****
The nurse on duty checked Susie’s charts and checked the tubes that drip fed her sedation. The doctors hadn’t found out what was wrong with her. The nurse knew exactly what was wrong with Susie. She leant down and whispered in her ear.
“Fight it. You have the power to send it back to hell.” Geraldine showed herself to the hated nurse, but she wasn’t frightened. “I know what you are. You will leave this child’s body.”
“No. She invited me in.”
“Did she now? Are you sure about that?” Geraldine showed her teeth and snapped at her. The nurse smiled and left the room.
The following day the nurse returned with someone else. A priest.
“With your permission I’d like to pray over your daughter.” Susie’s parents agreed to anything that might help and left the room for a much needed break. When they had left Geraldine showed herself to the nurse and the priest. She laughed at them.
“You’re going to exorcise me priest? Well good luck with that.” The priest looked at her and smiled. She hissed at him.
“I’m not just a priest little demon.” Then he laughed which made Geraldine growl and snap at him.
“What you doing bitch?” she said to the nurse who was standing beside Susie. The nurse bent down and whispered in Susie’s ear.
“I know you can hear me darling. There is a man here who will help you, his name is Matthew. Hear his voice and fight the evil with him.”
Geraldine glared at the priest as he began to read. After a few words she felt shock enter her body.
“That’s not the Christians holy book. What is it?” The nurse answered.
“Enochian.” Geraldine screamed as she was flung against the wall above Susie’s bed.
“No. You’re not allowed.” The priest continued to chant and held his hand up with his palm showing. In the middle of his palm was a symbol that made Geraldine cry and whimper.
“Fight! Now.” The nurse whispered into Susie’s ear.
Inside the warm safe place Susie faced the monster. She screamed at it.
“This is my body. Get out of it. I didn’t agree to this so you have no right to stay.” Geraldine screamed at her and tried to slash her, but it didn’t work in here. She cried and pleaded with Susie. “No. You will leave me alone.” With the force of her will she pushed Geraldine out of her dream place and hurtled her into reality. She couldn’t release herself from the hated words that he spoke. She was going back.
“No I won’t go. Please...” The priest slammed his palm down on the book. There was a sickening sound as if skin were ripping. A small whirlpool hovered in the air and it pulled Geraldine towards it until it sucked her through. All that she left behind was a waft of sulphur.
“Thank you Matthew,” the nurse said. He smiled at her as he left the room. Susie opened her eyes.
“Mom?”
“No darling. I’ll get your parents.”
“Wait. Who was the man that shone?” The nurse stroked Susie’s forehead with a cool hand.
“Matthew the harbinger.” The nurse walked away from her, but at the door she looked back over her shoulder.
“You will forget most of this, but a part of you will remember. I would keep those memories to yourself.”
“Thank you,” said Susie.
“Just doing my job darling.” Susie closed her eyes and tiredness crept over her like a soft blanket.
Play Time
Amy Budd
Ghostly Writes Anthology 2016 Page 32