“You're both going to die!” shouted Alex as she rushed toward Meghan.
“Now! Get her now!” shouted Willie as she ran toward Alex.
Both women covered Alex with a sheet and tackled her down like a strong defensive line. Alex was kicking her legs and flailing her arms around, but Willie grabbed her arm and slammed it onto the floor sending the hammer spinning into the corner of the room. Willie flipped Alex's body over and began to hog tie her. She tied both her legs and hands behind her back, so Alex couldn't kick, walk, swing her arms, run toward them, or run away. Alex was still making those God awful groans and growling sounds, so Meghan ran to a nearby laundry basket and handed Willie a balled up pair of socks. Willie shoved them into Alex's mouth.
“I'm sorry, buddy. But this is for your own good.” Willie patted Alex on the shoulder as she lay on her side still trying to squirm out of her ropes.
Meghan went to the kitchen sink to splash some water on her face. “Are you going to be okay with her for a day?”
“I'll be okay. I'm not afraid of her. She's all bark and no bite.” Willie chuckled.
Meghan wondered how she never lost her sense of humor in all her years and in all that she had seen.
“What are you going to be doing? You're not going to hurt her are you?” questioned Meghan.
“Me? Hurt the love of your life? No way. A demon, I can handle. The wrath of Meghan Jeffries? I'll take a pass on that one.” Willie laughed. “I'm going to pray over her.”
“Okay, well, good luck!” Meghan headed for the door and grabbed Willie's keys on the way out. She would have to keep Aleghany at home and try to figure out what to say to her to keep her away from her precious and adoring Aunt Mena's house.
As she walked out to the car, she could hear Willie praying over Alex. She was shouting, “I have dominion over you, demon! I cast you back into the depths of Hell! You are the liar! You are the deceiver! You are the fallen angel that was cast down from Heaven! You are Belial!”
Meghan felt a shiver go up her spine as she turned on the ignition and drove away. She was glad to be out of there, but she was afraid for Willie. She knew she wanted to be a pastor, but she hadn't completed all her classes yet. She wasn't a minister, a priest, or a pastor. She was still just Willie. But nevertheless, Meghan prayed that she would be able to hold her there, pray over her, and possibly keep her from hurting others or herself.
Chapter Forty-Six
Willie prayed over Alex day and night each time holding a crucifix in one hand and Holy Bible in the other. There were times when Alex was calm and quiet, times where she slept, and other times where she seemed like she was back to her old self again. Willie could almost see the difference in her eyes. When Alex was herself her eyes appeared normal, but when the devil tried to come through, her eyes became dark and the whites of her eyes were no longer visible.
Not having any holy water, Willie filled a glass with tap water from the bathroom faucet, then returned to pray over Alex some more. She splashed water on Alex as she did so.
“It's God the Father, who commands you. It's Jesus Christ who commands you! It is I that have power and dominion over you that commands you!”
Alex was writhing around on the living room floor and making groaning and moaning sounds as the water was splashed upon her.
Willie wondered if she was weakening the demon. Since she'd tied it down and begun praying over it, it hadn't been able to attack her.
Willie's eyes were starting to become heavy as the sun started to shine through the broken windows. She'd made it to Monday morning, and she was exhausted! Willie didn't see the harm in going to the bedroom to close her eyes. She didn't want to sleep. She just wanted to close her eyes and rest them for a few minutes.
Willie set her things down on the end table by the sofa and went to her bedroom. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The next thing she knew, Willie was awakened by the sound of the screen door slamming! She sat up in bed and heard Alex's maniacal laughter outside.
“Alex!” shouted Willie. “Get back here!”
Willie ran down the stairs as fast as she could, but Alex was gone. She was running faster than a greyhound in a dog race. Willie sprinted after her and they arrived at Alex's house just as Ginger George and her colleagues Samuel and Mark Wolfe had driven up. They were already talking to Meghan who was trying to direct them over to Willie's house.
“Here she comes! She's going to kill me!” shouted Meghan.
“Get her, boys! Get Alex!”
Samuel and Mark began to chase Alex as she bolted around the house and headed for the back door.
“Don't let her get away!” shouted Ginger.
Willie came running up only seconds behind Alex and ran around the house in the other direction to cut Alex off. She was glad that Alex was no longer wielding a hammer. She had forgotten it in her quest to break free from her captivity and run away.
Samuel knocked Alex down as he rushed to her and held her down on the ground while Mark took out some plastic zip ties from his backpack and tied Alex's hands behind her back. Samuel then dug through the bag and pulled out a syringe to sedate her. It was as if they were prepared for a flight risk all along. Willie got the feeling they'd probably done this hundreds of times before.
Within the house, Aleghany was scared. She couldn't see what was happening since Meghan kept her away from the bedroom window, but she could hear all the commotion and Alex's groaning and growling sounds.
“Let's take her inside the house,” said Mark.
Willie shook her head. “No. We can't do anything here. Not even in the basement.”
“Then what do you suggest?” asked Samuel.
“Let's go to my house,” offered Willie. “It's only about three miles up the side of the lake on the other side.”
“Are you joking?” asked Mark. “Why can't we do an exorcism here?”
