The Ghosts of RedRise House

by Caroline Clark

  “Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.”

  Behind him, Nick began the releasing ritual, “In the Name of Jesus, I rebuke the spirit of Jonas Peters.”

  A young boy stepped forward. The black melted from his eyes leaving them a warm blue, and the smile beneath it filled Jesse with hope.

  “I command you leave this place, without manifestation and without harm to me or anyone, so that He can dispose of you according to His Holy Will,” Nick continued.

  The little boy wiped tears from his grubby cheeks and did a little bow before fading in a flash of light.

  Jesse had never seen anything so beautiful. While he watched it, he took his eye off the teenagers. It was all they needed. The girl pulled a knife from within her apron and rushed toward Nick.

  “No!” Jesse screamed, and he dived into her path. Everything slowed down. He could hear Nick reciting the prayer.

  Why doesn’t he help me?

  The girl was moving too quickly. The knife held out, shining brightly and deadly. Jesse knew that her path would take her straight at him and he didn’t doubt that the knife was real. Deadly. It would slice into him, kill him, and still, Nick made no attempt to help.

  “In the Name of Jesus, I rebuke the spirit of Elizabeth Smith,” Nick spoke calmly.

  Jesse wanted to scream, hurry, help, damn you, Nick!

  In but an instant, the girl stopped. One moment she was flying toward him, brown hair fanned back, eyes black and full of hate, lips pulled back from bared teeth. And the knife… all he could see was the knife.

  Then she stopped, hovering for a moment while her eyes lightened down to a chocolate brown. The hatred dropped from her face and was replaced with love. The knife vanished from her fingers.

  “I command you leave this place,” Nick said as he came up and placed a cold hand on Jesse’s shoulder. “Leave it without manifestation and without harm to me or anyone, so that He can dispose of you according to His Holy Will.”

  The girl smiled and then she, too faded to a speck of light and then to nothing.

  The rest of the children stepped back. Jesse couldn’t decide if it was fear or wonder on their faces, but for a moment he could breathe.

  “We don’t have long,” Jesse called. He could sense evil building, and he wondered if they would have the strength to stand against it.

  74

  The darkness was growing, spreading. The children turned, and like androids, returned to their master.

  Jesse scanned the room and his eyes rested on Jack and Gail.

  She was standing in front of him, reciting the Lord's Prayer and sprinkling him with Holy Water. He was no longer on the ground but stood before her, and whatever possessed him, was gaining in strength. He was controlling the other spirits, and Jesse knew that time was running out. They should get out of here, but right now they couldn’t. The Jack puppet master was too strong.

  Sweat ran down Gail’s face, strain showed in the set of her jaw, the fatigue of her shoulders. She was failing and desperately needed his help, but before Jesse could join her, he had to protect Nick and Shelly.

  “Come with me,” he said, as he grabbed some rope and salt from his bag and pulled Nick to the table.

  “Sit.”

  Nick sat down opposite Shelly.

  Shock had frozen her solid and leached the color from her cheeks. They would deal with that later but at least for now, he could give them a modicum of safety.

  Quickly, Jesse laid a salt circle around the table. The spirits would not be able to cross it, including Nick, and he saw worry and a touch of betrayal cross the priest’s eyes.

  Jesse shook his head. He had trapped him here, which was cruel, but he believed the man was strong. That he could face the coming terrors. He had to… they needed him.

  Nick’s eyes pleaded for a moment longer, but then he nodded.

  "You will be fine," Jesse said, and turned to Shelly. "Shelly, Shelly!”

  She looked up and blinked back her tears.”

  “We will save Jack... but we need your help.”

  She nodded.

  “You will be protected inside the circle. We need you to release these children, reduce the spirit’s power. Jack needs that more than anything, so no matter what happens, do not cross that salt line.

  She nodded and blinked away her tears.

  "The spirits cannot cross it, but they may try to breach it. Use this to keep the line and keep reciting that releasing prayer."

  He handed Shelly the salt and held eyes with her for just a moment until she nodded, and then he turned to face the wrath of the Demon before him.

  Gail was being pushed back, slowly but surely. Like a wind, it was forcing her to slide across the slate floor. Back and back she slid, and with each inch, her power over the exorcism failed.

  Jesse came up next to Gail and took her hand. It stopped the backward motion, and a look of fury crossed Jack’s swollen face.

  Gail squeezed his fingers, and together they began to work on exorcising the spirit.

  “I cast you out, unclean spirit, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be gone from these creatures of God.”

  Jack's spat at them. The spittle burned like acid, but they wiped it from their faces, from their hands, and continued praying.

  "Christ, God's Word made flesh, commands you. Be gone, Satan, inventor, and master of all deceit!" Jesse was almost screaming the words as the kitchen filled with a hurricane-like wind. It tried to knock them off their feet, and for a moment Jesse was sent flying backward. Gail caught his wrist and held him as he struggled to maintain his feet.

  "The enemy of man's salvation," she shouted.

  Jesse joined in, "Unclean and evil beast, hear the Lord’s words and be gone."

