Through Hell and Into Heaven

Chapter 22

Israel struggled against the grip of the man as he was yanked from the tent, kicking and flailing his arms. He looked around and saw Tina doing the same in the person's other hand, including screaming and punching. A jumble of curses spilled from the man's mouth and he shook the two teenagers until Israel's brain felt like jelly. No, Israel thought dimly, no, no! I need to find the jar! The jar.... I need the.... "Ahh!" He had been slammed against the ground and kicked in the stomach. "Stop movin', you little wretch!" someone said behind him. Israel groaned and doubled over on the cement floor.... Wait! Cement? Where were they? The sand was gone! Israel forced his eyes open and looked around, his eyes focusing and blurring. A lamp swayed on the ceiling of the humid room, causing Israel's eyes to hurt. He grunted and started to rise, but someone grabbed his wrists and roughly tied them behind his back.

"Oh, no, you're not going anywhere, kid." someone snickered, pulling him up and shoving him forward. Israel's vision cleared and he glanced around. He was back in the room underneath the main tent. The wooden table still stood with the pieces of stone on them, except this time a man stood behind it with two other men a bit shorter than him on either side. Israel recognized this man instantly. "Jeff!" he muttered, suddenly wanting to kick something. "Ah, I know who this brat is now," Jeff snorted, "Jim's stepson! You were here three days ago, weren't you?" Israel shot daggers at him and shuffled his feet. He refused to say anything to this man.

"Not very talkative, are you?" Jeff grinned, marching around to him. "As I would imagine from someone as stupid as you." Israel scowled and continued staring at the floor. "And infiltrating the site?" laughed the man, stroking his jaw, "Twice? Very stupid, you should agree; although I don't expect you to, knowing how much of a filthy idiot you are." Israel shook with anger, but did not respond. "Boss," the man behind Israel grunted, "a girl was with him as well. We have her outside." Israel sighed with relief. Good. They haven't found Taran. "Bring her in," laughed Jeff, waving a big hand, "bring her in! She gets to see her friend suffer!" The man—or the henchman—nodded and climbed up the ladder and out of the basement. Another man walked up to Israel with a roll of tape in his hand. "No!" Jeff suddenly snapped, causing the henchman to jump with surprise.

"Don't gag him. I want him to talk. Leave us, unless you're bringing that brat of a girl in here." The man shook his head up and down nervously, leaving the room with a visible hurriedness. Jeff slowly approached Israel, bringing out from behind him a pistol. "Funny how you came back, runt." Jeff boomed, brandishing the top of the black weapon. Israel saw the pistol and his stomach flip-flopped. "I thought you would have learned your lesson last time. That was you and your friends, wasn't it? Trying to break in?" Jeff said with a sour smile. With the sound of shuffling and murmuring, Tina was brought in, bound and gagged with a white cloth. She struggled against the two men holding her until one threw her onto the floor.

Tina looked up at Israel with her pleading eyes and Israel shivered, knowing that Jeff had brought her in for her to watch him be beaten. "You know, kid," the man began, slowly circling Israel with a hungry look in his eyes, "I've been wanting you for a long long time." Israel tried to seem casual and replied, "Oh, is that so?" Tina's eyes flickered anxiously from Jeff to Israel, her face pale.... From the cut on her torso or from fear, Israel had know idea. "Yes! Yes. I have been waiting for a moment like this. You mean so much to your stepfather, did you know that?" Israel twisted the side of his mouth in a smirk. "You've gotta be pretty stupid to not notice that." Jeff's smile grew horribly bigger. "Oh, a smart mouth, eh? I'll teach you to be smart." Suddenly, the back of Jeff's pistol connected with the side of Israel's face so hard his head spun. "You're too much like you're father! Always got something to say." "Stepfather," Israel managed to croak, his cheek bone burning with pain. "No," Jeff replied with a sick smirk, "your father." Israel blinked. He must not have heard right. Maybe the smack to the face had made him senseless.... but he was pretty sure he had heard correctly.

Tina looked terrified. She glanced at Israel as if to say, "Are you alright?" Israel immediately had the strangest whim. Something told him to try and get the demon out of himself. He had the weirdest urge to do it right then, not to wait any longer. But how was he going to do that? Israel tried to think as Jeff continued to circle him. "If I hold you for ransom, Jim will pay me millions!" Jeff continued with malicious glee, "I can tell him not to tell the authorities, or you die!" Jeff had an insane look in his eyes as he turned to face Israel.

"And if you try to escape," he added with a sneer, "she dies!" He pointed his finger at Tina, who was still shivering on the floor. Israel's mind swam with confusion. How was he suppose to get the demon out? He wanted to punch himself to make him think. Maybe Jeff would swing that gun of his again.... Wait. Now Israel really wanted to hurt himself. Why had not he thought of it before? Christians were not able to be possessed by demons. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, which protected them from such things. So he was not.... A Christian? Israel's head began to ache from all his brainstorming.

He tried to think of a time when he had excepted Christ as his Savior.... but he could not. He really had not ever excepted Him as his Lord. He must do it, maybe it would drive the demon away. Israel wrinkled his forehead and bowed his head while Jeff went on about how much of a genius he was. Dear heavenly Father, Israel prayed, I believe that you are the one and only God, and that you sent your son Jesus to die for my sins. Please send your Holy Spirit and drive this demon out of me. He glanced at Tina, who was quivering. Also, he added, please protect my friends. Amen. Abruptly, an amazing feeling entered into his chest, which immediately began to grow lighter as a heavy source left his ribs and began to crawl up his throat. Israel almost gagged as mist, blacker than night, blew out of his mouth and into Jeff's face. The demon had left. Jeff yelled in shock and drew his pistol, waving the dark source of evil away.

"What have you done?!" he he screamed, pointing the nozzle of his weapon at Israel. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked very unhealthy. "What have you done to me?!" The demon! Israel thought, it's driving him mad, just like it had done to me! "Stop this!" Jeff yelled, "You did this, I know it! Stop it now!" His gun-hand vibrated dangerously, his index finger slowly pulling the trigger.

Bang!

Israel winced and closed his eyes, but nothing happened. No pain, nothing! He opened his eyes and immediately noticed something on the floor in front of him. It was Taran, grimacing and twitching with a bloody hole in the right sleeve of his shirt.