Of The Ashes: A 'So Fell The Sparrow' Sequel Novella

by Katie Jennings

  She inhaled deeply. “Are you a demon?”

  No response. The planchette continued in its circular motion.

  “Are you evil? Do you want to cause us harm?”

  Immediately, the planchette shot to ‘Yes’ and waited there for a long, taunting moment before returning to its circle.

  Mia gave an impatient snort. “Tell us your name, demon.”

  Ian scowled at her, but quickly turned his attention back to the planchette as it suddenly darted over to the letter ‘Z’. It hovered there for a quick second, then flew across the board to land on the letter ‘O’.

  Dread filled Jackie as it shot back to ‘Z’, then to ‘O’, then back again. This was worse than she could have ever imagined. Far, far worse.

  “We need to end this now,” she stammered.

  From the hallway came the sound of three loud knocks, one right after the other, echoing throughout the house.

  Knock. Knock. KNOCK.

  Jackie jumped at the sound. “The mocking of the Holy Trinity,” she murmured, her body trembling. She kept her hands on the planchette, her fingertips glued to the wood. Something was holding her there, refusing to let go. Alex was staring at the board as if in a trance, a mystified look on his face. Mia looked just as enthralled.

  “Zozo,” Mia whispered, eyes wide with wonder. “I’ve heard the stories, but I’ve never been face-to-face with it.”

  “This is bad,” Alex managed, though even he couldn’t hide his excitement. He tore his gaze off the board to look at Jackie. “Is this the demon we’ve been dealing with?”

  Jackie could only nod. The swirling, smoke-like shadows grew more intense as they circled the table, keeping just outside the boundary of salt. She had faith the salt barrier would shield them from being easily possessed, but it couldn’t stop everything. Already she could feel the demon’s eagerness to communicate, to manipulate and torment them through the board.

  It was a battle the demon was quickly winning.

  “I’ve got chills running all over my body right now,” Ian muttered. His eyes were blazing as he glared around the room. “Show yourself! Manifest for us.”

  With his free hand, he reached into his pocket for the Mel Meter and flipped it on. The device was rectangular with a small screen at the top displaying both the room’s temperature and electromagnetic field reading. They all watched as the EMF level started at 0.0, then spiked instantly to 2.0, back to 0.0, and again to 2.0, continuing to repeat the pattern.

  “I’ve never seen it do that before,” Ian said, brows furrowed.

  Jackie stiffened, unable to move. Unable to tear herself away from the board. “It’s saying its name, over and over again. That’s what it does.”

  “2 is Z, 0 is O,” Ian confirmed, awestruck. He made sure the nearest camera caught the reading on the Mel Meter before tucking it away. “Let’s see if it’s willing to say anything else. Did you force a woman here to stab her own hand?”

  The planchette swung immediately up to the ‘Yes’ on the board.

  Ian’s jaw tightened as anger flashed in his eyes. “And did you try and make Grace jump off the balcony? And cause Jackie to choke herself?”

  ‘Yes’ again, then once more.

  Mia interrupted before Ian could question the demon further, her voice mocking. “If you’re so powerful, why don’t you show yourself, Zozo?”

  This time, the planchette darted from one letter to another along the rainbow arch. Ian called out the letters as they were pointed to.

  “I. M. H. E. R. E,” he read, unsteady as he glanced around the room. “Where? We don’t see you.”

  Again, the planchette began to move.

  This time, Jackie read the letters aloud. “B. E. L. O. W.”

  Ian flinched, his gaze shooting to the door. Jackie watched the color drain from his face.

  A single, horrified word fell from his lips. “Grace.”

  * * *

  CHAPTER NINE

  Grace heard Ian say her name through the live video feed. She rolled off the chill that hit her, catching the eyes of both Rob and Brian seated beside her in the kitchen. Their concerned faces were lit only by the glow of the computer screens, the room around them shrouded in darkness.

  “Well, I don’t see it down here, do you?” Grace asked, attempting sarcasm and failing miserably. The horrifying thought of the demon looming up behind them in the kitchen washed over her.

  Brian shrugged. “Maybe it meant it’s in the basement.”