  ***The children had surrounded the table. They were trying to get to Shelly and the priest, but they couldn’t cross the line. Like animals, they leaped at it, screaming, wailing and shouting but each time they threw themselves, they bounced back, repelled as if they hit an invisible barrier.

  Nick and Shelly were repeating the releasing prayer. “In the Name of Jesus, I rebuke the spirit of Jonathan Potter. I command you leave this place, without manifestation and without harm to me or anyone, so that He can dispose of you according to His Holy Will.”

  One of the children stopped and dropped to his knees. From wild animal to sweet baby, he changed in an instant and gave them a look of such apology.

  Shelly wiped tears from her eyes as she smiled at him and then he was gone.

  Jesse knew it was happening, but he had to concentrate on the battle in front of him.

  The wind pushed at them, and it took every bit of strength they had to battle against it. Screaming the exorcism was like whispering into a storm - useless. Jesse could see that Gail was exhausted. They had to do something, but what?

  A picture whipped through the air and caught Gail above the eye. She dropped to the floor. Without her strength, the Jack puppet was able to advance.

  “No!” Jesse screamed as he threw himself in front of her. “Keep away from her you bastard! Keep away!”

  Jack’s face looked as if it would rip as it broke into a smile, and he pulled out a knife. Eight inches of death slashed through the air as he walked toward them. There was confidence in his step. Gloating, he took his time, enjoying the terror he caused.

  Jesse reached down and checked Gail’s pulse. She was alive, but for how much longer? They had tried everything… had given it their all. They were losing. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked down at the sweet face of the woman he loved. He had brought her into this. He knew this day may come. The one when he failed. When the spirits were too strong.

  “I have to leave you, to give it all I have.” Gently he moved a lock of brunette hair from her forehead. He kissed her skin and as he did, she started to stir. He pulled her up to a sitting position and stroked her hair back. Jack was getting closer. “Can you walk?”

  “Not yet,” he
r voice was weak and shaky.

  Jesse pulled her to the side of the kitchen and was about to walk away when she handed him the crucifix that Nick had given her.

  “He’s afraid of this,” she whispered, and closed her eyes.

  Panic, like a trapped bird, clawed for escape inside Jesse, but he had to leave her. If he didn’t beat this evil, then they all died. With the crucifix in one hand, he grabbed the rope and Holy Water, an idea coming to his mind.

  Quickly, he spread the rope out and sprinkled it with Holy Water while reciting a blessing, “Bless this rope with righteous power; imbue it with Your favor, strengthen it as a shield, a barrier to evil.”

  Glancing back, he could see Jack grinning. Red eyes, mouth impossibly wide, leaking spittle as he came closer. Jesse cowered back, covering Gail, protecting her and waiting.

  The spirit laughed. The sound boomed around the room, spraying him with fetid breath that stank like a week-old corpse.

  Jesse waited just a moment more and then he sprang to his feet and threw the rope.

  “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, bind this spirit and hold him.”

  75

  The spirit roared and thrashed and screamed at him in the ancient tongue. The one forgotten. The one corrupted.

  Jesse couldn’t understand the words, but they hurt his ears, made him want to cover his head and cut out the sound.

  Still, the spirit roared and thrashed, but it hadn’t come closer. The rope was working. For the first time in a while, Jesse had the upper hand. He glanced at the table. The children were still circling, testing the salt line but there were less of them. Shelly and Nick looked strong. They held hands and recited the releasing prayer and as he watched, another child broke from the group and transformed into a thing of beauty, of innocence and finally, of peace.

  Jesse wanted to watch, to clap and cry for joy, but a scream of torment turned him back. Jack’s face was morphing, changing back to the sweet young man he was and then into a thing of evil. One moment young and in agony, the next old and corrupt. Grey hair topped a putrid bag of evil that enjoyed the torment it was inflicting.

  The old spirit was fighting... Jesse was going to end that fight. He took the crucifix in his left hand and the Holy Water in his right, and he approached the spirit.

  “Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.”

  The old man’s eyes widened as he saw the crucifix. He tore at the rope, but it burned into his flesh, singeing his hands and blistering his face. Then he changed, and was Jack.

  “Help me,” he cried. “Get this off me. It burns, please help me.” Tears ran from his eyes. Tears of blood traced twin rivers down his face.

  Jesse stepped forward and held out the crucifix. Jack’s eyes were wild with fear, but Jesse pushed it against his forehead. It burned, smoked, and he could smell the singeing flesh, but he held it there.

  The old man was back, and gnashing with his teeth, he tried to bite Jesse, but it was all to no avail. The crucifix held him. Jesse could see the spirit giving in, fading.

  “Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra,” he shouted, gasping for breath. “Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita.”

  A feral scream broke Jesse’s concentration, and he turned just in time to see the smaller of the cloaked adults running for him. The hood was back and he could see a dead-eyed, old woman. Her teeth bared as she charged into him.

  As the spirit hit, Jesse was sent flying. The contact was so cold it froze his shoulder and arm. His fingers opened, and he saw the crucifix flying through the air.

