The Rise Of A Cherub

By Tezi Beach

Hector, a vile man possessed by legions of demons, trembled as he watched the gruesome demonic creature shudder while its body gyrated from the strain of syphoning the soft, delicate internal organs from its prey. The creature lifted its repugnant head and bellowed a ghastly roar as it sucked in one last drop of bloody carnage. Then it carelessly tossed the decimated carcass across the rancid swamp to land on the massive pile of broken bones, petrified skin, and excrement. Terrified but consumed with evil, Hector and his demons, slinked away from the swamp pond and began to devise a wicked plan for the small town of Ocean Breeze where he grew up. Tia Menéndez is an ordinary high school student in Ocean Breeze who suddenly finds her life turned upside down when her friends are missing after a spring break party. At the same time, Tia discovers that she is a cherub-a specialized angel that God has created and blessed with extraordinary powers. With the help of two powerful angels, Azimi and Alcander, Tia is compelled to begin a search to find her friends before something horrible happens to them. As this journey begins, Tia meets two boys: Garrett, a well-balanced Christian on fire for God, and Blaine, who spends his life in a drug-induced stupor. With Garrett and Blaine tugging at Tia's heart, the three unlikely teenagers fight a battle with Hector and his beast, demonic creatures, and angelic beings for domination of their souls.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781635756050

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Tezi Beach

The Rise

of a

Cherub

ISBN 978-1-63575-604-3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63575-605-0 (Digital)

Copyright © 2017 by Tezi Beach

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

296 Chestnut Street

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

~The Holy Bible, Ephesians 6:12

(New Living Translation)

Prologue

Twenty Years Ago . . . Hector and the Beast

She was just over fourteen feet long, and she weighed over one ton. Her hide was extremely durable and provided protection from the scorching sun and harsh environment. She had been living in the Florida Everglades for a very long time, longer than most animals of her kind. She sat on the edge of the creek bank, silently cooling with her enormous mouth open wide. Flies skittered in and out and around her razor-sharp teeth but never landed. She didn’t move a muscle. She was waiting for nightfall. It was quickly approaching, and then she would slip into the cool waters and begin to hunt.

Foraging for food had become a challenge. She found herself having to journey farther and farther outside her normal feeding grounds to find large enough prey to sustain her immense appetite. She had spent the day swimming south and was currently about ten miles away from her home. As the sun began setting in the west, she slowly moved her massive frame into the dark swirling waterway. Her instincts were on alert. She was in new territory, and everything smelled different.

She had been cautiously following a trail of bloody pieces of raw meat. Something about this portion of the swamp reeked with an odor she was unfamiliar with. It made her apprehensive. Her tail shifted from side to side, propelling her forward through the silky water. Gradually, she approached a much larger pond with a stand of dead trees on the other end. Her reflexes were heightened, and she felt an urge to retreat, but she was hungry and sensed larger prey up ahead.

It was late in April, and Hector was watching the huge animal approach the pond from his hiding spot on the opposite bank behind the hammock of dead trees. Nighttime was quickly approaching, and the full moon was rising out of the east, casting an eerie reflection upon the water that was pale as death. Hector had hunted his whole life but never liked being out in the swamp at night. It was dangerous but needed. Most of the larger prey hunted at night where darkness could conceal their presence, and they could hide amongst the shadows

Hector had discovered this pond by accident. Several months ago, he had been scouting locations to trap large animals when he tumbled down a slippery slope and fell into the pond. Nearly drowning, he scratched and pulled his way out of the slimy muck to the grassy banks. He looked around and realized the geography was perfect for trapping animals. He built a small stand in one of the trees where he had a spectacular view of the entrance into the pond. He was hidden by old, dilapidated trees covered in Spanish moss that swayed in the breeze, creating a ghostlike appearance. It was unsettling and gave him the creeps, but what could he do?

