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Once I was back in my room I realized how tired I was. The adrenalin rush caused by my last inspection and by the danger that I’d just been exposed was over, and it had left me exhausted and listless. The shower that I’d allowed myself to take had done nothing but increasing the need of laying on a mattress and close my eyes for a few hours. I needed to sleep, and this wasn’t so odd: in the past, I had learnt that I had to get some rest whenever I could. I was about to face some really challenging days so I needed to recharge the batteries.
I had to make an effort to wear civilian clothes and make myself presentable for dinner. I told Mr. Guidi that I would have eaten with them, and only with that promise I had managed to skip the interrogation.
Poor thing! I knew how anxious he must have been. Maybe, when I came back, it’s possible that he even noticed my restlessness. As usual, I would have explained the real situation to my client. He and his wife needed to know that in that precise moment I had more doubts than certainties. On the one hand, maybe I hoped that Mr. Guidi asked me to quit the investigation. Only in that way I would have been able to leave with a clear conscience.
Lerner’s mirror was outside of its box, and it was laying on the bed. I had tried to wring something out of him, but the ghost had decided to hide behind a worrying veil of silence.
«I’m going to dinner», I announced, hoping to get his attention. He didn’t reply and I thought that maybe he hadn’t heard my words so I cleared my voice and I added: «I’d appreciate if you could study our clients. They might hide something and you are the only one that can detect whether they are having an ambiguous behavior».
Lerner’s voice seemed distant and tired. «I’m sorry master, but I think I need some rest to recharge the batteries. Do you mind if I stay where I am? Tomorrow I’ll be ready to be smashed, I promise».
I thought about it while I was putting on a shirt and the spare suit that I had in the trunk. I always bring with me a change of clothes to use in civilian occasions. He had been exposed to a higher risk than I was, therefore he was probably feeling pretty bad. If I’d left him here he might have had the chance to recharge his batteries. I knew that he was going to be in a semi-catatonic state and if he had remained here he would have been able to absorb the spiritual energies of the hotel. It wasn’t a bad idea after all. The next day Lerner would have been as good as new and the place would have been purified, granting me a good night sleep, with no nightmares. When I close my eyes my head needs to be clear. I can’t afford to have any external influence.
I put on some shoes and I hesitated for a little while on the threshold. Then, I grabbed the camera and I carried it with me. After all, that was Mr. and Mrs. Guidi’s house, and they had the right to see with their own eyes the performance that I’d witnessed. Besides, I needed to analyze their reaction. I was too exhausted to do another spell, and without Lerner’s help I could only rely on human logic.
* * *
«He’s the one who is going to cleanse our house? » asked Mrs. Guidi who didn’t seem that eager to shake my hand. I was still wearing my gloves. If I had touched her fingers I could have gathered some extra information but in the process I might have risked to drain the last drop of lifeblood that I had left.
I had learnt at my expense that I always had to ration my energy. And Lerner exaggerated when he accused me of having become impulsive. I was always the same old me. I’d just been caught off guard by an entity that I’d never met before.
Mrs. Guidi was a short woman, probably around five feet high. She had short blonde hair combed to a side, and the dark circles around her eyes said that she hadn’t had a good night sleep for quite some time now. Her nail polish must have been red once, but now it was all ruined. She must have been so stressed that she had forgotten to re-apply it. To make up for that she had put some make up on, probably in the attempt of looking more decent for the impending dinner.
«That’s the reason why you hired me», I replied, «and I’m going to do my best to achieve that».
«What’s going on? » she asked again.
«Darling», said Mr. Guidi before I could reply. «Why don’t we sit down and start this conversation? Mr. Kiesel must be pretty hungry and might need to eat something first. Am I right? »
«I couldn’t have said it better myself», I confirmed.
The spouses preceded me down the hall, and accompanied me in the restaurant dining room. There were many covers on the tables even though only four table were occupied. Mr. Guidi chose a table in a discreet area of the restaurant where we could talk without being interrupted and above all, without risking of being overheard.
