I nod and watch her storm down the walkway and then get into the car, slamming the door shut. There’s no doubt in my mind that she means every word she spoke.
Unlike the demon who promised no one else would be hurt. But that’s in its nature, of course—a deceiver and a liar.
Mrs. Kovacs hands the empty glass to me. “Take this in and get me another glass of water, would you? I need to sit in the fresh air for a spell.”
“I can’t. You have that barrier thing there.”
“I cleared the spell while you two were throwing a hissy fit, fighting like a pair of cats. There’s carrot bread on the table. Bring it out too, if it’s not charred to bits. I’ll be out back, thinking. This is going to take a while. I need to sit and ponder.”
NINETEEN
SLOWLY MY FOOT RISES to rest on the bottom step and I smile when it stays there. After getting bounced back like a yo-yo so many times I am half expecting it to happen again despite Margrit’s assurance. The small entranceway branches off to a sitting room on the right and a large, smoky kitchen on the left. At the end of the hallway is the old lady’s bedroom and a bathroom. The place is gloomy and even smaller inside than what it looked like from the yard.
I enter the kitchen and see the blackened pans and the stove covered in black ash. Some of the flash fire charred the cabinet next to the stove and curled the laminate countertop. The pale yellow walls are streaked brown from the smoke damage. Spying the carrot bread, I grab it and a knife. The only thing left is getting water for the old lady. I find the pitcher she had the other day and fill it from the tap.
When I go out, Margrit is perched on top of the tree stump where she told me to sit. She’s hunched over, looking ancient and totally worn out. This is taking more out of her than she’d expected. The fact that her spell protecting the house isn’t enough to keep the demon out is really shaking her confidence.
Hell, it sends a shiver through my shoulders too.
She looks up as I approach and her voice is sad. “This stump holds the power of the earth. It was an old tree, one hundred feet high when Alf and I moved here. One night it was struck by lightning, sheared in two right down to this stump. We were lucky it never fell on the house. My husband worked for three days cutting it up.” She pauses for a few beats reliving those days and continues, “Now, when I’m confused or lonely this spot rejuvenates me.”
She looks over at me. “Did you feel its power when you were meditating?”
It’s hard to even think about the state of my mind after all that’s happened, but I try. After a few seconds pass, a feeling of serenity and power fill my mind. “Yes. I felt it.”
She takes the glass I extend to her and smiles. “The feeling is what matters. You might not remember the place or day of your first time riding a bike, but you never forget the feeling. The freedom and joy. And that is what our lives really amount to—a collection of emotions.” After she drains half the glass, she continues, “That is part of what this demon envies in us. We feel life.”
My gut tightens, and I hunker down on the ground next to her. “Which brings us back to the problem at hand—how to repel this demon. It’s getting more desperate. Why else would it attack you?”
“Exactly. Slice off some of that carrot bread, will you?” One hand grasps the stone at her neck and she looks pained. “We need to stay together from now on. I see this evil swirling inside you and I sense its frustration with me. But if it’s in you, at least it isn’t attacking me.”
I hand her the slice of bread but her words haven’t given me much hope. “But we’ve got to act fast. What happens when you go to sleep and your guard is down? What’s to prevent this thing from finishing you off, Margrit?”
She snorts and almost chokes on the mouthful of bread. “Too bad it was food that caught fire in the kitchen. If it was sage or cedar it would have been a cleansing smudge. When I finish eating, we’re going to try that. But this time, I’m smudging you.”
“That’s all it takes? Why didn’t you do that yesterday?” I know it can’t be that simple, or she would have done it already.
“You need to have your head in the right place, boy. That’s why I had you painting, chopping and meditating, earlier. You must be clear in your intentions. To rebuke this evil entity, there must be no hesitation on your part. Your focus must be laser sharp without a trace of doubt or fear.” She munches on the bread as casually as if we were discussing how to make soup or weed a garden. She’s calm and steady in her mind. Her aura has once more expanded, shimmering in a silvery haze.
“And if I’m not?” But I don’t need to hear her answer; I know it deep in my bones. I’m doomed. It would be twice as strong in its power over me.
I look into her ancient, dark eyes, speaking softly, “You can see my aura. You’ll be able to judge when I’m ready to do this. But I’m not there yet. That’s it, right?”
She nods, and her smile is encouraging. “I’m helping you, Adam. Together we are a formidable pair. Eat and then we smudge you with cedar and sage. That’s not the total fix to get rid of this beast, but it’s a tool to be used. Think of it as armor. Sage smudging will clear out some of the fear and darkness that is uniquely Adam. We don’t need to give that thing, that demon, any tidbits to feed on and grow. We all have some level of doubt and fear. Survival depends on it. But right now, your survival depends on getting rid of what we can.”
As I bite into the carrot bread, she sits back and her eyes close. Her lips move softly, but no sound comes out. It comes to me that she’s invoking help from her ancestors, saying a chant that she learned from her grandmother. Whatever will help in this fight, is okay by me.