The predator entering the pond could not see him nor smell him. The trees were Hector’s cover, and the wind was from the north carrying his scent away from the entrance. It had taken him a week to set this trap and another week to lure the crocodile to this spot. He was a trapper by trade, and he sold the hides and meat to the local fishermen. Bits and pieces of bloody animal parts had been strategically placed along the banks of the waterway that led the crocodile directly to this pond. The terrain surrounding this pool of water consisted of mud bogs that bubbled thick with water, sand, and dirt. Small patches of slippery dead saw grass were scattered here and there throughout the bayou making escape difficult. Any creature who ventured into the pond would immediately be pulled down into his trap with a grip so tight, moving would be futile. Just a few more feet and she would be ensnared, unable to escape. Closer . . . closer . . . closer.

Unexpectedly, and with speed so rapid Hector could barely interpret what was happening, a gigantic creature lunged out of the water toward the crocodile. Before the crocodile could react, the creature seized her body in its enormous jaws. The crocodile howled, and her eyes rolled back into her head. She tried to roll over and pull the creature into the murky water, but she was overpowered by brute strength. She continued to thrash and savagely whip her tail from side to side in an attempt to break free from the strong hold. Muddy water was spraying up in small geysers from the struggle taking place in the pond. Both beasts were roaring, yet the creature held firm to its prey. The crocodile was unharmed but making no headway of escape. The beast slammed the crocodile up on the bank with such force that she became dazed and unfocused. Yet she was still very much alive. Hector trembled in fear from his hiding place as he watched the grisly scene unfold.

Hector had travelled roughly twenty-five miles inland off the tip of Florida to this wretched swampy region that stretched across two hundred acres. He knew that the larger predators lived inland in the more remote areas, and he was hoping his trail of dead carcasses would attract a large gator. He wasn’t exactly sure where this pond was, but he knew how to get back. The border of this pond is surrounded by putrid cesspools of water that boil and fume, excreting foul-smelling gases that hover just above ground level creating a murky green haze that engulf the swamp. It made Hector’s stomach wretch and his throat gag. Far off on one end of the pond, there is a massive cavern. Hidden by rotting trees and bushes, it contains a deep well that reaches hundreds of feet below sea level. It leads to tunnels, caverns, and caves that snake, curve, and intertwine for miles under the surface, eventually emptying deep into the Atlantic Ocean. Hector did not know that these tunnels existed, nor was he aware that this creature had been waiting in the pond.

Hector couldn’t see the entrance to the cavern from his hiding spot because he was situated behind it. If he could, he would have noticed a sizeable pile of slimy goo comprised of animal detritus, skeletal bones, and fecal matter that had accumulated from the deposits the gruesome creature excreted before escaping into the tunnels. Hector also was not able to see the swirling mass of demonic spirits circling above the pond. They dashed and darted back and forth, floating in and out of the opening to the cavern. These demons were sentinels that guarded this cavern from all spiritual beings.

Deep below the surface, locked away in the tunnels, was the crypt—a labyrinth of shadowy, dreary caves comprised of moldy, ancient, manuscripts that kept track of demonic history since the beginning of time. Most demons were restricted from the crypt. However, some demons with a higher rank were allowed entry to speak to the fiend, Cerberus, who guarded the secrets in the damp, dark caves below. Demons and the creature in the pond had been protecting the entrance to the cavern for centuries. Spiritual beings that trespassed were deterred by the demons, and physical beings that trespassed were devoured by the creature. It was a dark, eerie place, and the evil that emanated was so thick it saturated the air molecules blocking the rays of sunlight, leaving a somber, foreboding atmosphere where no plants or animals could survive.

The creature that burst forth from the cavern had been patiently waiting for its prey. The crocodile’s musky scent had penetrated the creature’s nostrils while it was still miles away. It had survived in the underground labyrinth for thousands of years and could smell an animal approaching long before it reached the pond. It hunts only at night when it cannot be seen and slips back into the deep hollow of the bowels of the swamp.

