by Paul Seiple
“So no one is infected with the True Self?” Kim asked.
“What?” Noah asked.
“She’s talking to Aura,” Jaime said.
“Of course, she is,” Noah said.
“I prefer the term possessed,” Aura said. “But no, the imps weren’t carriers.”
“Thank God,” Terrence said.
“Wait, you see her too?” Noah asked.
Terrence nodded.
“Terrence, old ladies really have a thing for you, don’t they?” Aura asked.
“Very funny,” Terrence said.
Aura shackled the imp, that was Martha, with the same glowing blue restraints.
“What are you going to do with them?” Kim asked.
“Take them to another kind of jail,” Aura said. “In another dimension.”
Noah watched the blue rope lock around the creature’s hairy wrists. He turned to say something to Jaime, but was met with a greenish outline of a woman.
“Hi,” Aura said.
“I… can… see you,” Noah said.
“Yep. You sure can,” Aura said.
“How? Why?” Noah asked.
Aura smiled. A sense of peace washed over Noah. She said, “Because now you believe. And I’m over the ghost comment.”
Aura dragged the imp that was Martha toward the porch where the other one was still unconscious.
“Need help?” Noah asked.
“Nope,” Aura said.
There was a bright green flash, and the two imps were side by side on the porch.
“I really need to get them away from here before they wake up. These guys can be quite a handful,” Aura said.
“What about Paulsen?” Noah asked.
“I’ll only be gone a few minutes. Watch the building. If you see him, do what cops do and trail him,” Aura said. “But don’t touch him or let him touch you.”
Aura faded away with the imps before anyone could respond.
“So, I guess we wait,” Noah said.
“That was definitely new to me,” Jaime said. “Dad warned me of demons, but…” Jaime said. The sound of something heavy crashing against the roof ended her sentence abruptly.
A man with short blonde hair dressed in all black rolled down the roof. He bounced off the ground and started running away from the group.
“It’s got to be Paulsen,” Kim said, giving chase.
“Wait, Kim,” Terrence said.
She ignored him. He ran after her. Noah and Jaime joined him. Julian Paulsen was surprisingly fast in combat boots. Terrence, being a former all-state college, running back was faster. He left Noah and Jaime behind and passed Kim. He was inches from Paulsen when Kim reminded Terrence not to touch the kid. The adrenaline almost cost Terrence his life. He slowed but kept after Paulsen.
“You can’t get away,” Terrence said.
Paulsen rounded the corner of an alleyway and ran into a busy downtown street. He stopped and faced Terrence, giving Kim, Noah, and Jaime a chance to catch up.
Paulsen’s pupils went from ocean blue to black in a blink. His face contorted into something inhuman when he smiled.
Terrence held up his arms, palms out. “We just want to talk.”
“You’re lying,” Julian said.
“No, we really just want to figure out what’s happening,” Kim said.
Julian shrugged his shoulders, “OK, then ask her.” He reached out and grabbed a woman’s arm as she came out of a yoga studio.
“No,” Kim said.
“I can play this game all day, bitch,” Julian said.
Kim reached for her revolver. It wasn’t there. For a moment, she forgot she was no longer a cop.
“Or maybe you want to let the rage that’s building inside of you out,” Julian said. “I can help with that.”
The woman from the yoga studio stood frozen with a puzzled look on her face.
“What do we do?” Noah asked.
“You’re going to be ok,” Terrence said, approaching the woman. “What’s your name?”
“Amber.”
“I’m Terrence. How are you feeling?”
“A little weird,” Amber said.
“Why don’t you have a seat on the curb until you feel better,” Jaime said.
“What’s happening to me?” Amber asked.
“Just try to relax,” Jaime said.
Amber’s face morphed from a look of fear to rage. A hint of black shined in her green eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do. I know you think you’re better than me.”
“What?” Jaime asked.
“You’re one of those types that doesn’t even have to work out to have that figure, aren’t you?” Amber asked.
