Angry Spirit - Chapter Three

As day light began to break, Nathan and Janice were feeling less tense, when the intimidating shadows that accompanied the darkness of the previous night began to disappear.

Janice sipped her coffee, her thoughts deep and captured by recent events. "What do we do now?" she asked, though her words issued as a desperate plea, to her husband, who sadly, so obviously shared her desperation;

"I don’t know, love," he began, "I’m as wise as you are. You read about things like this happening, but, geez … you never for one minute take them for real, and certainly, you don’t expect being attacked by a bloody poltergeist yourself."

"We have to do something, Nathan. I can’t take another night like last night. Right now," she paused for a moment and sipped her coffee, as if reluctant to continue with her confession … "Right now, Nathan, I’m not even sure I want to live here anymore."
"I know how you feel, love. Really I do. To be honest I feel just the same way. But, we’ve have to do something. We can’t let this thing beat us. Whatever the damn thing is!"

"But how?" Finally the inevitable flood of tears soaked her face, she cried hysterically, as the gravity of their situation hit home.

Nathan fought the same reaction, however, he had realized from the beginning, one of them had to remain strong, had to remain calm, had to keep a level head, though God only knows he wished he could allow himself the luxury of revealing the true panic and devastation that was tearing his nerves apart.

"Why don’t you phone your sister and arrange to stay with her for a few days?" He suggested.

"And then what? I still have to come back here at some point. This mess is not just gonna go away, is it?"

Eventually as the day progressed, argument followed argument. It soon became obvious that the terror that reigned the night before, and the constant dread of it returning again was fuelling a devastating combination of tiredness, through lack of sleep and confused fear by not knowing if it would return, when it would return, or more frightening of all in what form it would manifest.

By lunch time Janice had conceived to the inevitable and prepared to visit her sister, while Nathan resigned himself to resolving the situation in whatever way he could, though his rash promise proved more fool-hardy than he could ever have imagined.

When Janice drove off the drive and disappeared into the distance, only then did the true sense of desperation hit Nathan. Realizing at once that he now had to stay there alone, and he had absolutely no idea of who to turn to for help.

In a moment of sheer frustration he thumbed his way through the local newspaper, after remembering that he had once joked about the fact that he had seen an advertisement for a spiritualist medium and commented at the time, "Who in their right mind would be stupid enough to believe in such crap?" Now lost for ideas and desperate for any kind of help, he found himself dialing the number and asking to speak to ‘Mystic Miranda,"

The phone call was amazingly short. The medium seemed only too pleased, in fact openly grateful to provide her services and assured him with quite cheerful confidence that she would rid him of his unwanted visitor. So eager was she, arrangements were swiftly made for her and her assistant to call that very night and begin applying her talents, Though the advanced payment of two hundred and fifty pounds, Nathan suspected, may have been her true incentive for such prompt attendance.

Sure enough by six thirty a car pulled onto the drive. For a few moments Nathan stood, straining his eyes to make out the identity of the cars occupants. The driver appeared to be a young woman, very young, no more than late teens, early twenties, Nathan suspected, with some surprise. Her passenger was of similar age, maybe slightly older, but certainly no older than thirty.

At first the two visitors made no hurried attempt to emerge from the car, only after a good two minutes they open the doors and stand on the gravel driveway, surveying the outside of the house in some detail.

Nathan began to think he had been premature in assuming that either of the two women were the medium he had spoke to on the phone. He had envisaged a much older woman, at least in her middle years. Never having associated with a medium before he had built up a stereotypical image in his mind of a middle-aged woman with long dark hair hidden under a bandana-like head dress, in truth he was expecting Mystic Miranda to look the typical Gypsy Rose Lee, one might find encamped in a small back street at some holiday resort. Not a young girl who might well grace the dance floor of the local nightclub after the night’s business was concluded.

When the doorbell rang, Nathan considered ignoring it, hoping that the two visitors would assume there was no one home and leave. However, the memories of the previous night were still fresh in his mind. The thought of a similar incident occurring again soon over ruled any logical decision he may have employed.

