What do you see in the
dark
when the demons come for you?
If only you could have seen
how fucked up my life used to be
then everything starts to change
supposedly healing my pain
I never thought I'd feel this way
I never thought that I'd see a day
I'd run away from anything or anywhere or anyone
Its all these demons haunting me
Its all these little things trapped inside of me
Releasing me from all my sin
Its taken me all my anger
And taken me all of my hate
To learn how my life came together
Releasing the demons again
And now I look through my minds eye
And see where my past needs to rest
Its always disturbed by these voices
That echo inside of my head
Another way that I can hide
Another reason to crawl inside and get away
from everything and everywhere and everyone
NO!
Its all these demons haunting me
Its all these little things trapped inside of me
Releasing me from all my sin
Its taken me all my anger
And taken me all of my hate
To learn how my life came together
Releasing the demons......again
Facing the days as I grow into my own
Loving and hating the same
And three-fold I told you
it comes back with laughter
Over and over again
Its coming back
Its taken me all my anger
And taken me all of my hate
To learn how my life came together
Releasing the demons again
Godsmack- "Release the Demons"
Pushing through a drunken crowd, Julian ran towards the only other Motel 6 on the west side of New Orleans. Cammy hadn't been at the first one and he was hoping Ken had found her by now. There was a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that it was too late by now. He prayed that it wasn't.
Panting, Julian slowed to a stride as he started to enter the check-in area of the motel. It was a pretty small hotel, only about ten or twelve rooms. He turned to observe the doors to the rooms and saw one ajar. The bad feeling in his stomach quickly turned into adrenaline as he sprinted towards the open room. He entered and yelled as soon as he saw her.
"Cammy!"
She was lying on the floor, her body tangled with a blood covered sheet that was held to her body by the tight grip of her knuckles. She started to move when she heard him speak.
"Shit girl. Wake up."
Her lip was swollen and had dried blood crusted on it. With an obvious effort she peeled open her eyes. They were so dark it startled Julian.
"Cammy girl, it's me, Julian. What happened?"
She tried to sit up but couldn't with the tangles of the sheet. He leaned in closer just in time to hear her mutter.
"V-Vega."
He stammered.
"I'm so sorry. I tired to stop this. Oh my God. This isn't fucking happening."
Julian felt like he was losing his mind. If Vega did to her what Julian thought he did, what he did before, he didn't know how he would handle it.
"Girl, look at me."
Her eyes were unfocused, pupils dilated. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to sitting. Her body flopped in his arms like a doll. Now that she was slumped over he could see the red stain on the back of her head. He touched it gently and felt a large bump. He put his hands on the sides of her face.
"You gotta stay awake, girl. Stay with me."
She moaned softly and he scooped her, including the sheet, into his arms. He ran with her then, as fast as he could. He was taking her to the only safe place he could think of.
The church was large, perhaps the largest in New Orleans. It was late and Julian hoped that there would be someone there who could help him. He burst through the double doors, his eyes were wide and frantic, and Cammy's blood was stained on his shirt. There was an older priest kneeling by a statue of the Holy Family. He turned quickly at the commotion and immediately rose when he saw him carrying Cammy. Julian spoke frantically.
"You gotta help me Father. She's hurt and I don't know how to tell how bad it is."
"Young man, you should take her to a hospital, not here."
"I can't, no way."
"I am not a doctor. I can't tell you what's wrong with her. She needs a real doctor to do that."
"Look, I told you I can't! Are you gonna help me or not?"
Julian was losing control but the priest wasn't.
"Why can't you take her to the hospital?"
"Th-They ask questions and names and all that. I can't."
"Did you do this?"
"No! No, I…she just needs help. Please."
The priest sighed.
"Lay her down here."
Julian did as he instructed and carefully lay Cammy down on a pew. The priest looked her over, noticing the wound on the back of her head.
"Well there's a bump here so that means she doesn't have a concussion. Has she spoken?"
