To Be Continued...with Robin Renee Ray

Beware the Dybbuk

By: Robin Renee Ray

The Conclusion

While flipping through a few more pages of the leather bound book, Gabby found what she was looking for. “We have to draw a large circle on the floor leaving the south end open…wait, it says to make sure the opening is no longer than six inches. Says something here about needing bait to sit in the middle of the circle, but only after the four symbols have been drawn.” She then looked up at each of her siblings, knowing she couldn’t allow any of them to be the bait for the hell demon that was after them. “I’ll do it.”

          “No, you won’t,” Sam replied. “I’m not afraid and you are. If you fear the Dybbuk then it has you hands down.”

          “You’ve been afraid of this thing ever since you heard dad telling those stories.” Cindy crossed her arms and began pacing the floor.

          “They weren’t just stories, Cindy. Dad was preparing us for this very moment, or the time he had to have known this thing would show back up. He told us the only one who had a chance against this thing had to have a ‘pure spirit’ as well as body.” Sam looked around at the three others. “How many of you are still pure, a virgin?”

          “He’s right,” Gabby added as she read through the pages. “The one placed in the center needs to be pure in all aspects.”

          “Other than not getting laid, what other good things can you say about being pure, Sam. You’ve been rotten all your life.”

          “Maybe so, Cindy, but Sam is also the one who always tried to talk us out of doing stupid shit. Like when you broke your leg jumping off the barn into the hay at mother’s dad’s house. Sam begged you not to do it, even when you called him chicken in front of the others.”

          “I’m not trying to say I’m perfect, but Mike is right. I give thanks for our meals, I’ve always mowed the Sampson’s yard for no cost because I knew they are too old to be doing it. I know you could do it as well, Cindy…but you have to admit that you’re just not that nice to others.”

          “And I’m not a virgin and that thing would probably take over my body and do to me what it did to that creepy old man. No normal human could twist and move the way he did in that basement.”

          “You didn’t tell me you had sex. I thought we told each other everything?” Gabby set the book down and stood up.

          They all watched as the youngest of the girls walked back and forth at the foot of the bed. She was biting her nails one second, then fiddling with her hair the next. It was more than easy to tell that she was uncomfortable with the subject but also didn’t want there to be any reason for the demon to get to her. Cindy froze when Gabby stepped in front of her.

          “What are you hiding?”

          “It’s personal, that’s all.”

          “Bull shit, Cindy. I told you when Mark and I…” Gabby stopped talking and looked back at her brothers, and then rolled her eyes and continued. “When we made love the first time.”

          “I just don’t want to talk about it. It’s my business, not anyone else’s.”

          Gabby gave her a long stare then walked back over and picked up the book. She finished reading what needed to be done then told her brothers that they would need to find something to draw the circle. Then she added that once the symbols were drawn one of them would have to cut their selves to mark the ground. After a few minutes, Mike came up with a black marker and handed it to Gabby who then drew the circle with the four symbols.

          Cindy was now sitting at the foot of the bed, rocking back and forth, fighting her own thoughts and wondering if she should talk to her sister, before Sam sat down in the middle of the drawing. She glanced over and saw Gabby looking back at her. “We need all four of us to do this, Cindy. You think you can pull it together for a while?” Cindy nodded and then got up and went to the top of the circle, facing her three siblings.

          “I’m afraid if we do this before we talk Gabby that the Dybbuk will try to get me for holding this secret for so long. But, if I tell you what I have been wanting to tell you the whole last year that you might be too angry to keep the evil thing from trying for you.”

          “So you have been listening to dad’s stories,” Sam smiled then winked at her.

          “We didn’t always have a choice and yes I heard what he said. God, I wish daddy was here right now.” Cindy turned her back on her siblings. “I’ve done the most horrible thing and it has been killing me on the inside.”

          “It was you, wasn’t it? You were the girl that Mark told me he cheated with, aren’t you?” Gabby moved closer to Mike.

