“A neighbor told me this house was part of the Underground Railroad. If that’s the case, I suppose anything is possible. The house has been here since the state was a colony. It was completed forty years before the Revolutionary War began. The boundaries of this property from the original deed, issued in 1680, were in dispute. Sixty acres of our land is in Massachusetts. I believe it happened during an early border skirmish. I’ve begun researching its history. Quite awhile ago. Trust me. Many people have lived and died in this house. It’s been here forever. I cannot imagine what it must have been like living out here hundreds of years ago, the hardships those folks must have endured. The Revolutionary War. Civil War. Who knows how many soldiers came through here and for what reason? Some may have stayed against their will.” Carolyn’s voice belied a profound sadness. It was war and she felt defeated.
“Please listen to me.” Ed’s normally cheerful demeanor had become quite somber, even grim. “These emotional attachments forming between the girls and spirits is disturbing, a precursor to something worse. It opens a door.”
Lorraine took over. Her face had become pale and drawn. She’d suddenly appeared to be much older, as if the weight of the world had just been laid on her shoulders. Summoning all of her strength to remain sitting upright her voice dropped; an attempt to avoid being overheard by the children. She did not want to frighten them further.
“There’s an attachment forming with at least one demon in this house and it thrives on an energy being generated from within, whether it’s the negative energy of hostility in an argument, or the natural, positive energy of children. Either way, it will not leave on its own. It’s obviously being well fed.”
Roger cocked his eyebrow but didn’t say a word. Knowing the expression on his face, Carolyn intervened before he could make an ass of himself.
“Lorraine, the more you speak of it, the more I cringe.” Carolyn’s distress was beginning to surface. Her voice was rising, her hands visibly trembling. “This was not a good idea. I think we should call it a night. I need to tuck the girls in bed. They’ve been through enough.”
Their mother was trying to wind things down for the evening. Truth be told, she was the one truly struggling with all of it.
“Coffee and cake, anyone?” Roger tried to lighten the mood, providing an offer of sustenance for their haunted house guests. It did not escape anyone. His lighthearted words were foreign, out of context with dark subject matter, causing the self-conscious man even more discomfort. It was awkward for all of them. Lorraine graciously declined, insisting she would be up all night going through her notes without the benefits of caffeine. Apparently she had already taken in far more than she could digest in one sitting. Ed on the other hand, could justify the coffee to help him with the long drive home. Andrea placed the tray on their dining room table then slipped back into the kitchen. She was still running interference between Nancy and Cindy: sibling rivalry. Carolyn stepped into the kitchen for a moment to quell all of the commotion. Lorraine took an opportunity to speak directly to Roger regarding his family.
“You don’t know me well enough to trust what I’m telling you, but I hope you will listen in spite of it. Roger, the risks posed are serious. We consider it imperative to cleanse the premises, to identify and expel spirits from your house. All of you have been adversely affected by this presence but I believe they are deliberately ingratiating themselves with your girls, integrating with your family. It has got to stop. Malignant or benign, they must go, especially for the sake of your defenseless children and your vulnerable wife, as well.”
Roger could not respond. Carolyn returned, forcing a piece of cake on Ed. He gratefully accepted. “That smells good!” Ignoring a disapproving glance from his wife, she was the only one watching his weight. Carolyn spoke up next.
“I hope you realize we’ve barely begun this process. They have a lot more to say but I need you to understand we’ve gone as far as I can allow it to go tonight. The girls are all exhausted and need to go to bed. I know the drive is a long one. I beg your pardon. We’ll have to continue this at another time.”
Lorraine was aware it was the parents, not the children, requiring respite. There had been overwhelming admissions, an ordeal for both of them. Each suffering the ravages of guilt, they began to realize the severity of exposure in what had already occurred. Roger and Carolyn were more exhausted than the children. Their yoke was even heavier to bear: a burden. The Warrens did understand. They’d seen the effects of this kind of acknowledgement before, causing one to lay the body down, the only recourse to rest a weary head or a boggled mind. Gathering her belongings, Lorraine was packed… ready to go.
