Lance walked with purpose, his mind replaying the cryptic words of the time tramp he had encountered. The man's cardboard sign had screamed a warning of the world's end, but it was the laughter in his voice that had unsettled Lance more. The church loomed ahead, its façade marred by the scars of time and conflict.
Mary/Nicki, a vision in her black cloak, moved gracefully between the pews. Her voice was a melody of pure English elegance as she spoke of the upcoming event. Lance was captivated, not just by her beauty, but by the sense of familiarity she evoked. "The world is full of mysteries," she mused, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that lingered.
Sleep came reluctantly, and with it, the nightmare. The Demon Dog appeared, its eyes burning with a malevolent glow. Snarls filled the room, and Lance struggled against the weight of fear pinning him to his bed. "Do you speak English?" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the beast's growls. The creature responded with another roar, a sound that seemed to echo from his very soul.
He pushed through the side door of St. Mary’s, seeking answers. The gift-shop lady directed him to Reverend Paul, who walked the central aisle with a serene confidence. "Are you the priest here?" Lance demanded, his voice echoing in the sacred space. "Yes, I am Paul," came the calm reply. Their conversation danced around the nature of faith and the unyielding boundaries of scripture, each word a step closer to unraveling the mystery.
Reverend Paul offered wisdom wrapped in riddles, his smile a knowing gesture. "What if another God came back and wrote it?" Lance challenged. "The bible is a non-Campus," the reverend replied, his words a cryptic key to a locked door within Lance's mind. The confrontation was not with demons, but with the shadows cast by doubt and fear.
Lance left the church, his heart lighter, the promise of peace a new companion. The Demon Dogs had been banished, not by force, but by the clarity of a mind unburdened by fear. "I turn up to every fight," he had declared, and in doing so, found the strength within to silence the howls of the night.
