━━ CHAPTER THIRTY / the casket
episode four, part four.

Everything promptly went downhill after Saunders informed the four that they would be the only ones going anywhere near the grave. They were there to secure the Source, alone. It was unsurprising considering what had just happened outside but it didn't make Demi any less nervous. The anxiety came back in a sickening wave and she did her best to mask it with a hesitant smile.

But everyone was feeling it. The worry. They were meant to be fearless and they were - most of the time - but it clearly bothered all of them. All four had their torches up as they approached the grave. It was out of the way of the Chapel but everyone was close enough that they would hopefully be able to hear them scream.

It was a messy site. The grave was only half-dug up, spades abandoned and soil spread haphazardly across the ground.

"They really did leave in a hurry," George said as they came to a stop a foot or so in front of the grave. Demi could already feel something was off. The feeling of nausea began to cling to the edges of her and the world didn't feel quite right. She could feel it in her eyes.

"Okay," Lockwood said softly as they all dropped their kitbags. There would be no time for tea with this one which is exactly why Demi had filled her back with prototypes rather than biscuits. Though, she wasn't exactly sure how helpful they would be, "Ready?" Lockwood asked as he glanced between the three. Demi nodded.

"As I'll ever be," She mumbled and they all switched their torches off, putting them in their work belt. The anxiety swelled in Demi's chest now that they were in the dark but it was fine. It was perfectly okay. Lockwood was standing right next to her. She would be fine. With a deep breath, she stepped forward and knelt down. Her rapier pressed into the dirt and she pushed her fingers beneath the disturbed soil.

Hoping that she could get some sort of image or flash. She tuned out the other three, their voices becoming muffled in her mind as she closed her eyes. The silence washed over her and then the buzzing started in her ears. It was loud, like a swarm of bees and she flinched away from it.

"There's no death glows. Nothing else visible," She heard Lockwood say over the noise. His voice was far away like her head had been pushed underwater, "Got anything?" It was somehow even quieter than before and then Demi heard it. The screaming and the flashes came quicker than she was used to. People, dressed in 19th-century clothes. All the faces were unfamiliar. She had no idea who they were. Then the screaming got louder and she flinched away. But she couldn't pull her hand out of the soil. It was like something had a grip on her arm and then Lockwood pulled her back from the grave.

Her head shot up and she met his concerned gaze. He held his hand out and she grabbed it. He pulled her to her feet and she glanced at the grave before looking between the rest of the group. They were waiting for her to speak.

"Whoever it is, they're evil," is all Demi said. It was hard to describe what she had seen because she was still trying to piece it together. And George didn't even want Demi here so if she had admitted to what she felt, he might have forced her to go home before anything happened. But she had to be here.

So, they got to work. Iron chains were placed around the grave and they placed thermometers along the perimeter to keep track of any temperature drops.

Then, they pulled straws for who was on first inspection. It was George and Lockwood glanced between the two girls.

"George takes first inspection. Both of you watch him," Lockwood instructed. Demi nodded and she glanced back at George who was heading towards the grave, "I'll take lookout. Let's not hang about." Lucy smiled hesitantly before she joined Demi in watching over George. Lockwood then moved to his post as look-out. "In position." The anxiety that had settled into Demi's stomach dulled slightly and she let out a soft breath. It was going to be fine.

"Be careful. It knows you're there," Lucy said as she shone the torch towards George. Demi had half a mind to make a snarky comment but she kept herself quiet. George looked between the two girls with a nervous look before he turned back around and stepped into the iron chain circle.

Demi could feel whatever was inside the circle wasn't happy. The nausea came back in a wave and she could feel it behind her eyes again. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, attempting to blink the feeling away.

"This casket's not level and it's not as deep as it should be. So we've got a rushed, illegal and very amateur burial which has been here as long as these other plots," George explained as he knelt down over the dirt. As he was speaking, Lucy's light fell and Demi's gaze snapped to the girl. Something was off.

