Crestwood Investigation

Chapter 39: Not That Easy

As the group stood in shock their eyes fixed on the looming figure of Rache the revenge demon, a chill ran down their spines, they were unprepared for the sheer malevolence that emanated from the entity they had summoned.

Without warning Rache's attention turned to Lindsey's laying body and before anyone could react he tore her apart with a mere glance her body twisting and contorting in mid-air as if caught in the grip of an invisible force.

Hannah's anguished screams filled the air as she watched her girlfriend's gruesome fate unfold before her eyes once more.

Driven by a mixture of grief and rage Hannah launched herself at Rache her fists flying in a futile attempt to strike the demon as she screamed
"I'll fucking kill you myself!" But her efforts were in vain as Rache effortlessly swatted her aside with a single finger sending her crashing to the ground once again her consciousness slipping away.

"Rache be gone!" Joshua's voice reverberated through the warehouse his words filled with desperation and defiance But Rache merely smiled his eyes locking onto Joshua as he charged at him with terrifying speed and strength the force of his blow slamming Joshua to the ground feeling like his entire body broke.

Michael realizing the situation decided maybe they could use weapons against the evil entity since he existed in their own world now, he drew a gun he had brought with him from his own home since he lost his police firearm and took aim at Rache and screamed "Hey pal eat led!" But his shot missed its mark and hit through Rache's shoulder into a wall and Rache turned his attention to Michael sending him crashing to the ground with a telekinetic force that left him gasping for breath and then charged at him with his body.

Meanwhile Emma frantically searched the pages of the book her fingers trembling as she sought a way to banish Rache back to the depths from whence he came, with each passing moment the pressure mounted, and Emma's frustration grew as she struggled to find the right incantation, and she kept yelling

"Rache be gone! Rache be gone!"

"Why isn't this working?" Emma's voice trembled with desperation as she flipped through the pages more and more her eyes scanning the text frantically, then her heart sank as she realized the truth the sacrifice they had made was not enough, they needed a separate offering for banishment.

As Emma grappled with this revelation Rache turned his gaze towards her his eyes burning with malice but to her surprise he hesitated as if the book she held in her hands acted as a temporary shield against his wrath.

Meanwhile Hannah barely conscious and gasping for breath while laying in the corner her voice weak but resolute as she urged the others to do whatever it took to stop Rache even if it meant sacrificing her life
"If you need to sacrifice me to trap this demon forever then do it, I have nothing left to live for, I want to help you guys."

Seizing the opportunity Rache lunged at Hannah his hands closing around her throat with a vice-like grip as he choked the air out of her body to make her not be able to be sacrificed, In a desperate bid to save her friend Emma hurled the book at Rache with all her strength the book hitting hard into him unlike the bullet before, and burning Rache as it made contact with the demon's form.

For a moment there was silence as Rache recoiled from the blow his enraged screams filling the air as he turned his wrath towards Emma his eyes blazing with fury as he charged at her with renewed ferocity and a new feeling of pain he didn't know.

As Rache's enraged screams still filled the air he charged at Emma with terrifying speed now the she no longer had the book as a shield, his twisted form contorted with malice with a swift motion Rache's now forming claw-like hands closed around Emma's neck lifting her effortlessly into the air as she struggled against his relentless grip and screamed, In a gruesome display of power Rache tore Emma's head from her body her lifeless eyes frozen in an expression of terror sending shockwaves of horror through the remaining members of the group as Rache rage grew.

Joshua and Michael stood frozen in disbelief their minds reeling from the brutal spectacle before them, as they exchanged panicked glances Joshua's voice broke through the silence his words laden with urgency and desperation.

"What do we do? we might need to consider a sacrifice." Joshua's voice trembled with fear as he turned to Michael.

Michael's expression was grave as he weighed their options his voice heavy with uncertainty. "You're right we might need to consider a sacrifice or we'll all die."

But hesitation gripped Michael as he wrestled with the moral implications of such a decision "But can we really do that?" he questioned his voice tinged with doubt.

Joshua's resolve hardened as he faced the grim reality of their situation. "Look what he just fucking did to Emma and Lindsey" he exclaimed his voice filled with righteous anger. "We need to do something, I"ll sacrifice myself and you and Hannah can survive."

Michael shook his head adamantly refusing to entertain the idea of sacrificing his best friend "No if anyone's doing that, it's gonna be me, you have too much to live for Joshua." he declared his voice resolute despite the fear that gnawed at his insides.

Before they could further debate their course of action, Hannah's voice cut through the tension her tone filled with determination "No, I'll do it, Please let me do this, I owe it to everyone, I've been so terrible all my life" she pleaded her voice cracking with emotion. "Let me do something good with my life, let me save Crestwood."

As the group grappled with their impossible choices Rache seized the opportunity to further assert his dominance, with a sinister grin he picked up the gun Michael had dropped earlier his eyes gleaming with malicious intent as the echoes of their impending doom reverberated through the desolate warehouse.

Rache grabbing the gun squeezed it into his own form as if he infused the ability of this human weapon with his own powers.