by Paul Seiple
Twenty-One
“You cannot believe anything that snake tells you.” Sam tapped his fingers on the copy of The Devil Beside You. “This book is full of lies.”
“I believe you, Dad, but we have to check all leads. Remember, you told me that when I graduated academy?”
“I remember. Your mother wore that yellow dress that made her shine brighter than the sun.”
Kim sat beside her father on the bed. She took his hand in hers. “I’m really glad to have all of you back.”
There was a knock. Terrence peeked through a crack in the door. “Ready?”
“Just about. Dad, you’re going stay here with Don while we try to get some answers. OK?”
“I guess. The bed is little lumpy. It’ll do. Don’s not that good at chess. Maybe I’ll challenge him to a game of dominoes.”
Kim kissed Sam’s forehead. “Don’t embarrass him too bad.”
Terrence opened the door. “Don’t listen to her, Sam. Take no prisoners.”
Sam raised a fist. “My man, Terrence.”
“You’re a bad influence on him,” Kim said to Terrence. “Everyone else ready?”
“I think so. Mason’s meditating, and Debbie’s chanting something. I don’t know what’s going on anymore.”
Kim laughed. “I need to check on the Tates before we leave.” She made a few swipes on the screen of her phone and called Norma.
Norma paced the hallway on the fifth floor of Carolina Medical. The floor’s primary purpose was to house patients recovering from surgery, but several rooms near the end of the corridor were reserved for “special” cases. Norma wasn’t sure what the nurses meant by special cases, but Ben belonged there. He had undergone every test known to medicine. The results were the same. Ben was in perfect health. Yet he wouldn’t wake up. There were no answers for his condition. Norma wanted to blame the doctors for putting him in the medically induced coma, but she knew the truth. The house did this to Ben.
Norma started toward the waiting area where Sara and Charlie sat watching cartoons. She caught Doctor Sherman as he was going to check on a patient recovering from hip surgery.
“Is there anything we can do for him?” Norma asked.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Tate. Your husband is getting the best care possible. If his condition hasn’t improved by tomorrow, I will start the transfer to Duke. The best neurologists are there. “
Norma’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation.
“I assure you we will do everything possible to get your husband well,” Doctor Sherman said.
Norma nodded and answered the phone.
“It’s Kim. How’s your family?”
“Ben won’t wake up,” Norma said. Her words were jagged as she choked to hold back tears. “He’s perfectly healthy. It’s that damn house.”
“It’s not house, Norma. It’s a curse called The Mayhem. It’s touched your family. We are going to find out how to get rid of it,” Kim said.
“What about Ben?” Norma asked.
Debbie took the phone from Kim before she could respond. “Your husband is under the influence of demons. You’re fortunate they have chosen not to wake him.”
“Who is this?” Norma asked.
“I’m Debbie Collier. Doctors cannot help your husband. If the demons wake him, he will be in grave danger. I must come see him.”
Debbie handed the phone back to Kim.
“I guess we are coming to the hospital,” Kim said.
“Hurry,” Norma said.
Kim turned to Debbie. “How did you know something was wrong with her husband? I didn’t mention him.”
“I felt it. The demon that took the form of the Challis child is using Ben Tate,” Debbie said.
“Why?” Kim asked.
“I’m not sure, but we have to find out before it decides to wake him,” Debbie said.
Norma paced from the nurses’ desk to the waiting area to check on Charlie and Sara. Back and forth. She walked the same narrow line until a path appeared in the carpet. Norma’s mind was spent. She worried Ben would never wake and whatever attached itself to Sara would never leave.
“Mrs. Tate, why don’t you take the kids and go home and rest? There really isn’t anything you can do for your husband here. I promise if anything changes, I’ll call you.”
Norma stared at the nurse without saying a word. Home? There was no home to go to, just a shitty motel. She couldn’t afford anything more. The Tates’ entire savings were sunk into a home that she would never step foot in again. How could she sell the house knowing the evil that hid within the walls? Kim warned her the safe house would take time since she was suspended from the force. For now, the hospital was the safest place to be.
