The Demonic: A Supernatural Horror Novel

by Lee Mountford

  Once finished, Father Atkins stated that they would now move to the graveyard outside, to take Mr. Watson to his final resting place. As they got to their feet, Danni saw four burly men in blue overalls emerge from a side door. These men, evidently, were the makeshift pallbearers.

  Not that she could complain about their informality. She herself had attended her own father’s funeral in nothing more than boots, jeans, a white tank top, blue over-shirt and coat. Hardly formal wear.

  Her father didn’t deserve the effort.

  Father Atkins led them round to the back of the church, to what was a surprisingly large graveyard. Danni read a few of the tombstones as they walked and could see that the ones closest to the church, the ones that weren’t weathered to the point of being illegible, were hundreds of years old.

  Farther up ahead, she saw an open, freshly dug grave, ready and waiting to swallow up her father for the rest of time. She took Jon’s hand in her own as they stood at the edge, waiting for the pallbearers to catch up with them.

  It was here, standing at the edge of the grave, that Danni felt the worst of the anger course through her. Not just anger at what her father had done, but anger at where he would be buried. Danni cast her eyes to the left of the open grave, to the grave of her mother; its marble headstone now starting to weather. The surrounding grass was a little overgrown, and there were no flowers or items of remembrance around the plot.

  It looked abandoned.

  She felt a pang of sadness and guilt, but it was overshadowed by white-hot fury as the men arrived with her father.

  He didn’t deserve to be laid here.

  Not next to her.

  Danni watched as the men carefully lowered the coffin, and it sunk farther and farther into the ground.

  Sink all the way to hell, you bastard.

  She felt Jon’s arm slip round her waist and hold her tight, which snapped her from her thoughts. It was only then, she realised, that tears were running freely down her face. The floodgates had opened, and she began sobbing uncontrollably.

  Why am I crying for him?

  It didn’t make any sense. She should be glad he was gone. The cause of all her childhood misery was now literally disappearing into the ground, out of her life.

  For good.

  And yet, amongst the anger and hate, she did notice a slight twinge of sadness and regret.

  She found herself focusing on the earlier days.

  Arthur’s warm smile.

  Reading to her at night. Kissing her on the forehead before switching off the light.

  I love you, sweet-pea. Sleep tight.

  Before Mother died.

  Before he changed.

  Father Atkins read another passage from the Bible, and the makeshift pallbearers threw dirt onto the casket.

  Dust to dust.

  Danni, against her will, let out a small, audible cry. Jon hugged her even tighter, and she felt her children gather around her as well. All were there for her, all lending her their strength.

  Was it her fault that her father had turned out like he had? Had she somehow done this to him? Maybe he needed her after Mom had died and she hadn’t been there for him. Maybe he needed someone to lend him their strength in his time of need, like her family was doing for her now.

  Is that what had turned him into such a monster?

  After the service ended, they returned to the front car park accompanied by Father Atkins. Danni had somewhat regained her composure, and they stood close to the SUV.

  ‘Thank you for the service,’ Danni said.

  ‘Do not mention it, Danielle,’ Father Atkins replied with a humble bow. ‘You have been very brave. I know today couldn’t have been easy.’

  ‘Harder than expected,’ Danni said, turning to look out over the field opposite them. It was then she saw another car on the otherwise empty road, parked to the side. A young woman who seemed to be in her late twenties stood by the car. Her messy hair was blowing in the wind, and she was staring daggers at them.

  It wasn’t a face Danni was familiar with.

  ‘Who is that?’ Danni asked. Father Atkins looked up, and his face dropped.

  ‘Oh, no one,’ he said.

  ‘It isn’t no one,’ Danni pressed. ‘Did she want to attend today? Should we have waited?’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘No, I don’t think she would have wanted to attend.’

  ‘Father,’ Danni said, firmly, ‘what is it? What aren’t you telling me?’

