A Haunted Moment

Chapter Nine

We all got back in the car and started driving back as Ben sighed, "Well, I hope everyone's okay back at the house." Ben parked at the house and Travis looked at the full moon, "Did we make it in time?" Kent hummed, "Everything looks normal. Of course, normal for this place is terrifying." I looked at Travis as Kent got out, "Travis. If we're not back in two hours, and I never thought I'd say this, call the police." I got out and Ben opened his door, only for Travis to grab his arm, "Wait. Wait a minute. Wait!" Ben shook his head, "Travis, you gotta stay in the car for us, okay?" Travis sounded upset, "Just let me be a part of this."

I smiled, "Travis, it's too dangerous. Please, for me and the sake of your mother." Travis sighed, "Fine." Ben and I walked past Kent, but Kent didn't walk with us and Ben frowned, "Kent, come on, man. What are you...." Kent looked at us, "If this comes down to an exorcism, we're in big trouble." Ben looked confused, "Why...Why?" Kent whispered harshly, "Because I don't know what I'm doing. I'm not even a priest! I work in Halloween supplies. I just put this on just to make some extra scratch. Yeah, everyone wants to think their house is haunted, so I go sprinkle some holy water and get paid. I'm a fraud. I'm sorry."

Ben looked hurt, "You....Listen, I don't know what you are, and I don't even really care. All I know is that you helped...You helped me! Yeah, you helped me see in myself that I had something that was useful. You taught me that. And whatever is in that house,whatever it is that we gotta face, we can't face it without you, all right?" Kent shook his head, "No." Ben nodded, "Fa...Father Kent. Now, let me ask you something. You wanna be a hero?" 

Kent sighed, "No." Ben chuckled, "See." Kent shook his head, "You can't use my lines back against me." Ben chuckled, "So, let's go! Let's do this!" I hurried out, "Ben, wait. Crump said that I was the key to his freedom. It started with a Gracey and it will end with a Gracey. But I feel if it comes down to it, he will go after anyone with heavy grief to get free. He will do anything to get what he wants, you can't let him, okay?" Ben smiled, "You got it, Mela." I smiled at him and Kent cleared his throat, "It's cute that you two widow and widower are finding love within each other, but we need to defeat this evil." 

I blushed and Ben rubbed the back of his neck, "Right." The three of us walked inside the house and Kent whispered, "It's almost midnight." I nodded, "We need Harriet to do this banishment spell now." Ben called out, "Harriet?" We walked into the library and I screamed when Bruce popped up out of nowhere, causing Ben to hold onto me and scream. Ben held his chest, "Bruce, you gotta stop doing that. Where is everybody?" 

Bruce smiled and it made me uneasy, "The house is clear. It's over. Harriet found some mumbo jumbo in that book. Things got quite hairy, but the shared struggle was necessary for character growth." Ben looked around, "Oh, okay, so where's Harriet and Gabbie?" Bruce poured something in a glass and turned around, handing it to me, "Uh...General store. Taffy! Mistress Gracey, the victory drink is yours." Kent looked confused, "They went to get taffy?" Bruce nodded, "Yes! They said for Mistress Gracey to celebrate before they got back." 

Ben handed me the hat and walked off, "I'm going to go find them." Bruce smiled, "And then there were three! Congratulations, Carmella Gracey." Kent sighed, "You know, it's happy hour somewhere, right?" I looked at the glass, "It has been a long couple days." I clinked the glass with Bruce and he chuckled, "Happy hour? What a turn of phrase." He started laughing and Kent shared a look with me, both of us suspicious of Bruce.

I didn't take a sip but smiled at Bruce as we sat down and he looked at the hat, "Is that the hat?" Kent shook his head, "No, actually, it's just a replica." Bruce voice became distorted, "Can I see it? Mistress Gracey, your drink. Is there something wrong?" Kent looked at Bruce, "Bruce, you okay?" Crump started talking through Bruce's body, "Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna give me the hat and you will drink the poison. Just like your great-grandfather. The rest of you will walk out of this house and never come back." 

Bruce got up and walked over to me, "Give me the hat." I shook my head and backed away from him, "No. No!" Gabbie came running through the room and body checked Bruce as Kent stood in front of me. Crump started laughing as Bruce's body started levitating. Harriet ran in with Ben, "It's a full moon. Crump has all his powers!" I handed her the hat, "Harriet, start the banishment." Harriet closed her eyes, "When hinges creak in doorless chambers..and strange.." Harriet screams as the hat flew into Crumps hands and I was thrown into the wall, screaming in pain. 

Ben yelled, "Mela!" I gritted my teeth and took a breath as Crump threw Bruce to the ground and appeared in his form, "This wretched place is stifling me. I think it's time for me to go. There are nine hundred and ninty-nine souls that reside here! Carmella Eleanor Gracey is my final one!" I looked over to see all the ghosts being forced to do Crump's bidding. I gasped as I saw Mateo run forward and glare at Crump, "You might be able to control them, but you will never control me!" Crump growled, "There's always a disobedient one." Mateo used some ghosty powers and launched Crump away, causing me to fall to the ground and Mateo floated over, "Melly, we have to get you away from him as Harriet can do the banishment!" 

I got up and Ben nodded, "Go! I'll go make sure Travis didn't fall for Crump's trick! I want to be sure that Crump doesn't use anyone else to his advantage! Harriet, go see Madame Leota and tell her that Mela needs her help." I ran after Mateo as he ran through the halls.