"Why hasn't it rotted?" George asked, more to himself than anyone as Demi rushed from her side of the grave to Lucy. She grabbed the torch just as George went, "Keep the light steady." Demi lifted the torch back to be level and used her other arm to loop around Lucy's back.

"Hey, Luce, what's wrong?" Demi asked softly as she looked into her eyes. Lucy glanced at the grave and then back at Demi.

"It's strong. I don't feel good," She admitted. Demi nodded. The nausea was making the world spin and she could feel how her stomach wanted to chuck up everything inside. But she had to be strong for everyone else. She couldn't be the weak link here.

"Joplin's coming," Lockwood said as he walked past the two girls. Demi gave Lockwood a reassuring smile before she focused back on Lucy. Her free hand moved from Lucy's back to her face, forcing her chin up.

"Keep her away!" George insisted as the two girls met gazes.

"Do you want to step back? I'll be okay covering George," Demi asked but Lucy shook her head. The nausea seemed to pass and she stood up fully on her own. Demi stepped back a little, still keeping the torch level for George.

"Can you not feel that?" Lucy asked. Demi nodded.

"I can feel it, trust me," She mumbled. Lucy's eyebrows furrowed but she didn't say anything as she stepped back from Demi, towards the grave. Something was happening and Demi glanced at Lockwood. He had managed to get Joplin far enough away that she wouldn't disturb them and he approached the two girls. Demi nodded - indicating that she was fine - so Lockwood went straight to Lucy. Something was wrong, very wrong with this grave.

"Where's my light?" George complained and Demi swallowed down the bile in her throat, rushing forward and flicking the light onto him again. He brushed away some of the dirt from the coffin and his eyes widened.

"This coffin's made of iron," George exclaimed calmly as he stood up. Lockwood's voice was calm as he ordered George to get out. Demi glanced back and Lucy still seemed off. Lockwood helped George out and the group all stepped back.

"I don't like this," Demi stated.

"The coffin's made of iron but it was put in the ground way before the Problem started. So what exactly is in there that they needed to trap?" Lockwood commented as he glanced at the casket before he looked at Demi. Her eyes were unfocused and she could feel the bile rising in her throat. And then the buzzing again.

"And how did they know how to do it? We need to regroup, research-" George attempted but Lockwood was quick to cut him off.

"No time. There's a hole in the casket. We need to open it and seal the source." Demi nodded in agreement, her gaze re-focused back on the grave in front of them. She swallowed back the sick and took a deep breath. She could do this. It was okay. She glanced at Lucy.

"Luce?" Demi nudged her shoulder and Lucy came back to the group. Her eyes snapped to Demi and she gave her a half-smile.

"I'm fine, fine, yeah," She mumbled as she turned around. Her gaze fully on Demi now, "It's just... Can you hear those flies? What is that?" Her hand moved to point towards her ear and Demi nodded. It was probably what she had heard when she connected to the grave.

"It's like bees?" Demi asked. Lucy nodded in confirmation and Demi glanced between the two boys, "We need to do this, quickly," She insisted. George nodded.

"Let's get back to the casket," Lockwood said as he swerved past both of the girls, "I'll deal with whatever's inside there." He grabbed the spade from the ground and Demi stepped back, glancing around. Something was off. This couldn't be right. This wasn't right and Demi stepped back just as Lockwood shouted at the girls to focus and Lucy's rapier barely missed slicing Demi across the middle.

"Get the net," Lockwood ordered and Demi nodded. It seemed she was more aware than Lucy and she rushed over to the kit bag. The sooner that they got the Source covered, the sooner the nausea and buzzing were gone. Demi could hear it again now. It was louder than the first time and it was like the screams mixed into it. They were softer and it made Demi's head hurt.

Voices sounded far away as she snatched the net from the bag and stumbled to her feet just as the screams got louder. It was like the house all over again and she squeezed her eyes shut against it. It was too loud and the presence on her hand returned. It was dragging her, gripping her. Fingers dug into her skin as she stumbled backwards, forcing her eyes open.