          “I had been drinking at Joy’s party…”

          “Oh please, don’t pull that ‘I was drink shit’ on me.”

          Cindy turned to face her. “I wasn’t going to say that. He showed up as I was getting ready to leave and offered me a ride. Only your perfect man didn’t take me home he drove me out to the lake instead. He forced himself on me. It wasn’t the other way around like he told you.”

          “He raped you?” Mike said walking up and taking her by the shoulders. “Tell me damn it!”

          “He didn’t hit me or anything like that, but he threatened to tell Gabby that I threw myself on him and then lie that I had done it before. But I swear I never…”

          So you slept with him to keep him from telling me a lie. What, you didn’t think you could come to me?”

          “I thought you would believe him and hate me. Yes, I gave into his advances.”

          As Gabby was fixing to reply, something crashed into the bedroom door. The boys pushed the girls behind them, Sam with his bat and Mike with two doubled fist. A second crash cracked the wood on the door, causing both girls to scream and fighting or not, took hold of the other in fear. Nothing seemed to happen after that so Mike and Sam began moving the items in front of the door.

          “What are you doing?” Gabby whispered.

          “If it is that butler then we need to take care of him right now so we can work on putting that thing back in the box.” Mike stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Gabby. “The box is in the basement in that room that Cindy and I were in…if he left it there, that is.”

          “The book said you could lock the demon in almost any object, sealing it with the final spell.”

          “Fine you and Cindy look around this room for anything that we can use. Sam and I will handle what’s on the other side of this door.”

          “Gabby, I am so sorry. I swear I never meant you to get hurt.”

          “Sister’s forever, besides he is history. I dumped him last week.”

          “Can you two talk about all of that when we get the hell out of here?” Mike asked as he pulled the last of the furniture away from the door. He then looked at Sam. “On the count of three. One, two, three.” Then Mike pulled the door open.

          Sam hissed at the site of the bloody smears on the outside of the door, but was grateful that there was no one or anything standing there. As the two boys stepped out the girls began looking around the room for anything they felt would work for what they needed. None of the four noticed the dresser moving away from the secret panel that led to the passageways in the walls. One blood coated hand slide around and pushed the desk further, making enough noise that Cindy glanced back. She screamed.

          One final push and he stepped out. Harold the butler was a walking mess. Flesh hung from the left side of his face, both eyes so red it was hard to tell where the color of his eye began and a blackish liquid drooling from the sides of his mouth. The grotesque being stumbled into the room, with both hands reaching out, in the direction of the sisters who clung to each other in utter fear. His mouth opened and more than an animalistic sound came rushing out, a spew of the black gore flew from his lips and ran down the front of his already gore covered suit.

          Sam ran in with the bat ready to make a good hit, when his body was thrown back and into the wall. A dark cloud formed over the circle and then all hell broke loose. The bed lifted off the floor and crashed just inches from where the girls were backing up. The photos on the wall flew off in every direction with books from the shelves flying out and their pages filling the room like the feathers from a pillow fight. The moment Mike stepped up to the door it slammed shut knocking him backwards.

          “Mike!” Gabby screamed causing Harold to turn his attentions back to them. “Cindy, get behind me.” She then picked up a piece of the broken wood that came off of the bed and held it out, swinging it from side to side when the monster took a step closer. “Stay back, I mean it,” she cried as he rushed forward and the sharp end of the wood drove into the softness of his abdomen.

          Black blood slowly began to drip on the tops of Harold’s shoes as he grabbed the wooden stake that was freely protruding from his gut. He stumbled back a few steps, looking down with demon red eyes, and then started pulling the offending wood from his body. In a split second, Sam yelled out and swung the bat hitting the end of the piece of wood, driving it even deeper into Harold’s stomach. The beast of a man’s head rose in slow motion just in time to see the bat coming down over his brows. His body went back and Sam kept hitting until the man moved no more and lay in a puddle of his own tainted blood.

