Chapter 6: Nightfall Revelations

As twilight descended upon the city, Isaac prepared for a night unlike any other. His heart raced with anticipation as he donned his favorite shirt, the fabric soft against his skin. The aroma of his cologne mixed with the faint scent of the evening air as he stood before the mirror, lost in thought. Questions swirled in his mind, each one more perplexing than the last.

“Mmmm, I wonder what their jobs could be,” he mused aloud, his brow furrowed in contemplation. “I mean, it could be anything... well, not anything exactly. Shiki has always been the chill type; he could be a personal trainer or a—uhm, a bartender maybe? Yeah, nope. And Vanessa? Yeah, she is definitely a model, no doubt about it.”

As he murmured to himself, a gentle knock echoed through his door, interrupting his reverie.

“Hello Isaac, may I come in?” Sister Lily’s voice was warm and inviting.

Isaac, startled, replied, “Huh! Yes, of course, Sister Lily!”

“Oh my, such urgency,” she chuckled, entering the room with a lightness that brightened the dim space. “It’s good to see you’re still high on your toes.”

“Uhmmm, thank you, ma’am,” he stammered, a hint of nervousness creeping into his tone.

“Ma’am? Isaac, I’m not that old; I’m only 42,” she replied, an amused smile dancing on her lips.

Yikes, he thought, feeling a flush of embarrassment. “Y-y-yes, I apologize.”

“Isaac, you can put your mind at ease. I only came to see how you were doing, not to ask why you skipped the church ceremony… again,” Sister Lily said, her tone light but her eyes serious.

“Oh, thank you, Sister Lily. I’m doing alright,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You know, I was friends with your mother back in our youthful days,” she said, her eyes shimmering with nostalgia.

“Really? I didn’t know that. Father barely speaks about her to me,” Isaac responded, curiosity piqued.

“She and I were as close as sisters. She was such a kindred soul—kind and nurturing. It was depressing when she passed, but God clearly had bigger plans for her, and for you too. Isaac, I only came here to tell you to stay strong and that the Holy Father will be with you even in the darkest times,” Sister Lily’s voice was soothing, wrapping around him like a warm embrace.

In that moment, tears welled in Isaac’s eyes, moved by the depth of her words. Though he had never known a mother’s love, he found solace in the compassionate arms of Sister Lily.

“Please, child, do not cry. You and the orphans have brought so much happiness to me. To see you cry makes me feel with tears too,” she said, her own eyes glistening.

Father Jacobs, standing just outside the door, felt nothing but admiration for Sister Lily and her kind soul.

“Thank you, Lilith. May God bless your pure soul,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

As night began to cloak the world outside, Isaac finished getting ready, a mix of excitement and trepidation churning in his stomach. Before he could step out the door, he turned to his father.

“Hey Dad, I’m gonna meet up with my friends tonight.”

“Again? Well, don’t stay up too late and be back by 9 PM, okay?” Father Jacobs replied, a hint of concern in his voice.

“Sure, that’s alright,” Isaac assured him, his heart fluttering with eagerness.

“Okay, have fun,” his father said, a smile breaking across his face.

“Man, I’ve got the best dad, the best friends—just the best life,” Isaac thought, a sigh of contentment escaping his lips. “Wish this life could last forever…”

Just then, Shiki called out to him from the street. “Hey Isaac!”

“Oh hey guys, how you doing?” Isaac greeted, his spirit lifting at the sight of his friends.

“Don’t worry about us, we’re okay. Are you ready though?” Shiki replied, his enthusiasm infectious.

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Isaac declared, a grin spreading across his face.

“That’s the spirit! Let’s go!!!” Shiki exclaimed, excitement bubbling over.

“Hey Vanessa, you ready for this?” Isaac turned to her.

“What?… I mean sure, yeah, let’s go,” she replied, her voice lacking the usual spark.

“What's wrong with her?” Isaac wondered, concern creeping into his mind.

