Dead evil, p.8
Dead Evil, page 8
“Let’s go find our seats.” Ronan set Everly down and she hugged Tennyson.
“You really are okay,” Ten said.
“Just a little sad. Agatha Louise doesn’t like living in the museum and having people visit her like she’s a lion in the zoo. She wants a friend.” Everly sniffled. “Everyone deserves friends.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Ten agreed. “Let’s go to the show and we can talk about this more when we go home, okay?”
“Okay, Dad.” Everly walked toward Ronan who was holding his hand out to her. “Can I visit Agatha Louise tomorrow before she goes back to Florida?”
Ten nodded. “I’ll call Devin in the morning and see if there’s a time when you can go visit her in private like we did today.”
“Thank you, Dad. I know it was hard letting me go visit her. I could feel how scared you were, but she needed me to see her. I’ve never felt pain like that before. There were a lot of bad feelings and so much sadness. When we left, I could tell she felt a little bit lighter.”
“That’s what you do best,” Ten said. “You make everyone around you feel better.”
“I know you’re a little mad at Daddy and Uncle Jude for wanting to let me see the doll, but will you think about letting that go?” Everly giggled. “Be Elsa, Dad!”
Ten laughed with his daughter. “I’ll do my best.”
Ronan watched Ten and Everly with a smile on his face. His husband might be angry at him for the moment, but the look on Everly’s face was worth it. She’d done a good thing by offering to be Agatha Louise’s friend.
Ronan hoped that friendship wouldn’t come back to bite all of them in the ass.
11
Tennyson
Ten felt like he was going to throw up. It wasn’t from the awful convention stand chicken nuggets or the fact that his daughter had just made friends with a doll who happened to be a serial killer. It was from the fact that their seats were five rows from the stage. Jude had bought the tickets early and had his choice of where to sit. Whatever was about to happen with the Dallas Demonologists and King of Deliverance, Ten would be front and center.
He'd been shocked earlier in the day when Pastor Levi Shackleton came to the West Side Magick booth on the convention floor. Ten knew the preacher didn’t just happen to walk by. His visit had been intentional. What Ten didn’t know was why? Obviously the pastor was in Salem to bring more sheep into the fold, so why had he confronted Tennyson? Jealousy? To deliver a warning? To throw Ten off his game? Or to make him feel guilty?
Thanks to Ronan Ten felt no guilt at all when it came to how he lived his life. Not even when he and Ronan raided the fridge at midnight to refuel for what was to come. The only logical reason Ten could think of for Shackleton’s visit was because the man was an asshole and wanted to put the fear of God into Tennyson.
“Are you okay?” Ronan asked from his left side. Everly was on his right, next to Wolf, then Jude and Cope. “You seem a million miles away. You’re not still mad at me, are you?”
“I took Everly’s advice to be Elsa and let my anger go.” Ten patted Ronan’s knee. “I was just thinking about Shackleton’s visit to the booth this morning. What do you think the point was?”
“To shake you and throw you off your game. He sure as hell wasn’t there to swap recipes with you.”
Ten snorted. “I’d have gladly given him the one for humble pie.”
“Yeah, well you served him a double helping by calling out some of the women he’d slept with.” Ronan snickered.
Ten was about to agree when a man walked onto the stage. The crowd erupted into applause.
“Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for the Dallas Demonologists?”
Hoots and hollers accompanied the frenzied applause.
“I’m Dixon Barrymore, son of our founder, Duke, and I’m here to deliver a couple of rules before I bring out the holy trinity of demonologists.”
The crowd booed.
Dixon held his hands up in an ‘I’m innocent’ pose. “I know, guys rules suck, but don’t hate the messenger. Please do not interrupt the proceedings with outbursts or trying to run on stage. You will be arrested and persecuted, er, prosecuted, rather. For all of you who bought deliverance tickets, please be aware that due to time constraints, we might not be able to get to all of you. Lastly, video and/or audio recordings are strictly prohibited. Security will be walking through the auditorium. If you’re caught, you will be removed and your ticket will not be refunded. Got it?”
“Got it!” the crowd chanted back.
