“Ew!” Molly burst out. “No way am I sharing a room with him.”
Denise looked sympathetically at Xavier. “Lovers’ tiff?” she asked. “Don’t worry, honey, it’s the hormones. They’ll pass.”
“He’s the hormonal one,” Molly replied. “Moody as all hell.”
“Do you need any extras?” Denise asked. “Towels, shampoo, Internet access?”
“How about a gag?” Xavier muttered, casting a dark look at Molly.
“Oh, that’s real mature,” she said tartly.
“I’m not going to talk about maturity with a girl who thinks Africa is a country,” Xavier countered.
“It so is,” Molly insisted. “Like Australia.”
“The word you’re looking for is continent.”
“If I hear one more word out of you two …,” Ivy warned.
Denise shook her head, mildly amused. “I wouldn’t be a teenager again for all the money in the world.” Her attempt at lightening the mood was met with blank stares from both parties. She waited for the tension in the room to ease or at least for someone to express some kind of normal sentiment like exasperation, exhaustion, irritation. But they all just stared vacantly at her; too caught up in their own private worries to pay her much attention. “Well, enjoy your stay,” she said falteringly.
Gabriel leaned forward to take the keys and credit card Denise was holding out to him. I saw his fingers accidentally brush her hand and watched her body react to his touch. She seemed to lean involuntarily toward him and her hand flew to her mouth. Then she sagged against the desk as though that one bolt of intoxicating energy had left her thoroughly exhausted. She looked up into his eyes like molten silver and shivered. Gabriel brushed away the white blond hair that had fallen into his eyes and took a step back. “Thank you,” he said politely and strode from the lobby, Ivy floating alongside him like a fairy. Xavier and Molly followed wordlessly.
A diner adjoined the motel and seeing as it was nearly evening, they all found themselves gravitating in its direction. The diner was empty save for a lone trucker sitting in the back corner and a surly waitress chewing gum and lazily wiping down the countertops. Both looked up in surprise when the door jangled and Gabriel and the others entered. The trucker looked disinterested, too worn-out to study them properly and the waitress looked first shocked and then distinctly annoyed at having four new customers to attend to. Like Denise, she was clearly used to having time on her hands.
I took a moment to look around the diner; it was simple but clean and welcoming. A counter ran along the length of one wall where plump round stools were arranged in a line. The floor was black-and-white linoleum and the booths were upholstered in a burgundy vinyl. A blown-up poster of Elvis Presley was displayed on the wall above the counter; he smirked down at us wearing an upturned collar and a wicked gleam in his eye. The far wall was papered with a collage of newspaper clippings relating to local Fairhope news. The four chose a booth farthest away from prying ears and settled down.
“So are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Xavier asked immediately.
“Michael didn’t tell us much.” Ivy sighed. “We’re going into this blind so we really need to focus now.”
“There’s something in that convent,” Gabriel spoke almost to himself. “Something he expects us to find. He wouldn’t send us all this way unless it was a surefire lead.”
“Are you saying there could be a …” Xavier hesitated and lowered his voice. “A gateway we don’t know about?”
“Even if there was, there’s no way to get it open without a dem—” Gabriel broke off as he cast a glance around the deserted diner. The waitress was busy chatting to a friend on the phone. “Without a demon. They’re the only ones who know how.”
“But we’re going to hit up the abbey tonight?” Molly asked, sounding like a character in a spy movie. It was clear she felt left out and wanted to make some kind of contribution, no matter how inane. Xavier rolled his eyes at her choice of words, but made no comment. I could see he wanted to avoid another sparring match.
“We’ll go after dark,” Ivy replied. “We don’t want to be seen.”
“Won’t it be kinda creepy at night?”
“Feel free to stay at the motel,” my sister said calmly. “Though the convent is probably less frightening.”
“Can we please try and stick to the topic?” Xavier was growing exasperated. “You still haven’t told me what the guy at the gas station was going on about.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the tabletop. “What did he mean about the lightning storm?”
