Todd’s trail was easy enough to follow in the loose sand. It appeared to be the only thing that had disturbed the ground in ages.
“Looks like he’s running,” Dovecrest said, looking down at the footprints.
“Hmmm. Is he running towards something….. Or away from it?”
“I guess we’ll know when we find him.”
The two men quickened their pace as they made their way across the large plains.
“So, do you think this place is really hell?” Erik asked.
Dovecrest paused. “It’s hard to say. But from what I’ve read of the Bible, hell doesn’t exist.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hell is where all of the damned souls go after Christ’s second coming, isn’t that correct?”
“Yeah. I guess so. You’d probably have to talk to Pastor Mark about that.”
“Well, that’s what the Bible says. But Jesus hasn’t returned yet, has he?”
“No. Not yet.”
“Then I suspect this is a holding place for all of those souls who are destined to go to hell.”
Dovecrest laughed. “I’ve read your Bible. A number of times. I’ve had a lot of time on my hands, remember?”
Erik smiled.
“And do you believe it?”
“That’s a tough question,” the Indian said. “I believe many different things. There is truth in many things. The old Indian ways show truth. Your religion shows truth. The ultimate truth is that there is a creator that is all powerful. That is without doubt.
“I do believe in a heaven and a hell. I believe with all my heart that my family is in heaven. Even though they were never able to know your Jesus, they believed in the Great Spirit and they worshipped him with love.”
“And you, do you believe in Jesus?”
Erik realized that he was sounding like the pastor. He found it odd that here, in the very pits of hell-or maybe the holding cell for hell-he was trying to convert this man to his faith. He had never been one to convert people, and had always felt very uncomfortable with the idea. But now, for some reason, he thought it important to know where Dovecrest stood.
The Indian stopped walking and turned to face him. Erik looked into his eyes for what seemed like a long time.
“I believe in God,” he said at last. “I was able to see His power in action through your pastor. I do believe.”
Erik felt a chill run up his spine. All of his doubts disappeared. He knew that, no matter what happened, it would be ok. He loved his wife and child more than life itself, but he felt that they were safe in God’s care. This world no longer mattered to him. It was the next world that counted now. Though they all might die here and now in the very sands of hell, God would not forsaken them. They might all die here in hell, but Dovecrest was right. They would not remain here. They were visitors to this place, not residents. They belonged with God.
Charged with new vitality, they continued forward. It looked like Todd had been dodging from one rock outcropping to another as they followed his path. Finally, after about two hundred yards, they stopped behind a large obsidian boulder.
“It looks like he stopped here for a bit,” Dovecrest said. “He knelt down. See?”
Erik could see where the sand had been disturbed.
“He’s trying to find his mother,” Erik said. “We don’t even know if she’s still alive.”
“I think she’s alive. And when we find her, we find the demon. Remember what we’ve come here for. Above all else, we must destroy that thing.”
They moved forward again. The next rock outcropping was about a hundred yards away. This one was larger than the ones they’d passed so far and Erik had the strong feeling that they would encounter the demon there.
“I’m assuming you have a plan once we find this thing,” Erik said.
“You take care of your family. I’ll take care of the demon.”
Erik nodded. “I think we’ll find what we’re looking for up ahead.”
Dovecrest nodded agreement.
They moved quickly but carefully as they approached the next rock outcropping.