Time seemed to slow and speed up and everything was happening around Demi. The boys were shouting, talking, she could see their mouths moving and Lucy wasn't focusing. Her gaze unfocused as her rapier dropped to the floor. It was a mess and Demi tried, tried to bring herself back to reality.

But she couldn't and then Lockwood snapped her name and something in her switched. And she ran and threw the net. The silence was peaceful and the presence on her arms disappeared. Her heart began beating normally again and she glanced back at Lucy whose face was relieved.

"Here comes the cavalry, finally," Lockwood mumbled bitterly as Demi pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead. A few harsh breaths escaped her lips and she just felt like crying. It was too much. This was too much and she stepped back, turning away from the group. Her hands pressed against her eyes and she took a few deep calming breaths. The trio were talking behind her, talking about it not being the Agency's finest hour, that they might not have even secured it and Demi just felt sick, very sick.

"It's DEPRAC's problem now," Lockwood said as he pressed his hand on Demi's shoulder. Her head shot up and she met his gaze. The fear and anxiety were clear in the look she gave him and he frowned. But before he could say anything, Saunders appeared.

"All someone had to do was apply themselves. Wasn't so difficult was it? Good work, Mr Lockwood. If you'll come with me, sign a few forms. I can release payments," Saunders exclaimed excitedly. Demi had half a mind to roll her eyes but held herself back. She heard Lockwood tell Lucy to look after her and George but she didn't want to be looked after. She wanted to be at home, she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Then Joplin appeared and Demi wanted to run far far away. Her eyes squeezed shut briefly and she turned to George, reaching out for his arm. His head snapped to meet her gaze and she sent him a soft smile.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled softly. He shrugged and Demi wanted to sob. Lucy then excused herself and George took on the role of explaining everything to Joplin. Demi didn't want to be there and so, she stood like a statue, watching the activity around her. The photos being snapped with bright flashes of light, the chatter of sensitive and night-watch. She just watched it all so passively. She wanted to be back at home in bed. She wanted her old team back. She wanted... Chase. She wanted to feel safe again.

And then the noises came back to her. The screaming, the buzzing, the grip on her arm and a gust of wind blew through the entire cemetery. She turned around and a spirit had risen from the grave. It was massive, made of smoke and it was angry. Demi could feel how angry it was.

Then Lucy's rapier was thrown through its middle and Demi watched helplessly as the smoke turned red and orange. It was so angry. Like it was burning and the screaming grew louder, the grip on her arm was tighter than she had ever felt. Her hand slapped over her ears as her knees gave in. Her body just prayed that the closer she was to the ground, the less she would hear the noise but it didn't let up.

Before silence again and Demi's body sobbed with relief. Her head fell loosely against the ground as her arms protected her head from the silence.

-

Not a word fell from Demi's lips the entire taxi ride home. Nobody was talking. Everyone was too angry and frustrated and Demi slammed the front door behind her once they had made it into Portland Row. She was the last one inside and the second that the front door was closed, the shouting started.

"You let a non-agent inside the iron circle!" Lockwood exclaimed as he followed George into the library. But Demi didn't want to listen to it. She dropped her rapier into the holder and shoved her jacket off her shoulders, throwing it over the bannister before she went downstairs. Lucy had gone down to the basement and Demi just hoped that she wouldn't have to talk to her.

She didn't want to even be at Portland Row anymore. She wanted to be at home with her parents and Chase. As much as she hated even thinking about it, she wanted to be a kid again. A child that was scared every single night but at least she had her parents and Chase to look after her. They cared about her. There were no parents in this house. Just a group of dysfunctional teenagers and Demi wanted to cry.

But she couldn't. Her head smacked against the table and she desperately wanted to drown out George and Lockwood's arguing but she could still hear it.

