Rob strolled across the quad, his eyes following the falling autumn leaves as they danced around him. The crisp air nipped at his cheeks, but he hardly noticed; his thoughts were focused on the movie theater incident and getting answers to what happened that night.


    He spotted Ahmed sitting under a large oak tree, engrossed in a mystery novel. As Rob approached, he couldn''t help but admire how serene Ahmed appeared, his heart nearly skipped a beat before he reminded himself why he was there. He took a seat next to his friend of a friend, hoping to gain some insight into what had happened.


    "Hey, Ahmed," he began casually, "How are you holding up after the theater thing, the news said you found a body and were attacked by an animal. Is that true?"


    Ahmed frowned slightly, clearly annoyed by the interruption. He closed his book with a soft sigh and looked up at Rob. "Do we have to talk about this now? I''d rather just enjoy my book."


    Rob persisted, sensing there was more to Ahmed''s reluctance than met the eye. "Come on, man. You saw everything, right? I have heard some crazy rumours around campus and was hoping to just get the truth straight from the source."


    Ahmed''s annoyance quickly turned to anger. "I don''t want to talk about it, alright?" he snapped before storming off, leaving Rob standing alone.


    Rob watched him go, realization dawning that he should have been more sensitive to Ahmed''s feelings and trauma. He was about to chase after Ahmed when he heard a faint buzzing noise. Looking down, he saw Ahmed''s phone vibrating beneath the blades of grass. Picking it up, Rob glanced at the screen only to find the call was coming from China, he rolled his eyes at the robocall. As he hung up, he accidentally tapped the camera app with his finger and something caught his eye: a blurry photo of Gluttony, captured during the theater incident. The orange glowing eyes were unmistakable on the screen.


    Rob''s heart raced as he stared at the damning evidence of the supernatural. He tried calling Zack, "Pick up, Pick up, Pick up!!!" but there was no answer. Great, he thought, now what do I do? Torn between keeping the only visual evidence of Gluttony and Zack from ever being found out, Rob made a split-second decision to delete the photo. With that done, he pocketed the phone and raced after Ahmed, determined to make amends.


    -----


    Meanwhile, Abby and two other exorcists arrived at Ethel''s home, intent on confronting her about what she knows about the sin and its vessels. As they approached, Ethel sensed their presence and grabbed a frying pan from the stove. She positioned herself next to the door, pan at the ready.


    The door swung open with intense force as the first man kicked it. He was quickly met with the back end of the frying pan, sending him tumbling back off the front porch and landing motionless in the grass. The second exorcist, a thin woman, leaped through the entrance keeping low to avoid the pan. She drew her weapon and turned to where Ethel had once stood, but was only greeted but a set of empty coat hooks. The exorcist turned to find a dimly glowing green eye staring back at her, before she could move she found herself tied up in the front entranceway with Ethel standing over her triumphantly.


    Abby crept through the back door, a ring of holly at the ready. Caught off guard, Ethel gasped when she saw Abby. This was a grave mistake as Abby lunged forward stuffing the holly into Ethel''s mouth, causing her to pass out almost instantaneously. "Still too focused on what''s in front of you" She smirked as she stood over Ethel. "You should have chosen a better part of town to hide out in, I don''t see the police getting here anytime soon."


    Dragging the unconscious woman to her car, Abby loaded her into the vehicle and drove back to St. Jerome''s Parish, leaving her fellow exorcists on Ethel''s lawn.


    As water dripped from Ethel''s face, confusion and fear flashed in her eyes. She went to move but found her wrists were restrained. Abby stood over her, a mix of determination and smugness in her gaze. "So, I think it''s time we had a chat," Abby started "What have I missed since I''ve been gone?"


    The dim, damp basement of St. Jerome''s Parish seemed to close in on Ethel as she struggled against her bindings. She had no intention of telling Abby anything. Her dark brown hair clung to her face, still wet from the bucket of water Abby had doused her with.


    "Let me go," Ethel demanded, her voice low and dangerous. She glared up at Abby, defiance shining in her dark eyes.


