To Hell and Back for You

Chapter 17: Stop

"Hey man, try not to worry about it so much. You're doing what you can," Devin said reassuringly the next morning when I told him about my night.

After the ghosts departed, I had searched the dream version of the hospital only to find empty rooms and white halls. Gradually, the scene started to change, switching first to my apartment, then to the various places of Daytonsville I had gone to, and then to my childhood homes.

With each shift, the next one came more quickly until I found myself standing amidst constantly flashing scenarios: all memories from both my past and present slowly becoming jumbled together. I kept finding myself screaming at McGraff, assuming that he was manipulating the nightmare to show it all to me, but I never heard or saw him.

Before I woke up, I had sunk to the ground, hugging my knees and crying as I begged for it to stop. I don't care what was said, Devin was a good guy. He came into my room to alert me that breakfast was being served and when I told him that I was just going to sleep in, he told me, 'Alright, but you know they never put enough food out for breakfast. I was kind of hoping to eat yours too.'

I couldn't help a smile. The thing was, I didn't know if he legitimately wanted more food as I had noticed he had a ravenous appetite, or if he was just trying to help me feel better. Either way, it worked and I reluctantly got out of bed and followed after him. Since I still hadn't felt like talking yet, we sat through the meal silently.

I felt like Devin was allowing the silence because he didn't want to push me, but maybe he had just been waking up. I drank my coffee and let him scarf down the rest of what was on my plate which, like he said, wasn't much. After he was done and returned both our trays for us, he came back and started asking me what was up.

I just shrugged it off at first, not wanting to think about the things I had seen, and he politely went about answering his own questions again like he had during our first encounter. It was close to ten in the morning when I finally told him what had happened.

"Yeah, I guess," I mumbled with my head hung as I focused on the new cup of coffee in my lap, "I don't know though, maybe she's right. Maybe I should just leave it alone."

"Like fuck she's right!" Devin blurted, causing my head to shoot up, "The way I see it, if they needed you to get him in the first place, then you're needed to get rid of him. And with him refusing to simply kill you, it would make even more sense that you're stronger than them. Why else would he do that if you had nothing to offer him? or at the very least it's because he isn't capable of offing you?"

As I stared at the man in front of me, his words soaked in and pulled me out of the depressive state that had been trying to take over once more. "I think you're right," I breathed.

"Of course I am," he laughed, "So what's the plan now?"

I paused, rubbing my chin as I thought, "As much as I dread it, heading to Ames if I can't find information elsewhere on banishment. "

"You think he'll be expecting that trick again?" Devin asked.

"Probably," my brow furrowed, "Should I focus on weakening him first or something?"

My sounding board pursed his lips, eyes rolling back and forth before he spoke his ideas, "I think so. It would help if you had a partner too."

"Yeah, that would be nice," I admitted, "But I don't think Emma and the others are too keen on working with me right now."

Devin chuckled, "I meant me."

Eyes widening while I contemplated his offer, I realized I wasn't really sure how to take it. I didn't want to put the guy in harm's way and at the same time, I absolutely had to take this demon down so I needed all the assistance I could get. Besides, Devin might be in danger anyway.