Unlike other predators in the swamp, this creature has intelligence. It has evolved into something cunning, ruthless, and brutal. It shows no mercy as it slithers around seeking to devour the unexpected. Centuries ago, there was enough natural wildlife for it to feed upon. Now it only surfaces into the pond when it knows there is prey approaching. It has no preference what it eats because taste has no meaning. It relishes only in the torture, fear, and anguish of its victims while it feeds, and then it vanishes from the swamp to the depths of the ocean floor—only to return weeks later.

Hector watched in horrified fascination as the creature detained the crocodile with only one of its oversized tentacles. It had eight, and the other seven wiggled and squirmed in a frantic display around its head resembling Medusa, from the primitive Greek myth. The tentacles were approximately six inches in diameter and about eight feet long; they gyrated in chaotic, disorderly movements, anticipating the feast they had seized. They were covered with numerous hollow depressions that functioned as suction cups. The depressions throbbed as they harshly latched on to the crocodile’s hide, immediately holding it in place and constricting any movement. The crocodile’s giant jaws violently snapped open and shut as she tried to sink her teeth into flesh. She tried to twist and turn to roll her enemy into deeper water where she would have a better advantage. The creature held tight. Savagely it roared as it opened its mouth, and its gruesome head viscously shuttered as it began to indulge on its victim.

Gorging on the slow consummation of its prey, the creature relished in the crocodile’s fear and agony as it purposely began the extraction of the rich, nutrient, vital organs by spitting gastric juices from its repugnant jaws. The fluid sizzled and crackled as it blistered the tough hide, scorching an opening in the crocodile’s belly. The edges of the gap were instantly seared, closing blood vessels to avoid hemorrhaging. A dreadful syphon emerged from inside the beast’s mouth and was injected into the pit of the crocodile’s gut. It began to slurp the juicy contents inside the body while its victim was still alive. Nothing was wasted as the creature gulped and swallowed until the only matter remaining was skin and bones.

For the crocodile, the pain was excruciating. She bellowed in agony as aqueous substance was forced from her abdomen. Her body buckled and jerked in misery as it was forcefully ripped apart. Hector was sickened and mesmerized as he watched the crocodile being shredded from the inside. When the creature was finished devouring the delicate tissues, it discarded the skin and bones where they could fester and rot with its excrement in the oozing cauldron at the mouth of the cavern.

Hector was both exhilarated and petrified as he wiped his greasy hair out of his face. Holy, guacamole, hail Mary full of grace, he muttered under his breath while crossing himself in the familiar Catholic tradition. He did not dare move, not even to blink. His breathing was labored as his mind tried to grasp the horror it had just witnessed. Whaaat just happened? his mind kept repeating over and over like a broken record.

Hector was no stranger to the swamp, but he had never seen anything like this before. He stayed motionless in the tree for the remainder of the night. When the first rays of daylight began to peak over the horizon sending yellow, pink, and violet hues across the swamp, Hector watchfully scrambled away from the cavern, hopping from one dead saw grass oasis to another while keeping an eye out for that beast. As he began his trip back, he remembered a story his grandfather told him when he was very young. One about pirates, treasures, swamp monsters, and the evil beings that lurked deep in the swamp.

Hector was not aware of the spiritual world and the war between demons and angels for the souls of mankind. However, as he began his exit from that area of the swamp, a vile demon named Demogorgon floated up beside him. This demon had been assigned to escort Hector out of the swamp and pump Hector’s mind with malevolent thoughts. There were hundreds of other demons circling his body, spitting venom in his face. They were there to guard Hector and keep the angels who dangled just out of reach from interjecting positive influence of any kind. Demogorgon carefully entered Hector’s body and latched on to his insides. The demon began massaging the areas of Hector’s brain where evil thoughts were tucked away. Hector immediately began to devise a wicked plan.

