My Demonic Ghost #3: Hunters and Creators

by Maree, Jacinta

  “What idiot told you all this?” Evan snarled before looking back me, “I bet one of the Hunters leaked it.”

  “Well you don’t exactly hide! Your parade of death and destruction is becoming a great problem for us. Thanks to military research, we’ve found that specific electromagnetic frequencies operate on the same level that spiritual entities work on. With this, we are able to trap anything spiritual. Though we have never seen a demon cause that much power or change in a person before, like you two.”

  “You misunderstand!” I shouted, “Evan isn’t bad, he’s not like the others.”

  “He’s controlling your mind, Rachael, you don’t know what you’ve saying.” He motioned to the others behind him, “Let’s start the procedure.”

  The scientists and doctors all scurried about as Evan laughed, “Is this a joke? You’ve managed to trap me in some stinking room, but that doesn’t mean you can make me leave. Nothing you can do will hurt me!” He suddenly jerked and the lights flickered again. I could feel the electricity fly across the room and burn Evan’s body

  “Stop it! Stop it!” I thrashed against the restraints when familiar nausea started to climb up my throat.

  “This will be over soon…” Doctor Hearth reassured, but his voice was just a fleeting echo. Chō’s strength surged through me and I was able to snap the leather cuffs. I shot my hands forward, throwing power at the window and shattering it to smithereens. Immediately, Evan dropped to the ground and promptly disappeared into ash. The staff all stumbled up from their chairs, cowering away from the glass shards, before very slowly looking back at me. I caught sight of Chō in one of the remaining glass pieces still clinging to the frame. It took me two seconds to realise that it was my own reflection, that my hair had momentarily lightened to white and my eyes switched to the teal bug’s eyes. I saw the confusion in their faces with a hint of uncertain fear. I didn’t know if they were more fascinated with me or appalled. Doctor Hearth hit a panic button in the central control board before he and the rest of the team fled out the door. I whipped my head upwards as vents opened, pumping out a clear gas that, after a few moments, knocked me unconscious.

  ***

  The next time I awoke in a different room and on a body board contraption that didn’t even let me wiggle my neck. The scientists monitored my brain activity. They repeatedly pointed to their notes and then back to the screen. I had almost forgotten where I was until reality hit me like a ton of bricks.

  “Get away from me!” I wrestled in the sheets.

  “It’s okay, it’s okay; just calm down.” A strange man stepped forward and tried to sooth me.

  “Who are you?”

  “We had to put you to sleep, but you’re okay now. We’re in the process of removing the demon....” I glanced over where the scientists indicated to find Evan pinned to the wall, a large eight bulb lamp facing him which radiated electromagnetic waves that crashed into his body. He grimaced in pain, his body convulsing as he cowered away from the contraption.

  “What are you doing?”

  “This helps break whatever hold they have on their host. We send intense electric shocks into him and just wait till the pain is too unbearable to maintain their hold. See, you’re perfectly fine, this doesn’t hurt you; it only hurts them. They usually let go within a few hours, so far it’s been…” He glanced down at his watch, “Oh, is that right? It’s just going on six hours.”

  “Stop it! Don’t hurt him!”

  “It shouldn’t be much longer; once we’re finished we’ll let you go.”

  A larger man walked up from behind him, and turned towards me with a huge syringe in his grip. Panic overwhelmed me again. With a sneeze, I was able to throw the doctor up into the air and his back hit the ceiling before hurling him across the room. The walls trembled as I thrashed. Staff came at me with more syringes and more rope to hold me down, which only escalated my fear. I couldn’t even speak out to tell them to stop, to just step away and let me breath. In my panic, I was able to knock over the lamp, releasing Evan from his bond. He rushed over immediately. Cold seeped from my neck collar again as Evan snarled and shoved the doctors off me. I began to calm, just enough to understand voices.