I sat, as usual, with my back oriented towards the wall. From where I was, I could see the entire room. The waiter - a guy on his twenties, with a dirty shirt that had drops of sauce on the sleeve and with some thick glasses on what seemed like a bored face - came right away at our table. Working in the low season probably wasn’t such a hoot. I ordered some pasta, some tenderloin and some roasted potatoes. Besides being exhausted I was starving.
«You must be very brave if, in a moment like this, you can still eat», commented Mrs. Guidi. I still hadn’t figured her out, but I was under the impression that she didn’t trust me that much. So, I simply shrugged my shoulders. « When you are fighting against these kind of forces skipping meals would be crazy. I’m going to need all the energy that I can provide my body. And a good meal can do miracles».
I took a piece of bread and I munched its crust. They couldn’t take their eyes off me; they were probably waiting that I started telling them what happened at the mountain house. But first, I needed to know a few things. I didn’t want them to be influenced by the experience that I lived inside their property. «If you don’t mind, before I tell you what happened, I’d like to know more about the house».
«There’s not much to say», replied the woman. «I never felt the need to dig into the history of the house. According to what my grandfather told me – may he rest in peace - the building had been here since the nineteenth century. It was used as a mountain cabin, where travelers could make a pit stop, eat and spend a night. After the First World War the cabin fell into disuse and after the Second World War somebody decided to buy the property and to turn the shack into a house. According to my grandfather’s story, there’s only been one owner before him. And from what I heard no one, inside that house, has died of a violent death. But, tomorrow, we could ask the Mayor if you like. He’s pretty easygoing, and he keeps saying that he’s an expert of local history».
«Having a chat with him might be helpful», I replied while playing with the fork. «Go ahead. Until now I’ve only spoken with your husband, but I’d like to know what you noticed when you first walked inside the house. I’m sure that wasn’t the first time that you saw the property, am I right? »
«Yes». Mr. Guidi suddenly seemed tense. He was probably used to handle every matter related to his family on his own so now he was feeling irritated for being put on a side.
«Last time I came it was a few years before I got married. I was here with my mom. She died a few months after that visit, but I don’t think the two things are related, so I don’t think we should talk about that».
I registered the information in my mind and decided that I could expand the investigation, if necessary. The woman couldn’t possibly know if the two events had anything in common. In fact, if the phenomenon that I just came in contact with was - as I believed – a newly born one, I had to consider every hypothesis.
Mrs. Guidi didn’t say a word for a little while, so I gave her all the time that she needed to collect all the memories that she had. Before she spoke again she sighed. «Well, first of all, the occasion was very different. When we entered the property, three days ago, everything seemed grimmer. As if the house itself was a living creature and didn’t want us there. I first thought that this feeling might came from the fact that the house had been empty and therefore it looked abandoned. The coziness of the rooms that I remembered with such pleasure was no longer there. It was as if my grandfather’s death had brought a shadow on the entire house - if you know what I mean».
«I know exactly what you mean», I replied. «Go ahead, please».
«And when those weird events started to occur... I honestly didn’t know what to think. I’ve never seen anything like that. Never. My grandfather didn’t even believe in the supernatural. And I’m sure he would have never lived in a haunted house. Something happened in the moment that we walked through that door. It was as if our grandfather didn’t want us around».
I shook my head. «I don’t think it was your ancestor though. This isn’t a case of Spiritism in the narrow sense».
«In the narrow sense? », replied Mr. Guidi. «What do you mean by that? Are we dealing with spirits or not? ».
The waiter approached the table and he brought my pasta and two plates of soup for the spouses. My dish was made with fresh ragout and its perfume made me salivate.
Every time that I had the chance to enjoy a good meal, well... that was one of the rare cases in which I could feel completely alive. I took a generous quantity of food, I chewed it and enjoyed its flavor, and then I swallowed. Suddenly I felt much better.
«Actually, there are different kinds of spirits», I explained, without taking my eyes off the plate. «The most common spirits originate from human beings. These are poor souls trapped in a world that they no longer belong to. Just so we are clear, they are what we call ghosts. Got it? »
«And what about the other kind? » asked Mr. Guidi.