Ivy and Gabriel exchanged glances. “It might not be the best time to discuss it,” Ivy said, looking pointedly at Molly. “In fact, it might be better if you both stay at the motel tonight. Let Gabriel and I deal with this.”
“Like hell I’m staying behind,” Xavier said. “What are they hiding?”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” Molly said in a practical tone I’d never heard her use before. “I’ve seen enough freaky supernatural stuff by now. I can handle it.”
Gabriel pressed his hands flat against the table and regarded them both with a measured look.
“This is definitely not something either of you have encountered before.”
“Gabe …,” Xavier said earnestly. “I know you’re worried, but we’re in this together now. I’ve got more riding on this than you understand. You gotta trust me …” He glanced across at Molly and grudgingly rectified, “Trust us.”
“Fine,” Gabriel said quietly. “The lightning storm, the howling, the scratches on the porch … it all points to one thing.”
“No human could cause that sort of damage on their own,” Ivy added grimly. “We’re talking about nuns here, sisters who’ve devoted their lives to servitude. Think about it, what could possibly make these women lock themselves away from the world? What would be the worst thing imaginable in their eyes?”
Molly stared vacantly, but I could almost see the wheels turning in Xavier’s head. His clear, turquoise gaze widened when the pieces finally fell together. “No,” he said. “Seriously?”
“Looks that way,” Gabriel replied.
“Then, we have dealt with this before,” Xavier said. “Isn’t that exactly what Jake did last year?”
Gabriel shook his head. “That was mild compared to this. They were just spirits; temporarily harnessed to cause damage. This is the real thing and it’s a hundred times stronger … and more vicious.”
“Can somebody please tell me what you’re talking about?” Molly demanded, clearly fed up with being treated as though she were invisible.
Gabriel sighed heavily. “What we’re dealing with here is a case of demonic possession. I hope you’re ready.”
A weighty silence settled over the table, broken only by the soft tapping of a pencil against a pad as the waitress waited to take their order.
“What can I get for y’all?” she asked. She was pretty in a nondescript way with limp blond hair and too much foundation. Her expression told me she dreamed of a more glamorous life than being stuck in a dead-end diner with nothing to do but watch traffic on the highway.
The somber mood of my family failed to lift, and the waitress raised her eyebrows impatiently.
Molly was the first to snap back to normality and plaster a fake smile across her face.
“I’ll have the fried chicken and a Diet Coke,” she said sweetly. “Can I get ketchup with that?”
25
Get Thee to a Nunnery
I was surprised when Gabriel and Ivy decided to change and head straight to the abbey after dinner with Xavier and Molly in tow. It was close to ten o’clock and I’d assumed they would call it a night and wait until morning. But something must have made them feel they shouldn’t delay any longer.
Outside, the night air was crisp and the sky was a cape of royal blue velvet scattered with stars and wispy clouds. If it wasn’t for the threat that lurked behind the woods opposite the highway, I w
ould have felt entirely at peace. The sound of cicadas filled the air and a mild breeze played gently with Ivy’s hair before drifting off to ruffle the treetops. There was something about this place, a quiet dignity and a grace from a forgotten time. It held an air of mystery, as if the weeping willows knew something we didn’t.
Molly shivered as they crossed the highway and let themselves meld with the shadows dancing among the trees. She pulled her jacket tighter around herself and drew instinctively closer to Xavier. He slung an arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. I was relieved to see a flicker of his former self beneath the brooding exterior. I knew the stress was getting to him more every day, eroding his usual easygoing manner. It was part of the reason he and Molly were always at each other’s throats. He was at odds with himself, I realized. Half of him saw Molly as a connection to me as well as a reminder of our old lives at Bryce Hamilton. The other half couldn’t help but let his concern for my safety overwhelm him. At times like these I knew he both resented Molly for the séance and blamed himself for not being able to change the turn of events.
“You’ll be all right,” he told her. “We’ll all be all right.” I saw the faraway expression in his eyes and knew he was thinking of me. He had to believe I’d be okay in order to keep going. I needed him to believe it too. It was his faith that was keeping mine alive. I wondered if I should try and make my presence known to him, but I was too drained from the recent ordeal to be anything other than a passive spectator.
