I looked up at the house and scowled angrily. I loved my job don't get me wrong. Loved it! But there was one thing I hated above everything.
"Are you sure you can make it stop? We love this house." Mrs. Mordant said. Mordant... didn't that mean rude or something?
"Of course. Your house is in good hands." Jack said placing his hand on my shoulder.
It was HIM I hated.
He was handsome, charming and everything. And I mean VERY handsome. Blonde white hair that was long in the front and swept to the side, mostly covering one of his eyes. His frosty blue eye and sharp jaw. All the women we met fell in love with him. Honestly I couldn't stand him.
I flexed my jaw and glared at the house. He knew I hated it when we promise things. We couldn't promise anything. Hell, the last place we went he promise he could stop the door from creaking, so we had to buy a brand new door! I was pissed! That money could have gone to our dinner! It wasn't like we were rich and the damn bastard was inviting to dinner at their house that night and everything. He did bring food back for me but that wasn't what I wanted. I wasn't some kind of hand out! Argh! He pissed me off so much.
Jack and Mrs. Mordant talked some more. The husband was entertaining the kids in the front. Two little girls and one boy who looked only 1 or 2. Just at the talking age.
I looked back at the house and then walked up to the toddler who was sitting in one of those roller chairs. He looked upset and kept pointing at the house.
"Hey there little guy." I said kindly. It was the most emotion you'd get out of me. And you'd only see it in front of children.
"Da da da! Puh!" The toddler said, then he grunted and bounce in his roller chair. Clearly upset.
"Are these guys bothering you?" I said pointing at the Minos who were pulling at him. There were only three and if I could compare them to anything it would little ugly dog like creature. No fur. Black holes for eyes and boney.
I pulled out a rosary and wrapped it around my hand and swatted the Minos away into nothing but a puff of smoke.
Babies were easy. They didn't remember anything.
Now the two little girls were a bit harder.
Only one of them had a Minos. Thank God it was only a Minos. I was afraid it was transform into a Graen. Those changed the child's personality. And sometimes the child wouldn't want them gone. Everyone has them. Sometime they're that bad thought or an unpleasant memory you couldn't remember were you had seen. Dark things. Scary things.
And that's precisely why Jack and I were here.
The house was an old Victorian with a wrap around porch, a large yard and a willow in the backyard. Perfect starter house for family.
Three weeks ago the Mordant family moved in and had some questions about the house. I guess there were stains on the walls of the bedroom that would come back when they left the room. Strange noises at night and their toddler would not go to sleep and was getting sick. The girls would sleep walk and the parents were worried for there safety.
"Not to worry. My partner and I have already started our work." Jack said leading the mother over to her child. She looked startled at first and then looked at me accusingly.
"Sweetie? Tommy? Tommy dear?" She called at her son.
"He's asleep." Jack explained, "Don't worry. My partner loves children. She probably just saved his life, right Rush?" Jack said to me, willing me to talk.
"Yes. He had a small...Err...problem." Jack gave me that, 'Don't tell them to much! Need to know! Need to know!'
"Problem?" The mother looked worried again. Jack started to say something but I shoved my hand in his face and told him to check out the house. I'd deal with the family.
Mrs. Mordant looked even more worried. "Don't worry ma'am. Do you believe in ghost? Demons? Spirits?" I started. The rest was easy. She said yes and I helped her understand what we'd be doing. I was using some influence but she was easy because she was uneasy about everything.
"So what's the word?" Jack said as I walked in. He was fooling with a picture of the old owners. Apparently no matter how many time the Mordant's tried to trash it, it would always come back.
"Well mom talked and dad look on wards not believe a thing, but he was glad to see you away from her. Apparently your charm works on even married women." I explained and looked at the picture too.
"Check it out." Jack placed the picture slightly to the side and stepped back. Then, the picture frame went back to were it was. It was would slide over again. Jack looked frustrated at it.
Ah, how I loved that face. Not everything's going great huh princess?
All of a sudden Jack slapped it off the table and it flew over near the doorway.
"Angry issues much?" I said staring at him. He was still frowning then he smiled.
"Seriously? That's awesome." He pointed at the picture. It flew back up and right were it was before on the red velvet cloth. It had an outline of were it had been for ages it seemed.
"Well look at that. A poltergeist. Surprising." I said and looked at Jack in praise.
"Do I get a cookie??" Jack said in a child like voice but he was dead serious.
"If they have an oven I'll make you some cookies. Okay?" I said reaching up pat his head. He grinned and followed me around the house like a puppy dog.
It was around midnight when we stopped exploring the house.
"Alright so no basement, five bedrooms, two living rooms and a huge ass kitchen. Even I've falling in love with it." Jack said smiling at me. We were sitting on the parent's bed leaning against the head board.