“Mrs. Tate? You really should rest,” the nurse said, placing her hand on Norma’s forearm.
“I can’t leave him,” Norma said, fighting back tears.
“I understand, but you have to be healthy for your kids. You need to sleep.”
“I’m not leaving Ben.”
Norma’s tone was polite but stern. The nurse took the hint and decided against pressing the issue. She smiled. “Well, at least sit down. You’re going to wear a hole in this fine carpet. Let me take the kids to the cafeteria for a snack.”
Norma glanced through the glass into the waiting area. Sara was watching cartoons. Charlie was reading a magazine. She was too consumed with the feelings of being broke and Ben’s condition to realize what her children were feeling. They had to be scared to death, but you couldn’t tell it from seeing them in the waiting area. They were strong. Norma needed to be stronger.
“That sounds nice. Thank you,” Norma said, walking toward the waiting area. “Hey, kids, nurse…..?”
“Brooks,” the nurse said.
“Nurse Brooks has offered to take you for snacks. How does that sound?” Norma asked.
Charlie closed the magazine and tossed it onto a stack of books on a table in front of him. Sara hopped from the chair and ran to the door. Nurse Brooks put her arm around Sara.
“Take a few breaths. They’ll be ready for naps when I bring them back,” Nurse Brooks said.
Norma lowered herself to a chair. It wasn’t comfortable, just a basic chair with little cushion and plastic armrests, but it felt plush to Norma’s aching body. She closed her eyes and let the back of her head rest against the wall. It took only a few seconds for Norma to doze.
“Norma.”
The voice startled Norma, ripping her away from sleep. She sat straight up with a force that lifted the back legs of the chair from the floor. Terrence caught Norma before she face-planted.
“I’m sorry,” Kim said.
Norma waved in Kim’s direction as she swallowed deeply, trying to regain composure. She cleared her throat. “It’s OK.”
Debbie extended her hand to Norma. Her long, pointed black nails took Norma by surprise.
“I’m Debbie Collier. I need to see your husband, Mrs. Tate.”
Kim read the confusion in Norma’s eyes. “She’s here to help him, Norma.”
“I’m not sure they will let anyone see him but me,” Norma said.
“I don’t really need their permission, Mrs. Tate. I just need yours,” Debbie said.
“What?” Norma asked.
“I need you to give me permission to see your husband,” Debbie said.
“What is this?” Norma asked.
“I don’t know. Just tell her it’s all right,” Kim said.
“You have my permission to see Ben,” Norma said.
Debbie smiled. “Thank you.” She closed her eyes and chanted in a language unfamiliar to anyone.
“Wha…” Before Norma could finish the sentence, a calming cradled her.
Norma fell back onto the chair. She watched Kim and Terrence do the same before everything went black.
Debbie rounded the corner to a long corridor on the fifth floor. Two nurses slumped over in chairs behind the nurse station. Another lay peacefully on a gurney in
the hallway.
The sleeping spell Debbie cast made it possible to get to Ben Tate without any obstacle. Everyone in Carolina Medical was taking a nap. Everyone except Debbie and the demon. She stopped in the doorway of Ben’s room. A small girl was sitting on the corner of the bed, smirking at Debbie.
“Shame on you. There is a strict ‘no visitor’ policy.” The voice coming from the child was deep, unholy.
Debbie crossed the threshold. The air was thick and damp like a blanket of humidity, but the chill forced the dampness to sting Debbie’s cheeks.
“Adults are always trying to ruin kids’ fun.” A greenish-yellow snake broke through the girl’s smile before disappearing back into her mouth.
“You’re no child. And I’m not here to play games with you,” Debbie said.
“Come on. Just one game?”
