by David Falchi
The man’s lifeless black eyes were fixed on me now. «Don’t worry, my friend. I’ve got something for you too. Just give me the time to give a lesson to this bitch». He underlined that last word with a kick on his wife’s shoulder, throwing her again on the wall.
Actually, the woman was within a stone’s throw from the entrance door. There was a good chance that the husband wouldn’t have followed her outside. With a clear mind she could have tried to escape, and maybe she would have even succeed. I wanted to warn her but I couldn’t bring myself to talk. Then the man kicked her again on her back. I almost felt the noise that the woman’s lungs made when they ran out of air.
«What a horrible end for two champions of justice like us», said a feeble voice that came from below.
Mr. Guidi must have heard that too, because he immediately lifted the head, and his face looked suspicious.
What happened? I asked Lerner. I still had the strength to think. And that was probably the only activity that I could do, since even breathing was hard in that moment. How did it beat you? And most importantly: how did it manage to jump into Guidi’s body so quickly?
«Apparently, we had it all wrong». My assistant’s voice was less than a whisper in my head. «If this monster is a toddler, and you were right to think that... well, our boss is its father. How could it miss the chance to go back in its father’s body? »
I would have liked to pay more attention to Lerner’s words but I was too focused on what was happening before my own eyes. The woman had just realized that running away was her only option and she had even managed to grab the door jamb with her nails. But her husband was onto her, and he was ready to crush her.
I collected all my energies. «You’re disgusting», I said, trying to raise my voice. Those words had at least got Mr. Guidi’s attention, who stopped and turned toward me. «You’re not even able to fight the intruder now that your wife’s life is at risk».
He replied with a laugh and my blood immediately ran cold. «Do you really think that I need other’s people advices to educate this bitch? »
The bitch in question though was using all her strength to save herself. She just needed to stand, apply a gentle pressure on the door handle and then leave. In that moment, saving a life, was a way to control the damages of a crushing defeat.
«I just think we should talk about it», I said. «Like calm and rational people do. And in that case I’m sure you’ll see the absurdity of your behavior».
He took a few steps in my direction, and then he opened his arms wide showing me how frustrated he was «I know that you want me out of here», he said. «But your request is absurd, and you’re just a fraud. I’ve never found a place in which I had felt so good before. The only problem is that it’s a bit too crowded in here». He winked at me. «But I’m already working on that. What do you think about that? »
«Do you want to do an exorcism? » asked Lerner.
It was a ridiculous idea. I didn’t have the strength to perform a ritual like that and until now nothing had seemed to work on the entity. Maybe I could have used it to distract Mr. Guidi until the woman had got out of the house.
Maybe if we join our forces it might work, I suggested. I’m afraid that if I do it solo I won’t remember the words.
«Lucky for you I have a copy of your book by this side of the mirror. Do you think that you’d be able to follow me if I start to recite the formula? »
I had no idea how he had managed to make a copy of my book of exorcisms, but that didn’t bother me.
Let’s do it.
I still couldn’t hear him very well so I decided to remove the Mercury bracelets to communicate with my assistant more efficiently. There was no need for me to keep a spiritual protection now that the enemy had a material form. The frustration grew when I realized that I couldn’t move my fingers and take them off.
When Lerner started to recite the words of the ritual, Mr. Guidi was towering above me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his wife going on her knees while she pressed her hands on the floor to help herself stand. Her shirt was covered in blood.
I followed the formula, letting the words slip through my tongue. The man before me burst into laughter but I didn’t let him distract me.
«I can’t believe this. Do you still think that these silly things could work with me? Or maybe you want me to get near you so you can hit me with your stupid knife? Not a chance. But you gave me an idea, though. I’ll use that blade of yours to take your life. Happy? »
I continued to recite the formula while I noticed that Guidi’s evil face slowly became surprised. He went near me, but again his movements were slow and clumsy, like the ones that the creature had made during our first encounter.
It was actually working. Not as much as I would have wanted but the exorcism was having some sort of effect.
I almost stopped when I saw Mrs. Guidi moving away from the door and turning toward her husband. I had to make a huge will effort to try not to stop the ritual and yell that she stepped away from that cursed house. I followed her with the eyes while she headed toward the fireplace and grabbed the stoker. Her husband was too focused on the ritual to realize what was happening around him, and when the woman drew near him with that improvised weapon on her hands it was too late.
«You son of a bitch, this is the last time that you touch me», she said.
And a moment later the sharpened iron tool pierced her husband’s kidneys, while Mrs. Guidi let out what looked like a liberating scream.
* * *
The man’s face turned into a mask of hatred while he turned to face the traitor. She didn’t slackened the grip, and she pushed the iron deeper, leading his husband against the wall. While the stocker speared the victim’s body and nailed it on the wall, I heard a wet sound. His screams were painless, in fact they were filled with a primordial anger. Even though these were his last moments, Mr. Guidi was no longer there, and he hasn’t been for a while now. In fact, the entity had taken full possession of his body, and it wasn’t that happy that it had to leave the flesh envelope that he had struggled to get. It was saying something, but to me it didn’t have any sense.
