The Soul Healer

by B. Groves

  “More than you know,” Kyle commented, his eyes never leaving Alison’s departing figure.

  He watched as she walked around the edge of the forest, bending down, standing up, and kneeling again.

  Kyle couldn’t take it much longer. If there were clues to find the source of these possessions, he wanted to find it soon. He knew who the source was, but he needed evidence as Markus pointed out to him many times.

  Kyle was getting ready to follow Alison out of the pasture when she turned and hurried back to the group of men waiting for her.

  Her face was twisted into a mixture of disgust and worry.

  “You guys better come see this,” she said.

  Chapter 19

  Journal Entry April 7, Early 2010s

  There are days I wish I hadn’t broken up with Brady. He would have helped me through this moment, but all I have is my bottle Crown Royal and Marlboros to keep me company.

  I couldn’t stop the demon today. Every time I had a grip on the victim, the demon escaped. The demon was on top of me and tried to strangle me. I had no other choice but to defend myself.

  Brady said this would happen. Kill or be killed. He always said we’re not angels. If we can’t do the job, and if our lives are in danger, we take that shot.

  Today, I took the shot. I tried. I tried so hard to save him.

  I’m so lonely now. I can log into The Network and get some help for dealing with this, but I’m not in the mood. I want some alone time to deal with my decision. If there had been a better way, I would have tried my hardest to save the victim.

  My friend Sergio suggested buying a dog. He trains dogs to spot demons and help the hunters like K-9s do with the police. I told him I’ll think it over and he told me he’d fly out to help me train the dog.

  My mom called me right after the incident. She was rambling on about Heather as I was trying to keep from bursting into tears. I needed my mother, but I couldn’t say a word. How would she ever understand?

  I don’t know what she was talking about with Heather. I’ll find out when my emotions calm down.

  I will drink and smoke myself into the darkness. It’s comforting sometimes.

  Chapter 20

  Alison walked around the edge of the forest. That familiar feeling had come over her as they carried the mattress and the box spring farther into the forest even before she spotted the thick spider webs and the crows that flew over their heads.

  She had a hunch that one of them was nearby, but she didn’t know where.

  The oppressive feeling grew stronger as she made her way out of the meadow into the forest. There was another path that led away from the meadow. That’s where she found something that made her stomach lurch.

  Alison put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle a gag when the bile rose in her throat.

  The stench of death made Alison stand up and back away a few steps as she tried to find fresh air.

  The raccoon wouldn’t have been recognizable if the head hadn’t stayed attached to its body. Alison found blood spattered over the delicate leaves of the ferns near the path, and fur spread out over the ground.

  Alison looked back to the group waiting for her. She didn’t want to call them over until she was sure that another animal hadn’t torn the raccoon to pieces, given that this was a mountain town and larger animals lived in these parts.

  Alison knew better. The way the raccoon was lying there on the ground, there was no question that this was by human hands.

  Possessed human hands.

  Alison entered the path and spotted the footsteps in the damp mud. They circled the edge of the path and turned to disappear into the forest.

  Alison knew she had to follow the footsteps. She cursed when she realized she didn’t have Simon around to sniff out the demon.

  She only had her switchblade, but she knew the Markus had his sidearm, so at least they had some weapons.

  Alison made her way back to the men. She didn’t know where the demon had gone, because the forest had been quiet, but they needed to find it before it did more damage and made its way back into town and caused chaos.

  “You guys better come see this,” she said.

  “What did you find?” Kyle asked.

  Alison didn’t tell him, she turned and walked over to the carcass of the raccoon.

  “Dear God,” Markus muttered.

  Miguel turned away and shook his head. Alison sympathized with him because of what he’d seen in the last month. She remembered having similar emotions when she first hunted.

  Disgusted, Kyle looked around and asked, “You think it was a demon?”

  “Based on the footprints? Yes,” Alison said pointing down the path. “Do you know where this goes?”

  Markus rubbed his chin. “We’re on the south side, near Kyle’s church.” He glanced at Kyle for confirmation. “There are so many hiking paths now, I can’t keep track.”

  “This is heading west,” Kyle chimed in. He turned and glanced back at Markus. “This leads to South Fork Recreational Park only 2 miles from me. There’s camping, parties, weddings, and all kinds of events there.”

  “Looks like we have some exploring to do,” Alison said.

  “Now?” Markus asked.

  Alison bent down and tightened her shoelaces. “I would prefer to go back to Kyle’s to get my dog, but we’re close. This carcass is fresh.”

