The Haunting of Cragg Hill House

by Elyse Salpeter

  “A gift from you, Tanha? The only gift I wish is for you to return home where you belong. You know what happens if you deny me.” His voice took on an ominous tone.

  She shook her head and laughed. “You will never learn, will you? I am home, Father. Your threats mean nothing. You no longer have any power over me in the Earth realms. You know that.”

  “So you think, Tanha.”

  “So I know.”

  A sly, wicked grin spread across his face. “You will die again one day in this lifetime, you know. It’s only a matter of time.”

  She read his veiled threat easily in his eyes, but it meant nothing to her. He could not touch her, even when this lifetime ended. The Emperor and Empress had expressly told her so and she believed them. “Don’t try to intimidate me, because it won’t work. I’ve made my intentions to you clear and you did your best to destroy them for more centuries than I care to recount. Now let me release these fiends and be on my way. I will take care of them for you.”

  “You say you will take care of them for me, but you haven’t yet, have you? Why not, Tanha? What’s holding you back? Is it perhaps because you possibly need your father’s help?” He laughed uproariously and everyone in the meeting chamber stopped what they were doing and joined along with him. He silenced them all with a wave of his hand and then stared down at Kelsey. “A child always needs her father, doesn’t she?”

  Kelsey squinted. “You know very well I can’t go to the hell realms myself any longer. Do you wish me to rid you of these Onis or not? I can always take myself back to Earth and let you clean up their mess yourself. A simple thank you would have sufficed.” The male Oni began to struggle again, so Kelsey pressed harder on his skull with her foot and the pressure broke off one of his horns. The demon screamed in agony, but it had no effect on Kelsey. In fact, the sound of the bone breaking was satisfying and she realized she wanted to hurt it more. She pressed harder, and when he flinched in pain again, an exquisite pulse of pure joy rippled through her entire body from her head to her toes. She gently pressed again and the squeal brought another ripple of pleasure.

  Mara noticed and a wide grin spread across his face. “You enjoy that don’t you, daughter. You’re more savage here, Tanha. I know you can feel that, because I can. Why do you continually fight your urges by choosing to be human? To be something you are not? You are a goddess, and by my side you can rule all the kingdoms and take that pleasure whenever you wish. There is no need to evolve any further as a simple human. You’ve experienced enough. Come back home and you can exist in pure pleasure for eternity.”

  Kelsey heard her father’s words and could not deny their truth as the little ripples of pleasure slowly subsided. She felt the might of this land deep in her being. She was powerful here, and after everything else she’d experienced over the past year, she knew she could be nearly as strong as her father. She’d experienced more things and acquired more abilities like no other creature in the entire universe. There was nothing and no one who would get in her way if she returned to her father’s kingdom. If she returned to being a demon Princess of the Hell Realms she could do anything she pleased.

  “Kelsey, no. Remember who you are…” That thought flickered in her mind and she pushed the last bit of desire aside. She didn’t want the path her father spoke of. The hell realms were not part of her journey and she was certain they never would be again. She truly believed the righteous path was to live her life in honor, and she was determined to keep learning and growing, despite the pleasures her body felt. Mara was going to be greatly disappointed.

  She shook her head. “I’m not coming home, Father. You cannot tempt me. Now either help me or don’t. I will finish this for you and go home to where I belong. Send me to where these creatures will do their penance and our business will be done.”

  Mara stared hard at his daughter. “Then at least take your pearls.” He tossed them at her and she caught the strands with one hand.

  And then, with a snap of his fingers, Kelsey and the Onis vanished.

  #

  The realm Mara sent them to was one of darkness and death. Only the light of a dim, sickly yellow moon lit the land. The ground under her feet crunched and she was keenly aware it was thick with the broken skulls of the dead. She remembered this world. When she was young, Mara would let her practice her torture skills on some of the unfortunates he sent here. Setting them on fire where they’d burn to dust was one little playtime activity she used to love to do.

