Faith pushed Hope back into Madison's bedroom like a reluctant sacrifice. The air had grown thick and rancid, heavy with sweat and fear and something else—something that smelled like ozone before a storm. Grace snatched the Bible from Faith's hands, her movements jerky and impatient. She made the sign of the cross over Faith, then Hope, then herself—three identical gestures that seemed more like warding off evil than inviting divine protection. Faith retrieved a small bottle of Holy Water from her pocket, uncapping it with fingers that trembled slightly. She sprinkled some on herself first, then Grace and Hope. Faith approached the bed, her movements hesitant, and sprinkled drops onto Madison's forehead. Madison screamed, twisting away from the droplets as if they burned. "I hate when you do that!" Grace raised the Bible, her voice taking on a formal, almost theatrical quality. "Spare us, O Lord. Hear our prayers, O Lord. Deliver us from all evil, we sinners, as we humbly ask for your forgiveness. Do not hold our offenses, or those of our parents, against us, O Lord." Madison screamed, but this time it felt different. Not fear or pain, but rage. Defiance. Silence fell, sudden and complete. Madison's scream died away, replaced by a whimper that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside her, somewhere beyond conscious thought. Grace turns the Bible to a bookmarked page, revealing several folded sheets of paper filled with scribbled notes. The handwriting was spidery and frantic, as if written in haste. Madison's eyes burned with hatred as Grace began to read from the pages. Not Scripture, but something else—something cobbled together from half-remembered rituals and desperate imagination. "Save your servant, who trusts in you, my God. Let the enemy have no power over her. And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her." Faith's voice was barely above a whisper. "Please, God." Suddenly, Madison spat the sock from her mouth, the gag landing wetly on the bedspread. Her lips were cracked, but her voice was clear and cutting as she glared at Faith. "I heard you cry! I saw you watching movies of Dad the other night! I actually felt sorry for you. But screw that, you deserve it!" Faith wiped tears from her eyes, her face hardening as she glared down at Madison. Whatever sympathy she might have felt was buried beneath a tide of hurt and anger. "Don't let her get to you," Grace warned, her voice low and urgent. Hope moved to comfort Faith, placing a hand on her shoulder. But Faith shrugged it off, her entire body rigid with tension. "The truth hurts," Madison continued, her voice gaining strength. "Probably not as much as these restraints! Let me go! Now!" Madison's laugh was bitter and triumphant as Faith pushed Hope aside and ran from the room. The sound of her footsteps receded down the hallway. "It's time to face reality!" Madison called after her, the words echoing in the sudden silence. Grace stared at the doorway, her face a mask of disbelief and fury. "Faith, where are you going!? Get back here, right now!" But Faith was gone, leaving only the Bible and the half-finished ritual. Grace stood frozen for a moment, then turned back to Madison, her eyes narrowing. Whatever plan she had was unraveling, but she wasn't finished yet. Not by a long shot. Hope moved slightly, positioning herself between Grace and Madison. Her eyes darted toward the door, then back to Grace, calculating. The air in the room seemed to thicken, charged with possibility and danger.
Chapter 30