  “Get back, you’re only making it worse! Don’t touch her!” I vaguely remember him shouting before I blacked out.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven:

  When I next awoke, I had a severe headache and an upset stomach. I immediately rolled over and vomited over the side of the bed. There were tubes in my arms, feeding some sort of drug into my system. I tried to lift my hand, but my body was incredibly weakened. Evan appeared above me, glancing down and caressed my cheek. His face was blurred and darkened, so all I could really see were his eyes scolding through the haze. He spoke to me, but I couldn’t understand because everything tingled.

  “Rach? Rach?” He sounded exhausted. I rolled my head up to look at him.

  “Evan?” I replied in a raspy growl. I sounded worse. “What’s…. happening?”

  “They’ve drugged you. Rach, you need to wake up, they’re trying to tear us apart.”

  “Don’t…. Don’t…” My head rolled back against the pillow, sleep overtaking me again, “Don’t… let them.”

  During my long sleeps I would regain consciousness for brief moments. My sleeps were dreamless, so when I could hear noises or see images they jumped out at me like fireworks.

  “I’ve never seen a spirit react like that before. William had put it through the Transmission for two hours without a single beep…”

  “The spirit classified as ‘Evan’ is demonstrating behaviour patterns of abnormal heightened protection, unlike the other subjects that seemed to care more about their own well-being than that of their hosts…”

  “It’s stubborn, I can’t even get it to leave the room without her...”

  “Charge the voltage higher. Maybe we can destroy it…”

  “They brought in another one, room 13 D. It killed the host before we could get it out...”

  “Her chances are really low, look at these readings. Her health is already taking a hit…”

  “It’s time… we need to wake her up.”

  When I woke, the heaviness in my body that kept me anchored to the bed was gone. I still felt drowsy, but not to the point I couldn’t see or speak. The room shifted into a beige brown swirl.

  “She’s awake!”

  “Miss Hastings? Miss Hastings, can you hear me?”

  “Heart rate is just below 40.”

  “Rachael, look over here.” A torch shined into my eyes, causing me to wince. Voices surrounded the bleak space above my head and I was able to finally focus my eyes and understand where I was. Immediately, I shrank away, as the man at my side reached his hand out to sooth my palm.

  “Don’t panic. We’re not going to hurt you.” It was Doctor Hearth again, but this time dressed like the regular medical staff. He wore a strange type of computerized goggles that concealed his eyes from me.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re safe.” He adjusted his goggles and pulled them down around his neck. They were making strange noises like a mechanical hum. I glanced around and found that I was alone.

  “Where’s Evan?”

  “The demon? It’s in another room.”

  “What are those?” I asked and pointed at his goggles.

  “These allow me to see the demons, by using screens and electronic waves. Spirits can be invisible to the naked eye, unless you have a medium or a connection with the ghost; but we’ve managed ways to keep track of them. We kept you sedated to try and see if we can separate you from whatever that creature is inside your body. It seems unfazed by our current methods; it is not like the others. I was hoping you could tell us a bit more about what it is?”

  “You can’t.” I muttered, “It’s not a Banished.”

  “Banished?” He looked over his shoulder, “Is that what the demons are called?”

  I nodded, “Please, just let me go. I want to se
e my parents. I want to see Evan.”

  “Your attachment with the demon is what’s keeping it connected to you. Do you understand what is happening? These things kill their hosts and feel no remorse.”

  “He won’t kill me.” I growled.

  “It has to go to its resting spot. We need you to tell it to go away.”

  “He isn’t a bad person. He’s the one been keeping me safe.”

  “Safe? Safe from what?” I pressed my lips shut and lowered my head. I wasn’t bound to the bed this time which was a nice surprise. The Doctor sighed gently and stepped closer.

  “I understand you’re scared and you probably don’t trust us, but you need to know we’re on your side. You’re not the first patient we’ve seen that is protective of the demon. Many of the hosts have a type of Stockholm syndrome and empathise with the ghost. It will kill you, though, and that’s a guarantee. It’s in its nature. Let me explain to you everything that we are, maybe it’ll help you feel more at ease with us. Are you thirsty?”