"Lucy legged it in the middle of a job and Demi stood there like a bloody statue. But you'd never bollock either of them like this. And, by the way-" Demi went to tune them out but then the basement door smacked open and Lucy walked through. She had the skull in her hand and she didn't even notice Demi as she stormed upstairs with it.

The chair scraped back as Demi forced herself to her feet. She rushed up the stairs after Lucy and entered the library a second after her. Watching as she placed the skull down on the side.

"What happened to you?" Lockwood asked, "I told you to watch them." His voice was laced with annoyance and Demi would have found it endearing if she wasn't already at her wit's end with all of them.

"The skull. It was talking, just now. And not some random repeated death loop. An actual conversation. With me." Lucy had taken a few steps back from the skull. Her finger pointed at it accusingly and Demi stared at her. Completely baffled. She lived in a house full of maniacs. Lockwood put his hands over his face, rubbing his temples while George looked incredulous. His eyes widened.

"Is it talking to you now?" George asked but his tone was dripping with condescension. Demi glared at him.

"No. No, no, look, right, I know how this might sound but it happened," Lucy stumbled over her words as she rushed back over to the skull. Lockwood moved away from his corner towards the door where Demi was standing, watching. She had absolutely nothing to say to any of them but she had to hear Lucy out, "I'm telling the truth. It used my name. That's why I passed out yesterday." Her eyes were wide. She almost seemed manic and Demi just felt sorry for her.

"Lucy, that's impossible," Lockwood said. His voice had dropped from annoyance to despair. He was exhausted by all of this.

"No, it's not. Marissa Fittes did it," Lucy asserted. She was pleading, trying to get them to understand and Lockwood turned his head away. He looked done with her and that almost made Demi more annoyed. He would never have acted like this if it was her, "Right, this valve, yeah? You turn it, you twist it and then it lets its voice out." The look that George gave Lockwood solidified Demi's annoyance. It was almost like he was amused by it. So, whether Lucy was being honest or not, Demi didn't care. She deserved to have someone take her seriously, "Come on, George, you have to believe me." Lucy turned on the boy but there was nothing. His face was blank. She glanced at Demi and the girl gave her an encouraging smile, "It said you had something dangerous hidden in that room. The secret one on the landing. So? Is there?" Lucy said pointing towards Lockwood. She was hoping that anything would convince them but the look that passed over Lockwood's face was not one that believed her. Not in the slightest, "Because if there is then it proves that we have a real sentient Type Three on our hands and that I am-" Lucy began but George spoke over her. She shouted "really fucking powerful" while George said, "clinically insane."

Demi didn't want to be here and she found herself stepping away from the doorway. Her hands ran through her hair and she turned away. She wanted to get away from this, get away from them and scream into her pillow. Or go home. Something.

But then George said something that sent her over the edge, "Lockwood, this is what happens when you let people accessorize with sources. You gave her a free pass just 'cause you liked the way she looks at you. Yet, I'm the one who's distracted." George headed towards the door and suddenly Demi snapped on him, shoving him harshly. He glared at her and she cocked her head, daring him to try something.

But he didn't do anything. He instead, shoved past her just as Lucy spoke.

"Lockwood, Demi, please, you have to believe me," Lucy begged as Demi turned away from the staircase. She had glared at George the entire time he went up the stairs and by the time she had turned back to the pair to address Lucy's words, Lockwood had already done the damage.

"If you ever mention that room again, you are done here!" She had never seen Lockwood get as angry as he did in that moment and Demi stared at him. Her face crumpled almost as much as Lucy's and she watched Lockwood leave before walking over to Lucy. Each step was cautious and Lucy met her gaze. Her eyes were so sad and Demi frowned.

"I believe you, Luce," She admitted softly as she took Lucy's hands in her own, "I believe you." She insisted. Lucy nodded but her gaze didn't move off of the carpet. Demi stepped back and she turned away, going straight up the stairs. But she didn't go to Lockwood's room like she usually would, she went to her own and slammed the door shut behind her.

-