“Then we’ll bid you all a goodnight.” A fine lady of impeccable manners. Ed gulped the coffee, inhaling the last piece of his cake before they departed.
“I suppose it’s the most we can hope for… a good night. Peace and quiet.” Carolyn was worried. Had they unleashed anything evil? Perish the thought!
It was all quite cordial. As the Warrens left they received her assurances they were welcome to return and would do so on several more occasions. It was obvious to both of them, yet they knew practically nothing compared with what was still left to tell. Talk about scratching the surface! As Carolyn had been spiritually drawn to a place in the country they too had become enticed, intrigued by the remarkable find, a significant discovery in the backwoods of a quaint New England village. One could only speculate about their private discussion, only imagine the level of discourse they shared while driving in the darkness. There was no doubt about it. The Warrens had seen the Light.
***
“You see, Roger? They came in a car, not on a broomstick. Maybe they’re not so fly-by-night after all!” Always well-armed with sarcasm, Carolyn was a formidable force to be reckoned with; as a mistress of the house, a wonder to behold. Guess she told him… and so did Mrs. Warren. Dangerous, indeed.
“It is better to know some of the questions than
all of the answers.”
James Thurber
divine intervention
“My definition of an expert in any field is a person who
knows enough about what’s really going on to be scared.”
P. J. Plauger
Perhaps it happened during their second or third visit to the farm. Carolyn cannot recall precisely when this exchange took place yet remembers vividly those sobering words, an anxious tone Lorraine used to express her concerns. Upon entering their parlor, it came to the psychic’s immediate attention as an undesirable object. Danger she perceived could not be ignored or dismissed.
“It would be advisable to remove that from the house.” Her tone of voice was almost stern, with a slight twinge of remorse, and a hint of presumption, as if allowing her mind to declare: “Poor dears, they know not what they do.” In certain respects Carolyn was as innocent as her children, a bit naive.
***
Lorraine Warren was a relentless advocate for the family she barely knew but cared about nonetheless. Carolyn considered the couple a gift from God. They stayed in close contact over the holidays, though Carolyn suggested she be allowed to get through their busiest time of year before attempting to progress any further with an inquiry and investigation of the house. Lorraine respected her wishes and the Warrens stayed away. When they did return the following January it was just in time to observe the group of gangly girls sledding down an enormous, sloping hill in their own back yard. The best gift dad ever brought home in the trunk of a car: High-flying saucers! Shiny, silver disks escorted each of the children along the icy surface of fresh-fallen snow, icy enough to pose a hazard to their health. Most children believe if an adventure they’re on is not life-threatening, it isn’t much fun! Carolyn was preoccupied preparing the cauldron of hot chocolate, trying so hard to avoid glancing out the pantry window to oversee the antics of those who fancied themselves immortal. She’d noticed, while she was not looking, their father had stacked bales of hay at the base of the hill before he’d
left, all along that solid granite wall, to cushion the blows for anybody whose brakes may fail. Doing his utmost to keep them alive as mortal souls, their father knew his supernaturally stupid kids didn’t bother with the brakes. So much more fun to bounce off the walls! Risky behaviors ran in the family. Tempting fate had become a tradition. Even on impact, apples don’t fall far from the tree.
That Saturday afternoon, unexpected guests appeared at their kitchen door with broad smiles, a cake in hand and an apology, for arriving unannounced. A claim of just being “in the area” would be perceived as disingenuous. No one was ever in the area without purpose or a good reason, as isolated as it was, after all. Lorraine laughed at herself, confessing the urge to say such a thing! Their intention was to scrutinize the family in its super/natural habitat, seeking out information. They had only scratched the surface of a far deeper story in much the same way five girls dragged the heels of their boots along the frozen tundra. It wasn’t long before one of them came running into the house to use the bathroom and realized company had arrived… with a cake! Telephone. Telegraph. Tell a Perron. AT&T still has nothing on them.