“Awesome, guys!” Dixon offered the crowd a winning grin. He was a dead ringer for his father with his white-blond hair and icy blue eyes. If Ten didn’t know better, he would have thought the young man was Duke’s clone. “Join me in welcoming the Dallas Demonologists to the stage! Christian Dwight, Ellis Cantor, and Duke Barrymore come on out!”
The demonologist ran out onto the stage, each of them giving Dixon a high five. “Hello, Salem!” Duke called out, causing the crowd to go crazy with applause and adulation.
“Let’s get started. Where is Maria Harper?” Duke called out, his eyes scanning the first few rows of the auditorium.
“Here!” An older woman hopped out of her seat and started jumping around like she’d just been called to be a contestant on the Price is Right. One of the security guards approached her and checked her ticket, before leading her to the stage.
“Hello, Maria,” Duke greeted when she’d made her way onto the stage. “Tell us a little bit about yourself.”
“I’m a wife and mother of three sons. I work as a nurse at South Shore Hospital and my husband is a lawyer in Boston. With the boys playing all kinds of sports, we lead very busy lives.”
“Sounds like a wonderful life, Maria, but you wouldn’t be here asking for our help if the picture was as rosy as you’re painting it. Tell me why you’re here.”
“Over the last year, I find that I’m filled with rage. It comes on over nothing. I scream, throw things, and I’ve hurt my husband.”
“Physically?” Duke asked, sounding appalled.
Maria hung her head and nodded. “I’ve never been angry like this before. I’ve managed not to let these feelings spill over at work with my patients, but I can feel myself losing the battle. There are times when I don’t feel like I’m in charge of my body. I’ll do and say things that are totally out of character and I can’t stop. It’s like someone or something else is in control.”
Duke nodded solemnly as Maria spoke. “What you’ve described are the hallmark symptoms of demon possession, but all is not lost. We’re going to change your life, Maria, but only if you believe. Do you believe in the glorious good power of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior?”
“I do,” Maria agreed.
“I didn’t hear that, Maria. Do you believe you are about to be delivered of this demon and set free?”
“I DO!” Marie shouted.
“Very good. Very, very good.” Duke turned from Maria and stepped to the front of the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Duke began, a hand over his heart, “what you are about to witness may not be suitable for children or those with weak nerves. If you feel that you cannot handle the glorious power of Jesus Christ, this is your opportunity to leave the auditorium.”
No one moved. Ten remembered seeing Duke Barrymore onstage with Levi Shackleton all those years ago. The warning speech he’d given that night was identical to the one he’d heard back then. He couldn’t help but feel this was nothing more than scripted drama.
Duke raised both hands to the sky. “I call upon you, Jesus Christ. King of Kings. Lord of Lords. Grant me the power to heal our sister, Maria. Allow me to absolve her of her sins! Use my body as your lightning rod! In your all-powerful and exalted name, I pray!” Setting a hand on Maria’s shoulder, Duke began to speak, softly at first, then growing in volume and intensity.
The proceedings were all déjà vu for Tennyson. He’d seen this dog and pony show before and didn’t need his gift to predict what was going to happen next. More prayers. Maria flopping on the stage like a fish out of water with Barrymore claiming victory over the demon. He turned to Ronan and saw his husband was entranced by what was happening. Looking to his right, he saw Everly, Wolf, Jude and Cope were equally caught up in the spectacle. He turned his attention back to Barrymore, who was riled up in a frenzy of prayer.
“In the name of Jesus, I banish thee, demon! I revoke any hexes and curses you’ve cast upon our sister! No longer will your black aura cause this woman to sin! No longer will she rage at her family or strike her husband! I beg for your protection, Jesus! Wrap your loving arms around this woman and welcome her into the kingdom of heaven! In the name of the Holy Spirit, I cast you back to the fiery pits of Hell from whence you came!”
