The morning air was cold and damp from the rain the night before. Iron gray was the only hue that could be seen. There was a wind that sent a chill through Elaina�s bones as she walked briskly down the sidewalk back to her apartment from the library. She had three books tucked under her arm.

Elaina wondered why on earth she had left North Carolina to come to Boston. �At least it�s still seventy degrees in North Carolina in September,� she thought to herself. �What on earth am I doing here?�

Her reasoning for leaving her previous home state was very sound. She became childless and a widow in one day. The police had ruled the murders as a �serial killer of sorts�. Elaina knew differently, however. There are some things in life that just can�t be explained away so easily.

The pain of staying in the same house and the same neighborhood were just too great for her to bear. Every time she turned around, there were so many reminders of her husband and young son. She decided a change was in order. She moved north.

The wind whipped around her again and brought Elaina�s thoughts back to the cement beneath her feet. When she noticed a table and chair in front of her, she smiled. She walked into the local Starbucks to get in out of the wind. Here, was a definite perk to living in a town with such a cold climate.

As Elaina stepped through the door she was greeted with a warm and loud, �Elaina! What�ll it be today?�

Elaina smiled. She had started coming into Starbucks every morning since she moved to her apartment on Midlothian Lane. It was a place to get good coffee and it helped her be around people; something she desperately needed right now.

�Hey Solomon, the usual,� replied Elaina.

�Denny, one tall Caramel Macchiato,� said Solomon to his co-worker. Elaina paid for her drink with a five. She waved the change and directed it to the tip jar. She then added a dollar. It had been her custom since her third visit. Solomon had remembered her name three times, and what she liked. She was willing to reward that.

Elaina moved down to the other end of the counter where she noticed a man waiting for his drink. At first glance, Elaina took him for the normal business suit type that run in, grab their drink, and go. However, his eyes shifted to her for just a moment. He didn�t appear to notice her, but his eyes were especially intense. I�ve never seen anyone with green eyes have that kind of intensity, she thought.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the words �caramel macchiato� and reached out for the drink. It was then that she realized that this man before her had ordered the same drink. He looked at Elaina, and did she imagine that eyes grew a little wider? He then resumed his composure, smiled, and silently handed her the cup.

�Oh no, that�s ok. You look like you have places to be. I�ll just wait for mine,� said Elaina.

�No, that�s quite all right. I have a little time,� he replied.

Elaina�s heart thudded in her chest as he spoke. He had a very quiet and charming accent. She felt as though she were going to melt on the spot.

�Here you go, Elaina,� said Denny as he handed her a cup. She reached out and took the cup from Denny. She looked at him with the appreciation of someone throwing her a life preserver. A single cord, pulling her through a sea of embarrassment.

�Well, I guess I wouldn�t have held you up that long after all, �Elaina managed a smile as she spoke.

�It would�ve been worth the wait,� the man replied with a smile. �I�m Alva Keel,� he put out his hand.

�Elaina Richards,� Elaina shook his hand as she replied.

Alva gestured toward a table a couple feet from where they were standing. �Would you join me for a few minutes of conversation,� he asked.

His eyes were warm and inviting, so she joined him. As they sat down, she put her books on the table.

�Alva Keel,� she said thoughtfully. �That�s an interesting name.�

Alva concentrated on the books for a moment, reading the titles from each book�s binding.

�I�ve had an interesting life,� he replied. �Modern Demonology, An Encyclopedia of Demons, and Monsters, Myths and Legends. Those are interesting title for such nice young lady to be reading,� said Alva.

�I�m not into Danielle Steele,� replied Elaina.

Alva chuckled. She was beautiful and had a sense of humor. Evelyn would probably wring his neck for running so late, but he decided he would take that chance.

�Is there a reason for such an interest in Demonology,� he asked. Alva�s voice was gentle, but in his eyes there seemed to be intense interest in the subject. Elaina wasn�t sure that she was ready to talk to anyone about why she moved to Boston.

�I�ve had an interesting couple of months,� she replied.

Alva smiled and nodded his head. �I see,� he said.

At that moment, Alva�s cell phone rang. He glanced down at his watch. It said 10:30. He took out the phone and clicked it on the third ring. �Hello Evvie,� he said casually. To Elaina, Alva looked as though he were bracing for a verbal scourging. �Yes I know. I�ll be right up,� he said as he clicked off the phone. He put his phone back into his coat pocket.