The woods grew thick and fast, but Gabriel’s finely tuned senses managed to quickly locate the dirt road Denise had mentioned. It was just wide enough to allow cars to pass through, but had been neglected over the last few months and bordering shrubs were already weaving their way across it. Tree branches hung low, drooping over the road, and clumps of sodden leaves muted the footsteps of visitors. The moonlight shining through the trees bathed the path in a milky gray light. A crescent moon dipped periodically behind the treetops plunging the path into occasional darkness. It was a good thing Gabriel and Ivy radiated light from their skin. It was faint, like the glow of a cell phone in a darkened room, but better than nothing. When an owl hooted from somewhere above, Molly stumbled and cursed under her breath. Almost imperceptibly, Gabriel dropped his pace so he fell into step with her. Although he didn’t say a word, she seemed soothed by his presence.
Soon the trees thinned and the looming shadow of the old convent became visible. The Abbey of Mary Immaculate was a three-level, whitewashed Gothic Revival building. It had an adjoining chapel with spires rising to pierce the night sky, a reminder to onlookers of the Lord’s lofty presence. There were rows of pointed windows across every floor, cast-iron gates and a gravel path leading to the front door. A lamppost illuminated the front garden with its grotto housing a statue of Our Lady as well as kneeling saints positioned among the tall grass. What was most disturbing was the derelict air of the place — the weeds that had sprouted up and overtaken the entrance to the chapel, the leaves that clogged the path and the boarded-up windows on the attic floor.
“I wonder how many sisters live here,” Xavier murmured. Gabriel closed his eyes and I knew he was reaching out and tapping into the history of the place, its life before recent events. He was always careful not to intrude too deeply on the private thoughts or feelings of individuals; he only brushed the surface to ascertain their identity. “There are twelve sisters in total,” he said eventually. “Including the one who is afflicted.”
“How did you know that?” Molly asked. “It looks like no one lives here at all.”
“Now is not the time to ask questions,” Ivy said patiently. “You will witness many things tonight that cannot be explained.”
“I find it’s easier if you don’t overthink it,” Xavier advised.
“Just how am I supposed to do that?” Molly complained. “I feel like I’m waiting for someone to jump out and tell me I’ve been punk’d.”
“I think they only punk famous people,” Xavier said under his breath.
Molly looked annoyed. “That’s not helpful!”
“Look.” Xavier turned to face her. “Let me try and help you out here. You know when you’re watching a horror movie and the character always decides to go into the dark room where the killer’s waiting?”
“Yeah?” Molly said blankly.
“Do you ask why the character’s dumb enough to go into that room?”
“Well, no, it’s a movie. You just go with it.”
“Exactly,” Xavier said. “Think of this like a movie and don’t ask questions. You’ll only make things harder on yourself if you do.”
Molly looked like she wanted to argue, but a moment later she bit her lip and nodded hesitantly.
The locked gates opened easily at Gabriel’s command and the group slowly approached the steps of the abbey’s front porch. I saw the concern on Ivy’s face intensify — deep, uneven grooves were etched into the timber boards, at least half an inch deep. They extended along the front and veered sharply off toward one of the windows as if someone had been dragged back inside after putting up one hell of a fight. My mind immediately thought of the poor human who had been possessed to act in such a way. The scratches in the porch were deep enough that shards of wood must have been driven beneath her nails. I shuddered to think what other damage had been done to the afflicted sister.
The wraparound porch was long and sheltered with pretty white awnings and posts. A pair of wicker rocking chairs sat beside a table still set for afternoon tea. Insects had laid claim to the biscuits on the plate and the tea in the china cups had grown moldy. A string of rosary beads lay on the ground as if someone had dropped them in a great hurry. The screen door looked scratched and the mesh torn as if someone had tried to rip it from its hinges. Xavier and Gabriel exchanged uncertain glances.
“Here goes,” Xavier said with a heavy sigh. He reached out and lightly pressed the brass doorbell. Immediately the sound of chimes echoed dimly from within. For several long minutes they were met with nothing but silence.
