Thriller: Horror: Spirit Doll (Mystery Suspense Thrillers) (Haunted Paranormal Short Story)

by Stephen Kingston

  Fire and smoke began to pour out of the doll’s throat, but the priest remained vigilant. His flesh had to be burning but he ignored the pain and continued to suppress the evil doll.

  “Release yourself vile evil!” Jacobs yelled.

  The doll appeared to be choking, gurgling sounds erupting from its throat. Finally it let out a hideous roar that echoed throughout the house and Lilly observed a dark, shadowy silhouette rising out of the doll. Once freed from the doll it began to whirl around the room, screaming a high pitched wail that echoed in her head. She covered Chrissy’s fragile ears with her hands and grunted at the pain in her own ears.

  “Show yourself demon!” The priest shouted as he flung holy water at the shadow. The screaming intensified as the beast began to whirl around the room at rapid speed.

  “What is your name?” The priest shouted. “God demands it!”

  The demon seemed to be pinned to the far wall at the moment. It had stopped moving. Lilly kept thinking of what it would have been like to stab the demon in the heart and hear it scream. She wanted to pin it to the wall with a big knife. That would have been so satisfying.

  “Tell me your name!” The priest shouted again throwing more holy water at the apparition. Puffs of smoke appeared as each drop touched the demon. It smelled like sulfur.

  “Regehl!” A loud booming voice screamed in pain. It was so deep and thunderous that the word was almost impossible to recite.

  “I know thee now! I know thee now! Regehl! God commands you to depart this world! You are not welcomed here. You cannot touch God’s children!”

  The beast let out a huge wail and began to fizzle, slowly disappearing right before their eyes as the screaming continued. The whole process seemed to last minutes, but couldn’t have been more than seconds.

  Suddenly it was gone.

  The house was silent. Suddenly Lilly could feel the weight being sucked out of the air. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to breathe fresh, light air into her lungs. The air in the house had been thick and heavy only seconds ago, making breathing laborious. She had almost gotten used to it. As she breathed in the sweet new air she felt so free.

  Chrissy was crying. She had her face buried in her mother’s chest, and Lilly held her tightly. It was over. She knew it was over and that nothing was going to hurt her little girl. She was safe.

  “I can’t believe it’s gone,” Brad said. He had not spoken for a while and it was so beautiful to hear his real voice again. Lilly held him close to her and kissed him sweetly. He grabbed Chrissy and held her close to him. She changed positions, having obviously missed him.

  “Welcome back, Daddy,” Chrissy said.

  The sentiment almost broke Lilly’s heart and she could not fight the tears.

  “Wow, that was intense,” Mary said standing up to inspect the wall where the demon had been cornered. She rubbed her hand over the drywall as if trying to wrap her head around where the damn thing had gone.

  “Is it over?” Rory asked.

  “Almost,” said the priest. “We still have to seal the doorway.”

  He grabbed the doll off the floor, ignoring the broken cross that fell from its mouth. He grabbed the doll and wrapped it up in a ceremonial shroud. He sprinkled this with holy water and began to say a prayer in Latin over it. The whole thing took only about thirty seconds, and no one uttered a word during that time. It was just an unspoken law that they didn’t bother the priest when he was reciting ancient spells to lift curses.

  The priest put the wrapped up doll in a bag and zipped it up tightly.

  “I will put this doll in a safe place where it can’t cause trouble again.”

  “So the doll can never be just a doll?” Lilly asked.

  “No. It is cursed and once cursed it will never become just an ordinary object. I have placed a shroud over the portal. So it is like the portal is hidden from the other world and from ours, but it is not gone. It is still a doorway and it is only a matter of time before another spirit finds it, either by chance or by human error. I have to make sure it can’t be disturbed again.”

  “We understand,” Brad said.

  “So, is that why the doll attacked Rachel? Because she tried to do something that couldn’t really be done?” Rory asked.

  “No. The doll attacked me too. Her mistake was thinking the doll was just a trick and had no actual power. She did not realize that the demon was utilizing the doll as a vehicle and as an instrument of power.”

  Rory and Mary both nodded at each other as if they understood. Lilly was not sure that they understood anything about it. Looking back she was thrilled that she had contacted the team about the issues they were having with the demon because they had brought Father Jacobs there, but the team itself were amateurs at best and the leader had almost gotten killed. It kind of pissed her off that they had passed themselves off as experts. While she was sure they had done a lot of jobs and worked together for a long time, it seemed that they were really just flying by the seat of their pants most of the time.

  But it was over now. She could not believe it. The relief that was falling over her was huge, but she still felt so apprehensive. It felt as if there was something else they had forgotten about.

  She continued to focus on her breathing, enjoying the fresh air that no longer smelled like rotting flesh, which she had learned was the stench of a demon. It also explained why the smell would follow her around the house at times and linger in the same spot at others.

  The priest packed up his things and the doll and walked out of the house. He barely said goodbye, but Lilly forced herself to thank him all the same. He didn’t seem like he wanted a thank you and it was almost as if he considered the gesture odd. She wasn’t sure why he didn’t want a thank you for a job well done, but she tried to pretend like she didn’t notice.