          Mike slammed his body into the door much like Harold had, knowing the reinforcement had already been compromised. On his third try the door flew open as Sam came down with one more blow from the bat, just to be sure. He went to move toward his sisters when the dark form floated down in front of him and materialized into a she devil with a skull face that was all cloaked under a hooded black garment. Though he yelled when its bone mouth dropped open and it screamed in his face.

          Sam stepped into the middle of the circle. “Leave my brother alone you sorry piece of shit.” Then he swung his bat through the dense apparition that was moving closer to Mike.  It turned with lightning speed, its skull face grinning an evil grin, as it now moved closer to Sam. He jerked but held his ground as the figure floated further around the circle. More loud banging started up from somewhere on the first floor. The Dybbuk hissed as it moved in front of the six inch opening at the bottom of the circle.

          “Oh my God, it’s not finished yet. There has to be fresh blood by the symbols,” Gabby said as she started digging around in her pocket for Sam’s small pocket knife. She slid it across her hand and dashed for the floor only to be swatted back by the Dybbuk and with an invisible hand. The knife spun across the floor and Cindy picked it up and did the same thing, she slid the blade across the palm of her hand. She then threw the knife in the direction of Sam and just stood there.

          The sounds of glass shattering rang out from the lower area of the house. The Dybbuk’s skull head swung toward the door and it screamed out in anger then disappeared altogether. That’s when Cindy rushed over and placed her bloody hand down in each drawing that Gabby had made. The air got thicker and a strange aroma filled the room.

          “I wonder what’s going on down stairs, that thing looked surprised at that glass breaking,” Sam said.

          “It doesn’t matter, we have to finish this or we will never be able to put it back. Cindy, you sit here and Mike you there. I’ll need to be here behind Sam to whisper these odd words in his ear, and then you have to repeat them.”
          “What are we going to put it in?” Cindy asked as she set to Sam right.

          Gabby was shaking her head as she stared out into the room, seeing one thing that might work and it wasn’t broken like the rest of the wall hangs were. She rushed over and took the oval, antique mirror off of the mantel. It had fallen off of its nail and slid down to barely perch itself on the dark wooden edge above the fireplace. She then hurried back over and leaned it up against Sam’s back.

          “You’ll have to be still or it will fall. Once that thing is in the circle with you, Mike you will need to use the marker and close it off. And you and Cindy have to repeat the words with me after Sam uses them to…” she paused and picked up the book. “To invoke the Dybbuk to bond with his soul.”

          “Hey, no one said anything about letting that thing get in my body,” Sam said and started to stand up, being stopped by both of Gabby’s hands on his shoulders.

          “On the last of the chants I’ll hand you the mirror and then you say the chant one last time. This book says the Dybbuk will be forced into the object as the ones on the outside of the circle repeat the chant that last time, then you lay it down in the center and step out, Sam.”

          “You mean, if it all goes as planned?” Sam patted her hand and made himself comfortable.

          “Now we start and it will force the Dybbuk to appear right where she was when she left. You guys ready to do this?”

          “No better time like the now,” Mike nervously laughed.

          “I agree,” Cindy concurred.

          “Well, the trap is set with good bait, so let’s do this,” Sam added with a snort of a laugh, though the fear of the unknown showed clearly in his expression.

          After Gabby lit the candles, she leaned as close to the circle as she dared and whispered words that he repeated, then she herself repeated them. As the last word fell from their lips a huge gust of wind blew in through the door and blew in a rush in a circle around the room before dying down as the Dybbuk’s black form materialized in the middle of the circle in front of Sam. Gabby nodded at Mike as she relit the candles to her left and right. The moment the circle was complete it was like an enormous door slamming, causing all of the four siblings to jump.

          “Stay where you are…don’t get up,” Gabby spoke in a low tone then leaned in and whispered the chant again.

