Hell's Love

Chapter 15

Pastor Josiah walked into the church with an old book in hand. He wore a grey dress shirt and a black pair of slacks. His dark brown and gray hair was rustled and his light green eyes were emotionless. There were creases under his eyes from the years of witnessing demons, death, and loss. He had grown not to fear anything from Hell, but now... 
May God forgive me. He thought. He knew he made the wrong decision and if the outcome of this night was terrible, he would hold himself accountable. Footsteps sounded from behind him. 
"Good evening, Josiah." Pastor Arthur Harvey greeted him and smiled. The 70-year-old man walked towards him. 
"Good evening, Pastor Arthur." He said to the former owner of the church. The little old man continued to smile at Josiah with bright eyes. He wore a black long sleeved sweater and a pair of jeans. 
"Josiah, you took charge of this church years ago, please call me Arthur," Pastor Arthur replied and stared up at the front of the church. There was a painting on the wall of the birth of Jesus. A manger was painted in a dark shade of brown with a baby inside. Further down there was a painting of Jesus and his disciples, and the final one on the wall was Jesus at the cross. There was a gold large cross in the center of the floor with a small brown podium next to it.  "It still feels the same."

"A lot has changed," Josiah said with his eyes locked on the final painting. 
Pastor Author turned to face him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "What troubles you?"
"Do you remember the exorcism I performed on my parents?" 
"That was a tragic day." Pastor Arthur said. "It's one of the exorcisms that will forever be with me."
"It, unfortunately, is with my son right now. Zorohm has returned and possessed a young friend of his, Ava Frost. Dominic and her boyfriend are performing the exorcism as we speak."
Pastor Arthur's frowned. "You forgot the symbol?"
"I did."
"Why aren't you finishing what you started?" Pastor Arthur asked as he took the book out of his hand.
Pastor Josiah shook his head. "I don't want to relive it."
"Don't pray for your problems to disappear, if you expect someone else to fix them. Dominic is young and has only assisted with exorcisms before. Zorohm isn't an ordinary demon. He's a night of Hell. The boys and girl are at risk here."
"My son is stronger than you think." Pastor Josiah argued. "He can beat Zorohm."
"At the expense of a young girl? Dominic would be greatly hurt by that. He doesn't take well to losing the victims they use, especially one of his friends."
"No one is going to die." Pastor Josiah replied with his back leaning on the wall behind him.
"Not everyone is meant to do this forever." Pastor Arthur said. "Look at yourself, Josiah. These possessions have drained you, maybe even killed parts of you. I see the same in Dominic. He loses some of the life in his soul with each demon. One day you won't recognize your boy anymore." 
"Dominic can stop if he wants." Pastor Josiah replied. "I never told him this had to be his life."
Pastor Arthur shook his head. "He won't unless you make him."
"We've got this under control."
"Do you?" Pastor Arthur asked. "Then why do you have this book? Originale in Exorcismo Aguntur is a powerful book. Do you expect your son to fail?"
"No, it's just in case the demon escapes." 
"Pastor Josiah, you are my friend and I care deeply about you and your son," Pastor Arthur said. "That's why it pains me to say if the demon escapes, your son will lose more than just the battle."