  Back inside the house Mary and Rory began to pack up their equipment, which had pretty much not recorded a damn thing. It was all a bunch of fancy and expensive stuff that made them seem much more credible, but Lilly was not impressed by this at all. She wondered if they would actually be able to help the people on the next case they worked on.

  She wasn’t sure why she was so bitter at them. They had done their best and tried to help. They had also fucked up royally and almost gotten them all killed because they underestimated what they were up against and what they needed to do to fix it. They should have admitted that they were in over their heads on this one and just brought the priest in right away. Rachel would not be in the hospital right now if they had done that. It was just plain arrogance and bravado as far as Lilly could tell. She did not respect people like that.

  But she tried to be civil. They were just kids after all.

  The team left and gave her their card just in case anything else happened. Lilly tossed it in the trash. She was damn sure hoping that she didn’t have to call anyone again. She had seen enough and had been through enough that she was fairly certain that she and Brad might be able to take care of some things if it went awry again.

  But the doll was gone. She hoped they never had to set eyes on the damn thing again. As the days rolled past Lilly and her family tried to get back into the swing of things and get back to normal. It was pretty smooth sailing for her and Brad. They didn’t really talk much about the way he had been acting for the first few days. But then about four days after the exorcism they were lying in bed and he began to open up to her about the way he had felt and why he had acted like he did.

  “It was the weirdest thing; it was like I was looking at myself from outside of my own body. I was watching me say things and do things that were not like me, but I was powerless to do anything. I couldn’t snap out of it. I was just so convinced that you were crazy and that you were just wasting your time.”

  “I know. It’s OK. I understand exactly what was going on inside your mind now,” Lilly said. “I’m sorry it was so hard on you.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I should have been there to support you and to
let you know I was behind you. Instead I acted like your enemy and I left you basically alone to face this thing. My own fear put my family in danger. I will never forgive myself for that.”

  Lilly leaned forward and kissed Brad gently, letting her arms hang around his neck as she enjoyed the small snuggle. She had missed this so much. It felt so good to have everything back to normal again. Brad was almost getting annoying trying to over please her because he felt so damn guilty about the way he had acted.

  He had still not fully understood what was going on because he had removed himself from everything so completely. Lilly had to go over things several times with him. It was all still blowing his mind.

  Lilly herself had been a bit of a nervous wreck as she had tried to readjust to things. She had to constantly fight the urge to look over her shoulder and to be afraid. It just felt like the demon was going to come back and it was just playing possum right now. It was silly, she knew, but she could not help the way she was feeling. It was just so damn strong.

  But it was getting easier every day. She was going longer periods of time without thinking about it or worrying about it. She was actually getting back into her work and things were starting to pick up dramatically in her career. She was finding herself working crazy hours since the exorcism. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing that would be remotely related, but she couldn’t explain it. Suddenly she had more work than she was almost able to do. She had actually started turning down some stuff.

  Chrissy had been too terrified to sleep by herself since the ordeal. Lilly half expected that, so they had set up a little bed for her in their room. She felt much safer in there now, but she still woke up all hours of the night screaming that something was going to get her. Lilly found herself completely exhausted half the time because she slept very lightly, almost with one eye open so that she could rush to Chrissy’s aid when she woke up screaming with her night terrors.

  She knew that her daughter was going to be traumatized from this for quite some time, but she hoped that with her age being so young that she would eventually get over it. She had thought about taking her daughter for therapy, but she felt she was too young for anything like that to even be effective. Besides if Chrissy told anyone what had really happened in their home recently they would think she was crazy and might put her in some place for evaluation. Believing in monsters and ghosts was one thing—all kids went through that stage, but being terrified to the point that she was unable to sleep or basically be left alone anywhere was different.

  Lilly just hoped that she was able to straighten up by the time she had to sign her up for Kindergarten next year. Otherwise she would have to hold her back a year.

  It made Lilly so angry. She knew that her daughter was in pain and that she was scared out of her mind all the time, but there was nothing she could do to really ease that pain. It was just something that was going to have to run its course. She had spoken to the priest about it, but he didn’t have any other ideas that were helpful. He performed exorcisms; he was not a psychologist. He knew that this sort of thing often left deep impressions on people, especially children.

  Lilly was afraid of that. All she could do now was let her daughter know that she was safe. Hopefully with time when nothing like this happened again she would come to realize that she was safe.

  Rachel was doing fine. She was released from the hospital about a week after the exorcism. She had called Lilly to apologize for not being able to help more. She explained that no matter how much experience you had with the paranormal you could still be fooled and tricked. These forces were superiorly cunning and ruthless. They were often beings that had existed since the dawn of creation; they had a bit of a leg up in a fight.

  Lilly understood and she was thrilled that Rachel was going to be OK. It had been a miracle. She no longer held any resentment or ill will towards Rachel’s team. They had done the best they could and they had brought Father Jacobs. Without him this ordeal would probably still be going on. Her little girl might even be dead.

  She would be forever indebted to the priest for what he had done for their family.