  “Maybe,” Grace replied with a nod, deciding that made sense. The basement was certainly ‘below’ them.

  Her heart nearly bolted out of her chest at the sudden sound of knocking on the back door of the kitchen. She whirled around, blinking wildly into the darkness.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “Isn’t that waitress supposed to be coming by?” Rob asked, already climbing to his feet. “Maybe it’s her.”

  “Why is she at the back door?” Grace asked, wondering why she was the only one troubled about this odd fact. Her entire system ran hot with adrenaline as she watched Rob peer through the glass and open the back door.

  To her relief, Holly entered. Rob flipped on the overhead kitchen light so they could all see.

  Grace let out a huff of breath. “Welcome to the party. You’re just in time. Things are really heating up.”

  Holly only stared at her silently, her brown eyes darker than Grace remembered. Her body was strangely rigid, one hand clenched over the strap of her purse and the other in a fist at her side. She stood motionless in the middle of the kitchen, not taking her eyes off Grace.

  “You okay?” Brian asked, an edginess in his voice. He seemed to notice something was off about the woman, too.

  Holly gave a slight nod as her lips quirked into an odd little grin.

  It only took a second for the woman to lunge for the kitchen counter and rip a sharpened chef’s knife from the block. Grace leapt to her feet, eyes wide as Holly swung at Rob with the knife, catching him in the arm.

  He shouted in alarm and dodged her advance, blood spilling from the wound. Brian bolted to his feet as Holly came after him next, her face emotionless save for the evil smile that twisted her mouth.

  Brian fled from the kitchen, dragging Rob with him. He called out for Grace to follow, but she stood rooted to the spot like a petrified mouse.

  On the computer screen beside her, the four others could be seen still seated at the table. She could hear Jackie’s voice, closing out the Ouija session. She wondered desperately why they weren’t coming to help—surely, they’d heard the scuffle or were being warned by Brian and Rob as they escaped.

  Realizing no one was coming to help her, Grace squared off with Holly, swallowing her fear.

  “Are you the demon? Are you Zozo?” Grace asked, thinking if she could somehow distract the woman maybe she could make a run for the stairs and warn the others.

  Holly held up the knife, smeared with Rob’s blood. It was then Grace realized the woman hadn’t blinked the entire time she had been in the house. Those dark eyes simply stared, vacant and emotionless. The only time Grace had ever seen eyes look that way was in a corpse. The comparison made her shiver.

  “Zozo. Zozo. Zozo,” the woman repeated, her voice gruff and warped. It didn’t sound like the woman Grace had heard speak back at the restaurant—this voice was something evil.

  “What do you want with us?” Grace managed, inching slowly toward the hallway. The stairs were just beyond, through the darkened first floor.

  “Dead. Dead. Dead,” Holly replied, a sudden high-pitched laugh ripping out of her throat. The sound sent a fresh wave of terror down Grace’s spine. The woman—well, the demon—wanted to kill her. And Jackie.

  And Ian.

  Her heart hammering in her chest, Grace seized the chance to run. She turned on her heel and raced out of the kitchen and down the hall, her legs turning to rubber beneath her. Forcing herself to keep going, she swung toward the stairs a
nd bounded upward, too afraid to glance back and see the woman following her.

  From the rapid sound of footsteps, she knew Holly was only a breath behind.

  Grace’s foot caught on one of the stairs and she nearly fell. Catching herself on the banister, she screamed for Ian, knowing he would hear her now. As she stumbled up the last step, she felt the knife nip at her back and heard Holly’s frustrated snarl.

  As Grace ran for the back bedroom, the door swung open. Ian stood there, taken aback by the sight of her racing toward him.

  “Get back inside!” Grace shouted, shoving past Ian and into the room. He obliged and slammed the door shut, flipping the lock on it. A split second later, Holly rammed into the door, the impact shuddering through the walls.

  Grace fell to her knees, her legs finally giving out. Jackie was at her side in an instant while Alex joined Ian in blockading the door.

  “Are you hurt?” Jackie asked Grace, quickly examining her for injuries.

