were a wonderful breed. Already on the dark path, they were so near to being blinded, it was amazing they could see at all. Their way, their darkness, even the brightest of light could not penetrate it.
They loved their shadows.
Pushing drugs, running weapons, pimping women––these monsters needed no demons to wreak their chaos. They did not need The Brotherhood. They were their own malevolent force, sucking the life out of every neighborhood they touched, like some light-seeking vampire feeding on the hopes and dreams of others.
As big and bad as they were, they were easy to manipulate. It was scary how malleable they were. A few well-placed drive-by bullets could start a war that might cost dozens of lives.
The ED grinned. The latest stats not reported by humans were more like twenty thousand gang-related deaths in the United States, home to over one-and-a-half million gang members.
One-and-a-half million little soldiers.
How this so-called superpower of a government didn’t merely blow them to smithereens had been a topic of conversation at many a meeting. How did the country with the greatest army allow these mini-militias to terrorize neighborhoods? Why weren’t they stopped?
Because humans were stupid. They cared about all the wrong things.
So the darkness grew, fed by a population of unwanted undesirables with no one–– no one —to stop them. It was just a matter of releasing them into the population––much like releasing wild animals into a village. The damage, while not predictable, would still be severe.
That was what this demon was preparing to do. He would release them tonight to spread fear among the citizens by taking out one of their strongest...one who was revered by the population.
It was sure to be a fun night.
***
D enny was more than a little surprised to come home to find Sister Sterling cleaning up the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” Denny shrugged off her sweatshirt.
“Never could get Pure to wash her own dishes,” Sterling said, drying her hands on a faded dish towel. “I’d hate to see her house when she is a mother.”
Leaning against the doorframe, Denny folded her arms. “Isn’t there some rule about housecleaning with your habit on?”
“Very funny.” Folding up the dish towel, Sterling sat down at the table. “Do you have a minute?”
Denny sat across from her and nodded. “What’s up?”
Sterling stared down at her hands. “I came by because I’m worried that you’re going to let Quick pull you into his darkness.”
“And here I thought you came to visit me.”
Sterling sighed loudly, her eyes never leaving her hands. “Please don’t be so flippant, Golden. It’s a bad, bad idea you getting involved in his mess.”
“What mess ? Trying to help Quick, or trying to talk to Mom?”
“Both.” Sterling finally looked up. Don’t you see? He’s always had that influence over you, and this whole notion about talking to Mom isn’t just absurd, it’s...unnatural.”
Denny tilted her head. “Unnatural?”
“If the Lord had wanted Mom to be able to communicate, he wouldn’t have allowed her to remain catatonic.”
Denny’s eyes narrowed. “ Allowed ? Jesus, Sterling, if you really pray to a deity who actually allows tragedies of this sort, maybe you should have shopped around more.”
Sterling pulled the car keys from her pocket as she rose. “You always go on the defensive when you don’t like what someone is saying. Mark my words, Golden. Stay out of it. You have a life to lead and you don’t need Quick’s cockamamie stories distracting you from your path.” Sterling turned one last time before she got to the door. “Whatever he really wants, Golden, is no good. Please. Let it go.”
“I’m not letting it or our brother go, Sterling, and quite frankly, I’m shocked that you’d think I could.”
“Then ignore it for the sake of our little sister. She deserves a peaceful and calm childhood, not more chaos at the hands of our
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