"Is this your first time in therapy?"

"Yes, but let's not call it therapy. Let's just say that I need an objective and indifferent ear to talk to. You are supposedly one of the best in your field."

"Before we begin I'll need your name, age, and address."

"Call me Legion, for I have had many names. I have homes in every dark corner of the world and my age is timeless."

"Uh huh. How about your occupation?"

"I am The Demon."

"A demon?"

"No...THE Demon."

"Can you prove that?"

"O-k-kay,,,th-th...THE Demon. "

"Too bad about your furnishings but that is an unavoidable side-effect."

"Uhm...why, uh....why don't you just tell me why you're here."

"My occupation as you call it--my purpose for existence--is to bring my dark touch upon people; to spread depravity, decay, and evil throughout the world. But people are losing their superstitious fears of demonic archetypes and dark forces, of devils and hell and burning damnation. So few believe anymore...and if they don't believe in me they have no fear of me and I have no power over them. My very existence is in jeopardy! I have already begun to lose substance!"

"Yes, you, uh, left some of it on my carpet."

"I will do worse than that before I am through. I am desperate, Doctor, because people are coming to believe that medicine and technology and shopping malls and computers and credit cards can answer all of their questions, can assuage their doubts and their fears of the unknown.

"Oh, I remember the glorious days when they armed themselves with spells and charms and religious icons and occult gadgets to ward off the things that lurked in their darkness. They had a belief that these things had mystical power in an unseen world that coexisted with their own...and as long as they had that belief they had to believe equally as strongly in ME!

"Now they boldly confront me on computer screens by destroying pixelated demons, they confront the bad guys on movie screens and expose my ways in their neighbor's dark secrets on tabloid talk shows. They try to stifle my stirrings within them with their pointless business and fruitless shopping.

"They believe what they see on cable news shows and hear on self-help audio tapes and read in their magazines and newspapers. They used to believe in fairy tales and folklore and legends that made me real to them. That's where the problem lies! People only people whatever is thrust in their faces and shoved down their throats and today those things no longer include me and my kind! There is too much comfort and goodness in the world! They accept their reality at face value and without question when the real truths--of everything--is right there inside themselves!And I am there!

"Of course, the means to nullify my power is there as well, but there's no need for them to know that.

"So what does your precious schooling and experience tell you about my particular problem, Doctor? What is your diagnosis"

"Demonicus interruptis."

"You're making that up."

"You are a demon, correct? NO, NO, I'm sorry...THE Demon! It won't be necessary to do that again! You are the demon and your, uhm, purpose is being thwarted. Interrupted. So..."

"Demonicus interruptis."

"Exactly. And how does that make you feel?"

"ENRAGED! If I could only find a way to make them look at the myths and legends, the icons and archetypes within themselves, I can tell them the stories that will make them believe in me and fear me...and give me my power! And if I tell the stories my way I can keep them from interpreting the symbols and archetypes that can destroy me!

"I am also enraged, Doctor, because you ask me standard and meaningless questions such as 'how do I feel'! Put away your textbook theories and listen! See me with your inner eyes, hear me with your very being! Communicate with me in a way that can help me with this!"

"Er...okay...uhm...I...ah...tell me about your childhood?"

"AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"A shame to have mussed up these tastefully chosen coffee table books, Doctor, but your head fits so nicely atop them.