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Chapter 24

Dude,

It wasn&039;t long before Laura had a chance to implement Operation Distract Yes, another band of devil worshippers showed up But this tiracious and dread lady," their leader was proclais followed suit, which ious extremists in one of our parlors "We but live to serve you in any capacity you require Only point us to your eneeance in your nastar"

That was kind of interesting, because we knew Laura&039;s mother had been possessed by the devil And the devil always appeared to Laura (you can iine her mood after one of those fun-filled visits) as a woine the Prince/Princess of Lies can appear as anything he/she wants

"We are yours to command!" he shouted at Laura&039;s feet, since they were all cowering before her on their knees None of the her eyes "Ohwas foretold and it has come at last!"

"Yes, yes," she replied impatiently "That&039;s fine Now You All of you"

All the heads jerked up at once It was like watching otters pop their heads out of the water at the zoo

"I bid ye go forth All of you find the soup kitchen on Lake and Fourth, in Minneapolis Volunteer for at least fifty hours a week"

The leader&039;s sad basset hound face see even further "But-but ish to-"

"Are you questioning ry de a pink sweater "You dare question how I test your loyalty?"

Practically elbowing each other out of the way, they all denied questioning anything

"So begone fro at Sister Sue&039;s Soup Kitchen I will knohen you are ready"

They all galloped out, several of theerness to obey Laura&039;s completely unevil command

They were no sooner out the front door than Laura threw herself into h to rock me back on h, what a wonderful idea you had!"

"Fifty hours a week should keep the her back

"Oh, I don&039;t knohy I didn&039;t think of this before!"

Well, honey, you prettyyou with your ry, or that upset, or that sad, it&039;s iically

(Dude, I prudently kept that to ht face," Laura gasped "I looked at you and I alht in front of that band of dimwitted sheep"

In all enius Put them to work for you, I&039;d said Make them volunteer at homeless shelters, at soup kitchens, at church fund-raisers That way they&039;re happy-they think they&039;re being tested-and you&039;re happy because not only are they out of your hair, they&039;re spending virtually all their free tiood

I&039;d saved the best for last: ordering devil worshippers to coood deeds was a terrific way to defy her mother If I had needed a deal closer, that was it

"Marc, if there&039;s ever anything I can do for you, you have to coave me ten minutes of free entertainment You&039;re square with the house, honey"

Laura turned away for a ht "Maybe I&039;ve been looking at this the wrong way If they&039;ll do anything I say-if they&039;ll do things for me they would do for no one else-I wonder what else I canabsolutely no idea that I was inadvertently, and with the best of intentions, driving Laura to a break with her conscience and her sanity

I take full responsibility for the following events, which I will narrate as quickly and carefully as I can

Chapter 25

Derik! Apologize this minute," Sara practically hissed "I know you&039;re upset, but this is ridiculous He&039;s just a baby"

"I don&039;t knohat the hell that thing is," Derik retorted, "but it&039;s not a baby"

"You&039;re acting like you&039;ve seen a ghoul, or so," Jeannie said

"What baby?"

Jeannie turned to her husband "What baby? The one she got off the plane with, what are you talking about, what baby?"

Oh, great, here were Michael and Jeannie Wyndham, with Sinclair hot on their heels

"Everybody just calan, but Derik drowned me out

He pointed "That baby"