Paranormal Solved

by Grace Fleming

  "Of course," Jerry said.

  Nilsson rested himself on the couch and placed a large briefcase on the floor beside his foot. "So I understand that you've already made a few attempts to rid yourself of this problem?"

  "Yes," Jerry said.

  "We did everything you suggested in your book," Luke added. Jerry noted that his kid was handling this subject with courage, so far. A courage that few adults could show in this situation. He was thankful.

  "I see," Nilsson said. "But these things are not always so successful, at least not on the first attempts. This is a rite of exorcism, of course. Do you realize that?"

  Jerry looked at his son and back to Dr. Nilsson. "I—I realize that this is your theory," Jerry stammered. "I just don't know if I'm ready to label this—thing—whatever it is, just yet. I don't know if I think this is a demon, or if it's some other phenomenon, but I know I want it gone."

  "Well, this does help explain why your attempts were unsuccessful," the man said. "You see, I believe that there is a hierarchy when it comes to these entities, just like the hierarchy that exists in the angel realm. Do you see? I think you are dealing with a relatively minor being, when it comes to his gifts and his power, so we may be able to send him home today. However, you must carry out your ceremony with a faithful heart. You must be very confident and harbor no fear, and you must believe what you are saying with all of your heart, or the process will not work."

  "I'm willing to try your method," Jerry said. "I'll do whatever you ask if it means getting rid of the thing."

  "Of course you are willing,” Nilsson replied. "This must be very overwhelming for you—both of you." The man gave Luke such a gentle look that Jerry felt a wave of guilt for the disdain he'd felt for the man. "And I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you about your experiences," the man continued. "I need to understand whom we're dealing with."

  "Whom?" Jerry asked.

  "The name. Every demon has a name, and we must identify the name to gain authority. So I need to ask you to describe what you've seen or experienced."

  "He has yellow eyes." Luke blurted, as if he'd been eagerly waiting to impart that information. For some reason, that thought made Jerry nauseous.

  "And where have you seen this?" Nilsson asked. He kept his eyes on Luke as he reached into his briefcase. He retrieved a pen and pad, along with a large, tattered book that had most likely been a dark red in its earlier life. Now it was pinkish, with frayed edges. Nilsson set the book beside him on the couch, and Jerry could read the title Encyclopedia of Demons written along the edge.

  Of course, Jerry thought. How convenient. Somehow this made his faith falter a bit. He wanted to believe that this man was the real deal, but a catalog of demons was a bit much to swallow.

  "I've seen it about four times," Luke started. The quiver in his voice made Jerry realize, once again, that he needed to snap out of his doubts. He had no other choice but to do and believe whatever this man asked.

  "The first time, I saw it in my dad's room," Luke said. "Dad was in the hospital and Vivian was spending the night with him."

  "Jesus," Jerry said. The thought was unbearable.

  "I needed the phone charger," Luke continued. "And it was in their room, so I went in there. I walked over to dad's side of the bed, and I heard a noise from back in the corner, where the window is." He was speaking slowly now, staring at a wall. "It was dark in the room, so I started to turn on the light, but I heard a voice telling me to leave the light off. It sounded like my stepmom, so I stopped. Then I realized the voice was coming from inside the room. I looked over into the corner, and there were those—two eyes."

  "And what else did you see?" Nilsson asked as he jotted in his notebook.

  "Well, I could only see an outline. The shape looked kind of like a little man, but it was squatting, like those things on top of old buildings. And it had a lizard head.”

  "Like gargoyles," Jerry added. "That's what I've seen, too. "It seems cliche, I know."

  "And other things you've noticed?" Nilsson paused his writing. "I know you mentioned the mimicking. What other abilities does it display?"

  "Well," Jerry said. "There is something I should tell you." Jerry realized he was squirming in his seat, feeling like a child who was finally about to divulge a hidden truth to his mother. "I was actually attacked during your session. He either bit me or stabbed me with a weapon of some kind, and my leg has been in pretty bad shape ever since. The doctor said it seemed like a copperhead bite, but with only a small bit of venom?" He felt a little silly mentioning that, but the doctor had held firm that the injury behaved just as a copperhead bite would have. It was still incredibly painful, and it looked like hell, but the nausea and dizziness had subsided.

