I Have Friends in Holy Spaces

13: Ooh Unlucky Number 13

   He was released the next day due to the lack of evidence against him and I resorted to avoiding the church anyway I could and that was particularly easy since I never go there anyway.

    I lived in a constant state of anxiety after his threat and I had the right to; the man was insane. When I would go outside, it had become a habit to look over my shoulder to make sure nobody was following me as much as I could in the duration of getting to my location.

   Pete came back from New York the day after the incident in holding since school was starting again the next day. I visited the household, looking over my shoulder at least ten times and when I met up with Pete, informed him on what he missed out on.

"Bro...that's deranged. Is it like multiple personality or something?" Pete sat on the edge of his bed, cross cross applesauce as I stood in the middle of the room, pacing anxiously. I shrugged, "It could be, but I doubt it. He's always seemed the same until now, something's got to him, Pete. Something wants him to come after me for some godforsaken reason and I-"

Pete snapped his fingers and gasped loudly, cutting me off mid-ramble, "Holy shit I think I know why." I nodded my head a bit, urging him forward. These past few days, Pete had reverted back to his normal self but from now on there was a touch of a serious side to him that made me respect him so much more. To be able to still laugh and have fun and still mean business in these hard times was tough and yet he pulled through it. "Did he ever burn the Ouja board?" He asked, "We never did go over there did we?"

   It all made sense, and as he said that my eyes widened and I shook my head, "We never did. Do you think he..." I trailed off and my unsaid question was answered with a slight nod of Pete's head. "Father Way's possessed," he spoke what I was thinking. "That demon, the one from the first night, it's probably that right?" I asked.

   That was a question none of us could really answer, but it felt right to say yes for it explained so many things; it killed Brendon and is now coming after me. It was going down the list of people from the night of the exorcism and I was worried not only about my safety but the safety of Pete and Mikey. Mikey was Father Way's brother therefore, the most vulnerable if Father Way we're ever to hunt him down. We needed to do something and fast; I doubt he was going to delay any longer than he has been.

   I left Pete's room for a moment to get the yellowbook and search for priests in the area. We divided each page; Pete would read the one on the left and I the one on the right. For four hours we did this, searching relentlessly for a priest that could perform an exorcism on Father Way, but alas there was no result.

  Pete shut the book in frustration, "Dammit! Why is there only one priest in this town and he's the possessed one?" "Luck is never on our side when we need it most, Pete. Life works like that," I sighed and sat against the wall, rubbing my temples. The sun had totally disappeared and I checked the time, 8:45.  Standing up, I said to Pete, "I got to go. We'll figure this out tomorrow hopefully." Pete nodded and said goodbye to me as I left his room and walked down the stairs, saying goodbye to Deb and Pete Sr. as I opened the front door and exited the Wentz household.

  December had left Belleville in a nice almost warm state of mind until January barged in, cold and bitter to the core; harsh breezes shoved me backwards as if they were a bully and even the moon didn't want to acknowledge my presence, for it hid between two thick clouds that indicated a storm.

As predicted, a few moments later as I looked up at the sky and watched whatever stars I could find, a bolt of lightning invaded the sky and illuminated the night a ghostly way. Light thunder followed after and it was then I heard the footsteps that wished to be hidden in the thunder. I couldn't turn around to see who they belonged to because I already knew and my stomach dropped real low at the thought.