1

Twenty Years Later . . . Tia and That Smell

Ewww, what is that awful smell in this bathroom? Tia gagged as she, Bailey, and Serenity stumbled in. It was Friday night after a boring day at school. The three girls had been friends since grade school and were seldom seen apart. Friday night was always movie night. They were at the theater and had just watched some sappy chick flick and were taking a bathroom break before going to San’s Pizzeria. They were secretly hoping to see Avery and Seth at San’s. Bailey had overhead them talking in English class. Avery and Seth were two new boys who had transferred into their school. Serenity and Bailey couldn’t stop talking about them. Tia agreed that they were both hot, but she also thought there was something weird about them. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she could sense it.

Baily gushed, Oh my God, I hope that Avery and Seth show up at San’s tonight. How do I look? Is my hair okay? Should I put on more lipstick?

Serenity piped in, You look fine. Could you possibly have found a top that was cut any lower?

Shut up, remarked Bailey. You can see everything except my nipples, and that is exactly how it should be—just enough to entice them but not enough to spoil their curiosity.

"True, but it won’t take long for one of them to satisfy their curiosity. Four little buttons down the front and bam—instant breasts. You aren’t even wearing a bra. You are such a tease," Serenity said with a giggle.

Tia just rolled her eyes. All boys were the same. Very few actually had a brain above their waistline. The few that did have a brain were too immature to know how to use it. Tia was brooding over something else—that smell. She recognized it but couldn’t pinpoint where she had smelled it before. It was putrid and rancid. It wasn’t exactly identifiable either. It sort of reminded her of a rotting roadkill, but it also smelled like sewage—a mix of the two. It was revolting. The bathroom in the theater wasn’t the only place she had smelled this before. She was racking her brain to remember.

Seether, a nasty and vile demon, patiently watched the drama unfolding in the girl’s bathroom. None of them could see him. He liked it that way. Humans are so easily influenced. A little whisper here . . . a little whisper there, and Seether could watch the fireworks explode. He usually didn’t waste his time stirring the hormones and emotions of teenage girls because they were too easy to influence. He would rather focus his energy on murderers, rapists, and terrorists. However, earlier he had been checking on a rumor he had heard. Apparently, of the three girls, Tia was not responding to the usual temptation prompts that demons were known for presenting to the teenage population. As a matter of fact, she was flat-out resilient to their influence. And to make matters more maddening, it seemed like Tia could smell the demons when they were in the room. This was troublesome to Seether. He had seen this before but not usually in this region of the world. God was up to something. Seether could feel it in his spirit.

As he crouched and watched, he wondered why God was so fond of these creatures. After all, their abilities were so limited. Perhaps it was these limitations that made them so dear to His heart. Seether, on the other hand, loathed humans. His sole desire was to destroy as many as he could and keep their souls from ever reaching heaven’s gates. After all, he was never going back to heaven. He was hell-bound, and he wanted to take as many creatures with him as he could.

Secretly, Seether was amused at the drama he was witnessing from his corner of the room. His corner of the room—this made Seether grin as he perched on top of the last bathroom stall. This was his favorite place to hang out—up high in a corner. As he thought about it, he literally was hanging out. This made him grin again. He could see his reflection in the mirror even though it was old and cracked and peeling around the edges. If only the girls could see him. Having a spiritual body had its advantages. He took time to admire his physical features. After all, God had once created him as a beautiful creature. The fall destroyed God’s masterpiece, although Seether thought of his new appearance as an improvement.

After the fall, the angels who followed Lucifer became demons, and their once magnificent appearance was dramatically changed. However, God chose to keep one physical feature exactly the same—their spiritual bodies. He wanted them to experience the frustration of remembering how splendid they used to be while living within the confines of their depravity. While their wings, head, and appendages were disgustingly perverted and contorted, their body remained a dazzling display of God’s imagination.

