There was no one more excited about the upcoming Winter Break than he was, Kyle was sure of it. A week and a half earlier - in the principal’s office this time - he’d once again summoned the demon that shared his body. It was only due to Ryka’s very real threats that Kyle still had his teaching job. No one was willing to hand him a pink slip for fear of unholy retribution.

They should be scared. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. If you don’t get paid, you can’t buy me beer. And if I don’t get to drink, I’ll send the fuckers that canned you to a very special place in Hell.

Turns out the lesson had stuck after all. “I’m sure you will,” Kyle answered without thinking. The students in the front row glanced up at him, but only briefly. Somehow, Ryka’s threatening the principal had made Kyle more popular with his first-period history class. That, and the fact that Ryka had nearly crippled Mackenzie’s father. Apparently, Kyle had been the only one who hadn’t known that her father was an abuser. Now, the whole class saw both Kyle and Ryka as heroes. Kyle didn’t think that was very healthy, but on the bright side, his students were no longer terrified of him.

With his feet propped up on his desk, Kyle watched the twenty tenth-graders before him happily chatting and laughing. For once, he didn’t care that they were completely disregarding the assignment written on the chalkboard. It was the last day before break, and he was even more eager than they were to get away from school for two weeks.

Although two weeks away wouldn’t be enough to erase all the tension, he hoped that by the time break was over, the principal and vice-principal wouldn’t practically faint every time he passed them in the halls. It’s not easy for them to separate me from you. You know we’re not the same, but they don’t really understand that.

“You’re right,” he said, again drawing the attention of the four boys playing cards in the front row. “No gambling, guys. School rule.”

They grumbled about it, but put the cards away and instead started talking about their plans for break, a conversation that soon involved the entire class. Somehow, Kyle got sucked in as well. “Hey. Mr. S., what are you doing over break?” Tommy asked. Everyone quieted down to hear his answer.

“Relaxing,” he told the class. “What are you all doing for the holidays?”

There was laughter, and Nick said, “You don’t have to be so p.c., Mr. S. We’re not going to run and tell the principal if you say ‘Christmas.’”

“I can’t say it.”

Now the room was uncomfortably silent. “You can’t say Christmas? Like, literally?” Nick asked in disbelief. Kyle shook his head. “Why not?”

“Because the people upstairs don’t like it when humans willingly become hosts for demons. I forfeited the right to say their names when I said ‘yes’ to Ryka.”

“Does that mean you can’t touch crosses or go into churches either?” This was Mackenzie. It was the first time she’d directly addressed him since the incident in the principal’s office.

To this, Kyle just shrugged. “Those weren’t things I did even before this, so I don’t really know.”

About that …. Ryka started.

 But Kyle forged on. “I’m sure it’s like saying those names – I could do it if I really tried, but it hurts.” They all stared at him, their mouths making small o’s. “So, I wouldn’t recommend taking in any stray demons. I could end world hunger and find a cure for cancer, but I’m still going to Hell regardless.”

The silences were getting longer and increasingly awkward. You must be a blast at parties. Way to kill the mood, stud.

Sighing, Kyle swung his feet off his desk. There was one sure thing he could mention to lift all their moods: not being at school. “Sorry. But forget that; let’s hear all your plans for break.”

“Um, I’m going skiing in Canada with my parents,” one girl said, a little hesitantly. But as Kyle had hoped, as soon as one spoke, the rest were eager to share.

“We’re visiting my aunt and uncle in Florida.”

And then Kyle couldn’t have gotten a word in edgewise, even if he’d wanted to. You better do more than just sit in the house. Seriously.

“We’ll find something.”

Whatever you say. But at least I have a back-up plan.

“Do tell.”

Get so drunk that my vision’s as bad as yours.

“Oh, joy. I can’t wait.”