"A little, I tried to keep her awake but then she passed out."
"Honestly that's all I can help you with. Though everything seems to be superficial, there could be something I'm missing, and I am not willing to trust her to stay here. She needs to be checked out by a real doctor."
"I told you—"
"Why can't they ask questions or names?"
Julian paused.
"Father, it's different for me than for other people."
"How so?"
"I've done things and…"
"God's love is endless and unconditional, but that doesn't mean you don't have to do your part. He will forgive you anything, but you have to be truly sorry and ready to repent. And this young girl doesn't need to suffer because you are afraid."
"I know! I just…"
Julian put his head in his hands. Everything was happening too fast for him. He felt the priests hand on his bare arm where the tattoo of thorns was.
"I can tell you are hurting. Now is the time to fix it, make it right."
"Alright."
Julian pulled Cammy into his arms and headed for the nearest hospital. Upon arrival at the emergency room, they swiped her from his arms and immediately into an examination room. Then the questions started flying.
"How long as she been out?"
"Like 20 minutes."
"What's her name?"
"Cammy."
"Cammy what?"
"White."
"Your name?"
"Julian Marquez."
"Relation?"
"Friend."
"What happened to her?"
"I don't know. I found her like this."
"Where?"
"Her hotel room."
"Why were you there?"
"I was looking for her."
Julian had his hands gripped tightly together as the nurse wrote these things down. Another nurse entered the room and spoke.
"Found her file. Camilla Faith White, age 17. I'm working on contacting her father."
"Is she okay?"
"She should be fine. No head trauma. It must have been something else. I'm thinking psychological trauma, looks like she was raped."
Julian's breath caught. Not again. No wonder she was struggling. Her body was strong, the strongest, but her mind was probably so fragile. The two nurses left Julian in the waiting room; they told him they would notify him if she wakes up or if there are any changes. So he sat and waited. He should have left right then. They had his name, and it was a perfect time for him to make a getaway, but he wouldn't leave Cammy to deal with this alone.
After about half an hour Julian heard a commotion in the hall. A young man was screaming.
"Why can't I see her?"
Julian couldn't hear the nurses who were probably talking in low clam tones trying to calm the person down.
"Who brought her here? Some guy!?"
Julian stood as he heard the person approaching the small waiting room. A young man burst through the door. He was a few inches shorter than Julian himself, with blonde hair and dark blue eyes, which happened to be filled with rage. The young man lunged towards Julian, grabbing him by the neck.
"What the hell did you do to her!?"
Julian let him take him down and held his arms back submissively. He didn't answer. He was still trying to figure out who this was.
"You son of a bitch answer me!"
He held Julian's jaw in his fist and was turning it sharply to the side. A moment later the young man was lifted from Julian by a larger man he recognized. It was Colonel William Guile. The Colonel spoke.
"Wagner calm down. He didn't hurt he, he helped her."
Wager screamed.
"Well then who the hell is to blame?"
"That's why we need him."
Guile pointed at Julian who was raising himself of the floor and into a chair. Julian spoke, not waiting to be asked the question he knew was coming.
"It was Vega."
"What?"
"He has had a tail on Ken Masters in order to find Cammy. Just what you thought they'd do, which is why you went into hiding with her. But she came here, I don't know why and ran into him. Both were oblivious to this and he found her."
"Where's Ken then."
"Me and him separated to look for her."
"And you found her."
"Right. But I was too late."
Just then Ken entered the room.
"Julian is she okay?"
"I think so, man."
Guile turned and looked at Ken. Ken was apparently surprised by Guile's presence.
"Guile?"
Guile nodded and Wagner pushed past him and towards Ken.
"Where were you when this was happening to her? Aren't you supposed to love her?"
Ken looked as if he just got shot. A nurse walked in the room then.
"Cammy is awake and asking for all of you. One at a time though."
Everyone looked at Wagner, who was already stepping forward. He needed to see her first.