«The others, in turn, include other subgroups. Some of them are caused by natural forces. Needless to say that their number has substantially decreased as the human supremacy has expanded, therefore they can hardly be found. Others are strictly linked to the emotional sphere. A place that’s been filled with hatred is more likely to generate a specific spirit. I think that the term poltergeist might be more familiar to you».
I took a short break to enjoy another bite of the delicious meal that I had in front of me. The spouses’ eyes were still fixed on me. On the one hand the description that I gave them astonished them, on the other hand that story had shed light on another aspect that might be helpful at a later stage. Awareness.
«This last subgroup contains, in turn, other groups, and these originate from Hell. We don’t have accurate information about the Underworld, so it’s easy to find entities that no one has ever seen. And this is mainly because probably no one has ever lived enough to describe them. These are commonly called demons, and I believe there’s one in your house».
«A demon...», repeated Mr. Guidi.
The woman leaned forward. «So we can just call an exorcist to purify the house. Am I right? »
«Not exactly» I replied, trying to repress a smile. «Here’s where the cultural background comes in. For some rituals – we’re talking about cheap ones – is fundamental that the entity itself believes in them. I’ll make myself clear: sometimes, an exorcism only works because the spirit itself believes that’s what supposed to happen to it.
When we are dealing with what’s left of a human being who during his life has been a believer, there’s a very good chance that the intervention of a priest will be sufficient to help him find the strength to leave the mortal world. And the same thing applies to some other infernal beings, provided that they had lived enough among humans. But what do we do when we are dealing with new manifestations? A priest might be killed, or worse, he might be possessed. And I don’t believe that our case could be solved with a clerical intervention».
«Care to elaborate on that? » said Mr. Guidi. He had barely touched his soup while I had already eaten half of my meal, even though I was the one who did most of the talking
Before I replied, I grabbed a piece of bread and I dipped it into the sauce. «I came across the entity that you described. Or better yet, I took a photo of it, but I haven’t had the chance to see it yet. I have reasons to believe that, for that being, the human race is as new as he is for us. I don’t know if you’re following».
«Not really» admitted the man.
«Allow me to finish the first course» I continued, «and then, if you think you can take it, we’ll see it together».
He paled and let out the spoon that he was holding into the soup, spreading hot drops on the tablecloth. Mr. Guidi didn’t even seem to have noticed it. I think I knew what he was thinking: he was worried that seeing that picture inside the hotel might have brought that thing there. And, to be honest, he wasn’t so wrong but what he didn’t know was that my camera was protected by different rituals that were able to block every kind of manifestation. I might have been obsessed with my job, and I might have often put my life in danger, but I was always prepared. «So that thing is real», commented Mr. Guidi, almost as if he was talking to himself.
«I don’t think you had doubts about it, otherwise you wouldn’t have called».
«Well, that isn’t entirely true. I was actually hoping you would have told me that you hadn’t found anything odd. I would have preferred to think that I’d just been out of my mind».
I nodded. I can’t remember how many times I had hoped that I’d been just hallucinating, but I’ve always been terribly wrong».
He looked up, this time seeming more determined, and then he continued: «what I wanted to ask you was: Does that thing has a material form? Forgive me, but I don’t think that I can be clearer. My whole world is upside down at the moment».
«I can’t argue with that», I replied. For a moment, my client’s affliction had touched my heart, filling it with sadness. It was another side effect of the day that I had: tiredness made me feel more human. A moment later, I had to use my self-control to go back to my usual self. «Anyway, that creature, whatever it may be, is as real as you and me. It is so real that it’s been able to hold a gun and learn how to use it».
«And where did it find a weapon? » asked Mrs. Guidi, shocked. «We didn’t have...»
«I know you didn’t», I stopped her, «I was the one who brought a revolver inside your house. And I still think that this has been a wise choice. I should have just been more careful because when the creature attacked me it slipped through my fingers. Lucky for me, it hasn’t been able to find me during my second inspection, or I wouldn’t be here and you would have had another ghost in your house».
The spouses exchanged a worried look. Without even realizing it our conversation had turned into a detailed report of my research.
«Can he shoot? » asked Mr. Guidi.
