The Possessed Read online

  “What if it is a demon?” I asked.

  “Then Nona will need to perform an exorcism.”

  “That sounds pretty intense. Is that really necessary?”

  “Yes.”

  Upon hearing her words, my mind spun. “How does something like that happen? Demon possession?”

  “There are three stages it goes through to gain control of a human. First is infestation. You might hear whispering or footsteps and maybe feel a presence. There may be a rotten scent in the air or banging on doors or—”

  “Walls?” I asked, unable to ignore the similarity to what occurred over the past couple days.

  “After hearing about your experiences here lately, I suspected there was a demon involved.”

  My legs quivered. I couldn’t meet her gaze. I couldn’t even swallow.

  “Should I keep going?”

  I nodded.

  “The demon will try to isolate the victim from family and friends, which lends itself to loneliness and depression. Then the demon works to wear down a victim by crushing its will. That’s oppression. If the person tries to fight back, the demon may hurt him or her.”

  “How?” I asked, my voice trembling.

  “Bodily harm. The person may end up with burn marks or bruises or—”

  A breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t told Eloise about Noelle’s bruises because she’d told me that her boyfriend had given her those bruises. Tears surged into my eyes, but I didn’t want to say a word, so I twirled a finger in the air, motioning her to continue.

  “Finally, a demon possesses the person.”

  I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes with my wrists.”

  Eloise placed a hand on my shoulder. “Nona will help out.”

  “When?”

  She looked away from me, perhaps feeling bad that she couldn’t give me an ETA. Eloise removed her hand, returned to her car, and opened the driver’s side door. She turned back to me. “I’ll give you an update as soon as I have one.”

  “Let’s just say it’s a demon,” I said, suspecting the evil entity had already invaded my sister’s body. “In that instance, when this demon is inside Noelle, is my sister in control of her mind and body?”

  “That depends on how much the demon wore her down and if Noelle is still trying to fight it.”

  “But if it gets full control, are you saying this demon controls her every move?”

  “Yes.”

  My vision skewed. Thrown off balance, I hunched over and grabbed my knees to keep from falling over. Nausea made its way to my throat, but I choked back the urge to gag.

  “Are you okay?”

  No. “Please…just keep talking.”

  “If it’s a demon, it may not have full control of her, if that’s what you’re thinking. In most cases, possession takes longer than just a few days. That only happens if the person has so completely given herself over to Satan, but usually, there is some indecision and some reluctance to give in to another voice inside your head instructing you to do things.”

  Although I hadn’t spent much time with my sister lately, I couldn’t imagine that Noelle had dropped all her friends within the past couple of weeks, ever since she started using the Ouija board. Besides, she didn’t seem particularly depressed.

  “In most cases, a demon is drawn to those who worship the devil, those wanting to hurt others, the weak-willed when it comes to substance abuse or the weak-minded, meaning that they can be easily persuaded by one or more voices in their head.”

  Both Noelle and Lilah abused substances, but my mother’s behavior hadn’t really changed all that much over the past two weeks. Even then, she’d showed me a softer side to her personality, and I doubted that a demon would show an affinity for others. However, Noelle, on the other hand, had struck Jake and accused him of rape while losing time during that incident. And my mother had been the one telling me about the creaking floor, the pungent scent, and the pounding on the walls. If she were possessed, would she bring up all of this?

  “How does a demon get into someone’s head?” I asked.

  “Some people invite a demon into their life. Others may want something beyond their grasp and give in to the voices telling them to do such-and-such, and they’ll get their deepest desires.”

  I took all that in. Noelle drank and smoked pot, but she wasn’t an addict. I doubted she’d give herself over to Satan. It didn’t seem in character for her, but I couldn’t overlook the idea of getting what she wanted. After all, I doubted the demon would reveal its identity. Still, Noelle had always been willing to try anything once. Finally, she was impulsive and had taken shortcuts in life without considering the consequences. If you put all those things together, I could definitely see her doing whatever was necessary to get what she wanted.

  I knelt to the concrete, tried to clear my mind, and regain my wits.

  Eloise made her way over to me. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “Get the demon out of my sister.”

  Dejected, she lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I wish I could.”

  “How did the demon know you? How did it know you were coming?”

  “When a demon is outside of a human host, it can flow freely through this plane. It’s what attacked you last night. That was its natural form.”

  I’d dreaded that response, but hearing it still unnerved me. “So without a host, it can go…anywhere? See anything?”

  “I think it stepped out of your sister and listened to our conversation, so that’s how it knew about me and Nona.”

  A full-bodied shiver gripped my muscles. “So it’s all-powerful?”

  “Without a body, a demon can’t really hurt you. It can make noises. It can whisper in your ear, and you may think whatever it tells you comes naturally, and no matter what it suggests, the idea seems rational.”

  “So when it tried to attack me as a spirit, it couldn’t have hurt me?”

  “No. Only when a demon possesses someone is it particularly dangerous.”

  “You make it sound like even without a physical body, a demon can still hurt you.”

