“But isn't that what the demons want?” Anna asked, her brows drawn together. “To be here and doing whatever they want?”
“Yes, but not in that way,” Shayne explained. “They don't want the believers taken, as they will already have control over the ones left behind, and where is the fun in that for them? And two, they know once it's all said and done, they are going to be roasting in hell for an eternity. Getting kicked off of Earth is the last thing they want.”
Shayne wasn’t done yet. “Already we are seeing more demons in the flesh, walking freely among humans. The more humans sin, the stronger it makes them. It’s going to get worse, so prepare yourself. One day soon, there will only be good or evil, and no one will be in between. Make sure to choose wisely when it comes to which side you're going to be on. Only one side will win.”
They sat silently for a moment as she soaked it all in. As hard as it was to hear, she knew it was necessary. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place for her, and she accepted it without question.
“Is there anything else I need to know?”
“Never call a demon by name. Ever. When a person calls them by their name, it gives them power. It’s an acknowledgment, almost like a form of worship. An endurer has protection against this, but a human doesn’t.”
“I understand,” Anna said, quietly. She'd never call them by name, regardless. She wouldn't even know their names. “It's a lot to take in.”
He glanced at the rear-view mirror, then checked the ones on the side. Anna was quickly learning Shayne was nothing if not alert. Once he felt they were secure, he explained, “There has always been a constant battle between good and evil. Satan wants souls, and he does whatever he can to get them. He also wants control over humanity. Remember that, Anna. There are legions of evil beings... too numerous to count. When they step out of their realm and into ours, we’re waiting. Unfortunately, we can’t get them all, though.” For a moment, Shayne looked almost sad.
“What do you mean?” she asked, looking at him curiously. The man screamed danger, and he was the most powerful man she had ever seen. It would take a lot to make someone like him appear to be grieved.
His fingers gripped the steering wheel. “Do you know how many people come up missing every year? The police can never find a trace of them. Year after year, their disappearances sit in a file until eventually they get boxed up and put away. In your world, it’s unexplained. In ours, we know they were the victims of a greater evil, an evil so great a police force could never take it on—or even understand. Bullets don’t work on beings not of this world, at least not the ones they have access to.”
The SUV sped down the road. They were going fast, but Anna wasn't afraid. Despite their conversation, Shayne had full control of the vehicle. After the two attacks they already had, she felt safest on the road.
She bit her lip as she processed everything he was saying. “I just never realized they attacked in person, and somehow that made them seem less dangerous. Less real. Until they did. That's what I'm struggling with the most. I used to ask myself why it happened to me. After listening to you, though, it sounds like this has happened a lot of people. I'm scared. I don't know if I can ever move past this. I don't know if I can ever enjoy life again. If I can ever feel safe or even really live again.” Her voice trailed off. She felt like she was becoming too emotional, and she didn't like it.
Shayne didn't comfort her. He didn't baby her or offer her false assurances of safety. He didn't sugarcoat the truth, and Anna was glad. She had to have the facts in order to learn and grow. To survive.
“Demons attack in many forms, Anna. Sometimes they take control of someone who opened a doorway and cause them to commit a crime against someone else. Then they depart from that person, leaving behind a shell of a human who doesn’t know what happened or how to deal with the aftermath of the crimes committed in their body. There are other times someone is diagnosed as having a mental illness, when the truth is they are possessed. Sometimes, as in your case, they come in physical form to kill, torment, or to collect. Demons are depraved and dangerous.”
He glanced over at her, his eyes filled with pain. Anna had to wonder what kind of personal experiences he was reliving. “You have to remember Hell is where nightmares originated from. There are countless demonic entities that exist just to torture humans in any way they can, simply because they gain pleasure from it. It’s bad enough when a person is a victim of an attack here. If they survive it, hopefully they can recover. If they don't survive and they aren't a Christian, they are subjected to horrendous acts for an eternity. There is no coming back from Hell. Ever.”
Anna looked at him in an attempt to read between the lines. Finally, she said, “Sounds like you have a story to tell.”
Shayne retorted bitterly, “Don’t need one when you live in our world. We do all we can to save humanity, but there aren’t enough of us to be everywhere.”
She wanted to reach over and comfort him, but felt foolish for the thought. Instead, she decided to leave it