          Sam spoke the words that none of them understood and the rest repeated him. The sounds coming from the Dybbuk had them all covering their ears and closing their eyes tight. Without coaxing from his sister, Sam said, strong and loud, the last chant and then reached around and pulled the mirror out and held it up in front of him. The others began to repeat the final chant when the Dybbuk went wild. Sam started screaming as a slash opened up on his cheeks, but he held the mirror firm. The bright golden glow came through the wall and right into the circle. The wind was once again blowing wild, tossing around the smaller contents in the room. Lady Bernstein’s living form transformed out of the bright light and she grabbed hold of the Dybbuk and threw herself, with the demon in hand, into the mirror that Sam held. He began screaming and the mirror shook violently, but then calmed as the mirror went still.

          “Mike! Gabby!” a male voice sounded from downstairs.

          “Daddy,” Cindy burst out crying and started to get up. “It’s daddy, can we get up now?”

          “What if that’s not really dad?” Sam asked as he got to his feet, still holding the mirror out.

          “Kids, where are you?” Then they heard him saying something but couldn’t make it out.

          “Here, I don’t want this anymore.” Sam handed it to Gabby, who was reluctant to take.

          Gabby flipped through the pages, looking up and frowning at the other. “We have to wrap this and hide it in a safe place.” She then took it from Sam and laid it face up on the seat of one of the chairs. “It’s solid black.”

          “Let’s put it back where we found the chest and leave the book just in case someone does find it,” Mike spoke as he took Cindy’s hand and pulled her out and around the markings on the floor.

          Sam slowly stepped out of the circle. “Yeah, we can break the handle off and shove all of the junk back in around it.

          “Excuse me,” a man said from the bedroom door and even Mike yelled out in fear. “I’m sorry, but your father is downstairs and would very much like to see you.”

          “How did y’all get in? We couldn’t get out,” Mike asked as Cindy took off running out the door and down to her father.

          “The door was locked so your father had me break a few windows until I found one that wasn’t blocked by boxes.”

          All of the children ran down the stairs, grateful that he had come to rescue them. He told them that he had had a horrible dream about the stories he had told them throughout their growing years, but then he added that he saw them all in danger and knew he had to come.

          “We have to hide this Dad,” Gabby said, holding the mirror that she had wrapped in the sheet off of the bed. “Did you ever hear about this?” she asked then handed him the book. “It helped us put that Dybbuk in the mirror.

          The driver cleared his throat to keep from laughing. “The things these kids come up with.” He then smiled and walked into the dining room to give the family some privacy.

          “My mother told me about this book, but she said she never saw it. Her kin wrote this when they put the Dybbuk in the box, but I don’t know that I ever really believed any of it until now.” He ran his fingers over the words on the cover. “Beware the Dybbuk.”

          “It would have made things much clearer if we could have read that in English,” Sam nodded at his dad.

          “If you weren’t sure you believed, Dad, then why did you tell us all of those stories?” Cindy asked.

          “Well, just in case they were true.” They all looked at each other then laughed, nervously.

          Mike and Sam stuck the mirror as deep into the secret area under the basement stairs as they could, then laid the book on top. After they had the door shut, Mike took one of the large pipes that were stacked at the back of the room and broke the handle off, in hopes that no one would ever notice that it was more than an indention on the wall.

          They all left in their father’s vehicle, with the full intention of sending a tow truck to pick up the one they were leaving behind. Their father also agreed to hire hands to go in and pack the place up. He then told them that he thought he had a buyer and all the funds would be split between the four of them, making the experience worth it…almost.

~ῲ~

          Four months later: The owners had been moving into the estate for the last week and found the dwelling to be the perfect place to raise their children. June Cramer had wanted the basement to be remodeled so that she could have a full wash room. Her older children were down in the basement, helping move things out. The oldest daughter, Kimberly, noticed something under the stairs after all the debris was removed. Using a screwdriver she pried opened what looked like a secret compartment. She first took out the wrapped up book and discarded it in one of the many trash cans that was being filled with the basement’s contents.

