The Richmond Haunting (COMPLETED)

Chapter 24

Nobody living in that house on Richmond Street or involved in the case needed further proof. The terror walking around the property had matured to the next level. The attack on the girls three nights ago had certainly claimed this fact.

Sam Mellor — since the episode involving Harmony and Katrina, had visited a number of churches explaining the case to them.

During these meetings, Sam had  learned the church officials had no time for devils and demons.

Times had changed.

The Catholic Church now believed most supernatural acts, most notably demons and devils; the belief in possession had roots in mental health.

Superstitions and demonic possession infestation had no place in the modern world.

Science had replaced folklore and wild tales of devils and imps — giving way to straight thinking.

So much so; only a handful of priests now believed in the devil, and these were shunned away on missionaries where the locals still believed in the old gods.

And it was these church people — who fought nail and tooth to battle the constant trend that involved seventy per cent of Catholics practising behind closed doors: devil worship and more than five hundred people a year seeking help from the church because of demonic problems.

At the start of the 21st century, the Church began to do something about this growing concern. And a new age of exorcists began. The prayer of liberation course.

One of these priests, who attended the new wave of exorcists, was a father, Jacob Anderson.

In 2004, he performed his first cleansing on a young girl in West Yorkshire.

The young girl, after her best friend had committed suicide, believed the deceased had begun speaking to her when she had begun fooling around with an Ouija Board.

Alice had taken an interest in the occult when she turned thirteen and would spend many nights watching paranormal clips on YouTube.

Messing around with the Ouija Board that she had made herself for the first two nights, nothing happened, not until the third night.

The planchette had begun moving by itself. Surprising Alice, because she really thought it was her at first. Some inner act, moving the planchette.

But no, the thing was jerking to the letters on the board. Asking questions.

'Do you miss me?'

Yes, Alice would reply.

'Would you like me to stay?'

Again, the same answer; yes — and Alice would hope for the next question, but nothing.

Only strange things; happening. For example, when Alice closed her eyes — she could still see her bedroom. Would wake up in the middle of the night to feel her hand moving.

And that was strange because Alice knew she wasn't moving her hand. Yet, she could feel her fingers dancing.

Her bedroom also became incredibly hot. And that was weird because it was December, but it felt like an oven.

And that wasn't all. One night, Alice's mum could hear voices coming from her daughter's bedroom. Male voices.

Thinking the teenager had snuck somebody into her bedroom. None to please. Alice's mum had gone to investigate and couldn't see anyone. Only her daughter fast asleep.

Yet, she could still hear the voices speaking. They came from the child's ears.

It had to be her imagination. This is what she told herself. Dressing up her fear with straight reality. Something she tried to do in the weeks that followed.