The cold air felt good on Daniel’s face as he stepped out onto the porch. He closed the door behind him, and took a few deep breaths.

He heard the sound of a car engine and looked up. Father Nestor’s car was in the driveway. The young priest’s eyes went wide.

Daniel said, “Father Nestor, what are you doing here?”

“Don’t play dumb. I saw you two sneak off to Raymond’s office. And now I find you here at his house. Is the home of God not good enough for you too to have a conversation? Or are you hiding something?”

“We were just talking.”

“About what?”

“….nothing.”

Nestor cocked an eyebrow. “You seem kinda strung out for it to have been nothing.”

“It…its none of your business Father. Leave it alone.”

“Leave it alone!? What kind of talk is that? To a fellow priest no less!”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You two are hiding something.”

“Nestor please stop.”

“It’s some crazy scheme isn’t it? Something weird and sacrilegious I bet. I’m telling you that Raymond is a fruitcake. He’s nothing but trouble. I’m gonna get to the bottom of this!” Nestor turned away.

“Nestor!” Daniel tried to stop him, but Nestor shoved him to the side. Daniel fell in the bushes and watched helplessly as Nestor went into the house. He heard the scream before he could stand up.

***

Daniel burst through the front door.

Nestor stood to one side of the living room, a look of pure horror on his face. Raymond stood on the other side with his arms stretched out, Patrick quivering behind him.

“What is God’s name is that thing?!” Nestor said.

“Now Nestor, calm down,” Raymond spoke as gently as he could. Patrick tried to keep his head down. It was

“It’s an abomination!”

“There’s no reason to get excited Nestor. Let’s talk about this.”

Nestor looked around the room, and spotted the occult book on the shelf. He looked at Patrick, and realization came over his face.

Nestor shook his head, and turned to Daniel. “You knew about this.”

Daniel didn’t say anything. The remaining color left Nestor’s face.

“Mother of God,” The old priest said. He pulled a large wooden cross from his jacket, and held it out to Patrick, who still cowered behind Raymond. “Back to the depths of hell from whence you came!”

“Nestor will you calm down?” Raymond said.

Daniel stepped forward. “Please put the cross down.”

“NO!” Nestor said, waving it at Daniel. The cross was about the size of a cat, and looked to be made of very sturdy wood. Daniel took a step back just to be sure. “It’s the only thing keeping me safe from that…that thing!”

“His name is Patrick!” Raymond shouted.

“And you! How dare you stoop this low?” Nestor’s eyes narrowed. “You, a man of God, a man who vowed to protect the teachings of God, keeping this thing under your roof!”

“Nestor, I can explain.”

“Explain what? How that demon beast is going to swallow our souls?”

“What?” Daniel said.

“You heard me,” Nestor turned to Patrick’s frightened face sticking out from behind Raymond’s back. “He’s gonna mutilate and torture us, just like he does to souls in Hell.”

Daniel shook his head. “Nestor, you’re insane.”

“I don’t wanna hurt anybody.” Patrick said, his voice quivering.

“Don’t fool with me demon! I know about your kind!”

“Nestor stop!” Raymond said.

“You abused and tortured people in Hell for fun didn’t you?” Nestor said.

Patrick looked hurt. “I…I didn’t know any better.”

“You couldn’t figure out it was wrong when the people started screaming?”

“Nestor,” Raymond said. “It is not our place to judge.”

“So we should ignore the things he’s done?” Nestor asked. “Pretend he’s not a servant of Satan?”

“I didn’t…” Patrick started to hyperventilate. “It was different. Father Raymond explained to me why I shouldn’t have-”

“A person shouldn’t need someone to explain to them why torture is wrong!”

“It is not our place to pass final judgment on any soul.” Father Raymond said. His voice was louder and angrier than before. “That’s only up to God.”

“He’s a demon!” Nestor said. “God has already passed judgment. And he chose for this thing to remain in Hell!”

“Nestor, shut up!” Daniel said.

Nestor jumped, but held his ground.