A child’s laugher echoed off the walls. The figure of the little girl elongated. Stretching to the ceiling, it slithered across the white tiles, leaving traces of green slime. It rolled down the wall behind Debbie. She felt it behind her, pushing her hair from her ear.
“One game of Hide-and-Seek?”
The whisper weaved its way through Debbie’s ear canal. Pain shot down the left side of her neck, numbing her left arm. The demon stretched around Debbie’s body like a constrictor. It put pressure against her, not enough to take her breath away, but enough to let her know at any moment it could.
“That’s not a fair game. You cannot hide from me,” Debbie said.
The demon loosened its grip and appeared as a little girl on the corner of the bed again. “You’re no fun.”
“And you’re boring,” Debbie said.
The demon smiled, letting the snake slither from its lips. “You didn’t think I was boring at the house.”
“You’re weak here. You fed off negative energy stored in that house. You don’t have that here.”
The little girl hopped off the bed and grew to eye level with Debbie, who didn’t flinch. The snake scaled its way to Debbie’s lips and pressed against her as if it were making a Shhh motion with a finger.
“I’m not scared,” Debbie said. “You cannot harm me. You think you can make me harm myself, but you cannot. Your weakness is my strength.”
A stinging sensation against Debbie’s top lip caused her to wince. A child’s laughter filled the room. Heat as strong as molten lava burned Debbie’s sinus cavity. Her eyes watered.
“We are strong. We are The Mayhem.”
The demon’s deep voice rattled Debbie’s bones. She wasn’t scared. She fought the pain and smiled. “I’m stronger.”
The demon backed away.
Debbie began to chant. She placed the palms of her hands together. A visible energy in the form of shards of white light seeped through her fingers. She separated her hands. White light spread throughout the room.
“You’re going to leave this man and his family. Never to return to them,” Debbie said.
“I will see you again,” the demon said as the little girl’s legs faded.
“I’ll be ready,” Debbie said.
Ben Tate coughed. His eyes sprang wide. He choked.
“Relax,” Debbie said. She took his hand. “Breathe slowly.”
Ben started to speak. It turned into another violent cough. Debbie caressed the back of his hand.
“Slow breaths. Don’t speak. It’s gone. Relax,” Debbie said.
Ben’s breathing steadied. The urge to cough left him. He blinked, trying to focus on the figure next to him.
“I know you have questions,” Debbie said.
“Where’s Norma?” Ben said.
“She’s fine. So are your children.”
“What happened?”
“You fell under the oppression of an inhuman. You’re free of it now. But you can never go back to that house,” Debbie said.
“Who are you?”
“It’s not important. Heed my words and never go back to that house. Have a moving company gather your things.”
Debbie placed her hand on Ben’s forehead. His eyelids grew heavy. He fell into sleep. Debbie stepped into the hallway and took a deep breath. She walked by the nurses’ station, glanced at the sleeping nurses, and kept going to the waiting area. She took a seat beside Kim and chanted.
Terrence was the first to wake.
“What the he…”
Debbie motioned for him to be quiet.
He shook his head. “Never mind. I don’t want to know,” Terrence said.
Kim woke next, followed by Norma.
“What did you do to me?” Norma asked.
“Sorry. I used a sleeping spell. I had to put everyone under to visit your husband,” Debbie said.
“Ben?” Norma asked.
Debbie smiled. “I think you should go see him.”
Norma stood up. Debbie grabbed her wrist.
“You can never go back to the house. Never,” Debbie said.
“But we have nowhere else. All of our money…”
Debbie stopped her. “For now, there is a house in Matthews ready for you and your family.” Debbie handed Norma Don’s business card. “Call Don. He will get you set up.”
Norma clutched Debbie’s hand as she took the card.
“Go see your husband,” Debbie said.
“How did you get rid of it?” Kim asked.
“I made it leave. I didn’t get rid of it. Best believe next time we see it, it’s going to be pissed,” Debbie said.
