Demons Among a Demon (Chapter 2)

                                                  Chapter 2

                                            Saturday May 26th

    I still didn’t know what to expect this evening when we arrive at the Spencer residence.  We spent most of the week researching the area in which the house resides.  This area was of course the setting  for some of the most horrific battles of The War of 1812 but, there was nothing unusual in the history books. No hidden cemeteries buried underneath the neighborhoods, let alone under the three acres that the house stands. This picturesque community by the lake, with its little white, one room, churches, seems to offer little insight as to the activity at hand. Actually, with the rows of shops, B & B’s, and pubs lining Main Street, the town  looks like something from an old, family night, television show.  Just one more reason for me to question the validity of demonic activity, if anything, maybe ghosts from the war era.  No jumping to conclusions.  Let the evidence speak for itself.  “Kelsey, do we have enough batteries for the equipment that we are taking?”
    “We need to stop on the way and pick some up.” she answered.
    “Ok.  I am going to get everything loaded into the truck.  Are you about done with the paperwork?” I asked.
    “Of course. Don’t I always take care of you?”
    “Right.”
    I took our equipment out to the Navigator. Three silver, hard shell cases filled with motion sensors, temperature gauges, thermal cams, recording devices, and other assorted pieces of equipment that every investigator should carry and put to use on an investigation. I could hardly wait to get there and start working.  Our first meeting with the family was basically an initial interview.  Ask questions about the paranormal activity they are experiencing, get some pictures inside the house, and get some base line readings.  But, I am planning on satisfying my curiosity as much as possible.  Something in the back of my mind is telling me to dig a little deeper.  So, Kelsey and I are going to do a short, two hour investigation on our own.  We should be able to decide if it is worth bringing a team all the way out here in just a few hours.
    “Kelsey, you about ready?”  It’ll be dusk when we get there.”  She was way ahead of me.  By the time I got the words out of my mouth, she was out of the house and locking the door behind her.  “Did you get everything you needed from the house?” she asked.
    “No, I forgot my smokes.”
    “Get ya a pack when we stop for soda and batteries.”
    “Ma’am yes ma’am.”  I joked. “Getting a bit anxious to get there are ya?”
    “Not at all.  Get in the truck.” she laughed.
    I started the truck, put it in gear, and drove around the driveway and onto the mile long private drive that we share with five other families. Rows of ranch style fencing surrounded each property.  Pastures already covered in a kaleidoscope of colored blossoms nestled behind each one.  Up ahead in the distance, storm clouds brewed promising to drop a deluge of rain upon us as we headed north towards the tourist communities of Upstate New York.  The National Weather Service has issued several severe storm warnings for about every county north of Schenectady for the next eight hours.  This will make the whole night a bit more interesting.  I can’t wait.
    We got through Schenectady rather quickly and onto I-87 for our two and a half hour trek north to Plattsburgh. Just as promised the heavens opened up with brute force.  The lightening show was a perfect beginning for what the night had in store.
    Kelsey decided to take the opportunity to peruse the information that we collected about Plattsburgh and the information sent to us from Dr. Welch.  “Do you really think that Legion is involved?” she asked.
  “Now remember, you wanted me to go into this investigation without any premeditated opinions. Right?”
    “Yea. But, I just wanted to get your thoughts.”
    “Well, I’m having a hard time believing that this  involves seven  so-called “demons.” I have a couple of theories but, I would rather wait until we get some evidence from the site before I say anything.” I told her.
    We drove for an hour without a word.  Both of us were deep in thought about the up coming night.  I kept going over what Tanya told me about the little boy repeating the name of Legion.  To me it just seemed to far fetched to think that this boy was conjuring, or even being visited by Legion.  It must be a ploy for him to get attention.  There I went again, jumping to conclusions before I meet the family.  But, from research that I have done and what I already new about Legion, it just didn’t seem to fit the profile.  Legion is drawn to extreme violence and evil. He or they just don’t appear and start tormenting a little boy.  Like I told Kelsey before, this doesn’t seem right.  There is something more to it and by God, I am going to find out what it is!  “It looks as though when we get there, the weather isn’t going to cooperate with us.  We’ll have to investigate the woods surrounding the house on our next visit.” I said to Kelsey.
    “Yea. You and Keith can check out the woods while me an Sam work on the inside.” she replied.
    “ What about Scott? He can run the video camera and be the go to guy.” I answered my own question.  “So, when we get there tonight, you start doing the interview. I’m going to set up the equipment and let it run while I’m taking pics and getting temperature readings.”
    “What equipment are you setting up?” she asked.
    “Tonight, the voice recorders go in the rooms that they claim to have activity and some video recorders.”
      “Sounds like a plan. Here’s our exit.”
   