  "Ah," Nilsson said, as he picked up the encyclopedia. "This is very important. Perhaps the entity we're dealing has the ability to interact with nature. As I mentioned, they have different gifts and abilities. It may well have been venom."

  "So different demons have different powers?" Jerry asked. He could hear the skepticism in his own voice.

  "Yes," the man answered. "Some can change appearances, some can attach to inanimate objects and some to humans, and others can mimic. Some can become solid, while others cannot."

  "And some can manipulate objects and consort with snakes?" Jerry said. He was thinking out loud. He was trying to be open.

  "That is not my own theory," Nilsson said. "That is the belief of many in the Church, although many others within the faith do not believe in demons, at all."

  A sudden bang interrupted their talk, as a cup on the coffee table spilled over and sent coffee running across the surface. It had seemed to Jerry that the entire table had lifted and fallen several inches.

  "Jesus Christ!" Jerry yelled. At the same moment, Luke jumped from his own seat and landed beside Jerry. He wrapped his arms through Jerry's.

  "What the hell was that?" Luke whispered.

  "I believe it was the mention of the Church," Nilsson replied.

  17

  Two Cosmoi

  "This is too scary, Dad. I’m not sure I can do this. I don't want to be here." Luke buried his face in Jerry's arm as he spoke. "I don't think I want to see it again."

  "Does he really have to be here?" Jerry wrapped a protective arm around his son and glanced sharply at Dr. Nilsson, as if casting blame on the man.

  "Listen," Nilsson spoke directly to Luke. He pulled the boy's hand from the grip on his father's arm and cupped it within his own hands. "This doesn't have to be so frightening. Do me the honor of your full attention for just a moment."

  Reluctantly, Luke turned his head toward the man.

  "Right now, you are much stronger than this creature is. You mustn't let him make you afraid. That is how he grows stronger."

  "But, it's the devil!" Luke said, his voice wavering. "I can't be stronger than him—or it."

  "It is not the devil," Nilsson said, in a softly chastising voice. "Any more than you are the Creator, himself."

  "What do you mean?" Nilsson’s words seemed to bolster Luke's morale slightly. The boy now seemed to relax even more.

  ”You are a creature of the Realm of Light, and God the Father is your Creator. Do you remember that from my book?"

  "Sort of," Luke said. "We mainly just read how to do the ritual."

  "I see," the man smiled. "Well, let me remind you of the parts you may have—brushed over." The man leaned closer to Luke and spoke with quiet, but firm, resolve. "There are two realms in creation, you see. One is light and the other is dark. In each realm, there are many entities, some physical and some spiritual, some on this earth and some on other planes."

  "Like we have angels?" Luke said.

  "Precisely!" Dr. Nilsson said. "That is correct. Like us, angels are beings of the light, but they are some of the most powerful light beings of all." Nilsson glanced at Jerry and flashed a reassuring look before continuing. "It is important to know that beings of Light always yield more power, but we, as
creatures of Light on earth, temporarily blind to the divine truth, must rely on faith to maintain our power. We must be resolute when we encounter a being of darkness. This creature, here in your home, it has little power. It is a minor being in his world, just as you believe that you are small in your world."

  "But he does have powers," Luke said. His words came in a muted challenge. Jerry could tell that the boy wanted desperately to believe the man. "He can disappear."

  "You have powers. You have much greater powers. You don't consider them powers, because you are so used to them. You have the power to remain in solid form, until your spirit leaves this planet. He envies that."

  "He does?" Luke looked up at Jerry, as if to read his face. Jerry smiled and nodded with as much confidence as he could muster. What the hell. It wasn't as if he had a better theory.

  "So we can really make him go away if I believe that I'm stronger than him?"

  "If you know you are stronger," Nilsson corrected. "And we will gain even more power over him when we learn his name."