�I would really like to continue this conversation another time. How about dinner tonight?� asked Alva.

Elaina�s eyes jumped, but she smiled. �I think I�d like that,� she replied.

�Good. Six o�clock at Charley�s,� he asked with a smile.

�That�s over on Rush street, right?� she asked in return.

�Yes, that�s right,� Alva replied.

�Good, that�s only a couple blocks from here. I can walk,� said Elaina. Alva looked surprised.

�You live around here?� he asked. �I�m surprised I�ve not seen you before.�

�I live in a building on Midlothian Lane,� replied Elaina.

Alva smiled again; it was all so uncanny to him. It was almost as if they were put together like two chess pieces in a game at this exact point. He took out a card and handed it to her. Elaina looked down at the card.

�Sodalitas Quaerito, Brotherhood in Search of Truth? That�s an interesting name for a group,� she said as she looked up at him.

Alva stared at her in wonder. Not many people could pronounce the name of his group, let alone tell him what the cryptic title meant.

Elaina looked at the business card and smiled. �Your office is on my street?� she asked.

�Yes it is. I�m still wondering why we�ve not met sooner,� replied Alva.

�Well, why don�t we figure it out later. I�ll meet you at Charley�s at six o�clock,� she said.

�See you tonight,� Alva replied with a smile. He rose from his seat, and headed out the door. Elaina watched him until he was out of sight and breathed deeply.

Alva opened the door to his office. Paul and Evelyn were sitting at their desks, apparently going over some latest information. Paul looked at his watch. �Well Keel, we�re running a little behind today, I see,� Paul smiled.

�Where have you been, young man?� asked Evelyn.

Alva looked at both of them and smiled. He knew he had the jokes coming. How would they handle the news of his date tonight? There was no time like the present to find out.

�You can both say whatever you want. This is a great day. I have a date tonight with a beautiful, intelligent girl. There is nothing in your cache of wit that will ruin my mood,� he replied.

Paul and Evvie froze. At first, they looked at each other as if to confirm they heard the news correctly.

�Who is she?� asked Paul with a sly smile.

�It�s nobody you need to be concerned with,� Alva replied casually.

�Well, where are you taking her?� asked Evvie. She was enjoying this thoroughly.

�We�re meeting at Charley�s, which happens to be around the corner from her house,� said Alva.

�What time is the event of Keel�s first date supposed to take place?� asked Paul.

�Oh, that�s funny Paul. Next you�ll be giving me advice as to which tie I should wear,� replied Alva. He picked up his messages from Evvie�s desk. �Since you�re both so interested in this topic, six o�clock,� Alva finished the conversation by whistling a happy tune as he walked into his office.

Paul and Evvie looked at each other. Yes, they were both thinking the same thing. They might just have to look in on the whole affair.

Thoughts of Alva and his group were floating through Elaina�s mind as she headed back home. She wasn�t sure if she could handle a relationship right now. The question that kept coming back to her mind was whether or not she could tell Alva why she moved to Boston, and what she hoped to accomplish.

Elaina put the key in the lock, and opened the door. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. Everything looked as it did when she left. He had not found her yet. She put the books down on the table along with her coffee. She took off her coat and threw it over the chair. Another day to find more information, to find just what to do. She walked into the bedroom and opened her jewelry box. She took out one photo and breathed unsteadily. The picture was of a medicine cabinet in a small bathroom. On the cabinet was written the word Anathoth. Elaina closed her eyes and tried to fight back tears, but they came pouring through anyway.

She saw her son floating in the tub in a bath of water mixed with his own blood. She saw her husband slumped on the floor in a pool of blood. The shock of what had happened still hit her with full force. She tucked the picture back into the box and let the tears flow.

Alva looked at his watch. The numbers told him it was five minutes to six. He looked up as the door opened. He smiled as he saw Elaina. A tall red head, she instantly caught the attention of men who saw her come in. She looked around and smiled when her eyes met Alva�s. They were a soft blue and did he imagine that they seemed to sparkle when she looked at him?

�Hey Alva,� Elaina said as she approached him.

�Elaina. You�re very punctual,� Alva replied.

�I try,� she said.