“Calm down, Amber,” Noah said.
“Let me guess, you’re her boyfriend. Of course, you are. I hate couples like you,” Amber said. She stood and faced Jaime.
Noah pulled his gun. “Sit down, Amber.”
“I fucking love this,” Julian said, taking his stare away from Kim.
“What if I don’t? Are you going to shoot me?” Amber asked.
“I don’t want to, but I need you to relax and sit down,” Noah said.
“I don’t give a shit about what you need,” Amber said.
She lunged at Jaime, who stepped to the side. Amber landed on her hands and knees on the street.
“Bitch,” Amber said.
“Move away, Jaime,” Noah said.
Amber stood and turned toward Jaime. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”
Noah didn’t wait for Amber to make another move. He fired one shot into her chest, dropping her against the curb as people watched from inside of stores.
“You murdered her,” Julian said. “I knew you had it in you, Noah Wright.”
Julian ran again. Kim chased after him. Terrence followed. Noah and Jaime stayed back with Amber.
Julian weaved in between people only inches from infecting them with the True Self.
“Julian, stop, we can help you,” Kim said.
Julian kept running. He slowed next to a woman and her little daughter.
“Don’t, Julian,” Kim said.
Julian faced Kim. “Don’t what? Don’t set this little girl free from a world of pain, hate, and selfish people?”
“Get away from her,” Terrence said.
The woman pulled her daughter closer and moved away from Julian. He blocked her path.
“Do I scare you?” Julian asked.
Tears trailed down the woman’s cheeks. The little girl hid behind her legs.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, Kim Strode,” Julian said. “You’re going to stop chasing me or I’m going to shake this cute, little girl’s hand. Are we clear?”
“I can’t let you go,” Kim said.
Julian shrugged his shoulders. “OK.” He reached for the girl.
“No… no, wait. Just go,” Kim said.
Julian smiled at her. “Oh, I almost forgot. Murmur sends his regards.” He turned to the little girl. “You have a lovely day.”
Kim and Terrence watched as Julian ran between two parked cars and disappeared down an alleyway.
Twenty-Nine
Debbie sat with her eyes closed, embracing the emptiness of vision. It was more comforting than opening them and seeing blurred shapes. She wasn’t worried about losing her sight. There wasn’t time for that now. Debbie had spent most of her life fighting the paranormal. She even took on the queen of demons, Lilith. The True Self was different. It wasn’t your typical shadow demon. It knew the world’s darkest secrets. That put it a few steps ahead of anyone who tried to stop it. And there was the side-effect of death for anyone who came in contact with the True Self.
“Is she going to be ok?” Mason asked Remi.
“My vision is impaired, not my hearing,” Debbie said.
“Oh, I know that. I just didn’t want to interrupt your meditation,” Mason said.
“I’m not meditating, Mason. I’m thinking,” Debbie said.
Don took a seat beside her. “How are we going to stop this thing? It’s been a long while since I’ve been stumped.”
“If I was in better spirits, there is an opportunity to make a stump joke about your hand and the museum fire,” Debbie said. “But, I’m not.”
“If Aura can help Kim and Terrence catch Julian Paulsen, there’s a chance we can send it back to where it came from,” Remi said.
“The only person strong enough to do that is Debbie,” Mason said. “But she’s too weak in this state.”
“Again, my vision is impaired. I can hear just fine. And that’s a first. You complimented me and insulted me in the same sentence,” Debbie said.
“You know what I mean. If Darkness senses you’re not one-hundred percent, it will seize the opportunity,” Mason said.
“Can you help her?” Don asked Remi.
“I can try, if she wants me to,” Remi said.
“Debbie? How about it?” Mason said.
Debbie didn’t respond. She sank deeper into her subconscious. Something was much darker than the black. It swirled around Debbie. She never flinched.
“So, you’re the witch everyone keeps talking about.” The voice was barely distinguishable from a growl.