          Kimberly pulled out the heavy object enveloped in a dirty old sheet and sat down on the first step of the staircase to see what was inside. She unwrapped the sheet to find a beautiful antique mirror that had a gorgeous frame. Her excitement had her running up from the basement to show her mother. “Mom…Mom look what I found. Can I keep it?”

          June took the mirror from her child and turned it over then handed it back. “The mirrors not even good anymore, honey. You can’t see anything, it’s just a black piece of glass now.”

          “But look at the frame. I can knock out the glass and make a photo frame out of it.”

          “Well, okay, but you get your older brother’s help, if that shatters you could get cut.”

          The smile on Kimberly’s face glowed as she took off looking for the brother who loved breaking things. One blow with a hammer and she would have more than just her frame.

The End

Coffee with Savannah

Well hey there! Thanks for joining me today here on Hugs & Nightmares. Did you grab your coffee? You know I did! A nice big mug full of my favorite hot beverage. I’m getting a rather late start today and here’s why…

Today I actually have the entire day off! Trust me, that doesn’t happen very often. So while I was sitting here trying to come up with something to write about for the blog and waiting for the third (hey, don’t judge me! LOL) pot of coffee to finish brewing, the aroma coming from the kitchen started to fill the air. Mmmm, how I love the scent of coffee brewing! I sat back in my chair, closed my eyes for a second and simply enjoyed the aroma. That’s when I got my “A-ha” moment!

Now just by own admission a few minutes ago, I am a pretty busy girl. Some days can go as long as 18 hours (sometimes more) of working, whether it be watching the kids, writing or editing, not to mention all things family, friend and household related that I need to do in any given day. And that’s when I realized, even I need to slow down and smell the coffee!

I’m very sure I’m not the only one who can relate to this. I’m sure everyone has had that day where they feel like they’re running around like a chicken with their head cut off, only to be left feeling like they haven’t accomplished a damn thing at the end of the day. Yep, I can see you nodding your head.

In today’s very busy world, I think we have just grown accustomed to running the rat race. I mean, it’s expected and sometimes even demanded of us. We feel we need to please everyone and meet those deadlines. And sometimes the worst thing is it’s all self-imposed! Of course I understand that have to meet our work related obligations, after all, most of us want to keep our jobs. But even on those very, very hectic and crazy days, if we can all remember to just allow ourselves to take a few minutes to close our eyes, smell the coffee, relax, savor the moment and just breathe, we will be able to continue with whatever is beating down our door with a better feeling and outlook.

I know some of you are saying, “I don’t have time for that crap!” And maybe you really feel you don’t, but those of you that are thinking that, probably need to do it more than the rest of us.

I think most of us have now been geared to think we need to go through life at a super sonic speed, rather than slowing down—even a little, and if we do, taking some much needed “me” time, good gosh we’re being selfish! That is so not the case. It honestly makes us better people, which hopefully makes us more enjoyable to be around. And, with any luck, maybe it’ll rub off on those around us : )

So today I want each and every one of you to allow yourself to take time to smell the coffee. Okay, if coffee’s not your thing, take a few minutes to do something for you. Eat a candy bar, go for a walk, take a minute to call someone you’re missing. Just ANYTHING that is something just for you!

And now I’m off to enjoy that next cup of coffee, sit back and do ‘nothing’ but enjoy that coffee for the next hour!

Mystic Monday

Hi All,

Who remembered to Manifest on Saturday night? Well I didn’t do my usual ritual but I did a bunch of work on myself with the help of my friend Karen. (Bless her for putting up with me)

Ok I wanted to talk about love and life this week, but Savannah says keep that for Valentine’s Day week : )

Let’s knock out February dates you should know:

February 2^nd is Imbolc We’ll talk more about this.

February 10^th is the New Moon ~ New Beginnings.

February 18^th Celtic Tree month of the Ash begins.