Seether’s body had no form or shape. It was a whirlpool mix of brilliant colors swirling and twirling like water rapids surging downstream. The colors sparkled and twinkled as they moved, causing radiant bursts of light to flare out and quickly disappear as the circular motion carried them around and around. His body was in a constant state of motion that moved and grooved to some musical melody that only God could hear. Unfortunately, the combination of perfection and corruption was hideous in God’s eyes as it spoiled his perfect plan for the spiritual creatures he created and was very fond of.

Seether’s wings used to be remarkable. When flexed to his full stature, they were just over twelve feet wide and ten feet high. God originally designed these massive wings intricate in design and unique to each angel. God is the only one who could recognize each creature according to its wing pattern. This pattern was a web of silky filaments spun from pure gold that use to remind Seether of glorious snowflakes. Now his wings were small and flimsy. The once delicate wing pattern was grossly distorted and laced with venom that oozed and quickly evaporated, sending noxious gases into the air around him. Seether had grown very fond of this odor, and it was quickly recognized by other creatures as his scent of destruction.

His wings were not the only deformed feature. Seether was proud of his face although it was quite hideous. Most humans tend to categorize spiritual beings with the proportional eyes, nose, and mouth pattern common to their own anatomy. However, demons are a rare breed, and the fall destroyed their once splendid facial appearance. Not only were Seether’s eyes set too far apart, they were too large and engulfed the entire top half of his massive head. Each eye was luminescent and glimmered in a swirl of puss green, yellow, and deep ebony. His eyes were in a constant state of ooze, and the mucus dried and crusted around the edges, leaving a crusty film. The film was toxic in nature, and it caused the membranes of his features to bleed and weep down his face. This was excruciatingly painful, but Seether reveled in the torment—drawing strength from its agony.

His favorite feature was his mouth . . . or what might be considered his mouth. A mountainous black cavern engulfing what was left of his face comprised hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. Teeth so large they barely fit inside. Seether’s teeth were six and seven inches long, finely sharpened to a precision point—used to tear and shred any spiritual adversary deemed unworthy. His tongue was pure black, forked at the end, and covered with warts and sores that never healed. Putrid venom erupted with each breath, and when he spoke, it spewed forth in long entrails that dissipated. His venom was lethal. His temper and willingness to devour any creature that got in his way earned him the name Seether.

As he continued to admire himself in the mirror, he realized that he had not been paying attention to Tia. She was slowly approaching his corner of the bathroom. Her head was raised high, and she was sniffing the air. A nasty look distorted her face as her nostrils inhaled the noxious odor emitted by Seether. He was now fully absorbed in the scene before him. How could she smell him? He could see her eyes watering, and her throat was vibrating as she made small retching sounds. Seether thought, She’s gonna hurl. He grinned again—hurl—a perfect description to use. It went so well with the small beach community where he was currently hanging out. He barely finished his thought when Tia burst into the nearest stall and proceeded to hurl the contents of her stomach into the toilet basin. Seether grinned again. This would be very amusing if he wasn’t so worried about Tia’s ability to smell his odor.

Bailey barked, What the heck! This is the second time you’ve puked today. Are you pregnant! She was never one for sugarcoating. She was straightforward and could easily cause offense with her bluntness. The three girls were so different in looks and personality. They complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which is why they were inseparable. Bailey was always the leader and made most of the decisions—what to wear, what clothes were fashionable, how much makeup was enough, which people were worthy of their time, who was popular, where they should go.

Serenity was the weak link. She followed every move Bailey made. She was virtually incapable of making a decision and never failed to hand one over to Bailey. Serenity was an excellent student and very active in school academic clubs. However, she was a recluse by nature and had few friends outside the threesome circle.

Tia was the independent one. She enjoyed hanging out with Bailey and Serenity, but she had her own goals and led a different life separate from them. She loved to play her guitar and sing. She even wrote her own lyrics for songs. She was going places. She wasn’t about to get stuck in this God-forsaken town, barefoot and pregnant from one of the local boys who fished for a living.

