The Abandoned House Demon

Father Pucci, Hot Pants, and Doppio exited the black car after Father Styx parked on overgrown grass. It was dark, but lights, and some bones, were strung from the dead tree to the abandoned house.

“Alright,” Doppio said as he made his way to the house, “let’s exorcise this—gah!”

A skull next to some pulverized bloody meat lay on the table, and the blood trail seemed fresh, causing Doppio to make the sign of the cross out of fear.

The others were busy setting up the tent.

“Don’t head in there straight away,” Styx warned. “I need to set up the computers, and you’ll need to get some equipment.”

“Speaking of equipment,” Hot Pants said, “who’s taking what?”

They finished setting up the tent, and Father Pucci got the equipment from the trunk and placed them inside. “Father Styx will check our sanity from here. He’ll keep one of the crucifixes. He’ll constantly come back and forth to the house, updating us and bringing some sanity pills. Sister Hot Pants will take a thermometer and easel.”

“Easel? What’s it for? Don’t we have a camera?” Doppio questioned.

“The easel is not for painting the ghost,” he explained. “Rather, the ghost paints on the easel. I do not know why they do this, but it will help deduce what the entity is.”

“Aren’t we here to exorcise the ghost? Why does it matter?”

“There could be a chance we could die. The revenant or demon could decide to kill us when we step in. Should one of us survive, we’ll retreat to the base and inform the others about the entity and hope they can deal with it. Speaking of the entity, this one's name is Solido Naso. He responds to people who are alone. I was afraid of this. It looks like I’ll take the spirit box with me along with an ecto glass. Brother Doppio, you will have the EMF reader and crucifix.”

“Wait, what about the candles, the UV light, and the other stuff? Why are we carrying two things and a flashlight when we could carry more.”

Hot Pants sighed and decided to explain. “Has a ghost ever hunted you? My brother and I thought this exorcism thing was a game. It’s not. It’s serious. We carried more than we should, and it slowed us down. My brother didn’t make it.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Doppio commented.

“Don’t be. It was my fault. I was the one who suggested it. I just wanted to know what happened on Cyclone Street. If it weren’t for Father Pucci and Styx, I’d probably join my brother in death.”

Doppio looked in awe at the two men. “Wow, you guys must be experienced.”

“We’ve done this a couple of times. I was in the United Kingdom, exorcising ghosts,” Father Styx said. “Father Pucci here exorcised ghosts in the southern parts of America. Most people in Florida know him.”

“We do not do this for fame, Brother Doppio, just so you know,” Father Pucci spoke. “We do this to free the poor souls trapped in this plane of existence and to keep them from harming people and families.”

“I understand, but since I have the crucifix, shouldn’t I have the spirit box in case Solido decides to attack me?”

“I don’t know.” Father Pucci thought deeply.

“It makes sense,” Father Styx said. “If what Doppio says angers the ghost, he’ll need a crucifix.”

“No, Doppio is new to this. The spirit box will drain his sanity. Plus, I’m afraid the ghost will make contact and start a conversation.”

“But I’m ready for this!” Doppio pouted. “Please, Father Pucci. I’m not exactly new to this. I helped exorcise a ghost in Italy with Risotto Nero, Prosciutto, and Pesci! I was also in Japan, watching some others exorcise a revenant!”

“A revenant? Those entities are unpredictable. Fine, I supposed I could let you handle it. By the way, you should only ask the ghost if they can speak, if they’re there, their name, and when they died. Remember this! Also, you’ll have to be alone, unfortunately. Since you’ll take that, I supposed I’ll have the UV light and ecto glass.”

Suddenly, Doppio wasn’t feeling too confident and gulped. “I-I can do this.”

“I hear a shakiness in your voice,” teased Hot Pants. “Are you sure?”

“The cross. Remember the cross,” Father Styx reminded him.

The cross, right. Doppio gained a little confidence. “Yeah, I have this.”

Father Pucci handed him the spirit box, flashlight, and crucifix, and Doppio hugged the last item tightly as if his life depended on it. Hot Pants and Pucci took their tools and left for the house with Doppio.

It was dark inside until someone turned on the lights. They were currently in the kitchen. Pucci inspected the room to the left while Hot Pants explored the upper floor. That left Doppio to explore the rooms down the dusty dark hallway.

Cautiously, he walked down the halls with the spirit box close to his face while turning all the lights on.

“C-can you speak?”

Silence.

Perhaps Solido didn’t hear him. He cleared his throat and tried to sound more confident. “Can you talk?”

“Come to bed,” Solido whispered.

Doppio turned around, but nobody was there. “Where are you?”

The door to the bedroom opened, and he got a glimpse of a pretty dress. It was the only bright thing in the room before he turned on the lights.

“What’s your name?”

“Diavolo.”

“Diavolo?” Doppio raised an eyebrow, swearing that his name was Solido Naso.

Diavolo flickered the light off and shut the door, causing the priest to slightly jump and yelp. The spirit box from his hands and onto the wooden planks. Luckily, Father Pucci was nearby with the UV lights when he opened the door, revealing Diavolo’s handprint.

“A handprint! However, are you okay, Brother Doppio?”