Mrs. Guidi left him exactly where he was. When she turned toward me her face was covered in blood and tears. «I should have done it a long time ago», she sighed. I didn’t know whether she was saying it to justify her act or if she was just talking to herself. «Maybe not like this, but I should have gotten rid of him».
«Don’t listen to her, for God’s sake. Bring us out of here, hurry. Before that thing recovers... or sets itself free».
Lerner was right. I had to be pragmatic. I only had that card to play and I couldn’t waste it.
«It’s okay», I replied in a whisper. «Now let’s get out of here. Would you help me? »
We were still in danger. In fact, if Mr. Guidi had bleed to death, the presence would have been free. And in the blink of an eye it would have possessed the woman, unless it had chosen a piece of junk like me.
«You old bitch», gnarled Mr. Guidi. «You’ve chosen the right moment to revolt against me. You’ve no idea of what I’ll do to you when I’ll be free. Because, just so you know, I will be free. And I’ll come to get you. You can run as you want but in the end we’ll still be together. For better or for worse, remember? » The man burst into laughter, and then he puked a thick red liquid spurt. The head twisted in a weird angle, and his neck produced a sinister cracking. «And you can’t leave now that we’re headed toward a better destiny. I’ll make room for you, if you stop being such a bitch».
«I have no intention to run, honey», she replied with a hoarse voice.
That reply gave me the creeps. The enemy was already holding its sway over the woman. We all had to get out of that house.
Mrs. Guidi limped toward me. She had a funny smile on her face, a mixture of resignation and inner peace. It was the expression of a person that was ready to die and somehow the idea didn’t excite me. I extended a hand and she helped me sta
nd, showing that she still had a considerable energy. As for me I was barely able to grab Lerner’s mirror.
The woman put my arm around her neck and she slowly escorted me to the entrance door.
«Where do you think you’re going? » yelled the man. He was thrashing about, trying to free himself. The floor was already covered in blood, while other blood was pouring from the wounds on the kidney and on the abdomen.
«Where the hell do you think you’re going? »
«Out of here, you idiot» sniggered Lerner in my head.
«Wait», said the woman, trying to stop our march by putting more energies in her legs.
«If you want to stay here with us you only need to ask» she replied. We were so close that I could actually feel the smell of her skin. It was different now. It was the smell of a person that was already dead. «There’s not much time left and I don’t know for how long I’ll have the guts to do this».
«But you’ll still need to be brave», I replied. «Would you trust me for one last time? »
A howl of anger came from the left, right where Mr. Guidi cut the air with his hands, pointing in our direction. The bones of his face seemed to have swollen, changing all of his features. Now there seemed to be a wild animal under his skin, and it was moving.
«What else do you want to do? » asked the woman. «Can’t you see that it’s over? »
«Yeah. Don’t you see that it’s over? Let’s get out of here and let’s tear down the house. It’ll be a half-victory».
It wasn’t true. Even if we were to destroy the house, at that point, the whole case would have been a defeat. There was still a small hope, but to nourish it I needed the woman’s help.
«Maybe not. Maybe there’s still something that we could do».
«What would that be? » asked the woman with a blank expression.
«We need to get your husband out of here», I replied. «The sun is still high, right? »
«Yes. But I don’t think that I want to do it. Why should I do it? ». She turned toward the man that was still trying to free himself. The fact that he still hadn’t managed to do it didn’t surprise me. The iron had purifying skills. They weren’t as strong as the other metals but they were powerful enough to keep the creature blocked against the wall. «In my opinion, he deserves to be there. Finally people will see him for who he really is».
Maybe that was a selfish thought but I didn’t care about their family issues in that moment. I only wanted to prove that I was right with regards to the entity that in multiple occasions had come very close to killing me.
«If you really want to see him suffer, then we need to drag him outside, and expose him to the sun lights. But we need to do it before his wounds will put an end to his life».
«He’s going to die anyway, right? »
I decided to analyze the implications of that question in another moment. Now, I just wanted to solve the case. That blind thought could have knocked at my door in the following days.
«I don’t think he has a chance to survive». The woman’s smile now seemed lustier. «Alright then, tell me what you need me to do».
With a gesture of my head I pointed at the man’s body. I had to use what was left of my energies to help Mrs. Guidi with that last task. I felt like I was able to stand on my feet, so I tried to leave her support. I didn’t fall.
«Seriously, this is the last supply», said my assistant, who now truly seemed far away. «If you still want me to work with you, you’re going to have to feed me again. Without other supplies I won’t be able to come back, keep that in mind».
I could have grabbed again the knife, but that lethal blade would have cut the creature too deep, and would have pushed it to run away. On the contrary, the blade was exactly where it was supposed to be: trapped inside the man’s mortal flesh.
«You can’t possibly be that stupid» hissed the entity. «If you free me I’ll torn you to pieces».
«Well, you’ll do it anyway», I replied, leaning a hand on the iron bar. Mrs. Guidi gave me a meaningful look and did the same. «On the count of three».
«One»
«Two», immediately continued Lerner.
