by John Tigges
Continuing thereafter to intone the names of Peter and Paul and calling on the martyrs to help in the battle against the demon, Father Maskey intoned the prayers, all during which Myles held his silver crucifix high with one hand and pulled Nicole tightly to him with the other.
When Father Maskey finished the second prayer of excorcism, he turned in a small circle blessing everything in the room. When he faced the wall and shelves whereon the TV, stereo components and books rested, he threw extra holy water.
His efforts were rewarding with laughter turning to shrieks of pain. When he finished, he turned to Nicole and said, “Where is that book?”
A sense of panic tore at Nicole. Myles’ arm about her felt so comforting, so warm, so right. What would happen if she gave up the book? Surrendered it to this man of God? What would happen between her and Myles? Would he leave or disappear? After all, right now, she wasn’t certain if he was real or if he was a conjuration of the demon she had summoned. If he had come back because of the paganistic ritual she had performed, would it not be likely that he would be gone once she gave the book to the priest?
“What’s wrong?” Myles asked when he felt her tense.
“No … nothing,” she managed. “I love you, darling. Please don’t leave me. I …” She stopped, crossing the few feet to the shelf where the book rested. Turning, she faced the priest and Myles. “No! I won’t give it to you. Myles will leave if I do. He’s here because of the book. He never would have come back to me if I had not performed the ceremony.”
“Are you saying you wish to continue with the demon always present in your life?” Father Maskey asked, his look of astonishment barely concealed.
“Nicole! You’ve got to give it to him,” Myles pleaded. “I’m not going to leave. I’ve learned that I love you. I want to be with you forever. I’m yours forever. You’re mine forever. We belong together, you and me. Give it to Father or I will leave and then you’ll have nothing but the demon and that Goddamned book! Give it to him!”
“I … I love you, Myles. Don’t leave me … ever!”
“I promise you,” Myles cried impatiently. “Please, darling, give Father Maskey the book. I will not leave you. I’ll be yours forever. I promise.”
After a long moment of deliberation, Nicole reached over the stereo equipment, pulling down the small gold-trimmed red book. When she faced the men again, it lurched in her hand before flying away to circle the room, diving at the priest, then at Myles before swiping at Nicole. Father Maskey threw holy water at it.
When it fell to the floor, an ear-splitting howl filled the apartment, dying away in minutes until there was nothing but its awful memory lingering in the ears of the three people.
Maskey bent down, picking up the book and laying it on an end table. Opening the breviary he prayed the last prayer of exorcism. Myles held Nicole in a tight embrace while the priest finished.
Nicole looked up into Myles’ eyes. There was nothing there that said he had lied to her. They would be together forever. She smiled. The whole thing had been so foolish.
“He expels thee, from Whose Eye nothing is secret. He expels thee, to Whose Power all things are subject. He excludes thee, Who has prepared for thee and thy angels everlasting hell. Out of Whose Mouth the sharp sword will go, He shall come to judge the quick and the dead and the world by fire.” Maskey blessed the room once more.
A dense silence filled the apartment. Nothing happened. Only the breathing of the captives could be heard above the roar of silence hammering their eardrums.
Then, the furniture wiggled, dancing about until each piece was flipping from side to side, each time rising higher in the air until the living room furnishings became airborne, flying about the apartment. The doors still had not reappeared nor had the windows. Still trapped, they watched horror-struck when the chairs, tables and couch deftly avoiding each other, attacked in formation, each taking a turn to dive at them. Father Maskey stepped between the first chair and Myles and Nicole, holding up the crucifix, splashing a few drops of holy water on it. As it fell, the squeal intensified once more, growing louder each time he blessed a piece of furniture that attacked them.
Covering their ears with both hands, Nicole, Myles and when he could no longer stand it,_ Father Maskey, dropped to their knees to avoid being hit. The last piece of furniture settled to the floor and again the silence held sway.
A sound from the direction of the bedroom filtered down the short hallway until it formed into the sound of shuffling feet. Someone was coming toward the living room from the bedroom. Nicole looked first to Myles, then to Father Maskey, asking, pleading her unspoken questions. What was that? What was coming down the hall? Who was coming toward them?
Turning the corner, the doll collection that had filled the top of Nicole’s chest of drawers came marching into the living room, two abreast, row after row after row.. Marking time until the rest of the dolls reached the living room, the first ranks formed a solid line across the far wall, waiting. When the company of animated dolls had formed a phalanx, they began moving forward, toward the wide-eyed man, woman and priest.
“Remember Oh, most gracious Virgin Mary,” Father Maskey prayed, raising his hand to splash holy water, “that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your supplication was left unaided. Inspired …” he threw the water “… by this confidence, we fly unto you, Oh Virgin of virgins, our heavenly Mother. To you do we send up our sighs from this vale of tears. Help us oh, Mother of Jesus.”
As the water touched the dolls, the bellow of pain came once more, louder than anything they had heard before and the dolls fell over in their tracks.