"Wow. I'm shocked." I said in monotone and reached for another cookie. I began to nibble on it. "You think it's supposed to do that?" I said turned to look at him, "You know? Make you love the house?" He looked at me surprised.
"Even you like the house?" His wide eyes stayed on my face even though I looked away from him.
"No. I hate houses. But strangely I feel drawn to this one." I said getting up and walking around the room. "Have you sensed anything?"
"Nope." Jack said, scooting to lay on the bed with his eyes close, concentrating, "You?" he asked me.
"Only outside with the kids." I said looking out the door, "Spoken to soon." Jack sat up and looked at me, then sharply at the door. There was a figure. A small one. About the same size as the older daughter.
"Aw shit." I cursed.
"Don't cuss in front of children." Jack snapped at me and stood to stand slightly behind yet next to me. Not out of fear. Out of protection.
It was the same little girl and no I wasn't afraid or even concerned with her. I was concerned with the Graen behind her.
It's the same size as the one of the Wild Things from that popular book. I sighed.
"I shoulda got rid of it earlier. Look it's already taking her over..." I groaned at myself and waved my hand at the Graen. It was dark in the house. All the lights were out except for the room we were in.
"You want me to get it?" Jack said.
"No no. You get the girl. I'll kill it off." I said. The Graen moaned and mumbled something.
"Speak up if you're good or not. My partner here'll kill you off before you get your mouth to work right."
"Mmmmm....mmmmuuuu...mmmm" The Graen moaned again. My eyes narrowed and I stared pass the Graen.
"Mom?" I suggested. It's large head nodded. "And you're human aren't you. I didn't get a close enough look at him before." I said in a quiet voice.
"They said they didn't have a basement. Liars." Jack said in a pissed off tone.
"It's alright. We'll get him outta there." I said patting the girls head. She was crying softly and holding the bottom of my black gunner jacket. The little girl was old enough to know right from wrong and she said her father had a really bad temper (angyness as she called it) and had locked her older half brother in the basement.
"What's his name dear?" Jack said pointing the flashlight down the bottomless pit.
"Stanley..." She whimpered.
"Go wait on the couch okay? We'll bring him right up and everything will be fine." Jack said ruffling her hair and using his charm. She nodded and went to the next room over. The Graen pointed a clawed finger down there and moaned again.
"I heard father." I said with a bleak look on my face.
"I heard farther."
"Well farther in we go." I motioned in front of me. Jack took the lead. Then the Graen. Then me. And we descended down the stairway.
"...hel....help...."
"You hear that?"
"Shh!"
"Faaa..."
"Quiet or I'll execute you!"
"Help me...." A voice coughed again. It sounded really weak.
"I heard it! Lights Up!" Jack motioned and bright light shot from his hands illuminating the room. I covered my eyes.
"Warning next time!" I hissed and blinked a few more time.
"He's alive. Stnaley? Stanley is that you?" Jack asked moving toward him. The boy looked skinny and frail. Like he would snap in two if you held him. "Rush call 911." Jack said in a serious voice.
One thing I respected Jack about was that live was important to him. If he could save someone... He changed. He looked like an adult. Not some punk kid.
The cops came and the ambulance took Stanley away. His step-father was put in a cell for now, to see if 20 year old Stanley would press charges. Mrs. Mordant filed for divorce, saying she couldn't understand what made him snap. Now it was time to deal with the Graen.
"I know you can't tell us who you are. And I'm sure you want to stay and see if Stanley's okay but you really need to leave. I can make it very easy for you." I said standing in front of the house again. The Graen stood next to me. He looked just like a wild thing. I smiled at the house.
"It's truly beautiful..." Jack said to Mrs. Mordant. Mrs. Mordant looked at him.
"What is dear?" She asked confused. They were standing 20 feet away from us but I could still hear him.
"What she does. She saves so many lives." I could hear him laugh a little and mutter something under his breath. What a dork.
"I'm Stanley's father. I didn't leave her. I died... Then that man came in and..." The Graen grumbled deeply.
"It's okay. She knows now. She always love you." I said smiling at him, "That I can promise..."
The Graen faded and fluttered away. I felt the weight being taken away from me. Jack placed his hand on my shoulder.
"You have an amazing power Jill Rush. You really do." Jack whispered in my ear.
"I told you not to call me by my name." I said and elbowed him in the stomach. He toppled over and held his stomach groaning.
I smiled and blushed. Jack looked up at me and returned the smile.
"To the next house?" He stated from the ground.
"Sushi will be mine tonight." I said my eyes narrowing and I turned around swiftly.
"What!?" Jack said chasing after me.
This is only one story that happened in my line of work. One of many.