Twenty-Two
“OK, since no one else is going to mention this, I will. Am I the only one concerned that Debbie has the power to put us to sleep? No offense, Debbie,” Terrence said.
“None taken. I understand,” Debbie said. “Look at this way, my aim wasn’t to put you to sleep. I needed to do it to save Ben Tate. You were just a casualty.” A smile flashed across her face.
“That makes me feel a lot better,” Terrence said.
Mason grabbed the front seats of the sedan and placed himself between Terrence and Debbie. “Did Gallagher ever get back with you?” he asked Kim.
Kim tapped her email app and shook her head.
“So what’s the plan?” Terrence asked. “Are we just going to knock on his door and ask him if he’s seeing little ghost children?”
“They are demons,” Debbie said.
“You really know how to make things more comforting,” Terrence said.
“We are going to ask Gallagher about Hayes. Stick strictly to that case,” Mason said. “I’m sure we will know if he’s seen anything.”
“Turn here,” Kim said a few seconds before the map app on her phone echoed the direction.
Terrence pulled the sedan onto a dirt road flanked by knee-high weeds on both sides. He drove about a half of a mile before the roof of a large house peered through the pine trees.
“Is that it?” Terrence asked.
“According to the map,” Kim said.
You have reached your destination. The robotic male voice confirmed Kim’s words.
“Don’t pull too close to the house,” Mason said. “He’s not expecting company. I don’t want him opening fire on us.”
Movement to Kim’s left caught her eye through the car window. An old tire tied to a tree branch moved slightly. There was not enough wind to push the tire.
“You OK?” Terrence asked.
“What do you see, Kim?” Debbie asked.
Kim didn’t answer. She fixed her gaze on the tire. A small boy materialized behind the tire. Kim blinked. A little girl appeared inside the tire as the boy pushed it.
“Gallagher already has company,” Kim said. “The demons are here.”
“What do you see?” Debbie asked again.
“Two children playing on that tire swing,” Kim said.
To the others, the tire wasn’t moving.
“You can’t see them?” Kim asked.
“No,” Terrence said.
The little girl waved at Kim as the boy pushed harder, sending her furt
her into the air. The boy turned his blue baseball cap backwards. The girl kicked her bare feet into the air. The ruffles on her pale pink dress moved like shallow waves. Kim recognized the boy from pictures in her father’s journal. She knew the girl.
“It’s Bradley English and Jessica Challis,” Kim said. “Why am I the only one who sees them?”
“You have the strongest connection to Hayes,” Debbie said. “The demons are vulnerable once they’ve been removed from the host. You’re seeing Bradley because Mary English is dead. I expelled the demon attached to the Tates. They are joining forces,” Debbie said.
“Strength in numbers,” Mason said.
“Does that mean the Lloyd and Barton boys are here too?” Terrence asked.
“Those demons are somewhere. We need to end this before they become legion,” Debbie said.
The little girl lunged from the tire and planted her feet in the grass. She waved at Kim again and ran into the thicket. The boy waved and followed the girl.
“I’m guessing there is a ghos… demon attached to Gallagher,” Terrence said, parking the car.
“We will soon find out,” Mason said.
Mason opened the door and stepped out of the car. Debbie was next, followed by Kim and Terrence.
“Which children are left?” Mason asked.
“Ava Weilden is the only one,” Kim said. “She was seven when she disappeared.”
Debbie stepped in front of Mason to the lead the way to the house. Terrence picked up his pace to catch up with her.
“I should go first,” Terrence said.
Debbie stopped and shot a glare at Terrence.
“I have a gun.” Terrence pointed to his shoulder holster. “I’m not questioning your strength. You put me to sleep.”
“And you still believe your gun works against the paranormal?” Debbie shrugged and motioned for Terrence to lead the way. “Be my guest.”
“On second thought, why don’t we walk together,” Terrence said.
“If you insist.” Debbie patted Terrence’s shoulder and smiled.
“Who’s knocking and who’s talking?” Terrence asked.