  He hit the kitchen cabinets hard with the small of his back and slumped down to the floor. Pain slammed into him like a train, and for a moment he could think of nothing more.

  The woman was coming for him. She swirled into a mist and crossed the ground in an instant, then threw out her hand.

  Jesse knew what she wanted to do. That arm would be ice cold. It could go through his body and then crush his heart. To a coroner, it would look like he had suffered a heart attack, but it would be all her. She would stay incorporeal until she was inside his chest and there was nothing he could do. The crucifix was just out of his reach, and he had dropped his Holy Water. Maybe he could move, but he could see from the look on her face that she was expecting that.

  “Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen!” he shouted. Just as she was on him, he threw himself to the left, but he felt her hand like a shiver pass into his chest.

  Then she dissipated, and Nick landed on the floor at Jesse’s feet.

  “Nick.” Jesse reached down to take his hand and help him up, but he passed straight through the priest.

  I have to go for a while. Nick shrugged. It was a sad, but not frightened gesture. That took all my remaining strength. I won’t be here if you ne...

  He faded away, becoming more and more translucent until there was nothing left.

  Jesse growled as he jumped to his feet. He wanted to see if he could call the priest back, but there wasn’t time for that. The man had saved him at great cost. He just hoped that she hadn’t taken Nick with her, but it didn’t matter now... they had to finish this. He hoped that Nick had simply exhausted himself and that he hadn’t been taken into the darkness.

  Shelly was within the circle reapplying salt to the line where she must have let Nick free. There were only 6 children remaining and one of the adult spirits. They all looked beaten, though they made a weak attempt to cross salt the line.

  Jesse grabbed the crucifix and walked back to Jack. His face was once more swollen and red. Blood vessels had burst in his cheeks, and his mouth had split at the corners. Things were going from bad to worse.

  Jesse threw Holy Water onto him and held up the crucifix. He saw the panic in the man’s eyes and at the same time, a vindictive need for revenge.

  He had to move fast, or the spirit would shred Jack and simply leave.

  Jesse marched closer until he could put the crucifix on his forehead once more. The body beneath him singed and shook, convulsing beneath his hand.

  “I cast you out, unclean spirit, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be gone from this creature of God.”

  The body beneath him bucked so hard he feared it would break Jack’s spine, but he kept the crucifix pushed into his forehead. It burned, Jack shrieked, but Jesse didn’t ease up. Spirits were tricky; he had to be sure it was gone.

  “Be gone, spirit of Satan, inventor, and master of all deceit, the enemy of man's salvation. Unclean and evil beast, hear the Lord’s words and be gone."

  Jack dropped to the floor, convulsing. His heels knocked on the hard tiles, and his body twisted and shook.

  A hand touched Jesse’s shoulder. He turned to see Gail, and a wave of relief strengthened him.

  “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name,” Gail started softly, but her voice gained volume as she continued. “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

  Jesse repeated the Latin exorcism alongside her. Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.”

  On the floor, the spirit shrieked and thrashed. Blood was leaking from Jacks eyes and running down his cheeks. Then it was the old man again. He laughed and rose to his feet. “You will never beat me.”

  The rope held him.

  “We’ve heard it all before,” Jesse said. Drawing back his arm, he punched the spirit in the face, knocking him backward.

  Gail advanced on him. “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses.”

  Jesse advanced on him holding the crucifix. “Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.”

  The spirit backed away from them, morphing and convulsing like an ever-changing rubber man.

  “As we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Gail followed him.

  “Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobi
s hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.” Jesse stepped closer.

  “For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.”

  “Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.”

  They had pinned the spirit in the corner of the kitchen, his back against the cooker. Fear crossed his face, for there was nowhere else to go.

  Jesse put the crucifix against his forehead. “I cast you out and send you back to hell.”

  Jack threw his head back. Black smoke erupted from his mouth with such force that it tossed Jesse and Gail across the kitchen like rag dolls.

  They landed hard on the tiles and turned to see Jack collapsed on the floor as the smoke surrounded the cooker before driving down into the floor, accompanied by the sound of an explosion. It shook the house as it burst through the tiles and traveled down, and down, to wherever it came from.

  Jesse got up and pulled Gail to her feet.

  “It’s over,” she said. “We beat him.”

  Before Jesse could reply, a black cat streaked into the kitchen, its hair singed and still smoking.

  Jesse understood. He knew they had very little time.

  76

  Shelly raced to Jack, dropping to her knees at his side. “Jack, oh my God Jack are you...” Gently she stroked his forehead.

  “We have to get out of here,” Jesse called, as the cat skittered around the room, leaving behind the scent of burning fur. No one was listening to him. Gail had gone to help Shelly. They were helping Jack to his feet.

  “I’m all right,” he said, as they eased him into a chair.

  Jesse felt a moment of relief. Jack would survive, traumatized and who knows what damage had been done to his face, but he would survive if they got out of here. His eyes followed the cat as it raced around the room. The remaining children were trying to keep out of its way. They zig-zagged around as if they were drunk. It was like crazy pinball, and he had to bite back a manic laugh as hysteria nearly took him.