I CAN SEE YOU

CHAPTER 12: THE FINAL CHAPTER

The atmosphere in the Bell household was thick with the weight of grief and relief, a dichotomy of sorrow and hope. The oppressive darkness that had gripped the house for so long had lifted, but its residue remained in the air, lingering like the final tremors of an earthquake. The exorcism had been successful, and Betsy, the innocent child who had been tortured by the spirit of Kate Batts, was finally free. But the victory came at a great cost. John Bell, their beloved father and husband, was dying.

Lucy and the children rushed to his side, their hearts heavy with the knowledge that time was slipping away. John's breaths were shallow, his once strong body now weak and frail, the life force slowly draining from him. The tears in Lucy's eyes were not just for the agony of the moment but for the bittersweet joy of seeing Betsy returned to them, safe and free from the demon's grasp.

John Bell's eyes fluttered open as his children gathered around him, their sobs breaking the stillness. He smiled weakly, the corner of his mouth twitching with the effort.

"My boys," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "you're the men of the house now. Protect your mother... protect your sister." His voice cracked, and his eyes watered as he looked at each of his sons, his pride and his legacy, standing tall around him in the face of loss.

The boys, still vulnerable, cried harder, clutching onto their father as if they could somehow hold onto his life force, unwilling to let him go.

John then turned his gaze to Lucy, his beloved wife, his heart swelling with love for the woman who had stood by him through it all. "Lucy," he said with a tenderness that only a lifetime of shared love could inspire, "I love you more than words could say. Thank you for everything."

Tears streamed down Lucy's face as she clutched his hand, desperate for something, anything, to stop the inevitable. "Please, Father Gabriel, do something!" she pleaded, her voice broken with fear and helplessness. "Please, save him!"

But the Priests could only stand silently, their faces grim with the knowledge that there was nothing they could do. The battle had been fought, and while they had saved Betsy, the cost had been John Bell's life. They had given everything they had, and now it was beyond their powers.

Father Gabriel knelt by John's side, his face softening with compassion. He placed his hand gently on the man's forehead, offering him solace in his final moments. "John Bell," Father Gabriel murmured, "your soul has been through much. Now, we ask for mercy. We offer this final prayer for you, for your peace."

The prayer began, soft and reverent, filling the room with a holy calm that momentarily soothed the pain of the family's loss.

"Lord, into Your hands we commend the soul of Your servant, John Bell. In Your mercy, receive him into Your eternal peace. May his sins be forgiven, and may he be granted rest with the saints. Lord, we ask that You free him from all suffering, and grant him entrance to Your Kingdom of Heaven. Through Your mercy, may his soul be cleansed, and in Your light, may he find everlasting peace. Lord, we know that You are just and compassionate, and that in Your infinite love, You welcome all who have lived in Your grace."

The prayer hung in the air, each word a balm for the Bell family's broken hearts. John Bell's eyes closed for the final time, his chest rising and falling in one last, faint breath. The family was left in silence, save for their weeping.

John Bell was gone.

Lucy collapsed against her sons, her sobs uncontrollable. The children huddled close to her, their faces full of both loss and relief. They had been through so much, and now the future seemed uncertain. Yet, through the sorrow, they knew that Betsy was free, and John's spirit was at peace.

The Priests stood quietly by the family, offering what little comfort they could in this moment of grief. Their mission had been completed, but the toll it had taken weighed heavily on their hearts.

The family was left to mourn, but they also knew that Betsy was no longer a prisoner to the dark spirit that had haunted them for so long. The spirit of Kate Batts, bound within the doll, had been trapped by their clever ruse, and though it cursed them, it was no longer a threat.

"Father Gabriel," Lucy whispered between sobs, "thank you for saving my daughter. But what happens now? What will become of us?"

Father Gabriel looked at her with solemn eyes. "You have lost much, but the Lord has given you much as well. Betsy is free. Your family will heal in time. And as for the spirit, it will be contained, but its evil will not be forgotten. It will wait, just as it always has."

The priests gathered their belongings, ready to leave. They had done their duty, but their journey was not yet over. The doll, now a cursed vessel of the spirit, was carefully placed on the horse cart that had brought them here.

As the 3 priests made their way toward the cart, they couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that lingered in the air. The doll, now bound with a holy rosary, lay in the back of the cart, its eyes following the priests as they moved. It seemed as though something malevolent still stirred within it.

They looked back once more at the Bell family, knowing that their work here was done, but the shadow of Kate Batts would never fully leave this place.

The horse cart creaked as it moved away from the Bell home, the doll's head twisting ever so slightly, a demonic smile spreading across its face. The air grew cold once more, and the hairs on the back of their necks stood on end.

The spirit, though bound, was not gone. It had merely been contained.

And as the cart made its way through the quiet town, the words echoed in the still night air:

"You may have tricked me today, but I will come back. Mark my words, I will return in 107 years to torment this town and its inhabitants."

The doll's voice was hollow, dark, and full of malice.

It screamed into the night, and with that, it disappeared from view. The wind howled as the town returned to an eerie silence.

Betsy, unconscious but at peace, remained in her bed, unaware of the final moments that had unfolded. Her family, though broken, was whole again. They had survived, but the haunting of Kate Batts would forever linger in their hearts.

And as the priests left the Bell household, the demon's curse continued to echo through time, waiting, watching for the day it would return to claim its next victim.

And so, the story ended for the Bell's but years later it would return and be one of the scariest paranormal cases to be investigated by the Warrens.