The Argents

The moon was just starting to rise to its peak when we pulled into the two story Victorian homes driveway. The brakes of the Ol' Smoker, Jason’s beat up Civic, screeching to a halt as Jason stopped in the driveway.

"This is the house?" I asked warily starring at the open door.

"692 Daimon lane." Jason replied as he got out and grabbed the bag from the back seat. "It's time to go." He softly stated when I still hadn't moved from the passenger seat.

I slowly unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed my necklace from the rearview mirror and made my way to Jason. He stopped and looked at me for a beat before saying "We have to do this Anna. You know that right?" He placed his hand on my shoulder "We can do this, nothing’s going to happen. We will be in and out in no time."

I stared up at the house which had all the lights out but one that was emitting a dim flickering orange glow. I glanced back at him and slowly nodded, still doubtful. We were just teenagers we weren't ready to handle this.

Jason walked up the steps and over the threshold opening it wider to reveal blood splattered walls and slashed family paintings. Along with splintered table and toppled chairs. The sight of the blood alone made me want to run as long and far away as I could but Jason just stepped forward like it wasn't even there.

That, was made us so different. Jason could compartmentalize his feeling any time he needed. He never seemed to feel anything while I always seemed to feel too much. Mrs. Jenkins often said that I felt enough for the both of us, that I was an empathizer and a pacific. However, things could not be settled civilly, not tonight.

Every fiber of my being screamed at me to run, get back in the car. Drive away from the small town I grew up in all my life and leave everything and everyone I knew behind in search of a better life. Alas, I knew I couldn't. For I am the pastor’s daughter and because of my father’s untimely demise it has fallen to me to take care of our 129 population town.

Before we walked any further in the house Jason turned to talk to me.

“It won’t be like what happened to him.”

"Promise?" I whispered meekly.

"Promise." He stated with conviction as he now gently guided me through the house.

Once we got to the kitchen we knew we had found the spot we needed to be for the rancid smell emitting from around the corner was the last sign. Upon turning into the dining room we found a small 10 year Annalise Walker sitting in a chair crying. My immediate instinct told me to run up and comfort her but Jason's hand tightened on my shoulder and he only shook his head subtly telling me no.

"Where is Annalise Walker?" He commanded in a strong and intimidating tone that sounded just like my father.

You see when Jason was just 9 his parents died of a drug overdose leaving him an orphan. The whole town turned their back on him, like he was a pariah. My father, Pastor Luke, just scolded the towns’ people and took Jason in. Jason trained under my father so he too would one day become pastor of our small town. Although my father raised Jason as one of his own he was never formally adopted which left Jason feeling unworthy of our surname.

When Annalise replied I could only stare on in horror listening to her say "I'm right here don't be silly."

Only it wasn't Annalise Walker’s voice that spoke but an ancient, gravelly, and malicious voice.

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immunde spiritus, omni satanica potestas…” Jason’s chant filtered in and of my ears as I stared on in shock and disbelief. This once loveable and delightful little girl had been taken over by a demon bent on destruction and death.

“Get away, get away!” The demon roared shaking the foundation of the house and blowing out the once flickering candle, are only source of light. Using Annalise as a marionette the demon fought against the constraints that Annalise’s parents put on her before they slowly lost their grip on reality.

It’s yelling broke me out of my stupor and jumpstarted me into helping Jason with the chant grabbing the holy water from the bag and sprinkling it across Annalise’s forehead.

“She can only live if I’m alive you send me back to Hell and she dies with me!” The demon cackled in our faces spitting at us in its rage. Jason ignored the spirits threat continuing the incantation so I followed suit using my cross necklace my father had blessed to hopefully advance the exorcism and protect us in the process.

Soon the demon stopped struggling against the bonds that trapped it, leaving me to wonder if we had finally condemned it back to Hell and we could get Annalise back. With Jason still chanting I didn’t give it the benefit of the doubt and we worked together in the silence of the demon to finish what it had started.

