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If earthquake could personify; then Livinggood estate was the personification.

With the booming laughter that followed by the threatening tease; the mansion and the land felt like it was rumbling in an earthquake. Lucy was the epitome of it all. Though she was the one who was laughing, it felt like the voices came from all around. It came from the walls, from the ground, from above and from beyond; yet, the screeching terror continued way past a normal human being could aggravate.

Once the laughter subsided, everything turned silent. Dead silence.

Matthews who never broke the prayer once in between the episode was out of breath by the time everything ceased. His brows and face dripped sweat yet his fingers trembled with fear and cold. His throat felt tight from the loud prayers and he could feel his lungs were about to collapse. He slowly knelt down in front of the sleeping girl and prayed to God that the sheep may sleep on her shepherd's lap; so that he, himself, could take rest.

As prayed, Lucy slept for about two hours straight. 

Patrick was astonished to find that Stone family, Peterburgh family, and Hornbill family was waiting patiently, offering prayers and food for the Livinggood family. Patrick, Peter, and Julian wanted to cry since they feared that the town would have rejected them but to see that they were here for them offering support, truly got them crying without a shame.

Julian was breathless to even whisper a thank you as CatherinePeterburgh offered him the cherry pie she baked for them. LeticiaStone gave chicken and bread to the family maid and offered her prayers as the ground shook. Hornbill family just stood by the door where Lucy was and prayed with tears and sweat. Their prayers and presence were enough; more than any morsel of grain they could offer.

As Lucy started to gain consciousness, she wouldn't stop crying. Suddenly, in a very fearful voice, she screamed... "Father Matthews, dear Father Matthews, I thank you for doing this but it's nothing. You are here for nothing. Take the woman away. I saw them. I saw it and we will win but my time is..." Lucy began to tremble.

Through her restrains, she started to shake vigorously like fruits in a blender. The sudden jerking motion scared the entire walls. Matthews was hurriedly on his foot praying when suddenly there was a strong gust of wind forcing him to fall back down. Strong-willed Matthews held to his force and then clutched onto the chair of Lucy, screaming to the powerful wind which came from nowhere.

Lucy suddenly bowed down to his face, stripping the hard restraints and screamed in a mechanical, heavy voice, "Do you, fool, think it is easy to destroy me and sent me back to where I came from? Well, know this you old bugger, that, I wasn't from that stupid house or cemetery but I am from way before. Lucy was always mine. It was a long time since I claimed her, and that was pretty much the excuse she made herself presenting her to my lair. Do you actually think you can destroy me? I am the one who dwells within and I am no longer a smaller army whom you can push me through the gates. Do you understand? Do you understand?" 

Matthews looked deep into the glinting eyes and muttered something, trying to get his voice back from the scream he swallowed in fear. Finally, after breathing in a lot, he got up and asked Kruger and everyone to pray together and this time, stronger; because he thought he might have understood what Lucy was suggesting in her outburst.

He started praying as Lucy started to laugh out loud.

"You cannot defeat me. I don't see you strong enough. Are you strong Kruger? With your heart still beating to have sex with Lucy and Sharon; oh, the moment you saw Sharon, you had your heart raising. You wanted to fall in love so bad, that your seminary was holding you back. I pity you, Kruger. And oh, Sharon, you filthy girl, I know your deepest secrets, Sharon... and you are calling yourself a therapist and a devotee; damn your lies to the lower pits of hell. You realize what danger you possess by lurking freely, pretending to be what you are not in front of me?"

"Be silence." Matthews spurted holy water on Lucy, burning the spirit within. Lucy's skin became red and smoke appeared from her face.

"Oh, you cunt; that may burn my skin but it won't hurt me. It won't scare me, it won't hurt me, and it won't do anything you bastards. I am the pain within, I am the hell within, I am everything..."

The painful screams filled the mansion shaking the grounds once again as Matthews and Kruger spurted more holy water.

Horses from the stable neighed and Jacob found it hard to hold them in place. They just couldn't rest. Jacob looked here and there pondering for a possible way to not them run away. They were already fed but defying their diet, Jacob gave them more oats and carrots which they sniffed and let them where Jacob had put them. He looked into the mansion wondering if he should go there and look what the matter was. It has never happened before.