Alva spotted a table about twelve feet from the bar. He started toward it with Elaina following him.

�So, did you get in trouble?� asked Elaina with a smile.

�No, but I wouldn�t be surprised at all if we happen to have guests,� replied Alva.

�Don�t get out much?� asked Elaina with a chuckle.

�No. What I do isn�t very conducive to building relationships,� said Alva.

At that moment, a waitress had stepped up. �What can I get you folks to start?� she asked.

�Do you happen to have sweetened tea?� asked Elaina.

�Yes, we do. One sweet tea,� confirmed the waitress.

�With lemon please,� replied Elaina. The waitress turned to Alva.

�I�ll just have water,� said Alva. The waitress nodded with a smile and turned to get their drinks.

�So, what is it that you do?� Elaina asked.

�I investigate paranormal phenomenon that people refer to as miracles,� replied Alva.

�Do you believe in demons?� asked Elaina.

�I do. Do you?� Alva asked in return.

�Yes,� replied Elaina quietly. Alva thought Elaina had something on her mind, but the waitress came with their drinks and broke her train of thought.

The waitress took their dinner order and disappeared again. This time Alva�s eyes wandered to a couple figures at the bar. They had their backs to him, but he could spot those coats anywhere.

�Come with me for a moment,� said Alva as he smiled at Elaina. They both got up from the table. They walked up to the bar and Alva slapped two people in the back.

�Good seeing you two here,� said Alva with a very friendly tone.

A young woman and even younger looking young man turned to look at him. Elaina winced as she looked at the man. He had a bandage above his left eyebrow, and the remains of a black eye.

�Paul, Evelyn, I�d like you to meet Elaina Richards,� said Alva.

�Hi, Evelyn Santos,� said Evelyn with a smile.

�Paul Callan,� said Paul. He smiled as he stuck out his hand. Elaina shook it and said, �You look like you�ve had a rough day.�

�He can be a slave driver,� replied Paul. Alva gave a wry smile.

�It was nice to meet you both,� said Elaina.

�Good to meet you too, Elaina. Now maybe you two should get back to dinner,� replied Evelyn.

Alva and Elaina said goodbye and walked back to their table. As they ate dinner, people came and went. Evvie and Paul stayed at the bar, enjoying some conversation. A man a few inches taller than Paul was sitting next to them. Throughout their conversation, Evvie had been counting his drinks. When he got to ten, she asked the bartender, �Will you make sure to hide that guy�s keys?� she motioned to the guy next to Paul.

�Yeah, grabbed them when he was on number six,� replied the bartender.

Just then, the man shouted, �It ain�t over! She dumped me, but it ain�t over�� His speech was very slurred and almost unrecognizable. Alva looked up, and Elaina turned around to see what was going on.

The man then stood up and climbed on the bar. �Hey mister, get down here before you kill yourself,� said the bartender. The man ignored him and began to sing.

�I will love again

Though my heart is breaking,

I will love again

Stronger than before

I will love again

Even if it takes a lifetime to get over you

Heaven only knows, I will love again,� he sang with his slurred speech.

�What on earth is his problem?� asked Elaina as they watched the scene.

Paul stood up and said, �Mister, I really think-�

�SHUT UP AND LET ME SING,� shouted the man as he gave Paul a swift kick in the face. The kick single-handedly sent the man spinning, and knocked Paul to the ground.

�PAUL!� shouted Evvie. Alva jumped up from his table, with Elaina following him.

�Paul, are you all right?� asked Alva.

Paul slowly sat up and said weakly, �I�ll be at the hospital.�

Evvie helped him get to his feet. The bartender and the manager were lifting the drunk off the bar.

�I�ve got him, Alva. Why don�t you guys go back to dinner?� said Evvie.

�Thanks Evvie, let me know if the doctor needs him to be off his feet,� replied Alva.

�Sure thing,� replied Evvie.

�Never a dull moment,� asked Elaine as they both rose and walked back to their table.

�Not usually,� replied Alva.

They spent another couple hours talking. Alva told Elaina about his life before moving to the States, and about his life investigating the strange things he�d seen. Elaina told Alva about her life before Boston. Alva thought she was being careful not to mention something. The feeling was so strong he found himself wanting to ask the question, but he kept silent. She would tell him when she was ready. He was determined to let this girl stay in his life as long as she wanted.

