"Would you look at that," Rob exclaimed, emerging triumphantly from the LCBO. He flashed a sly grin and displayed a bottle of Crown Royal Whiskey to Zack. "The fake ID actually worked!"


    "Nice one!" Zack responded half-heartedly, his eyes distant and preoccupied. It had been one week since his breakup with Deb, and Rob was worried as he watched his friend''s grades and attendance slip.


    "Come on, let''s go find a spot to drink this," Rob suggested, nudging Zack with his elbow. They walked toward Waterloo Park, where they found a bench near the water. The eerie reflection of the moonlight danced across its surface, casting an almost supernatural glow around them.


    Rob wasted no time unscrewing the cap and taking a swig of the whiskey. He shuddered slightly as the amber liquid burned like fire down his throat. Zack followed suit but felt nothing over the numbness he had been feeling since Halloween. His mind was still consumed by thoughts of Deb, he saved her but still ended up losing her. On top of that Ethel''s and the professor''s bodies were never found.


    "Man, I''ve got to tell you," Rob slurred after a while, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spread through his body. "I think Ahmed may just be the hottest guy I have ever seen. If he were gay, do you think we''d have a shot together?" Rob looked over at Zack but could see he was deep in his own head.


    Zack stared into the depths of the dark water, swirling the whiskey around in the bottle. "Deb and I aren''t really broken up," he muttered, trying to convince himself there was still hope. "We''re just... on a break. I can get her back."


    "Zack, listen—" Rob began, but they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel. The boys shot each other with looks of fear, not knowing whether to hide the booze or fight. Zack and Rob turned to see Wes and Adrian from the basketball team approaching their bench.


    "Hey guys, what do you have there?" Adrian asked, eyeing the bottle greedily. "Share the wealth, won''t you?"


    "Get your own!" Zack snapped, he didn''t have time for these idiots right now. He hurled the bottle at the two young men, narrowly missing Adrian''s head.


    "Whoa, dude, chill out!" Wes exclaimed, but Zack''s anger continued to build as he felt the beginnings of a shift. Rob watched Zack''s claws begin to extend.


    "Sorry about him," Rob interjected quickly, grabbing Zack by the arm and pulling him away from the scene. "He''s just having a rough night."


    Adrian and Wes watched them go before sitting down on the bench themselves, shaking their heads. "Man, Zack''s really lost it," Wes muttered.


    "There is something seriously wrong with him lately," Adrian suggested. "When was the last time you saw him at practice?"


    Wes squinted up at the sky, as if the answer was going to fall from it. "Damn you are right, I haven''t seen him there all week,"


    As they continued to discuss Zack''s erratic behavior, a sudden noise made them both jump, believing Zack had returned in a rage. But when they turned around, terror gripped them at the sight of the orange-eyed creature standing menacingly over them.


    "Exorcists," Gluttony whispered ominously before seizing both young men with inhuman strength. Adrian struggled against its might and Wes attempted to pull a knife from his pocket but it was no use. With one swift motion, Gluttony tossed them into the rocky river, their bodies swallowed by the fast-moving water as they disappeared beneath the surface.


    And just like that, the night fell silent once more, leaving no trace of the horror that had transpired.


    ---


    The sun streamed through the windows of the psychology lecture hall, as students settled into their seats. Ahmed and Deb sat together, their heads bent close as they whispered urgently. Deb''s fingers toyed with her glasses, a sign that she was deep in thought.


    "Ahmed, I can''t help but wonder if breaking up with Zack was the right decision," she admitted, her voice barely audible.


    "Deb, you know he''s keeping secrets from all of us," Ahmed replied firmly, his dark brown eyes filled with concern. "Whatever he''s involved in, it''s dangerous. Remember Halloween? We were locked in the lecture hall while a killer stalked us."


    "True," Deb conceded, recalling the harrowing night. "But what if he really did break the door handle to protect us?"


    "Protect us? How is ensuring we have no way to escape protecting us?" Ahmed scoffed. "I don''t buy it. He''s hiding something, and I don''t think we should be around when it comes crashing down on him."


    ---


    Later that day, in chemistry class, Zack approached Deb, eager to talk, he couldn''t take the silence anymore. But before he could get a word in, Professor Bobby Dowding stepped between them, his stern gaze fixed on Zack.


    "Mr. Dawson, this is a midterm exam, and there will be no talking during the entire class," he warned.


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    Zack walked over to the next row and slumped into his seat, feeling the weight of his troubles bearing down on him. He hadn''t studied or done much schoolwork since Gluttony had turned him into a vessel. As the exam began, he looked around to see Rob scribbling away, focused and determined. Ahmed appeared almost bored as he breezed through the multiple-choice questions.


    Zack felt an overwhelming sense of stress as he stared blankly at his own paper, unable to answer most of the questions. Suddenly, the words on the page rearranged themselves, forming a chilling message: ''You lost your bond with Deb. Rob is the only thing standing between you and true power. Kill Rob.'' Zack blinked trying to erase the image from his mind, but no matter how hard he tried the words remained glued to his page.


    Panicking, Zack shot up from his seat and bolted out of the lecture hall, people watched him as if he was fleeing the crime scene. Moments later, Rob handed in his completed exam and raced after his friend, concern etched on his face.


    "Zack!" he called, but the sound of his voice was swallowed by the echoing footsteps and Zack''s pounding heart as he disappeared down the hallway, with Rob giving chase.


