by Wendy Wang
"We didn't find the book," Jason said. "It was a grimoire? I think that's what you guys call it."
"Great," Daphne said. “What should we do now?"
"Will has some ideas about that." Jason motioned for Will to share.
"Do you see this?" Will held up his knife. "This was made specifically for dispatching demons. It's the only thing I've ever come across that can cause them pain when they possess a body."
"Are you talking about torturing this creature?" Jen asked. She folded her arms across her chest. "I don't think I can stand by and watch that."
"I'm with Jen," Lisa said.
"Me, too," Daphne said. "It goes against everything we stand for."
"It wasn't that long ago, if I remember correctly, ladies, that y'all didn't have a problem torturing Gabriel Curtis in order to exorcise him."
"He was a serial killer. He had already murdered three girls and had another one stashed up in his attic," Lisa argued.
"This is completely different. Gerald did not ask to be possessed. Gabriel Curtis went looking for a demon to possess him," Jen said.
"Exactly. Just one monster looking for another. Either way, it's really not what we practice," Daphne said. "That kind of stuff taints your soul forever."
"All right then," Will began. "Perhaps you ladies should step outside. I don't have a problem doing this. That's not Gerald anymore. I know it's not what you want to hear. But once you get that demon out of him, he will never be the same. That is, assuming it doesn't kill him when he's exorcised," Will said.
Lisa put her hands on her hips. "Jason, I can't believe that you’d even entertain letting this happen."
"Technically, I don't have any authority here. And Will has a point. This guy is dead either way. If the demon doesn't kill him, it will leave him just an insane shell, from what Ben has said."
"I can't believe you're saying that," Lisa said. "Are you saying the ends justify the means?"
"If it helps us find that book and save Charlie, yes. Absolutely. Ben texted me. Charlie is deteriorating fast. We need to find that book as fast as we can to save her."
"Just so you know," Jen said, "Charlie is not gonna like it if you sacrifice Gerald to save her."
"I'll deal with that when she wakes up," Jason said. "At the moment, she's not here, and she doesn't get a say. Go ahead, Will. Do what you need to do.
"I'm not gonna stay here to watch it." Lisa started for the door. Joy stepped in front of her. "
"Lisa," Joy began. "I know this is disturbing. And I completely understand how you feel."
Lisa took a step back. "You do?"
"Yes, of course. Believe it or not, as reapers, we have nothing but the utmost respect for the human soul. And any suffering that one endures is difficult for us to watch as well. But… "
"But?" Lisa said.
"We need you. Torturing this man could enrage the demon inside him. And rage will only make him stronger. I implore you to stay. To help us keep him bound while Will questions him. Please." Joy held up her hands, her fingers laced together as if she were begging.
Lisa’s shoulders sank with defeat, and she glanced up at the ceiling, her jaw tightening. She blew out a heavy breath and turned around. "Fine. I'll stay. But I want it on the record that it does not make me happy."
"So noted," Jason said. "For the record, I don't like it either. But Charlie's more important to me than this demon. And I'll do whatever it takes to save her.”
"I'm with Lisa," Jen said. "I'll stay and help. But, trust me, I will be complaining loudly once Charlie is well."
"Me, too," Daphne said.
"I understand." Jason turned to Sabine and Marigold standing quietly on the sidelines. “What about you two?”
“It’s not ideal,” Marigold began. “Especially since it’s wearing Gerald’s face, but we know it’s not Gerald.”
“I agree with Marigold,” Sabine said.
“Good,” Jason said. “Let’s get started.”
The witches surrounded Gerald and held out their wands, ready to bind him up if he broke loose.
Will stepped up to the metal armchair where the demon’s arms and legs had been bound by thin silvery beams of light. Will kicked the toe of his boot against Gerald's tennis shoe. "Wake up!
Gerald's head swayed back and forth on his chest. Will touched the knife to Gerald's hand. He did not slice or draw blood in any way, but the touch of the metal made Gerald scream. His head popped up, his eyes completely black. Rage molded every feature from his brow to his chin. His lips curled back in a snarl.