“She’s probably just tired. She’ll be fine. Let’s go now; don’t wanna waste more time,” Shiki urged, leading the way.

“Alright, sure,” Isaac acquiesced, still worried about Vanessa.

“So what type of job do you guys work?” he inquired as they walked.

“We’re more in the entertainment business,” Shiki replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“What type of entertainment?” Isaac pressed.

“You know, the bright lights, loud music—just making sure people have fun,” Shiki explained, a grin spreading across his face.

“Wait, you mean a club?” Isaac asked, realization dawning on him.

“Right on the money,” Shiki confirmed.

As they approached their destination, Isaac noticed that Vanessa had fallen silent, her demeanor distant. “Why hasn’t Vanessa said anything this whole time? She doesn’t like being left out of anything. Is there something going on with her?” he pondered.

“We’re here, Isaac! Say hello to ‘Crucifix Night Club!’” Shiki announced with a flourish.

“Wait, I’ve heard of this place. Isn’t this the one with a high crime rate?” Isaac questioned, his unease returning.

“What? No, it’s just guys brawling,” Shiki dismissed, waving a hand.

A security guard shouted from the entrance, “Get out of here, you bastard, filthy animal!”

“Ignore that, just a drunk dude,” Shiki said, rolling his eyes.

“Hey, Shiki, looks like the line to the entrance is too long,” Isaac remarked, glancing at the throngs of people.

“Bro, we work here; we got special access. Hey, big guy, let us through,” Shiki called out to the guard.

“Shiki, Vanessa, long time no see you two,” the guard replied, nodding at them.

“Whose the newbie?” he asked, eyeing Isaac.

“Just a friend; he wants to join the business, ain’t that right, Isaac?” Shiki nudged him playfully.

Isaac, feeling a wave of nerves wash over him, replied, “Yeah, I’d like to work here.”

“Got no problem with that; you can talk to the boss about it,” the security guard said, stepping aside.

“That’s what’s up, big guy. Alright, Isaac, prepare yourself; you’re about to enter a whole new world,” Shiki said, excitement bubbling in his voice.

As they stepped through the door, Isaac was instantly enveloped in a whirlwind of color and sound. The club pulsed with life, blinding lights dancing around him, and music so loud it thumped in his chest. Isaac, a church boy at heart, had never experienced anything like this, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

“Shiki, this place is so cool!” he shouted over the cacophony.

“I know, right?” Shiki beamed.

“Hey, where is Vanessa?” Isaac asked, scanning the crowd.

“She probably started her shift,” Shiki replied, waving an arm dismissively.

As Shiki began to show Isaac around the club, he quickly realized he had lost sight of his friend. “Hey! Here’s the fountain of… wait, Isaac! Where are you?” Shiki’s voice faded as Isaac was swept away by the throng of people.

Isaac’s curiosity propelled him deeper into the club, and he soon found himself amidst scenes he had only imagined in his wildest nightmares. Everywhere he turned, he witnessed acts of debauchery—people lost in lust and intoxication, bodies writhing together in a haze of pleasure and despair. It was a stark contrast to the teachings he had grown up with, and his heart raced with confusion and fear.

In a daze, Isaac stood frozen, overwhelmed by the chaos surrounding him. Just then, a boisterous partier collided with him.

“What the hell is this? Watch where the hell you’re going, kid!” the stranger barked.

“Wait, you b-b-bumped into me,” Isaac stammered, taken aback.

“You accusing me of something, shit stain?! Huh, answer the question, you little shit!” the partier sneered, stepping closer, menace dripping from his voice.

Feeling a surge of panic, Isaac turned and ran, heart pounding in his chest. “What are you running away from, you little shit? I’ll find you!” the partier shouted, but Isaac didn’t look back.