As Duke shouted, the crowd grew louder and louder, urging the demon to be gone. They were joined by Dwight and Cantor adding their voices to the din, shouting their praises to God’s holy name. Ten’s body buzzed with the same energy he’d felt all those years ago in the sweltering tent in Kansas City. He wasn’t sure if Maria was possessed by a demon or was simply a woman who had too much on her crowded plate. He tried to reach out with his gift, but with the energy level in the room spiking and so many people shouting ‘Amen,’ and praising Jesus, Ten wasn’t able to get a read on Maria or Barrymore. He turned his attention back to the stage in time to see the real show start.
Maria’s body jerked, as if she’d been struck by lightning. She began spewing nonsensical words, mingled in with her own cries for deliverance. The alleged demon fought back with a series of growls. Maria collapsed to the floor, where she began flopping around in earnest. The frenzied crowd began to chant Maria’s name, as if they were offering the woman their own strength to fight her affliction. After several more minutes with Duke shouting for the demon to be gone, the voices stopped and Maria lay still. The auditorium was dead silent. Everyone waited to see if the battle had been won.
“Are you okay, Sister Maria?” Duke asked, his eyes on the crowd.
“I’m not sure,” she said, sounding as if she were in a daze.
Cantor and Dwight came to her side and helped Maria back to her feet. Both men held her elbows as she regained her balance.
“How do you feel, sister?” Cantor asked, excitedly.
“I feel lighter,” Maria said, sounding astonished. “It’s gone. It’s really gone. I feel like my old self again!”
“Let’s hear it for the power of our glorious God!” Duke raised his hands to the heavens, as the crowd burst into applause.” Cantor walked Maria back to the security guard who had escorted her to the stage. The man led her out of the auditorium.
“What did you all think of that?” Duke asked. “I felt the power of the Lord, did you?”
The crowd cheered. Ten noticed Ronan, Jude, and Wolf clapping. Everly and Cope both looked gobsmacked. He wanted to ask Everly how she felt or if she thought it was real, but Duke began shouting again.
“Silence, everyone. I need your complete silence.” Duke walked to the front of the stage and stood silently, waiting for the crowd to quiet down. “What you just witnessed was an honest-to-God miracle. God is good!”
The crowd erupted again. Ten couldn’t help but think everyone was going to wake up hoarse in the morning, sounding like they were all two pack a day smokers.
“If you thought Sister Maria’s deliverance was miraculous, wait until you see what I have coming up next.” Duke paced the stage silently for a few seconds. “Dallas Demonologists has never attempted what we’re about to do. If we succeed this is going to be ground-breaking and historical. Before we begin, I’d like to bring out a special friend. A man who truly has God’s ear. When this man speaks, God, Himself, listens. Join me in welcoming Pastor Levi Shackleton from megachurch, King of Deliverance.”
The crowd went wild. People shouted his name, others shouted their praise to Jesus. For Tennyson, it was a world gone mad. He was sitting in an auditorium in the Witch City, which was filled with witches, magicians, psychics, mediums, and the like, not to mention a robust gay community. Everyone in the room, with the exception of Ten and his friends, were cheering for a man who disdained them all. What the hell was happening?
“This isn’t good,” Everly whispered in Ten’s ear. She wore a worried look on her face.
Ten wanted to grab his daughter and run out of the room. He’d run all the way home if he had too. “I agree. Let me know if you need to leave.”
“I will.” Everly looked around the room. “What is wrong with everyone? They’re acting like Jesus zombies or something.”
“I’m not sure, honey,” Ten lied to his daughter. He knew exactly what was going on. This was a form of biblical mass hysteria. People who ordinarily weren’t part of a Christian religion or who came from other religions entirely, were completely in thrall to Shackleton and Barrymore. Ten’s gift wasn’t working as well as it could, but something was coming and he wasn’t sure how to fend it off.
“Thank you!” Shackleton said, holding his hands up. “I can’t tell you what it means to me to get this kind of reception here in Salem, which at times has the feel of Sodom and Gomorrah. Before we begin the next deliverance, I would just like all of you to know God loves you! He wants to heal you! All you have to do is let him into your heart!”
As Shackleton spoke the crowd shouts became louder, nearly drowning out the preacher.
