Under the moonlit sky a young woman raced for her life. Sticks cracked beneath her feet echoing out her escape. The branches above her whipped around, but the wind remained calm. She tripped into a stop and grabbed her knees to brace her hog like panting.

No more use in running, she was completely surrounded.

Demonic beast slithered down. Flesh dripped from their yellow rotting bones. There were ten powerful creatures enough to manipulate a small town into blood ridden anarchy. Thunderous growls and snapping fangs made for a hellish harmony.

“I suppose you wish to make a legion—“ She glared in disgust as she reached for her back pocket. “—otherwise you’d have torn me limb from limb. Thing is I don’t like sharing authority.”

She pulled out a small leather bound book.

Veins pumped beneath its cover. She flipped open her book to page 209.

“Time to kill you freaks, Zatch Bell style.”

“Carole!”

They all turned west bound. A chubby woman dressed in a pale blue habit and black rimmed glasses charged towards them. She stretched out her rosary. Light emminated from her body.

The demons piled onto the fresh pray. They tore at her skin. Billowing smoke coursed up her burning flesh. The nun planted her feet and stuttered the Lord’s Prayer.

“Oh no you don’t. Hear me beasts for I speak from a living word. Nature be thy judge and swallow you whole. Return to the pit you venomous souls. Lost of God forever let go!”

The soil beneath the creatures sprung up like vines. In one earthquaking yank it pulled the demons into their grave.

“Betty?”

The nun stood covered in burns only her undergarments remained; her flashlight was gripped tightly in her hands. She screamed stirring the birds from their sleep.

Despite all her running Carole ended up carrying Betty on her back.

“I told you to stay in the car.”

“How could I? I couldn’t just let you be possessed by demons.”

“ I was just going to bind them to my spellbook. For a Christian you have little faith.”

Betty burried her head in her sister’s shoulder.

“Is that why they kicked you out of the convent?”

“Can we just go home? I haven’t eaten anything all day.” Betty muttered.

—

Home was a quaint two story Cape Cod on the corner of Mckinnely Lane and 20th Street. It was an old house that smelled damp no matter the weather. Cedar paneling clung desperately to the walls. Cats strutted around the home leaving floating fur puffs in their wake. The ruby red carpet was littered with urine stains.

The living room had a tattered floral futon that Betty called her bed. Light from the television flashed across her tan face. A towel hung over her still wet curly hair. As she watched the ornately dressed evangelist give a riveting sermon she slurped from a bowl of stale corn flakes.

Carole stumped down the stairs in her rituals tunic.Around her neck was a silver pentagon and a small dagger hanging from a thick metal rope.

Betty looked up feeling envious. Her sister’s body held a handsome shape. She had whispering curves and lips supple yet dainty.

She plopped down right next to her sister and switched the television to the classic movie channel. A black and white horror film flickered on before them.

“You did the right thing.” Carole patted her sister’s back. “Any good witch would have done the same in your situation.”

“That’s the thing, I don’t want to be a witch anymore. No matter how far I go, magic is never far behind and I get pulled in. In one day, I lost my sisters and my glasses.”

“Hey, I am your sister. You don’t need any brainwashed nuts when you got me.”

“No you’re just a regular nut. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk bad about them.”

Carole waved her off, “Sure, sure. Look don’t even worry about the glasses sis, I have the perfect spell to save you hundreds. Come with me.”