  “Yes, it’s similar to a ghost, only much more malevolent. Demons and spirits are composed of energy. You’ve heard that apparitions can walk the halls, slam doors, and all that, right? Same thing with a demon, but a ghost is drawn to something in this realm. It wants something or it has unfinished business, but once it communicates what it wants, most of the time it leaves. Not so with demons. They are fallen angels and are strengthened by whatever energy fills them. They search the planet for eternity with only one goal: to possess as many humans as possible and corrupt them to spread hatred and violence.”

  I fully believed that Noelle was possessed. “I can’t live in the house with a demon.”

  “Don’t psyche yourself out,” Eloise said. “I might be wrong. Nona might have a completely different perspective. I’m going to get in touch with her tonight. She’s ninety-five-years old, so she takes naps during the day, and especially now, after such a big case, she’s running on fumes. I’ll tell her what happened at your house But you’ve got the right idea. If I don’t get back to you tonight, don’t stay in your house overnight.”

  The idea of staying in the house with a demon terrified me. But I didn’t have anywhere to go. Because I worked so much while not studying, I’d made no time to make friends and cultivate relationships. Jake would let me stay over with him, but it would be awkward. Plus, I didn’t feel like I could rely on him. I could book a hotel room. But what if Noelle tried to fight back against the demon and it hurt her? Besides, I couldn’t leave Lilah alone with a demon.

  I didn’t want to leave them, so I just hoped that Nona would visit soon because I didn’t know what to do.

  14

  I approached the majestic building that I’d visited every Sunday during my father’s life, but once he passed, I blamed God for letting him die and stopped going to church. As time passed, I found my faith, but it was never as sturdy
and unquestioning as it had been while my father had been alive. All told, I was ashamed for pinning my father’s death on God. For that reason, I hadn’t returned to the parish. Plus, I didn’t need to visit a building to have a relationship with God. He was part of me and with me every day, no matter where I went.

  When I walked inside, the strong scent of incense filtered throughout the building. Laid out before me were two rows of hard wooden benches, separated by an aisle that led up to the stage. Behind me on either side were confessionals.

  From elementary school through middle school, I’d visited Father Demetrius once each week outside of Sundays for confession. Usually, I’d admit to bothering my sister, swearing at other kids on the playground at recess, saying I hated my parents, that I ran away from home and stayed at a friend’s house, only to be asked to leave if I didn’t call my parents to let them know I planned to stay overnight, which defeated the purpose of running away from home. Once, I admitted to stealing a candy bar from a gas station, which made me feel ashamed not because I was afraid God would be upset with me, but because I feared that Father Demetrius would think less of me. I told Father Demetrius all of this and more because I trusted and believed in him. I could tell him things I couldn’t tell my parents because he never got mad at me. He always had the same even-tempered demeanor. All told, I wanted to be more like him: kind, patient, non-judgmental, and wise.

  “Jocelyn?” asked a masculine voice behind me.

  I spun around, startled by Father Demetrius’s tone. He’d always been my favorite priest at this church. As a child, I couldn’t pronounce his last name, so I referred to him by his first name. As time went on, I learned that others began calling him Father Demetrius as well. For the longest time, I took a lot of pride in renaming him. Then one day, I realized that he might not have liked being referred to by his first name and with great consternation, I approached him and apologized for changing his name, only to have him chuckle and say, “It’s still my name, Jocelyn. You’re here to have a relationship with God, and that’s all that matters to me. Believe me, we’re good.” That response made me trust him implicitly.

  Knowing he’d now listen to me without judgment or consider me as a good candidate for a mental hospital soothed my nerves. After all, priests read the Bible, so they had to believe in good and evil, angels and demons. More than that, I hoped to get his support. I didn’t know what form that might take, but I couldn’t have hoped for a better servant of God to help me.

  A tall, powerfully built black man in his early forties with a trimmed goatee, Father Demetrius had been at this parish for two decades. He had kind eyes and offered me a pleasant grin. “It’s been a while, Jocelyn. I’ve missed you. How have you been?”

  “Good.” I appreciated that he hadn’t asked why I hadn’t visited in so long. Thoughts of the past two days squashed the smile that had touched my lips. “How about you?”

  He blanched at my question, as though he didn’t want to admit the truth. “Is something troubling you? You always wore your heart on your sleeve. I’ve always admired that about you.”

  “Why?” I asked, embarrassed that other people could read me at any given moment.

  “Nowadays, people try to hide their thoughts and feelings. It puts us at a distance. It takes a lot of courage to reveal yourself so openly. You’re true to yourself and others. It’s God’s way.”

  His kind comments settled my nerves, and my thoughts turned to his well-being. “Are you doing all right?”

  For the briefest moment, sadness crossed his expression, but as though realizing that he’d allowed that emotion to creep forward, he tried for a smile that wasn’t quite convincing. “I’ve been…tested.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My sister recently…left this world.” His lips tugged lower in sadness and his eyes twinkled with moisture, but he recovered and a flat expression took hold as his eyes became more impassive.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “What happened?”

