You know, these damn dreams can stop anytime, she thought, then reached for the glass of water she’d left on the nightstand so she could swallow a few mouthfuls.
The problem was, she knew they weren’t really dreams. She couldn’t let this latest encounter rattle her, though; she had to get as much sleep as she could.
Because as frightening as that dream…projection…whatever it was…had been, Audrey knew she would be facing something much more terrifying the following day.
Dawn came, and Michael allowed himself the luxury of a long, hot shower, even though he’d denied himself any other comforts during the long night he’d just endured. He didn’t know whether he felt purified, but he did feel damn tired.
The pounding of the hot water helped some, as did his morning rituals of yoga stretches and deep breathing. He looked longingly at the little basket of various teas and coffees that had come with the room. Unfortunately, they were forbidden to him. Only water would pass his lips until he had come safely through the ordeal he was about to face.
On the other side of the wall, he thought he heard the faint sound of the shower in Audrey’s room starting up. Apparently, she hadn’t slept much later than he. Perhaps her night had been restless, although he didn’t think he’d done anything that could have been heard through the hotel’s admittedly somewhat thin walls. No, she’d probably just been worried about what was to come the next day.
That was all he’d let himself think about, though, because Audrey was a distraction he couldn’t afford right now. It would be difficult enough to have her in the room with him as he was performing the ritual, but her presence was necessary. He needed someone to assist him, if only to bring him water when he needed it, or to help him recite the Lord’s Prayer. Did she even know the words? That was something he’d forgotten to ask her; he knew her family hadn’t been religious, that she’d never really gone to church, but the words of the prayer were such common knowledge that he had to hope she’d committed them to memory at some point.
Even though he’d told her to knock on his door at eight-thirty, he still startled a little at the sound. Just to be sure, he glanced at the clock radio on the nightstand. Yes, it was now eight twenty-nine. For some reason, knowing that Audrey had been so prompt reassured him. She must be frightened and nervous, but she hadn’t tried to avoid the inevitable.
When he opened the door, he was as struck by her beauty as he’d been the first time he saw her, even though now she looked pale under her makeup. It wasn’t as heavy as when Daniela applied it, so Michael guessed Audrey had put herself together on her own this morning, probably understanding that thick eyeliner and too much lip gloss really didn’t have any place at an exorcism.
She managed to smile as she looked at him, but her expression was hesitant. He knew he looked like hell, with dark circles under his eyes and the lines on his brow standing out more than ever. There wasn’t much he could do about that, however. Actually, Colin would probably like the effect — it would make the exorcism seem that much more dramatic.
Not that it really needed any assistance.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” he said shortly. He understood why she was worried about him, but he couldn’t allow her concern to stand in the way of what needed to be done. “Where’s everyone?”
A quick glance over her shoulder, although there wasn’t anyone else in the hallway. “The three of them went out to grab a quick breakfast. They’ll meet us at the Vargas house. Or rather, Colin and Susan will. Daniela said she was going to sit this one out…they’re going to drop her back here and then head out from there.”
Michael wished he could have said he was surprised by Daniela’s defection, but he wasn’t. Not really. Unlike the other two, she was a fairly devout Catholic and probably wanted to stay far away from the kinds of entities they’d soon be facing. Anyway, her presence wasn’t really necessary, although it might have been helpful to have another person of faith on the premises while he performed the ritual.
“Okay,” he said, then reached in his pants pocket and got out the key fob for his rented Grand Cherokee. “Are you still willing to drive?”
“Of course,” Audrey replied immediately.
That was a bit of a relief. He handed the fob to her, then came out into the hall and shut the door behind him, hearing it lock. All he had now was a satchel with a few spare water bottles stowed in it, along with his Bible and cross. A Catholic priest would have brought his stole with him as well, but Michael didn’t own one, would have to do without several of the trappings of a more traditional ritual.
“Let’s go.”