“I killed your father. I ripped right into his soft, pale, and mortal skin and let him bleed to death! I relished every long and everlasting second of it making sure to draw out his agony! I killed him for fun just because I was bored and when I found out he was an Argent knew I would have to find you too. To get the satisfaction of killing you just as I did to your father! This time I’m going to send you Hell and let you be torn apart by every demon that your father has ever condemned!”

My face drained of all color and I stuttered through the next line of the incantation feeling sick. The Argents have always been the top exorcist to call for help. In our family it is a rite of passage to learn how to expel demons from the bodies of innocent humans.

Our name serves as a threat to all evil beings. But, with my seventeenth birthday just two months before my father died he never had a chance to teach me. Jason who had turned seventeen, just months before me had a chance to learn the basics. Leaving the obvious candidate to led this exorcism seeing as he was more erudite than I, in this particular subject.

My father died doing a ritual to save a little girl just like we are trying to now. Knowing this is the same demonic spirit was able to take my father, who had 20 years of experience, down made this ritual for Jason and me much more dangerous that I thought it would ever be.

I pushed my thoughts away and looked at Jason who too looked paler than usual.

“Let us pray,” he persisted with the ending of the incantation which would hopefully safely get Annalise back to us. “God of heaven, God of earth-“

“No, hold your tongue before I rip it straight out of the back of your throat!” The demon writhed and screamed fighting more urgently than ever to break free. It was blood-curdling to watch a child say these things even knowing it wasn’t truly her and that deep down she was trapped waiting to be free again.

“I will end you.” The demon whispered staring straight at me, sadistically smiling at me. “I bet your blood it sweeter than your fathers.”

Time seemed to stand still as “Annalise” broke through the constraints and rammed me causing my head to thump against the wall with a sickening crack. Even dying the demon had too much strength for me to fight back.

“Anna!” Jason screamed conflicted between helping me and finishing off the final words that would finally rid us of the beast that killed my father and God only knows how many other innocent lives. Before he could make a decision though the demon puppeteering Annalise grabbed the butchers’ knife from the kitchen which was fully visible from the dining room.

“There’s no hope for any of you. I’ve been hiding in this town for two months! Everybody’s infected. You all will die!” Chills were sent down my spine and my head thumped along to the beat of my heart.

“I think for the first death we will start off with, poor miss Walker,” Then before either of us could move the marionette sliced Annalise’s throat and we could only watch on in despair as Annalise’s body crumpled to the floor like a rag doll.

Jason starred on in shock and my brain tried to process what had just happened. My movement felt sluggish and as I turned my head to look at Jason my vision started to swim. Slowly, Jason turned to me going paler than I had ever seen him.

“We have to get you the h-.“ Jason coughed into hand and I look down to see blood in it.

“Is this what it meant?” I slowly choked out. “Are you dying?”

“We have to go Anna, come on.” Jason stated ignoring all my questions. He carefully pulled me to my feet and took a step towards the door when my knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor almost hitting my head against the wall for the second time that evening. I tentatively lifted my hand to my head which was still pounding and felt something warm and sticky against it. I carefully adjusted my hand into my narrow line of vison and noticed it was stained crimson.

“Oh,” I sluggishly stated. My eyes were growing heavy and my emotions were scattered and I couldn’t think straight. I just wanted to lie down, sleep and have my dad help me figure this whole mess out.

“Hey, no you have to stay with me Anna.” Jason tone sounded frightened. Jason was never frightened not for anyone or anything. I dully opened my eyes and attempted to focus on him. There were still specks of blood on his lip.

“Save them Jas.” I muttered as strongly as I could. “Try to save them, before it’s too late.”

“I promised you that you would be safe.” Jason replied sounding more panicked and frightened. “You can’t leave me, you are all that I have left.”

Tears welled in my eyes completely obscuring my vision, “Thanks Jas, for everything.”