The Séance

Chapter 10

The journal had left more questions than it answered, Anestasia thought.  How did they solve the situation last time. Was there a finite cycle of bound and free, like the Wild Hunt who came into this world on Halloween, and went back to fairy on Epiphany?  Please tell me we're not going to have to read centuries worth of newspapers!  "Oh, shit!" Anestasia cried. "What time is it?"

Anestasia looked at her watch.  Ok. The boys should be home from school in half an hour.  Highschool gets out in an hour.  Steve walked into the room carrying the grimoire.  "You may want to peruse this before going to your friend's house.  Possession and coercion are nasty things.  The herbs and amulets will keep the spirit out of both your friend Nancy and her house, but the spirit must be drawn out of her first.  If not, things will not go well for your friend.  If you put the herb bags in the corners first, the spirit could get stuck.  Your friend would be the only "safe" place for it.  If you put the amulet on her first, the spirit will tear its way out of your friend to get away from it.  Your friend is Catholic, so she needs a Christian rite  of exorcism."

Anestasia opened the book, and the first thing she saw was A Christian prayer to remove evil spirits: "In the name of Jesus, the Christ!  I command you... I compel you... I expel you... from the mind, body, spirit, and soul of the child chosen by God ____!"  Repeat this prayer until the spirit has gone.  It is also beneficial for the possessed to at least attempt to pray the Lord's Prayer while they struggle for control of the body.  Once again the grimoire had opened to the exact passage that she needed!  I wonder what would happen if there wasn't a situation that needed an immediate resolution?  It is certainly not the ordinary book I thought it was.

"Remember, Anestasia, prayer is not a color by numbers answer.  If you don't believe in the power of who you pray to, and truly desire what you say you want, it won't happen.  Symbols, like the cross are meaningless without faith.   You must truly, and sincerely mean it! I recommend putting on your own amulet, and having Rachel and Janet do so as well, before you attempt to do this.  It will protect you from the spirit you are fighting against.  Fennel tea will weaken the spirit's hold.  The tea and amulet are not enough!" Steve advised.  "I regret that there is nothing I can do to aid you.  I am not human, so the Christian God, won't hear me if I call on Him."

Can I even do this?  I went to Sunday school, and Bible camp as a kid, but I've never really thought about what I believe.  I believe in a higher power, and intelligent design.  I believe that my power comes from somewhere or someone.  I believe in a Light that drives out Darkness.  Is this enough?  Do I even know enough to help Nancy?  I thought this would be easier, like following a recipe out of a book.  Everything I have ever done has simply required will and intent, or a simple recipe.  My spells do work better when I need them though.  I think it's because desperation and need focus my will to a sharp point.  I hope that this is enough.

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Anestasia arrived in front of Nancy's house to find her friends waiting for her in Janet's car.  The weather that had been merely a little gray and dreary on the outskirts of town, was a looming presence here.  The air was heavy with moisture, chilly, with brief bursts of wind.  There was an absence of sound, no insect noises, no bird calls, but there were watchers.  Anestasia could feel dozens of unfriendly eyes watching her as she stepped out of the car.  

Rachel and Janet met Anestasia at her trunk, looking desperate.  "Please tell me you have the stuff!" Rachel cried.  "We talked on our way over, and we are both experiencing scary shit.  There was tapping and whispering outside my window last night.  I couldn't get away from it.  The sounds were at the window of every room I was in, but when I changed rooms, the noise stopped in the old one.  I was not imagining things, my parents heard it too- thank God for the wreath for the door!"

"I would never accuse you of imagining things.  I know better," Anestasia said ruefully.  "You're talking to the girl who calls spirits, and has a talking cat!"

"Well, my parents didn't want the wreath on the front door.  They said it looked tacky, so I hung it in my room, like we did here," Janet said, pointing at Nancy's house.  I started hearing the whispering and tapping, so I went to my room.  It wasn't so bad in there- at least not in the beginning, but something got into the house!  It pounded on my bedroom door all night long!  It pounded while I prayed, but moment I stopped, the whispering started.  It called my name!  My baby sister has scratches all over her face and hands, and bruises over the rest of her!  We've sent her out of town to stay with extended family.  I don't know how I managed school today, but my parents want to pretend things are normal.  They do want to know if you have an extra wreath.  I don't think they will question the herbs for the corners of the house...."

Boy this got out of hand fast!  Anestasia thought.  I wonder if the wards on the doors and windows have been doing more than I thought.  "I can ward your windows too.  I would do the doors, but the ward breaks when the door or window is opened.  I don't know how if it will  add to the strength of the herbs, but it probably won't hurt."

"Yes please!" the girls called in unison.

"Ok, let's check on Nancy.  If things are this bad at your houses, I don't imagine this is going to go well.  I found a prayer to stop possession, but Steve said that I have to truly believe for it to work, and I'm feeling pretty darn uncertain.  First let me give you your amulets."

Janet and Nancy reached for the pretty bags with the agate wired to them.  "This is it?"  asked Rachel.  

"This is it," answered Anestasia.  "In the bag are: St. John's wart to create a protective shield, angelica root to dispel hostile magic, and mandrake root to increase the potency of the protections.  That's fire agate wrapped around the strings, it also protects from spirits, and psychic intrusion. The agate in particular will keep things out of your head.  My most important instruction, is absolutely do not open the bag!  All the protection will be lost if you do!"  Anestasia looked each of them in the eyes with a gravity they had not seen before.  "I will give Nancy fennel tea to try to loosen the spirit's hold on her before we begin, and will give each of you a supply for yourselves and your families."

Janet burst into relieved tears, and Rachel smiled gratefully. The cords of the amulet got a little tangled in Janet's frizzy red hair, but Rachel's amulet went on easily.

Anestasia puts the fourth amulet in her pocket, and turns to face the door.  "Ok, let's go."