«He’s learning», I replied. «As I told you, he’s not human, and he’s never even been one. But he can sense the differences between us, and he’s trying to interpret our behavior. He’s been able to see the gun as a threat for example and he’s been able to use it against me. He hasn’t been able to detect me, but only because I was shielded by protection spells. Anyway, tomorrow, when I’ll come back, I’m going to need something more specific».
Mr. Guidi put his elbows on the table and he grabbed his head with his hands. The other guests weren’t paying attention to us. On the contrary, the waiter, seemed to be particularly interested in our conversation, and as a matter of fact, every time that he entered the dining room, he would stare at us in a suspicious way. Some of our words must have caught his attention. He probably had a story for me and I was going to put it to use as soon as I had the chance to. As for now, I just wanted to finish my dinner and go to bed. I really needed to sleep.
«Are you ready to see the photos? »
«Positive», said promptly the woman, while her husband was shaking his head.
I extracted the camera from my pocket and I turned it on. I still hadn’t seen the photos that I had shot. I wasn’t even sure that there was something in them. With the way things were, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had only found some immaculate rooms. If, as I thought, the entity’s influence was confined within the house, there was a good chance that nothing had gone out of it. Not even a frame. This wouldn’t have been the first time that I had witnessed something like that. Some time ago, I came across the ghost of a dog that was so attached to its owner and to its house that it didn’t want to leave them. Within the walls the animal seemed so real, that one might think that it was alive; I took a photo of it, but outside the house the image no longer existed. It was as if the dog itself didn’t think to have a reason to exist outside that house. Of course, this was a different case, but there might have been some similarities.
I soon realized that mine was an unnecessary fear. That entity made of flesh and blood was exactly where I had left it and it was holding the gun with that weird extra appendix. I waited for my pulse to decelerate before I handed the instrument to the woman. It was fundamental that I faced fear, regardless of the circumstances. If I had gotten used to the sight of that nightmare, next time I had seen it I wouldn’t have hesitated.
As the woman saw the image on the digital camera her face turned pale. For a moment she remained paralyzed, and then she burst into tears. She brought a hand to her eyes, while the other one was still holding the incriminated object. I gave her a moment to elaborate what she just saw, while the waiter was approaching our table.
«Everything fine? » he asked.
«We are discussing a very delicate matter», I replied. I noticed that he was trying to take a peek at the screen, so I immediately covered the photo with a napkin. «It’s personal», I added.
«I’m sorry», he said. «I just got worried».
«Everything is under control» repeated Mr. Guidi, who finally decided to join the conversation. «We’re trying to solve a big problem». The young man moved away and then the client told me «Feel free to ask me everything that you might need».
«I won’t beat around the bush », I replied. «While I was inside the house I thought that the phenomenon might be caused by a cursed object. And I still believe that this might be a valid hypothesis, since the house has never been haunted before. If this is the reason of your discomforts, then we’ll just need to destroy the object. In any case, I’m going to have to do some research. And I’m sure that having a chat with the Mayor might be very helpful, so that’s what I’ll do tomorrow morning, before my third inspection».
«Do you really intend to go back to the house? » asked the woman «Unarmed? »
I smiled. «I may not have the revolver, but I won’t be unarmed. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d really like to go back to my room. I’m exhausted».
The man jiggled, taking one last peek at the camera that was covered in the napkin. I knew what was happening in his mind. He was hoping that he had the same courage of his wife. He must have been an old-fashioned man. This time I repressed a smile. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
«You can always see them tomorrow, when the sun is high », I said. «There’s no need to ruin a good night sleep».
«I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep».
He might spend the night awake, but I sure needed to sleep. So, So I moved past the embarrassing moment that we were in, and I stood up. I greeted them by shaking their hands and then I headed toward the stairs. On my way to the room I stopped the waiter:
«Can I have the second course and the vegetables delivered in my room? »
«Normally that wouldn’t be possible» replied the young man, «but this time I don’t think this would be a problem. We don’t have lots of clients during this time of the year».
For a moment I thought that he wanted to ask me something, but I deliberately decided to ignore that feeling. I said «Thank you», and then I headed towards the stairs.