Hell's Love

Chapter 6

When we pulled into the driveway, I got out of the car and stepped into the cold night.
   "Do you want me to come in?" Declan asked and leaned out the window.
   "I'll be okay. My parents will probably be home soon."
   "Are you sure? I'd feel better if I came inside." I look into his concerned blue eyes.
  "Maybe that's a good idea," I said as I glanced at the door. I was worried that something might happen to him, especially with the ghost so close. Dominic stared at his phone with one hand turning the knob on the heater. The heat in his truck didn't work very well. Praying that the house was empty, I invited both boys in. When I opened the door, the house was warm and quiet. I took off my coat and picked up a note my parents had left.
  "What is it?" Declan asked and watched me from the door. He moved towards me and took my hand.
  "My parents are gone for the night," I replied and put the note down. I shivered, even though it was borderline hot in the house.
  "Do you want me to stay over?" Declan asked as he brushed a few strands of hair out of my face. I pressed my hand to my head. I couldn't put him in danger. Whatever was happening, I had to face it myself.
"No, it's okay." I hugged him and smiled at Dominic. "Thanks for the ride home."
"You're welcome." He and Declan left, closing the door behind them. I waited for them to drive away and then ran around the house to turn on all the lights. It made me feel safer to be able to see everything. After all the lights were on, I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As I walked through the door, I noticed something on the table and picked it up. It was a cellphone with a black case. It didn't belong to Declan or either of my parents. I turned it on, but there was a passcode that I had no way of figuring out. I laid it back on the table, as I went back to the kitchen. I got the water and went to the stairs.  Suddenly, the lights went out and I was left in blackness.

   Declan Reese and Dominic Bowman sat in Dominic's truck and drove down the street from Ava's house.
  "Did you like the movie tonight?" Declan asked the dark-haired boy.
  "It was okay. I'm not the biggest fan of horror movies." Dominic stared at the road.
  "Why?"
  "Just don't like them very much." Dominic felt the pocket of his jeans. He cursed under his breath. "Sorry about this, but I set my phone down at Ava's. Do you mind if we go back?"
  "No, that's okay. I wouldn't mind checking on her again."
  Dominic glanced over at him. "The movie seemed to freak her out a little."
  "Yeah." Declan had a feeling something else was wrong. When she was in the bathroom, Declan heard her whispering. She sounded so frightened. There was a voice inside him, telling him not to leave her alone tonight. Ava was usually pretty open with him. They told each other almost everything, but there were times that Ava wouldn't directly come out and tell him if something was bothering her. She didn't want to worry him. Declan knew how to tell when she was keeping something from him, though. Ava would distance herself from him, mostly because she hated hiding her emotions from him. Dominic pulled into her driveway and a loud crash sounded from inside the house and the sound of Ava's scream startled them. Declan raced inside with Dominic not far behind him.
  "Ava!" Declan called. The house was dark and pieces of furniture had been flung across the room.
  "What the hell?" Dominic shouted as he looked at the mess.
  "Ava!" Declan hollered. They ran upstairs and searched the rooms. At the end of the hall, sat a figure. The person was cowering against the wall. "Ava?"
 "Declan!" She hurried towards him and hurled herself into his arms. Her brown hair hung around her face, hiding her eyes. "You have to get out of here."
 "What's going on here?" Dominic asked.
 "You have to leave." She told them and stepped away from Declan.
 "Tell us what's going on," Declan said, firmly.
"Do you remember what happened at the hospital?" She asked with her eyes on Declan. Declan's eyes widened when he saw her eyes. They looked tired and terrified.
"You came out and you were crying. Something scared you."
"There was a woman there and she was possessed by a demon. His name is Zorohm. When I was with her, she passed him on to me." Ava's voice wobbled and tears spilled down her cheeks.
"What do you mean she passed him on to you?" Declan reached out to her, but Ava pulled away from him.
"He's going to possess her," Dominic answered for her.
Declan shook his head. "Does that even happen?"
Dominic pulled a cross necklace out from the inside of his shirt. "Demons are real. Hell is real and so is the devil. Based on the stuff that's happened, I don't think Ava has much time left."
"Do you know a lot about this?" Ava asked with her eyes resting on him.
"I've been dealing with demons my whole life."
 "What do we do?" Declan asked and looked over at him. Before Dominic could respond, there was a loud screech that roared through the room. And then Ava was flung across the hall and into a room. The door slammed with Ava shut inside. Declan and Dominic raced towards it and shoved themselves against the wood.
 "Ava!" Delcan cried. He felt his pulse race. He'd never felt so afraid.
"Zorohm!" Dominic called the demon. The walls shook and photographs fell off the wall.
"What are you doing?" Declan stared at him.
"We have to force him out to get him away from her." He called the demon again. This time the door opened and Ava walked out. Her small frame no longer crumpled or shaking. She walked up to them and smiled.

"Ava?" Dominic called. Her head shot up and she laughed, but the noise that escaped her throat sounded like the devil himself.
"You're too late, preacher's boy. You can't save this one." The dresser against the wall flew across the room, nearly knocking into them. Ava ran down the hall and into her bedroom.
"We have to leave," Dominic told Declan and grabbed his arm, but he tore away from him.
"We can't leave her."
"We have to. We can't help her if we're dead."
"I won't leave her," Declan said and Dominic sighed. He knew Declan would fight the demon with his bare hands to save Ava, but that would only make things worse.
"Think about it, Declan. If you want to save the girl you love, you have to find out how to stop a demon. Do you know anything about Hell or the creatures that inhabit it?" Declan's expression gave him his answer. "Let's get out of here and plan our next move."
"Okay." Declan gave in and his hands fell to his sides, He followed him outside and left Ava in the hands of the devil.