The air grew stagnant and a humid mist clung to Debbie. Again, she didn’t flinch. The warm stench of evil slapped her in the face. Debbie ignored it.
“You’re everything advertised,” the voice said.
Debbie shook off the flattery. She focused on her third eye energy. It was here that she gathered most of the information about the supernatural enemies she faced. But Debbie was having a hard time getting a clear picture. Maybe it was a product of the blurry vision. Debbie’s sight and her third eye never crossed before. The third eye was her way of seeing things that liked to stay hidden in the real world. It really wasn’t that much different from the True Self.
“What’s the matter, witch? Can’t see me?”
Debbie ignored the voice. Heat wrapped itself around her like a warm blanket on a cold night. The cozy feeling was temporary. It soon suffocated Debbie. She remained calm and concentrated on the elemental, but for the first time in a long while Debbie was frightened.
“I’m faceless. I’m bodiless. You can never see me.”
Debbie hadn’t encountered something that didn’t have a form of sorts. This wasn’t a ghost. It wasn’t a demon. It was simply energy. It needed a host. Fear left Debbie’s body. She knew what she had to do to see the True Self.
“I smell your inner shadow. You’re a dark one,” the voice said.
Debbie sat up in the chair and fumbled to find Remi’s hand.
“What’s wrong?” Remi asked.
Debbie smiled. “I need to you to unblock some energy.”
Don led the way to an office space down the hall from the Project Specter headquarters. Remi followed, with Debbie hanging on to her.
“Here we are,” Don said. He opened the door to bare walls and a tan carpet.
“There’s not much decorating in this place, huh?” Remi asked.
“Jaime’s a minimalist,” Don said. He turned on the light. “Do you think this is going to work?”
“It’ll work,” Debbie said.
“OK, I’ll get back to Mason. Do you need anything else?” Don asked.
Remi reached into her bag for a small candle and lighter. “We’re good.” She placed the candle on the floor and lit the wick. “Just turn the light out when you leave.”
Don nodded and flipped the switch before shutting the door. The small flame flickered. A tiny shadow danced over the bare walls. Remi took sage from her bag, lit it, and walked around the room.
Debbie’s vision was like trying to look through a dirty windshield, but she could make out the flame. She sat next to the candle. Remi chanted and moved the sage around the door. She blew the sage out and reached into her bag for peppermint essential oil. Remi smeared a few drops into her palms and waved her hands over Debbie’s head. Debbie took a deep breath. Inhaling the soothing scent, she fell into a peaceful state.
“My third eye is blocked,” Debbie said. “It’s energy must have seeped into me on the plane.”
“Got it,” Remi said. She placed her hands on Debbie’s shoulders and eased her back onto the floor. Remi cupped her hands over Debbie’s ears. This was a part of reiki that reminded Debbie of growing up near South Carolina beaches. On family vacations, she used to cup seashells to her ear to hear the ocean. Debbie fell deeper into a relaxed stated and pictured the waves crashing against the shore. Salt air replaced the smell of peppermint tickling her nostrils. The feeling of a light, misty breeze brushed against Debbie’s skin.
A small purple dot appeared in front of Debbie. Remi waved her hands inches above Debbie’s hairline. The breeze around Debbie strengthened. The dot grew into a glowing starburst and hovered in front of Debbie. A black circle formed in the center of the light and ate its way through leaving Debbie in darkness again.
Remi placed her hands on Debbie’s head. A static charge tickled Debbie’s forehead. Remi’s fingers twitched. Heat radiated between Remi and Debbie. A tightness gripped Remi’s wrists as if something had a hold of her arms trying to pry her away from Debbie. She held her space.
The purple light formed again in front of Debbie. The black circle was right behind, but this time, the purple glow shined brighter, creating a spotlight on the black. A shadow appeared, followed by the scene of a man sitting at a desk in front of a white wall. The shadow moved in unison with the man as he read from a handwritten sheet of paper. The shadow inched closer to the man before vanishing into him.