Tia continued to make gagging sounds as she waited for her stomach to settle down. Her eyes burned, and her nostrils were inflamed from the smell.

She sputtered, Can’t you guys smell that? It’s making me sick.

Smell what? questioned Serenity. It smells like any other bathroom—perfume-a-la-poop. What is your problem?

Tia was about to answer her question when she suddenly remembered where she had smelled this odor before. Seether noticed the change in her behavior and saw her expression change as the lightbulb went off in her head. She was making the connection. This wasn’t good. As a matter of fact, this was very, very bad. Humans were not supposed to be able to detect the presence of demons or angels. The smart ones relied solely on their relationship with Jesus Christ and sought his guidance in all matters. The remaining population (which was the majority) chose to believe all the lies that demons had spread for thousands of years, thus, causing mass confusion. Being aware of demons and angels was serious, and Seether needed to think about what actions he needed to take. What was God planning? He needed to find out. He took off in a flurry of wings and venom, straight through the ceiling at an astounding speed. He needed to visit the crypt. No demon enjoyed going to that creepy place, but this was a necessity. He burst into the night at a sound-breaking pace. First, he had one job to do; then he would go to the crypt.

What Seether failed to notice as he sped off was Tia’s head suddenly turning in the direction of his escape route. She thought she noticed a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. When she looked, she didn’t see anything. But she would swear she saw something huge rapidly moving toward the ceiling. Huh, thought Tia, I must really be sick if I’m puking and hallucinating.

She turned her thoughts inward and remembered where she had smelled the odor. It wasn’t that long ago. Friday night was movie night, and the girls were religious about this tradition. Earlier that day, they met at Bailey’s house after school. Unloading their backpacks, they paraded into the kitchen where Bailey’s mom never failed to have fresh baked cookies ready to eat. Bailey’s mom was a trophy wife who married a wealthy, older man who worked too many hours and neglected her needs. She was bored and loved to pamper their only daughter. The girls talked about the drama that developed in school and searched the theaters for a good movie. They settled on a sappy love story because Damon Ramone was the star and he was gorgeous! After cookies, they scampered up to Bailey’s room to prepare for the night.

Bailey was the typical girly girl. Her room was pink, lacy, and encompassed an extensive amount of flowery, rainbow, bling-covered decorations. Tia thought the room looked like a unicorn had profusely vomited in all directions. But that was Bailey. The girls shared everything from makeup to jewelry to clothing. Baily was pulling several items out of her closet to show Serenity—all of which were pink, lacy, bling-covered, and revealing. Serenity squealed when Bailey showed her the top she was going to wear. Tia silently gagged. While Bailey and Serenity were gushing over the latest fashion statement, Tia noticed a peculiar smell. She couldn’t quite identify the odor, but it was foul smelling and seemed to emanate from one particular corner of the room. It was so offensive to Tia’s nostrils that she immediately turned around and bolted for the bathroom down the hall.

Baily noticed Tia’s hasty retreat and rushed after her into the bathroom. Tia felt like vomiting. The stench was still infused in her nose, and she couldn’t catch her breath.

What’s the matter? Bailey breathed. Why did you run into the bathroom?

Tia was nauseous and felt bile rise in her throat. She turned and vomited into the toilet. Bailey was grossed out and immediately exited. Some friend, Tia thought. She felt better, and the odor was no longer present. Slowly, she cleaned up her mess, washed her hands and face, and ambled back toward the bedroom. As she approached the bedroom door, she became overcome with anxiety. She thought for sure when she opened the door into Bailey’s room, something would be horribly wrong. She paused as she reached for the doorknob. Why did she feel this way? What was making her hesitate? Why would she be afraid to go into Bailey’s room? She could hear Bailey and Serenity talking, but could not make out the words. Yet she still hesitated.

