The Cult Of Seven Devils

Chapter 13: Beyond the Forest pt 2

The group managed to run to the top of a ledge filled with bookshelves. The creature began to violently throw stuff around while screaming and growling. "Shit, shit, shit!," Itsuki said softly while shaking and sweating. All of them had their back against the weak and old bookshelves so that the creature couldn't see them but they had a feeling it could smell them. "What are we gonna do?" Quinn whispered, "We can't stay up here or it's gonna figure us out." Ali began to look around for ideas of how to get out of this tough situation and then in the corner laid a bookshelf knocked over on the railing of the ledge, then, the idea came to him. "Listen, I have an idea," he said. "Well, what is it?" Itsuki asked. " Quinn and Itsuki can go down and distract that thing and lead it underneath that fallen bookshelf so me and Sakka can push it on it," he explained. The others looked skeptical at first but realized that it might work, "Are you sure about this?" Itsuki asked worriedly. "I don't know but it's worth the shot isn't it," Ali responded. Itsuki and Quinn climbed down the ladder and began to make loud noises at the creature and had it chase them to the fallen bookshelf while Ali and Sakka waited for the right time. Soon Itsuki and Quinn reached the point and the giant creature lunged at them, "Now!" Quinn shouted and the bookshelf came tumbling down on the monster with a loud crash.

They all ran as fast as they could out of the building to the main cult church which was up ahead, then rested at an old tree in the middle of nowhere to regain their breath and composure. "Are we far enough?" Quinn said painting. "I think so," Ali responded. Suddenly, they all noticed Itsuki walking towards the pitch-black void with nothing in sight, well, for the others at least. "Itsuki?," Ali called out, "What's wrong?" Itsuki didn't respond but kept looking forward. Then out of nowhere, a fire was set ablaze so big that it lit up the once-dark forest to an illuminated circus show. Behind the fire lied the Cult church that was bigger than they thought it to be, and in front was a line of cult members and two unknown figures in front of them, assumed to be the leaders. The teens were completely in shock and when they looked to the side they saw something unbelievable. It was Dahlia who was being strung up to a tree to be hanged and sacrificed by an unknown person. Suddenly, one of the leaders noticed them standing right in their eyes. "My my my," they said, "look who came to join us." All of them were silent until Ali spoke. "What the hell are you doing with our friend!" He shouted. "Nothing much but just a little sacrifice to revive this sorry excuse of a place," they said. "Give her back," Itsuki grunted. The person turned around and laughed, a wicked sound that echoed throughout the forest. "And why should I?" they asked, "surely you should know who I am you, idiots." It took them a while to think but then suddenly the realization hit them, it was Jaime but her whole demeanor changed. A cult member began to raise Dahlia higher and her wails became louder as she cried. Ali tried to make a rush for Dahlia but was shot in the foot by Jaime as she lowered her mask and smiled. "Ali!" Quinn screamed. The other rushed over to him as he held in his pain. "Ali, it's okay hold in there," Sakka reassured. Jaime slowly walked over to them smiling a wide creepy grin. "Stay back," Ali says while slowly raising his gun to shoot her and without a warning, she shoots him in his arm. Ali screamed and grunted while holding his arm. Jaime began to point the gun at the others as they stood in disbelief and horror, "unless one of you wants to meet the same fate by my custom gun, I advise you to step down." she said. Ali sat as a pool of blood spread around his clothes and arm. Quinn ripped her shirt to use as a bandage for his wounds.

"This is amazing," Jaime said with glee. "I didn't think you would walk into my trap so easily, yet, I was wrong." Everyone began to ponder on what to do next and if there was anything they could do next, but everything felt as if...this was the end. "What do you want from us?" Sakka asked as sweat dripped off his face. The shake in his voice gave away that he wasn't tough or strong, he was afraid. Just like the rest. "Nothing much," she assured. "But you could join me and my cult and we won't kill you or your friend or you couldn't join and I kill you. Your choice." She began to point the gun at Dahlia as she screamed. They all sat in silence staring into that cold-hearted void of what to do next. The silence filled the air except for the crips cracking of fire laid under the struggling Dahlia. "It isn't a tricky deal you know," she added with a grin "I mean, your friend did it." They all looked confused until Sakka broke the silence "What do you mean, 'our friend'?" he said. One of the 10 men at the back walked up and took off his hoodie to reveal himself. As soon as he took off the mask, a familiar face was seen "Hunter...?" Quinn whispered.