21 Determine

Adan was in his room, looking at maps and pictures of the Amityville house. He was showing Samuel the property and the vastness. “Yes, I remember that my body is buried in that section outside the house.”

Adan sighed. “I don’t know if I can go through with this. All of this is too much. I should’ve never come here. It was a terrible idea.

“It is too late, but think of this. Fate brought you here. You making this decision is part of fate. You were destined to put a stop to this nightmare. You must stop being a coward and face whatever challenges come your way. Besides, you shall not be alone. I will always be by your side. I also created this mess, and I must put an end to this. Once all this is done, you will be in peace, as will I.”

“What about Crystal? Should she know? I know she will be happy to help.”

“No, she mustn’t know. The evil spirit seems to be attached to her. If she is involved anymore, the situation will become direr. If Crystal becomes even more involved, it will be difficult to stop this evil. However, we must call that woman the witch.”

Adan let out a groan. “I almost forgot about her. I can dial the number, but I think it’s best if you talk to her.”

“How can I speak with her? Oh, you have those things that can speak with others instantly. What are those called again?”

“Cellphones. I will dial the number, and you talk into it. You will hear her voice on the other end.”

Adan picked up the number, and it began to ring. Samuel took over and heard the ring on the other end. He thought it fascinating how the technology worked. People had to walk, ride, or write to communicate. “Hello, Adan. I thought you might never call.”

Samuel’s eyes became wide when he heard her voice. However, he regained his composure. “Ah, Abeni. Forgive me for not speaking sooner. I have been rather…occupied. I imagine you’ve been occupied as well?”

“Ugh, tell me about it. I’ve been working and going to school, but your calling makes the day worthwhile. So what’s up?”

“Well, I’m calling to see if we can meet in person again. I wish to speak with you.”

“Look at you. You talk like an old-fashioned gentleman. Also, I would love to meet you. Where do you wanna meet?”

Samuel thought about it for a moment. “How about this? I shall meet you outside your shop, and we can spend more time with one another. Let the day decide.”

It was silent on the other end for a moment. “Hm, sounds good. How about tomorrow? I have homework to do. We can meet tomorrow at 8 pm.”

“It is no trouble. I shall meet you tomorrow.”

Abeni hung up while Samuel looked at the phone. “Well, that went well.”

“Geez, I can’t believe chicks like the way you act. You would have been seen as a nice guy. Chicks here hate nice guys.”

“I am a good man. I believe the trick is to be mysterious. I learned it is important to be good and not entirely nice.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Samuel sighed. “It will make sense in due time. We will wait until it is dark to get my bones.”

……………………………….

Crystal was put on her bed, and Bobby sat on a chair. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Crystal had told him. It was difficult for him to believe that Ronald was possessed. He was curious if what the stories said were true; Ronald could’ve been mentally ill. If he suffered abuse from his father, it would have made perfect sense to kill him, but why his entire family? Bobby saw the ouija board. The older man always thought the ouija boards were toys and didn’t work, that the board game was nothing but superstition.

However, he contemplated if he should believe what Crystal said. If Ronald is innocent, what would be the point? People wouldn’t believe Crystal; there would always be skeptics in the world who would always try to disprove her. Yet, she could still get the word out there; some people would believe Ronald Jr was innocent.

“Bobby.”

This made the older man get out of his train of thought. “Hey, yer awake. Ya lost yer strength. How are ya feeling?”

“Weak, but I will regain it back.” She was silent for a moment. “Do you believe me?”

“I-I’m tryin’ it’s hard to since I never experienced anything paranormal. Ya made me think of young Ronny and when I arrested him. He kept on sayin’ that ‘he made me do it’ and ‘he is in the house.’”

Crystal slowly sat up, even though her body felt heavy. “He? So it’s male.”

Bobby was silent for a moment. “I guess. I didn’t know what he meant, but it might be possible. In history, most of the paranormal and supernatural have been male figures. It would make sense.”

The young woman was thoughtful. “In the vision, I saw how Ronald was abused by his dad, and he tried to protect his mom and siblings. Yet, his mother was an instigator. I can’t believe that Ronald went through so much. He used an ouija board to communicate with something.”

Bobby was quiet.

“Whatever Ronald communicated with, it tricked him into getting control over his body. I think this thing has been in the house for a while, and it’s trying to get out.” Crystal massaged her forehead. “Maybe that’s what Ronald meant. I think whatever possessed Ronald was trying to get out of the house.”

“If that’s the case, why hasn’t it tried with me or any other tourists?”