    As we pulled off the interstate and onto the lane that, according to their directions, would lead us to their house, my imagination was running wild.  While I will admit that my feverish imagination sometimes seems childlike, it has saved me from some very unpleasant situations in the past.  The way this road was twisting this way and that way, sometimes seeming to double back on itself, it felt like something from a classic, cult, slasher movie.  I kept imagining some gruesome figure jumping out of the woods, wielding a machete.
    As we pulled into the driveway I turned on our GPS locator that I specifically had installed for this particular reason.  Before we left the house I called my assistant Samantha and Tanya and told them both that if they didn’t hear from us by three a.m. to notify the local authorities and report us as missing. 
Clay and Betsy met us at the door.  “Can I help you with your equipment?” Clay asked as he took the case I had under my arm.
    “Sure.  That would be great.  Just put it where it’ll be out of your way.”
    We sat all of the cases down in a corner of the kitchen, out of the way and then we all gathered at the table so I could introduce ourselves and explain what would happen tonight.  “You must be Clay.” I shook his hand.
    “This is my wife Betsy.”
    “Hi Betsy, this is my wife and the director of A.P.R.I.S.E, Kelsey Davis.”
    “If you don’t mind me asking,” Betsy asked, “what does A.P.R.I.S.E stand for? Mr. Welch never told us.”
      “No problem. It stands for Adirondack Paranormal Research and Investigations of Supernatural Events.” Kelsey answered.
    “This is my son Justin, and over there sittin’ in the other room playing video games is Hope.  She won’t talk about anything that is goin’ on here at the house.  She says that nothing is happening to her.” Clay told us.
    “That’s ok” Kelsey responded, “I’m not going to force her talk to me but, I will be here if she decides too.”  Kelsey gave me a suspicious glance.
    I began telling the Spencer’s what we were going to do tonight. “While Kelsey begins interviewing you to get a more in depth picture of what is going on around the house, around the property and what you are each experiencing, I am going to place various camera’s through out the house along with digital voice recorders.  That way, we can see if any activity occurs with noone present in the rooms.  After I get the cameras set up, I am going to check the temperatures in various spots of the rooms to see if I can find the presence of any supernatural entity.  Do you have any questions before we begin?”
    Clay spoke. “What is the temperature going to tell you?” he asked.
    “Any entity or presence uses energy that is in the area.  So as it manifests itself, it will soak up the energy in that particular spot, making it colder than the air around it.”
    “Oh.”
    “If there are no more questions we will go ahead and begin.  Kelsey is going to start with a group interview and I am going to begin setting up.”
      The house, considering it’s location and the property values in the area was badly in need of a good cleaning and remodeling.  No curtains or blinds hung above the kitchen windows.  The broken kitchen tile was desperately in need of attention.  I walked from one room to the next  becoming more disturbed as I proceeded.  I expected to find a room for each of the children upon my inspection of the house.  What I found instead, was a room with bunk beds cluttered with dolls, army men, and books.  As I walked into the room, the air was thick.  I felt as though there was a heavy weight pressing on my chest.  The windows, just like in the kitchen were empty of curtains.  Yet, these were blacked out with black spray paint.  The floor bare of any coverings, the carpet torn out, tack strips still lining the walls.  The walls were covered with posters of 80's rock bands and wrestlers wearing leather overcoats and masks. Justin was the dominant presence in this room.  After receiving no odd temperature readings,  I placed my video camera on the dresser, which was overflowing with clothes and put the DVR on the night stand then proceeded to the next room.  Opening the door and quietly releasing the doorknob of the master bedroom, I stood in awe of what I was seeing.  You would have thought, with people coming in and doing a relatively close inspection of your home, you would have gone through and hid such items. But, here they were as if displayed proudly for all to see.  On one of the posts of the four poster bed hung various long, blond and brunette wigs.  On the others hung different items used to bind the participants hands and feet.  Each piece of furniture in the room was covered with different articles of costumes.  Scarves, boas, and stiletto heeled shoes all over the floor and elaborate curtains hung over the windows like tapestry. I found places for my equipment in the room without disturbing or even touching the articles around the room.  