Bless Me, Father

Now They Come Running Part 2

Delilah walked with no shame, confident.

Roxanne snarled as she came down the steps to meet her.

"I told Amelia not to bring you!"

Delilah looked at her through her veil.

"I'm only here to help, Roxanne. How are you sleeping?" Her lips curled.

Roxanne's eyes whipped towards Amelia.

But Delilah walked ahead, stopping in front of Sister Renee and Father Jacob.

"Delilah" he said.

"Father Jacob" she returned.

They stared at each other... the moment lingering... until Sister Renee cut through and said.

"Why are you here? We don't need you here. This is a matter for the Church"

Sister Renee narrowed her eyes in open disdain.

Roxanne chimed in, "I'd rather neither of you. We already told you we're managing just fine" she said spitefully. Victor grabbing his wife's arm in warning.

"Enough, Roxanne. Let them help us. We're obviously out of our league here..." He looked inside the house, almost frightened.

"No! they should leave..." She paused, turning to Delilah. "What would Father Vornero say? If he heard about us mingling with the wicked?"

Delilah snickered.

"That's right," Sister Renee agreed.

Father Jacob intervened. "Please, Sister Renee, the Lord calls us to aid the afflicted, not quarrel at the door" He glanced at her, trying to muster a smile.

"A young woman needs our help."

Jacob's eyes briefly landed on Delilah while everyone looked away.

Delilah saw him through her veil.

Hi, little priest...

Amelia shoved through. "Let's hurry."

She ran inside, and everyone followed.

Delilah's eyes drifted to the ceiling, where faint thuds paced back and forth.

"She's not sleeping. She's been chewing the corner off her nightstand. I-I heard childlike singing... it was weird," Amelia whispered, staring at the stairs.

"Yes... the town has been vocal about Cristina. Saying she has been seen naked..." Jacob mentioned.

Sister Renee muttered prayers under her breath.

The Barrows looked at each other, avoiding eye contact.

"She's just traumatized." Roxanne said sharply.

"Can I please see her?" Jacob said.

The Barrows looked at the ceiling, unsettled.

"Go on." Victor said, but Roxanne stood quiet.

"It's her!" She pointed.

Since Delilah had entered, Roxanne had never taken her eyes off her.

"Cristina was visiting you! Defending your name and those stupid teas... God knows you had her holed up in that crap you call a home!" Roxanne spat.

Victor stepped between them to calm his wife.

Delilah smirked, her eyes gleaming behind the veil.

Even in Roxanne's rage, her sin wasn't wrath. It was lust... not for Delilah, but a festering, sweaty kind hidden behind family portraits.

Delilah stepped closer. Roxanne almost recoiled but didn't waver.

"I still smell that nasty sweat dripping off your body after you sleep with that fat f**k at the butcher's shop." Her voice was soft, like liquid.

Roxanne's eyes widened in terror.

Jacob caught Delilah's words and tried to mask his shock. Sister Renee gasped.

Victor was astonished. "What did you just say?"

Sister Renee moved to Roxanne's side. "How dare you disrespect Mrs. Barrow in that manner."

Jacob's tone hardened. "Sister Renee!"

She looked mortified, scurrying towards Father Jacob.

"Whether you believe her to be righteous or not, Cristina is a soul in peril, and we must deal with that first."

Victor gave his wife a cold look. Both nodded reluctantly.

Sister Renee shot Delilah a scornful glance.

"I can sense how hungry you are, Sister Renee" Delilah smirked.

"BLASPHEMER!" the nun shouted.

Sister Renee was so easy to dissect.

Her sin? Gluttony... for food, drink, attention, and the glory of being seen as holy.

Another sad little woman.

Delilah felt a bubbling laughter rise, but suppressed it.

This f*****g town...

Victor looked at Delilah. He stepped toward her.

Father Jacob's eyes followed.

"You know... I thought it was cruel how the town treats you" He paused, trying to meet her gaze through the veil. "But I think you're as bad as they say."

Before Delilah could respond, footsteps echoed above.

"Oh God, what's she doing now?!" Roxanne clutched her ears.

Jacob's and Sister Renee's eyes widened. They stared upward as the ceiling gave a gentle thud...

Then another...

Then a heavier, sickening THUD.

Delilah ascended the stairs first, her fingers grazing the wall. Everyone followed. She noticed claw marks... something animal-like.

Who summoned you?

Delilah moved cautiously toward the open bedroom. A faint, childlike voice drifted out.

Everyone froze upon entering. Cristina sat on the bed, perfectly still, hands folded, head slowly turning to meet them.

Jacob murmured a blessing under his breath.

"Stay close, all of you," he whispered, as if his presence alone could shield them.

Cristina's eyes were pitch black. She grinned from ear to ear.

Sister Renee cried out to her God.

Cristina cackled so evil.

Victor and Roxanne clung to each other. Amelia knelt near the bed but at a safe distance.

This only made Cristina laugh harder.

Her gaze swept the room.

"Where did you come from?!" Delilah's voice cut through.

Cristina's neck twisted toward her, laughing as she clapped.

Delilah narrowed her eyes, "Before I drag you back to hell, answer me! Who summoned you, demon?"

The air in the room tightened. Jacob watched as if studying a lesson.

"Why would I tell you that?!" Cristina's voice was blasphemous.

Jacob's voice boomed, "What do you want?!"

