Spellbound

Some people it seems are bound to a fate of which the rest of us could never dream. A horrid existence marked by sufferings of the mind and spirit.This was the case of my acquiantance, Saige Valdemar.The queerness of her situation and the surname with which she was cursed were not wasted upon me. We both knew the tale forged by Poe's pen and now I often wonder if he knew how horrid the fate of Saige would be a century before it occurred. Though no method of hypnosis was inferred often the human mind can induce a state within itself.

Or so I theorized at the time.

Saige was referred to me by an old friend. Though I am no doctor by any means; I have a natural understanding of the mind. Saige seemed nervous upon our first meeting. She removed a handkerchief from her handbag and wrung it so that it was nearly destroyed before our session was half over.

"My mind plays the most horrible tricks on me." she began in a low unsure voice. "You see, for a long time I have known things and have begun to experience visions to accompany this knowledge. I see the most horrible things. Creatures that I know cannot be from this world. When I told my husband and he dismissed it as nothing more than a hysterical fancy on my part."

I urged her to tell me about the creatures. She paled considerably and did nothing to hide the shiver of dread.

"They are horrible. They cannot be of this world. Some are monstrous resembling a lion. Yet they stand upright as a human. They have claws that are hooked like talons, their teeth are curved inward. I have never seen anything like it." she paused looking nervously about the room. "They will come. If I continue, they will come. You see my grandfather released them upon his death and now they are my curse. My father used to say he saw and heard things. He described nothing of this magnitude. Several years ago they found him in a rather unsavory part of town, enviscerated. He refused to release them I just know it." she finished. She moved to the window and stared out into the empty street with a disquieting conviction. "There are some things that were never meant to be tampered with don't you agree Mr. Cauldwell?"

I nodded absently as I looked over the notes given to me by my associate. It seemed Ms. Valdemar had suffered this peculiar malady for months, perhaps years, before she sought help. Now as she told her tale she made it all seem so recent. This alone peaked my curiosity.

"Ms. Valdemar, may I ask a question?" I proceeded cautiously. She nodded, her eyes moving over the street. I was again struck by the meticulous way she watched, taking every small detail in. "If you are indeed married then how is it you are the one cursed with the bad tidings associated with the name Valdemar?"

"Good sir my name is Saige Valdemar by birth. I have chosen to omit my husband's name for the time being. There is no need in bringing him into this hell...at least not for now." she added grimly.

"Now? What do you mean? Would you elaborate? I am not sure I entirely understand you wanting to keep such things from him." I countered becoming quite suspicious.

"Of course. As I told you he knows of the things I see. I discovered I can only keep him safe by keeping the magnitude of my situation from him. You see, Mr. Cauldwell, they want me to give him over to them. A pittance if you will for relief of my own suffering. They have promised to go back from whence they came if I do so. If you would be so kind; would you escort me to my home so I may show you something? I have to know I am not completely mad."

After a bit of debate on my part I agreed. I was not so certain it was a good idea. After all she claimed things not of this world visited her. I had to admit I was most intrigued by this point.

We arrived at her home shortly after seven pm and were immediately greeted by her husband. A tall gentleman with chestnut hair and eyes so dark they were almost black. He was quite a bit younger than I expected. I was sure many years younger then his wife.

"Good evening Mr. Cauldwell." he said, extending his hand. I took it noting the firmness of his grip, his flesh itself, seemed quite a different matter. I almost unconsciously wiped my hand upon my pants as if to remove something from them he had left behind. He watched, his gazed unaverted, and his eyes seemed to brighten a bit.

He gestured for me to sit, playing the most gracious host. Ms. Valdemar seemed somewhat anxious. She sat as well but at the edge of her seat as if expecting to need a quick exit.

"Saige has told you of the creatures she sees?" he inquired. I nodded, my attention now entirely on Miss Valdemar. "Very good." he said, seeming somewhat distracted himself. "Perhaps now this nonsense will stop. I have no reason to doubt she thinks she sees something. My wife is something of a hysteric, you understand."

I nodded to acknowledge him. Contrastingly, I had found Saige Valdemar to be a rather calm, reasonable woman. Not at all prone to hysteria. There had to be some basis for her claims. Her husband's demeanor made me more determined than ever to get to the bottom of them. "Miss Valdemar, will you now take me to what it was you wished to show me?"

She nodded and rose slowly, her eyes upon her husband. The woman seemed positively frightened to death. She led me through the kitchen to a small door on the far wall.

"I thought this a strange place for a door. But, Mr. Cauldwell, I know it is a portal of some sort. Look at the size of it and the queer markings. It is nothing made by human hands."

I stopped before the door inspecting the markings and the very material from which it was hewn. Indeed this was nothing I had seen before. I had studied ancient and modern writings extensively and this I could fit into none of those categories. I grabbed a pen and paper from my coat pocket and made an etching of the carvings for further examination at my leisure. As I straightened Saige Valdemar rushed to me, leaning inappropriately close, whispering in a frantic tone. "They already have him Mr. Cauldwell. While I was visiting you they got to him."

"Impossible. He looked perfectly fine to me." I shivered inwardly as I remembered the spongy feel of his skin.