When I finish the bread, her eyes pop open wide and she smiles. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
She gets up, and we go into her house. The things she needs are in a small cabinet in the corner. I stand waiting for her to begin the ritual but she laughs.
“Not here, Adam. We’re going to the lake. First you bathe. When you’re finished I will anoint and smudge your body. We will invoke the power of the four elements—water, earth, fire and air.” She holds up a stone fixed to a leather strap. It’s black, an exact replica of what she wears. “This will help keep you protected once we do this.”
It’s a much slower walk to the lake as I help her get through some of the denser underbrush in the forest. Her strength and calm inspire me, and for once my mouth is still. I use this time to try to clear my mind. But the habits of a lifetime don’t drop that quickly. It’s not long before a picture of my mother sneaks into my head, the disappointment in her tight lips make me sigh with resignation. She always doubted I could stick with anything.
At Margrit’s sharp tap on my arm I jerk back. Her jaw works and she clucks her lips, watching me.
Immediately, I straighten, and a sense of calm purpose flows through me. Without another word she turns and continues walking. Just a look from her, and her peace and strength nourish my spirit.
This woman is powerful and pure. She’s reached a point in her state of mind that is assured and confident. I can almost feel this darkness that clings in the recesses of my head recoil and become smaller. This demon wants only its own pleasure and gain. It can’t face this woman’s strength and altruism. I’m witnessing good versus evil and I can’t help but feel lighter knowing that kindness is prevailing in this struggle.
‘Forgiveness is freedom.’
I look at her recognizing that she has sent that thought into the universe, but it’s meant for me. Forgiveness?
Like an air bubble swirling to the surface of a pond a picture of the guys picking on me when I was in school pops into my mind. The fear and shame that I felt so many times by their taunts and jabs makes my stomach tighten, living it as vividly as when I was a child.
I stumble when the recent scene with the bullies yesterday leapfrogs on to this recollection. My fingers curl in a muscle reflex, remembering the blows I rained down on that punk in the alley.
I startle at her voice in my head. She stares at me with a small smile twitching her lips. But this is hard, too damned hard. Tears of anger sting my eyes when I see Eric Holden’s sneer daring me to get up and fight back.
His face transforms, and the sneer softens to sadness. It’s then that I realize he was projecting the abuse he’d suffered at the hands of his brutish father on to me.
For the first time the ache in the back of my neck melts and my eyes close. Eric and all those jerks who teased me had problems. It didn’t make it right to pick on me, but at least I didn’t have to go home and get that kind of punishment on a daily basis.
Margrit pauses and her hand rests lightly on my arm. “Let it go. What happened yesterday isn’t who you are, Adam. That creature used your weakness, the humiliation and rage you felt as a child to punish the boys in that alley. You aren’t that child anymore. You’re an adult. Forgive and move on to be free of it. Remove the need for revenge that this cruel beast has used as a weapon.”
I feel tension borne of resentment and anger drift from my body. For a few seconds I am weightless, anchored only by Margrit’s light touch on my arm. A smile flashes in her eyes before we continue on in silence.
When the lake comes into view, it’s almost blinding seeing the sparkles gleaming on the small waves from the sun above. There’s an element of the surreal with what we’re about to do. How can it be possible in a scene so idyllic, that a darkness, a hateful, I demonic evil can also linger here? The pure light of the day should be enough to banish it. But it’s not.
“There’s no one here but us, Adam. You can remove your clothes and go to the water. Take as long as you need; I’ll be right here.” She wanders over to a boulder a few feet away and then sits, watching the lake.
I bite the smart-ass quip back about ‘not peeking’ and just peel my clothes off. Hell, she’s going to be touching me during this ritual so I’d better not get all self-conscious about being naked. Still, I’m glad she’s as old as my grandmother, not someone like Leah.
That would get awkward.
Again, the coldness of the water numbs my skin within seconds when I submerse myself. I stay under for as long as I can. “‘Peace”‘ is a mantra that rings with each beat of my heart. When I rise, I feel my body’s rhythm quicken while my senses take in everything—the faint odor of the seaweed clinging to rocks, the brightness of the sun and the green shimmer surrounding the trees bordering the shore.
This is life the way it should be—the air so clean, the sun so bright, and the sky an azure blue. There is no place in this world for the dark creature that longs to insert itself into this realm. This is it. I’ve had it with being this creature’s tool. I’m strong and a decent human being, not some victim. I take a deep breath and square my shoulders walking from the cool water over to where Margrit now stands.
I’m ready.
My footsteps are sure when I walk over to her. Her hands rise, showing palms darkened with soil that she smears in a line from my forehead to my chest. She reaches into a bag looped over her neck and again her hands drip with moist earth. Her hand slows as her fingers roll over the marks left by the demon on my stomach and thighs. All the while my heart pounds fast at her healing touch.
“I rebuke you, demon. You took my cousin, but you will not have this boy. Leave him now.” Her hands glide over my legs and then she straightens. Again she refreshes the earth on her palms before smearing my arms.
