Dancing with the Dead ✔

Chapter Twenty-Five - Possessed

"This is crazy. This is just plain crazy," the detective says, dropping his body to the ground out of frustration. He rests his elbow on his knees while his right-hand messes up his hair.

I let out a long sigh and take a seat next to him.

"I think we should just give up on this," John repeats what he has been saying for the past thirty minutes.

How can this guy give up so easily? It's his life on the line!

Whoa, whoa. Calm down, Evil Me.

Hmph.

But... what made it different from Jill? How could she possess me with such ease? I mean, we've tried to recreate that exact moment too! What's missing?

What if it's the anger?

Huh?

Think about it. Jill was angry when she possessed you and John was furious too when he attacked that boy, remember?

Yeah... that actually makes sense! But... how can I get him to feel that again?

Use your imagination, duh!

Hmm.

That's when my mind reminds me of a class I once took during my sophomore year: Clinical Hypnosis 101. To be honest, I always think it was useless since I'm never interested in psychotherapy. Until now, that is. Who knows? It might just work.

Not wasting any time, I call John and have him sitting right in front of me while I try my last resort.

"Give me your hands," I say with both palms open.

He looks hesitant, but he puts his hands on mine after a while.

"Close your eyes," I command and he follows.

"Now, let's go back to that night. Think about that moment you found Jill lying on the ground, how you were holding her in her last moments, but there was nothing you could've done... Her blood was all over your shirt and your hands... She was already dead..." I pause as I see a single tear falling down his cheek.

Then I feel it: A force emits from his hand into mine. But this feels... different. I don't feel anger nor thirst for revenge. I feel... desperation.

This isn't the time for hesitation, Alexis. Continue now! This is your only chance!

I take a deep breath and continue, "Now, John, think about that man who killed her. That night, he saw you holding Jill in your arms... and he snapped! He realized he needed to eliminate you as well. After all, he couldn't afford to have any eyewitnesses, right? So he shot at you!" I give a dramatic pause. "You figured it would be dangerous if you stayed put, so you left Jill's body and you started running. He continued to shoot at you until he ran out of bullets. You were lucky it was dark so his shot missed," I pause again, sensing the force coming out from his hands gradually getting stronger.

Yes, yes! It's working!

"Now... You got into your car and you stepped on the gas. You tried to reach for your phone, but the battery died."

Hmm. I think that's a bit too much.

Ignoring Evil Me's comments, I continue, "You drove as far as you could, but your car was simply not fast enough; it was an old car after all. His was much faster and eventually..." I give a dramatic pause once again. "He caught up with you. That was when he hit your car... again... and again.... Until you lost control of your car and hit the tree..."