Joined by the Night Ch. 02

It was apropos. Chaos was what Caim thrived upon. He lived for the screams and pain of those whose lives he ruined. "Will your roommate help you?"

"She doesn't believe in any of this. She thinks I'm just having some powerful wet dreams that are so realistic because I've been sexually anorexic since my boyfriend was killed." She lifted a shaking hand to her face, pushing back the long strands of her hair. "She believes that my mind is playing with my body because I need to, in her words, get boinked."

"Is there anyone..." Joseph trailed off, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.

"Anyone who would boink me?" Brianna finished for him, almost laughing at how shy he sounded. "I guess, but no one I would want to." Her eyes shot to his face and he could almost read the thoughts she was having.

"No, Brianna, you mustn't think that way. It's his influence. You wouldn't think like this if it weren't for what he was doing to you."

"But he is doing it, and you said I was in danger. What if...boinking...someone else will stop him from wanting me? You'd be safe. You wouldn't want a relationship or anything afterwards. I don't think you'd be too anxious to spread around rumors either."

"No, Brianna," Joseph repeated. "No, I'm a priest, I've taken a vow of celibacy. I won't break my vows."

Brianna snorted. "Yeah, tell that to your altar boys."

A second later it was as if she realized what she said, a horror filled expression transforming her face. Tears came from her eyes and she gripped his hand even tighter. "I didn't mean that, Father. I really didn't."

"I know. I know a demon when it speaks to me, Brianna. The evil that is inside of you is strong, but you are stronger. You only have to believe in that and in yourself." He gripped her hand. "Would you pray with me?"

"Pray? Here? Now?"

"Where could possibly be better and why not?" he smiled back at her, indicating the church they sat in. "Prayer can soothe a soul that is lost. It can raise up the holy and heal the sick. You believe in prayer and the power it holds, don't you?"

"I...I just don't know. It's almost as if God has turned his back on me. He's taken everybody I loved away from me and left me with nothing." A tear streamed down her cheek, quickly followed by another. "I haven't tried praying, but even being here in this church is so hard."

"It's going to be hard, the worthwhile things always are, Brianna." He rubbed a hand across his handsome face. "Holy father," he said, reaching out and clasping one of her hand in both of his and bowing his head. "We ask for your blessings on this child, one of your own who is being sorely tested in both faith and spirit. Show her the right path, lead her into the light and away from the darkness..."

"Stop!" Brianna screamed. "My arms, they feel like they're on fire."

Joseph stopped, reaching out to push up her sleeves, seeing the fine red rash that was steadily spreading up her arms even as he watched. "My dear God in heaven," he exclaimed quietly. With a grimace, he dropped her hands, going to the Sacristy and pulling out the small first aid kit. It contained a salve made with hydrocortisone cream, which he grabbed and hurried back to her.

"This should help the burn," he said, holding up the tube.

"It's already too later, Father. It's not burning or itching any more. This Caim that you mentioned before, he has put his mark upon me." Her words were spoken with an unhappy resigned air that told Joseph more than anything else. She was giving up. She was going to let him take her, lose her life to the evil condemning her soul.

"No," he almost shouted, snapping her out of her pathos. His voice echoed in the quiet of the church, and she lifted her head, her eyes going wide.

"No," he said again, though his tone was gentler. "You're giving up, Brianna. You're allowing him to take you, to forfeit your immortal soul to darkness. There is no greater tragedy in this world than that." He sat back in the same pew as before, watching as she began to squirm, her face flushing. "You have to fight him and his hold over you. If not, it won't be just your soul in danger. It will be us all."

"Stop, stop saying that, stop talking to me as if I hold the key to the future of mankind in my hands. You can't expect me to believe that you really believe the stuff you're telling me." She closed her eyes, dropping her hands to her lap and refusing to look up at him.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you, Brianna. You stand between him and what he wants, your child. He won't let you raise it when it's born. He won't let you have it. He will come in the night and steal him away."

"Him?"

"Yes, Brianna. Any child of Caim will be a him. You read in the bible about Cain and Abel? Cain and Caim are very close to the same person. We must do all we can to stop him. If you are ready to listen, I've been thinking of a way out of this position."

"Yes, anything, anything at all. I'm afraid to go to sleep," she sniffed.

"Then come closer, child and we shall see if we can outfox the devil."