***

Probably because he’d wanted time to fly by so he could get home and start relaxing, the day had passed with unnatural slowness. Every minute felt like an hour. Finally, though, the final bell had rung, and Kyle was sure he’d laid rubber leaving the parking lot.

We need beer. Shitloads of beer, to be precise.

Pulling into a spot at the liquor store, an “Amen” stuck in Kyle’s throat, held there by what felt like some kind of boiling liquid, and lots of it. Tears sprang to his eyes as he choked on the word. “Well, that sucked,” he gasped, once the pain had subsided and he could breathe again.

Watch it with those holy words. One of them doesn’t think you deserve to talk like that anymore, and the other finds it horribly offensive. I bet they’d be pissed if they knew they were both punishing you. 

“I guess I can’t please anyone, huh?”

With a laugh, Ryka answered, I’d love for you to please me all night long, but that’s not going to be so easy while we’re still in the same body. Though I bet if we really worked at it ….

“You really need to stop that.” He couldn’t expect Ryka to have pure thoughts, he was a demon after all, but it still made him uncomfortable to hear Ryka say such things. Though he was grateful that Ryka hadn’t been able to provide him with any of those dreams he had suggested Kyle might enjoy. Every night, Kyle still relived his first meeting with the demon, and he was more than happy to keep it that way, given possible alternatives. It was safer that way, wasn’t it?

Why do you keep denying it? We both know what you really want.

Expecting a snarky reply, Kyle returned, “Beer. I want beer.” But there was only silence, and it lasted through his shopping trip and the ride home. He’d successfully gotten Ryka off the subject, but hadn’t expected to feel so sorry about it.

Pushing the thought aside, Kyle grabbed one of his recently purchased beers and settled himself on the couch. He was just getting comfortable when the phone started bleating at him. Wow, do you have friends I don’t know about? I can’t remember the last time I heard the phone ring.

Expertly ignoring Ryka’s comments, Kyle got up to take the call. He instantly recognized the number displayed on the Caller I.D. “Chris? How’s it going?”

“Hey! Things are good. How are you?” His cousin always sounded so upbeat. So unlike Kyle’s usual serious, sometimes somber tone. Friends had always been amazed they were related.

“I’ve been pretty good.” Which was the blandest, least accurate answer he could possibly provide. But Chris could use anything as fodder for a discussion, and he was one of the few people Kyle was always happy to make an effort to chat with.

Even while they caught up, he could feel Ryka rummaging around in his memories, trying to re-educate himself. It’s been almost a year since you talked last. I like his voice - you should call him more often.

He almost asked if it had really been that long, but caught himself. “Um, hold on a second.” Kyle hit the mute button. Although he occasionally emailed or texted his cousin, he left the calling to Chris. This was part of the reason why. “Can you please be quiet? I can only focus on one conversation at a time.” Ryka shut up with no further commentary, much to Kyle’s relief. “Sorry. So, why the sudden call? It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Things have been busy.”

Kyle hadn’t meant to guilt his cousin - it wasn’t like he had a lot of free time for socializing either. Even less when one factored in how much time Ryka spent in control of their body. It was starting to feel like one of those timeshare scams. “Me, too, so no worries.”

“Thanks. But I realized I haven’t been up that way in a while, and I figured it was time. I know you’ve got break, too, so I figured what the hell? Bought a plane ticket.”

“It’d be great to see you again. It’s been, what, five years?” It pained him how long it had been. Especially since they had once been so close. Growing up as neighbors, then rooming together in college. They’d been almost inseparable.

“That sounds about right. I’m flying up tomorrow, so we should go grab a few beers the day after. I’ll be around until New Year’s, so we’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”

“Sure. But hey, did you already book a hotel? Or do you need a place to stay? I have a spare room.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kyle realized what a huge mistake he’d made. In his head, he could hear Ryka cackling. But he couldn’t rescind his offer.

“Really? That would be great. Just like college, right?”

“Yeah, just like.”

This is going to be a fun break, don’t you think, stud?