February 25^th is the Full Moon so manifest!

That should take us through February.

Imbolc is many things through the Celtic traditions. It’s a day for celebrating women who are unmarried. A day for celebrating ewes and lambs. Imbolc stands for purity, growth and renewal, fertility and the reunion of the God and Goddess. It’s also a day for celebrating the Goddess Brighid. With all that said we will focus on purity and cleansing yourself and your space.

Spring cleaning is in order. Get rid of all the stuff you don’t use anymore. By clearing out the ‘stuff’ you can make room for new stuff to come into your life.

Growth and renewal ~ focus on you and what you want and what isn’t serving your highest good.

Fertility ~ asking the goddess to help you grow your ideas and what you want. Write it all out and come up with a clear path for you to achieve what it is you want.

Most of all use this day to tell the Goddess everything you are thankful for and ask for her blessing as she helps you go forward in this new year.

Set your day with a ritual if you want or a simple meditation on what it is you’d like to achieve and give your thanks.

So this week make your preparations for clearing your crap out (very technical term, lol) and making way for the new that will come in. That is your homework! Take the time and really think about it. Be honest with yourself. A trick I was taught this week which is so simple it’s brilliant, is talk to yourself like a you are listening to your best friend. What would you tell your best friend? What crap could your best friend get rid of? What in your life needs to go because it’s dragging you down or isn’t for your highest good? What physical garbage can go, as well as the relationship, or emotional garbage?

I’ve set before you my friends a hard task. Good luck and celebrate it all on Imbolc.

I want to quick touch on the Ash tree. Ash is a very powerful tree. It is the tree that in Norse tradition is the world tree. Ash attracts love and prosperity, strength and harmony. It also aides in protection and healing. Call on Ash to assist you in any of these things.

Blessings All,

Wendy

Wendy Jackson

Intuitive Healer/Reiki Master

www.intuitivewendy.com

To Be Continued...with Robin Renee Ray

 

Beware the Dybbuk

By Robin Renee Ray

Part Eleven….Part One of the Conclusion

                                          

          Cindy went up a few steps of the basement, holding her arms as the pain of being tied began to subside. It was now the fear of what her brother was doing and why he wasn’t rushing up and away from the madness that could be back at any second. “Mike?” she whispered as she leaned down trying to see what he was doing. “Mike?”

          Mike stepped out to where she could see him and pointed for her to get up the stairs, he smiled as reassuringly as he could then turned back to the secret door hidden under the staircase. He wasn’t sure what the glow was but knew he had to look where it had gone back through where they had found the wooden chest. No sooner than he opened the door, a gust of stale wind and dust blew out of where no wind should be. Reaching into the darkness, he felt something wrapped in cloth. A bang slammed into the wall behind him and he grabbed it and ran for the stairs. And without looking behind him, he ran up to where his sister stood and closed the door.

          “We have to find the others,” Cindy said as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

          Mike took her in his arms. “We will sweetie, then we’re getting the hell out of here.”

          “What were you doing down there?”

          “I just had a feeling that I had to look where that glowing went, and I found this.” Mike held out the wrapped object.

          “What is it?”

          “Not sure, we can look after we find the others. But I think it has something to do with what’s going on. Come on, but stay right behind me, if that crazy son of a bitch tries anything…” he paused, took her hand and squeezed it lightly. “Everything is going to all right, I promise. He will never touch you again.” What he wanted to say was that he would kill the monster and would if he had the chance.

          Sam heard the basement door close and made Gabby follow him into the room where they had stacked the boxes. They both heard the crazed old man moan then shuffling of feet. Both froze fearing he would walk around the corner at any second to finish whatever he had started at the top of the stairs. Looking around he saw his bat by the foyer door and went to get it, getting pulled back by Gabby who was shaking her head. Sam pointed at his bat and nodded, pushing her hand away.  He moved slowly up to the entrance then quickly reached out and grabbed it. Moving back by his sister he readied the bat to hit anything that came through the door.

