“Remember, the devil is a liar. Do not listen to what he says. You may see things that couldn’t possibly be there. Ignore them, he’s trying to trick you. If there is anything in your past that haunts you, he will use it. He’ll twist the truth in an effort to make you think the worst of those you love.
“By adding doubt, he distracts you from the task. Don’t let that happen. We need the strength and focus of each and every one of you. Have you all got that?” Jake eyed them fiercely.
“Dude, you suck at pep talks,” Danny said.
Laughter erupted and the tension eased.
Even Jake smiled.
THIRTY
Jake turned on the boom box and a beautiful choir began singing. He crossed himself and they all followed his lead. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Jake said the prayer to St. Michael in a thunderous voice, as if speaking from a pulpit.
The lights began to flicker.
Jake started toward the west parlor, the piano room.
“By the power of his precious blood shed on the cross at Calvary, we as members of his mystical body and fully imbued with the Holy Ghost bind all spirits not in worship with the Holy Trinity not to interfere, impede or evade our holy work.”
They formed a line behind Jake: Courtney, Sara, Jane and Danny brought up the rear. Jane felt a tap on her shoulder and she glanced back. Danny pointed to the grandfather clock; the hands were spinning backward. With lights blinking on and off, it was seen as if in strobe.
The eerie sight gave Jane chills.
When she was fully in the room, Jane searched for other timepieces. There was a clock on the mantel and one on the piano, their hands also spun furiously in a backward fashion.
“The lights are sending Morse code,” Danny whispered in her ear. Jane turned around shaking her head. “Watch, I swear it’s an SOS. Three dots, three dashes, three dots.”
Jane focused. Sure enough, they weren’t going on and off randomly. There appeared to be a rhythm. “Why would a demon send a distress call?” The implication frightened her as she thought of the disastrous results. Was he calling reinforcements to bombard the house? If so, would they survive the night if they had to fight a legion of demons?
“I don’t think it’s the demon, I think it’s the ghosts. Save Our Ship is not the only definition of an SOS. It can also mean Save Our Souls.” Danny’s hot breath tickled her ear. “In this case we have the Spirits Of Seacliff, which by the way also spells SOS, sending a distress call to Save Our Souls.”
A deep sense of sorrow enveloped Jane. She hadn’t really thought about it, but each of those bodies outside represented a soul wandering the halls of this mausoleum. Neither moving on to Heaven or Hell, but were simply existing on a plane somewhere in between. Purgatory.
Jane refocused on Jake’s words. “Pray there for the God of peace to subdue Satan beneath our feet. In the name of Jesus Christ crucified, we plead his precious blood against all.”
As they moved into the east parlor, the zoo, Jane waved the incense around and watched Sara splash holy water into the four corners. The animals appeared to be alive on their stands; although they remained in place, they sounded off: the lion and tiger roared, the hyena yipped, the zebra brayed.
Even the cocker spaniel barked. Jane wondered if anyone else was having the same experience. That’s when she noticed Jake yelling to compete with the cacophony surrounding them.
“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to depart!”
Courtney’s eyes were clenched shut as she covered her ears and Danny’s face was scrunched as if he were in pain. Jane couldn’t wait until they’d exited the space. When they reentered the foyer, the chandelier swayed back and forth in wide sweeps like a pendulum.
They entered the kitchen and found the faucet on. Jane shut it off. She noticed the water had pooled, as if someone had closed the drain preparing to wash the dishes. She thought nothing of it until the water began rising up and streaming back into the faucet. Her heart hammered at the unnatural sight. The cupboards opened and slammed shut randomly, the dishes inside rattled.
They carried on toward the back of the house and entered Brandon’s office. Jane stared at the painting of Captain Patrick MacDougall. His eyes appeared to be glaring at her. Without warning, his face scowled and his mouth opened. “Get out!”
She jumped back, knocking into Danny. “What is it?”