  “No,” Grace gasped breathlessly. She stared up at Mia, who sat frozen in front of the Ouija board, shock in her eyes. “But Rob was cut pretty bad. He and Brian ran for it.”

  “Shit,” Mia muttered, finally releasing a shuddering breath. “Is that the waitress out there?”

  Grace nodded. “She’s possessed. That, or she’s really pissed off at us for some reason.”

  Holly continued to beat at the door, her fists thudding against the wood hard enough to fracture it bit by bit. Her screams of rage could be heard along with the scraping of the blade against the door.

  Mia got to her feet and reached into her boot for a small derringer pistol. She opened it to examine the single round inside.

  “No,” Jackie ordered, helping Grace stand. She pointed toward the door. “That woman out there is an innocent and does not deserve to die. A bullet won’t stop a demon.”

  “That woman out there is possessed and has us trapped like rats,” Mia countered coldly. “What else do you propose we do?”

  The door splintered as Holly slammed all her weight into it. High-pitched laughter cut through the sound of snarling.

  Alex grunted, straining with Ian to hold the door. His eyes darted between Jackie and Grace, sweat beading on his forehead. “Go out to the balcony and see if you can climb down. We’ll hold her off.”

  “What, and leave you two to die?” Grace asked incredulously, crossing her arms. “Why don’t I just call the police?”

  “Don’t.” Jackie shook her head, eyes wild with determination. “I can fix this.”

  She picked up the crucifix from the table and went for the door as the pounding from the other side continued. Ian and Alex stared at her, dumbfounded.

  “I’m not letting you out there,” Alex told her, stunned she’d even try. Plaster dust fell from the ceiling as the demon’s rage and fervor intensified.

  “We don’t have another choice,” Jackie reminded him, holding the crucifix firmly in her hand. “Just trust me. Step aside, let her come in. I’ll do the rest.”

  Alex gave Ian a pleading look, as if Ian could convince Jackie to change her mind. Grace knew none of them had the power to do that at this point. Jackie may not have been as stubborn as the rest of them, but when it came to doing what was right, she held firm.

  “Jackie, I can’t let you do this.” Alex stared at her, fear and frustration twisting his features. “Remember what we said? You promised me no more dangerous stunts. Hell, this is worse than dangerous. You’re asking me to step back and let this demon kill you!”

  Jackie approached him, oddly calm despite the situation. She reached out to cradle his face in her free hand. “I know, darling. But I need you to trust that I know what I’m doing. I won’t let this demon harm anyone else.”

  Alex closed his eyes, and Grace could sense his pain and indecision. She certainly didn’t want Jackie walking into certain death either, but they were running out of options. Either they let Holly in and take her by surprise, or she would break in and kill them all.

  At last, Alex gave a curt nod of acceptance. “I guess I have no choice.”

  With Alex’s confirmation, Ian locked eyes with Grace. “Get into the corner, as far away from the door as you can.” His gaze shot to Mia. “Both of you.”

  Still clutching her pistol, Mia backed into the far corner of the room and crouched down. She held the gun at the ready, should Holly charge at her.

  Grace found herself wishing she had some way to defend herself. It was impossible not to feel vulnerable with the sound of a demon raging on the other side of a thin wood door that was barely holding itself together.

  Resigned that she was more help staying out of the way, Grace retreated to the far side of the bed to put a barrier between herself and Holly. Jackie reached into her pocket for a book, which she opened to an earmarked page. She also dug out a vial of Holy Water, which she handed to Alex with instructions on when to use it. Grace watched helplessly as Ian and Alex counted to ten before splitting off, exposing the door.

  In seconds, Holly was through the doorway, teeth bared in a fierce and triumphant grin. The smile faded the instant Jackie thrust the crucifix at her face. The woman howled as if on fire, a roaring screech that exploded through the room.

  Ian took advantage of the distraction to wrestle the knife from Holly’s hand. He gripped her wrist and slammed her arm back against the open door, the impact forcing the knife to fall to the floor. He kicked it aside while Alex doused Holly’s face in Holy Water. The woman crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.

