The Clairvoyant

Chapter Fourteen: What Does That Mean?

    "I can't help you two because you are both blind," the old woman said.

   "Excuse me?" Mary shouted.

    "How can we learn to see?" Thomas asked.

    P. G. Anne chuckled. "Stop lying to each other. The holy figure and clairvoyant must hold no secrets. And that means that everything must be told to and accepted by the other. Spectres are the most powerful paranormal creatures in existence. They are more powerful than spirits, as intelligent as angels, and more dangerou than shadow people. Only pureness can defeat them, only truth. I can sense you two are up to your necks in undiscovered truths, lies, and secrets. That spectre will kill you both in minutes if you were to go back into that house now."

   "Okay. Fine. What? Exactly is a spectre though?"

   "A spectre is comprised of a demonic spawn born into the world as a human. Generally they become intense murderers or quiet killers. Lizzy Borden. Jack the Ripper, for instance. Of course when they die, their souls forget who they were, their names and what they did and such. I think that's why they are so vengeful. They hate kindness and they feel less human and less normal than ever."

     "Do you think we could defeat the Greenville Spectre?"

     "Yes. But first Mary must confess her sins to a priest, and you must tell her the truth - what you haven't even admitted to yourself. And... you two must realize a certain thing you've been denying. Though it has to be in that order. You won't be a priest who can hear her otherwise. And time is of the essence, so both of you have got t start soon."

   Mary perked up. "Time! That's right. The future  -"

   "Your answer is: yes. The future is split two ways, and that's why it's important you act sooner rather than later. Because while you're future has the same end, the paths you take to it are the misadventures tht dictate whether you can survive the spectre and free that house, or fail but still reach a normal end."

   "What does that mean?" Mary asked.

   "You know."

     A very loud hissing echoed from the back of the house. "My Star likes your Sekhmet. It is a shame she's spayed."

    Mary could have slapped the fragile old woman.

   "Okay." Was the only thing Thomas could think of to say.

   "So does she tell me first or -"

   "Yes. But you must tell all. And to further pressure you, if you fail, I do not see anyone else curing the Greenville house."

    "Great," Mary muttered. "But... will an exorcism work? If it is just us? If we can manage to... do what we must, how should we go about freeing the house?"

   "You like to see things through, Mary. I like that. An exorcism will suffice, however, it will be dangerous. The spectre will try to prevent it. You have to burn sage, incense, rosemary, and bless the grounds first. The spectre will then do everything in its immense power to stay put. It will try to latch on to you Mary, as you are the clairvoyant. In some ways this is where the trust comes in. Thomas here has to say his prayers accurately and quickly. Time, is again, vital. When the spectre tries to take you, you must only give it the outer layers. You must keep your mind, only giving it a corner to latch its fingers around. Give in to it and you will never come back. It will hurt more than anything you have ever felt - and I know what you've felt."

  Mary nodded, shivering at the memories haunting her. Thomas reflexively put a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into its warmth.

   P. G. Anne smiled. "You're getting there. Anyway. If it succeeds, the spectre will know within minutes, and it will dare to use up its power by moving towards Thomas. You have to hold it to you, bind it to you. You have to be in control, Mary. Do not let yourself be tied to a chair. You have to hold yourself. Finally, as a warning to Thomas," she said, now addressing him. "Young man, if you are not quick and precise, if you stumble or doubt, Mary might die or that devil will overtake her and you both shall be in a hell. She'll kill you, and that spectre will use her until she either really is insane or dead."

   Thomas closed his eyes tight, involuntarily digging his fingers into Mary's shoulder. She felt why, the thought traveling from his body to hers, and it frightened her. Realizing what contact did, Thomas moved his hand. He couldn't lose her, it was all he could think about. He didn't know why, but he couldn't lose her. The idea that he would never see her eyes bright with cunning knowing, magnified by her green glasses, or hear her soft voice chiding and laughing at him, or if her smile, that beautiful candle that lit up any room on the rare occasion it caught fire - it hurt him. It made something in him ache.

    Mary felt an echo of that pain. It could have been left over from him when his skin touched hers less than a moment before. Or it could be from her. Maybe both.

    Sekhmet ran through the cat flap attached to the back door and jumped into Mary's lap, loudly meowing and singing about her displeasure at something.

   "Ah." P. G. Anne laughed. "It's feeding time. The babies are hungry. Foody time my darlings!!!!" She chanted, getting up from her seat.

    Her human companions were confused and grim, but they still felt traces of amusement at her antics. Mary would never treat Sekhmet as such. She didn't spoil anyone like that.

   

        But little did they know they had larger problems at hand.

A/N
So next chapter is going to be nearly 2k words. It's confession time. That's right. Thank you to all of my readers for sticking with Mary and Thomas.

     Alexa