CHAPTER 7

"Ahhhh" Vanessa's scream was a primal howl that echoed through the sterile, metallic corridors. Her daughter had just vanished, no - disappeared, the speed had defied human comprehension. She felt her world had imploded. This wasn't a nightmare; the cold, hard reality of it was etched into her mind with a painful clarity.

Fear, like a venomous snake, coiled in her gut. She had foolishly believed that the demon tormenting her daughter was gone. She had foolishly believed that the words that came out of Allison were Allison's. A flicker of hope had ignited when she had heard Allison's voice, a desperate plea for help. But that hope had been extinguished as abruptly as a candle in a gale.

With tears streaming down her face, Vanessa stumbled towards the exit. The metallic building, once a prison for her daughter and a source of endless dread, now felt like a tomb. Vanessa burst through the front door of their house, located beside the metallic building. Her heart pounded in her chest like a trapped bird.

Damon was waiting for her, his face etched with worry. He enveloped her in a tight embrace, his strong arms offering a semblance of comfort. Yet, even in his arms, Vanessa felt a chasm of despair opening within her.

"What happened?" His voice, a hoarse whisper, cut through the heavy silence. His eyes, twin pools of desperation, searched her face for answers. Every muscle in his body tensed, as if bracing for a blow. He was a statue of worry, frozen in place, yet radiating an intense urgency.

"I...i...i... All... Allison said the demon ha...had left... I got the k...keys, opened the door...and...she just went...vanished" Sobbing uncontrollably, Vanessa struggled to find the words. Her chest heaved with each ragged breath as tears streamed down her face. Damon watched her anguish with a mix of terror and helplessness.

"We'll find her, Vanessa" he promised, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within.

"We'll find her" But deep down, a cold dread gnawed at him. This was more than just their missing daughter, the demon was more of the true target, the horrifying realization that cast a long shadow over their lives.

"A search party would be conducted, okay?" Damon's voice was calm, masking his fear. Their daughter, their only child after years of trying was taken by a demon. She would have to be found. No matter the cost.

"No one would help!" Vanessa cried even more as Damon kept trying to console her. No one would truly want to help them. The truth was a terrifying secret. Allison had already killed three people and attempted to murder Vanessa four times. Who would risk their lives searching for a girl connected to such horrific acts?

"It'll be alright" Damon assured, there was no other choice, he'd pay hundreds of thousands if needed, their daughter was missing, and they needed every resource available to find her.

Damon's heart pounded in his chest as he dialed the number of the best private investigators in the country. Money was no object. He would spend every last cent, mortgage their house, sell everything they owned if it meant bringing Allison home. The phone rang, an eternity passing with each tick. When a voice finally answered, Damon poured out his heart, the desperate plea for help laced with raw fear and determination.

As the team of investigators arrived, their faces etched with a mix of professionalism and unspoken doubt, Damon felt a surge of hope. Damon then took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly as he revealed the terrifying truth. He explained about the demonic possession, Allison's terrifying transformations, and how she kind of disappeared. The investigators, initially skeptical, their faces etched with disbelief, slowly began to understand the gravity of the situation. Their professional facades cracked, revealing the fear lurking beneath. The promise of a substantial reward, a lifeline in the face of such horror, momentarily overshadowed their terror. Yet, their eyes, filled with a mix of disbelief and dawning horror, spoke volumes of the fear that gripped them.