Crystal shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know entirely. However, I researched that evil spirits tend to go to the most vulnerable.”

Bobby sighed. “If what ya say is true, then it’s best ya stay out of it. Ya have been through enough. Now rest up, and I gotta go do some other work.” The older man walked out of the room, leaving Crystal alone.

“I can walk away, but there’s no guarantee that it may or may not happen again. I have to find out what this thing is and if there is a way to stop this.”

22 Ready

It was night, and Samuel and Adan were ready to leave. Samuel was still in control of Adan’s body. “Yo, we need to be quiet, so we don’t wake Crystal. She’s pretty smart to catch up on one’s lies.”

“The brave ones seem to have that talent. Although, one must ask if they are being brave or foolish. I believe your friend is of both. Quite admirable.”

“You admire her? She brought us to this mess.”

Samuel raised an eyebrow. “Did she force you to come here, or did you come here in your own will?” Adan was quiet. “I can sense that you had feelings for her, but now things have changed, have they?”

Adan sighed. “I did have feelings for her, but after all this, the feelings disappeared. We might still be friends, but I will never go to one of Crystal’s exploits again. I want this to be over.”

“It will. Soon, we will be free from this nightmare. We must go. Now, what is this Lyft that you say.”

Adan instructed Samuel how to use the app, and when he completed that transaction, it informed them that their car would arrive in fifteen minutes. Samuel got out of the room to go and wait for their ride. He slowly and quietly walked by Crystal’s room. “Adan?”

Samuel stilled. “Yes, Crystal?”

“Can you come here, please? I need to tell you something.”

Adan and Samuel sighed. They went to Crystal’s room, where they saw the young woman sitting upward on the bed. They noticed how gaunt Crystal looked. “Crystal, you look unwell. I was told that something happened to you in the house.”

Crystal was quiet for a moment. “Yeah, I was shown a vision of what happened in the house.”

“This is news to me. How in the hell was she able to have a vision?” asked Adan.

Samuel ignored him. “What kind of vision?”

“I saw what happened in the house. It’s confirmed that Ronald was possessed to kill his family; he’s innocent.”

“Damn, that’s brutal! It sounds hard to believe that a ghost would possess a grown man. It sounds fake. Ronald probably had mental health issues or something.”

Adan was ignored, and Samuel sat by Crystal. “You are brave. I will admit but also a fool. How do you know if what you saw was true or not? As you said, evil spirits can trick their victims.”

Crystal was thoughtful momentarily, but she massaged the back of her neck. “It could be a trick, but I doubt it was a lie. I spoke with Bobby, who told me what he saw with Ronald after the murders. It would make sense.”

“Crystal, you have been obsessed with this case, affecting you. Look at your current state. I know you want to write something good but is a mere story worth your life?” Samuel asked. His eyes never left Crystal.

As for the young woman, she had never seen such a determined look in Adan before. He never once blinked when speaking to her. Something else that Crystal noticed was how Adan said; he sounded more confident. “I know, Adan. I just wanted to get the truth. I wanted to know if Ronald was innocent or not. I know in my heart he was.”

“You need to stop going to the house. I feel it is becoming even more dangerous now. If what you witnessed was true, then you might be in danger.”

“What do you mean? If whatever this thing is wants to hurt me, it should have done so.”

Samuel sighed. He couldn’t believe how stubborn Crystal was. “If it showed you the truth, then it might be planning something even more sinister. Maybe it wants to earn your trust. You could be next. You could become what Ronald has become.” It was silent between them. Crystal never thought of that possibility. Suddenly she felt ‘Adan’ hugging her; it brought her out of her thoughts. “I just want you to be okay, Crystal. I don’t want anything to happen to you. We went through something dangerous, and you shouldn’t look further. You have your answers, but now you must put them to rest.” Samuel couldn’t believe himself. It had been a while since he hugged someone.

Crystal’s body was warm, and it felt so nice to embrace someone. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt the phone vibrating. “Dude, we need to go. The driver is waiting for us,” said Adan.

Samuel separated from the hug. “I need to go somewhere, and I will return. Just rest since you have been through so much. Tomorrow we will speak more.” He motioned Crystal to lie on the bed and fixed the bedsheets to cover her. He left the room and went outside, where the Lyft driver awaited him. Samuel got in the car where he was being driven to their location.

The drive wasn’t going to be long. Samuel felt nervous and excited. He didn’t know what would happen when he got his bones. “Hey, do you think this evil spirit might attack us?”