    Rob found Zack sitting on a bench in the dimly lit locker room, his head buried in his hands. His breaths came out ragged and uneven, making it obvious that he was struggling to keep himself together.


    "Zack, man, what happened?" Rob asked, sitting down next to him.


    "I-I can''t breathe," Zack gasped, looking up at Rob with wide, panicked eyes. "The words on my midterm... they rearranged themselves, told me to kill you. I don''t know what''s going on."


    "Okay, okay, just take it easy," Rob said, placing a reassuring hand on his friend''s shoulder. "You''re having a panic attack. I used to get them all the time after Ryan died. Just follow my lead – we''ll get through this together."


    Rob instructed Zack to take slow, deep breaths, counting to four as he inhaled and then counting to four again as he exhaled. Gradually, Zack''s breathing began to steady, and the terror in his eyes faded to a more manageable level of fear.


    "See? You''re doing great," Rob offered, giving Zack a supportive smile. "Panic attacks are normal, but they can be really overwhelming if you don''t know how to handle them."


    "Thanks, Rob," Zack murmured gratefully, wiping away the sweat that had gathered on his forehead during the ordeal. "I don''t know what I''d do without you."


    "Anytime, man," Rob replied, patting Zack on the back. "I am not going anywhere and I am not afraid of a sin that looks like a sewer came to life."


    ---


    At St. Jerome''s Parish, a sign hung outside announcing a private service in progress. Inside, Jessica and Abby stood amidst a group of exorcists, including some dressed as RCMP officers.


    "Ethel''s been missing since Halloween," Jessica said, her voice heavy with worry. "We need to find her before more bodies drop."


    "Agreed," Abby chimed in, a determined glint in her hazel eyes. "But her little seeing the future bit makes it next to impossible."


    "We know that but all vessels have their weaknesses, she has to have one too." A thin woman suggested.


    As they discussed their plans, Father Bill entered the room, carrying a tray of fresh-baked goods. Hearing their conversation, he interjected, his voice firm and authoritative.


    "Listen up, everyone," he commanded, he tossed the newspaper onto from on top of the baked goods into the center of the room. The headline read Two Bodies Pulled from River. "We''ve already lost Joanna, Wes, and Adrian – I won''t stand for any more exorcist deaths on my watch. When you find Ethel, show her no mercy."


    A murmur of agreement passed through the group, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily upon them all. Father Bill set the tray of baked goods down on a nearby table, gesturing for everyone to help themselves before resuming their grim task.


    "Take a moment to gather yourselves," he advised, "and then go out there and bring that demon-spawn to justice."


    "Thank you, Father," Jessica nodded, grabbing a cookie from the tray. As she took a bite, she locked eyes with Abby, who returned her gaze with a look of steely determination.


    "Let''s do this," Abby whispered, loading her revolver. "For Wes, Adrian, and everyone else we''ve lost along the way."


    "Right," Jessica agreed, her voice filled with resolve. "Gluttony and Ethel will be put down like the rabid animals they are."


    ---


    The locker room buzzed with a strange mix of excitement and tension as Coach Reynolds paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in frustration. The faint smell of sweat and disinfectant hung in the air as the basketball players huddled around him, waiting for an update on their missing teammates.


    "Listen up, boys," the coach began gruffly. "It seems that some people on this team haven''t been making the smartest choices lately. There''s a bacterial infection going around, and most of the team is unable to play tonight."


    Rob''s eyes widened at the news, his heart racing with anticipation. This was his chance to finally step off the bench and prove himself on the court.


    "God needs to be on our side if we''re going to stand a chance out there," Coach Reynolds continued, his gaze sweeping over the anxious faces before him. "Rob, you''re up. Don''t let us down."


    "Thanks, Coach. I won''t," Rob replied, his voice shaking with excitement. He could hardly believe what he was hearing – his moment had finally arrived.


    "Zack, Boon, you two are co-captains for tonight," the coach announced, catching both young men by surprise. "We need strong leadership out there, especially since our usual captain has turned out to be patient zero."


    Boon''s jaw clenched in annoyance, his ego bruised at having to share the spotlight with Zack. He stole a glance at Kristian, who seemed unfazed by the news, only adding to Boon''s frustration.


    "Let''s get out there and win this one for the team," Zack said, trying to rally his remaining teammates. But inside, he knew that this would only make things more complicated between him and Boon. The feeling crawled under his skin like a thousand insects, making him feel sick to his stomach.


    "Excuse me, I think I left my shower stuff in the car," he mumbled, pushing past the players and fleeing the oppressive atmosphere of the locker room. As he stumbled into the hallway, he collided with Leona, Boon''s girlfriend. Her green eyes were filled with concern as she steadied him.


    "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and soothing like a gentle breeze.


    Zack nodded, but the weight on his chest refused to lift. "Just going to grab some air before the game."


    "Let me come with you," Leona suggested, guiding him out of the building and into the crisp evening. They sat down on a nearby bench, the cool metal beneath them grounding Zack as he tried to catch his breath.


    "Deb was stupid to let you go," Leona said suddenly, her words slicing through the silence. "You''re such a star on the team, and we''re all so grateful for what you bring to it."


    Her hand brushed against his, sending a jolt of electricity up his arm as she leaned in closer. Her lips met his, willingly and passionately, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away. It felt wrong but it also felt so right, for a moment Zack was free from overthinking everything.