However; it was the least of terror.

Every neighbor was sitting inside, praying thoroughly for no harm to come in their way. Being very religious, conservative and church going people had their mind creating all sorts of images for them to come across with and that pretty much scared them. The abnormal behavior of the animals was a true sign that the thing was not easy to deal with. It was heavily diabolical and they knew it. They just wished it will all end up soon.

Few people had decided already that the matter should complain to the church. They already hated the family to bring such a curse into their peaceful countryside. They even blamed that their odd children might have unleashed the terror sleeping in bridge mansion.

People could talk when their tongue is not in pain.

The families in the mansion were praying just as hard with the Livinggood family. Tears, prayers, and fear were scoring through the house like endless ripples. Lucy had never once stopped screaming more threats.

"IN the name of my lord almighty, the most gracious, I promise you that you will be hurt if I put my cross in your face you filthy demon. Oh, holy light, assist me in finding the real cause of this ordeal and in his name, do I command you... tell me your name and your purpose."

Though the things started to howl and guffaw in mockery, suddenly it ceased. Lucy looked up and had her eyes rounded in fear. She started talking.

"On her fifth birthday," she started in a very robotic voice, chilling the entire room, "Lucy and her family were taking a vacation near to the other end of the bridge forest in the Rosings Park. Through the barricade, the children ran freely into the restricted part of the forest. Upon reaching into the innermost layer of the forest, Lucy felt someone was watching her. Fear shot out making it an entryway for my people. She was touched. From then on, we have been following her. Entering bridge mansion was just a façade. She was already touched."

"Oh, my..." Emily cried as she gasped.

"What is it?" Matthews asked her gently.

"I remember that day. She said she was scared, yet we made her roam deep into the forest. I remember little but I know... oh, my, oh Lucy..." Katie finished Em's sentence as Em was crying on Katie's shoulder.

"How come, I never sensed that?" Sharon muttered to herself feeling baffled.

Lucy laughed showing black teeth and black eyes. "You are not strong enough to sense into my touch you fool. Do you think you are stronger than me when you stopped devil worship and doing drugs? Do you want me to say it to them what you did for a living?"

"Lord forgives those who are asked for genuine forgiveness. What my past doesn't define me. You, on the other hand, are trying to establish the fact that you are stronger when in reality you are nothing compared to my dear lord who dwells above in the great heavens. Do you think you can actually destroy that greater power?" Sharon said firmly, looking deep into the eyes of Lucy. All of a sudden, Sharon shrieked and fell back down, looking scared. She looked at Matthews and he looked at her.

Katie noticing the tension, asked, "What is it?"

"Patrick, you all should leave the room. I will call you when you are needed."

"The hell we are leaving. Father, will all due respect, we are not leaving our child." Patrick said.

"You have to understand," Sharon said.

"You shut it. Everyone shut it, if you can, drive this thing out of Lucy or else leave. I will take her to another therapist or someone." Julian hollered.

Nobody noticed Lucy's restrains ripping itself. As soon as it broke free, Lucy leaped onto Kruger and clawed his throat and face with sharp pointy nails. "You die, you filthy arrogant rotting corpse."

With so much strength, Lucy was pried off from Kruger and was made to sit in her chair. Julian, Peter, Patrick, Tina, and Mina couldn't hold her back. Patrick ran outside to see the butler and the families waiting outside. When the door opened, they looked at the pale looking Patrick.

"We need help."

Without hesitating, the butler walked in. As well as Mr.Jonathan hornbill, his son Mr.Jacob hornbill, all of the Peterburgh and Stone family walked in. Mrs.AngelinaHornbill found her way to the ladies parlor.

Lucy was now tied with two bed-sheets and some plastic rope.

"Ah, you are hurting me. What are you doing? Why are you doing this to me? Father... Katie. Help me..."

When Katie and Emily were about to run to her, despite Tina's effort in stopping them, Sharon asked them to stay put in a very stern voice.

"Who the hell do you think you are to boss me around? She needs us." Emily screeched.

"That thing is not your sister. They will do everything to hurt you... mentally and physically."