Willie was angered. “Because there's a child in the house. I don't want her harmed. And I certainly don't want her to see or hear anything.”
“How do you suggest we get her to your house? Because she's not getting in our car, that's for sure,” said Samuel.
Willie rolled her eyes. “What's a matter boys? You scared of a little adventure?”
“We're not scared,” insisted Ginger. “We just don't feel it's safe to travel with a person that is possessed. At any moment, the demon could strike out at us or cause us to veer off the road.”
Willie had been speaking to Samuel and Mark and was surprised to receive such a curt answer from Ginger George. She hadn't said much of anything while she was there.
“Fine.” Willie grabbed Alex's arms that were still tied together and began walking her back to her house. “I'll get her there the same way she got here--on foot.”
As Willie walked behind Alex, pushing her and shoving her the three mile trek to her house, she kept thinking that this is what it must be like when you capture a prisoner of war. She had never captured a POW before, but this is almost exactly what she had envisioned in her mind. All that was missing was her fatigues and her weapon.
Willie pushed Alex all the way to the house and was surprised that she didn't attempt to run away. But then she remembered Samuel and Mark had sedated her. She was easily made to walk and go where ever Willie wanted without fear that she would be strong enough to attack them or run away.
Willie wasn't sure how long the medications would last, so she rushed Alex inside the house, found some more rope, and made sure to bind her arms and legs together. She then dragged Alex to the kitchen table where she laid her across the top and then ran more rope across her body to keep her in place. From a bird's eye view, it appeared as though a mad scientist such as Dr. Frankenstein was tying down his patient, preparing her for a bolt of lighting to strike her and give her life. In a way, it's how Willie felt. She was prepared to help Ginger and her friends give Alex her life back, and send the demon back to where it belonged—Hell.
C
hapter Forty-Seven
Ginger, Samuel, and Mark were standing on the porch watching as Willie approached, took her up the porch steps and into the house, and then waited patiently for Willie to tie her down.
After shoving the pair of socks back into Alex's mouth, Willie went to the front door.
“You guys just going to let me do all the work or what?” she asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.
“We were waiting to be invited inside your home,” said Ginger.
“Why's that?” questioned Willie. “Are you vampires waiting to suck the life out of me? Because I don't know that I can handle any more creatures today.”
Both Samuel and Mark laughed as they entered the home with their cameras, tripods, and gadgets. Ginger wasn't amused. She took her job very seriously. She entered the home with a stoic expression and began to pray over Alex immediately.
Alex's groaning and growling began again and she began to squirm on the table trying to break free of her restraints.
Samuel had some audio recording devices set in place while Mark had two separate cameras from different angles on tripods trying to record everything that was happening.
Willie sat quietly praying to herself. She had already prayed herself into exhaustion, but she wasn't an exorcist. She didn't know the prayers to exorcise a demon. In listening to Ginger recite her prayers, she knew that she was.
Ginger began by praying the Lord's prayer, then followed up by reading several psalms. She held the Holy Bible in her hands, but didn't need to have it open. She recited everything by heart. Willie found it incredibly inspirational. She knew that one day she, too, would be able to recite things from memory without the aide of the good book.
Alex's eyes rolled back into her head and only the whites of her eyes could be seen. Vomit started to come out of the sides of her mouth bypassing the sock that was placed in there. It was black in color like motor oil but mushy and clumpy. The room began to stink like a combination of sulfur and rotten flesh and the temperature felt as if it dropped twenty to thirty degrees in mere seconds. Willie began to shiver.
Ginger removed the socks from Alex's mouth for fear she would choke on her own vomit, then she began to recite the rite of exorcism.
“I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you are, along with your minions now attacking this servant of God, by the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the coming of our Lord for judgment, that you tell me some sign of your name, and the day and hour of your departure.”
The demon began to laugh.
Ginger continued to recite her prayers. “I command you, moreover, to obey me to the letter, I who am a minister of God despite my unworthiness; nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of God, or the bystanders, or any of their possessions.”
The dishes and cups in the cupboards began to rattle! The doors to the kitchen cabinets all opened and there was glass and ceramic plates shattering everywhere. Samuel rushed toward one of the cameras to turn it in the direction of the items flying in the air and crashing while Mark remained by the other camera fixated on Alex.
Ginger placed her hand over Alex's forehead, then recited another verse.
“They shall lay their hands upon the sick and all will be well with them. May Jesus, Son of Mary, Lord and Savior of the world, through the merits and intercession of His holy apostles Peter and Paul and all His saints, show you favor and mercy.”
Mark and Samuel responded in unison, “Amen.”
“Amen,” said Willie seconds after them.
The table began to shake violently as Alex groaned. More vomit spewed out slowly from either side of her mouth as she turned her head from one side to another. Then they all watched in horror as the table began to levitate three feet off the ground!
Ginger was not afraid. She continued in her prayers.
“I cast you out unclean spirit, ancient serpent. I adjure you by the judge of the living and of the dead, by your Creator, by the Creator of the whole universe, by Him who has the power to send you to hell, to depart forthwith in fear, along with your savage minions, from this servant of God.”