  Hordes of Hungry Ghosts circled about her. Their bloated bodies and thin, elongated necks floated throughout the land. Food would appear in front of these pitiful creatures, and they’d try to eat, but the morsels would turn to fire and ash when they entered their mouths. Other portions appeared, but were too big to fit down their narrow throats and they could not swallow these morsels for fear of gagging and choking. Their moans and cries of ravenous hunger and despair filled the land. It didn’t have an ounce of effect upon her. As humans they’d been depraved individuals and fully deserved this fate.

  Kelsey and the Oni Demons fell to the ground. Kelsey immediately reared up and tripled her size until she stood tall before the gigantic humanoid troll-like beings in front of her. Now released, they’d morphed into their true shape, but she was not frightened in the least. In fact, she felt electrified. She knew who she was. She felt powerful here, too. Stronger. This was a hell realm, and as the daughter of the Buddhist Devil, she reigned over all.

  The female Oni pointed her six red fingers at Kelsey and shook her wild mane of hair. Two horns protruded from her skull. Her mate resembled her greatly, though his skin was blue instead of red, and he had three eyes. Only a single horn protruded from his skull. The other was a ragged piece of bloody bone from where she’d broken it off. Each of the Onis held an iron club in one hand and raised it high as if to strike her.

  Kelsey laughed and the sound echoed across the land, sending the Hungry Ghosts around her fleeing in terror. She could feel the essence of the hell realm tingling in every part of her being, calling to her that she was finally home. She wiggled her fingers and fire lit from the tips and danced as she pointed them at the Onis. Calling her powers to her was as easy as breathing. She laughed at the demons. “And what will you do to me with those pitiful clubs? You think you can defeat me? Are you planning to beat me to death?” she mocked.

  A memory came to her. Another lesson from her father. She wondered if she could use it now.

  Kelsey closed her eyes and wished. When she opened her hand, she was elated to find it was filled with rice. She tossed it towards the Onis and the rice scattered at the demons’ feet.

  The Female Oni cackled in astonishment. “Rice? That is your big weapon, oh great Princess of the Underworld? And what will that possibly do to us, little girl? Daughter of Mara? Betrayer of her father? You couldn’t even take us here by yourself, could you? Like a child, your father had to send you. You are a disgrace to your Kingdom and to every kingdom in the realms. We will do your father a favor by killing you and devouring your soul when this is over. Do you actually believe the myths of rice and grain will actually work against us? That’s just fairytales and folklore to keep humans in check. So they think they have some control. We reign in this realm, Princess. Not you. We are the keepers of your human soul and the guardians of this realm, and will consume you and there is nothing you can do about it. Your father is not here to protect you.”

  “I don’t need my father to protect me, servant. I never have.” Kelsey flicked her fingers and a bolt of lightning shot from the tips towards the rice and lit it up, creating a ring of fire around the Onis and entrapping them. They tried to escape, but the wall stopped them and they screamed in frustration.

  “You should believe more in the myths. Find your way out of this hell now, demons.”

  And she left.

  #

  Kelsey awoke on the attic floor in the frigid room. It was so cold her body nearly shook with shivers, but she begged
her muscles to remain as still as possible so she didn’t give herself away. She opened her eyes a fraction of an inch and noticed Pago searching the attic in desperation. He whirled around excitedly. “They’re back. I feel them now. The mother and father are somewhere close, but they are trapped!”

  Pago’s gift of sight was powerful and Kelsey understood clearly why he was a Shaman in his clan.

  “Trapped?” Jenella cried. “We must free them!” With a moan of despair, Jenella dropped to her knees and Isa ran to her side to comfort her.

  Kelsey noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Billy now hid behind a toppled armoire, with her Phurba dagger gripped tightly in his hand. He glanced up at the empty space above him, and though no one was there, he listened as if someone spoke to him. Kelsey could feel the spirit of Roselyn next to him. She could discern her faint outline.

  With a nod, Billy disappeared around a pile of boxes. Before Kelsey could figure out a way to get to Josh without anyone noticing, the elderly man she’d seen earlier made a high-pitched squeal and flew out of the hidden rafters near where Billy had vanished. He held her Phurba dagger high over his head, and his long toenails made clicking sounds as he hobbled across the room directly towards her.

