by Paul Seiple
“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Kim said. “It looks like children splashed in the blood like it was a puddle of water.”
“I’m convinced it originated here,” Debbie said.
“Cause of death is pretty easy to determine too. But what’s with the rocks?” Kim asked
“It’s obsidian stone. The purpose is to show that everyone has a good and bad side. The stone’s power is to wash away negativity,” Debbie said.
“This is obviously ritualistic. Why use something that is supposedly positive?” Kim asked.
“To show the good and bad,” Mason said.
“Mason’s right, but I don’t think it’s the good and bad in Eileen. Obsidian stones are known to protect people from emotional ties like stress and resentment. This sacrifice summoned The Mayhem. Whoever performed it did it to lift emotional weight,” Debbie said.
“I still don’t get it. If it’s a positive stone, how does it allow something evil into the world?” Terrence asked.
“What you consider evil may not be evil to someone else. A good deal of magic is subjective. Evil to the person who conjured The Mayhem is the people who led to the execution of Elvin Hayes,” Debbie said.
“That means there is someone out there with ties to Eileen and Hayes,” Kim said.
“We need to call this in,” Terrence said. “This poor woman’s been dead awhile. There has to be someone worried about her.”
Mason reached into his jacket for his phone. “I’m afraid if someone were looking for her, we wouldn’t have been the ones to find her.”
SEVEN MISSED CALLS imprinted on Mason’s iPhone screen. He swiped to reveal five by Don and two by Rosalind.
“What is it?” Kim asked.
“Something is wrong. Don would not call like this,” Mason said. He pressed Don’s number and waited through a brief moment of Mozart’s “Jupiter” before an answer.
“Don’s phone. This is Sam.”
“Sam, is everything all right? It’s Mason.”
Kim watched as what remaining color fled from Mason’s pale face. Mason ended the call after a brief exchange.
“The museum caught fire,” Mason said.
“Is Dad OK?” Kim asked.
“Sam is fine. Don is in the hospital…”
Debbie pried her attention from Eileen’s body and looked at Mason.
“Anne and Carol didn’t make it out,” Mason said.
“They’re dead?” Kim asked.
“The demons are joining together,” Debbie said.
“And what does that mean?” Kim asked.
“It means we’re out of time,” Debbie said.
Twenty-Eight
“Can I get some of that Jell-O too? Green’s my favorite,” Sam said.
The nurse smiled and placed a yellow plastic tray with Jell-O and something resembling meatloaf and green beans in front of Don.
“I don’t want any of that other stuff, though,” Sam said.
“You’re doing remarkably well for someone who just lost their hand,” the nurse said.
“Could be worse. I could have lost both hands,” Don said.
“I’m not sure I would be that positive about it,” the nurse said.
“He’s not either,” Sam said. “It’s the morphine talking.”
The nurse smiled again. “I’ll be back with some more Jell-O.”
“He can have mine,” Don said.
Sam took the plastic cup of Jell-O and dug a spoon in. “Too much morphine makes you delusional. Next thing you know, he’ll ask when he can get out of here.”
“That reminds me, when can I get out of here?” Don asked.
The nurse shook her head. “You’ve got to wait a little longer.” She bumped into Lanky as she was leaving.
“You’re chipper,” Lanky said.
“He’s high as a kite,” Sam said, shoveling Jell-O into his mouth.
“The Demon King?” Don asked.
“Everything in the museum is destroyed. I prayed over it,” Lanky said.
“What about that Ouija board that survived being burned before?” Sam asked.
“There’s only ashes. It’s as if everything imploded,” Lanky said.
Sam took the last scoop of Jell-O and placed the empty container on the metal tray in front of Don. “Did anyone ever tell you it’s probably not a good idea to keep those haunted things around when you’re playing with more haunted things?”
Lanky laughed. “I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve told him that.”
“I know they cannot harm others if I have them with me,” Don said. “I just pray we haven’t unleashed that evil into the wild again.”