  “Let’s go,” Kyle said. “We can come back for the mattress later.”

  “I guess I can say this is official police business,” Markus said, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his brow.

  Alison walked over to Miguel and put a hand on his arm. “I hate to treat you like some delicate little flower, but if you want to go back and be with Olivia, that’s okay.

  Miguel smirked and held up his phone. “I sent her a text asking if she was all right and she answered that she’s fine. I want to go with you, Alison.” Miguel shook his head. “I want to help you. These things killed my wife. Please don’t chase me away.”

  Alison understood. She knew Miguel’s pain and his need for vengeance all too well, although it never helped close the wounds.

  Alison nodded and said, “The more the merrier.”

  Alison glanced over at Kyle and asked, “Ready?”

  He nodded and put his arm out for her to lead the way. Alison wasn’t sure if they’d find anything, but the dead raccoon was a start.

  She made her way down the path, her head turning each way. The oppressed feeling in her gut blossomed wider with each step she made on the path.

  As her eyes searched for any clues, she thought about Samuel Manes. She tried to hide her disgust. How much more obvious can one be? A regular person would think it was a strange name, but Alison had been hunting for too long not to know what it meant. She studied all religious texts over the years and demons always put those messages somewhere in their lives to show what they were.

  Kyle caught up with Alison and walked beside her. Alison couldn’t help but notice the muscular arms and one tattoo.

  A small cross with a Latin quote that said: “Beatae memoriae” which meant Of Blessed Memory.

  Underneath that was a name. “Hannah.” With a date. “February 6, 1990.”

  Alison didn’t know how to ask. It was obvious Hannah was someone very important to Kyle.

  “May I ask who Hannah was?”

  Kyle pushed his glasses up on his nose and glanced down at the tattoo. Alison could see the pain take over his features.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

  “No. It’s okay. Hannah was my older sister. She died of Leukemia on that date,” Kyle explained. He smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. “It’s what made my dad turn to God and become a preacher in Texas.”

  “You don’t seem happy about that.”

  Kyle let out a breath and Alison could see he was struggling to find the right words. “I love my parents, but they have a kind of megachurch now, and what started as a tribute
to my sister, went sideways. I feel like they’ve forgotten God’s word for fame, and it stomps on my sister’s memory. It’s been a sore subject over the years.”

  “Why?”

  “Because my dad wants me to move back to Texas and take over the business,” Kyle explained. “I don’t want it.”

  Alison was surprised by his reluctance. That would be a chance of a lifetime for any working Reverend. “You want to leave the church?”

  Kyle smirked. “After this is over, I’m rethinking my career choices, but I’m still not sure.”

  Kyle didn’t share anymore and Alison didn’t push it. Heather pushed into her thoughts as she thought about Kyle’s sister. What a horrible situation that must have been for their family. She knew all about that kind of pain.

  Alison rubbed her face. What happened almost tore her family apart, and they still struggled with Heather’s death.

  Alison turned her attention back to the task at hand. The trail was hard to maneuver with roots sticking up from the ground and brush snagging her T-shirt, but that oppressive feeling was now a full-blown bubble inside her stomach.

  They were close to the source.

  Alison stopped to gather her bearings.

  Where are you? She asked silently. I know you’re here somewhere. I can feel you. I can feel your evil penetrating my skin, sinking into my pores as if I’m drowning in black tar. It’s suffocating me. I know you’re close.

  Alison kneeled near the dirt, rocks, and ferns that cluttered the path.

  “Got something?” Kyle asked.

  “I can feel it, but I don’t know where,” Alison said as she ran her fingers through the dirt.

  She stood up and gazed around the edge of the woods.

  “Alison?”

  Alison turned to Miguel who was standing about five feet in front of her. He pointed to the ground in front of him on their left.

  Alison walked up and spotted more footprints.

  Markus stepped farther into the path and fingered some leaves. “There’s more blood here.”

  Kyle pointed to a tree and said, “And, that.”

  Alison followed Kyle’s pointed finger and covered her mouth to stop the bile that rose in the back of her throat.

  She thought the body of the animal hanging from the tree branch was a rabbit, but she couldn’t be sure.

  Flies buzzed around the carcass, and blood dripped from different parts of the animal.

  “Jesus Christ!” Markus exclaimed. “Sorry, Kyle, but damn…”

  “It’s fine,” Kyle said, his face contorted in disgust over the dead animal.