Within a matter of minutes an entire entourage piled through the door, following the pointed finger at the end of their mother’s arm; a silent signal sending all frozen females directly into the bathroom, to hang ice-encrusted outerwear destined to thaw out then dry out in the warm room. They had all overcome whatever fear they once harbored of a space that was their first jolt of reality in their new home, several years before. Emerging unscathed, they gathered around the guests, greeting them politely. Ready and willing to tell more scary stories, it was an outcome Carolyn anticipated. She did nothing to interfere. It had done her girls some good to talk openly with the Warrens. She welcomed the chance for them to continue that mutually enlightening conversation. Lorraine was willing to try, try again having been unsuccessful at recording their statements the first time around in this neck of the woods. Reaching into her valise to activate the recorder, she tested it, having found the machine inexplicably failed to record any of what had been shared that night. Click. The anomaly would become a recurring problem, a mystery yet to be solved or fully explored. Removing a notebook, pen in hand, Lorraine was prepared to give her wrist an old school workout… her back up plan as an insurance policy. She didn’t want to miss a winsome word of their tale.
“Roger’s away?” She could sense Carolyn’s relief.
“You’ll get more done without him.” She wasn’t being mean, just honest.
Nancy felt slighted during their initial encounter and made her presence known almost immediately; she wouldn’t let a second chance pass her by. It was important to her. While Carolyn dipped the hot chocolate, Andrea cut the cake, laying a piece beside each steaming mug. The one who believed her stories to be the most compelling of all ignored the tempting treats while everyone else indulged.
There was a method to her madness. She could speak uninterrupted! Thus began the interview. Ready or not… here she comes!
“Right after we moved in it was really cold. That winter was way worse.”
“Poor sentence structure. Nance… try that again.” Carolyn’s voice loomed large from within a kitchen pantry with good acoustics.
“Oh, mom!” After a heavy sigh of frustration, Nancy continued. “When we moved here it was winter. It was very cold outside. How’s that, mom?”
“Better.” Carolyn joined them at the table. “Don’t be fresh, young lady.”
“Four years ago this week!” Christine did the math: an accountant with all the facts, figures, times and dates. Annoyed by yet another interruption, Nancy realized the calculation was accurate. It had been four full years.
“That’s right! Now let me talk!” A harsh glance toward her sister silenced Christine for the moment. “Snowstorms came one after another so we spent a lot of time playing inside.”
“Hide-n-seek.” Cindy spoke up, knowing what tale was about to be told.
“I don’t need any help!” Nancy bristled. Cindy returned to her cake.
“We were playing that game because there are lots of places to hide…”
“And seek!” April was just being helpful, if slightly antagonistic.
“Mom, tell ’em it’s my turn!” Nancy’s face curdled like a bowl of spoiled milk. Her sisters giggled. Mission accomplished. “Please make them stop!”
“Spirits play their own game of hide-n-seek with us. Now you see them, now you don’t!” Cindy smiled… just trying to set up the story for her sister.
“Girls, please let Nancy speak and stop interrupting her.” Carolyn tried to hide her amusement but Cindy’s sweet smile lingered in her mother’s eyes.