She pointed to the portrait.
His brows knit. “What about it?”
Jane looked back and the painting was back to normal. She shook her head. They entered the laundry room, where the washer and dryer jumped around like marionettes. The banging of the heavy machinery on the floor was deafening. Jane didn’t know how much more of this she could take. She felt as if she were losing her sanity.
As she climbed the stairs, she noticed the portraits on the wall moving. She averted her eyes, focusing instead on each step.
“It’s your fault that boy strayed. If you satisfied him in bed, he wouldn’t have sought out love elsewhere.” It was the voice of an old woman. “You’re a failure. No one will ever love you.”
“Janey.” It was her father. She glanced up and spied him talking to her from a painting. “Why don’t you ever come see me? What makes you so busy that you can’t visit your old man? You broke my heart, Janey. You’re the reason I had my heart attack. I love you so much, but you can’t spare a minute of your time.”
It was true she had been preoccupied of late. Tears sprang to Jane’s eyes. “Papa, I’m sorry. I do love you.”
She felt a hand squeeze her arm. “Whatever you see, Jane, it’s not there. Ignore it,” Danny said sternly.
Jane stared at Danny, then back at the wall. Her father was gone. She wiped her eyes and moved on. Time passed slowly as they traversed the endless rooms. Jake’s booming voice, the smell of the incense…it all turned into a blur. She no longer heard the individual words, instead it was just blah blah blah, Amen.
When they reached the third floor, Jane stared in horror. Tiny red footprints covered the walls and ceiling, as if children had run through blood trying to escape an unknown assailant. Her heart cried out to the innocents who’d witnessed the terror here. Naturally the demon knew the kids were the easiest targets to elicit the reaction he needed to boost his energy level.
The coward.
Suddenly she felt hands grab her waist and pull her into the séance room.
“Jane!” Jake’s panicked voice was silenced as the door slammed shut.
The room was dark as pitch.
“Let’s see who the true coward is.” A menacing laugh surrounded her.
*
Jake dropped the book and raced to the closed door. His pounding fists made a hollow sound. “Let her go!”
“I have her now.” The deep baritone rattled all the windows in the house.
“No!” Jake raised his foot and tried breaking the door down, yet it barely moved, as if made of steel. One by one doors slammed starting with the top floors working their way down.
Hands rested on his shoulders. “Jake. Get a hold of yourself. You’re giving him what he wants,” Sara said gently.
Her calm reaction had Jake fuming. He stared her down. “I don’t give a shit. We need to get her away from him!” He looked behind her. “Danny, find me an axe.”
Courtney grabbed Danny’s sleeve. “This way.”
Sara’s hands squeezed Jake’s arms tight. “Listen to me. He’s dividing us.” When he said nothing, she continued. “He took Jane out of the equation and now you just split the group in half. We can’t win this way and he knows it.”
Jake crossed his arms. “I don’t…” He stared at the ceiling as if it had the answer, then he settled his gaze on her. “What do you suggest?”
“Remember, he’s reading your mind. What do you fear most at this very moment?”
Jake closed his eyes and thought back to the deepest recesses of his mind. When
the answer came, he opened his eyes. “Losing Jane like I did Natalie.”
“Exactly, and he knows it too. You need to clear your mind and focus on the task at hand: getting rid of this demon once and for all. Until then no one is safe, especially Jane. You are the key factor in this exorcism. Without you, it doesn’t get done. That’s why he’s focusing on you.”
Jake felt like a fool. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“So put your feelings for her aside, pick up that damn book and let’s get back to kicking some demon ass.”
“Right.” Jake retrieved the book from the end of the hall and found his place.
Just then Danny came rushing down the hall, the axe in his right hand with Courtney quick on his heels. For no discernible reason, Danny began to fall forward and the axe slipped from his hand soaring through the air. Jake saw the weapon spinning, blade, handle, blade coming straight at his head.