Horrified, the trio stood their ground, staring at the pile of toys littering the floor. Slowly, the moldy odor of decay and rot dissipated until it was completely gone.
A death-like quiet gripped the warming apartment as Nicole’s eyes roamed about searching for some sign of activity. When she focused on Myles, she smiled. He was still there. He was still with her. He hadn’t left. But then, he had promised to stay with her forever.
A quiet hum brought them around to face the windowed wall of the living room. Not unlike clouds breaking up in a summer breeze, the plates over the windows dissolved and when they turned about, they found the door to the hallway.
Several minutes passed before Father Maskey blessed himself with the sign of the cross. Then he blessed Nicole and Myles.
Nicole smiled weakly. “Is it over, Father?”
“I’m not really certain. I think so. I hope so,” Maskey said softly.
18
Saturday, December 6, 1986 4:38 P.M.
“Doesn’t it seem rather light out for this time of night?” Myles asked, moving toward the windows.
“I don’t understand,” Nicole said, walking to his side and peering out with him.
“We came in here a little after four this afternoon. How long have we been in here? Three hours? Maybe four?” Myles looked, first at Nicole then to Father Maskey for agreement.
“It seemed like a lifetime,” she said, “now that I think back on everything that happened. It must have been hours. Four at least.”
Father Maskey smiled when he looked up. Pointing to his wristwatch, he said, “What time do you have, Myles?”
Myles glanced at his own, his attention frozen when the truth of the time registered. “It can’t be. Thirty minutes? That’s not possible. I don’t believe it. How do you explain it, Father? What time do you have?”
“My watch apparently matches yours, since I have four thirty-nine. I imagine that the time seemed to go fast because there was so much going on, so many things happening. Other than that I have no explanation. I don’t know if the devil can fool with time or not.”
“I find thirty minutes unbelievable,” Nicole said, “but your watches agree and so does the clock here in the living room. You said that it was over, Father. Is it?”
Shrugging, the priest said, “I hope so
. I sincerely hope so. I don’t know if it is or not. Remember I don’t have too much experience in things of this nature.”
“I hope it is. I’ve certainly learned my lesson. No more fooling around with stuff I know nothing about. Right, Myles?”
Myles nodded, reaching out for one of her hands, squeezing it gently when they touched. “If it is over, is it over for good, Father?”
Nicole stared at the priest until he answered.
“All I can say for now is that it seems to be over. However, it could occur again.”
“What?” Myles and Nicole chorused.
“Let me explain,” Maskey said. “There have been instances when the person afflicted with possession has been reinfested later by the same demon. Perhaps the person who was exorcized weakened later in his faith or dwelt too long on the situation, recalling the previous experiences with the unholy. I don’t know. I’m no expert. Still, I do know of one or two well-documented cases wherein that very thing happened.”
“I’m not sure I want to know about any of this,” Nicole said sharply.
Myles looked at her but said nothing, turning back instead to Father Maskey.
“I think you should listen if for no other reason than to be aware of what not to do,” the priest said, smiling kindly at the couple.
When Nicole nodded slowly, she looked up at Myles and found him smiling warmly at her.
“There was a famous case in Iowa wherein the woman who was possessed had been cursed by her father when she refused to have sexual relations with him. For many years, she found it impossible to go to Church, receive the sacraments, even though she wanted to, or do anything remotely holy or responsible in that area. When she was successfully exorcized, she was repossessed later in life. In fact, there was a lady in Germany who suffered with the stigmata of Christ, who predicted quite accurately that the woman in the Iowa case would be possessed by the unholy again.”
“Then you’re saying, Father, that this demon, even if he’s gone now, could come back?”
“I’m saying that in as precise a way as I can. There was an incident involving a young girl who was allowed by the demon to enter the convent and was possessed when she did so. As I recall, she was killed in a fall from a church steeple or something. But the point I’m trying to make is, do NOT take any of this lightly. If the devil could invade the sacred confines of a convent, then actually no one is really safe, are they?” Maskey peered at Nicole before shifting his gaze to Myles.
As the truth of his statement sank home, their understanding reflected on their faces.
“As far as the two of you are concerned, I think Myles should get right with God. And you, Nicole, if you should want to visit me about any of this or if you have any questions pertaining to the Catholic Church, I’d be happy to answer them. The truth is, I’d feel a whole lot more comfortable answering that type of question than any about possession. Think about what I’ve said. It won’t hurt you, you know. In fact, it’ll take a lot more guts to go to Church and be a good Christian Catholic than it does to stay in bed on Sunday morning and try leading a life without Christ.”
Myles looked down at the floor and said, “I guess I’ll have to do something like you suggest after seeing what we’ve seen here this afternoon.”
“Right , now,” Maskey said lightly, “why don’t we try putting the apartment back together.”
“That’s really not necessary, Father,” Nicole said.
Tipping the easy chair upright, the priest said, “Hey, come on. You and Myles can’t handle that couch alone. Myles,” he said, indicating the couch with one hand and stepping toward it.