          The sounds of movement had Sam gripping the bat, ready for the beast to come through. He saw the shadow grace the entrance and ran out and swung the bat hitting something solid. It was then that he heard his youngest sister scream and ran out to finish the job to save her. What he saw made him drop the bat and fall to his knees. Mike lay sprawled out with Cindy leaning over him.

          “Oh shit, I thought…”

          “Oh my God, Mike,” Gabby cried rushing to his side.

          “I didn’t know,” Sam said as he got down on the ground beside him. “I thought he was that man that attacked us.”

          Gabby took Cindy in her arms and broke down crying. “I was so scared.”

          “That man took me to a little room in the basement, but Mike saved me and now he’s…he’s.”

          “I’m not dead babe, I just have one hell of a headache,” Mike moaned.

          “Mike!” Sam threw himself on his older brother. “I’m so sorry.”

          “It’s okay little man. I would have done the same thing.”

          “He’s gone,” Gabby gasped as she looked back where Harold had fallen.

          Mike sat up holding the side of his head, looking to the area where Sam and Gabby were staring. It was then that he noticed the blood on Sam’s face. He looked at Gabby and could see she had had her share of the horror that was caused by the demented butler. He got to his feet and picked up the bat. “We have to do something before that son of a bitch comes back. We all stick together no matter what.”

          “Mike, show them what you found.”

          “What are you talking about, Cindy?” Gabby asked.

          “Here,” Mike handed the cloth wrapped object to Sam. “We need to lock ourselves in our room until we come up with a plan. We’ll see what it is, up there.”

          “What if he’s up there? What if the other thing is up there?”

          “What other thing, Gabby?” Cindy asked as she looked around.

          Gabby looked over at Sam who shook his head. “It’s nothing baby girl. Let’s just do what Mike said.” But the look she gave her oldest brother told him that it wasn’t just nothing. They all helped Mike get to his feet and began up the staircase.

          “Hey, hold up just a minute.” Sam moved Mike’s arm over to Cindy’s shoulder and then took off back down the stairs.

          “Sam, what are you doing?” Gabby reached for him but was too late.

          “We need the bat. If that creepy old man comes back around I’m going to crush his head in.”

          After Sam had the bat and was back up to where his siblings waited on the steps, doors on the first floor started slamming. As soon as he was close to the others a strange wind rushed up behind them from the hallway. “Hurry,” Mike yelled and they all ran into the boy’s bedroom. “What the hell?”

          “How, there wasn’t enough time,” Gabby glanced back at Sam, who was spinning around looking for any danger that might be coming in behind them.

          “All of my clothes are torn to shreds,” Cindy complained as she picked up one of her ruined shirts.

          “It looks like all of our things are destroyed. Sam, get in here and close the door. We have to block it so nothing can come in until we figure out what we’re going to do.”

          Mike waited on his younger brother to give the staircase and the hall closest to them one more look before he took him under the arm and pulled him into the room. All four started stacking things in front of the door. The bed was too heavy for them to move so they used the chairs and the smaller of the two dressers. The girls stopped shoving the last that could be carried to the door when they noticed Mike and Sam staring at something.

          “That’s how he got back in here without the two of you seeing him,” Mike spoke as he walked up to the hidden door that was behind the dresser they had moved.

          “He didn’t have time, Mike. He was down on the foyer floor just seconds before you and Cindy stepped out. I can’t believe you didn’t see him.”

          “Beware the Dybbuk,” Sam whispered. “It had to be what was in the box we found and it got after that butler somehow.”

          Gabby rushed over to where she had laid down the wrapped object that Mike and Cindy had found. She, nor anyone else told Sam to stop talking about the stories they had all been told, because they now believed some sort of evil was happening. “It’s a book, but nothing like I have seen before.” Gabby picked the leather bond book up and opened the front cover. “Sara Bernstein ~ eighteen forty seven. This must have been Lady Bernstein’s grandmother or aunt?”