  “Hey, stop!” Desmond cried out, recognizing, before Kelsey did, what was about to happen. Desmond’s call to her was too late. The man plunged the dagger deep in Kelsey’s leg before she could react.

  Kelsey heard Desmond shouting, but her own shocked screams drowned him out. The moment the blade touched her skin, every remaining window in the attic shattered. Two roars of unspeakable evil resonated through the hotel and most assuredly brought everyone from all parts of the inn to their knees in fear. Two shadowy creatures emerged from Kelsey’s body and floated above her. They were in the Oni form, and Kelsey heard the others gasp. Now she knew why this man attacked her. Kelsey had trapped the Onis so they couldn’t leave the hell realm, but the only way to release them from her body was to use the Phurba dagger. Only then would they be trapped and unable to come back to this world. She’d forgotten that part of the lore. She also had forgotten she was going to have to sacrifice and hurt herself, yet again, to free herself. But how did this man know this?

  Kelsey gritted her teeth against the agony and gripped the hilt of the dagger sticking out of her thigh. With a grunt of pain, she pulled it out and blood began to spurt from her leg. She glanced up quickly to see if the man who’d struck her was going to attack her again, but while he had seemed lucid a moment before, now he’d fallen to the floor in a convulsive fit and did nothing to stop her.

  “Kelsey! Are you okay?” Desmond called out, desperately.

  Her hands shook as she took off her belt and wrapped it tightly around her thigh as a tourniquet. The girls on the floor were screaming incoherently again. Kelsey understood. The Onis are back. When they are here, they must control these people.

  The woman who sat next to Jenella called out. “Ridley, do I do it now?”

  Ridley raised his head with considerable effort and tried to rise, but couldn’t. But then the shadowy form of Roslyn enveloped him, as if protectively, and he found his voice. “Yes, Isa, take them in. Roselyn is here with us in spirit form, and says she will help you. We must end this now and forever.” His voice was raspy and slurred, and his hand jerked when he spoke, but his eyes were clear. And then he fell to his knees in agony. “Please, I’m sorry!” he called out to no one. “We have no other choice!” Something threw Ridley to the floor, and the shadowy form of Roslyn fled. Kelsey was sure it was the Onis punishing him.

  Isa stood bravely, a look of both fear and resolve stamped on her features. “Spirit Mother and Father, come to me!” She called out. “I will hold you! I will protect you.” Both spirit creatures violently descended upon her and her body bucked with their weight.

  Pago yelled out. “Isa, what are you doing? You’re not strong enough! Spirit Father, come to me, not her!”

  But instead the creatures descended upon Isa. His sister gritted her teeth. “No, you can’t help me, Pago. Not with this. Now go away!” She brushed him off and fell to her knees in pain.

  Billy sneaked out of the clutter and tossed rice around Isa. He glanced around at empty air. “Roselyn, is that enough? More?” He listened, nodded and threw another handful.

  Pago pushed the boy aside and Billy tumbled to the floor. “Get away from her!”

  Before their very eyes, Isa’s form appeared to shrink and thin as her form stretched and contorted into inhuman proportions. Blood dribbled from her eyes and mouth and her agonized screams filled the attic. Pago reached for her again to take some control, but Ridley launched himself from where he sat and pushed him roughly to the ground. Then, in a single movement Ridley turned to Isa and plunged the Phurba dagger deep into her chest, killing her.

  “Ridley, what have you done?” Pago gasped in horror and disbelief. He lunged toward Ridley to pull him off his sister, but the ghostly form of Roselyn returned, rammed into him from behind and pushed Pago to the ground.

  Ridley looked towards the shadow. “Roselyn, go now when you can! Don’t let them get you!”

  The shadowy mist hesitated for just a moment and then drifted across the attic and out through the open windows.

  Jenella rose and stared at the ghostly form. “Grandma Micella? Is that you?” She stumbled to the window after the fleeing soul and watched her soar out the window.

  “Grandmother, come back! You need to wait. Please, you’ll never be reborn!” In desperation Jenella climbed onto the windowsill and reached out her hand as if to catch hold of her. “Please, come back. You must have a guide!” A sharp crack sounded and the window frame split apart, sending Jenella tumbling out the window into the stormy night and disappearing from sight.