“Anyway, that was how we all got to know our house. I found a spot that nobody else knew about behind the chimney in the borning room. I tucked myself in behind there then I waited for a few minutes. All of a sudden the room got so cold I froze in place. I couldn’t move! I tried to yell for Cindy. I tried to call for help but I couldn’t make any sound at all. I was hollering in my head but the words would not come out of my mouth! And the horrible smell came up into my nose. I almost gagged! It was so gross! Then I felt the bubble come around me and everything went hazy so I couldn’t see anything anymore! It felt like something was pushing on me, from every side! Like I was getting pushed right into the chimney! I was so scared and it was so cold that my whole body couldn’t move at all and it hurt so bad! It hurt like I was shrinking into myself. I could hear Cindy at the door. She sounded really far away from me but she was right there, on the other side of the door and I knew she knew I was in trouble but she couldn’t help me at all because she couldn’t open up the door! Cindy pulled hard on the latch and banged on the door and I could hear her yelling for me then yelling for mom to come help, but mom couldn’t hear us even though she was downstairs in the parlor, she still couldn’t hear Cindy. I was screaming in my head! Just when I thought I was going to be crushed alive in the bubble I started to cry and then I prayed. Just then the door flew open! It opened so hard Cindy got hit in the forehead but she came rushing into the room and she knew just where I was hiding! She grabbed me really hard and pulled me out from behind the chimney and almost broke her head on one of the beams but she got me loose and saved me. My sister Cindy saved me. And God. I think God told her where I was.”
What had been a festive mood only moments before had turned suddenly somber as a tear trickled down her face. Cindy reached over, tenderly taking Nancy by the hand. They embraced as Cindy whispered a message received.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have told that story. It always makes you cry.”
An audible gulp from Andrea’s throat, she swallowed back tears with her cocoa. Carolyn sat silently, questioning her decision to allow this discussion to proceed; one taking a turn for the worse. Christine broke a dark spell cast; sadness conjured by the ultimate run-on sentence. Their brightest ray of hope in the firmament, Christine targeted onset of despair with precision: pinpoint accuracy. She used her Laser Light.
“That was a long time ago. We’re all used to it now. They won’t hurt us.”
“Why do you say that, Christine?” Lorraine was perplexed by a statement which made her wonder… why? What would make them think such a thing?
“Because they know us, they share the house with us now. They love us.”
“They all watch out for us.” April’s little voice pierced morning air thick with emotion. Its purity was like an angel from the ether, her point of origin.
It was the second time Ed and Lorraine had heard such a thing, equally as stunning as the first. They looked at each other then Ed decided to pursue the notion with all of the girls. Neither of them had ever come across this kind of intense emotional attachment during all the years of investigations in a career spanning decades. Ed posed the next question in his gentlest voice.
“What makes you say that? Why do you think the spirits love you?”
Andrea spoke for her sisters, ex
pressing the collective opinion of five. “We know it. I don’t think they want to hurt us. They only want us to know they’re here. They want us to acknowledge them then pay attention to them. The ones who misbehave do it on purpose. When we scold them they stop it. If they don’t go away, at least they usually quit acting up. When I’m working at my desk one comes by to pull my hair or knock my pens over or yank my homework away from me, or it sends one of books flying across the room.”
“Naughty but harmless?” Lorraine smiled knowingly. “Poltergeists.”
“It’s rude! They broke the binding on my math book. I really couldn’t tell my teacher the truth about what happened… that the ghosts did it! So, I got a demerit and mom had to pay for the book. I’ve never had a demerit!”
“So, not completely harmless.” Lorraine humored the teenager.
“Well, you could have said: ‘The devil made me do it!’” Nancy, oblivious that she was the one interrupting, found her comment clever. Andrea was not amused. She had more of her own story to tell.
“When the gray smoke comes my bed moves.” Andrea lowered her voice.
“Me too.” Cindy nodded.
“Me three.” Nancy concurred; a smile ran away from her face as she said:
“Chrissy got locked inside the trunk and she thought it was mom who did it because she sounded like mom but ma was out on the porch with us when it happened. We were all singing when we noticed Chrissy was missing. Cathi was here. Thank God. She’s the one who found her.” Nancy had overstepped a well-established boundary. Her audacity knew no bounds. Chris got upset.
“I don’t want to talk about that.” Leaving the kitchen abruptly, Carolyn followed her daughter. Chrissy was private, more reserved than her siblings. She didn’t want to revisit the trauma and did not want anyone to see her cry. In an instant she went AWOL. Missing in action… again.
“I didn’t mean to tell the story for her.” Nancy’s remorse was genuine.
House of Darkness House of Light Page 31