Patrick covered his ears. Tears began to stream down his face.

Raymond took a step toward Nestor. “I want you to leave right now.”

Nestor didn’t hear them. “Patrick, was it fun for you when you gave Raymond that scar?” He pointed to the bandage over Raymond’s eye.

“No!” Patrick shook his head. “No, that was an accident!”

Raymond walked over to Nestor. “Leave.”

Nestor looked over Raymond’s shoulder at Patrick. “You’re a monster who feeds on pain! You should never have come here!”

“Get out of my house!” Raymond grabbed Nestor shoulder, and pushed him toward the door.

“Let go of me!” Nestor violently turned, and smacked Raymond in the side of the head with the wooden cross. There was a painful cracking sound, and Raymond fell to the floor.

“Raymond!” Patrick cried.

Nestor stood frozen over Raymond’s body, staring down in horror.

Daniel ran up, and crouched down on the floor next to Raymond. His friend was bleeding from the right temple. And his eyes were closed.

Daniel asked, “Raymond can you hear me?”

He didn’t respond.

Daniel inspected the side of his head. There was a big gash, with wood splinters in it. Daniel’s stomach felt cold.

Patrick walked up, and stood behind Daniel. “Oh God, please no. Please God no.”

Raymond’s chest still moved up and down. But it moved slowly. And it was getting slower.

“I need to stop the bleeding,” Daniel stood up, and ran to the kitchen. He came back with handful of blue dish rags, and pressed them against Raymond’s head. They quickly turned a dark red as they absorbed the blood. Through the rag, Daniel could feel the bone and muscle tissue of the caved-in skull.

Nestor still stood frozen, looking down at what he’d done. He still held the broken wood cross in his hand.

“I…I didn’t…” Nestor looked up at Daniel, then at Patrick. The demon was no longer hunched over. He was standing upright. “It was…”

Tears streamed down Patrick’s face. He stepped over Raymond’s body, and approached Nestor.

“Wait a minute,” Nestor said. “Wait a minute, I didn’t mean to…”

In the heat of the house, Daniel suddenly felt cold. “Patrick, get back here.”

“Listen to him Patrick,” Nestor shook his head. He dropped the piece of wood, and held up his hands. “You don’t want to do this. I am a priest after all.”

Patrick’s breathing became very heavy. He grabbed Nestor by the shirt collar and lifted him a full foot off the ground.

“Help! Help!” Nestor screamed.

“Patrick, put him down!” Daniel said.

Patrick swiveled around, and threw Nestor over Raymond’s body. The man flew through the air, screaming, until he fell on a table against a wall.

“Nestor!” Daniel looked over his shoulder.

Nestor lay on his side, groaning in pain on the floor. The old priest slowly began to push himself up with his right arm. His left arm was twisted, bent unnaturally, and hung limply from his side.

Patrick passed Daniel, walking over to Nestor.

“Patrick don’t!” Daniel reached to Patrick, but the demon moved too fast. It got up on Nestor quickly.

“You want to know what I did in Hell?” Patrick said, but it didn’t sound like him. Daniel didn’t hear the voice of the shy little beast he’d spoken to only a few hours ago. This was a deep, loud, angry howl that made Daniel tremble. The voice of a demon.

Nestor didn’t say anything. He slowly stood up, sliding his back up against the wall. The demon took a step further. A warm wetness spread over Nestor’s crotch. Daniel stayed on the ground frozen, watching, praying.

Patrick grabbed Nestor by the shirt collar, and dragged him to the garage door.

“No! No, please! I’m sorry!” The priest twisted and shuffled, but couldn’t escape the demon’s grip.

“Patrick let him go!” Daniel shouted.

The demon tossed Nestor through the garage door, and then he turned around. The all-white eyes had turned a blood red. The clawed hands had balled into shaking fists. Daniel felt like he’d shrunk, under those deep red eyes. For a moment, he expected the demon to lunge at him.

Patrick didn’t. He simply closed the door to the garage.