“We must prepare for the worst. I will guide you and will protect you if need be.” Samuel looked out the window and saw the house. He noticed how uncomfortable the driver was but said nothing. The driver parked, and Samuel got out of the car and thanked the driver. The driver drove off. He looked at the house from afar and took a deep breath. This is it. Adan, are you ready?”

Adan took control of his body. “Let’s get this over with.”

23 Remains

Adan slowly walked toward the house. Adan was scared as he looked at the home. He was afraid that whatever was inside would do everything to stop them from their goal. ”Adan, you will be safe. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you. Go to the left, and then you will see a large tree. My remains will be beside it.”

“Wow, you remember where you were buried.”

“Of course, I can still sense my essence, which is still on my remains. Also, I have been trapped within the house, even if it was remodeled. However, we are close to finally ending this curse. I can finally be at peace.”

Adan did what he was told and found the tree but realized that he didn’t have the one tool he needed. “I don’t have a shovel to dig up the ground.”

“Oh my. Here I will give you some of my power. Extend your hand.” Adan did so, and the dirt began to dissipate. A deep hole was being made, but Samuel couldn’t do it anymore. “Forgive me; I cannot extend more of my power since I am close to this house.”

“So you being in or close to the house makes you unable to use magic? Is it like a barrier or something?”

“You can say something like that. Delilah ensured that I would suffer just as I made her suffer.”

It was silent between the men. “You still think about her?”

“Yes, I hold a grudge toward her, but it wasn’t entirely her fault. I have much to blame for my situation. Now, all I want is peace. No, you can dig with your hands. I can feel my remains.”

Adan sighed as he began to dig deeper into the hole. His hands and clothes were getting dirty, but it was too late to turn back. Suddenly, he felt something in the dirt. The young man tapped it, and it was hard. Adan dug more, and that was when he saw a skull. He let out a yelp and fell on his bottom.

“Do not fear; it’s just my skull.”

“It-It’s easy for you to say! I have never seen or touched a real skull!” Adan felt nauseated and was taking deep breaths. “I can’t do this! I don’t want to touch a skeleton!”

Samuel sighed. “You must. I am not able to get my remains fully because of the curse. Delilah was intelligent enough to make sure to keep me entrapped. You can do this, my friend. You need to use your strong will. Soon, all this will be over! Now do it!”

Adan looked back in the hole, took more deep breaths, and returned to digging. The skull was in full view, and other bones soon appeared. Adan got a bag in his jacket and put some of the bones inside. Adan looked in for over an hour and got all the pieces. The young man was lying on the ground, breathing heavily. He felt his hands going numb.

“Well done, my friend. We have all the pieces of my body.”

Adan was relaxing and was about to get up, but he noticed something in the corner of his eye. There was a light in the house that was turned on. The light was dim, and Adan sat up. “D-Did you see that!?”

“Yes, we must leave immediately. The evil spirit has sensed us.”

Adan got his backpack and was about to run away, but as he got away, he felt a pull on his legs, tripping him on the ground. “Damn it! I feel something on my leg. It’s pulling me back!”

Samuel then regained control of Adan’s body, used some powers he could muster, and got the pull off the leg. He let Adan gain control. “GO AND RUN!” Adan did what he was told and ran far away from the house with the bag in hand. He could run away as far as he could until the house was no longer visible. “Well done, Adan! You did well!”

“Y-Yeah, but it could have cost me my life!”

“Yet, you got my remains, and I am forever grateful.”

“S-So now what?”

“We must wait until tomorrow. I must see Abeni and convince her to help me with the ritual.”

Adan was silent. “A-Are you sure she can help? We don’t know if she can do voodoo or whatever the crap is.”

“I can sense dark magic in her. She has the aura that she has practiced black magic. I also sense that she will try to use a love potion. Of course, that doesn’t work, but I will try to let her think it works.”

“So what happens if she refuses?”

“Oh, she won’t. Tomorrow night, everything will come to an end.”

24 Change of Plans

Adan and Samuel made it back home but kept quiet so Crystal couldn’t hear them. Everything was in the clear, and they went inside their room. Samuel put the bag of his remains on the bed and grabbed his skull. “I can’t believe that I finally have my remains. It has been hundreds of years. Tomorrow night, I will be free.”

“Thank god, man! I want this evil spirit to leave us alone! So there’s a heaven and hell? I mean, you’re a spirit too.”

“Yes, it is called life. Some people can live in heaven, while others live in hell. I don’t know if there is an afterlife or if we are reborn. All I know is that I want to be free from this misery. I have you to thank, Adan. You also have developed more courage.”