The demon struggled against the bindings, lifting the chair up an inch into the air.
"Dammit." Lisa pointed her wand at Gerald’s feet, and the thin yellow light emitting from the tip bound his ankles. Daphne and Jen pointed their wands, each taking one of Gerald’s hands. Yellow beams of light coiled around his wrists. Sabine used her wand to create an anchor of light that wrapped around the metal crossbar between the legs of the chair. She pulled back on her wand, and the chair set down on the floor again.
The demon snarled and shook his body the best that he could against his bindings. Sweat dripped from his scalp and spittle escaped from his mouth while he yelled, "I will take such great joy crushing your skull, human."
Will lifted the knife from the demon’s skin. A red burn mark in the shape of the knife tip glowed a dark, angry red.
The demon sucked in air then hopped up and down trying to break free. Will moved up the creature’s arm hovering the knife above the skin. Gerald's gaze followed the knife's tip. His breathing quickened when the knife passed his upper arm and Will hovered the gleaming metal near his head.
"Not my face, man. Come on. That will leave a scar on your good pal Gerald here forever," the demon argued.
"Good point," Will said. He quickly brought the knife to Gerald's arm, resting more of the blade on his forearm. The demon roared. The chair moved an inch forward despite the anchor. "You can make all of this stop by just telling us where you hid the book."
"You’d have to ask Gerald. I have no idea where it is."
"I don't believe you," Will said. He pressed the knife harder into the skin of the forearm. A thin line of blood drew forth and dripped, mixing with the sweat on Gerald’s arm.
Jason reached up to stop Will. The whole thing turned his stomach. And Daphne was right. Charlie would be disgusted if she ever found out about this.
The loud diesel engine pulling into the driveway delivered a welcome sound. Will lifted the knife from Gerald's forearm. Another burn mark appeared, followed by blisters. The long slice of a wound dripped blood onto the carpet below.
"Hang tight. Maybe that's the transport.” Jason turned his back and headed toward the door. Behind him, Jason heard a great crash and he froze in his tracks. Gerald's body seized, and he shook his head, whipping back and forth. Jason rejoined the circle in time to see Gerald's eyes roll back in his head, showing only the whites. His body tensed, his hands digging into the metal arms of the chair so hard that his fingernails broke. Then his whole body went limp. His head tipped forward, and his chin rested on his chest.
"I told you this was a bad idea," Lisa said. "Joy, check his pulse. Make sure he’s still breathing.
Joy nodded and pressed two fingers against Gerald's neck. "There's definitely a heartbeat. It's surprisingly strong."
Gerald moaned and brought his chin up. His eyes widened when he scanned the faces standing around him. No traces of the demon’s black eyes remained.
"Where am I?" Who are you?" Gerald looked around at all the faces with a wild look in his eyes.
"Marigold? Sabine?" Gerald said. The two witches moved in closer.
“You know us?” Marigold said warily.
“Of course I know you,” Gerald said, indignant. He looked around. “This is my house. How did we get to my house?”
“Gerald, you’ve been possessed." Marigold knelt in front of him and took his hand in hers.
“Possessed.” Gera
ld shook his head. “No, that can’t be.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s true,” Marigold said. “I need you to think hard for me, Gerald. You took something from Lauren’s office, remember?”
Gerald squeezed his eyes shut. Tears flowed from the corners of his closed lids, melting into the sweat on his face. His body shook as he cried. A horrible sob escaped him. “I… I hit Lauren.”
“No, Gerald, that wasn’t you. That was the thing inside you. Where is that thing?”
“I don’t know. It comes and goes,” Gerald said. “But sometimes… I can still see what it’s making me do.”
“I know,” Marigold whispered.
“Enough!” Gabrielle moved in close to Gerald. “I have had enough.” Gabrielle shed her glamour the way a snake would shed its skin. Once free of the human mask, Gabrielle flitted around Gerald.
“Tell me where my book is, human. Tell me now. I know you saw where the demon hid it.”
Gerald began to cry again. His shoulders shook, and a bone-chilling moan escaped his lips.