She shook her head asserting her belief. "They got to him." Her words rang deafeningly in my ears. I reached for the handle on the strange little door and pulled it open. It creaked and shuddered before giving way and coming slowly open.

"I thought you said these were rather large beasts, like lions." I said. "Nothing of that size could get through here. Standing upright they would be at least as tall as a man."

"Exactly. They cannot get through. They must have evolved somehow since the door was made. I don't understand though. They said they needed his blood to have the magic necessary to get out. Yet at least one is out now."

"If they never got out how did you see them, Madam?" I inquired sharply. None of this made sense any longer. I was rapidly becoming convinced the woman was mad. She gestured toward the door. I shook my head and slowly crawled as far inside as I could manage. At first I saw nothing but deep impenetrable darkness. As my eyes adjusted I could see something moving about in the darkness. From outside the door I could hear her droning on about how her husband had done just as I was doing now and never seen a thing. I was tempted to speak but the visage before me kept my silence.

There were several creatures, at least four, gathered in a small group beside an object that seemed much like a pillar. A pillar? my mind quipped. There was not enough space in this room for such a thing. The creatures themselves seemed of a feline persuasion: with long matted manes and slitted glowing eyes. One turned its attention to me. Its nose was flattened and the teeth protruding from the thin lips were curved inward.

I heard a sound but could not make out a shape in the dark. A slithering sound of something massive dragging itself across the floor. A shiver of dread raced along my spine, and a sense of displacement overcame my senses. I was being dragged backward. I fought madly until a voice reached me through the mist lingering within my brain. "Mr. Cauldwell! It is I, Saige Valdemar!" I stopped fighting and looked around as my confusion lifted.

"They almost had you." she said, sitting heavily upon the floor. She looked at me within her eyes I saw defeat. She was ready to give up but I was not yet so willing. Something had managed to take control of my mind.

I began to describe to her all I saw. She nodded at several key points she had seen these things too. She stood carefully, then helped me to my feet.

"Come back into the parlor with me." She led me back through her home. Her husband still sat as he had been left. Strangely he seemed...inanimate. His appearance was that of one lost in deepest thought. He seemed unaware of myself, or of Saige. Saige glanced at him, a look of grim determination coming over her features. "At least acknowledge us." she said, the sheer force in her voice made me cringe. Yet he instantly seemed to come alive. He hitched a deep breath and looked up at us.

"Forgive me. I did not realize you had returned." he said quietly. He stood shakily and walked quickly about the room. Ms. Valdemar watched him. Her gaze cold and somewhat malicious. "Now, do you see with what I have been faced? There is nothing to be seen, is there? Saige is merely the victim of hysterics." His words seemed somewhat rehearsed, forced from his lips.

"On the contrary. I saw most strange things. I heard something as well but could not make it out. Something massive and slithering." I shivered as I thought to add soulless and inhuman but refrained as he looked at me; a mixture of fear and confusion in his eyes.

Ms Valdemar was watching us, once again with the abandon of one who observes all but never intervenes. She suddenly busied herself getting us drinks. I sat and bade her husband to do so as well. "For someone who has never seen the creatures you seem most haunted." I observed. He nodded and resigned himself to staring at his hands. Ms. Valdemar handed him a drink then with a grim smile gave me one as well. She seated herself near him and stared into her own glass. There was something about her demeanor yet...

She spoke suddenly. Her words resounded deafeningly through the room as if carried by some unnatural force and amplified. The words were foreign but I was convinced were derived from the language upon the door. I again felt the displacement and the sense of impending doom. I stood, attempting to silence her. I reached out, seeking to steady myself. She stepped away. Her voice louder and her words becoming something like a chant. I fought the displacement as my world began to gray out. Then consuming darkness.

I awoke sometime later in my own home. I sat up suddenly and was met by the disquieting stare of Saige Valdemar. "How did we get back here?" I asked as confusion dominated my thoughts.

"We never left. When we went to my home we did so with our minds and the power of suggestion...mesmerism if you will. You see when my grandfather died he unleashed things not of this world. Yet they exist only in the realm of the subconscious. I have learned to control access to that realm and therefore control them. I needed you and your strength of mind to see them and believe in them so that I could accomplish my task."

"Which was?" I asked dubiously. She smiled sardonically but before she could answer we were interrupted by a frantic knock. I excused myself and was greeted by a distressed looking policeman.

"I was told I could find Miss Valdemar here." he said breathlessly. I stepped aside and allowed him in. This man was very excited: something had happened. Something sinister, I was certain. Saige Valdemar stood, her stare unwaivering as he spoke of his heinous news. "Your husband, madam. He is dead. The neighbors reported screams that were quite frankly...inhuman. They said it sounded as though the demons of hell had invaded your home. They have taken away the body to spare you: as it has already been identified by one of your neighbors."

Saige Valdemar thanked him softly and sent him on his way. I stared at her in disbelief. I was now under the impression she had in some devious way murdered her husband and I was her alibi. "What did you do?" I demanded.

"My husband was an abusive and cruel man; but weak of mind. It was quite easy to control his mind through mesmerism and allow those beast to tear his soul from his body." she said casually. She returned to the window again watching the street below. "In fact that is why his flesh felt so strange to you when you shook his hand. He was already dead. He just did not know it yet."