  Holding the crucifix aloft, Jackie began to read aloud from the book, her voice resonant with power and conviction. “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I stand with the power of the Lord God Almighty to bind Satan and all his evil spirits, demonic forces, satanic powers, principalities, along with all kings and princes of terrors, from the air, water, fire, ground, netherworld, and the evil forces of nature.” She paused as Holly raked her nails down her own face, shrieking in pain. The woman’s body shuddered and she began to dry heave and cough, writhing on her knees as Jackie continued. “I take authority over the demon Zozo, and all demonic assignments and functions of destruction sent against this woman, and I expose all demonic forces as weakened, defeated enemies of Jesus Christ. I stand with the power of the Lord God Almighty to bind all enemies of Christ present together, all demonic entities under their one and highest authority, and I command these spirits into the abyss to never again return.”

  Holly threw back her head in one last, soundless scream, her mouth gaping wide and her eyes rolling until just the whites were visible. Then she collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

  Grace released the breath she’d been holding, her entire body trembling. Never had she seen such power at work, both from within the possessed woman and from Jackie. To say she was impressed by the show of force was an understatement. She was both shocked and exhilarated by it.

  Jackie stood quiet and still, exhaling in deep, concentrated breaths as she stared down at Holly. Slowly, she lowered the crucifix and the book, tucking both back into her pockets. Alex crossed the room in an instant to pull her against him. She welcomed him in, clinging to him tightly.

  Grace went to kneel beside Holly. Ian flipped on the light and followed her. Gently, they rolled the woman onto her back. Grace lifted her eyelids, noting the dilation of her pupils, then held her wrist to check her heart rate.

  “She’s out cold, but she seems to be okay,” Grace said, wishing her voice wasn’t so shaky. She wanted to be brave for Ian, to prove she belonged at his side, but the truth was she had never been more terrified in her life. Seeing her closest friend confront an armed, violent woman with nothing more than a crucifix and holy words was something she hoped she never witnessed again. “It’s over now, right? It’s gone?”

  Ian let out a long breath, meeting her eyes. “We’ll want to have Bishop James do a proper exorcism just in case, but yeah, for now I think it’s gone.”

  Grace nodded
, focusing her attention back to the unconscious woman. “I seriously thought we were going to die.”

  “That did seem like a distinct possibility there for a while,” Mia said from behind them, standing with her arms crossed. She eyed Grace, a mixture of relief and dark humor on her face. “If you hadn’t come upstairs to warn us, we would’ve been sitting ducks for her to pick off one by one.”

  “I couldn’t just run away,” Grace told her. “I had to do something.”

  Mia sniffed, her lips quirking in a smile. “Then you’re not even half the coward I thought you were.” She held out her hand to shake Grace’s. “Thanks. I owe you one.”

  Grace accepted the other woman’s hand, blinking back the surprise that washed over her. “You’re welcome.”

  Ian watched the exchange with a curious grin. “As sweet as this is to watch, we should probably get Holly to a more comfortable spot for when she wakes up. Preferably away from any sharp objects.”

  “I’ll help you,” Alex offered, breaking free of Jackie to help Ian hoist Holly’s limp form onto the bed. She stirred at their touch, a soft moan escaping her lips.

  Jackie sat beside her, stroking her face. She glanced over her shoulder at Ian. “Give Bishop James a call. See if he can make an emergency visit at this late hour.”

  He gave a brisk nod and stepped out of the room, cell phone in hand. Grace stared after him, her heart finally settling back into its normal rhythm. Alex began taking down the camera equipment, likely needing something to do with his hands. Grace took a seat beside Jackie, her gaze falling to Holly.

  “Will she remember any of it?” Grace asked.

  Jackie shook her head. “Not likely. I will have to tell her, though. She has to know.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be relieved when the Bishop gets here and frees her from that demonic bastard once and for all.”

  Gazing around the room, Jackie sighed. “The demon’s hold on the house has dissipated. A full cleansing should be enough to chase it out for good now.”

  “I’ll help you.” Grace reached for Jackie’s hand, holding it tightly. She stared into her friend’s dark eyes which were wise beyond her years.