    "Can''t do that," Abby replied with a shake of her head. "Not until you''ve spilled the tea for old-time sake." She held up a live wire, its end sparking ominously. "And just so you know, if you try anything, I won''t hesitate to drop this into that puddle at your feet."


    Ethel''s gaze flicked to the water surrounding her, then back to Abby. "You wouldn''t dare. I don''t owe you anything."


    "Don''t you?" Abby seemed amused by Ethel''s statement. "I kept you hidden from them for years, I made sure to lead them away every time they got too close to you or your family. Now a sin is only the loose and creating its own little army to slaughter innocent people. The least you can do is tell me what you know"


    "Protect me?" Ethel scoffed, her anger barely contained. "Some good that did, or have you avoided the news for the past five years. I don''t have any family left."


    "Fine," Abby sighed, realizing her initial plan wasn''t working. "If that''s how you want to play it... then I guess I will just have to turn you over to the exorcists."


    "Gluttony," Ethel spat out, but her eyes shifted, avoiding Abby''s gaze. She said nothing more.


    "Who is Gluttony? Name the person it is hiding in." Abby pressed, sensing that Ethel was holding something back. But Ethel remained silent, her jaw clenched tight. Abby''s frustration grew, and she realized that Ethel was done talking.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Fine," Abby muttered, more to herself than to Ethel. "Maybe some extra time in the lock-up will put you in a talking mood." With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving Ethel alone in the basement.


    In the suffocating silence, Ethel''s thoughts raced. Abby had left her no choice; she had to escape. As soon as the door clicked shut behind Abby, Ethel seized her opportunity. With a surge of adrenaline and vessel strength, she managed to get one hand free from its bindings.


    As her heart pounded in her chest, she worked on the other restraints, then stood up cautiously, testing her weight on her unsteady legs. She needed to act fast before Abby returned.


    With silent footsteps, Ethel crept towards the door, carefully avoiding the puddle and the live wire still sparking ominously on the floor. The door creaked open just a crack, and she peered out, checking for any sign of exorcists. The coast clear, Ethel slipped out into the hallway and began her quiet escape.


    -----


    The dimly lit nightclub, Night School, lay silent and empty. Shadows danced across the walls as Paulina stood behind the bar, phone pressed to her ear, leaving a message for Zack. "Hey, it''s Paulina. Just checking in. If you''re free tonight, we could use an extra hand. Let me know." She hung up, concern filling her eyes.


    As she mulled over recent events, the door creaked open, and Officer Lindsey stepped inside. Her brow furrowed with determination, she approached Paulina and pulled out a file, handing it to her. "Paulina, I need your opinion on something - the movie theater attack."


    "Officer Lindsey," Paulina sighed, flipping through the file. "You shouldn''t be consulting an ex-cop every time you have a problem."


    Lindsey''s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I''m sorry. It''s just...you always had a knack for solving the weird cases back when you were on the force. I don''t understand why you quit."


    "Sometimes in life, you just need to find balance," Paulina replied, her gaze lingering on a photo within the report. A mandala caught her eye, and she paused for a moment before continuing. "Whatever attacked the theater is big and not native to Waterloo. You should consult a professional, I suggest a zoologist."


    "Thanks for your time," Lindsey said, disappointed but resigned as she left the club. Paulina stared at the closed door, concern etched into her face. The creature''s continued killing spree threatened the delicate balance of the city.


    -----


    Later that night, the surprise party for Deb was set up in her dorm room, but neither Deb nor Zack were anywhere to be found. Friends hid behind furniture and curtains, waiting impatiently for the guest of honor. None of the guests were deterred by the enhanced police presence on campus.


    Gary whispered to Brody from his hiding spot under a table, "I''m already failing economics, man."


    "Tell me about it," Brody grumbled, massaging his sore muscles. "And Coach has been pushing us way too hard at practice, it so hard to keep up with classes at the same time."