Jake dropped to the ground. The sound of shattering glass had him turning toward the end of the hall just as the stained glass window exploded into a million tiny pieces, the axe disappeared into the dark night.
“Holy fucking shit.” At the sound of his voice, Jake turned back to see Danny’s eyes almost as wide as his gaping mouth.
Jake’s body violently shook as he gained his footing. “I second that.” His heart thumped so hard it actually ached. He placed both hands over his chest, willing his heart to slow down.
Sara ran to Jake. “Are you all right?”
Jake shook his head. “Nothing a stiff drink won’t fix.”
“You’re such a douche.” Sara hugged him tight.
Courtney and Danny walked over.
“What do we do now?” Danny asked.
Jake stared at Danny momentarily. It was as if his brain had ceased to work.
“We continue with the exorcism,” Sara said.
“But what about Jane?” Danny asked.
As if a fog had lifted, Jake came alive. “Sara’s right. By banishing the demon, we are helping Jane.”
“Okay.” Danny shrugged.
His quick resolve stunned Jake. He was ready for an argument.
The lights went out and threw them into utter darkness.
“Well, crap,” Sara said with disgust.
“You knew it would happen sooner or later,” Jake said.
“So? It doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Sara’s flashlight went on.
“Duly noted.” Jake retrieved his flashlight. “Okay, back to work.” Jake himself struggled to push all thoughts of Jane from his head, images of her being tortured by that monster kept flickering through his mind like a silent horror film, rendering him helpless. He knew what Sara said was true, but it was easier said than done.
“Jake?”
Sara’s voice brought him back to the present.
“Right.” Concentrate, asshole. Jake crossed himself again. “Everyone place your hands on me.” Positioned in front of the room where Jane was held captive, Jake experienced the sensation of warmth throughout his body as each person laid their palms flat against him. A white light flooded his system and gave him a power he’d never known. “Everyone say the Lord’s prayer with me.”
Jake raised his arms out at his sides and held his hands palm up. He took a deep breath and as loud as he could he began. “Our Father, who art in Heaven.”
A gooey black tar began dripping down the walls.
“Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come.”
A loud jingling sound came from the left. Jake turned and found a pile of shiny objects in the middle of the carpet.
“What the hell?” Danny replied.
“They’re his trophies,” Sara whispered.
Jake could make out a pocket watch, an antique brooch, and a plastic secret decoder ring.
“What do you mean by trophies?” Danny asked, then his brows raised. “Oh, God.”
“What?” Courtney searched their faces.
“They’re all personal items from the victims,” Sara said.
“You mean?” Courtney pointed outside.
Sara nodded.
“Oh.” Courtney’s lips formed a grim line.
“Thy will be done. On Earth as it is in Heaven.” The rest of the team joined Jake. “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses…” Their voices picked up volume as they finished the prayer. They were shouting by the time they came to the amen.
The door popped open.
Jane stood frozen, her face a mask of terror.
“I command you, unclean spirit by the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ tell me your name!”
The floor began to tremble.
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” came a deep raspy voice. “I have a right to be here. I was invited.” It began to laugh.
“By the power of Jesus Christ, I demand you reveal yourself!” Jake yelled.
Directly behind Jane stood a figure eight feet tall, his arms wrapped around her body, holding her tight against him, his eyes glowed orange and red as flames danced within them. His jaw opened to show a mouth filled with tiny shark-like teeth.
A deep throaty growl erupted along with a stench reminiscent of shit mixed with sulfur. Bile rose up the back of Jake’s throat, but he swallowed it down in time. He proceeded to breathe through his mouth.
A burning sensation hit Jake in the center of his chest. He glanced down and saw three slash marks through his shirt, blood oozed from the wounds. Ignoring the pain, Jake snatched the holy water from Sara’s hand.
“By the power of all that’s holy, I command you to reveal your name.” Jake shook the bottle in the sign of the cross and watched as drops hit their mark, making a sizzling sound. Steam rose and the smell of sulfur increased.