“I’m sure if any escaped, your little team of ghostbusters can round them up again,” Sam said.
“How’s the hand?” Lanky asked.
“It’s fine. I can’t feel it,” Don said.
“High as a kite,” Sam said, prodding the meatloaf with a fork.
The nurse stuck her head in the doorway. “You have more visitors. The rule is two at a time, but since there are four on the way, I’ll act like I didn’t see it. Get them out of here before Brenda comes on at seven.”
“Don, my friend, what’s happening,” Mason said. He froze after entering the room. “Lanky? What are you doing here?”
“Saving the day like I always do,” Lanky said.
Kim walked in and ran to Sam. “Dad, are you OK?”
“It was crazy. Demons floating around. Those little bastard kids playing on the stairs,” Sam said.
“What happened?” Debbie said, stepping out from behind Mason.
“The demons were there,” Don said.
“All of them?” Debbie asked.
“I saw the Carpenter boy, the English boy, and the Challis girl,” Sam said. “They were watching the chaos. The assholes were laughing.”
“The demons unlocked the evil in the museum. The demon king destroyed everything.” Don said. “I wouldn’t be here if Lanky hadn’t showed up.”
“You finally did something right,” Debbie said to Lanky.
“It’s good to see you too, Deb,” Lanky said.
“They’re exes,” Mason whispered to Terrence.
“It took Anne and Carol,” Don said.
“I’ll mourn them later. Once the six demons join together, it will be too strong,” Debbie said.
“Any luck with Eileen?” Don asked.
“She’s dead,” Kim said.
“The Mayhem originated with her. There must be a sacrifice for the conjuring to succeed,” Debbie said.
“Exactly when were you going to share that with us?” Kim asked. “And don’t give me the demons are listening bullshit again. We share information. That’s the way these things work.”
“Debbie is not law enforcement,” Mason said.
“I don’t give a damn. You knew Eileen was going to be dead, didn’t you?” Kim asked.
“No. I knew there was a possibility. I chose not to share the sacrifice out of everyone’s safety,” Debbie said.
“Bullshit,” Kim said.
“Kim, is this your first experience with demons?” Debbie asked.
“What?” Kim asked.
“You’re carrying spiritual baggage. You’re not seeing the demons because of Sam’s connection to Hayes. You’re seeing them because at some point in your life, you’ve opened the door to them,” Debbie said.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kim said.
“Yes you do. You may not want to admit it now. That’s OK, but communication with the other side had been established. For the safety of all, I didn’t speak of it.”
“Did you think I would become possessed and kill everyone?” Kim asked. Her words were followed by a burst of nervous laughter.
“I know you’re a portal. I’m sure Tommy Lloyd didn’t wake up that morning with plans to murder his family,” Debbie said.
“Kim wouldn’t harm anyone,” Terrence said.
“Neither would
Tommy Lloyd,” Debbie said.
“You know what, screw it. We don’t have time to argue this right now,” Kim said. “What do we do to stop this?”
Mason’s phone vibrated against his chest through the jacket pocket. ROSALIND flashed across the screen. Mason stepped into the hallway to take the call.
“Rosalind,” Mason said.
“Thank God, I thought you were ghosting me.”
“Ghosting?”
“You hunt ghosts. Ghosting is when someone disappears without a trace. No returned calls, emails, etc. Get it?”
“You’ll have to explain it to me another time. I’m sorry I didn’t phone you back. Don’s in the hospital. Things are a bit crazy right now,” Mason said.
“Is Don all right?” Rosalind asked.
“He’ll live. What’s so important?” Mason asked.
“I looked deeper into Eileen Rollins’s DNA and found a familial match. She has a daughter. I checked Hayes’s DNA. He was the father of the child,” Rosalind said.
“What’s the child’s name?”
Mason stared at his phone in shock after hanging up with Rosalind. The nurse walked by, interrupting his trance.