"I killed that man," Gerald wept. "I killed that man and his whole family."
"No," Jason said. He knelt next to Gerald. "The demon did that.”
"It's all jumbled up in my head. I remember it all. But it's in bits and pieces like a puzzle," Gerald said. "I can still hear him. He’s still inside me, breathing like a sleeping dragon."
"It's okay, Gerald," Sabine said. "Were going to get you out of here. And we’re going to get you some help."
"You should just kill me now," Gerald said. "There is no coming back from this. I can hear him whispering and whispering."
"What is he whispering?" Jason asked.
"He's telling me to kill you all. And then to kill myself. He's right. I don't deserve to live. I killed that man and his wife… " Gerald’s mouth opened with a silent scream. Finally, he choked out, “I killed those children. How could I do that?”
"Gerald, please let us help you," Sabine implored.
Gerald wept harder, unable to articulate any words, making only unintelligible noises.
"If you saw what the demon made you do, did you also see where he hid my book?" Gabrielle asked, her voice silky and strange.
“I saw… ” Gerald stuttered out the words. “I saw… ” His body shook with such violence Jason thought he might hurt himself. “Oh goddess.” Gerald twitched from head to toe. “Can’t breathe.”
“Let him loose,” Jason said.
“Wait, I thought—” Will began.
“Let him loose! He’s having some sort of seizure.” Jason placed himself behind Gerald and held the seizing man’s head so that he wouldn’t snap his own neck.
“This is a bad idea,” Sabine said. “That thing is still inside him.”
“It won’t be for long if he kills himself, now, will he?” Jason said.
“Actually, demons have been known to occupy dead bodies for months,” Marigold chimed in.
“I don’t care. Y’all are the ones that wanted to keep him alive. Now let him go before he bites his damned tongue off!” Jason said.
“Okay, okay,” Marigold said. “Let him go.”
Gerald fell forward onto the ground and continued flailing. Jason rolled him over onto his back and pinned his shoulder to the floor with his knee and held the man’s hand.
"Help me hold him down."
Lisa took one leg; Jen took the other. Marigold took Gerald's other hand.
"It's okay, Gerald," Jason said. “You're okay."
After a moment or two, Gerald stopped thrashing. His body stilled, and his breathing evened out.
Gerald's eyes fluttered open, and he looked into Jason's face. "It’s in the vault.”
“The book?” Jason asked.
"The vault… " Gerald squeezed Jason's hand so tightly he thought it might break. Gerald grimaced with pain. "Can't… Breathe. Can't… "
Gerald pressed his hand to the center of his chest. "Hurts."
"Oh, my Goddess. Is he having a heart attack?" Sabine asked.
"Jen, go upstairs and check his meds. See if there's any aspirin," Jason said. "I need to call 911.”
"No!" Sabine said. "You can't do that.
"Are you crazy? We have to help him," Jason snapped.
"You think I don't know that," Sabine snapped. “We need to take him to the DOL Medical Center. We have the transport."
"That's over an hour away,” Jason said.
"Jason's right," Lisa said. "We need to take him to the nearest hospital.”
"Y'all." Daphne’s voice was weak. “Y'all, I think he's dead."
"What?" Jason looked down at Gerald. His hand had fallen away from his chest, and there was no more pain on his face. Jason pressed his fingers against Gerald's neck. He could find no pulse.
"Lisa call 911. I'm gonna start CPR." Jason tipped Gerald's head back, cleared his airway, and blew into his mouth before he moved to chest compressions. 15 compressions and then a breath. 15 compressions and then a breath. 15 compressions and then a breath. It had been a while since he'd had to perform CPR. He'd forgotten how strenuous it could be.
15 compressions and a breath.
A sharp pain radiated through his lip, and he jerked his head away from Gerald's mouth. His lip tore, and the salty, coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. Jason pressed his fingers against his swelling lip.
"What the fuck?" He looked down, and Gerald's eyes were open, but they were completely black. Jason scrambled backward, dragging Lisa along with him. Sabine jumped back, and Daphne fell on her behind. The demon sat up straight, with no doubt who he was now. There was nothing left of Gerald.