I open my mouth to repeat her words but she shakes her head. “Not yet, Adam. Let me finish.” She takes a bundle of grass and twigs from her satchel and sets fire to the end, blowing on the flame until the ends glow a bright orange.
The smell is sweet with the cedar but also acrid, when I inhale. My eyes close as she continues waving the smudge over every area of my body.
“You are not welcome here, demon. Leave this boy and never come back.” Her voice is strong and steady, repeating the words over and over as she continues the ritual.
At the touch of her slipping an amulet over my head, my eyes open. She smiles. “Enough for now. Your aura is clear.”
My heart skips a beat at her words. “It’s gone?” When she pulls back and nods, I feel like hugging her.
“I think we should repeat this every day for a week. You will be able to tell this demon to leave and there will be no doubt as to your authority. That will be the final step. For now, it’s beaten. This battle is won, but remember, we’re in a war, Adam.” She turns and starts gathering the items to put into her satchel.
It may be a small victory, but it gives me hope that I’ll soon be through with this. I hurry getting dressed, totally not caring that my body is caked with mud. It’s another level of protection against this beast and I’ll take all the help I can get.
My stomach rumbles reminding me I’ve only eaten a piece of bread with some water. When I join her on the way back from the beach to her house, I turn to her. “How about I make us some lunch after I clean up the mess in your kitchen? It’s the least I can do after all your help.”
She stops abruptly and her hand jerks up, silencing me. “Adam. It’s not safe for you back at my house.”
“What? You’re throwing me out after all this... just when we make some progress?” But a deeper look into her eyes tells me everything.
Leah has followed through on her threat to go to her cop friend. They’re waiting for us at Margrit’s house.
TWENTY
“WHAT SHOULD I DO, MARGRIT? I’m going to be arrested if they catch me. Three people are dead and I’m the link among all of them. The demon butchered them, but there’s no way they’re going to believe that!”
Oh my God! I’m done for. It’s not just getting arrested and going to prison for something I didn’t do, it’s knowing that I’m still not out of the woods as far as this demon goes.
Yeah. Out of the woods is pretty apt considering I’m standing in a forest about half a mile from her house. But even if I run, what chance do I have of surviving? If the bears or wolves don’t eat me first, the cops will send out a search party to comb the area.
“You don’t have any choice, Adam. I’m sorry that Leah felt she had to do this. If we’d been honest with her, she might not have. I’m to blame for this. I shouldn’t have dismissed her threat.” The old lady looks as defeated as I feel right then.
“Damn it! We didn’t tell her for her own protection! Now look at the mess she’s made.” If I could get my hands on her... But this isn’t getting me anywhere. There’s no escape, and I have to face that sad fact.
When the house comes into view, sure enough, a cop car is there along with Leah’s truck parked in the driveway.
Margrit places her hand on my arm, making me pause. “I know the policeman. He’s a reasonable man but you should let me do most of the talking. I’ll say I ran into you in town and hired you to help me get some things done around the house.”
It’s not that far a stretch from the truth but that part isn’t the one I’m worried about. It’s the before which will land me in a jail cell.
She continues, “As far as what happened in Watertown, you should tell the truth.”
“What? Tell them the demon killed those women and my roommate? That’s gonna get me admitted to a psych ward, Margrit.” She might be wise in the ways of the paranormal, but this is the real world and the truth is not going to cut it.
She shakes her head and continues walking. “His name is Jake, and he’s a good man.”
“Yeah, but he’s not crazy, right? No way is he going to believe a word I say!” I shake my head. “I wouldn’t believe this shit if someone tried to tell me about it!”
She stops and takes my arm. “You’re mistaken, Adam.” Tilting her head toward the cop and Leah The Snitch, she says, “Jake has dealt with strange things, my boy. More than once.” She makes a small smile. “If there’s one policeman in this world who would give you the benefit of the doubt, it wou
ld be him.”
I shake my head slowly. “Yeah. Right.” For the love of Pete, I don’t even think Mike Drogan is a hundred percent convinced I’m innocent anymore. Particularly after I lit out from Watertown after finding Doug’s body in our apartment. And he knows I am gifted! This cop? Forget it—I am done for.
She gives my arm a jerk, seeing the hopelessness in my eyes. “Adam!” she hisses. “I’m telling you the truth! Jake is not your enemy—he very well may become an ally in all this!”
I scoff. “Not after the smoke Leah’s blown in his ear!”
Now Margrit chuckles. “There’s a reason she brought him here, Adam. Both of them have had experiences with the unseen world around us.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes.” She looks away for a brief moment. “It was how we all became friends.” There was a story there, but before I could ask, she turned to look at me sharply. “Now listen to me. Just stick to the truth rather than tangle yourself up in more lies.”
The cop starts walking toward us. His gaze is firmly focused on me even though he extends an arm taking Margrit’s satchel and stepping between us. “Margrit. From what Leah said about what happened here I’m surprised to see you out walking through the forest. Are you okay?” He keeps peering at me as he speaks, focusing on the mud smeared over my face and arms.
Haunted By The Succubus Page 12