I CAN SEE YOU

CHAPTER 4: THE ARRIVAL OF FATHER GABRIEL.

The winds outside howled as they carried with them the scent of rain and the promise of a storm. The night sky hung heavy over the Bell farmhouse, a shroud of oppressive darkness that mirrored the turmoil inside. The Bell family had been waiting for a change, for a solution, for an answer to the evil that had taken root in their home. But they did not know what to expect next.

The letter John Bell had written to the Vatican had been carefully read and discussed by a council of archbishops and high-ranking priests. After much deliberation, it was decided that a man of strong faith and unshakable resolve should be sent to investigate. Father Gabriel was that man.

A Roman Catholic priest of impeccable reputation, Father Gabriel had earned his place among the Church's most trusted figures. His work as an exorcist had spanned many years, and his devotion to the faith was unquestionable. Yet, despite his many encounters with spirits and demons, Father Gabriel had never faced anything quite like the Bell family's torment. A spirit that could command such fear and power was something beyond even his experience.

Father Gabriel arrived at the Bell farmhouse early one crisp autumn morning. The moment he stepped onto the property, a chill ran down his spine. The air was thick with an unnatural heaviness, as if the very ground itself had been poisoned by an ancient force. His breath seemed to catch in his throat, and his senses tingled with the presence of something far more sinister than the ordinary.

He walked toward the front door with purpose, his black cassock swaying with every step. His eyes, calm and unwavering, scanned the house with the practiced gaze of a man who had seen the depths of darkness. As he reached the doorstep, he could hear the sounds of movement from inside-the creak of floorboards, the whisper of soft voices, and something else... something cold.

John Bell stood in the doorway, his face drawn with exhaustion. His once strong frame had become gaunt, as if the house itself had been draining him of life. But when he saw Father Gabriel, something like a flicker of hope passed through his eyes.

"Father, " John said, his voice thick with weariness. "Thank God you've come."

Father Gabriel nodded, his gaze sharp and perceptive. "My name is Father Gabriel.... I will do what I can, Mr. Bell. Where is your wife?"

Lucy Bell appeared from the shadows, her face pale and hollow from sleepless nights. She looked as if she had aged years in the span of just a few months. But when she saw Father Gabriel, her expression softened slightly, as though she too clung to the faintest hope of salvation.

"Father, thank you for coming," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Our family has been torn apart. We've been living in hell."

"I understand," Father Gabriel replied, his voice steady but filled with compassion. "Tell me everything."

They led him into the living room, a room that had once been the heart of their home but now felt cold and foreboding. As they sat down, John and Lucy recounted everything that had transpired-the whispers, the cold drafts, the sudden illness that had overtaken John, and the terrifying possession of their daughter, Betsy. They spoke of her gradual transformation, of her being lost to something they could neither understand nor control. They told Father Gabriel of the spirit's name-Kate Batts-and how the spirit had revealed itself, tormenting Betsy with its presence and chilling her body with icy fingers.

Betsy had not been herself for weeks. It was as if the light had gone out of her, leaving behind a shell of the once-vibrant girl. She had begun to speak in strange voices, her body contorting in unnatural ways. And worst of all, she was often found speaking to herself, laughing in a way that no child should.

Father Gabriel listened intently, his face stoic but filled with the wisdom of someone who had seen horrors before. "A spirit of such power is dangerous," he said finally. "It's clear to me that this Kate Batts is no ordinary ghost. Her presence here is the work of something darker, something malevolent."