Part 3

Startled, Crystal shot her gun sending a bullet in the air.

“Scared of a little pussy cat?” Jason walked up behind her laughing.

“Shut up. The stupid thing caught me off guard. Besides I hate cats.” Once again she felt embarrassed in front of Jason. She was supposed to be an experienced hunter, yet cats were frightening her.

“Well I managed to get the door open while you shot at an innocent cat.” He continued to laugh.

Crystal thought differently. ‘Cats are all but innocent’ she mumbled. She’d seen the small felines transform into creatures of your darkest nightmares more than once.

The inside of the house was much like the outside; cold and damp. Crystal felt dirty just from breathing in the thick stale air.

“Ugh, it smells like grandma in here” she held her nose.

Jason laughed, “Well maybe there’s a grandma here. You check upstairs and I’ll look down here.”

….

A thick film of dust covered the furniture in Sara’s bedroom.

“Crystal…” A voice whispered her name. She was used to demons playing these sorts of tricks, but this voice was familiar. A wave of nausea hit her when the voice said her name again, this time louder. It sounded like her deceased mother.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” She said angrily to the voice. It was relentless and would not stop calling her until she raised her gun in its general direction. “I said SHUT UP!!”

….

“I heard you yelling up there. Everything okay?”

Crystal walked into the living room where Jason was. “Uh, yeah everything is fine. I found Sara’s diary. This is definitely our girl.”

“Lay it down for me sistah.”

Crystal rolled her eyes at Jason’s comical attitude and opened the diary. “Well she goes on to talk about how much she hated her step father. He abused Sara and her mother verbally and physically often.” She skipped through a few more pages until she found what she was really looking for.

“Okay now check this." Crystal began to read Sara's diary.

‘Today I met this woman. I thought she was crazy at first because she kept telling me how she could fix my powers. She knew about Roderick being abusive! The woman told me that she could grant me special powers. I can’t lie…I’m VERY curious.’…. ‘Well I went to Madame Lilly’s. That’s the woman’s name. She was telling the truth! She really did give me powers! And you know what I did? Roderick was first. I lured him out to the backyard one night while mom was at work. I gave him the story that some hogs were in his garden. When he found out I lied he charged me. Madame Lilly told me I could be as creative as I wanted to be so I made him burn from the inside. Oh the look on his face! Now mom and I can live a better life.’

“So abused girl talks to some lady and is granted powers.” Jason stated rubbing his chin.

“And she’s using this power to possess others in the town? That makes no sense.” Crystal continued to flip through the girl’s diary looking for clues but found nothing. “I do not understand this; why involve others? What’s her MO?”

“You got me suga, but now that we have a name maybe we can get somewhere. Let’s head to Maria’s. She may know where this Lilly chick lives.”

….

Upon arriving at Maria’s, Crystal could feel something was wrong. Maria not answering her phone didn’t help. It was eerily quiet outside, so quiet you could hear a pin drop from a mile away. Jason knocked on the door a few times. “Dammit! She has to hear me knocking.”

“It’s late maybe she fell asleep.”

“Nah, that woman can hear for miles.”

“Do you think something is wrong, Jason?”

Rather than answering Crystal’s question, Jason took out his gun and proceeded to breaking down the front door. “Maria! Where are you?”

Silence was the only response and not too soon after entering the home they found out why. A trail of blood led around the corner.

Lying slumped against the living room wall was Maria. “What the hell happened? Maria!”

The two knelt down in front of her, but they already knew the outcome.

“She’s gone…I can’t believe it.”

“I’m so sorry Jason.” Death was something Crystal knew all too well. She decided that Jason deserved a moment alone and headed outside. The rain was finally starting to let up and the temperature seemed to drop nearly twenty degrees.

“You don’t belong here girl.” A raspy voice growled. She turned to face a middle ages man. His hollow eyes gave him a death like appearance.

“Is that so? And you’re going to make me leave?” Crystal challenged.

“No, WE are!” Out of nowhere a woman appeared and gave Crystal a devastating blow to the stomach knocking the wind out of her. She tried to call out to Jason, but had no air to talk.

The two possessed took turns slamming their fist and knees into her. Somehow she managed to deflect on blow and regained her footing. She swung with all her might and made contact with the possessed woman’s face. Her jaw slacked as the bone cracked and gave way to the hit.

“Jason!” Crystal finally called out right as a third demon showed up.

Once again he came to her rescue, though this time she wasn’t completely helpless.

It took longer than they hoped but they were able to take out each individual.

“You okay Crystal? Jason frowned at the blood trickling down her split lip.

“Yeah, I’m good thanks.” She huffed wiping up the blood. “What about you? I’m sorry about what happened to Maria.”

“Me too. C’mon let’s go. We need to get you patched up and come up with a plan.”

Crystal found it odd that they weren’t going to search the house for clues, but she also liked the idea of leaving. She was tired and wanted nothing but rest.

End