Cristina only laughed harder.

"Please stop this, Cristina" Amelia pleaded.

"DON'T TALK TO IT, AMELIA!" Jacob roared.

Cristina's eyes locked on Amelia.

"Okay, Amelia... just grab my hand" She lowered her head... extending her arm towards her.

Amelia rushed forward. Jacob and Sister Renee tried to stop her, but she was too fast.

"Silly girl" Delilah hissed.

Cristina yanked her sister's hair. "Let me tell you a secret... you're the butcher's daughter." Cristina laughed into her ear as Amelia cried in despair.

Victor's grief snapped into rage. He gripped Roxanne harshly. "WHAT!?"

Jacob yelled, "Don't listen! It's lying!" His eyes gleamed at the possessed girl.

"Stop acting all holy, you sneaky priest" she smiled wickedly.

"Your lies have no power here!" Jacob raised his cross, his jaw tightening at the demon's taunt.

Roxanne pushed Victor and charged.

Delilah tried to stop her but was too slow.

Roxanne grabbed Cristina's throat. "Let go of her! You liar!"

Cristina released a traumatized Amelia and cackled in a hoarse, diabolical rhythm. Then she threw Roxanne against the wall.

"MOM!" Amelia cried.

Victor ran to his wife.

Jacob held his cross high. "Return to the abyss demon, and be bound there!"

Sister Renee gave him the holy water, but Cristina lunged from the bed, slamming him to the floor.

Delilah's hands darkened, nails lengthening into skeletal claws.

Alright, demon... you've had your fun.

Cristina sensed Delilah's magic.

Cristina's neck bent the wrong way, like a flower on a broken stem.

"Enjoying the show?"

Delilah shrugged and spoke the language of darkness:

"Vash'nar korthul nethys mar'goth!"

Cristina flew off Jacob as if burned by acid, screeching around the room.

"DAMNED WITCH!" she spat, foam at her lips.

Sister Renee helped Jacob up.

Delilah kept her hand raised. "Enough of this! Let the woman go."

The demon chuckled, walking up the wall.

"Want to hear another secret... maybe something about you... priest!" Cristina stalled, looking between Delilah and Jacob.

Jacob's eyes widened but he tried to cover his expression.

"By the blood of the lamb, I cast you out! Depart now! Release this child! She belongs to the Lord... Not you!"

But Cristina giggled so maniacally "you should've seen Father Jacob's bulge. Isn't that right, priest?" She flickered her tongue like a cobra.

Jacob gulped but before he began a fervent prayer.

He glanced at Delilah.

So it was you little priest... What were you doing in the woods?

A small smile played on her face but she remembered the threat in the room.

The demon lunged.

Delilah floated to meet her, chanting:

"Mor'dun keth'val!"

They collided, crashing into the wardrobe.

Cristina pinned Delilah, but Jacob peeled the possessed girl off of her.

"GO TO HELL, DEMON!" Delilah yelled.

She slashed at it, claws sizzling against its flesh.

Cristina hurled Jacob into Delilah, then bolted, yanking Sister Renee down the stairs.

"NO! NO PLEASE! OH LORD!" Renee screamed.

By the time they reached the living room, it was too late...

Cristina ripped open the nun's throat, a sickening squelch could be heard and then the noises of gurgling.

Sister Renee went limp... soaking the rug.

Amelia screamed. Running towards the front door, calling for help.

"HELP!" she yelled.

Delilah snarled, flickering what's left of her strength.

Amelia fell flat on her face with a thud on the front porch.

But Amelia's calls didn't go unnoticed.

Delilah could feel whispers and doors opening at the noise.

You deserve that, Amelia.

Delilah rolled her eyes, mad at the incoming footsteps.

She could see approaching townsfolk through the window.

Some pointing towards the house.

Jacob's voice barked scriptures at Cristina, she roared unholy "The Gods are coming for you!"

Jacob looked at Cristina in confusion as if remembering something.

She then crashed through the window, fleeing into the woods.

Victor, in shock, saw Amelia unconscious at the doorway, running towards her.

"Oh my god, Amelia!"

Two men arrived first, eyes wide at Amelia lying on the floor.

"Oh my god, it's Amelia" one man shouted.

The second man, peeked inside as he gasped at the scene.

"Oh my god!! Sister Renee!" He panicked.

"Father Jacob! What happened here?!"

"A bear..." Jacob said flatly.

"What?!" The men at the door mumbled.

They then saw Delilah and pointed at her "Witch!"

Jacob put his hand up "Please gentlemen, you aren't going to walk over Amelia are you?"

The men looked at each other skeptically before facing Father Jacob.

The priest looked at the unconscious Amelia before looking back at the men.

"Thanks to Delilah's expertise, we were able to drive it off. Unfortunately... it got Sister Renee."

Victor quickly nodded. "Yes... a bear. It broke... through," he mumbled.

The townsfolk scratched their heads.

"I mean... bears are dangerous creatures. You know what they are capable of." Father Jacob sighed.

The second man at the door, covered his mouth as his eyes scanned Sister Renee's body.

"Jesus Christ, wait until Father Vornero hears about this." He said, glaring at Delilah.

Father Jacob caught his expression, looking at Delilah over his shoulder.

Delilah picked her head up more letting the light hit her veil.

Their eyes meeting.

Delilah smirked.

Oh, I can guess what they're thinking. And they are so wrong.