"Don't listen to her, please... come to me, I need help. They are hurting me. Please..."

When Emily was to walk to her, freeing from Sharon; Katie stopped her.

"No, don't. Our Lucy would never talk like that." Katie whispered to Emily which propelled Lucy to scream angrily. Em just broke seeing it and decided she had enough. She ran out. Sharon asked if Mina could assist her and she was more than ready to walk out.

Katie sighed sadly.

Once again, the terrible silence plummeted; freezing the blood. Anxiously; everyone waited for something to happen. And it did happen.

"Please untie me, I am here. I am Lucy. Please..."

"Why honey? Is this too painful for you?" Matthews asked cautiously yet gently."

"Yes, father Matthews, it's cutting into my skin and it hurts."

"Untie her."

She was untied. Lucy smiled weakly at everyone and asked for something to drink. "Cold and sweet, please..." the butler walked out and ringed for the maids.

Everyone was simply on the edge.

"I had the weirdest dream father." she was addressing to Matthews. Despite wanting to sleep, he turned his full attention to Lucy. "That I was in some sort of whiteness where the blinding light hurt my eyes. In between the light, a shadow walked out to me. Because of the brightness, I could only make it out as a man. He commanded something and I felt myself talking but I don't remember what either of us said."

Matthews blessed everyone and the house and cried in prayers, thanking for his highness's help. "The Lord is here to help." He exclaimed in happiness. Everyone understood his words even though there were skeptical thoughts. Yet, every single one of them kneeled down, thanking.

The juice was given to her by a very shaky Linda.

"Oh please, now everyone is scared of me?" Lucy asked, near to tears.

"Oh no... I am not scared of you dear. I am scared..."

"I know, here." She handed the glass back to Linda who walked out hastily.

The room fell silent.

The neighbors in their houses pulled the curtains aside and looked up and down the dark corners. Everyone was on the edge. Mrs.Rottweiler, an old woman, and the most gossip head of the church folks muttered, "What must be going on. I can feel it in my bones..." and that was how the gossip starts from her. "That one of the girls might have brought this from the Livinggood folks. Their estate lies closer to that satanic lair. And oh, I remember it like the back of my hand the day the girls were born at the same time, on the same day. Their dates were different. And let's not forget the fact; they never had a child later. Three miscarriages respectively for each three woman; that doesn't count simply as an empty coincidence, do you think Dominica..." Dominica Patchier was her maid; the main source of leak into town and church from Mrs.Rottweiler.

"I say... we will have to talk to the bishop and not let this slide easily for I can feel it in my bones... oh my, what in the heaven's name above was that sound?"

Meanwhile, after a brief silence, Lucy started to sweat and tremble. "Tie me, quick... I can see the light. The anger, it's coming... quick..." Lucy cried looking up into the ceiling.

Suddenly, she rolled back on her head, with her torso, hips and legs pulled upward on the bed, supported on her feet alone. Her hands were stretched to both sides and an intimidating growl emancipated from the pit of her throat. It then intensified to a full shriek that felt like five lions were roaring together.

There was no moment to waste. She was held quickly using everyone's power but she defied it all by levitating into the air, breaking all confinements. It was then Matthews screamed, demanding that the name must be out this instant.

Lucy flipped midair and sat down as if she was being slapped from above in a position that was simply terrifying. The crunching of bones sickened everyone's composure but they held onto the words Kruger was reciting even though Matthews was alternating between prayers and demanding.

"I command in the name of the holy spirit, my commander, my salvation that you must provide me your name this instant."

A womanly scream wrapped those who were present, making them close their ears and shield their eyes from the sudden infestation of insects out of nowhere. Bees, wasps, butterflies, roaches, flies, and rodents; suddenly infested the room. Just as they came, they fled from the room through a broken window. It was sure; they didn't come from there since Sharon would have noticed.

Now, they all knew the game was serious.

"I say, you are stronger than I gave you credit. But father, you can't save her. She will leave you. You cannot save her. She will die."

"Your name," Matthews screamed.

"They are many. There are 3 main demons, four legions and... They are many." Sharon was in a trance while she yelled this at the room.

Lucy screamed, "We are many. We are many. You cannot save her boy."