  "Why?" The boy now sounded more intrigued than frightened.

  "Imagine you are walking at night in the very dark forest, all alone. You are surrounded by dark shapes, when you hear the most eerie sound you can imagine coming from above. It would be pretty frightening, wouldn't it?"

  The boy nodded.

  "You might even be frozen in fear. But then, when the clouds part, you see that the sound is coming from an owl. Suddenly, you have lost your fear. You wave your arms, and the owl goes away, more afraid than you were. It is just like that. You're no longer afraid, because you have identified the one who has frightened you so. And you realized that you were stronger than he."

  As the last word was spoken, the table, once again, lifted a few inches and dropped. Jerry noticed that Nilsson still held tight onto Luke's hand, and Luke only jumped slightly.

  "It wasn't so scary that time," Luke said.

  "He's nervous," Nilsson said. "He is listening to us, and he knows you're growing braver. Now he is afraid."

  "Will that book tell us his name?" Luke asked, pointing to the ancient encyclopedia next to Dr. Nilsson.

  "I believe it will," Nilsson said. "I think we may have enough clues to determine precisely whom we are dealing with. In fact, I think you should give it a try. If you look into the index under snake and venom, I think you will be able to narrow down the suspects."

  "Cool," Luke said.

  "I'll gather the candles," Jerry said.

  18

  Duplication and Replication

  "I'm sorry, I'm traveling with a moron." Laura's eyebrows made an adorable upside down V shape and her face scrunched ever so sweetly as she spoke to the flight attendant.

  "I didn't know what the button was for," David said, fashioning his own eyebrows into the same pose, although he was sure his face was not as cute. He was giddy that the time for their big camping event had arrived. The attendant flashed David a well-practiced, corporate smile and patted him on the shoulder before moving on to check on other passengers.

  "I'm sorry!" he whispered to Laura, in a very bad impression of a sorry person. "I've never been in first class before. I'm sure I'll embarrass you a lot before this ride is over."

  "People aren't even on the plane yet," she said, feigning disgust.

  "I know. This is cool. I was almost the first one on."

  "Just ask me before you touch anything else," Laura said. She was so irresistible when she talked down to him.

  "You know I'm not that kind of guy," he said. That comment prompted a swat on the arm, which pleased him greatly.

  "Here's what we'll do," she said in an annoyed, motherly tone. "We'll go over some rules to keep you busy while everyone finds a seat.”

  "Go ahead, then. Test me."

  "How do we avoid damaging the terrain?"

  "No single file walking. Don't step where you step. And stick to rocks and sand when possible."

  "Good," Laura said. "No trampling vegetation. And if you get separated from me, what do you do?"

  "Blow my whistle. Or flash my little mirror at an airplane."

  "And if you're still lost and you need water, how do you find it?"

  "Go down hill. Listen for a river. And look for game trails."

  "Because trails may lead to a spring," Laura added in a school teacher tone. "Very good."

  "What else?" David said, after Laura paused for a minute. "I'm ready."

  Laura wasn't answering. She seemed to be staring up the aisle. At first, David thought she was looking at Chaz Galliher, the camera guy, who was half dozing in his seat a few rows ahead of them, but the look on her face was one of concern. She seemed to be staring at the line of people still boarding the plane. "Damn it," she said.

  "What's up?" David stood up a little bit in his seat to see whatever it was she saw, but she jerked him back down to his seat. "What the hell?" he said.

  "Shhhh." She was now slumping a little in her seat. "I can't believe this. Those guys were in Winder. At the campfire meeting." She was gesturing with her head toward the front of the plane. David managed to take a more discreet look at the people making their way toward them, when he saw a familiar face.

  "I know him," David said. "I talked to that guy. That's Kenny."

  "I know who the chubby little bastard is," Laura said. She was clearly pissed off. "Did you tell him where we were headed?"

  "Of course not," David said. This time the annoyance in their voices was real. "I didn't even know where we were going when I talked to him."

  "You're right. I'm sorry," Laura said. "They must have listened in when I was talking to Dr. Wythe, when he was giving me the details. Shit."

