Chapter 24

“Alright, is everyone ready?” Jane, the only woman, of the experts asked as we settled once again around the table. It took less than thirty minutes for the team to set up everything—their equipment, cameras, some fluorescent lights, and everything else that was essential to contacting ghosts. I wasn’t familiar with any of it, but I trusted that they knew what they were doing. At this point I didn’t have a choice but believe.
The six of us sat around the table, but this time two more people joined. They oversaw facing and dealing with any dark encounters that we could have, since they were more experienced than any of us in here.
“Ready.” Taylor breathed out. Jane nodded before she gestured for all of us to hold hands once again, and so we did. From behind I could hear some equipment whirring to life and some fluorescent lights illuminating from the corners of my eyes and I felt less scared knowing that there were professionals right behind me. It gave me a sense of more courage.
“Alright, everyone close your eyes.” Martin, the other man from their team who was joining us in the circle instructed. “Nobody break the hold or even open your eyes until I say so, all right? We must be focused. We’ll be fine. The team will be looking out for us from behind.” Once we all came to a mutual understanding, Martin began his call.
“We call upon the darkness, the veil to the other side, we ask that it may be opened to our home as we contact the dead who have left us so suddenly.”
It was the same call that Taylor spoke earlier. They thought it would be best to use the same call, since it would attract the same group of entities that we were trying to contact us according to Jane.
“We call upon the poor souls who wandered the forests of Goldpeak, the poor souls who never made it out alive, the souls whom no person was able to save.” Martin added. “If you can hear us, if any of you can hear our call, show yourselves and tell us how we can stop the monstrosity in this town. We mean no harm. We open our veil to the other side and show to us someone who can help us.”
The loud thuds from upstairs got louder and fiercer and I jumped in surprise. Kingsley felt me jump and he squeezed my hand reassuringly.
“Nobody break the hold, okay?” Jane whispered.
“We know you are here. Someone here is with us, and we just want to talk.” Martin said a little louder. It was as if it got angry from upstairs—we could hear furniture being thrown and obscene growls coming from the dark entity itself. The hairs at the back of my neck stood on end.
“We mean no harm. We just need answers for questions that have been left unanswered since the monstrosity in this town began. If you are brave enough, show yourself to us so that we may know how cowardly and feeble you are.” Martin finished.
My brows furrowed. Why is he degrading this demon? Is he trying to get us killed??
As if hearing my thoughts, Jane whispered to us, “Belittling their power is one of the many things that could summon an entity. It makes them feel challenged. Watch and it will be down here in less than a minute.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. What would these demons look like?? Were they scary like the ones in horror movies? Or did they look like animals? Or are they disguised as human beings, like in Netflix series?
“Can you hear us? Do I need to speak louder for you to hear our call? Are you not strong enough to face us in here?” Martin egged on.
I heard myself gasp as the slow, dragging footsteps echoed from the staircase. The footsteps were always followed by the heavy clanking of what seemed like chains. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the harsh cold and feeling of dread slowly creeping up to my backside as the dark entity neared the living room.
“Keep your eyes closed, okay? And don’t break the hold. Let me talk to it.” Martin whispered to us. The footsteps and clanking stopped just as the air got colder and the dreadful feeling worsened. It was getting too much, and it felt as if it was choking me.
“So, you have revealed yourself,” Martin spoke. I was torn between opening my eyes and keeping them shut, afraid of what would happen if I tried to risk a peek.
“Who are you, and why did you not return behind the veil?” Martin asked. “Are you one of the missing souls in the woods of Goldpeak, never been found?”
There was silence, but I could hear its heavy breathing.
“Or are you too weak to answer?”
A hideous growl left the entity’s belly and I whimpered quietly. I could tell that Taylor was shaking as well. Kingsley just kept on squeezing my hand reassuringly and rubbing soft and soothing circles with his thumb against my skin.
“I…” It began. Its voice was raspy, old, and deep. It was too horrible to listen to. “I am Anderson Walsh—an unfortunate old man who was never found in the depths of Goldpeak’s towering trees.”
“What were you doing in the forest, Anderson?” Martin asked bravely.
“I-I can’t remember. It lured me in there. My house was near the forest…it was a cold afternoon when it happened. I could hear children laughing in the distance. And after that, a child was crying. I thought it was hurt. I ran to help them, but the cries led me deeper down the woods until I could not find my way back. It was too late when I realized that it was only luring me.” Anderson said.
“Who lured you to the forest, Anderson?” Martin asked.
“I-I can’t remember.” He croaked out. “All I remember is the anger that I felt when I found my body being tied up in chains around a big old oak tree. My fingers were cut, my feet were no more, and my neck was snapped.”
“Can you try to remember who did it, Anderson?” Martin pushed him on. “We need to put an end to this. After you went missing, more bodies couldn’t be found and were left for years.”
“No,” Anderson replied suddenly. “I just want revenge.”
His words were laced with anger I was afraid that he might do something horrible to us.
“We will put an end to this monstrosity if you help us find the evil behind this.” Martin tried to convince him. “Now please, tell us. Who did it?”
He let out a horrible scream that made the table and chairs shook. Even the ceiling above us made a horrible sound that seemed like it would fall off.
“Just keep on holding hands and don’t open your eyes.” Jane whispered frantically.
Lilith…
Lilith…
Lilith…
“Yes Kingsley?” I whispered to him. “Did you say something?”
“What? I didn’t say a word.” He replied and I frowned. Huh. Strange.
“It’s too late for that! This anger that has been bottled up inside me for years cannot take it anymore. You cannot do anything about it—taking your souls and eating your worthless bodies should be as satisfying as revenge!”
Lilith…
Lilith…
Lilith…
Look at me…
Look at me…
Look at me…
This small voice inside my head has a surprisingly strong hold on me. With every whisper, it felt as if it was tugging at my conscience and telling me to obey.
Show yourself, Lilith…
I couldn’t take it anymore. I pulled away from the hold and stood up to my feet and faced the dark entity. The sudden action caught everyone else off-guard which resulted to all of us opening our eyes and breaking the hold.
“Lilly, what did you do??” Taylor asked frantically. But I ignored her. I was staring at the dark entity where the voice was coming from. The demon had wrinkly skin, bloody cuts all over his body and he had no fingers; he was walking on his ankles and his neck was twisted to in an awful direction. Rusty and heavy chains hugged his waist and were hanging just behind him.
“Lilly, get back here. You broke the hold!” Kingsley exclaimed.
“Wow, everyone has the right to be ugly, but you’re overdoing it.” Carter said ignoring the fact that the circle is now broke.
“Who really are you and why are you calling for me? How do you know my real name??” I asked bravely. As the demon locked eyes with me, his dark orbs widened, and a choked yelp left his mouth.
“You…” He gasped out. He suddenly looked terrified as his knees buckled. His fingerless hands struggled to hold on to the doorframe as he fell to his knees, looking at me.
“It’s you…” he whispered. “I found you…”
“Me? H-How do you know me??” I asked.
“Lilith…daughter of Lucifer…” He choked out. He then bowed down. “I have found you!”