“We’ll see,” I said with a shrug of one shoulder.
Oh, geez, I’m smart mouthing a demon. Maybe I should rethink this plan. I don’t even know if it’s possible… but the vision showed me.
The floor crumbled little by little, and the smell of sulfur and rotting flesh filled my nostrils, burning the back of my throat. The screams and groans of the people below roared in the room as the demonic angels cackled and flew in circles around my head.
I forced myself to relax. I pictured my parents and brother, Saturday morning breakfasts and family movie nights. I saw Muriel, whispering during sleepovers and joking around at the mall. Chay. His blue-green eyes, the feel of his hand in mine, the taste of his kiss.
When I listened very closely, when I really focused, I could hear them on the other side of the doors, trying to find a way inside. My mother was crying, and my dad was screaming. Chay called my name.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “I love you all. So much.”
Just as I felt the piece of support give way beneath me, I reached my hand down toward the small slab of floor I stood on, making a fist as though I was grabbing hold of it. In one motion, I dropped low, held on with one hand, and swung my other hand forward in the air. The floor followed the movement and sailed across the room, with me on it, right into Azazel.
We both fell hard. My head bounced against the floor. Stars, like Christmas twinkle lights, flickered in front of my eyes. The gold-and-bronze mosaic floor blurred. I tried to move, but my body was heavy, weighted.
Oh, shit, I didn’t think that would work.
Fat, red legs scurried toward me. Damn goblins. I was so over them! I reached my hand toward them and made a scooping motion. Their fat, red bodies suspended in air, stumpy legs kicking and violent curses spilling from their mouths. I moved my hand to the pit and dropped them in, back to their homeland down under.
Just like an invisible dump truck.
I tried to sit up, but I couldn’t move. Lifting my head off the ground, I could see I was covered in debris. One swipe of my arm and the cement and pieces of ceiling tile flew off me. I jumped up and searched for Azazel.
He rushed me. I did a side sweep. He fell forward, trying to catch his balance with his hand on the ground. But his feet tangled in the hem of his robe and he face-planted in front of me.
“Sucks wearing a dress, huh?” I circled him. He planted his palms on the floor and tried to push himself up. I put my foot in the middle of his back, pressing him down. At the same time, I motioned for the barricade to lift from the door. People burst through, yelling and shouting as they stormed into the room. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw my group head straight for Jake and the rest of his little club.
Azazel used the small window when my attention was diverted, flipping and rolling out of reach. He stood with his back to me.
A chunk of plaster ceiling fell a few feet from me. I reached my hand toward it and flung it at Azazel. His back was still turned. He was close enough to the pit. If I could get one good hit in, he’d fall in and the nightmare would end.
I guided the piece of ceiling toward him, closer and closer, it was almost there. I picked up speed, moving my arm faster, putting as much power behind the throw as I could. It sailed closer and closer. It was almost to him. Just inches. Something clutched my stomach, excitement, anticipation, I wasn’t sure. But my body had a current run through it, from my toes to the tips of my hair.
It’s closer. So close. Almost. It’s going to hit him…
His arm shot out, his hand flat, palm facing the piece of ceiling. “Did you really think it’d be that easy?” He turned to face me. The piece of ceiling moved slightly as he did. “Are you really that daft, to think your powers are stronger than mine?”
I pressed against the ceiling. He pressed back. It hung between us, moving a little one way and then the other. My arm started to shake against the force.
It must be almost time. Just hold on…
A tingling began in the middle of my chest and radiated down my arm. I felt it move through each finger. A wind blew through the church. My long, red waves whipped wildly around my head like Medusa’s snakes.
The piece of ceiling started to move toward Azazel. He grunted with his effort to push it back. I pushed as hard as I could. My body vibrated from the force.
“Enough!” he screamed. He pulled back his arm and thrust it to the side, sending the piece of ceiling sailing to the left. I squeezed my hand together, and the chunk of ceiling exploded in the air. The dust carried away on the wind circling the room.