          “This is all stupid. We all know there isn’t anything like what dad has told us about, but Mike and I can tell you who is doing all of this. To talk about a bad spirit or demon is a little over the top when we have all dealt with Mr. Grey.”

          “You weren’t the one hanging in midair with an invisible whatever yanking out your hair and slapping the shit out of you. And none of that started until we found that horrible wooden chest.”

          “She’s right Cindy, it hit me also when I tried to help her. That happened before we had our encounter with gross face. The way he looked makes it hard for me to believe that he would be fast enough to slam doors on both of the floors, or two or three at one time.”

          “He’s right…Sam’s been right all along.” Gabby walked over and set down in the middle of the floor at the foot of the bed. “Sara and her sisters put that thing in the box with a warning that it should never be opened. It says the Dybbuk was released by a witch to curse the Bernstein family.”

          All of the siblings walked over and sat close to Gabby as she continued to read. “It says here that Sara’s husband was the first to be attacked by the demon known as the Dybbuk and started doing things out of the normal. Oh my goodness, it says his eyes were as red as blood and then shortly after his body showed signs of turning into the walking dead. A servant of the evil.”

          “What does that mean?” Cindy asked, scooting closer to Mike.

          “It means that he’s falling apart. That’s why the flesh pulled off of his face when I hit him.” Sam looked over at Gabby and nodded.

          “We saw him talking to thin air like someone or something was sitting there in front of him. I knew then that there was something wrong with the man, but when he fell to the ground…” Mike paused, remembering.

          “His body was all twisted and he moved like he was being electrocuted. He just flopped around while his body looked like it was deformed.”

          “It was, Cindy,” Mike looked down then over at Gabby. “How did they put that thing in the box?”

~ῲ~

            Blood pooled under the motionless form of Harold Grey, in a dark space between the walls that he had used for many years. “Yes, yes I will but stop screaming at me,” he moaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “How can I kill them if you keep harming me?” Blood poured from his nose when he leaned forward to use the wall in front of him, to stand. Harold pinched one side of his nose then blew out hard, spraying bits of flesh with the thick red liquid on the dust covered passageway. He touched the side of his face while wiping the gore from his lips. “What have you done to me?” he yelled and threw himself forward, running down the dark space somewhere in between the first and second floor.

          A bright golden glow appeared as soon as Harold stumbled out into the small room off of the main basement, where he had first brought Cindy then soon after, Mike. The oldest male was the one he wanted the most, but the screaming voice insisted on the youngest boy’s life, saying he was too pure and could harm them both. Harold raised his hand not knowing if the glow was from the one who controlled his actions, or something altogether different.

          “How dare you bring danger to my kin, Harold!”

          “Lady Bernstein,” he bowed his head, sniffling the constant drip of blood that came from his nose. “I only wanted things to be right and they were coming in to destroy your things. I could not allow that.”

          “You never were a good liar. And because you are so weak you have allowed the Dybbuk to use you only to discard your remains after.”

          “It promised me I would get…” he paused, lowering his eyes.

          “My estate and all that goes with it? The demon lies as well and will do anything to become a part of the living world. You are already dead you just haven’t realized it yet. You rot like a carcass on the side of the road and yet you still believe all will be made whole.”

          “I was the one who cared for you, not those who have gained what should be mine. It was me that held you when you were too sick to hold up your own head.”

          “You were also the reason I became so ill. They may never know of the poison you put in my food, but you will pay for it in the world of the Dybbuk for all eternity.”

          Harold’s back bowed and a horrific, guttural cry escaped as he dropped to the ground and started writhing in agony. He reached out as the glow backed away then disappeared through the ceiling of the basement. “Please,” he cried. “I’ll do anything you ask.” The sound of Harold’s backbone cracking, rang out. Once again he reached out but then collapsed.

 

The final conclusion next week…