The Conjuring

"Hanging Tree" Chapter V

Carolyn woke up by a loud thump from upstairs, followed by loud screams. She shook Roger's shoulder until he woke up. Carolyn didn't even have to tell him what happened until he was off the bed, running up the stairs with Carolyn behind him.
The door to Andreas room was locked so they kicked it door open. Andrea lay on the floor and screamed while Cindy sat in the bed and looked at her, crying hysterically. Carolyn rushed over to Andrea to calm her from her panic.

-What happened?

Roger yelled at them.

-There was someone on the wardrobe and it attacked me!

Andrea said between her sobs. Roger didn't know what to say or do. He had prepared himself for many things in life but never something as insidious and strange as this.

-And Cindy sleep walked again.

Andrea said and Carolyn looked up at Roger who was staring endlessly out the window to avoid eye contact.

The whole Perron family slept downstairs to avoid the sharp coldness that lingered on the second floor. They held together in the living room and made sure that everyone was in place before any changes occurred, like if someone needed to go to the bathroom. For once since they'd moved in, they actually felt better.

The following morning, Carolyn flipped through the pages of a daily magazine until an ad caught her attention though being barely visible in the bottom right corner of the page. She placed her cup of lukewarm coffee on the tray beside her, carefully not to spill any of the content while she read the article. A couple of paranormal researchers were coming to Harrisville. They were going to hold a lecture at the town hall for anyone interested. Carolyn found herself tipping the cup off of the tray so that a small amount of the dark liquid silently splashed onto the floor and she immediately stood up to get ready, leaving the stain unwashed as well as unnoticed.

-My name is Ed Warren and this is my wife Lorraine. We work as paranormal researchers and we do our best to help people. We've been called ghost hunters, demon diggers...

-Crazy people,

Lorraine interrupts.

-Haha, no. We simply like to be called Ed and Lorraine Warren.

There were more people on the lecture than what Carolyn had expected. She was the only one dressed as though she had been home all day, which she had. Lorraine was a nice woman. Fairly tall and properly dressed as well as her husband, Ed, who wore a light suit and a black tie. He smiled kindly as he spoke with the voice of a leader as well as a father.

-We have worked with all sorts of cases, involving
ghosts, demons, spirits and more. Just remember that this is not a job for us. We don't charge our favors. What we do is a lifestyle. I'm known in the church and have studied demonism and exorcism all my life as well having experienced paranormal activities.

-This is my wife, Lorraine.

Ed gestured towards Lorraine who smiled as kindly as her husband.

-She's a psychic which means that she can communicate with spirits.

After the lecture, Carolyn waited at the back for the crowd that had gathered around the demonologists to seize before she went to introduce herself. She then told them about her situation, about the hauntings and in the end, begged them for help.

-It's usually just pipes or old floorboards.

Ed said.