Adan was silent for a moment. “I guess so. I was a scaredy cat, wasn’t I? All this time, I can see why Crystal never liked me more than a friend. I hoped she would see past my insecurities, but you made me realize I needed to work on myself first. I was selfish not to change. You taught me tough lessons, man.”

Samuel looked at his skull and put it in the bag and under the bed. “Well, I am glad to be of service.” Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Yes?”

“Adan, it’s me. Can I come in?”

“Yes.”

Crystal entered in her pajamas with a small blanket covering her. “I can’t sleep. No matter how much I try. I can’t stop thinking about this case. Sometimes I don’t know what to believe.”

Samuel nodded. “I understand.” He motioned for her to sit next to him, and she did so. “Tell me, do you regret coming here?”

“Yes and no. I never realized how dangerous this situation was. I thought all those hauntings and experiences were fake. I guess I was wrong.”

“Sometimes we need to learn what is good and what is not. However, I will admit that you were a bit foolish initially but have more inner strength than you thought.”

Crystal looked at him. “You’ve changed Adan. No offense, but I remember you being a coward, but this trip changed you. You look as if you’re not afraid as much anymore.”

“Wow, she didn’t have to say it that way,” said Adan.

Samuel smiled. “Life is an experience, Crystal. There are no instructions on how to live it. Sometimes we must go through hardships and fear to learn about the cruel realities of life. We both have and look at us. We learned and helped changes us.”

“Wow, you became some philosopher. I guess this trip was good for us, in a sense.”

“Really!? She doesn’t know the half of it! Hey, tell her about the evil spirit following us. She can help us stop this thing.”

Samuel ignored him. “So, what will you do now when…we…go home?”

The young woman sighed. “Well, I will write my book about our experiences. I finally accepted that some people might believe this or not. I must learn to stop caring what others think and feel. It will only make me miserable.”

“You’re right. People tend to be cruel at times. They can’t stand to see other people happy, so they will use words to deter you from your happiness. Write because it makes you happy, not others to be happy.”

Crystal and Samuel looked at one another. Crystal couldn’t believe that ‘Adan’ spoke with guidance and maturity. She felt that he had changed a lot. Their eyes interlocked. Their faces were coming closer to one another. Samuel gently cupped her face and motioned her lips closer to Adan’s. They kissed. At first, their lips only touched, but Samuel slowly slid his tongue inside her mouth, surprising Crystal.

She felt his tongue inside her mouth, making her stiff, but his tongue slowly motioned hers to move alongside his. She did and deepened the kiss. Adan watched as everything unfolded. He was shocked that Crystal was kissing him. Well, it wasn’t him, per se. She was kissing Samuel, and she didn’t know it. He always wanted it, but Crystal developed feelings for Samuel, not him. She didn’t realize that she fell for Samuel, a man who lived hundreds of years ago.

Adan wanted to take control, but Samuel was refraining from doing so. He bit his lower lip as he was forced to watch. Samuel felt many emotions in Adan’s body. He felt happiness and envy. He knew that Adan was watching. However, it has been many years since he kissed a woman. Samuel had almost forgotten how it felt like. It felt so warm and so good. He wanted more but didn’t want to make Adan more envious. He separated from the kiss. “You should get some sleep. We will speak more tomorrow morning.” Samuel gently touched her face.

Crystal blushed and nodded. “Good night.” She stood and left Adan’s room.

Samuel was silent, as was Adan. Adan said nothing, and Samuel knew that he was not happy. Samuel was thoughtful, but he got the bag of his remains and took out the phone. He made an order for Lyft. “What are you doing?” asked Adan.

“This cannot wait any longer. I decided that this would end tonight. We’re going to Abeni and take her to the house. We need her help to do the ritual.”

“What? Now? She said-!”

“It doesn’t matter what she says. This has to end tonight. I realize that Crystal might interrupt the ritual, and I don’t want her to get too suspicious.” Samuel got the bag of materials and the body. He snuck out of the room by the window and waited for the driver to arrive, which he did and drove him to Abeni’s shop. Traffic was limited since many people were at home or barely going out, and they made it to the shop.

The shop was still open, and Samuel noticed it was almost about to close. He thanked the driver and went to the shop. He saw Abeni cleaning through the door and knocked on the door. Abeni flinched and noticed him by the door. She put the broom aside and opened the door. “Hey, what are you doing here? I thought we agreed tomorrow night?”

“I changed my mind. I-I can’t wait that long. I am too excited to see you. I was on the road, and I saw your shop. You always were in my mind.”

Abeni blushed and was about to respond, but Samuel stilled as he looked behind her. She turned and saw her grandmother Erzulie.

