“What? We’re in a church?” He laughed. “You thought you’d be safe here? Stupid girl. Churches are open to any who wish to enter. There are no protective powers here to keep you safe. Come in, come in.” He motioned us further into the church.
When I didn’t move, Jeff shoved me hard and I stumbled forward. He grabbed Muriel by the arm and jerked her to stand next to me. “When he tells you to do something, you do it!” Jeff screamed. Spittle flew from his mouth, and the sound of his voice echoed through the old church. I wanted to cover my ears, but I forced my hands to stay at my sides.
“Now, now, boy, there’s no need for screaming,” Azazel said.
I felt two hands clamp down on my arms. I looked, but I already knew what I’d see. Their unnaturally hot skin burned through my sweatshirt. When I saw the sickly gray flesh of the demons holding me, I gagged.
The demons held me in place as Azazel circled me. Jake appeared out of the shadows and grabbed Muriel, restraining her. Steven, Lily, and Shayla stood next to him and watched. The hobgoblins waddled back and forth in front of them. Azazel’s angels flew overhead. Their black wings flapped, and the fabric of their black robes billowed around them. Their banshee-like screams pierced my ears.
My betrayer watched, standing next to Azazel. He smirked at me. A self-satisfied sneer that said he was pleased with himself. He was too busy staring at me to see what was coming. With a flick of Azazel’s bony finger, his minions descended, scratching and clawing at Jeff. His screams of pain filled the room, and I flinched. My stomach dropped, and my mouth went dry.
The demons held him motionless, his arms pinned to his sides and legs held together.
“Have you ever heard the fable of the scorpion and the frog?” Azazel asked Jeff. Walking to him, he scraped his fingernail under his chin, drawing blood.
“N… no.” Jeff’s voice was shrill. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and he breathed in fast gasps.
“Please, don’t do it. I’ll do what you want, just let him and Muriel go,” I pleaded. I knew what was coming. But my words fell on deaf—or evil—ears. He wouldn’t let them go any more than he’d let me go.
“A scorpion needed a ride to the other side of a river, or was it a lake? Oh, I don’t know. I never can remember.”
“Please, show some mercy.” It made me nauseous to plead with him.
“He betrayed you, and yet, you still beg for his life?” Azazel tsked. He waved off my pleas and continued his story. “Anyway, unable to swim, he asks a frog for a ride. The frog, of course, is leery of his would-be passenger. ‘You’ll sting me,’ he whines. But the scorpion laughs at the frog. ‘Why would I sting you? You’d sink, and I’d drown.’ The frog thought for a moment and decided the scorpion’s reasoning sounded logical, so he agreed to give him a ride to the other side. And this, well, is the part that concerns you, dear boy. About halfway to the other side, the scorpion stings the frog. As the frog is dying, he asks the scorpion why he would do such a thing. And do you know what he said?”
Jeff shook his head, his eyes wide with fear.
“He said, ‘Because I’m a scorpion. It’s my nature.’ See, the scorpion couldn’t change, or maybe he didn’t want to. Either way, he doomed the frog and himself to an early death. Well, as most everyone in the room will agree, I’m evil. It’s my nature. So in this little scenario, I’d be the scorpion and you’d be… ” He stopped and plucked a piece of lint off Jeff’s shirt before he looked up at him and smiled. “Well, unfortunately, you’re the frog.”
Realizing what was about to happen, Jeff screamed, “But I helped you. You promised if I brought her to you, you’d let me cross over!”
“Oh, you’re crossing over. Just not the way you thought. See, there’s a problem with you. You came to me for what I could give you. That’s what you care about—what I’ll do for you. Well, I want people to worship me. Adore me.” Azazel lifted his arms toward the ceiling and threw back his head as he talked. “Fall on their knees in front of me and declare their undying love and devotion. Fight to the death for me.” He dropped his arms and looked at Jeff. “Not follow me because I can give them a seventy-inch plasma television and unlimited time with his girlfriend.” He turned his back, dismissing Jeff.
With a nod of his head, one of the flying demon-angels swooped down and grabbed Jeff’s head. With one swift twist, it broke his neck. The sound of bone crunching and cracking filled the room.
The demons holding him let go. His body crumpled and fell to the floor with a sickening thud, his face slack and open eyes staring straight ahead.
“No!” I screamed. My heartbeat throbbed in my ears. I could feel heat surge through my body and pictured my hands breaking Azazel’s neck.
Jeff was a good person. Deep down, he was a good person. He didn’t deserve that.
Jake and his friends stood silently watching. Muriel bent and vomited, the spray hitting Jake’s leg.