last day. They were failing miserably at doing so, but thinking about his last day was like a punch to the gut.

“During his last moments, Benny fought his actual brother to the death in order to protect you,” Gabriel continued, “He didn’t act selfishly. That’s why he was able to leave your body and stop Crantraeth in Brad’s. All he cared about was your safety, and the safety of everyone else around you.”

The priest put a comforting hand on Arden’s should, speaking reassuringly.

“Benny died so you would live. You might not know how to keep going without him, but the important thing is that you keep going. It’s what he wanted for you.”

Arden nodded, having a harder time holding back the tears that threatened to fall. “Thanks, Father,” they said, their voice cracking a little. They coughed to clear their throat, embarrassed.

“Was, um, was there something you needed? You know, before I started bawling all over you?” they asked. Gabriel chuckled and set something in front of Arden. They reached out and felt a small cardboard box.

“Your parents are outside waiting for you, and I thought I’d walk you out. I also wanted to see that you got your personal effects returned,” he explained. Arden opened the box, remembering everything that was in there when they were admitted; foldable white cane, a cell phone, a charger, and some headphones. They were suddenly dying to charge the phone so they could listen to some music and fill the empty space in their head.

“Not that it’s really my business, but I think you should still do that backpacking trip,” Gabriel said, “You could even see if Misty wants to go with you.”

“That was going to be mine and Benny’s things. It’ll feel … I don’t know, wrong to do it without him,” Arden admitted.

“I think if you do it, you’ll feel closer to him than when you had him living in your head,” Gabriel said, “I can’t imagine why a demon would want to see the world on its own. You changed him, Arden. You made him a better man. You should do the trip in his honor.”

Arden smiled, holding onto their folding cane tightly. They nodded.

“Maybe I will. Thank you, Father,” they said. Gabriel stood up and picked up Arden’s suitcase. Arden shoved their phone, charger, and headphones into their pocket and stood up, picking up their backpack. They took Father Gabriel’s offered arm and went out into the hallway. They said a few assorted goodbyes to people they passed in the hallway, but didn’t stop until they reached the front door. They shook hands with Father Gabriel, still not used to the fact that touching the priest didn’t burn them anymore, and said goodbye. A few moments walking through security later and Arden was outside of the Center. They breathed in the air and unfolded the cane, heading towards the familiar and comforting soul lights of their parents.

Arden’s mom sprinted to them and wrapped them in a tight hug, planting kisses all over the side of their face. Arden could feel the tears that had dripped down onto her cheeks as she kissed them Arden wanted to be embarrassed or grossed out by the affection, but they were enjoying it way too much. Their dad waited for their mom to be done before he hugged Arden too. Arden breathed in the smell of their dad’s cologne. They used to hate it, but now it smelled comforting.

“I missed you guys,” Arden said, smiling. Their mom kissed their forehead one more time.

“We missed you too, sweetheart,” she said.

“How are you feeling?” their dad asked. Arden’s smile faltered and they shrugged.

“I’ll be fine,” they said. And for the first time in six months, they meant it.