25 Warning

Erzulie stood by a doorway and glared at Samuel and Abeni. “What ya doing in here?” she asked Samuel.

“Forgive me, madam. I came to visit your granddaughter. I asked her out when I came here and will bring her back to you. You both will be reunited.”

“Abeni, ya will not go out with this man. He-”

“Grandma, you can’t control who I date! I’m sick and tired that you always tell me who to go with and not to! I’m an adult!”

The older woman’s eyes never left Samuel. “An adult who stays in my house. If you can afford to live alone, ya can do what ya want. Ya stay in my house, ya respect my rules. You get out, or I will bring ya a curse.”

Adan watched everything unfold. “Dude, it’s best not to mess with this old lady. If she knows voodoo, I’ll be cursed while you go on in peace.”

Samuel ignored Adan as he walked forward. Erzulie flinched as he did so. “I-I warned ya! Abeni, please listen to me just this once! Do not go with him!”

Abeni walked toward the exit. “Adan, I will wait for you outside.”

Erzulie’s eyes widened, and she walked back to her room. Samuel stood silently as he looked around. “Is there something here that will see our movements?”

Adan was confused. “You mean cameras? Doesn’t look like it. I’ve never seen a store without cameras before.” Samuel nodded and slowly went to follow Erzulie. He followed her to a room in the farthest of a small hall. He felt black magic. “Dude, what are you doing? This old lady is not to be messed with.”

“Don’t worry. I need to clear up some misunderstandings. Besides, we have come this far and can’t let everything go to waste.” Samuel arrived before the door but looked down; a line of salt was on the door. “This is where I need your help.”

“What can I do?”

“Go in her room; I will do the rest.”

“Huh?”

“Adan, enough with the questions! Do as I say if you wish for all this to end! Be brave for once in your life!”

Adan was given control and was hesitant to do what he was asked. He took a deep breath and opened the door; he crossed the line of salt. Once inside, Adan saw Ezurlie holding a dead chicken and saying some spells. Ezurlie heard the door open and looked to her left. Her eyes widened. Samuel took over. “Forgive me, madam. I want to clear up the misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, Abeni stood outside the store waiting for Samuel. “What is taking him so long? Is he talking with my grandmother?” She took out her phone, and fifteen minutes went by. “Maybe I should check in on them.” Abeni was about to reenter, but on the door’s window, she saw Samuel walking toward the exit.

He got out and let out a long sigh. “Are you ready to go?”

“Go? My grandma let you?”

Samuel smiled. “Indeed. I have cleared up any misunderstandings she had. Now come along. I have somewhere I want to take you. I think it will bring out the excitement of all of us.” He held Abeni by her waist, making her touch Adan’s body.

Abeni felt a shiver trail down her spine. She had a few boyfriends and hooked up with some guys. However, Samuel was the first to bring out her excitement. “Oh, and where do you plan to take me?”

Samuel smirked. “A place that you would never think of.”

……………………………..

Crystal was asleep; her room was filled with darkness. She tossed and turned.

Crystal wore a long black dress and felt a cold chill. She woke up and saw leaves fall from the trees. It was a beautiful scene for her. There were a few houses afar; they looked familiar.

“What in the…? She slowly turned around; her eyes widened when she saw DeFeo’s house. “Why am I here?”

Suddenly, Crystal heard walking noises on the leaves. She was about to turn, but to her surprise, it was Ronald DeFeo Jr. He wore a black checkered shirt and pants. “R-Ronald!? What are you-?”

Ronald turned to her; a single tear trailed down his right eye. He motioned out his hand. Crystal was hesitant but eventually grabbed his hand; Ronald motioned her to follow him. He walked inside the house. Crystal was nervous because she didn’t know what to expect, but Ronald was silent; his grasp felt reassuring. He wanted to show her something.

They walked to Ronald’s room; it was in darkness. Suddenly, a couple of candles were lit on the floor. Crystal’s eyes and lips widened in horror as she saw Adan’s body lying on the floor, surrounded by the candles. “A-A-A-A-!” The room was not empty. In the darkness, she saw the DeFeo family’s head lowered as if they were looking at Adan.

Ronald let her go, and Crystal walked backward but hit something that felt like bodies. She slowly turned around. Three people were of African descent. The three individuals wore white clothing. The woman had a wound in her chest. One man had a puncture wound on his neck, while the other’s head was opened. Blood dripped from their wounds; they slowly looked up.