Gabrielle swirled around the group before she stopped and hovered in front of the demon. “Where is my book, demon?"
The demon answered her with a laugh. "You will never know, reaper. And your friend will die.”
"You have done enough damage." Gabrielle stood tall. Her reaper robes, dark and silky, flowed around her. In one bony hand, she held her scythe. The demon rose to his feet, ready to fight. She reared the scythe backward and charged forward.
The two supernatural creatures tangled up for a moment, and Jason couldn't tell where she began, and the demon ended. He motioned for Lisa and Daphne to head to the door. Jen descended the stairs with a bottle of aspirin in one hand and a bottle of medication in the other.
"Come on, Jen. We have to get out of here.” Jason waved her down from the steps and onto the front porch. When the large denim couch flew across the room, Joy made her way along the walls, trying to avoid contact with the two battling creatures.
"Shouldn't you intervene?" Jason asked.
"This is not my fight," Joy said.
A lamp shattered against a wall near their heads. Jason ushered Joy out the door. A guttural cry stopped him in his tracks, and he threw a glance over his shoulder, aware that the reaper had sunk her scythe into Gerald's chest. She spun around with a smoky black shadow caught on her blade. Gerald's body crumpled to the floor. Gabrielle continued to spin and spin, so fast she was nothing but a blur. Then she disappeared, taking the demon with her.
Chapter 25
The last person Charlie expected to see on her beach was Gerald Handley. He looked so different than she remembered. Handsome. A little thinner and no gray in his hair. His dark brown skin glowed with a youthfulness Charlie had never seen before, and he had no trace of stress anywhere in his energy. But of course, what did she expect? This was the afterlife, wasn't it? She hadn’t looked in a mirror since arriving, but she guessed that if she did, she might see a younger, prettier version of herself. Charlie raised her arm and waved. Gerald grinned from ear to ear and sped up.
"I wasn't really expecting to see you here today, Gerald," Charlie said. "Or are you just a figment of my imagination?"
"Naw, no ma'am. I am not a figment of your imagination. I'm really here. And from what I was told, I could stop by here and say hello before moving on to my own afterlife," Gerald said.
"That’s wonde
rful. It's always nice to have visitors. But why would you want to stop here?" Charlie asked.
"I have some information for you," Gerald said. "I was trying to tell that young man. That deputy sheriff friend of yours."
"Jason?" Charlie asked, shocked that Gerald had seen Jason again.
"Yes, ma'am. He was with me in my last moments. Held my hand and everything. Turns out he's actually a good guy," Gerald said.
"Yes, he is,” Charlie agreed.
"He kept tell me it's going to be okay.” Gerald’s expression became dreamy, and he let his gaze settle on the horizon. “And I guess he was right.”
"If you're here, that means you're not there anymore," Charlie muttered.
"Yeah. My old ticker just couldn't take it anymore. I was already on pills for my heart. I’ve had angina for years, and my last moments were… " Gerald spoke with a thoughtful expression. “Let’s just say my last moments were the most stressful I think I’ve ever had.”
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Charlie said. "You’re okay now, though. I mean, you’re here.” She gestured to the beautiful beach stretching all around them.
“I am.” He nodded and smiled.
“So, what message did you have for me from Jason?"
"There's a book. You probably remember it. It belonged to a reaper. Anyway, long story short, Lauren stole it from the clean room. And I was, well let's just say, I was commandeered against my will."
"You were possessed?"
"Yes. I'm afraid so. Anyway, in a moment of lucidity, I took the book and hid it away while that monster slept inside me."
"How did you do that?" She moved closer to hear every word. "I mean, without the demon inside you seeing it happen?"
"Well, it turns out that demons sometimes like to sleep when they’re inside a person, and I sensed when he’d fallen unconscious. I remembered a few things I’d learned a long time ago when I first started at the DOL and read up on different ways to rid yourself of a demon—”
“Did you find any?”
“I found a few things. Turns out a concoction of bourbon and Fumaria will actually put a demon into a deep sleep."