"I want to hear your name. Say, as I command you..."

"Yes, yes, in the name of that bastard who stands in this room, torturing me with the light? I said... I told you, you cannot save her. Let us free as he collects her soul."

"So, what was the bridge mansion flashbacks Lucy was seeing? What of it?" Sharon asked suddenly remembering all that Lucy said before.

Lucy laughed maniacally. "The girl, who haunts the mansion entered Lucy, under my command. She showed this wretched spirit, how pathetically her life ended in Saoirse's sacrifice. It was my plan to deviate her from the actual cause." Lucy beamed with pride but once again yelled into the air maniacally, "NO one can stop me, I will take her wretched soul. No one will ever stop me."   

Katie murmured 'no' as her heart thumped in fear.

"I command you in the name of..."

"Azazel, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and..." A terrifying lightning split through the sky illuminating Lucy's face into something more horrendous, making Kruger scream in fear; then she spoke again, "you wouldn't want to know."

"I command you..." Matthews's voice cracked.

"LUCIFER... the Lord himself in flesh!" Lucy hissed as once more a blinding light split through the sky.

As the father was finding hard to take his eyes from the glinting eyes of Lucy, something unexpected happened. Something so different and entirely rejuvenating.

"Where is... mummy?" Lucy asked, suddenly looking very much like her. The light in her eyes returned, her chapped and broken skin had a bit of color. She looked weak, yet, herself.

No one could believe the exorcism was over this soon.

"Katie, call everyone. I want to see everyone."

"You can, once you have freshened up dear." 

"No, you don't understand. I don't have much time Sharon. Call them." Lucy shrieked. It was a good thing that they were just two rooms away. Except for the neighbor everyone came running to Lucy.

"Oh, mommy... I love you. I love you so much, father. Please forgive me."

"Don't talk like that."

She exchanged love towards everyone. Then focused on Katie, "you have been my rock and Em, you have been my light. Stay the same, even if you will miss me... don't interrupt, let me talk for once. I will leave you soon. But, don't think you failed Father Matthews, we won. The light said it was my time; I am sorry. I will leave you. He is here, the Lord is here. The demons have fled. I am free. But I have to go."

The room was a war cry. The feeling was worse than knowing the demons have not left Lucy.

"Em, Kat, you should complete our studies. I want you to live exactly like we did. No..."

"No..." Julie cried out hugging her child.

"Please, for me..."

"No, I won't. You are talking rubbish like you do all the time. You will be up and running. Stop worrying us." Katie screamed at her.

"You never listened. I always told the truth. But, please... PROMISE me... you will complete..."

"I won't..." Emily screamed crying.

"PLEASE for God sake, PLEASE... do it for me, or I will be haunting you." Lucy nervously chuckled but everyone was deeply scared, hurt and dejected to realize she was daring to crack a dry joke.

Sharon realized Lucy was indeed saying the truth. She nodded at father Matthews and his eyes finally welled.

"I have never heard of such a situation. I am tired." his voice dispossessed strength.

"PROMISE ME..." Lucy begged and finally, Katie heeded reluctantly but Emily didn't, crying and cursing at the fate.

However, Lucy didn't have time to command or chastise her soulmate; since she was already staring at the ceiling saying over and over again, "I love you all, please remember me. I love you all. You all will be safe." Then, after a few long beats of silence, her voice returned to seriousness, as she said, "Please, continue and finish the prayer."

With trembling hands and crying eyes, father Matthews and father Kruger completed the prayer with heavy hearts.

But it didn't take long for Father Matthews to switch the prayer into something pleasant and peaceful since he realized the peace looking Sheep was long gone with the Sheppard. 

_____________________________ 

An epilogue with little more devastating news and then... ta-da... Haunting; is over. WOW....

It simply has been an interesting journey and I LOVED IT.

I wasn't showered with votes, comments, and love but what I got was true and heartfelt. 

Thank you :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

What are your thoughts on this chapter? 

P.S if you have any doubt; be clear that the demons fled with the help of Lord. Her death was not by the hands of the Devil. The last line suggests that: "peace looking Sheep was long gone with the Sheppard." 

Thank you so much. We will see for the epilogue :)