She gave him a brief nod and headed toward the elevator. Inside were a man and a woman clearly planning on an early morning swim, since they wore flip-flips and T-shirts over their bathing suits. Their gaze moved over him and Audrey, vaguely curious. He supposed that the two of them didn’t look much like tourists, him in head-to-toe black, Audrey in dark jeans and a black T-shirt and sweater. At least he wasn’t wearing his clerical collar; while he had every right to that symbol of his ordained status, he always felt like a fraud when he put it on, since he didn’t have a congregation or a church.
But he had to put that thought away, because the very last thing he should be thinking right now was that he was a fraud, or unworthy in any way to perform the ritual that lay ahead of him. Demons were tricky things, ready to exploit any weakness, prey on any doubts.
Apparently sensing his mood, Audrey was quiet as she walked with him to the hotel’s underground parking garage and his rented SUV. She climbed in behind the wheel, took a few minutes to adjust the seat, and then pulled out of the parking space. Sooner than Michael would have liked, they had reached the Vargas home, some ten minutes from the downtown area where he and the rest of the Project Demon Hunters crew were staying.
Today was gray and overcast, the sky obscured by fog and clouds drifting in off the ocean. A chill went through him as he looked up at the house, which seemed to loom over them where it stood on a slight rise. To anyone else, it probably would have looked picture perfect, with its green, cream, and brick-red color scheme and beds of orderly roses, but even from the curb he could sense the rot within, the darkness coiled inside the perfectly preserved structure.
As he and Audrey got out of the Grand Cherokee, Colin’s Porsche SUV pulled up and parked behind them. Susan emerged first; she gave them a small wave, then headed toward the rear of the vehicle. Colin got out next, frowning ferociously. Michael didn’t know whether his current expression was due to Daniela’s defection, or whether his producer was still angry at him after their exchange the day before. Not that it mattered. He couldn’t afford to expend any mental energy on Colin’s current mood.
Once Colin and Susan had gotten their equipment out of the car, Michael nodded at them, indicating it was time to go. They fell in behind him, Audrey first, then Susan, then Colin. As they walked up to the front door, Michael had to wonder what the neighbors thought of this little spectacle. Did they know anything of what had been going on in the Vargas household, or had Ariel done her best to keep her daughter’s condition a secret from everyone around them?
It probably didn’t matter one way or another. Once this show aired, they would find out anyway.
He had just put his finger on the doorbell when the door opened and Ariel Vargas looked out at them. Today she appeared even more exhausted than before, shadows under her eyes so dark, they looked more like smudged makeup than a natural consequence of her overall weariness.
“Come in,” she said, stepping out of the way so they could all enter the foyer. Almost at once, Michael could hear the growls and screams coming from upstairs, and a thin finger of worry trailed its way down his spine.
“She’s taken a turn for the worse?” he asked, and Ariel’s teeth caught on her lip for a moment before she gave him a reluctant nod.
“It was bad last night,” she said. “Actually, it was so bad that I calle
d Luke and told him he had to come over. She was thrashing around, and we were both worried she was going to hurt herself. So…we tied her to the bed. I know that sounds awful, but — ”
“No, that was a very good idea,” Michael cut in. “I would have had to restrain her anyway, and so you’ve made my work here a little easier.”
Some of the tension in Ariel’s face eased itself. Not all, but enough that she didn’t look on the verge of collapse. “Oh, good. So….”
“So,” Michael said. “We might as well get started.”
“Do I — do I really need to be there? I don’t know how much I’ll be able to help.”
While he could understand Ariel’s reluctance, he knew it was imperative that she be present. Kayla needed someone there who loved her, who would give her a reason to fight the alien presence that had taken up residence within her. “I’m afraid you do,” he replied gently. “But it’s all right — Audrey will be with us as well, and of course Colin and Susan will be recording the ritual. We’ll all work together.”
Ariel’s gaze flickered toward Audrey, who gave her an encouraging smile. “Yes, I’ll be there through the whole thing,” she said. “It will be fine.”