I exited the master bedroom trying to hide my obvious embarrassment.  The family room was cluttered but seemingly organized.  Hundreds of action and horror movies lined several bookshelves and dvd racks.  Incense burners and candles cluttered the mantle above the fireplace.  The couch was covered with blankets and pillows, obviously made up as a bed.  Hope was sitting cross-legged in the recliner not even noticing my presence as she played video games.  I began taking pictures of the room.  Close-up shots of the video shelves so I can examine the titles of the horror movies more closely once I get home.  When I returned to the kitchen Kelsey was administering the Zener card test on Justin to see if he had any recordable, extra sensory perception.  As I waited, I noticed a basket on the counter full of prescription bottles.  I pulled out my note pad, and sat it down on the counter and began writing.  I jotted down the names of each prescription and to whom it was prescribed.  Diazepam; Betsy Spencer,  Ambien; Hope Spencer, Sonata-Betsy Spencer, Ambien; Justin, Rivotril; Justin, and finally Klonopin for Betsy. This family was on a plethora of drugs but I found none prescribed to the father.  I excused myself and headed to the bathroom to search the medicine cabinet.  Once again startled as I opened the bathroom door and walked in.  The sink had been taken off the wall and the pipes capped off. “What the fuck is going on with this family?”  I asked under my breath. After finding no prescriptions in the medicine cabinet, I looked at my watch. Three hours.  Plenty of time. It’s time to go. I went from room to room, collecting my equipment.  Kelsey could tell by the manner of which I was putting things away, that something was bothering me. She wrapped the interviews up.  “Ok. I think we have everything we need.  We will start going over everything in the morning.”  She put her notebook back into her briefcase. “Clay, you said that you have a cd that you want us to listen to.”
    “Yea. Let me go get it.”  he left.
    Upon his return, we took the cd, said our goodbyes, and let them know that we would contact them early the following week to schedule our next meeting. “We will be bringing three other investigators with us next time, if that is okay with you.”
    “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Clay told us. “Hey we could fix dinner for you guys next time, if you want to come out early.”
    “That won’t be necessary.” I told him. “We always stop and eat on the way, while we go over last minute things about the case.  We’ll get here about nine p.m. next time. We’ll see you then.”
    “Goodnight Mr. And Mrs. Spencer.  Goodnight Justin.  See you next time. And Justin, you be good this week. No tormenting your sister.” Kelsey waved as we walked down the steps toward the car.
    “What did you mean about him tormenting his sister?”
    “I’ll tell you all about it on the way home.”
    By the time we had everything back into the truck, it was a little after midnight. I was ready to get home.  We climbed in and headed for the highway. “Be careful, it looks like the roads are all muddy now.” Kelsey told me.
    “No doubt. These roads are treacherous enough without the mud. So what was the deal with Justin tormenting his sister?”
    “Betsy told me that Justin has an issue with scaring Hope and he locks her in closets because she is afraid of the dark.  She said that Hope is so scared sometimes that she will sleep between her and Clay.”
    “She’s thirteen years old!  There is no reason that child should be sleeping in the same bed as her parents.  That is wrong in so many ways!” I shouted.
    “Ok.  So why were you in such a rush to get out of there?”
    “Just paranoid I guess. But, I had some strange feelings in there.”
    “Like what?” she asked.
    “I felt like I was being watched. Then, the condition of the house. Did you know that the sink in the bathroom was missing?”
    “No.”
    “Yea...and both the kids sleep in the same room.  Well, when there not in bed with mommy and daddy.”

      All of a sudden, something came out of nowhere and hit the side of the truck.  I fought to keep it under control.  I slowed and pulled to the side of the road.
    “What the fuck was that?”  Clearly shaken, Kelsey opened the door and got out. “Did you see anything?”
    “No.” I told her.
    We both examined every inch of our Navigator and found no dents or other damage. “That did happen.  Didn’t it?”
    “Alex, I don’t know what happened.  Here’s a flashlight go back and see if you can find anything.”
    I took the flashlight and slowly walked down the side of the road.  I was shining the flashlight from left to right, onto the road, into the woods, and then back to the road.  Nothing.  No animals, no blood, and no rocks or limbs lying on the road.  I walked back to the truck.
    “I didn’t see anything.  Come on lets go.”  I demanded.
    Silence for the rest of the way home.