“They can’t ignore us forever.” Ivy folded her arms across her chest. “Ring again.”
Xavier obliged, holding the bell down longer. The chimes reverberated more loudly this time, sounding almost ominous as if heralding a message of impending disaster. If only the sisters knew that help was waiting outside. There was a rustling sound in the foyer, but the door remained unopened. Ivy or Gabriel could have blown it apart in a heartbeat, but I supposed that wasn’t the best impression to make when trying to convince a nervous nun that you’re on the same side.
“Please open the door.” Gabriel leaned against the fly screen, his words coaxing. “We’ve come to help.” The door opened a crack, the security chain still on. A face appeared and surveyed my brother with caution.
“My name is Gabriel, this is my sister and these are our friends,” he continued soothingly. “May I ask your name?”
“I’m Sister Faith,” the nun replied. “Why are you here?” She was soft-spoken, but I could hear her voice was distorted with fear. Ivy decided to step forward and declare their intentions.
“We know about Sister Mary Clare and the cause of her illness,” she said in a voice filled with compassion. “You don’t have to hide anymore. The creature that has overtaken her — we can send it away.”
“You can do that?” Hope crept into the nun’s voice, but only for an instant before she became suspicious again. “I’m sorry I don’t believe you. We’ve called on every priest and minister in the county. They’re powerless against it. What makes you any different?”
“You have to trust us,” Ivy’s said solemnly.
“Trust is somethin’ we’re a little short on these days.” The nun’s voice broke off with a quiver.
“We know things,” Ivy pressed. “We have knowledge others cannot possess.”
“How can I be sure you’re not one of them.”
“I take it you believe in God, Sister,” Gabriel said.
“I’ve seen things …” Sister Faith’s voice faltered, as though she were unsure what to believe anymore. Then she remembered herself. “Of course I do.”
“Then believe that He is here now,” Gabriel said. “I know your faith has been tested in the extreme, but it is not without cause. You have been touched by darkness, but you have not been broken. Now you shall be touched by light. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us in, Sister; let God return to your home. If you turn us away you are succumbing to darkness.”
Molly stared openmouthed at my brother and there was a dead silence from inside the house. Then, slowly, the security chain was released and the front door of the abbey swung open. Sister Faith stood in the doorway, her eyes filled with tears.
“Oh my stars,” she whispered. “So He has not forsaken us.” Sister Faith was a robust-looking woman in her sixties with pale skin and a fresh-scrubbed face. Faint wrinkles were etched around her eyes and mouth and I wondered how many of those she had accumulated over the last few months. A lamp on the hall table illuminated the wide foyer and curved staircase, but there was a stale smell in the air.
While Gabriel and the others made their introductions I moved away to study the framed black-and-white photographs on the wall. The glass in every frame had been shattered so the images were blurred, but I saw they recorded the official opening of the convent in 1863. Originally the convent had been built to house a group of Irish nuns who ran it for half a century as an orphanage and refuge for young women who’d fallen into disrepute.
Sister Faith led us silently past a parlor where rows of thin mattresses had been lined up on the floor — the sisters were clearly too afraid to sleep upstairs. As we climbed the sweeping staircase I caught a glimpse of the storerooms, infirmary, and a rustic-looking kitchen all located on the ground floor. The place would have been beautiful once; cozy in winter, bright and airy in the summer, but now it was a broken home. The kitchen floor was littered with broken utensils as if someone had thrown them around the room. Broken chairs were stacked in a corner and torn linen lay in a heap by the door. I guessed from these observations that the sisters had tried to expel the demon on their own with little success. I looked away from the shredded pages of a Holy Bible. The sight made something deep inside me churn. It was strange to visit an earthly location so damaged by demonic activity. Something fierce and terrible had shaken the house to its very foundations, knocking over ceramic vases and toppling furniture. It was also stiflingly warm, and even in my spirit form I felt the heat crawling across my skin as though it were alive. Molly immediately tore off her jacket, but the others didn’t move, despite their discomfort.
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