“All — all right.” Ariel winced as a particularly ear-piercing shriek sounded from above.
That seemed to be the signal he needed. Michael glanced back at Colin and Susan, then over at Audrey, who appeared pale but composed.
“Then let us begin.”
Chapter 18
Audrey wasn’t sure how she managed to put one foot in front of the other, to force herself up that long staircase. Maybe it was only Michael moving them all along by the sheer strength of his will. Whatever the case, she kept going, even though the horrible sounds emanating from Kayla’s bedroom kept getting louder and louder, so loud that she wondered how Michael would even make himself heard over those screeches and howls and guttural moans.
They went inside the room. Once again, it was bitterly cold, but even the cold wasn’t enough to mask the stench inside. As Ariel had said, Kayla was tied to the bedposts, not with ropes, but with what looked like torn-up sheets. Her gray T-shirt and leggings were soaked, although with sweat or urine — or possibly both — Audrey couldn’t tell for sure.
And her face had contorted again, looking like nothing from this world, eyes staring, mouth open in a snarl. As soon as Michael entered the room, she started to laugh, horrible, harsh laughter that didn’t sound as if it possibly could have come from a fifteen-year-old girl’s throat.
“Going to play exorcist?” she asked, and laughed again, foamy spittle flying from her mouth. Her gaze moved to her mother, shifty, eyes glinting with unholy amusement. “You do know he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing, right?”
Everyone ignored her. Colin and Susan had taken up their positions in one corner of the room, a spot where they had a good vantage point but were well out of range of the girl…the thing…on the bed. In a low tone, Michael instructed Audrey and Ariel to stand slightly off to one side. As they moved to the spot he’d indicated, he got a Bible and several vials of holy water out of his satchel and set them down on the trunk at the foot of the bed, then took out a wooden cross, kissed it, and placed it on top of the dresser, which was located a few feet away from where Kayla lay.
At the sight of the cross, she began squirming on the bed, pulling at her bonds. Luckily, they seemed to be holding, for all their makeshift nature. Despite herself, Audrey couldn’t help staring at Kayla, at the alterations in her face. Honestly, if she hadn’t known this was the girl she’d met the day before, she would never have guessed they were the same person.
“We ask your protection, O Lord, for this girl and those who attend her,” Michael said. Somehow, his voice sounded deeper, richer than it did in ordinary conversation…but then, Audrey realized this was about as far from normal conversation as you could get.
He then sprinkled holy water on Kayla, and she screamed and writhed, doing what she could to get away from the liquid, which, judging by the sounds she made, appeared to be burning her like acid. Ariel made an incoherent sound of dismay and began to step forward, but Audrey caught her by the arm.
“Don’t,” she said in a murmur. “You can’t interrupt him. You have to let him do what he came here to do.”
Stricken, Ariel replied, her voice also pitched low, “I don’t know if I can.”
Audrey wasn’t sure whether she’d have the strength to stand by and watch her own child be tormented in such a way, but she made herself say, “Yes, you can. Just follow what Michael says, and it’ll be all right.”
He glanced back at them. His face was so stern, he, too, was almost unrecognizable. “Let us say the Lord’s Prayer.”
Thank God — no pun intended — that she knew the words. Only because they’d sung it in choir when she was in high school, but Audrey figured that was good enough. To her surprise, Ariel chimed in as well, the trio of their voices joining, gaining strength, as Kayla hissed and squirmed on the bed, clearly becoming more uncomfortable with each syllable.
When they were done, Michael didn’t stop, but recited more words that Audrey guessed must be a Psalm, although she’d never heard it before. Something about God being a tower of strength, along with an invocation of holy protection. Halfway through, Kayla began laughing again, a high-pitched giggle that made Audrey want to cover her ears.
“That’ll never work,” she said in between giggles.
