Faith

As I turned to leave so that I could look for Chris, who I feared was either dead or seriously injured, Father Gabriel's voice stopped me. "Daniel, wait. Let us pray for Chris's safety."

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Father Gabriel closed his eyes and began reciting the Lord's Prayer. I stood silently, my mind racing with thoughts of Chris's fate.

"...Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." Father Gabriel's voice was calm and soothing, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of hopelessness.

After the prayer, Father Gabriel opened his eyes and smiled reassuringly. "I have faith that Chris will be fine, Daniel. The Lord will watch over him."

I nodded slightly, unsure of what to say. As I turned to leave, I couldn't help but wonder, "Would such faith even help in this situation?" I didn't voice my doubts, but I couldn't shake them off either.

"Goodbye, Father," I said, and quickly left the church, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Chris's fate and the uncertainty of it all.

As I approached the head of the police officers, I could feel a sense of urgency in my voice. "Officer, I need your help. I need a search party to find my friend Chris. He's been missing since the car crash."

The officer looked at me with a sympathetic expression, but what he said next left me stunned. "Daniel, it was Chris who called us. He said you were in danger."

My mind raced with questions. If Chris was safe, why did he call the police? And what did he mean by saying I was in danger? The officer handed me his phone, and I hesitated for a moment before taking it.

As I put the phone to my ear, I heard Chris's voice on the other end. "Hey, man. I'm so glad you're okay."

Tears of joy threatened to overflow as I walked away from the police officers, trying to process what was happening. "Chris, how did you survive the crash? I thought for sure...I thought I'd lost you."

Chris's voice was calm and reassuring. "Mrs. Deli saved me, Daniel.

He began to narrate exactly what happened as I imagined the scene unfolding in my mind.

As the car careened out of control, Chris's world became a blur. The sound of shattering glass and crunching metal filled the air, and he felt himself being pulled from the wreckage. Mrs. Deli's face was a picture of determination, her eyes blazing with an otherworldly intensity. With a strength that defied human possibility, she shattered the windshield and dragged Chris from the sinking car.

The water rushed past them, a torrent of foam and bubbles, as Mrs. Deli swam with powerful strokes, her arms wrapped around Chris's chest. They broke the surface, gasping for air, and she pulled him towards the shore. Under the bridge, she deposited him on dry ground, her movements swift and precise.

Chris's vision began to blur, his head spinning from the crash. He felt himself slipping away, his consciousness fading like a dying ember. When he came to, Mrs. Deli was nowhere to be seen. The only signs of her presence were the faint impressions of her feet in the damp earth, and the echoes of her strength still resonating in the air.

Chris stumbled to his feet, his head pounding, and surveyed the scene. Multiple footprints crisscrossed the ground, some leading away from the river, others towards the darkness under the bridge. The truck driver who had caused the chaos was nowhere to be found, leaving Chris with more questions than answers. Had Mrs. Deli escaped, or had she fallen prey to the unknown forces that sought their destruction? The uncertainty gnawed at Chris like a festering wound, as he stumbled away from the river, lost and alone

As I continued talking to Chris, my mind raced with questions about Mrs. Deli's identity and her connection to Sam. Was she one of his superhuman agents?

Was she also a demon in the flesh, as Father Gabriel had suggested? And what was the significance of her full name, Delilah, paired with Samson?

The biblical irony was striking, but I knew I had to focus on finding her to get to the bottom of this mystery.

As I walked away from the police officers, still talking to Chris on the phone, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Mrs. Deli's fate was just one piece of a much larger puzzle. And I was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.