  “A theft went wrong. It happened on the green line. I wasn’t there. When a detective contacted me, I badgered him to show me the video footage. After a while, he finally gave in and showed it to me, but I wished I’d listened to him.”

  “That’s horrible.” The sadness in his eyes made me want to reach out and take his hand to give him some comfort. If I were still a child, I would have done so without thinking twice about it, but we didn’t have that type of relationship anymore.

  “A group of white men wearing ski masks entered an empty train car late at night. They taunted her, calling her such…” As if reliving the memory, he shut his eyes. “They pushed her back and forth, from one to the other, laughing.”

  He turned aside, now breathing heavy, and took a seat at the bench to our left. “I apologize.” A sincere smile appeared on his lips. “You’ve been absent for so long, and now you’ve reappeared, but I’ve been talking this whole time.” Father Demetrius scooted down, so I could join him on the pew. “You visited God’s home. Would you like some alone time with Him?”

  “I actually came to visit you.”

  “Me? How nice. How may I be of service?”

  There was no point in skirting the issue, so I carried on with it. “Do you believe in demons?”

  “Are we discussing the personal kind? Or fallen angels?”

  “The latter.” For whatever reason, I had a difficult time opening up to him. Father Demetrius had the easy-going nature of someone you might not see for years, but after a few minutes, you found yourself falling into an easy rapport as if only days had passed since your last encounter.

  “Yes, I believe in demons. Why do you ask?”

  “I believe a demon has possessed my sister.”

  Father Demetrius’s eyes ever so slowly widened. He straightened as though lashed with an invisible whip, and his good-natured expression grew distant. “Well…” He cleared his throat. “Why do you feel that way?”

  “Noelle isn’t acting like herself and strange things are happening in my house. I’ve done some research on the subject, but if it’s really a demon, I was hoping you can tell me how to get rid of it.”

  He nodded. “I see.”

  “Do you have any pointers?”

  “Well, you see…” He wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Do you think it’s possible there may be more logical explanations for why your sister is acting differently? For instance, if Noelle has been taking medication, has she taken a higher dosage or gotten a different prescription?”

  “No.”

  “How about a major lifestyle change? Maybe a romantic relationship or a friendship gone wrong?”

  “Nope,” I said.

  “How about a change in her line of work?”

  “Well, Noelle did get a new job as a television anchor at a local network, but she doesn’t seem messed up by that, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Have there been any other major upheavals in her life? Anything that might explain her behavior?

  I shook my head.

  “Do you think it’s possible that maybe you’re the one who has changed?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sometimes when life shifts our thoughts and feelings about others also changes.”

  I’d expected Father Demetrius to be open to the possibility that a demon had possessed Noelle. But to hear him give other reasons that may have contributed to my feelings, I’d lost a little respect for him because it felt like he’d considered my concerns as impractical. Despite that, I bulldozed past my doubts about being honest with him because if I expected him to be open with me, I needed to act likewise.

  “I get the impression that you don’t believe me,” I said.

  “Oh, I believe you think you’ve encountered a demon. As I said, you’re very easy to read. But sometimes, we choose the most irrational explanation without fully investigating other, more practical ideas that—“

  I got to my feet as heat surged into my cheeks, feeling like someone had p
ressed a burning pan against either side of my face. “You don’t believe me.” I studied his gaze and watched him look away. “You admitted to thinking that demons are real, but now you think I’m lying to you?”

  “I didn’t say that,” said Father Demetrius, still unwilling to look into my eyes. He swished his backside against the bench, squirming in place. “I’m merely suggesting that you consider all possibilities before thinking a fallen angel has entered your home.” He finally looked up at me, expressionless until a smile tried to form but petered out and flattened his lips.

  “I’ve considered every perspective and ruled out every single ‘practical’ explanation.”

  He nodded. By not speaking, however, he basically disagreed with me.

  “Have I given you any reason to think I’m lying?”

  He met my gaze with resolve. “You’ve never given me any reason to distrust you.”

  “I’m not upset that you think I’m wrong. I’m seriously disappointed that you won’t believe me.”

  “Jocelyn,” he said, rising as despondency clutched his facial features. “Please don’t—”

  “Goodbye, Father Demetrius. Thanks for taking the time to chat.” If he didn’t want to believe me, I wouldn’t waste his time by trying to change his mind.

  After leaving the parish, I went for a long walk. Whenever I needed to clear my head, I spent time in nature and spilled my thoughts and feelings to my dog. It never failed to make me feel better afterward, but this time, without J.D. to keep me company, I had a tough time dealing with everything that had gone down over the last few days.

  When my phone rang, I considered sending it straight to voicemail, but when I saw Jake’s name pop up, I took the call. “Hello,” I said, unable to keep despondency from my voice.

  “I’m about to see the Dean, but I wanted to call and see how things went with Eloise.”

  “She thinks it’s a demon.” Then I told him what happened with Father Demetrius at the church.

  “I don’t even know what to say except that I’ll try to get this taken care of as quickly as possible, and then I’ll get back over to you. Oh yeah: don’t go back into your house.”