Excerpt: The Repented

“Hey Williams.” The captain called out from his corner office. “I have a job that’s right up your alley.”

Jason could hear a few snickers coming from the men around the squad room. “Seen any good ghosts lately?’ Piped up from somewhere along the back wall, which caused a
fit of laughter. He really didn’t mind them laughing. If he did his job right, they’ll never have to experience the horrors that he has seen. He closed the door to the office and sat down in the one chair that wasn’t overflowing with criminology books.

“As you know Williams, I don’t hold no stock in this paranormal crap, but the Mayor and the Commissioner does. So, the Mayor handed me this folder this morning over coffee and tells me to pass it on to you, that you would know what to do, so I’m passing it on.”
The captain handed Jason the manila folder. “It was a bloody mess and absolutely no clues, hints, fingerprints - no evidence what so ever. Just like the rest of them. I don’t want to know what you do. I don’t want to know how you do it. Just…, go do it.”

Jason walked out of the office and sat down at his desk. Taking a sip of coffee, he began reading. 30 minutes later, he flipped over the last grisly photo and closed the folder. He leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. Another one. That made it 9 groups now of kids killed this year while dappling in black arts. The daughter of the Mayor and the Son of the Commissioner were in group number one. Yeah, the rest of the cops in the room could snicker all they wanted, but he would like to see the reaction of just one of them, coming face to face with one of these unnatural forces. He picked up the phone and called his partner. “Ash, we have another one.”

****

“Mommy, Mommy! Come see!” Little Jake came running inside with a balloon on a string tailing behind him.

“Betty, I tell ya. It just ain’t right. She has no business doing…”

“Mommy?” Jake pulled on the hem of his mother’s shirt to get her attention.

“Hang on Betty.” Sue brought the phone down to her shoulder and looked down at her son. “What is it honey?”

“John, Tommy, and Suzy are outside with a clown. Can I play with the clown too?”

“Sure Honey. Just make sure they bring you back home.” Sue brought the phone back up to her ear. “Yeah Betty, my son’s little friends brought a clown down the street. So where was I…?”

***

"Do you think it'll work?"

"No."

"Then why are we doing this?"

Jason put down the sawed off shotgun and picked up the 38. "Because we have no choice." He continued checking the rounds.

"So what do we have to do to kill an myth?"

"I don't know."

"Silver?"

"I'm packing it - just in case."

"Holy water?"

Jason raised his eyebrows in question.

"If anything, it'll bless us before we die." Ash tucked the bottle into his jacket pocket.

Jason let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "Did you refill the consecrated salt containers?"

"Yeah. Got it right after we got back from the last one."

"Good." Jason tossed the shotgun to his partner and reached in the weapons case and pulled out another sawed off for himself.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to stop?"

"I hope so, someday." Jason slammed the case shut.

"Do you think it's still here?" They walked into the abandoned house.

Jason looked around him. There were crudely drawn pentagrams on the walls and floor. There were words written in Theban - witches alphabet. "It never hurts to be prepared."

"Look here." Ash pointed to a group of symbols and began reading. "As we summon thee," He continued, "And you cometh." He walked over to another wall, "So it shall be." He released a breath. "Poor kids probably didn't even know what hit 'em."

Jason pointed out the dark stains. They were smeared and splattered everywhere. "Looks like they were thrown around like rag dolls.

"Paper stated that it was a bloody masquerade and the only survivor was placed in a mental ward. She's in a catatonic state.

"This isn't a ghostly type presence Ash."

“Demon?”

Jason nodded.

"God, I hate demons."

“Ring around the rosy…” a group of young voices sang out.

Jason looked at Ash. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah.” Both men took off towards the back of the house.

“Pocket full of posies…”

“It’s coming from the backyard area.” Both men skidded to a halt at the back door. There in the yard was a ghostly clown and a group of very real children. The ghost looked up at the two men and shook his finger…

“ollie, ollie, in-free, you can see me!” and with a pop all of them were gone.

And little Jake giggled.

© by Kathy Priebe