  Markus reached for this gun, and while Miguel searched around the path.

  “Any more?” Alison asked.

  “Not that I see,” he answered.

  Alison and Kyle exchanged looks. “It’s close,” she said.

  “Let’s go.”

  Alison and Kyle walked behind Miguel and ahead of Markus who said he was watching their backs.

  “Miguel. Keep alert,” Alison called as Miguel got further ahead and almost disappeared amongst the brush and the trees.

  “I’ve never seen one of them do that before,” Kyle commented.

  Alison turned her head. “How many exorcisms have you tried, Reverend?”

  “I didn’t know you existed until my dad told me about The Network. What did you expect me to do before that?”

  Alison didn’t mean to make Kyle defensive, but she had to know how many he tried to exorcise before he called her.

  “How many?”

  “Five or six,” Kyle said.

  “Were you successful in any of them?”

  “Well… I guess not since you’re here.”

  “Do you have any records on them?”

  “I taped them,” Kyle said. “I know who they are. That guy who threatened you—Justin—he was one.”

  Alison nodded. This was a way to find out whether Samuel Manes was helping them along. If what Alison suspected was true, Samuel Manes was the leader in the town. He was the one who helped the evil entities integrate into society after they possessed the human.

  He was the one who controlled the souls and the one who would help take over the town once they were all in place.

  Alison came out of her thoughts when Miguel came jogging out of the brush.

  “Look what I found,” he said.

  Alison and the rest of the group followed Miguel into the thick brush.

  When they stepped into a small clearing, Alison spotted a tiny log cabin that looked abandoned for years. The roof was caving in, the front windows were broken. The tiny porch sagged from neglect, and the door hung from awkwardly from the hinges.

  She looked down to find the footsteps led right to the front door.

  Miguel was about to point something out when they heard a noise coming from inside.

  “That’s what I heard when I found it,” he said.

  “Okay, we need to be cautious here,” Markus said. “Whatever’s inside is not human, although it may look that way.”

  “You’re right, Chief,” Alison said.

  “What do we do?” Kyle asked.

  Alison brought out her switchblade and said, “Hope for the best.”

  “What kind of plan is that?”

  Alison smiled. “You and Miguel are the only ones not armed. He’ll know me right away. You both need to grab him when I confront him.”

  “Alison, what if he attacks you?” Markus asked.

  Alison’s smile left her face. She hated her next words. She hated saying them, and it wasn’t the first time.

  “You do what you need to do, Chief.”

  Markus nodded as Alison made her way to the cabin. They heard a bumping noise from inside, and a guttural sound. The demon was still in the early stages of possession, and Alison had hope that whoever was inside would survive and move on to lead a normal life.

  Alison tested the steps before stepping up to the porch. She didn’t want accidents before she entered the cabin. They were sturdy enough.

  She turned and nodded to the group with her. Kyle had picked up a heavy looking branch, and Miguel was ready right behind her.

  Markus was already on the porch and gazing into the window. He turned to Alison with the color leaving his face. “In all my years, I never thought I would see this.”

  Alison pushed on the door. She heard another thump and another growl.

  She took a deep breath and pushed the door wide open. There was no other plan. You couldn’t plan with these things. They were unpredictable. You could only take a chance and try to exorcise the shadow within the human being.

  The man was kneeling on the floor and holding his stomach as if he’d vomited. His blonde hair was dry and sticky with blood. He growled again, his face turning up to Alison.

  No matter how many years Alison had been hunting the shadows were something she had never gotten used to and never would. The pure sickening evil that emanated from them was enough to drive any sane person mad.

  She always said in her journals it was like looking at Hell straight in the face each time one of them showed their true form.

  The shadow swirled around the man. It let out a slight laugh and said, “Hunter.”

  Its body contorted into positions that could break a human’s bones in half. It grinned at them and its eyes followed every one of their movements.

  “We need to grab him and hold him down, so you can exorcise it,” Kyle said.

  Miguel looked ready to kill it, and Markus looked pale from the site in front of him.

  “That’s Billy Wilson,” Markus said. “His wife reported him missing two weeks ago. She told me he’d been acting weird. He tried to hit her, and had never done that before in the ten years they’d been married. I’ve been trying to track him down, but no luck. I guess I solved the case.”

  “Hunter,” Billy wheezed to Alison.

  Kyle was holding out the cross on his necklace towards Billy. His eyes were wide and his hand was
shaking.

  “I need you all to stay calm or this won’t work,” Alison said.