  I nodded and he handed me a glass of orange juice. “It’s not drugged is it?” I snapped, but he chuckled lightly into his chest.

  “Promise, no more surprises. I’ll take you to Evan if you’ll like.”

  I nodded suspiciously, but it was a chance to get out of the bed and stretch my muscles. They had given me a change of clothes, an unflattering and very simple white gown often found in hospitals with white matching pants. I wobbled slightly as I stretched out my back, feeling the knots pull on my arms. My muscles ached and my skin felt clammy and tight. He took me out of my room and into the halls. He made special note to point out the strange tiling fitted along all the walls. The halls were symmetrical and painted in a static white, lights shone overhead and reflected off the tile making my eyes sting. A few doctors and nurses followed cautiously behind me until the Doctor shooed them away with a dismissive wave.

  “We’re an organisation founded after the so called ‘Apocalypse’ event. It has been brought to the attention of many that there is a spiritual world as powerful and as real as our own. It has also opened our eyes to the possibility that we are not alone on this planet and that bad spirits exist as much as the good. If you notice here, all of these walls are fitted with heavy lead with a magnetised shell, making it impossible for spirits to slip in and out of the room. It also makes it hard for other spirits to locate us; it creates a blockage for their receptors. They have to be made of something right? Even air is made up of particles, even if we may not be able to see or touch them.”

  As I walked along the hall, the rooms on either side housed patients much like myself. I sipped on my drink nervously, feeling that uneasy itch when wandering in an unfamiliar area. The windows lined along the walls were the size of 80 inch TV screens. It felt like the people inside the rooms were put on display, like animals in a zoo. I stopped by one window to watch a woman inside thrashing about on her back. She was throwing a tantrum like some two year old child. Standing in the corner, as strict and still as the walls, was her Banished ghost staring at the window without blinking. I felt as if he could see me, until I continued to walk and his eyes didn’t follow. He had golden eyes and a scarring frown, his head lowered and shoulders hunched menacingly. Despite his host’s distress, he seemed calm.

  “This one here calls himself Limbs; he has had that female host for only four weeks now and just look at her condition. She’s in constant fear and is plagued by unforgiving nightmares, images of horrific crimes I would never wish that on my enemy. In the beginning, she was also one of the hosts that fought to keep the demon, look how he repays her kindness. And over here....”

  He ushered me forward as we got to the next window, where a boy no older than I huddled on his bed. He didn’t seem distraught or in agony. He glanced over warily at the Banished female who was whispering something into his ear. She looked up at us smirking, while the boy nodded, copying her chilling smile. The last room in the corridor belonged to an older man and his Banished spirit. The scientists held up a type of metal prongs towards the ghost. It caused great distress for the Banished, but it appeared completely harmless to his male host. The Banished snarled and snapped, spitting at the scientists as he tried to disappear into ash only to be pinned to the wall. I couldn’t hear anything, but I could see the strain on its face as he roared.

  The Doctor stopped me as he clasped his hands together. “Here we have Throttle; he is a particular nasty demon. This is what we call a Weakening, where we chip away the bond between human and spirit using these electronic waves. It could take hours and regular sessions to detach the demon.”

  “How do you stop the demon from attaching to you?”

  The doctor motioned to his clothes, “Special clothing of course, just like in the walls.”

  “So, what do you do with them once they’ve released the Host?”

  “We put them in a special engineered jar for now, until we can figure out how to dispose of them entirely. So far, our collection is over 80,000.” He ushered me onwards, and we turned down another corridor littered with scientists all scribbling in their notebooks.

