Love, Basketball and Demons

Chapter 24: Winter Break

The cold wind rustled the few remaining leaves above as tension hung thick in the air, like a suffocating fog. Ethel lay on the frozen forest floor, her breaths labored as blood seeped from the dagger embedded deep in her shoulder. Zack, his fangs and claws betraying his demonic side, had positioned himself between Abby and Ethel, determination filling his dimly glowing pink eyes.

"Stay back, Abby," he warned. Abby's hands were steady as she held the revolver, her hazel eyes darting between Zack and Ethel, calculating which to kill first. Jessica, armed with the truth, aimed her gun at Abby, ready to defend the exorcist code from the girl who had once been like a sister to her.

Deb stood off to the side, her face a mask of shock and disbelief as she tried to process the revelation that Abby was responsible for the fire that had destroyed Kyle's home and taken innocent lives five years ago.

As if summoned by their turmoil, Gluttony emerged from the shadows of the trees, a sinister grin stretching across his face. "You were right, Ethel," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "She would expose herself to clean up the loose ends."

Without hesitation, both Jessica and Abby turned their weapons on the monstrous sin. But Gluttony was faster; in one swift motion, he disarmed Jessica and hurled her into a nearby tree trunk, rendering her unconscious. Abby managed to squeeze off a shot, but Gluttony easily evaded it, snatching her ankles and knocking her off balance. His voice filled with an eerie glee as he told her, "Time to confess your sins" before dragging her, screaming, towards his old home.

"Jessica!" Deb cried out, rushing over to her. The urgency of the situation jolted her back into action. She checked for a pulse and sighed with relief upon finding one. Turning her gaze towards the direction Gluttony had disappeared, she steeled herself and followed, determined to save Abby from the sin's clutches.

"Zack, go after Deb," Ethel managed through gritted teeth, her voice strained from the pain in her shoulder. Nodding, Zack took off after Deb, his heart pounding as he worried about how long he would be able to fight Gluttony on his own.

Upon emerging into the backyard of his burnt-out house, Gluttony tossed Abby towards the charred remains like a ragdoll. Just as she tried to rise, he grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up. "You took everything from me, right here five years ago, and now you are going to apologize to my wife and kids for taking their lives!"

Gasping for air, Abby choked out an apology, "I'm so sorry, I wish I could take it all back." but Gluttony's eyes remained cold and merciless.

"That didn't feel very sincere," he sneered before crushing her windpipe, dropping her lifeless body to the ground.

As Deb emerged from the woods, her eyes fell on Abby's body, she hurled a dagger at Gluttony. He dodged it with ease, laughing cruelly. "You'll have to do better than that," he taunted as his body began to shift, growing horns and becoming more muscular in response to his completed act of revenge.

"Deb, get back!" Zack shouted as he arrived on the scene, noticing Gluttony had become even more powerful. Ethel stumbled out of the woods, the dagger still lodged in her shoulder, and lunged at Gluttony only to be easily swatted aside. Gritting his teeth, Zack powered up and engaged Gluttony in battle, using his psychic barriers to protect himself from the sin's devastating blows. But as he fought, doubt gnawed at him: how long could he hold out against such a formidable enemy?

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Rob's car screeched around the corner, tires squealing in protest as he accelerated down the street. Boon gripped the door handle nervously, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Rob, why did we have to stop at the dorms for water balloons and a ring?" Boon asked, unable to contain his confusion any longer.

"Boon, I already told you," Rob sighed, rolling his eyes. "We're going to seal Gluttony away, Paulina gave us the last piece of the puzzle we needed, a sin can only be sealed at the place it was created. Zack and I have been working on this plan for weeks, and tonight is the night we have to do it."