The Richmond Haunting (COMPLETED)

Chapter 39

When Chris and his team came to the terror house that same week. They were told about the recent episodes. It was the eye of the storm, Lamont believed, explaining his theory.

'I think what is happening at the moment, the devil you have in your house, is showing his strength more viciously because he knows soon enough he'll be defeated, and before that happens — he will make a final stand.'

'You mean he won't give up that easily?' Steven asked.

'I'm afraid not, but what; you have to remember everything this old man does is only an illusion to scare you.' Lamont said.

'Well, he's doing a good job of convincing us. It's all real.' Steven said.

After Steven had spoken, Lamont waited for the team to set up their equipment before he could begin with the exorcism.

And at 9 pm, when everything was set — the exorcism began.

Chris Simmons Journal.

Lamont began at the appointed hour of nine 'o'clock, as always. The time was essential because of the belief that 9 pm was the psychic hour.

At first, nothing happened, but as the priest began to call out on the names of the saints to give him guidance, hell began.

A wedding frame picture hung on the wall began to rattle as though someone we couldn't see was trying to tear it away from the wall — but couldn't quite manage to do so.

The old man didn't stop there. An eerie glow manifested and exploded into a fireball of different colours as three pounding noises struck the ceiling.

Everyone looked up, horrified by the deafening noises that resembled a boulder dropping to the floor.

Lamont ignored these disturbances and continued to read from the Roman Ritual.

'Depart serpents from this house.' He spoke in a voice booming with authority and clarity.

Fiona and Steven sat on the sofa, clutching each other's hand, giving one another support, really hope — the devil in their home would leave.

We all hoped it would, and by eleven-thirty, the first exorcism done for the night was to make a comeback at midnight, the witching hour.

In the lull before the storm, Fiona was in the kitchen, standing by the sink with the window opened, hearing the neighbours speaking, a dog barking, somebody telling the animal to be quiet. Another one taking out the wheelie bins for tomorrow's collection had to know something.

'Why won't he leave us, the old man?'

Lamont, in the same room, making everyone a coffee, much needed because it looked like it was going to be a long night, took a pause. Even going as far as turning the kettle off.

'Because God hasn't allowed it yet.'

Lamont's words were like an earworm song, only the instruments; the singing was out of key. It wasn't what Fiona wanted to hear.

Had she really heard the priest correctly? God, was allowing all this shit?

Christ, what a piss taker!

'Are you telling me God's responsible?'

'Not in the way you're putting it, but until the Holy Spirit fills your home, the old man will never leave. It has to be through the power of God. The demon in your home will leave. I'm only what you might call a spokesperson, nothing more.'

Fiona remembered something she had read up on the internet. 'In one of the forums, an exorcism could only work if everyone believed in its power.

'That's true; an exorcism can only work if everyone believes in the power — that it can. Look at your religions; Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism; they're all built on one crucial artefact; the belief in one God, whether he's called Jehovah, Yahweh, or Buddha. Exorcism can only work if the individual believes in this spiritual force.'

'In other words, we need faith?'

'Yes.'

After the priest had given his speech, Fiona needed five minutes on her own. She went upstairs to the bedroom.

Steven followed.

'You want me to stay with you?' He asked.

'No, I need some time on my own.' She replied.

Steven looked over at the bathroom facing the bedroom. 'I wait in here.'

Fiona kissed Steven on the lips and went into the bedroom, where she got down — on her knees, clasped her hand together, and began to pray.

She didn't care how stupid she felt on her knees praying to somebody whom she couldn't see.

It didn't matter to her; the only thing that did was ending this nightmare, and if that meant believing in something she couldn't see, real or not, so be it.

After she had prayed, she sat on the bed and heard the priest beginning the ritual.

Steven, who could hear the priest also, was also aware of something slithering on the floor.

Curiously, he stood up from the toilet seat and went to investigate.

Taking cautious steps, hearing that thing groaning and moaning. Not wanting it to be real. But a dark dream. Steven saw the thing that was slithering.

The old man, only it wasn't the naked cadaverous creature he had seen many times; in the past. But a bloated monster, one without arms and legs. A fat sluggish worm, alabaster skin.

At the top of the staircase, Steven could see the creature slithering up the stairs, naked, smiling.

'Steven.' The old man drooled, salvia dripping from its mouth.

Steven tried to move, tried to scream, but to no avail. The old man wouldn't let him.

And slowly, the demon worm; slithered into the bedroom where Fiona was - speaking her name.

'Fiona, your god is here.'

And that's when the door slammed shut.