Myles followed his example and between them brought it to its correct position. In a few minutes the tables and other chairs had been righted, and Father Maskey stepped toward the kitchen.
“That’s it, Father,” Nicole said, moving quickly in front of the priest. “We can handle it from here on. Thank you so much for everything.”
“I’m only glad that we had the opportunity to meet and weather the awful incident that took place this afternoon. Myles?” he said, turning toward him and extending his hand.
Myles accepted it and they shook firmly.
When he stood at the doorway to the hall, Maskey said, “Considering what the three of us have been through, maybe I’ll be the one to help bring Nicole into the Church. Incidentally, when the two of you are ready, I’d be honored if you’d ask me to perform the marriage ceremony for you.”
Nicole offered her hand to him and said, “That would be nice, Father. When we’re ready, you can be assured that we’ll be in touch with you.”
“Whenever you’re ready,” Maskey said, turning to the door where he hesitated for a split second before spinning about once more. “The book. May I have it?”
Nicole looked at Myles for an anxious moment. Perhaps Myles was still here because the book was still here. Could she risk the chance of his leaving or disappearing once the book was taken away? Foolishness! Claptrap!
“One moment, Father,” she said, turning to hurry to the shelves above the TV and stereo. She had put it back without even thinking while the men were arranging the furniture. Reaching up, she half expected the small volume to give a reluctant jerk, as if it wanted to stay. Grasping it firmly, she hurried back to Father Maskey.
“Isn’t it amazing,” the priest said, taking the book, “how people scoff at the idea of a devil in today’s highly sophisticated world? You two certainly know better now, don’t you?”
Wide smiles showed their agreement.
“Some people have the faith to move mountains and the same degree of faith can conjure up something horrible such as we witnessed here. And yet look at all of the un-happiness in the world—most of it because of misdirected faith. Lord, why doesn’t man learn to get his priorities in order? Again, goodbye Nicole. Myles. I’ll expect to hear from you.”
Myles reached around Maskey to open the hall door and the priest stepped out. The hallway appeared the same, and when they heard the normal sound of footsteps coming down the hall, they all smiled.
Mrs. Bellasco mumbling under her breath, turned the corner, her face contorted by angry frustration.
“Oh, hello, Father,” she said when she saw the priest. “Haven’t you three gone in yet? Or are you leaving, Father?” She peered at the three, her own fit of unhappiness forgotten for a moment.
“What is it, Mrs. Bellasco?” Nicole asked, when she realized the woman was upset about something. Had she heard some of the commotion inside the apartment? Was she about to launch into a tirade directed at them about making too much noise for an apartment building?
“I walked all the way to the drugstore in the shopping center to buy some of the specials they have advertised in this bulletin,” she said, waving the gaudily colored tabloid, “and I forgot my billfold.”
Suppressing her grin, Nicole watched the woman storm by toward her own door.
“Goodbye, Father,” Nicole and Myles said in unison.
“Goodbye,” he said, turning to walk down the hall in the direction from which Mrs. Bellasco had come.
Nicole closed the door, the latch falling into place with a quiet click. “At last we’re alone.”
Myles embraced her and said, “Isn’t it strange that ever since I came back, we thought we were alone a lot of the time but we really weren’t.”
“That’s the scary part,” she said. “But right now, my friend, we have to clean up that wall full of food, and the dolls have to be taken back to their place in the bedroom.”
“Which do you want me to do?” Myles said, before adding, “I should tell you I don’t do windows or walls.” He smiled.
“I’ll do the walls and you take care of the dolls. All right?”
“Fine with me.”
Nicole went to the kitchen and Myles stood in the center of the living room, rubbing his hands. Why did they feel rough? He stared at them, looking closely to see if he had developed some callouses. His palms appea
red as smooth as always but when he ran one over the other, he found them both to be rough.
His breath came in short, puffy gasps. A wave of horror splashed through his trembling body. Staring at the backs of his hands, he focused on hair—more hair than had ever been there before. When he stroked it, he found it to be more coarse than usual. A peculiar sensation corkscrewed through him, leaving a dizzy, nauseated sensation whipping at him.
What was wrong? What was wrong with him?
He rubbed his hands together again, finding them even rougher and the hair more coarse than just seconds before.
What was happening?
His eyes swept over the room, locking onto the dolls laying in a pile where they had fallen. An antique Little Annie Rooney doll’s head turned by itself, staring at him, and then winked.
“Before you get started, darling,” Nicole called from the kitchen, “can you come here and help me for a moment?”
A smile—an evil smile—crossed Myles’ lips. “Coming, darling.”
Table of Contents
From the back cover
PACT WITH THE DEVIL
Also by John Tigges:
Title page
Dedication
PART ONE "I Conjure Thee ..."
1
2
3
PART TWO The Gifts
4
5
6
7
PART THREE He Is Come!
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
PART FOUR "You Are Mine Forever"
16
17
18