While Tia was apprehensive about opening the door to Bailey’s room, an angel, Azimi, was hovering over her head delicately breathing God’s Word into her ear. He needed to give her strength to overcome her encounter with the demons in Bailey’s room. Although Tia was unaware of this encounter, Azimi needed to be certain the demons in Bailey’s room did not suspect the abilities that Tia possessed. Tia wasn’t ready. Something awful was going to happen, and God wanted to use her in his plan. A sudden rush of calmness overcame Tia’s mind as she was reaching for the doorknob. She felt relaxed and had no more trepidation about entering Bailey’s room. Weird, she thought, First I’m sick, then afraid, and now I feel peaceful. It must be teenage hormones. She would have blamed PMS, but the timing was wrong. She opened the door and entered Bailey’s room.

Aiko and Amadeo were the two demons temporarily assigned to Bailey and Serenity. They were currently drifting around Bailey’s room, taunting the girls with the desire to meet Avery and Seth. Aiko and Amadeo were demons of love. Both enjoyed the oxymoron: demons and love should not be used together in any context. However, demons of love had the responsibility of tempting young boys and girls into deriving pleasure, acceptance, and self-worth from the love of other young boys and girls. Their assignment was to draw teenagers away from the love of God and tempt them to indulge in hedonism. They had an easy job.

Aiko and Amadeo were both former angels who took the fall with Lucifer. God had given them the gift of love and the power to spread his love to mankind. Even though both still possessed this power, they now focused their energy on deceiving young minds into a self-indulgent, pleasure-seeking way of life. Because they were concentrating on this task, they failed to notice that Tia had wavered just before entering the room. Azimi was relieved. His task was successfully completed. For now, the demons were unaware that Tia had been able to sense their presence with one whiff of their stench. He swiftly exited Bailey’s house before the demons knew he was there.

Tia’s mind wandered back to the present where she stood in front of the mirror in the girl’s bathroom at the theater. She washed her face and hands in the bathroom sink. Both Bailey and Serenity were staring at her. She turned and faced them.

Wha-a-a-at? she said with an attitude.

Bailey busted out laughing. You should have seen your face. It was priceless. You looked like you had seen some ghoulish phantom. You still look green around the edges.

Thanks, I feel so much better, Tia replied. I guess I won’t have to fight you and Serenity for Avery and Seth’s attention tonight.

Serenity snickered. Like they would even be interested in you with Bailey and me in the room.

Like I would even care, commented Tia. Bite me!

Bailey interjected, Wouldn’t you love to tell Seth and Avery that?

Bailey, you are so naughty. Does your mind ever leave the gutter?

No, not if I can help it!

All three girls erupted in fits of snickers and giggles as they exited the bathroom. They promptly left the theater and headed for San’s Pizzeria for a night that hopefully promised lust, hunger, and thirst for the opposite sex. The demons followed to make certain these emotions were properly massaged. Tia completely forgot about the similarity in the odors she smelled.

2

Garrett and Tia

The words to a song by Brandon Heath were blaring out of Garrett’s radio as he raced down Ocean Boulevard, heading to grab a bite to eat at San’s Pizzeria before he went to the church. He loved this song. Brandon Heath was one of his all-time favorite Christian musical artists along with Toby Mac and Mercy Me. Garrett was a devout Christian and had loved God most of his life. He wanted to be a worship leader. He dedicated his life to Christ when he was very young. He knew from that point forward that he would always seek God’s guidance in all his decisions. He would never let the ways of the world cloud his judgment or pull him away from serving God.

Several years later, he became an active member of The Beach Community Church. He played drums in the youth worship band. He went to all the Bible study groups, helped at the church outreach missions, and was head of the ministry program at the high school. He spent Wednesday night at youth service, Thursday night at band practice, Saturday night at worship service, and Sunday mornings at regular church service. He volunteered his time for any ministry the church offered, and his favorite was the open-water baptisms held once a month in the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. He wanted to absorb everything he could about