  She could see the conflict evident on his face as he chewed at the inside of his left cheek. Eventually, he placed a hand to her left elbow and gently guided her a few steps away from her family, clearly wanting to speak in private. Danni knew her family would be interested in hearing what was going on, but thankfully they gave her some privacy.

  ‘It was something I was hoping I wouldn’t need to tell you,’ the man said, quietly.

  ‘What is?’

  ‘Things about your father. Things that would be better dying with him.’

  ‘Tell me,’ Danni said, finding herself eager to know more.

  ‘It isn’t pleasant,’ he said, still chewing on his cheek.

  ‘Father, there was a reason I left this place. I’m under no illusions about what kind of man my father was.’

  ‘It wasn’t always this way,’ Father Atkins said quickly, ‘but your father is not someone many in this area will miss.’

  ‘What did he do? Did something happen to that girl?’

  Father Atkins nodded. ‘Yes. Her name is Annie. Annie Burton. A few years ago she was delivering leaflets—something to do with her mother’s business, I think—and she came up here to drop one off at your father’s house. Needless, really; your father was little more than a recluse at that point. But when she pushed the leaflet through the door, he opened it and asked her inside. Said he needed help with something. Unfortunately, she went inside—’

  ‘Why?’ Danni asked. ‘She didn’t know him, why would she go into the house of a stranger like that?’

  ‘To help an old man, Danielle,’ Father Atkins replied. ‘She said afterward that he had looked distressed. So she went inside to help.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘I do not know everything,’ the man said, ‘only snippets of the story from different people, and what little Annie told me herself. But once inside, she says he attacked her.’

  ‘He what?’

  ‘He threw himself at her, and by all accounts was quite violent. She was lucky to escape. But the experience wasn’t without its trauma for her. That, I suspect, is why she is here today. Possibly some kind of closure.’

  That was something Danni could relate to.

  ‘I never knew,’ she said.

  ‘There was no way you could. Danni, I’m not sure what happened in his life to make your father change into what he became, but what’s done is done. You have a family of your own now, and your focus should be on your children. Be everything to them you didn’t have yourself. Try not to dwell too much on the ghosts of the past.’

  ‘Easier said than done, Father,’ Danni said.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘But it can be done. Now, I have things to attend to, but if you need me for anything you know where I am. Be well, Danielle. It was good to see you again.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Danni said, resting her hand on his. He smiled and nodded before walking back to the church. Danni looked over to her family who stood waiting patiently for her. She then looked over to the mysterious woman by the road.

  Danni decided that she wanted to know more.

  11

  ‘IS EVERYTHING OKAY?’ Jon asked Danni as she walked back over to her family.

  Danni nodded. ‘Yeah, it's fine. I just want to go talk with that girl over there. Apparently she knew my dad.’

  ‘She did?’ Jon asked, sounding a little surprised. ‘Why didn’t she come to the service?’

  ‘That's what I want to find out,’ Danni lied.

  ‘I’ll come w
ith you.’

  ‘No,’ Danni insisted. ‘I’ll be fine. And I won’t be long. You just wait here for me.’

  She gave her husband no opportunity to argue the point. She spun on her heels and walked over to the girl, who looked more than a little apprehensive as Danni approached.

  The car that Annie Burton stood close to was an old model VW Golf, one that seemed to have seen plenty of miles. The girl herself was wearing simple clothes: black trousers, and a purple woollen jumper beneath a black overcoat. Though she was pretty, she didn’t seem to take much care in her appearance, with uncombed hair, no makeup, and dark rings under her eyes.

  ‘Annie Burton?’ Danni asked, stopping at the church’s boundary. A low, shin-height, random-stone wall separated them. When addressed, Annie seemed to twitch.

  ‘How do you know my name?’ she asked.

  ‘Father Atkins told me,’ Danni said. ‘I’m Danni.’ She held out her hand over the wall, but the woman just looked at it like it was some kind of foreign object. Danni smiled and withdrew her arm.

  ‘Why are you here?’ the woman asked.

  ‘At the funeral?’