In his frantic escape, Isaac stumbled upon a shocking sight. There, on a stage, was Vanessa—his friend, the girl he cherished—stripping on a pole, men and women throwing money and drugs at her. The world around him blurred as disbelief settled in. The girl he loved was engaging in prostitution. Panic surged through him, and he spiraled through the club like a lost soul seeking refuge.

Desperate for answers, he searched for Shiki, finally spotting him in the distance. As he approached, Isaac’s heart sank further when he saw Shiki dip a small bag of powder into someone’s drink, the act casual and seemingly indifferent.

“I see, so this is Shiki and Vanessa’s job,” Isaac thought, a profound sense of loss washing over him.

Back at the church, Father Jacobs was in for an unwelcome surprise. An old comrade, Luke, a fellow priest, had come to visit with grave news.

“Luke, no—if you’re here, does that mean—” Father Jacobs began, dread creeping into his heart.

“Yes, Jacobs… I mean Father Jacobs,” Luke replied, his expression serious.

“No, address me by my name; we were comrades once. You’ve earned that right,” Father Jacobs insisted.

“Thank you, Jacobs. I come bearing bad news,” Luke said gravely.

“Let me guess—a demon is here in this town?” Father Jacobs surmised, his heart racing.

“Not just any demon, but a devil,” Luke replied, his voice heavy with concern.

“A DEVIL?! HOW? I haven’t sensed anything of that evil,” Father Jacobs exclaimed, disbelief etched across his face.

“It’s possible the creature must have concealed itself from you by disguising itself as a human,” Luke explained.

“That may be possible,” Father Jacobs acknowledged, his mind racing.

“Also, Jacobs, we have been tracking the devil, and evidence states it has been through your church,” Luke added, urgency creeping into his voice.

“WHAT?! That’s impossible!” Father Jacobs retorted, panic rising.

Just then, a chilling scream pierced the air. “AHHHH!” Sister Lily’s voice echoed through the hall.

“That sounds like Lilith’s voice! Let’s go, fast!” Father Jacobs urged, racing towards the sound.

When they arrived, the grotesque scene unfolded before them. Sister Lily stood in shock, her face pale. “THEY’RE DEAD… THEY’RE ALL DEAD, THE ORPHANS!!!”

“Lilith, what happened here?!” Father Jacobs demanded, urgency lacing his words.

“I d-don’t know! I came to check on the orphans, and I FOUND THEM MASSACRED!” Sister Lily cried, her voice trembling with fear.

“This can’t be right; it’s impossible for devils to walk into holy churches unless—” Father Jacobs began, piecing together the horrific puzzle.

“Unless someone let them in. Jacobs, it seems the devil has a human partner here,” Luke concluded grimly.

As they struggled to digest the horror, a faint sound caught their attention.

“What’s that sound? I’ll bring out my weapon,” Luke said, sensing the tension.

“Luke, wait! Let’s go at it slowly; it sounds like crying,” Father Jacobs cautioned, his heart heavy.

As they approached the source of the noise, they found one orphan hiding in a closet, fear etched on her tiny face.

“Child, are you okay?! Child, can you hear me?!” Father Jacobs implored, kneeling before her.

The child remained silent, a frozen expression of terror etched across her features. Finally, she whispered, “M-m-monster… a monster ate all my friends.”

“There’s actually a devil here. This poor child—the horrors she must have witnessed—her innocence is probably gone forever,” Father Jacobs thought, despair weighing heavily on his heart.

“WAIT! Isaac, Shiki, and Vanessa—where are they?” he suddenly exclaimed, panic taking hold.

Meanwhile, back in the club, Isaac had bumped into a mysterious figure emanating a dark presence he had never felt before. An unsettling aura surrounded the stranger, sending shivers down Isaac’s spine.

“Oh, what is such an innocent kid like yourself doing here? Very interesting,” the figure said, a sinister smile curling on their lips.

Isaac’s heart raced as he took a step back, sensing danger looming in the shadows. Little did he know, the night was far from over, and the truth would unravel in ways he could never have imagined.