  “Mother, no!” Tooh stumbled to the broken window and stared outside. With a sob, he fell to his knees after seeing his mother’s broken body in the snow bed below.

  Kelsey began to inch herself painfully over to Josh, dragging her lame leg behind her, but she kept her eyes trained on Tooh. His face was screwed into an expression she had not seen on him before. He stared at Dooley with an expression of pure hate. “You! I blame you for all of this! You and your Great Grandfather did this to us. We were fine before your family came.” He lumbered back and grabbed the gun from the floor and pointed it at Dooley. “Ezerel gave our family your wasting disease.”

  Dooley glared and stood his ground. “He is your grandfather, too, Tooh, or did you forget that? Without him, you wouldn’t even be here. To you and your family, he gave you nothing but life. The chance to continue your religion. When our grandfather mated with Mawai and started your family line, he linked us and we were able to give you and your family the gift of life with our blood. Our blood healed your family! It made your Kuru disease dormant so you could continue to honor your dead and not suffer this horrific wasting disease. You could continue your faith, even though the laws of the world forbid it. That is what our Spirit Mother and Father have taught us. It is why every one of your family has moved on, because of them.”

  “All lies,” Kelsey thought.

  Tooh’s hands shook. “And in return, we had to feed you and your clan flesh. Parts of our own bodies. Or sacrifice our loved ones to you, so you wouldn’t get sick,” he spit out. “I’m done with this!”

  Pago shook his head and took a hesitant step forward. “No, Tooh. We sacrificed for our Spirit Mother and Father, not them. Please cousin, put down the gun. Dooley has done nothing but help us.”

  Ridley rose unsteadily to his feet. “That’s not true,” he sputtered. “It’s all a lie. Roselyn told me the truth about what these demons have been doing to us. She came to me as a ghost spirit after she died in the fire. That was her that just went out that window, not Grandma Micella.”

  “That’s not true,” Pago said.

  “It is, but you’ve been blind to the truth. Roselyn told me our Spirit Mother and Father destroyed Grandma Micella and ate h
er soul before she could move on. Nothing we believed in has ever been true.” He spread his hand wide and swept it across the attic. “Roselyn says no one takes you in. That your soul moves on, all on its own. Or, it should, but that’s not what has happened to any of us. Our entire religion is based on a lie. Our Spirit Mother and Spirit Father are nothing but demons and they are the ones making us sick. Me, the girls, Hope. To keep us in line. To keep us in fear of going against them. None of us has a wasting disease. It is all a ploy to keep us under their control! You never needed to cut yourself up, Tooh. It was all so the demons could feast on your flesh.”

  Tooh’s face scrunched up in despair. “That’s not true! No more, I can’t handle this!” He turned to Dooley, but tripped. As his heavy bulk hit the floor, his gun went off wildly and hit Dooley right in the chest. The old man fell to the floor, his eyes wide in shocked surprise and now with a gaping hole where his chest should be.

  “Tooh, what have you done?” Ridley launched himself at Tooh with an unearthly scream. In fear, Tooh aimed the gun upwards towards the elderly man’s stomach and shot him repeatedly until his gun ran out of bullets. Ridley fell to the ground in a crumpled, bloody heap. The two bound girls screamed and thrashed with the noise.

  Pago crawled over Isa’s dead body to reach Tooh, who cried inconsolably. He placed a hand on Tooh’s shoulder. “Cousin, please stop.” He glanced around at the destruction. “Come, let’s go before the others find us and discover what you’ve done.” He pulled Tooh to his feet. They stared for a moment more at Dooley, Ridley and Isa, and then fled out of the attic, leaving the Cragg girls still tied to the floor.

  Kelsey glanced towards Billy, who now sat next to Ridley’s dead body. The boy shivered from the cold, but spoke words of comfort to someone seemingly sitting next to him.

  Kelsey called out to him, blinking through the pain of her leg wound. “Billy, is Roselyn still here with us? I thought she left the attic.”