Crystal covered her lips and shook violently as she saw the three people without eyes. Their lips were wide; their blood dripped. “AAAAHHHHHH!” She turned, and the DeFeo family members also had their eyes missing. Their mouths were also wide open. Crystal screamed violently and wanted to run but felt her feet restrained. Looking down, a pair of hands held onto her legs and feet. Ronald stood before her. “He’s in danger! Go now! Go now! GO NOW!”

“AAAHHHH!” Crystal breathed heavily; her sweat trailed down her neck and back. She looked around and was in her room. The young woman got off of bed and went to Adan’s room. She knocked on the door. “Adan, are you in there!?”

There was no response. She opened the door, and Adan was nowhere in sight. She ran throughout the house, calling out to him, and it was the same response. Crystal tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail. Her eyes widened in horror. Crystal dialed a number and heard it ring on the other end. “Hello?” responded a groggy voice.

“BOBBY, I NEED YOUR HELP!”

“Woah, woah, calm down! You woke me up all of a sudden, and yer screamin’. Relax and tell me what’s goin’ on,” said Bobby.

“Please pick me up! Adan’s not in the house!”

“He probably went to the store or somethin’. He-”

“Bobby, please listen to me! Adan would never go out this late at night, and I noticed he was not entirely himself. Something happened to him in that house, and I think he’s in danger! Please pick me up, and I will explain everything!”

Bobby was silent on the other end and sighed. “Alright, I’ll be there in ten.” They hung up.

Crystal changed into clothes and waited outside for Bobby to arrive. The dream felt like a warning and had something to do with Adan. “Adan, what did you do!? Please don’t let it be too late!”

26 Ritual

Bobby finally arrived and picked Crystal up. Once she entered the car, they both sped off. “Crystal, tell me what’s going on.”

Crystal felt anxious and nervous as she tried calling Adan’s cell phone. “I had a dream, Bobby. I dreamt of Ronald, his family, and these three people I don’t recognize. They were in Ronald’s room, and Adan was in the center. It was as if he was dead or something!”

Bobby pulled over to the side of the road. “Crystal, that was just a nightmare. Why are we-?”

“Bobby, this is not the first time I had a dream with Ronald. I also saw things in that house. You may or may not believe me, but something is in that house, and it seems it’s after Adan. He isn’t his usual self! He’s also not in the house, which is unusual for him! Please believe me, Bobby!”

The older man looked at her pleading face and thought about Ronald and the day of the murders. Out of all the investigators, Crystal and Adan were the only ones with almost unbelievable information and experiences. “Alright, fine. We’ll go to the house, but if we find nothing, ya need to forget going back there.”

…………………………….

Samuel and Abeni arrived at the house. Abeni raised an eyebrow. “What are we doing here?”

Samuel smiled. “You know what this house is?”

She nodded. “Everyone around here does. It’s where the DeFeo murders happened. Why are we here, though?”

“Believe it or not. A friend and I have been coming here to research and find evidence if Ronald DeFeo killed his family on purpose or if he was possessed.” Samuel held onto Abeni’s waist; he used his thumb to tickle her gently. “We found interesting activity.”

“Oh, what did you guys find?”

“My friend has been having dreams and supposedly spoke with a spirit. We don’t know whose spirit it is. We’re in the process of writing a book.” Samuel smiled as he held her closer to Adan’s body. “I know you have experience in voodoo and black magic. I need your wisdom to do a spell to communicate or put whatever is in the house in peace. I want to put your assistance in the book.” Abeni looked surprised as she looked at Adan’s body. Samuel noticed the slight disappointment in Abeni. “I upset you. I’m sorry. Do you want to know another truth I kept from you?”

The young woman nodded.

“I-I wanted you to come with me because…well…I like you. Society doesn’t understand people like us and our passions. We are seen as outsiders. I imagine it is difficult to tell people about what you and your family do.”

Abeni was silent for a moment. “It is. People get scared that my family and I own a shop that sells things for voodoo and black magic. So, you do like me, even though we barely met?”

“Of course. Will you help me?”

“Yes, let’s do this.”

Samuel smiled as he gave her a peck on the lips and led her to the back section of the house, where one of the windows was unlocked. Adan was silent throughout the conversation. “What did you do to her grandmother?” he asked in a monotone voice.

Samuel helped Abeni to enter the house. “Worry not; I just put her in a deep sleep. I know some black magic. We’re almost at our goal.” He entered the house with his bag and materials. The house was dark, and Samuel led Abeni to Ronald’s room. He got the bag, took out the materials he bought from her shop, and laid them on the floor. He lit up the candles and put them in a circle.

Samuel got a knife and cut his hand; his blood dripped in a cup. He looked at Abeni. “I need your blood too.”