The table began to spin around slowly as Ginger prayed the rites of exorcism. At first it began to spin slowly, then increased in speed. Items in the home were still being flung about and every so often something like a glass or a vase would shatter into pieces as it hit the wall or the floor, but nonetheless, Ginger would not be deterred. She was a woman on a mission and the power of God was working through her. She couldn't be stopped.
“I adjure you again not by my weakness but by the might of the Holy Spirit, to depart from this servant of God, whom almighty God has made in His image. Yield, therefore, yield not to my own person but to the minister of Christ. For it is the power of Christ that compels you!”
Samuel suddenly became violently ill. He began to also puke a black substance. He held his stomach as he lurched forward. The demon was attacking him, but surprisingly, it hadn't attacked Ginger who was still reciting her prayers. Willie assumed that it meant, the beast was becoming weaker.
Ginger continued to recite her prayer as the table came crashing down back onto the floor.
“It is God Himself who commands you; the majestic Christ who commands you. God the Father commands you; God the Son commands you; God the Holy Spirit commands you. They mystery of the cross commands you. The faith of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and of all the saints commands you...”
Willie clutched her own Bible to her chest and began to pray the Lord's Prayer repeatedly. Tears filled her eyes. She could feel the power of God working and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. It was the same feeling she had felt as a child. She had felt the calling of God to service, but had chosen to ignore it. Now more than ever, she wanted to serve God. It was her calling; her destiny.
Ginger's voice had quieted. She continued in her prayers as she placed her hand on Alex's forehead once more. She spoke almost in a whisper.
“The blood of the martyrs commands you. The continence of the confessors commands you. The devout prayers of all holy men and women commands you. The saving mysteries of our Christian faith commands you.”
Alex had quieted. Her eyes were closed. Ginger stepped away and walked out onto the porch for a cigarette. She lit her cigarette and took a drag, then allowed the smoke fill the air as she exhaled.
Willie followed her outside as Samuel and Mark kept watch over Alex.
“Is it over?” asked Willie.
“We shall rest while the demon sleeps,” was all Ginger said.
Willie sat down on the porch steps and wept.
Chapter Forty-Eight
When the exorcism resumed, Ginger had already gotten her second wind. She seemed stronger and more confident. She removed her sweater despite the cold temperatures in the house and rolled up her sleeves. She didn't waste any time. She continued immediately.
“Depart, then, transgressor. Depart, seducer, full of lies and cunning, foe of virtue, persecutor of the innocent. Give place, abominable creature, give way, you monster, give way to Christ in whom you found none of your works. For He has already stripped you of your powers and laid waste your kingdom, bound you prisoner and plundered your weapons. He has cast you forth into outer darkness, where everlasting ruin awaits you and your abettors. To what purpose do you insolently resist? To what purpose do you brazenly refuse? For you are guilty before almighty God, whose laws you have transgressed. You are guilty before His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom you presumed to tempt, whom you dared to nail to the cross. You are guilty before the whole human race, to whom you proferred by your enticements the poisoned cup of death.”
Mark and Samuel began to sprinkle holy water onto the demon, but it didn't become angered. It lay weakened on the table, breathing heavily. The holy water burned its skin like acid. Alex bore slash marks across her face where the holy water was hitting her.
Ginger
continued to recite the rite of exorcism. “ Therefore, I adjure you profligate dragon, in the name of the spotless Lamb, who has trodden down the asp and the basilisk, and overcome the lion and the dragon, to depart from this woman, to depart from the Church of God. Tremble and flee, as we call on the name of the Lord, before whom the denizens of hell cower, to whom the heavenly Virtues and Powers and Dominations are subject, whom the...” Ginger's voice seemed to trail off.
Willie could see her mouth still moving. She knew that Ginger was still reciting her prayers, but she couldn't hear her. She heard a loud buzzing sound in her ears. It sounded like dead silence, then filled with a faint ringing, then buzzing. Willie started to feel faint. The world seemed to spin faster and faster, and she couldn't breath.
“Please, God. Please, don't let the demon take me,” she pleaded under her breath. It was the last words that she spoke before passing out cold and hitting the living room floor.
Chapter Forty-Nine
When Willie awoke, Ginger was still reciting the rite of exorcism. Samuel was sitting beside Willie on the sofa. She couldn't remember sitting down or laying on the sofa, so she assumed that Mark and Samuel had placed her there. There was a cold compress on her head.
“She lives,” said Samuel as he noticed Willie stir awake.
“What happened?” she asked. The world still seemed to be spinning, but at least she regained her hearing.
“I guess you fainted,” replied Samuel.
“How long was I out?”
“A couple of hours. Ginger's recited the rite of exorcism and several psalms and prayers. She's just now finishing the last of the prayers. The demon is gone, I think. Alex has been asleep for about half an hour.”
Willie sat up, still feeling the heaviness of her head, she couldn't stand. “Should I go tell Meghan that the coast is clear?”
Samuel shook her head. “No, not just yet. We're going to wait until Alex wakes up. If she's alright, Ginger will know. But so far it looks good. We were here just over three hours. We're all exhausted.”
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