All through their conversation, Elaina found herself wondering what she should do. Alva was the definite person to confide in, but how to bring up the topic? She finally decided that she would tell him, but she couldn�t do it here. There was no way she�d be able to recount the story without bursting into tears.

�You know, I think we�ve occupied this table long enough. Is it ok if we go for a walk,� Elaina asked. Alva had paid the check an hour ago, so he rose from his chair and put on his coat. Elaina stood up and put her coat on as well.

�Do you have a destination in mind?� he asked.

�Yes, I do. My apartment,� Elaina answered.

Alva followed Elaina outside and walked beside her in the direction of Midlothian Lane.

�There�s something I�d like to talk to you about. It�s extremely personal, and I can�t discuss it in the restaurant. Given your occupation, I think you�re the only person who can give me some real advice, or at least not treat me like I�m crazy,� said Elaina.

�So, you don�t think you�re crazy,� asked Alva. Elaina didn�t look at him. She turned to her right and walked up the sidewalk. She pulled her keys out of her pocket.

�No, I don�t. It�s just not the everyday thing that happens in a girl�s life,� Elaina replied.

Alva followed her into the building and watched as she pushed the up arrow button on the elevator console.

Elaina�s apartment was on the fifth floor of the building, and very neat. There wasn�t a single paper out of place. Alva thought he could detect the smell of furniture polish in the air. He walked over to the window and looked out at the view she had. All the lights from the various buildings formed a digital rainbow in the night.

�The view is nice,� he said. He looked to his left at the bookshelf that was in the corner.

�May I take your coat?� she asked. He slipped off his coat and handed it to her, and went back to his browse of her bookshelf. He was glancing at titles that showed Elaina read various subjects. He saw books on demonology to biblical apologetics and everything in between.

�You have a lot of interesting subjects on your shelf. I couldn�t help but notice the amount of religious books you have,� said Alva.

�My husband was a preacher,� replied Elaina.

She walked back toward him with two glasses of tea in her hand. She offered him one, which he took. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Alva sat down next to her. He took a stuffed penguin from in between them and looked at her. He recognized the toy but he couldn�t remember from where.

�Opus the penguin. He goes with me everywhere. I was a big Bloom County fan,� Elaina said.

�I thought I recognized him. I always thought it funny that he was running for Vice President,� replied Alva.

�A penguin in the White House. Some might say we have that already,� said Elaina with a chuckle. Alva laughed, then became serious.

�You�d never say that, would you?� he asked.

�Me? Oh no. I�m very much in support of our current president,� replied Elaina. She took the toy and placed it in her lap.

To tell this story, I need to start at the beginning,� Elaina said. Alva said nothing, only nodded in agreement. Elaina took a deep breath and then began to speak.

�At one time I was married and had one child. I loved my husband very much and I thought everything was fine. When my son was born, I needed extra help, but my husband had his own worries. He put in long hours and often I went to work and took care of everything around the house myself.

By the time my son was fifteen months old, I was at a breaking point. I would try and talk to him about everything I was going through, but he had very little sympathy for me. He kept insisting that he was working hard too,� Elaina�s eyes were welling with tears, but she kept going.

�It was after that conversation that I went to bed that night, and the last words I said to myself were, �I wish I had a different life�. I woke up the next day and went through my usual routine. I began to see the despair of the night before as futility. I made a pact with myself to hang in there and to remember that it would get better.�

Elaina paused a moment and sipped her tea. She looked up at Alva, who was watching her intently. The warmth and compassion in his eyes helped her keep going.

�Here�s where it gets really weird. I came out of work that day. Instead of going straight home, I decided to go to the park for a bit. I was sitting on a bench next to this pond when I heard a voice next to me. I looked up to see a tall man, very nice looking with intense black eyes. He said that he noticed that I had something on my mind, so we talked. I just let everything out, because this man was a complete stranger. After thirty minutes, I finally stopped talking when I realized what I was doing. That�s when he asked me, �Would you change your life if you could? Would you rather be childless and unmarried, now that you know how it turns out?�

The self-assured look in his eyes made me nervous, and I decided it was time to get back home. I said goodbye, and he grabbed me by the arm. He made no other movement, but he said, �My name is Anathoth. Remember it. You may hear it again sooner than you think.� �

Elaina looked at Alva, and she thought she saw his eyes jump at the name. She didn�t say anything, just kept on with her story.