  “The director and founder had originally noticed abnormal behaviour in his son and young daughter not too long after the event. Some would have dismissed it as a phase or attention seeking, but when quizzed they could answer questions the children couldn’t possibly know without outside help. When their health appeared to unnaturally decline, he investigated the possibility of spiritual influences. These trapped spirits are like leeches, they have the ability to possess and drain the health and life from living people.” He stopped me outside a window with its blinds pulled, “Using ghost hunting technology we discovered there was a way to see these spirits and interact with them. We used a type of magnetised electric current that sends out waves of light that hit on the same wavelength as their ghostly bodies. We can trap them. We can hurt them and send them away. The sickening part was just how many demons there were among our population already without us even knowing. We caught a few and investigated their origins, tested out our machines, and theories. Based on our research, the demons have been here for centuries; but it’s only recently they are appearing in these vast numbers. Now why is that, you may wonder? We think it’s because someone or something tore open the pathway between our world and theirs. Like a doorway, they’ve been invited in. They want to take our world for themselves. We also think you may be carrying their leader.”

  “What? Do you mean Evan?” I scoffed.

  “No,” He pointed at my forehead, “There’s something inside you much more powerful. A different type of spirit. Something that is triggered only when you are mad or upset, but every time we trigger it, it ends up trying to hurt everyone. That’s why we’ve had to keep you sedated. You trashed the last room and put four of my best men in hospital wards.”

  “It can be anything emotional, not just anger. Fear is the strongest reaction. That’s why you shouldn’t lock me up like this, it’s dangerous.”

  “We just want to know what it wants. Is its purpose here to take over our world?”

  “No, of course not. It’s not a violent spirit; it’s just trapped in the middle of this stupid war…”

  “War? War between whom?”

  “The angels and the demons of course.”

  He crossed his arms, “You sure know a lot for someone who doesn’t know what they are doing.”

  I also crossed my arms, “I talk to them, not electrocute them. Why are you even holding me here? Am I under arrest?”

  “All of our patients need to be dealt with before they can return to society. You’re a bit more of a higher security risk!”

  “In other words, you kidnap people. I still have rights; you can’t just tie me up to a bed. I want to see my parents. And where’s Evan? I want to speak to Evan.”

  Doctor Hearth exhaled before tapping on the window. The curtain was pulled to the side, revealing an open room and three more radiating large lamps all turned towards Evan. H
e was curled up on the ground, arms over his head and knees drawn to his chest. Once they removed the lamps, his body loosened and unfolded.

  “Evan?” I planted two hands against the window before running through the door. The surrounding scientists all fell back as I dropped to my knees. My hands hovered above his body despite the itching temptation to scoop him into a stand.

  “Evan? Evan are you okay?”

  “I’m… okay….” He replied hoarsely, “Just… need… to rest…”

  “What did you do to him?” I shouted. Doctor Hearth had lost his smile, his face now a cruel frown as he turned back towards the door.

  “You can’t keep helping him! In the end we will destroy it; it’s for the good of the world. Please escort Ms. Rachael back to her room.” He opened the door and let himself out.

  I shouted out after him, “You’re not allowed to do this stuff anymore. Do you hear me? You cannot touch him anymore!” The walls shook as I hammered my hand against the ground, causing the tiles to crack and shatter. The door slammed behind him.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight:

  I sat with my back to the wall back in my cell, hugging my knees to my chest. I felt so small and frail, and so incredibly alone. Evan didn’t move a muscle as he slept, not even a twitch of his eyebrow or dreaming murmur. I hadn’t seen any of the scientists or the Doctor since this afternoon, but I knew they were watching me. I couldn’t sleep, so I just sat there, rocking back and forth, waiting for Evan to wake up. When his body rolled over, followed by a disgruntled groan, I sighed.

  “How are you feeling?” I scooted over so I could peer into his gaze. Evan cringed, expecting someone else before he let out a throaty laugh.

  “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

  “Seriously Evan…” He sat up and eased himself against the wall.

  “Well at least we know they can’t kill me, it just hurts like hell. Remind me to thank them when I feel better…” He grumbled before losing his smile all together. He looked up at me with a tender frown, “Something’s not right.”