  Lilly though about what would have happened if Brad had never spotted that hut on the street. What if he had never brought that stupid doll home? What if he had not felt like walking around that day? Just the odd coincidence of experience amazed her. How the tiniest little insignificant things could drastically alter your life.

  She found herself thinking about this more and more and second guessing everything she did and everything that happened to her no matter how trivial. Was everything chaotic? Or was it all planned out according to some divine schedule?

  Lilly wasn’t sure, but she knew that she would always wonder from then on.

  The End

  BONUS

  Thank you for supporting this book. To extend your reading pleasure, here is a selection of books that I think you may enjoy.

  Still Birth

  Horror

  About the Book

  In the hills of western North Carolina in the late 1970s a secret was born that would spread its terror through the lives of many. For friends Anne, Joan, and Meg that secret would mean a life locked away in a haze, death, and questions that would go unanswered. As the women, all on the verge of giving birth, wonder what the future holds for their children the machinations of others will prove more powerful than even a mother’s love.

  In the present day the secrets of the past can have consequences and Inga Parr is soon going to find that out. As she digs for the truth about who her parents are and how she came to be adopted Inga uncovers long buried secrets and tales of insanity. And the victims of the past aren’t all dead and gone. Inga races to find out the truth about her own past and about the women who have been disappearing from Louisa Falls for years. Can she uncover the truth before it’s too late or will she fall victim herself to a decades old secret?

  Prologue

  Present Day, Louisa Falls, North Carolina

  A cold, howling wind blows across the lonely mountain cemetery and a newly dug grave waits to be filled. Two workers, middle-aged men of nondescript demeanors stood over the grave talking quietly with each other. One, obviously not as mentally capable as the other, looked incredibly sad as he stood over the empty grave, the casket waiting to be put into position and lowered into the ground.

  “I heard she lost her mind after her baby was born dead and she was never the same. She ran off all of her friends and family with her crazy talk and searching for some woman that disappeared at the same time.” The smartest of the pair said.

  “Oh, Momma told me the woman was some lady that disappeared years ago, another one that lost her mind after her baby was born dead.” The dimmer man spoke.

  “Lord have mercy, Ed, you’ll believe anything won’t you? I’ve heard others saying she was just an old drug addict, smacked out of her mind on dope. Anyway, she’s here alone today, and I’ve heard tale that hospital’s been haunted ever since she died in it. Patients keep getting bothered by some women screaming and wailing for her baby. People don’t even want to go there in emergencies now and it’s the only hospital for 30 miles!” The other one said.

  “You ain’t got to be so mean, Henry! Besides, you’re not so smart yourself, are you?” Ed said, his feelings obviously hurt as he took his hat off and bowed his head before they started the rest of their work. “That hospital’s been closed for ages now so how would anyone be haunting the patients? See, I’m not stupid, just slow.”

  “You’re right, Ed, sorry buddy. Let’s get this over with, I’m spooked today and want to get back to the fire in the office. I can’t take much more of this outdoor work in cold weather…” Henry’s words trailed off as they began to lower the coffin into the ground, not even a priest coming out to say a few words over the grave.

  Some distance away a young woman stood behind a tree, watching the proceedings, before walking away as the men lowered the coffin into the grave. She’d find no answers here today
.

  Chapter One

  April 1977, Charlotte, North Carolina

  Anne Rasnake looked around the sparsely furnished office and wondered just what she’d managed to get herself into this time. She knew, of course, her body told her exactly what she’d got herself into each morning as she rushed for the bathroom and through the absence of a very necessary part of a woman’s life. Anne held out hope, however, that these signs were somehow wrong and she was only being a silly, naïve girl.

  She’d chosen the doctor’s office for a reason; it was far from Charlotte, where people knew her, and even further from her mountain home. Nobody could tell on her from here. Her nerves tensed as she heard the doctor speaking with the nurse outside. Panic set in that perhaps her secret had been discovered and she jerked out of her seat to run out of the office before the doctor could confront her. Anne knew what the doctor was going to tell her but didn’t want to hear the news. Because the father of the child was a secret she had to keep hidden, even from the doctor.

  Anne turned to leave the room, her hand reaching for the door just as it opened. Her eyes widened as her pulse raced and she stared open-mouthed at the doctor as he walked in the door. Her hand over her heart in a futile attempt to calm the racing organ, Anne looked at the doctor guiltily. He’d found out somehow, she just knew it.

  Doctor Rogers looked at Anne, confused as to why she looked so terrified, and guided her back to the chair in front of his desk. His gentle hand encircled her wrist for a moment and Anne knew he could feel her pulse racing and see her fear. How do you explain that to a man who thought you were happily married and joyful at the news he might bring?

  “Well, Mrs. Rasnake, it would appear your suspicions were correct, you are expecting a little bundle of joy. Your blood tests confirmed that. Now, as this is your first time visiting us we need a little bit of information from you so we can get an idea of your medical background and what we should keep an eye out for during your pregnancy. Mrs. Rasnake? Are you alright, ma’am?” Doctor Rogers had finally noticed her crestfallen look and the shattered nerves that were causing her to tremble as she clutched at her handbag, trying to find her handkerchief.