“Brenda’s on in fifteen. You need to round everyone up now.”
Mason stood in the doorway as if he were robbed of speech.
“We heard. Brenda’s coming,” Kim said.
“Mason, what is it?” Debbie asked.
“Eileen had a child with Elvin Hayes. A girl. Judith Margaret Richards,” Mason said.
“D.A. Richards?” Sam asked.
“Judith invoked The Mayhem,” Kim said.
Twenty-Nine
Judith Richards never knew her father. She barely knew her mother for the first part of her life. Eileen spent most evenings away from home turning tricks to put food on the table for her child. A neighbor with a poorly hidden heroin addiction watched over Judith while Eileen worked.
The only mother and daughter time Eileen shared with Judith was early mornings before school. At least once a week, Judith would ask questions about her father. Eileen’s answer was always the same. Judith’s father died in a plane crash in Grenada while serving in the military. As Judith grew older, she researched and found no records of the crash. She confronted her mother when she was fifteen and demanded the truth. Eileen told Judith her father was a drug dealer who died when a deal went bad. It was safer than the truth.
A year later, Judith found one of Eileen’s older books on witchcraft. A crude pentagram and the name Elvin Hayes were drawn in the margin of page six hundred and sixty-six. Eileen erased Hayes from her life. She destroyed his letters. She never took his calls from prison. But the one thing she missed was the graffiti he left for her in the book.
Judith researched and read anything she could find on Elvin Hayes and the Silent Six case. She studied witchcraft. Judith knew Eileen was a practicing witch, yet she hid her interest from her mother. Judith’s passion for witchcraft was darker than Eileen’s. She grew distant. Her mother lied to her. She had no friends. The neighbor who watched over her taught Judith the darkest side of heroin addiction. She watched him overdose and die on her living room floor. Judith could have called for help, but in her mind, he was a drain on society. The world was better with one less junkie.
Judith confronted Eileen about Hayes on her eighteenth birthday. The conversation became heated. Tired of the questions and accusations, Eileen told the truth. She confirmed to Judith that she was Hayes’ child. Eileen wished Judith was never born. She always feared the truth would surface. Eileen gave birth to the daughter of one of most despicable men to live.
That was the last time Judith saw Eileen until three weeks ago when she went to her mother’s house to seek revenge for her father.
Judith left Greensboro with a promise to never turn into her mother. She dove into college and deeper into witchcraft. It was in law school that she began to believe her father didn’t get a fair deal. Detective Sam Strode was looking for fame and the families of the missing children were in desperate need to find blame. The bodies were never found. The evidence wasn’t air-tight. Judith knew everything about the Silent Six case. She knew an anonymous caller led Sam Strode to her father. Judith couldn’t prove it was her mother, but this wasn’t being tried in court. It had to be Eileen. Years of anger built inside her. Revenge was the only way to expel the demons raging inside her.
Judith killed her mother to summons the six serpent demons that invoked The Mayhem.
“I summoned you. I am your master. You cannot do this.”
The words echoed down the hallway of the eleventh floor of City Hall. Terrence and Kim stepped out of the elevator followed by Debbie.
“I brought you here in my father’s name for revenge.”
Debbie grabbed Terrence’s forearm and pulled him back. Frigid air encircled the hallway.
“I see them,” Kim said. “Ava Weilden and Jimmy Lloyd.”
The children skipped hand in hand by Terrence. The air warmed as they passed. The stood in front of Judith Richards’ office door and motioned for Kim to join them.
“They are at Judith’s door,” Kim said.
Terrence broke free and ran towards the door to Judith’s office.
“Terrence,’ Kim said.
“It’s too strong,” Debbie said.
The children moved back as Terrence neared. The door opened. Heat rushed out. Terrence’s feet lifted from the floor. His body hovered for a few seconds before slamming into a wall. He slumped to the side. Kim ran to him.
“Are you here to play too?”