“Peek-a-boo, I see you,” Debbie said.
The man swung around, nearly falling out of the chair. He stared at Debbie.
“Who are you?”
The shadow distorted the man’s figure as it freed itself from the flesh.
“You’re too late this time, witch? The infection is spreading.”
“You have such a negative outlook,” Debbie said. “I, on the other hand, remain positive. See you soon.”
Debbie sat up.
“Everything all right?” Remi asked.
Debbie fumbled for Remi’s hand. She smiled. “You’re going to give me my sight back, and then we’re getting rid of this thing.”
Thirty
Julian’s calves twitched. A dull ache pounded against his knees. His body revolted against running. He slowed to a walk and put his hands on his knees.
“What the hell just happened?”
“Huh?”
Julian lifted his head to see a teenage boy on a bike beside him. He grabbed the handlebars, jerking the bike away from the kid. He hopped on and peddled away. After he’d ridden far enough away that he could no longer hear the kid’s pleas for him to stop, Julian turned back to see an empty road. He relaxed.
“You’re failing me.”
The voice slipped through Julian’s ears and burrowed inside his mind. Pressure moved against the back of Julian’s eyes with enough force he feared they would pop free from their sockets. The bike swerved. Julian jerked the handlebars. The sudden movement sent him tumbling over the bike and onto pavement.
“You swore to infect all when I granted you this power.”
“I’m sorry. Please, just get out of my head,” Julian said.
“Honey, are you OK? I’m afraid you hit your head.”
Julian touched his forehead and rubbed his fingers through a sticky substance.
“Oh no, you’re bleeding.”
For a moment, the war raging inside Julian’s head eased, leaving a soft throbbing as an ellipsis for what to was to come next. He focused on the old woman as she reached into her pocketbook for a tissue to wipe his forehead.
“I’m fine,” Julian said. He scooted away. The friction of the concrete against his jeans sent a burning sensation down his legs. He didn’t want the woman to touch him. When the True Self first entered Julian, he felt powerful. But his conscience was gnawing at him. He kn
ew one touch from him was most likely a death sentence. The devil inside wanted to infect the world. This moment of reprieve gave Julian a sense of clarity. There was already too much death and destruction on his hands.
“Let me just wipe that blood away before it gets in your eyes,” the woman said.
Julian held out his hand, palm facing the woman. “No, don’t touch me.” He got to his feet. Dizziness swam through his head. The pressure behind his eyes returned.
The woman’s eyes darkened, giving an alarming contrast to her silvery hair. Something moved beneath her cheeks like a parasite trying to pierce her flesh. She opened her mouth and exposed a deep, black hole where her tongue and teeth were moments before.
“What the hell are you?” Julian asked. He picked up the bike and used it as a barrier between him and the woman.
“That’s the problem with the youth today. You don’t keep your word. You entitled prick.”
The woman touched the bike. Her body disintegrated, leaving only a shadow that burrowed into the frame of the bicycle. Julian’s fingers burned. He dropped the bike and fell back against a curb, jarring his spine. The shadow emerged from the handlebars and darkened Julian’s feet before moving up his legs. He gasped for air, his head flung back as the shadow dove into his mouth.
“You will keep your word. You will infect the world with my truth.”
The voice tore at Julian’s mind again. His head sank from the pressure being put on him.
“Leave the bike. Catch the bus,” the shadow said.
Julian no longer felt guilt for the damage he had caused. He only felt rage and an undying need to please the True Self.
“Any sign of him,” Kim said, catching up to Terrence who had ran a few blocks without even a heavy breath.
“Nope.”
Kim took a moment to let her heartbeat slow down before it burst through her chest. She tried to speak, but she was too winded.
“If we’re going to do this whole ghost chasing thing, I’m going to need you to work on your cardio,” Terrence said.
“Don’t joke,” Kim said. “I had to let him go. He threatened a kid.”