“I’m fine, I think. My heart is racing. Is that normal?”

“Yes, it’s perfectly normal.” He inspected the room for any ectoplasm. “There aren’t any stains here. I’ll tell Hot Pants to put the easel here and fetch the EMF and ESG. Stay here and communicate with it until it speaks. Remember, the ghost symbol will glow blue when it speaks.” He turned the lights back on. “And make sure to stay in well-lit areas!”

“But he—” Father Pucci left before Doppio could tell him Diavolo had spoken to him. He noticed that he had dropped the UV light. Since Diavolo had communicated into the spirit box, they only needed one piece of evidence to classify the entity. So far, the ghost seemed like a poltergeist, a thaye, or a gul. The group would need the easel and ESG.

Sister Hot Pants entered the room with an easel in her hands. “Why’s the spirit box on the floor?”

“Um, I don’t think the ghost is here,” he lied.

“Are you sure?” She brought out the thermometer. “It’s cold, but it isn’t freezing in here. Father Pucci told me he saw Solido’s fingerprints.”

“How do we know the ghost’s name in the first place, by the way?”

She sighed. “You ask a lot of questions. I can’t believe this is your— What was it? Second or third time?”

“When I went to Japan, I was watching, but my—”

“Enough! The ghost could be a gul and listening to us right now. Your sanity must be low right now. I’ll fetch a sanity pill for you.” She placed the easel down along with the thermometer and left.

Although Hot Pants left the door open, Diavolo shut the door once she strayed away from the bedroom. Stuck in the bedroom, Doppio heard something destroy the lights in the hall and a couple of things snapping but was terrified of stepping out. He sat on the bed, praying Hot Pants would hurry with the pills, but Diavolo revealed himself, intertwining his fingers with Doppio’s and causing him to panic. Diavolo’s eyes were colorless, and his skin was deathly pale. Despite him being dead, Doppio found him strangely beautiful.

“When did you die?” he asked.

Diavolo said nothing but placed a finger on Doppio’s lips before disappearing.

He wanted to ask questions but thought Diavolo wanted him quiet. Turns out Pucci was nearby, judging from the sounds of the EMF.

Pucci barraged through the door. “Doppio, Sister Hot Pants is dead! Solido murdered her! I have an EMF level five! Stop toying with the spirit box since it can’t interact with it. We can assume it’s either an onryo, wraith, oni, or goryo.”

“Wait, it can’t use the spirit box?”

“Some ghosts can speak to you without using the spirit box, such as the mare, but the mare doesn’t leave fingerprints. Why? Did you see the symbol turn blue on the spirit box?”

Did he? Diavolo had surprised him when he responded to his second question—which he had never noticed. “Ghosts can only show three pieces of evidence, correct?”

“So far, yes. It has always been like that. We’ll have to wait and—”

They heard scribbling noises and turned their heads to face the easel. Diavolo drew Doppio surrounded by hearts.

“Wow,” Doppio commented, blushing.

“Fingerprints, EMF, and an easel drawing! We have an onryo! That explains why Hot Pants died so fast. Quickly, this is no time for sitting around! We must return to Father Styx immediately to see our next objectives!”

However, before Pucci could leave, he floated in the air. Doppio watched as Diavolo bent Pucci’s neck, arms, and legs.

“Jesus!” He jumped from the bed, grabbed the UV lights, and examined Pucci’s corpse. Diavolo left his fingerprints all over him.

Speaking of which, he reappeared. His face was close to his. “Doppio, my sweet Doppio, I’ve been searching for someone like you for a long time.” He placed his hand under his chin, tilted his head upwards slightly, so he could make eye contact, and slowly brought their lips together for a chaste kiss. “Do you feel the same way?”

“I do.”

“Stay with me.”

“I’ll repair the house.”

“Good. There’s one person left.”

“Father Styx. He’s coming, isn’t he? Do you want me to deal with him, Diavolo? Let me prove myself to you.”

Diavolo broke the mirror in the corner of the room and handed a large shard to Doppio. “I am bound to this house. If you can kill him, I’ll let you live. If you cannot, your death will be swift and painless, but we’ll be together forever.”

“I won’t let you down.” Doppio prepared himself for an act and hid the shard behind his back. “Father Styx! Help! I lost my flashlight!”

Father Styx rushed into the bedroom, shining his bright light on Pucci’s corpse. “In the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” He remained calm while doing the sign of the cross. “Bless Father Pucci. May you rest in heaven with Hot Pants. Amen. Brother Doppio, why are you on the painting? Is the spirit an onryo? We should hurry and leave.”

“Are you sure we should leave? Should we double-check for evidence?”

“I could’ve sworn Pucci said we found fingerprints, but it wouldn’t hurt to check.” Styx grabbed the UV light. “Why are your lips glowing?”

Then Diavolo turned the lights off, causing Father Styx to turn around. Doppio slit his throat with the shard and pushed him onto the floor, breaking the UV light as it dropped with him.

Father Styx covered his neck and struggled to face Doppio. “Why?” He coughed up blood and sweated.

Diavolo appeared next to Doppio, and they kissed each other. “Does that answer your question?” he asked with a wicked smile, watching Styx slowly shut his eyes permanently.