    In the closet, Rob stood uncomfortably close to Samantha, who stared at him in shock. "Your name is Robert? I always thought it was just Rob!"


    "Surprise," Rob muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes.


    Across the room, Boon bragged to Leona about his impeccable time management skills. "I would never leave so many people waiting on me," he scoffed, unaware Leona was too busy texting Sarah to listen.


    Ahmed''s ears perked up as a group of girls nearby whispered about their astonishment upon discovering he had a perfect GPA. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, pride swelling in his chest.


    The friends continued to chat and wait, the minutes ticking by as they wondered where Zack and Deb could be.


    As the night dragged on, Jessica paced in the hallway outside Deb''s dorm room, her brow furrowed with worry. The campus curfew was fast approaching, and still, there was no sign of Deb or Zack. Jessica''s fingers tapped nervously against her phone as she tried calling Deb yet again, only to be met with her voicemail.


    "Where could she be?" Jessica muttered under her breath, her eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of the missing duo. Just then, she bumped into Kenzie, nearly knocking her off balance.


    "Hey, watch it!" Kenzie exclaimed, catching herself on the wall.


    "Sorry, Kenzie," Jessica apologized, her concern evident in her voice. "I''m just worried about Deb. She''s not picking up her phone, and the curfew is almost here."


    "Have you tried Zack? the two of them have been inseparable for a while now," Kenzie suggested, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice.


    "Of course not, why would I have his number?" Jessica snapped, her frustration getting the best of her. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder what Deb sees in him. He''s always so squirrelly, and now they''re both missing when we''re trying to throw her a surprise party!"


    Kenzie''s expression darkened. "It''s a surprise party, how can you expect them to be on time when she doesn''t even know about it? You know how it goes when you first meet someone, you ignore everyone else for a while. It is a phase and it will pass."


    "Maybe," Jessica conceded, though her tone remained doubtful. "I just wish Zack was easier to read. It''s hard to trust someone who''s always hiding something."


    At that moment, the faint sound of laughter drifted through an open window. Jessica''s eyes widened as she realized that Zack and Deb must have finally arrived, she peered out the window and saw the pair walking up the road hand in hand. She quickly checked her watch and then turned to the others who were waiting in the dorm room and called out, "Everyone, they''re here! Let''s head outside and surprise them, curfew is almost here!"


    The group eagerly filed out of the dorm, their earlier boredom and impatience forgotten in the excitement of the impending surprise. As they exited the building, The group spotted the couple making their way back to the dorm. Deb was carrying a large plush octopus, a gift from Zack that she clutched to her chest with a wide smile.


    "Thank you again for the amazing date," Deb said, her eyes shining with happiness. "This has been the best birthday ever."


    As they drew closer, Jessica signaled for the group to jump out and yell, "Surprise!"


    Deb''s face lit up with delight as her friends emerged from their hiding spots behind the rows of cars, showering her with birthday wishes and hugs. The atmosphere was electric with joy, but it was short-lived.


    A sudden disturbance rippled through the crowd, and someone yelled, "There''s some kind of animal by the trees! It''s coming this way!"


    Panic erupted as people began to scatter in all directions, desperate to escape the approaching danger. Amidst the chaos, Zack instinctively grabbed Deb, pulling her out of the path of fleeing partygoers before she was trampled. Unfortunately, he wasn''t able to do the same for Lindsey as she tried to guide students to safety. She was knocked to the ground by fleeing people, a stray boot crushing her hand.


    Jessica, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive, raced back inside the dorm and re-emerged with a hunting rifle. Her hands were steady and unwavering as she aimed at the menacing figure emerging from the shadows: a massive black bear, its eyes gleaming hungrily as it advanced on the terrified students.


    The shot rang out, echoing through the night as Jessica pulled the trigger, she never wavered. The bear let out a pained roar before collapsing to the ground, dead.


    The once joyful celebration now lay in tatters, replaced by shock and fear. But amidst the chaos, one fact remained clear to Zack: If Jessica ever found out he was a vessel, he would end up just like the bear.