"Hi there, Mr. Harrison?" The younger of the two women greeted when he eventually opened the door.

"Yes, I take it you’re Miranda?" he replied, with nervous speculation.

"That’s right, I understand you have a poltergeist problem?"

Nathan moved aside, allowing them to enter into the hall, smiling discreetly at the way Miranda had just casually referred to single most devastating event in his life as simply, a poltergeist problem. Much like a plumber may introduce himself and announce I understand you have a burst pipe?

Any appearance of casual attitude instantly vanished, as the young medium, removed her coat, her attention seemed to captivated by the landing area at the top of the stairs;

"Oh yes! Mr. Harrison." She whispered, her tone lone and serious. "I sense a very strong presence."

"Really?" Nathan, exclaimed, instantly regretting his premature judgment of the young medium. "Why had she instantly homed in on the landing?" he thought, impressed by her first signs of accuracy.

"This spirit is very angry, Mr. Harrison. You did right to contact us. We must banish it from here at once."

"You make it sound so simple," Nathan began. "just ask it nicely and that’s it?"

Miranda’s expression was grave, not showing the slightest emotion. "No! Mr. Harrison, there will be nothing simple about what we are about to do. Nor, I must admit is there any guarantee that it will work either. We are dealing with powers here that you cannot begin to understand."

"Are you sure, you’re qualified to do this?" Nathan asked, He had witnessed the power this thing could unleash, and doubted that anyone so youthful looking as Miranda was, could be any match for it.

"There are no qualifications involved here Mr. Harrison. You don’t attend college or university to learn the skills of a medium, you are born with them,"

"You look so young …"

"I find this an advantage. It’s an exhausting task holding a séance Mr. Harrison, as I’m sure you are about to find out. The younger you are, the easier it is to maintain the energy levels required to communicate with the spirit world."

By the time the three of them seated themselves round the small table, set up in the centre of the bedroom, Nathan had little doubt that the medium he had chosen was up for the task.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Miranda asked, adding solemnly that there would be no turning back once the séance got underway."

Nathan answered in the positive, though he would be first to agree that the prospect of what lay ahead, scared the crap out of him.

Although Nathan had never been a religious man, he welcomed the invitation from the medium to begin the proceedings with a short prayer, asking for protection against whatever evil would manifest before them. Then after rubbing his hands vigorously on his thighs to dry away the tell-tale signs of nervous sweat from his hands he reached out and to a shaky hold of Miranda and Alice’s hand, completing the circle of sitters.

"Whatever happens, do not break the circle." The medium warned, "While remain joined in this circle we are the united energy of three souls, break the circle and we are single and weak."

Darkness had descended outside, and the thick curtains prevented any intrusion of light from the nearby street light, only the flickering light from a single candle separated them from complete and utter blackness.

"Is there any spirits present?" Miranda called, casting her gaze towards the ceiling. No response was forthcoming…

"Is there any spirits present?" she repeated, this time a little louder, making her tone appear more authoritative. "If there are any spirit people present, come forward, give us a sign that you are there."

At first, the response, once again seemed negative. Then, faintly at first, the table began to vibrate slightly. Nathan inspected its surface suspiciously. His grip on his companions hands unwittingly increasing;

"Can you feel that?" he asked.

"Don’t be alarmed, Mr. Harrison," the medium whispered reassuringly.

No sooner had she spoken than the table gave an almighty shudder, it’s legs rising several inches from the floor, for a few brief seconds.

"Don’t break the circle Nathan!" Miranda said in a commanding voice, detecting his grip loosening on her hand.

Once again silence returned, Nathan glanced round the room, daring to crane his neck in a side ways motion, to inspect the darkness under the table. Only long shadows, dancing menacingly surrounded them as the flame from the single candle flickering in the draft from the window.

Satisfied they were still alone, Nathan returned his attention back to the centre of the table, already beads of cold sweat were beginning to trickle from his brow.

"Come forward. Come towards us and identify yourself," Miranda commanded.

