HAUNTED

Altercations

The priest was hiding, waiting. It was coming and he knew it. He pushed a button on his phone. He had to warn his friends.

"Janice, they're coming. It's too late, they're here. I hid it in the alter. Take it and use it as instructed. It will protect you."

"Father Joseph. We're coming!" Janice Higgins yelled at her phone. She was in a panic.

"No! Don't. It's too late to help me, you can keep your family safe. Do you hear me? Just protect them. They are innocent." Father Joseph begged Janice.

He was no longer a priest but Janice never stopped calling him father. Her family was innocent. They did nothing to deserve this wrath.

Janice could hear the wind. It was loud and almost drowned out the priest's voice. She knew that he was running. She heard him scream, there was a crunching noise and laughing and then silence.

"Oh, Janice. No one can save you now. Your priest is dead, you're next. I'm coming for you." The voice was calm and familiar. It sent shivers up her spine.

Janice was shaking and John Higgins drove faster. She knew that voice and she knew he would kill her. He would kill them all. They had to get the amulet.

The arrived at the house after driving like a bat out of hell from the church building. Janice was holding the amulet, turning it nervously. The priest died for this thing. Janice and her husband rushed inside the house to begin the protection spell. 

"It's coming!" Janice was frightened. She knew this was coming. He was coming. They were prepared, at least Janice hoped they were prepared. She had to trust the priest.

"I know." John's voice was shaking. "Hyde is out of the house. He knows nothing and we need to keep it that way. If we live, Janice."

"I know. Is that ready?" Janice hoped that their priest was right. They knew something dark was after them for months but they didn't know what until recently. They didn't know who. Now, they knew and they were ready.

"Yes. That should do it. Just keep that charm on the altar. Never move it, Jan. Never. He can't harm us." John was scared for him and his wife.

"John, I am so sorry! I really am! This is all my fault and I can't fix it." She was praying and in tears.

John didn't say anything. She already apologized enough and they had this problem to deal with. He watched out the window as black clouds swirled around the house and wind was deafening.

The demon and the man appeared in the front yard. The man was laughing. As soon as they appeared the wind stopped and the blackness was gone. The smell of sulfur hung in the air. It was thick and made John and Janice cough.

"They're here." John whispered. It was so quiet now that he felt like he was talking too loud.

Janice was on her knees praying. She hoped that this worked. "John, I'm sorry, if that is worth anything."

She was hoping for forgiveness but it wasn't coming tonight. Not from John. They had searched for a year and finally found a charm for protection. They were scared but Janice knew that Hyde was safe.

He knew nothing and she was determined to keep it that way. Keep her son protected. The wind whipped around the house and she couldn't hear the man laugh anymore over the wind.

She didn't know if John would forgive her or if God would. She couldn't forgive herself. Never. She felt so terrible. It would have been bad if she just made the one mistake but there were several and then this...curse.

They were being hunted by the devil and she was sure he would win. She thought about just letting him have her and maybe he would let John go but she had no guarantee that John would be safe.

Janice was worried about her family. She destroyed it. This was all her fault and she was truly sorry but it was too late for apologies now. Now they would die and there was nothing she could do. Nothing.

Although John couldn't hear his own voice, he still repeated the words. He tried to yell over the wind but it didn't do any good. He hoped what he was doing was enough. John said the words and they held the amulet together, Janis prayed.

The demon tried to get in. He had to feed. He was hungry for his prize. He had traveled a long way and he was ready. It was a full moon and there was no way he could lose. His friend was right and he was the strongest tonight. He felt amazingly powerful.

He had feasted all week but he hungered for these humans, Janice and John were his. His friend had promised that. The demon laughed as he reached the house. There was a bright light and the demon was flung back onto the ground. He was hurt and the man was on his knees at the demon's side.

"What did you do?" The man yelled at the house. He cursed as he checked on his friend.

"Protected ourselves from evil!" John yelled as the wind died down. "You have no business here. Go. Leave this place and never come back. We do not belong to you and evil. We belong to the light." John yelled out at the man and the demon. They were evil and now evil wasn't allow in his house.

The man growled and glared at them. He turned to his friend. "Are you okay?"

The demon sat up. "No. I can't have them. You promised. I will have to find someone for now." The demon looked at the house that he couldn't enter.

"I will have to eat soon." He was disappointed that he could get to the humans. Stupid humans. "There is a way around that my boy, but I need to be even stronger." He sneered at the house and saw the two figures in the window. They would be his.

"I know. I'm sorry. I had no idea. I swear we will get revenge, you will get revenge." The man helped the demon up. He was gnarled and his skin looked like rough bark. "What did they do to you?"

"This is my true form. The light took away my shield. My human form. This is what I am. I can't go in public like this. You will have to bring them to me, my friend."

"Of course. I have others that don't know. Easy targets for now. Get to these fools later. In time." The man glared at the house and they left. He had to help his friend. That spell hurt them and John and Janice would pay dearly for that.

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