  At the same moment the words left her lips, Chaz, the cameraman, seemed to recognize Kenny, who seemed to be traveling with two friends. Chaz turned around and mouthed, "What the hell?" to Laura. She shrugged back.

  "Hold on," David said. "What makes you guys think that they're headed where we're headed? We're landing in Sacramento, but they could be going anywhere. California is a pretty big place."

  "Too much of a coincidence," Laura said. "Why would they be traveling the very same day? They want to follow us."

  "But why?" As he spoke, the three men were passing by them, grinning sheepishly but avoiding eye contact. Laura kept her eyes locked on them.

  "They know I have the best equipment and the best information. They're trying to tag along. They're parasites."

  "Is this a thing people do?" David asked. "I mean, don't they have jobs? How can they afford to take time off work and stalk someone in the wilderness for a chance to catch a glimpse of an elusive ape? I'm not trying to be a smart ass; I'm just trying to understand."

  "That's the thing," Laura said. "This is a job for them. Crypto tourism is a real thing. They charge groups a lot of money to take them out camping, with the promise of an exciting experience. These guys are either scouting for a good location, or more likely, they've already arranged to meet a group in Sacramento and are planning to go from there. One of them will trail us and send messages to the group, telling them where to go."

  "Good lord," David said. "Just a month ago I was so innocent about the world around me." He was only half joking. This was a whole world that had existed while he was happily lecturing in his little bubble of academia. "But I still don't get why it's so tragic. I mean, there's safety in numbers, right? How much harm can they do?"

  "David. This is not a game. I am doing serious research, and I'm filming a serious show. They could screw up both. As far as safety goes, they will create more of a hazard, I'm afraid."

  "How?"

  Laura sighed. "I've told you this before, but I don't think you were listening. Dr. Wythe believes that the recent fires in the Southern regions have displaced several family groups and sent them all on a northerly trek. Sightings have increased all along the state, north of Yosemite. If that's true, they're going to be grumpy, and they're going to be competing for resources. This could
be the best opportunity ever for a sighting, but it could also be a volatile situation. If these guys go out there and start beating on trees and leaving food out, they could get us all killed."

  "Wow," David said. Laura had insisted many times that there were dangers ahead, but he hadn't taken her all that seriously, except for the normal hazards of wilderness hiking. He'd prepared as much as he could for the possibility of getting lost, or being stalked by a bear or a mountain lion, but he honestly hadn't put much thought to facing a raging clan of displaced ape men, despite her warnings. He was almost concerned. Almost. "I'm sorry this happened," he said. "Maybe you can ditch them?"

  "Thanks," she said as she squeezed his hand. "But I doubt it. We're headed for Donner Pass from Sacramento, and there just aren't that many opportunities to shake somebody along that route. I'm pretty sure they'll be able to trail us. We'll just have to deal with them. Damn it."

  The sound of an ambulance siren, along with the words Emergency! Emergency! blared from David's phone, causing everyone in his visual range to jerk their heads around and glare, wide-eyed, in his direction. "Oh hell, that's my text tone," he said. He felt the hot blood rushing to his cheeks as he frantically attempted to silence his phone.

  "What is wrong with you?" Laura said, although he could tell she was trying not to laugh. "We are on an airplane. Did you not think that would be in poor taste at all?"

  "I don't get that many texts," David said. "I just forgot. You're the only one who ever writes me." He glanced down at the new message and saw that it was from Crystal.

  "Have you seen Josh? He's lost his damn mind," she wrote.

  "It's nothing, anyway," David said to Laura, as he shut off his phone. The last thing he wanted to think about was work. He had no intention of getting involved in anything work related, and he was not the least bit interested in talking to his boss at the moment. He wasn't sure why she seemed to obsess about Josh White, and why she hounded him so much, but he just wasn't interested at the moment. The last time he'd talked to Josh, he was sleeping in a tent in the middle of nowhere, gazing at the stars and getting drunk. He was pretty sure that Josh was just fine, right where he was.