“Let us pray! Father God, I beg you in your infinite wisdom to forgive your children for their sins. I ask you to open their hearts to you, so that you may fill them with your promise of life everlasting. In your glorious name, I pray! Amen.”
“Amen,” the crowd chorused.
“I’d like to take this moment to announce that King of Deliverance wants to come to Salem permanently. Only you can help that dream come true. Members of my church are coming around now with information on how to join us in the joyful worship of Jesus Christ. There are also collection envelopes for your donations. Give freely what the Lord has given you.”
Ten turned his head and saw people handing out packets of information. Ronan took one and passed the rest to Tennyson. He was holding the envelope with the tips of his thumb and forefinger, as if he didn’t want what was in it to transfer to him. He set the envelope on the floor and shoved it under the seat in front of him with his foot. “I don’t like this, Ten. Not one bit.” Ronan shouted over the din of the crowd.
“Me either.” Ten had a very bad feeling about what was going to happen next. Was Shackleton going to try a group deliverance? Was he going to bring one of the psychics or mediums onstage and try to “cure” them of their devil-given powers? Maybe that was why he’d come to see Tennyson earlier that morning, to find out if he’d be amenable to being delivered. He shivered in the warm room. His gut instinct was telling him to run, but his curiosity kept him in his seat.
“As we said, Dallas Demonologists are about to attempt something that has never been done before. To be honest, I’m not sure if this will work,” Duke said, smirking at the crowd. He had them in the palm of his hands and he knew it.
The crowd began to chant, “Duke! Duke! Duke!”
Setting a hand over his heart, Duke bowed to the audience. “I’m sure with your help, we’ll be able to cast out our toughest demon to date. This particular creature has been infesting its host since the 1960s. Its destruction began with a fire that took the life of a child and quickly spread to claiming the lives of the entire family. Its killed neighbors, friends, visitors to the museum in which she has been housed. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Agatha Louise, the demon doll!”
A man walked onto the stage carrying Agatha Louise in her box. It looked as though the lock closing her box was still intact. Ten had a feeling it wasn’t going to stay that way for long.
The crowd lost its collective mind when the man held up the doll for the crowd to see, reminding Ten of that scene in The Lion King when Rafiki held up a newborn Simba to the crowd of animals who’d gathered to see the lion cub. Another man came forward with a table for the case. The doll was set down and the two men hurried off stage.
“Oh, shit!” Ronan said. “No! There’s no way Devin would allow this. She must have been stolen.”
“Agatha Louise,” Ten whispered. “Jesus please keep my family and friends safe.”
Everly grabbed Ten’s elbow. “Dad, we need to stop this now. She’s not gonna add just one more victim tonight. There’s gonna be more!”
Ten’s eyes bugged out. He turned to Ronan who wore a similar expression. They needed to get out of the auditorium now. Ten pointed to the end of the row. They were sitting smack in the middle and there were six people between them and the aisle. Ronan shoved at the man sitting beside him, but the man wouldn’t budge. It looked to Ten like he was in thrall to Barrymore and the doll.
“Look at this ugly thing!” Barrymore shouted. “Half burned, hair singed, demon possessed. Several ministers have tried to bless this doll over the years, she’s been doused in holy water and exorcised and yet her reign of terror continues. I’m here to tell you it ends tonight!
The crowd burst into cheers again. People around the auditorium were shouting obscenities at the doll. Ten’s heart broke for Agatha Louise. Fifteen minutes ago she’d made a friend and now a room filled with a thousand people were cursing her up and down.
“It’s rumored this doll is responsible for seven murders!” Barrymore shouted. “I’m not afraid of this demon! I say if you want me, come get me! Bring me the key!”
The man who’d brought the doll returned to the stage and handed something to Barrymore before running off again. If the man was smart he’d run out of the auditorium as fast and as far as his legs would carry him.
Barrymore approached the front of the box. He stuck the key into the lock and turned it. The lock popped open and he pulled it free, holding it high above his head. “You’re free Agatha Louise. Come and get me!”
The audience fell silent. Ten’s heart felt like it was going to beat clean out of his chest. Ronan and Everly wore matching looks of horror, while Jude and Cope looked ready to run.
