Demon Cleaner / Eltorey

TEN

The group stood on Patti Negri's doorstep.

Corey was practically sobbing, Elton shaking in his arms as he struggled to even hold the two of them up. Corbin knocked for them, staring over his shoulder as Evan set up his camera.

"Do we really need to film it?" Corbin asked, nodding his head in the direction of Corey. Evan just nodded.

"Are you more scared of possessed Elton, or normal Elton finding out we didn't film his exorcism, Corbin?"
He didn't answer.

Patti opened the door with a worried look already spread across her face. Corey opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"Something's seriously wrong," she breathed, "I've been on edge all day."

Corey let out a sob and stepped forward. Evan pointed the camera, now filming, towards him.

"It's Elton," Corey cried out, gripping Elton's shoulder tightly, "Patti, he got possessed on the Queen Mary and he's been fucked up ever since. I thought we could let it go and he would get better, but it's not. We wouldn't do this to you if it wasn't our last choice."

Patti just nodded. She took a look around the group, shaking her head slowly. If she didn't know the men as well as she did, she would be upset by bringing this amount of demonic energy to her home.

"Alright," she said finally, taking a step back into the house and down her hallway. Corbin and Evan followed slowly, Corey still almost reluctant.
The three followed Patti through her house, ending eventually in a small, library room.

As Corey watched from the doorway, still tightly squeezing his hand around Elton's shoulder, Patti pulled a small, leather book from one of the shelves. It was unmarked, yet aged, bound in black leather with a worn spine.
She then reached for a small, wooden box on the lowest level of the bookshelf. She pulled out a vile of water, wrapped in a cross.

"Corey," she spoke sternly, "put Elton in the middle of the room."

He obeyed, stepping forward and delicately laying Elton on the ground. Corbin turned around and stood in the doorway, motioning for Evan to follow as the cameraman took different shots of the room.

"Elty," Corey whispered, brushing the mans hair from his face, "are you in there?"

"Corbin, in the room next door there's a jar of salt," Patti continued, finding a spot beside the doorway and speaking over her shoulder, "fetch it for me."

Corey wiped his eyes against his sleeve, taking in a deep breath before reaching down to cup Elton's cheek.
"Please, Elton," he whispered, ducking his head, "let me talk to you before this happens?"

Corey's necklace was still hanging from Elton's neck, and the brunette brought his hand down to touch it. He whispered an "I love you," before sitting back up. Before Corey could bring himself to stand, Elton's eyes fluttered back open.

"Oh my God," Corey whispered, cradling the mans head in his hands. Elton blinked up at him, clearly exhausted.
The younger rocked the two of them, too distracted to hear Patti sprinkling two circles of salt behind him. Evan continued to film, and he had completely given up on trying to stop his hands from shaking.

"I just want to tell you, don't be scared," Corey spoke, taking his hand off Elton's face to reach down and interlock their fingers. The older sniffled, a tear rolled down his cheek.

"When it's happening, you need to be strong," Corey's voice trembled, "remember what I told you about your love?"

Elton shook his head lightly. Unable to speak but clearly confused. His brain was clouded with fog, and he felt as if the room were spinning. He didn't want advice, he just wanted Corey to stay with him.

"How about this," Corey noticed the mans panic and squeezed Elton's hand in his own, "how about we think of the same thing together. We can think about the first time we really connected."

Elton still stared up at him blankly, this time, tears had started to form in his eyes. Corey's eyes stung as he tried to find the right words to say, to seem strong so Elton wouldn't be so worried.
They had cried so much recently, Corey thought he wouldn't even be able to produce more tears.

"You remember our first trip? It was the road trip we took to Utah all the way back in 2016," his lips trembled, "I loved it, but I loved the night just before we left for it the most."

"We had hung out a couple of times, only in bigger groups to film videos, but never got to know each other one on one. You really wanted to change that, and I'm glad you did, because it made sharing a bed a little less awkward. You took me out for a nice dinner, in a pretty expensive restaurant downtown. The people around us clearly put in effort to look good, even I tried to find nice clothes, but you showed up in an old hockey jersey and unintentionally ripped jeans."

Corey cracked a smile, shaking as he held Elton's hand. The older had hung his head slightly, bit his lip and keeping back a painful sob. Corey didn't know how well he could even understand him, but he continued.

"Then after dinner, we took a little walk. You begged us to stop for ice cream sundaes, and even though I was so full I thought I'd puke, I said yes. You got pink sprinkles in your beard and I didn't tell you because I wanted to see if you'd ever notice. Then, when you drove me back home, you missed my street twice because you were too busy dancing to the music you put on the radio."

Corey let out a broken laugh, feeling his heart shattering. He tilted Elton's head up and pressed their foreheads together, taking in a deep breath. He stared into Elton's eyes, dull and watery.

"That's the first night I realized that I would love you forever," he whispered. Elton gripped his jacket lightly, pulling the two of them even closer. Corey could feel Elton's laboured breathing on his own lips.

"Think of that night, Elton," he whispered, "think about me falling in love with you, again and again, until this whole thing is over."

Elton whimpered as Corey let go of him, it was too soon, and his hands hit the floor as he attempted to hold himself up.
Corey stood for a second and stared at the man on the floor, guilt welling up inside of him. There was nothing else he could do. He covered his mouth with his hand, feeling himself close to sobbing.
Corey's heart continued to break as he turned around, rubbing his face and taking a stand next to Patti.

"We all ready?" She whispered. Corey nodded and sniffled, unable to look anywhere but his own feet. He wiped at his eyes before they fluttered shut.

"Exorcise that fucking demon."