  ‘Yes. I didn’t think anyone would miss him.’

  ‘Well, you might be right about that. But I’m his daughter, so I had to come.’

  The woman’s eyes opened a little wider. ‘Daughter? I didn’t know he had any family.’

  ‘Well, I left when I was young, and I haven’t been back since. Can I ask why you’re here?’ Annie looked away and didn’t answer immediately.

  ‘I wanted to make sure,’ she eventually said. ‘To make sure he was gone.’

  ‘He is gone,’ Danni said. ‘I can promise you that.’

  ‘Good,’ Annie said, venom lacing her voice. ‘Lasting this long was more than he deserved.’

  ‘Annie,’ Danni went on, trying to be as soft and tactful as possible, ‘Father Atkins mentioned that something happened between you and my dad. That he attacked you, somehow?’

  Annie turned her scowling eyes to Danni. Her top lip curled. ‘It wasn’t Father Atkins’ business to say that.’

  ‘Okay,’ Danni said, holding out her palms defensively. ‘I don’t mean to cause offence, I just want to know what happened.’

  ‘Why do you care?’

  Danni hesitated, then went on. ‘Because I know what it’s like, having my father’s shadow hanging over you. There’s a reason I ran away from here. I know what kind of person he really was, Annie.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Exactly what I said. When I was younger, he… did things to me. I’m not here out of mourning, but because I have to be. To get closure. So, really, I think we’re both here for the same reason.’

  Upon hearing that, Annie’s tensed body visibly relaxed, and the worried frown on her face eased a little. ‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ she said. ‘Must be hard, knowing that your father was such a monster.’

  The comment, for reasons she couldn’t explain, actually bothered Danni. She felt defensive, as if it was insinuated she could be that type of person as well. Guilt by association. She didn’t let it show.

  ‘Annie, please tell me what happened.’

  Annie looked down to the floor, shifting from one foot to the other. ‘A few years ago, I went up to his house. I was delivering some fliers for my mother. She’d started a hairdressing business and asked me to help get some leaflets out. I wasn’t planning on going to that house, to be honest, it always gave me the creeps. I just wanted to come and hit the other houses up here, but I passed it on the way and I figured it would be another leaflet done. I was in a hurry to get finished, and I thought, why not? So, I went up the drive and pushed one through the door.’

  ‘Then what happened?’

  ‘Almost as soon as the letter box closed, the door swung open. Your father was standing there, looking angry. He asked me who I was and what I was doing there. So I told him. Then his face changed. I can’t explain it, but the anger vanished, and he just turned around and started to walk back inside, with the door still open. He shouted for me to follow him.’

  ‘And you went?’

  ‘Not at first. He disappeared into one of the rooms and called out for me again. Said he needed help with something. It was weird, and I was going to turn around and walk away, but he shouted again. Said he was having chest pains, and his phone wasn’t working. I wanted to leave, but after hearing that, I couldn’t. I didn’t know if he was telling the truth, but I knew if he was, and I left, I’d never be able to live with myself. And if he was lying, well, I figured he was so old that I could get away if I needed to.’

  Annie trailed off, so Danni prompted her to continue. ‘Go on.’

  ‘So I went in. I kept the front door open and walked into the same room he’d disappeared into, which was the living room. He was sitting in an old chair, looking out the window with a smile on his face. Not a nice smile, either. I asked him what sort of pain he was having in his chest but he just ignored me. Stayed quiet. I asked him again, but it was like he was blanking me. I knew then that something was up, so I said I was going to leave.’

  Again, Annie stopped talking, and this time she started tearing up. The memory was clearly a painful one. Something else Danni could relate to. ‘What happened, Annie?’ Danni asked, trying to sound patient and understanding.