�He let me go, and I ran, as fast as I could. I got back to my car, got inside and locked the doors. I sat there and cried so hard. By the time I left the park, I resolved that I would get over this trying time. I got back home, and from that moment on, I made every effort to love my son and husband. I didn�t entertain despairing thoughts again.

Things continued to improve, and we ended up moving to North Carolina. I knew everything would just keep on getting better. By this time, two years had elapsed. Then one day I came home from a shopping trip with some friends.�

Elaina took a photograph off the table next to her and handed it to Alva, face down. When he turned it over, he saw a picture of a medicine cabinet with the word ANATHOTH written in red. Alva closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked at Elaina, and saw that she wasn�t holding back the tears now. He took her hand and squeezed it.

�How did you get this picture?� he asked gently.

�I don�t know why I did it, but I went to get my husband�s camera and took two shots with it. He almost always has film in it, and this time the roll was only half used. The police said that most likely it was a serial killer, and it was left at that,� said Elaina.

�Did you tell anyone this story?� he asked.

�No, not even my husband,� she replied.

Elaina looked at the picture again. �I�m convinced Anathoth is some kind of demon. The only trouble is, I can�t find any mention of him at all.� Alva nodded in agreement.

�He is a demon, a very old one. He plays on those in despair, such as you, and he gives them whatever escape they may want. What he doesn�t tell them is that they will remember their former lives and the people who love them will cry out for them day and night in despair because they are gone. His victims hear these cries and many times it drives them mad. It sounds like your will was strong enough, and you were wise enough to flee before he could entice you further,� said Alva.

�How do you know this?� asked Elaina.

�I have a friend who was also a preacher. Danny was a good guy, but once his wife had their first baby, she was also feeling overwhelmed. Danny came to me with this incredible story about how his wife had become someone else, and that her soul was trying to find her old life again. He was asking everyone he knew to come to his house and pray for her to give her strength to defeat Anathoth. Char would have to kill Anathoth in order to return to her real life. The sad thing was, she didn�t succeed. Anathoth killed her,� said Alva.

Elaina took a deep breath before she spoke again. Her voice was calm but quiet. �I don�t feel guilty at all for what happened. After all, I walked away. I never took him up on his offer. He came after me and destroyed my family. Somehow, I don�t think he�s done with me yet. What am I supposed to do if he comes after me?� she asked.

Alva ran his hands through his hair and thought. He knew what she was asking. She wanted to know how she was going to defeat this age-old demon when he finally came after her. He would terrorize anyone Elaina became close to, just to break her down.

�You�re going to have to fight him and defeat him,� he answered.

Elaina looked at him in shock. �Just how am I supposed to do that?� she asked.

�The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world, but have divine power to demolish strongholds,� he replied.

Elaina thought about his words. She knew he was quoting 2 Corinthians 10:4, but she failed to see the relevance. He knew she was lost, so he gave her another clue.

�The Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,� he said. This time she looked at the Bible she had sitting on the coffee table in front of them. She picked it up. �I�m to use this?� she asked.

�What happened with Char, is that she had to go to Anathoth�s realm, find him and kill him. She had to take her �sword� with her. Your Bible in that realm, becomes your weapon,� said Alva.

Elaina held her Bible in her hands. �I just hope I have this with me when he decides to come after me,� she said.

�There is something else that you need to remember. You have to get rid of all fear, when you face him again. He�ll use that fear against you. More importantly, you have to be willing to face him and not change your mind, even if it mean certain death,� said Alva.

Elaina took a deep breath and let out a sigh. She didn�t like the news, but she felt much better knowing what she should do about it. She took Alva�s hand and smiled.

�Thanks for tonight. I�m so glad I trusted you with this, because now I feel like I can fight back. I don�t think it�s wise, given the circumstances, to date again. I really don�t want to bring harm to you or your friends,� she said.

Alva thought about this for a moment, then he said, �If you�d rather not see me again, that�s one thing. Otherwise, I don�t scare so easily.� At his reply, Elaina smiled and practically jumped into his arms. There was definitely more to Alva than wit, charm, and intelligence. Since he was willing to stick around, she would take him up on that.