A loud roar erupted. Glass shattered all over the house. Jake continued to douse the demon with holy water.
“Stop it,” the demon growled. “Leave me alone!”
“Unclean spirit, I demand you tell me your name.” Jake continued with the holy water, Sara joined in with a bottle of her own.
A high pitched squeal bounded off the walls. “Ba’al!”
“By the power of St. Michael, I command you, Ba’al, to return to the gates of Hell and never to return!”
Jane flew toward Jake. He grabbed her and shoved her behind him to keep her safe. Jane’s arms circled his waist firmly while her head pressed against his back. Instantly Jake was filled with the intense knowledge that he could not fail. He dug deep before he thrust his hands in the air. “I call upon the power of the Archangel Michael to send Ba’al back to where he belongs!”
A bright light came from the ceiling above the demon; he appeared frightened. A heavy mist rained down and an angel appeared in all his glory. He actually glistened with an opalescent glitter from head to toe.
The Archangel Michael’s majestic wings spread the length of the room and a fantastic breeze followed. Jake found himself backing up in awe. A single white feather floated slowly down. Jake reached out, it landed in his palm.
Ba’al reverted back to his demon self; his face resembled that of a snub-nosed bat with the same razor sharp teeth he’d revealed, his head sprouted small horns, his black body had thick skin like that of a rhino, and he too had wings, although nothing compared to the size of Michael’s.
A fight ensued. Jake held his breath as feathers and blood flew in all directions. He wanted to believe Michael would win, but there were times when he had his doubts. The claws the demon produced from his hands and feet were the epitome of lethal as they shredded their way through the Archangel’s chest.
Ba’al also used his teeth, on one occasion clamping down hard on Michael’s shoulder. A thundering bellow erupted that shook the house. Jake prayed for Christ to give Michael the strength he needed to win this battle.
Then it happened, Ba’al lay on the ground, unmoving. Before long, his body vanished. Jake had been concentrating so hard on the demon that he hadn’t noticed when Michael left.
The white light faded, casting them all in black.
An instant later, the lights in the house came on all at once.
Everyone stood in stunned silence.
Jake opened his hand. The feather was gone.
THIRTY-ONE
Jane still gripped Jake like a lifeline.
“Let me get you to a chair before you fall down,” Jake said.
“You two rest while we finish things up,” Sara said.
“What do you mean? Isn’t the demon gone?” Courtney said.
“Yes, but we need to help the rest of the souls move on,” Sara answered.
“How do you know they haven’t gone already?” Courtney asked.
“We need to make sure. They’ve been trapped here for so long they’ve stayed hidden in fear. They may not know they’re free,” Sara said.
“So what can we do?” Courtney asked.
“I’ll light an entire bushel of sage and place it in a bowl. We’ll gather around a large fat white candle holding hands. We’ll say the words together. Don’t worry I have them written out for you.
“Bottom line, we’ll urge the spirits to go to the light. Concentrating on the first floor and moving them up and out. When we’re done, we’ll circle the house with kosher rock salt to protect the house from further attack by negative spirits.”
“Why didn’t we salt the outside first?” Courtney asked.
“Because then we wouldn’t have been able to expel the demon,” Sara answered.
“I’ll be down in a minute,” Danny said.
After the girls left, Danny walked over to Jane and took her hand in both of his. “Are you okay? I was so frightened for you.”
“I feel weak, but other than that I’m fine,” Jane said.
“That whole scene was pretty rad, you know?”
Jane nodded.
“I guess I’d better catch up to the others.” Danny walked a few steps and turned back. “By the way, I like the new punk do.”
Jane ran her hands over her hair, but didn’t feel anything different. She glanced up at Jake. He took her hand and led her into the nearest guest room placing her in front of a mirror.
Spirits 04-Spirits of Seacliff Manor Page 20