I whispered «Two».
The woman held the bar tighter and the creature let out a scream that a human being could ever never reproduced.
«Three.»
We pulled back the stoker, and after a few attempts we managed to free it from the wall. The effort made me want to puke and it weakened me, but I did my best not to leave the grasp.
I kept repeating myself that it was just a short distance, and that everyone could have resisted, and in a few seconds we would have been outside. I pointed the doorstep with a gesture of my head and we started to drag Mr. Guidi’s body in that direction. The iron properties were perfectly balanced: if the entity hadn’t been that weak we would have never managed to carry it outside. But the metal did have the result of weakening it. Once again, I thought that the similarities between the creature and me were bound to continue. Just like me, the enemy was getting to the end of this adventure with the tiniest amount of energy. But in that deadlock situation the compass needle was pointing in my direction because by my side I had two allies: Lerner and Mrs. Guidi.
When the being realized what we were about to do it recharged its batteries and tried to slow us down, letting its body fall on the knees, and assuming a fetal position. The body was trembling but I didn’t know if what was causing it was the metal that was piercing it or the fear to face its own nemesis.
«Let’s keep on pushing him» I said.
The woman nodded, closing her mandible. However, a smile wrinkled her face, as if she was enjoying every second of that brutal act.
The door was closed. With a gesture of the head I suggested Mrs. Guidi to hold him, and then I swayed and took the long way to avoid being grabbed. With a sudden movement, the man still managed to grab my ankle. The only reason why I didn’t fall is because I found a way to hold on to the door handle. But the truth was that my enemy was exhausted.
«Don’t do this to me», he said. «After all, I am you. How can you destroy a part of you? »
I pushed away the limb with a kick. «Just like I’d destroy a malignant tumor».
I opened the door wide and for a moment I enjoyed being cradled by the sunlight. It was so bright that I had to close my eyes. How long had I been in the darkness of that house? Too long. The heat wrapped me, and recharged me, giving me a new determination.
«I never thought that I would say this but the sun has never looked better. Not even when I was alive. If you take out the mirror I promise that I’ll save a glare. In this way, next time you’ll visit me it’ll be just like being in your world».
When I opened the eyelids, I noticed that the being had crawled inside the house: he was determined to do everything in its power to delay its execution. I went back inside, and I dived into the darkness.
Mrs. Guidi had a snigger on her face. «Are we ready? »
«Of course we are», I replied.
We grasped the iron hilt firmly and then we pushed it forward. With its last energies the entity tried to grab on to the shutters, roaring and screaming, but the sun was waiting for it. The scream turned into a howl when it realized that its grip was slackening. It arched its back and it pointed the feet but it was as if the light was calling it.
One moment later it was outside.
I had already seen the effect that the sun rays had on the creatures of the night. But I’d never seen the effect of the star on a being that was the night itself. The screams of pain were heartrending, while the man’s body was turning and tossing for the convulsions. His flesh started to swell and move: it was as if the muscles were trying to escape from that pain center. While Mr. Guidi was having a seizure, he managed to free himself from the iron that had pierced his body, rolling down the porch stairs and ending up in the backyard. But it was too late: he was facing another enemy now, and he wouldn’t have gotten rid of the sun that easily. I w
atched him trying to protect his face with the arms, but he didn’t succeed. A thin black smoke was being released by his epidermis, but it quickly became thinner and thinner, until it disappeared in the blue sky. The creature lifted its head and then it looked at me. Through Mr. Guidi’s feature I saw the being that had taken possession of that body. It was a concentration of hatred, pain and longing to go back to the dark cave that had originated it.
Realizing that we weren’t going to let him go, he slithered along the stairs, and then he fell in the garden; using his elbows he continued to move, hoping to find shelter in the shadows. His movements were slow and confused. He would have never reached his shelter.
I almost felt pity for the enemy that I had fought against.
Despite this, Mrs. Guidi passed me and climbed down the small flight; then, she grabbed the stoker. Then she followed her husband whose only concern in that moment was finding a shelter. When the woman reached her husband she speared him as if he were just a cockroach. The man’s hands lifted for one last time, and then they dropped, this time for good. She remained by her husband’s side until the spasms ended.
When everything was over, I allowed myself to fall on the ground and to be cradled by the sun rays, the same ones that had just crushed my enemy. This time it was truly over, I could feel it all around me. The world was the same place that I knew, and there were no supernatural threats that could harass me now.
I opened my eyes and I felt the woman’s steps on the porch. She had a tear-streaked face.
«I’ve dreamed of this freedom for such a long time», she said «and now I don’t know what to do. But I guess, it’s never over, right? »
I tried to find the strength to answer to her question but this time I really was out of energies. Even Lerner had stopped talking now.
Mrs. Guidi bowed and she almost touched my cheek. A negative feeling crossed my body, and there was nothing that I could do to stop it. «Thank you», she said. «I couldn’t have done it without you»
She turned away and she marched toward the gate, taking one last peek at her husband’s lifeless body. I watched her disappearing among the shadows of the trees. That was the last time that I was going to see her alive.