  ‘I turned to leave,’ Annie said, her voice cracking, ‘but he was up and out of that chair faster than he should have been able to. He grabbed me from behind by the throat. His other arm wrapped around me. He was so strong. You couldn’t tell by looking at him, but I’ve never felt anything like it. I couldn’t budge. Then he started cursing at me. Real vile things, too. His face was so close, I could smell the alcohol on him. He kept calling me a cunt, telling me what he was going to do to me…’

  Annie shook her head and held up her hand, indicating she was done. But Danni didn’t want her to be done, she wanted—no, needed—to know the rest of the story.

  ‘Jesus,’ she said to the girl, ‘that’s horrible. How did you get away?’

  Annie took a moment. Tears were now freely streaming down her face.

  ‘I fought. I kicked at him and squirmed and tried everything I could to get away. In the end, I grabbed grabbed his testicles. It was disgusting to do, but I was desperate—I squeezed as hard as I could and just about crushed them. Eventually, he let me go. And I ran.’

  ‘I’m so sorry you had to go through that,’ Danni said, though she sensed there was more to the story. Annie was biting her bottom lip and rocking back and forth slightly on her heels. ‘Is there anything else?’

  Annie shook her head. ‘No, I ran out of the house after that.’

  Danni didn’t believe it. ‘You can tell me,’ she said. ‘I won’t judge you. It’s okay, I swear, you can tell me.’

  Annie squinted at her, tears still filling her eyes. There was something there, something that had been eating away at the girl.

  ‘I saw… something,’ she said. Her voice was uneven, quiet as a whisper. ‘In the house.’

  That statement gripped Danni. ‘What? What do you mean? What did you see?’

  ‘You won’t believe me,’ Annie replied. ‘I haven’t told anyone because it's crazy.’

  ‘Try me. After this weekend, I don’t think anything can sound crazy.’

  Annie gave her a confused look. ‘Are you staying at the house?’

  Danni nodded. ‘I am, with my family. So please, tell me what you saw. I’ll believe it, I swear.’

  Her thoughts were of Alex and Leah, and what had happened to them the previous day.

  ‘I ran into the hallway,’ Annie said, ‘and was just about to leave when, I swear to God, the door closed in my face. Completely on its own. I was running so fast I ran straight into it. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it back open. That’s when your father walked in from the living room. His face had… changed, somehow. His eyes were different. I know it doesn’t make sense, but it was like there was
something in him that just wanted to hurt me and make me suffer. And he had this awful smile on his lips. Then I looked up the stairs…’

  Again, she trailed off, and Danni felt a momentary flash of anger. She just wanted the girl to keep going. She knew that was harsh, and that this woman was reliving something terrible, but Danni desperately needed to know.

  ‘What? What did you see?’

  ‘A woman. An old woman. She was standing right at the top of the stairs and was wearing a black dress. She had the same kind of eyes as your dad. Dark. Sinister. And I knew—I just knew—that she wasn’t a real person. Not the same way you and I are. She was something else.’

  ‘You mean, you thought she was a ghost?’

  The woman nodded and wiped her eyes. ‘I told you it was crazy. You don’t believe me, do you?’

  ‘I do,’ Danni said, not sure if that was true or not. It was a fantastical story, one that she would have normally taken as the ramblings of a troubled person. Or a liar. But after last night, she wasn’t quite so sure. ‘Then what happened?’

  ‘I kept banging at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Your father was still coming forward, towards me, and that… woman just started to laugh. I panicked and tried to get past him, to escape out the back, but he grabbed my coat. I slipped out of it and ran into the kitchen. I didn’t even try the back door, I just grabbed a chair and broke a window with it, then climbed out. Cut myself all to hell.’ She pulled her coat sleeve back to show her arm. Danni saw that the skin was streaked with scars.

  ‘And you managed to get away?’ Danni asked.

  ‘Just barely. Your dad nearly caught me again, but I got out in time. But there was something else as well. After I ran around the side of the house, I looked over to that big stone building—’

  ‘The mill?’ Danni asked.

  ‘Yeah. The door to it was open. And there was something looking out from inside.’

  She stopped again, crying, this time burying her head into her hands.

  ‘Another one of those things?’ Danni asked.