“My blood?”

“Yes, this spell requires the blood of two. It will make sense when it is done. Please, trust in me.”

The young woman slowly motioned out her hands, and Samuel gently cut the palm of her hand, and her blood dripped onto the cup. He then combined the blood and used it to make a satanic pentagram. Everything was ready; he smiled. “Please sit in the center, and the ritual will begin.”

Abeni did as she was told and noticed Samuel holding onto another bag. “What’s in there?”

Samuel didn’t answer as he motioned out his hands to her. She slowly held onto them. Suddenly, she heard noises happening outside the room. Then a force hit the door, making her jump. “Wh-What was that!?”

“It’s whatever is inside this house trying to stop us. You will be safe if you’re in the circle.” Samuel closed his eyes momentarily and spoke in an African language. The floor began to shake slightly.

Adan saw everything transpiring and also felt nervous. “Dude, what are you doing!? What is this ritual going to achieve!? You’re scaring her and me!”

Samuel paid him no mind. The candles’ fire extended to a higher height; the materials and circle of blood glowed. Abeni heard a growl inside the room, and Samuel kept on chanting. “A-Adan, I-!” Then she saw his bag on his legs; it moved slightly. To her horror, she saw the remains. She screamed and got her hands free from him. “I don’t want to do this anymore!” She tried to get out, but when she tried, she was stopped by what felt like a barrier. “Adan, what’s this? I want to leave.”

Samuel’s eyes opened, and his eyes were completely white. The bones floated from the backpack. The ground shook violently, and the noises from outside the house got louder. “SAMUEL, WHAT’S GOING ON!? I FEEL…I feel…”

Everything went dark.

……………………………..

Adan POV

What’s going on? I feel light. My body felt light. I slowly woke up, and everything was dark. I remember Samuel, that Abeni chick, and the ritual. I was fully awake, and I looked around. There was no light or anything. How long was I out for?

Where is Abeni?

Where is Samuel?

Was the ritual a success? Was Samuel in peace? Well, I felt lighter and couldn’t feel Samuel. He passed on. It was over. I slowly stood. “Where are the lights? I tried to find them but couldn’t feel the walls as I tried to find a switch. I saw something. Two candles were dimly lit. I was about to go pick them up. The closer I got, I stopped in my tracks. I saw a hand.

A hand.

It looked like Abeni’s.

“Do you need to get a clearer view?”

Wait a minute…

That voice. It sounded like…

My eyes widened as one of the candles was lifted, and I got a clear view of who held it. “Wh-What the hell? It’s me. No, I am me. What’s going on?” I saw myself in front of me. How was this possible?

The other me smiled.

“Hello, Adan. I’m glad you woke up.”

“What…?”

“It is I, Samuel.”

27 Possession

Adan’s eyes widened as he saw himself. “S-Samuel!? Th-There is no way! You’re me! How is that possible!?”

“Why, I transferred my soul to your body and your soul to my remains. Call it a soul exchange.” Samuel stood and extended his arms. “It feels so good to be in the flesh once again.”

As Samuel stretched, Adan saw Abeni’s lifeless body. Her eyes were half opened, as were her lips. “A-Abeni?” Adan tried touching her, but his hands went through her. Adan yelped as his body trembled. He looked at his shaky hands. “Wh-What did you do to me!?”

Samuel sighed. “You really are slow. I can see why Crystal never held an interest in you. Well, I exchanged my soul for your body, and I exchanged yours into my remains. You are technically a spirit connected to my remains.” Samuel grinned as he put the candle over Abeni’s dead body. “However, I needed a sacrifice which is why I seduced her.”

“Y-You killed her grandmother, didn’t you!?”

“She should be happy that I killed her with a powerful spell. That woman may have known voodoo and other dark magic, but I have been alive for over two to three hundred years. Delilah taught me the old ways of voodoo and magic.”

Adan was trying to process everything that he was being told. “Delilah killed you, but…wait…”

“You’re catching on. In truth, I tricked her into teaching me dark magic. I was sick and tired of working for so little. I hated that prosperity was ignoring my way. I was tired of working so hard and getting nothing in return. I seduced Delilah to teach me spells, and the more I practiced, the more I realized that things were going my way. However, I wanted more. I discovered certain spells could get me riches but required sacrifices.”

Adan still trembled. “So you killed Delilah and her family, didn’t you?”

Samuel looked impressed as he chuckled. “Well done. I killed them individually, leaving Delilah for last, but that blasted slave killed me before I could complete the spell. She cursed me, and other slaves hid my body.”