For the next two weeks, Elaina felt as if she were walking in the clouds. She and Alva met every day, sometimes for coffee, sometimes lunch, or sometimes for dinner. Her fears were slowly drifting away and she became more and more open with Alva. She soon discovered that she could sit and listen to him for hours about any topic at all. His gentleness and subtle humor were never lost on her. She felt there was so much to learn from this man.

Elaina finally decided it was time to show off her culinary skills. She called Alva at the office and set up dinner arrangements.

�Where are we meeting?� she repeated his question as she spoke on the phone. �Why, here of course. I�m cooking tonight. Six o�clock sharp,� after a pause she said into the receiver, �It�s a surprise.� She then hung up the phone shaking her head. Never, ever ask a woman what�s on the menu when she�s cooking.

Elaina spent the next couple hours at the store trying to find everything she needed for the evening. She counted her trip a success, even being able to find a decent bottle of wine. She was thankful that she left her purse at home. She had tucked her credit card, her driver�s license, and Alva�s business card into her front pants pocket.

Elaina noticed the clock in the lobby as she walked past it, carrying her groceries. It was only two o�clock. That gave her plenty of time to get freshened up and also to make dinner.

Her mind was in a whirl with thoughts of Alva as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. The apartment looked fine, but something chilled Elaina to the bone. When she stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind her. She jumped at the sound, but her eyes were fixed forward. She was watching a tall, handsome man with piercing black eyes walking toward her. He was dressed in simple black, and his eyes were trained on hers.

�Hello, Elaina,� he said. Elaina instantly dropped her bags. She was filled with fear, but she took a deep breath.

�Hello, Anathoth,� she said as calmly as her voice would allow her to.

�You broke your wine bottle,� he replied. Elaina looked down to see the wine seeping out from the bag. Its dark red color was reminiscent of another pool she couldn�t forget. She gulped and looked back up.

�Did you think I�d never find you?� asked Anathoth coldly.

�No, I knew you would. I just didn�t know when,� she said in an even tone.

�I�ve come for you this time,� he replied.

�If you wish to kill me, go ahead and try. I refuse to live in fear of you any longer,� said Elaina sternly.

Her emphatic words burst Anathoth into rage. His eyes were blazing as he raised his right hand. �THEN DIE!� he shouted, as he made a throwing motion toward the picture window in the living room. Instantly Elaina was picked up off the ground and thrown through the glass window. The crash of the glass was ringing in her ears as she flew from her apartment.

Elaina felt weightless in the sky. It was as though she were dropping very slowly. She felt like a delicate china doll being gently lowered to the ground so she wouldn�t break. As she dropped, Elaina could hear a voice speaking. Her mind was hazy, but the words, �Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Your life will be a testament of faith,� came through clearly.

The words echoed in her mind, until she dropped on the ground. She heard screams around her. Elaina opened her eyes slowly, but all she could see was a bright light. The crowd around her slowly came into focus. There was someone kneeling next to her. He was asking if she was all right. Elaina lay sprawled on the ground and said softly, �Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, for he who promised is faithful.� Elaina faded off into unconsciousness.

Alva caught his cell phone on the second ring. �Hello,� he spoke into the receiver. Paul and Evvie watched Alva�s face and grew concerned with the shock they saw there. �Yes, I�ll be there as soon as possible,� he said and clicked off his phone. He ran his hand through his hair, trying desperately to hold back tears.

�Alva, what�s wrong?� asked Evvie. This was one expression she was not used to seeing on his face.

�It�s Elaina, she�s in a coma. I�ve got to get to the hospital,� he replied.

�We�ll come with you,� replied Paul.

�No, I need you both to go check out her apartment. They think it was a suicide attempt.� Alva scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Evvie, �She lives right down the street,� he said. Alva grabbed his coat and put it on and walked out the door.

Alva found that he couldn�t think straight. His mind was whirling with the news. A suicide attempt? He knew better. Evvie and Paul would most likely confirm what he already knew by investigating the apartment. Anathoth had finally returned, and sent her flying out the window. His mind was so focused; that he didn�t notice the plastic bag that held their daily newspaper. He tripped on the paper sitting on the steps, and fell down the rest of the flight.