At this point Nathan became aware of Alice’s increasing grip on his hand, which caused him to glance, at first in a discreet eye movement. A sudden panic raged within him, when he saw the young girls totally expressionless face, caught for a moment in the flickering amber light. Her lips, slightly parted, as if in the process of drawing in a long gasp of breath. Her eyes rolled back, leaving only, unseeing white orbs;

"Miranda!" he stuttered, attempting to draw the medium’s attention to transformation her assistant was undergoing.

"Don’t worry, Nathan." She replied calmly. "She’s alright. The spirit will communicate with us through Alice."

"But she looks ….."

"I know, I know… try not to look at her. Concentrate your energy on the centre of the table, just don’t break the circle!"

With levels of determination he never knew he possessed, Nathan focused his gaze on the flickering flame on the candle, effectively shutting out the terrifying environment around him.

"He’s here!" Miranda announced, her voice breaking with subdued excitement.
"Identify yourself, let us help you find peace, come closer and draw on our energy."

"Leave us alone!" said the faint voice, emitting from beyond Alice’s lips.

"Who are you? Why are in this house?" The medium began a barrage of questions, each one seeming to enflame to voice with increasing rage.

When the deep male voice announced angrily, "I am Joshua. This is my house and I am master of all who reside here." Nathan became instantly aware of the change in the atmosphere within the room. A foul smell surrounded them, and any warmth suddenly vanished, leaving the sitters breathing ice cold air. Each breath they expelled issued a small cloud of moist vapor.

"Why are you here, Joshua? Are you trapped?" again the medium repeated.

"Leave us alone! I am master here."

"How many are there?" Nathan asked, of Miranda.

"I feel the presence of two weaker spirits. They fear him, he is indeed the master." The medium dropped her head, resting her chin on her chest as sudden exhaustion began to manifest within her. "It’s time for you to move on Joshua. You must leave here and go to the next level where you will find peace."

"Leave us alone," The voice began to fade, as if receding into the distance. Returning to whatever depths from which it came.

"No!" Miranda called out. "Come back!"

Despite the desperate pleas from the medium, it was obvious that the mighty spirit of Joshua had had enough. He had no intentions of leaving. In his world he was the master, and intended to stay as such. Any feeble attempts to banish him would undoubtedly be met with contemptuous disregard.

"He is too strong for me Nathan." Miranda finally confessed, pulling her hand free from his.

"He’s dead damn it!" Nathan offered in angry reply. "How can he be too strong?"

"He as powers that you couldn’t begin to understand, Nathan. I am no match for him."

Any fear Nathan may have previously had, was quickly overridden by his growing anger, fuelled by his desperation. He pushed back his chair and crossed the room towards the light switch. Instantly the room filled with harsh bright light. "So what are you saying? We’re stuck with him. He can do whatever the hell he likes?

Miranda shielded her eyes from the brightness for a moment, then turned to attend to the limp form of her assistant, before responding to Nathan’s outpouring;

"I’m not saying that at all. He is too strong for me. I didn’t say he was invisible."

"So what the hell do we do?" Nathan cursed.

"There’s only one man I know who possesses the knowledge and power to stand any chance against Joshua."

"And?"

"He’s a professor of psychology at the university. I’ll contact him and arrange for him to meet you."

"When?" Nathan exclaimed, anxiously. "I can’t take anymore of this. My wife’s already left here, too afraid to stay."

"Believe me Nathan, if Professor Deacon can’t get rid of this spirit, no one can.
I’ll see him first thing tomorrow and explain the situation to him.

With painful reluctance Nathan finally accepted the fact that for the moment at least there was little he could do to resolve his ‘situation’ as the medium had dismissively called it. In the passing of one night an entire life of rationalization and logic had been shattered and replaced by unbelievable chaos and terrifying confusion. His was hostage in a totally alien world, where hope and understanding had completely deserted him. Only prayers to a god he didn’t believe in and the intervention of some professor he knew nothing about had suddenly become his only salvation.