The girl’s voice stung Kim’s spine, sending gooseflesh scattering over her body. She looked into the room. Judith Richards was suspended above her desk. Five children floated around her grabbing for her head, arms, and legs, stretching her body. Ava Weilden stood in the doorway.
“We are playing tug-of-war. Play with us,” Ava said.
Judith screamed as the demons pulled her appendages farther away from her torso.
“I called upon you. I am the revenge seeker,” Judith said.
Ava turned to Judith. “We serve only HIM.” The voice was deep, guttural, and no longer childlike. “But thanks for the invite.”
Debbie stood between Kim and the door. To Debbie, the demons were in true form, black masses with no defining shape. They morphed around Judith, creating a blackish-gray dome around her.
“Get Terrence away from here,” Debbie said.
“Bummer. I was hoping he could play too,” the demon said in a little girl’s voice.
Kim pulled Terrence down the hall.
“My head,” Terrence said.
“You hit hard. Just relax,” Kim said.
Ava Weilden tugged at Debbie’s dress.
“One of them is touching you,” Kim said.
Debbie placed her hand into the black shadow. The nerve-endings in her fingers tingled. The back of her hand burned. She closed her eyes and chanted.
“Stay here,” Kim said to Terrence before running back to Debbie.
Jimmy Lloyd reached out from Judith’s office and pulled Ava back in. Debbie collapsed into Kim’s arms. The six children held hands and danced around Judith as she floated above her desk. Judith turned to Kim to beg for help. Her eyes were black like the stones placed over Eileen’s eyes. Judith’s back arched upward. A smoky gray fog spewed from her mouth and spread over the ceilings.
“It’s her soul,” Debbie said.
“It’s tearing her apart,” Kim said.
The demons stopped dancing. Joey Carpenter was the first to elongate. His body stretched. His hand melted into Jessica Challis’s hand. Her body stretched and burrowed into Jimmy Lloyd.
“What the hell are they doing?” Kim asked.
Debbie couldn’t see the children morphing into each other. For her, the black mass was becoming bigger, but she knew what was happening.
“The demons are becoming one,” Debbie said.
Any resemblance to the children
was gone. A seven-foot shiny black figure with the head of a snake stood over Judith.
“Oh my god,” Kim said.
The forked tongue flicked from between the demon’s lips. Unlike the children, it ignored Kim and Debbie. The tongue brushed against Judith’s lips, which were turning a dark shade of blue.
Judith tried to speak between clenched teeth, but her words weren’t legible. The tongue forced its way into her mouth. Her body lurched. The fabric of Judith’s pantsuit moved as the tongue slithered inside her.
Judith was able to release one ear-piercing scream before her body burst into flames. A bright orange light flashed, causing Kim and Debbie to shield their eyes. They opened them to a pile of dark gray ashes falling on Judith’s desk like the first flakes of a snowfall.
The serpent demon was gone.
Thirty
“There’s something about a clear blue sky.” Kim propped her elbows on the railing on the roof top deck of Mason’s lake house. “I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw one or at least paid attention to one.”
“People tend to take nature for granted,” Mason said, easing into a rocking chair.
“This paranormal stuff must pay pretty damn good. This place is beautiful.” Kim waved to Sam, who was poolside below. “Dad’s never going to leave.”
Mason laughed. “There’s plenty of room. My paranormal research didn’t afford me this heaven. I created an antivirus software company in the early nineties. Sold it for nearly a billion dollars about fifteen years ago.”
“Is that how you fund your research?” Kim asked.
“You could say that,” Mason said.
Don walked out onto the deck carrying a newspaper under his arm and a glass of sweet tea. He took a seat next to Mason
“How are you adjusting to the new you?” Kim asked.
“If you ask Sam, I’m better at chess now.” Don placed the tea on the deck floor. “I’m getting fitted for a new hand next week, so I ask me again then. Where’s Terrence?’”