Undaunted, Michael went on, “Unclean spirit! Whoever you are, and all your companions who possess this servant of God. By the mysteries of the Incarnation, the Sufferings and Death, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ; by the sending of the Holy Spirit; and by the Coming of Our Lord into Last Judgment, I command you: Tell me, with some sign, your name, the day, and the hour of your damnation. Obey me in everything, although I am an unworthy servant of God. Do no harm to this girl, or to my assistants!”
Had he taken those words from the Catholic ritual? It seemed he must have, because they seemed too formal for a Unitarian minister. For all she knew, Unitarians didn’t even believe in exorcisms, although it was clear enough that Michael did.
Now the thing on the bed writhed and howled, twisting its head so it wouldn’t have to look at the man who stood over it and invoked the power of God. Audrey couldn’t help thinking of the possessed girl as “it,” because it really didn’t even look human, red fire glaring from its eyes, limbs contorted, face now completely unrecognizable. Once again, Michael sprinkled it with holy water, and again it screamed and thrashed against the sweat-soaked sheets.
“Tell me your name!” he thundered, but more of those grotesque howls emerged from its throat, and not any words that could be distinguished as such.
Ariel grasped Audrey’s hand and clamped down on it so hard that the bones seemed to grind together. A little gasp of pain escaped Audrey’s lips, but she didn’t take her hand away, knowing that Ariel needed something to hang on to as she watched her daughter be tortured.
No, not her daughter, Audrey thought. The thing that’s reacting…that’s not Kayla. She could only hope that Kayla’s real spirit — her mind, her soul — was someplace far away, wasn’t feeling every splash of holy water against her skin, or the way Michael pulled a silver cross from his pocket and placed it against her forehead.
Another screech, one cut off by Michael demanding once again, “Tell me your name!”
More howls, so unearthly that Audrey had to shut her eyes for a moment, because she didn’t want to believe they’d come from a human throat.
“Tell me your name!”
This went on for what felt like hours. After reciting more Bible verses, Michael said in a quick aside, voice rough as sandpaper, “Water, Audrey.”
She let go of Ariel’s hand and fetched one of the bottles from the satchel he had brought, then brought it over to him. He unscrewed the cap and drank most of it in one gulp before handing it back to her. Without missing a be
at, he grasped a new vial of holy water and splashed it on Kayla’s face.
“Tell me your name!”
“Aaaaaaaalastor!”
The syllables sounded as if they’d been ripped from Kayla’s throat. The room went deadly still.
Then Michael spoke again, a note of triumph in his voice. “I exorcise you, Alastor! In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, be uprooted and expelled from this creature of God. Christ commands you, he who ordered you to be thrown down from the highest Heaven into the depths of Hell!”
The girl squirmed. For just a moment, Audrey caught a glimpse of her normal face, eyes wide with fear, before it contorted again. “She is mine! Mine!”
Michael seemed to be expecting this, because he said, “I exorcise you, Alastor! God the Father commands you. God the Son commands you. God the Holy Spirit commands you!”
Each of these commands was accompanied by more splashes of holy water. And each time, the girl writhed…and Audrey could see her true self more and more each time.
Ariel clearly saw it, too, because she took a step forward. At once, Michael shook his head and she stopped, uncertain.
“Not yet,” he said in the barest of whispers.
“Be gone, Alastor! Be gone!”
Kayla sat up — or at least tried to. Her arms struggled against the sheets that held her in place, and her mouth opened. From it emerged a horrible greenish cloud the color of bile. Without flinching, Michael flung the remnants of the vial of holy water at the cloud and it disappeared, leaving behind a terrible stench.
Audrey coughed, and he reached for yet another vial of holy water, sprinkling it over the bed and the girl who lay there. For the first time, she didn’t flinch, but only remained where she was, shivers wracking her thin form.
No one moved. Out of the corner of her eye, Audrey was vaguely aware of the red light on Colin’s camera, that he’d been capturing the entire process while Susan held the boom mike overhead, but they both seemed peripheral, like shapes from another world.
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