trust himself anymore.
Seth made a quick dash to a drawer and retrieved a set of moldable wax earplugs. He stuffed them in, blocking out any sound she could make. He didn't care which of the temptresses in that cell was speaking to him. For the next few hours, he was going to sit in silence and read a book without looking at her or hearing a single word she had to say.
" Almost doesn’t count, " he spat and flopped down into his recliner for the last time.
5:19 A.M.
" Seth! " Isra screamed for the hundredth time.
He was certain she should be hoarse by now. Even with his earplugs he could hear her screeching his name. He didn’t care. He wasn’t about to move from his chair for any reason.
Over the last few hours, she’d run the gambit of emotions. She had cried, screamed, begged, bribed...nothing had worked. Nothing was going to work. He had mere minutes to go. Without looking at his watch, he could tell the time was running short. Her pleas were slowly increasing in desperation. Now they were downright frantic.
" Six minutes, " he taunted from the security of his chair.
" Please, Seth, " she begged.
He could hear the tears in her voice. She should be crying. Isra was moments away from a return ticket to Hell and whatever fate her failure had cost her. It couldn’t be a pleasant experience, he was certain.
He read the last few pages of the chapter he was on and closed the book. " Make that two minutes. " He got up from his chair and came around to the cell, well out of her reach.
Isra was lying in a broken heap on the floor of the cell. Her cheeks were red and tear stained from her hours of begging. " Are you happy, now? " she screamed at him.
Seth shrugged. " I’m just doing my job, " he said.
Isra scrambled up onto her feet and threw herself at the cell bars. Her arms clawed at him through the cage, scratching at the air with futility. Objects started flying off the shelves and launching toward him. He dodged the projectiles, missing a knife from the kitchen counter by bare inches only to have his book slam into his shoulder.
Isra let out an ear-piercing shriek that reverbera ted off the walls of the room. It was the sound of failure.
Even with his earplugs, the sound was like an ice pick driven deep into his brain. He put his hands over his ears and turned back to the clock. Ten seconds to go. Seth watched her furious expression crumble as she watched the last few moments tick away.
" See you soon , " she said. Her whole body stiffed as she clenched the bars. She screamed out in agony as her body levitated nearly a foot off the floor and writhed. The soul splitting of the two women was a horrible, violent experience. In a moment, she went limp and collapsed to the ground.
Seth wanted to run to her side and comfort her, but he couldn’t take that risk. He crouched beside the cage and watched. " Camille? " he whispered. He didn’t dare speak any louder. She would have a righteous headache for several hours. They said the aftermath of a possession was the worst hangover you could ever imagine. He already had some prescription strength painkillers waiting for her.
Camille laid still for a few agonizing minutes before she groaned and rolled onto her back. She brought her hand to her forehead and whimpered slightly. Her chest rose and fell with a few deep breaths before she opened her eyes and turned to look at Seth. " Am I me again? "
" One hundred percent, " he assured.
She pushed herself up and looked around through squinted eyes. " I haven’t felt like this since college, " she complained and rubbed her forehead again.
" Here. " Seth held out a soda and a couple pills. " The caffeine will help, too. "
" Great. " Camille swallowed the pills and sighed. " So when do I get out of here? "
Seth eyed his watch. " The courier is coming back with the key at six, so you’ve got a little while still to go. Are you okay in there? Can I get you a pillow or a blanket or something? "
" No.
Seth made a quick dash to a drawer and retrieved a set of moldable wax earplugs. He stuffed them in, blocking out any sound she could make. He didn't care which of the temptresses in that cell was speaking to him. For the next few hours, he was going to sit in silence and read a book without looking at her or hearing a single word she had to say.
" Almost doesn’t count, " he spat and flopped down into his recliner for the last time.
5:19 A.M.
" Seth! " Isra screamed for the hundredth time.
He was certain she should be hoarse by now. Even with his earplugs he could hear her screeching his name. He didn’t care. He wasn’t about to move from his chair for any reason.
Over the last few hours, she’d run the gambit of emotions. She had cried, screamed, begged, bribed...nothing had worked. Nothing was going to work. He had mere minutes to go. Without looking at his watch, he could tell the time was running short. Her pleas were slowly increasing in desperation. Now they were downright frantic.
" Six minutes, " he taunted from the security of his chair.
" Please, Seth, " she begged.
He could hear the tears in her voice. She should be crying. Isra was moments away from a return ticket to Hell and whatever fate her failure had cost her. It couldn’t be a pleasant experience, he was certain.
He read the last few pages of the chapter he was on and closed the book. " Make that two minutes. " He got up from his chair and came around to the cell, well out of her reach.
Isra was lying in a broken heap on the floor of the cell. Her cheeks were red and tear stained from her hours of begging. " Are you happy, now? " she screamed at him.
Seth shrugged. " I’m just doing my job, " he said.
Isra scrambled up onto her feet and threw herself at the cell bars. Her arms clawed at him through the cage, scratching at the air with futility. Objects started flying off the shelves and launching toward him. He dodged the projectiles, missing a knife from the kitchen counter by bare inches only to have his book slam into his shoulder.
Isra let out an ear-piercing shriek that reverbera ted off the walls of the room. It was the sound of failure.
Even with his earplugs, the sound was like an ice pick driven deep into his brain. He put his hands over his ears and turned back to the clock. Ten seconds to go. Seth watched her furious expression crumble as she watched the last few moments tick away.
" See you soon , " she said. Her whole body stiffed as she clenched the bars. She screamed out in agony as her body levitated nearly a foot off the floor and writhed. The soul splitting of the two women was a horrible, violent experience. In a moment, she went limp and collapsed to the ground.
Seth wanted to run to her side and comfort her, but he couldn’t take that risk. He crouched beside the cage and watched. " Camille? " he whispered. He didn’t dare speak any louder. She would have a righteous headache for several hours. They said the aftermath of a possession was the worst hangover you could ever imagine. He already had some prescription strength painkillers waiting for her.
Camille laid still for a few agonizing minutes before she groaned and rolled onto her back. She brought her hand to her forehead and whimpered slightly. Her chest rose and fell with a few deep breaths before she opened her eyes and turned to look at Seth. " Am I me again? "
" One hundred percent, " he assured.
She pushed herself up and looked around through squinted eyes. " I haven’t felt like this since college, " she complained and rubbed her forehead again.
" Here. " Seth held out a soda and a couple pills. " The caffeine will help, too. "
" Great. " Camille swallowed the pills and sighed. " So when do I get out of here? "
Seth eyed his watch. " The courier is coming back with the key at six, so you’ve got a little while still to go. Are you okay in there? Can I get you a pillow or a blanket or something? "
" No.
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