Paul and Evvie heard Alva�s shouts as they stepped outside, and saw him at the bottom, slowly trying to rise. Paul raced down the steps. �Keel, are you ok?� he asked. He reached out his hand to help his friend to his feet.

�I�m all right, I just tripped. I�ve got to hurry,� he replied, running down the alley as fast as he could, limping a little along the way toward his car. Paul and Evvie watched him go.

�You�ve known Keel longer than I have,� said Paul. �Did you ever see him take off like that?� he asked.

�No, I sure haven�t,� replied Evvie. They quickly walked over toward the address that Alva had given Evvie.

Alva arrived at the Intensive Care Unit and found Elaina�s room. As he approached her bed, he saw the doctor standing at the foot, checking her chart. His face showed that he was completely baffled. He looked up as he heard Alva�s footsteps.

�Mr. Keel?� asked the doctor.

�Yes, how is she?� asked Alva.

The doctor looked at her chart and replied, �She�s doing fine, physically. She has no broken bones, just a concussion. Her mind seems to be somewhere else completely. I found this in her pocket, so I thought I�d call.�

�I see,� replied Alva.

He stepped over to the bed and reached for her hand. It felt completely limp. Tears started to well as he looked down at her in the bed. The doctor had said her mind was somewhere else.

�Do you happen to have a Bible around?� asked Alva.

�Yes,� the doctor replied. He walked over to the side table that was next to Elaina�s bed, and pulled it out. �Maybe it will do some good if you read from it,� he said.

Elaina found herself standing in the middle of a large room. It seemed to be made completely out of stone. The air was cold and damp, and heavy with the smell of mildew. She took a breath and felt every muscle in her body tense immediately. She was in Anathoth�s domain, with no way to protect herself.

Alva was left alone in the room. He opened the Bible and laid it on her chest. He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. �Elaina, fight hard. Come back to me where you belong,� he whispered, tears spilling down his cheeks.

Elaina had her eyes closed. She felt something metal in her hands. She opened her eyes to see a sword in her hand. It was long and heavy. She didn�t need to touch the blade. She knew it was sharp enough to do the job. She raised the blade in front of her face and closed her eyes.

�Thank you, Alva,� she whispered.

Alva saw her lips move for just a moment mouthing the words, �Thank you Alva. He knew she had received her weapon. He closed his eyes, and while he held her hand in his, he began to pray.

Elaina opened her eyes and stood erect. The air was cold, but she didn�t shiver. She was much too warm to feel cold.

�ANATHOTH, SHOW YOURSELF!� she shouted. Her voice echoed through the chamber. Her eyes flashed from one end of the room to the other. "I know you�re here,� she said very quietly. She felt a gust of wind blow through the chamber and heard the sound of dark laughter breaking the silence. Elaina whirled around in a circle with the sword cutting through the air. She caught her balance again and took a series of shallow breaths

�SHOW YOURSELF!� Elaina shouted again. The demon entered the chamber with an evil smile on his face. He held up his sword and charged her, his eyes blazing.

Elaina had never fenced a day in her life, but she was amazed at the skill with which she wielded her sword. She held it like a master swordsman and sliced through the air with great precision. Anathoth was very smooth, however, and kept missing her blows.

�You cannot defeat me,� he taunted. She was quiet and didn�t return his remark. She concentrated on her mark and began to pick up speed. She moved through the chamber holding the heavy sword as if it were made of tin foil. She continued her concentration and moved around him as if she were a flowing river.

�GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH!� she cried out as she raised her sword to Anathoth�s shoulders. With a swift stroke she beheaded the demon. Elaina heard the demon�s scream and watched his body crumple to the floor, his head landing next to it. She stood there for just a moment, gasping. Her body suddenly went limp, and she leaned against her sword for support. Tears streamed from her eyes as she realized she was free.

Elaina�s eyes opened wide. She felt her hand in someone else�s and looked over to see Alva holding her hand between both of his and praying. �Alva,� she whispered.

Alva�s eyes snapped open as he heard his name. �Elaina,� he replied. His voice was nearly choked with tears of joy.

�It�s over. Anathoth is dead,� said Elaina. �Thank you.�

Alva replied by wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tightly.

Elaina settled back in her bed and relaxed as Alva held her hand. She felt the weight of fear off her shoulders for the first time since she moved to Boston. A calm smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes and began to dream of a new life.