“You lied to me.”

“Well, Adan, of course. I had to lie to get what I wanted. I had to lie that there was another evil spirit here, which, in reality, was me all this time. All the years I have been entrapped, I learned more dark magic and split my soul into two to make my story believable.”

“So, it was you who possessed Ronald DeFeo Jr.”

“Yes. To make the soul exchange work, a sacrifice is needed. I could have killed one of the family members, but it would have brought me trouble, so I had to kill all of them. I could have possessed Ronald’s body, but he was able to cast me out before I could have gotten my remains and the completion of the ritual.” Samuel let out a huff as he paced around Abeni’s body. “So now you know. The Amityville case has been solved. However, you will never be able to tell the tale.” Samuel knelt beside Abeni and put the knife in her hand.

Adan watched, and to his horror, Samuel stabbed himself in the stomach, arms, and other parts of his body. “What the hell are you doing!?”

Samuel ignored him as he eventually stopped stabbing himself and left the knife in Abeni’s motionless hand. He laid his back on the wall, breathing heavily. “I must make my story believable once I get out to the outside world and when Crystal arrives.”

“Cr-Crystal!? She will find out what you have done! I-!”

Samuel stood with the candle still in hand and Adan’s blood dripping. “Again, with your stupidity, Adan. How will she know if you are technically dead? Only I can see you. When Crystal sees me, she will see your body. Now that my spirit is connected to your body, I have all your memories. What a pathetic life you lived. It is no wonder why Crystal never returned your feelings.” Samuel slowly began to walk to the exit of the room. Adan stood and tried to stop him, but he went through his body. “Don’t worry, Adan. I will live your life to the best of my ability. As you saw, Crystal kissed me and not you. I will be the man you could never be. This will be our last goodbye, and you will finally be in peace.”

He then threw the candle on the curtains, and the curtains caught aflame. When the bones and house burn, you will disappear.” Samuel did a gentleman-like bow. “May you go in peace, my friend.” He laughed as he walked away.

Adan screamed as he tried to get to his body, but he would always go through. Samuel hummed in excitement as he got closer to the door. He smelled the smoke becoming stronger, and at the corner of his eye, the flames were getting rapid. When he got to the door, he saw a car parked and saw Crystal and Bobby. Samuel opened the door and limped outside. Adan tried to go after him but couldn’t go through the house.

“Why can’t I get out!?”

Crystal and Bobby exited the car and saw “Adan” stumbling out of the house, covered with knife wounds and blood. Bobby got his phone out and phoned for police and an ambulance. Crystal ran toward Samuel. She got hold of him before he could fall to the ground. “Adan, what the hell happened to you!?” she screamed as some of his blood got on her clothes.

“C-Crystal, I am sorry. I-I wanted to help you with your work.” Samuel coughed and ground at his stab wounds. “I-I met a witch who said she could communicate with the dead. She asked me to come, but…” He coughed. “It was a lie. I-I was tricked, and she wanted to do a ritual! I escaped, but I-I think she’s dead! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” Bobby went to them and saw the fire slowly engulfing the house but heard parts of the story.

“The firefighters, ambulance, and police will be here. Try to hang on, Adan!”

Meanwhile, Adan watched everything unfold as he tried to escape the house, but it was as if a force was pulling him back. Suddenly, he felt weaker and slowly fell to the floor. He felt that the remains were burning away. Samuel said that if the remains disappeared, so would he. Adan tried calling Crystal, but she couldn’t hear or see him.

In his body, Samuel eyed him and let out a small smile as he lay in Crystal’s arms. Samuel tricked him and now took complete possession of his body. “Crystal!”

Crystal felt a jolt in her body and looked toward the house; nothing but flames existed. Samuel noticed this, and he hugged her tightly. “Everything will be okay, Crystal. We will put this behind us and live on with our lives. Promise me that you will be by my side.”

The young woman looked at Samuel and hugged him back.

Adan saw everything and disappeared. Moments later, the police, firefighters, and ambulance arrived and tried to extinguish the fire. Samuel was put in the ambulance, and Crystal went with him while Bobby stayed behind.

Crystal and Samuel held hands. Crystal put her head on his knees. On the other hand, Samuel saw through the ambulance’s window and the house still in a blaze. He no longer felt Adan’s spirit.

He was gone. Samuel looked down at Crystal and his new body. After all those years in the house and all he had to do, his work paid off. Adan was the only one who knew the truth about what went on in the house. Adan was gone, taking the truth with him.

Ronald and the debate of his actions will still be of conspiracy.

Samuel smiled.