The Grasp of Nighttide (25 page)

“Can’t murderers, thieves, psychos enter the church or hold the cross?” Etsy snapped and waited till Alice nodded. “You can too. It is only when the demon emerges that the cross will burn you.”

The comparison Etsy made between Alice and murderers and psychos scared her. "So, uh what if uh…you hold the cross to contain me?” Alice replied. 

“Oh, honey. Of course I tried that.” Etsy said nonchalantly. “Your skin started peeling off, and the excruciating screams…. So, I stopped.” 

Alice suddenly remembered her mom’s letter. “Wait… mom said I should keep away from priests and churches.” She said. 

“When a demon possesses a person, it fuses with the body. It can be removed, but it is extremely difficult and most of the time results in the death of the person. Think of an exorcism as a sort of high-risk surgery. Veronica consulted a priest one night, against my wishes I might add, but when he told her of the chances of you dying, she backed out. Unfortunately for him, he told her that she no longer had a say in the matter, the demon inside of you was too dangerous to be allowed to roam free. He would give her one more night with you, and then he would be back with more priests in the morning. That was his mistake of course, and he was quite foolish for giving a desperate mother no choice." For a moment Alice thought that Etsy was trying to say that Veronica had murdered a priest. After a moment however, she realized there was a simpler explanation, especially with herself at the scene.

"She stopped protecting me, didn't she? She let me kill him?" The thought made her sick. 

"It was something she regretted daily and constantly sought forgiveness for. Your mother did what she had to keep you alive. She executed her job as a mother rather well if you ask me.”

If it wasn’t for those bloody Grasp. 
Alice thought to herself. Without the Grasp, everything would have just turned out fine. She wouldn’t have landed herself up in this mess. Grasp had snatched her happiness. Grasp killed her parents. Grasp had destroyed her life. 

“Where are the Grasp now?” Alice growled in anger. 

“No one knows their exact location, dear. They would not exist for long if we did. I did perform magic and sensed a lady off and on for several years when you were possessed, and I tried to catch her when I arrived in Colorado. I had a hunch she’d be nearby. She seemed very old when I sensed her." Etsy seemed bothered suddenly. “I was onto her and I wanted to catch her and finish her once and for all. All that was remaining was to track her location. I was going to perform that spell but that was the night the demon returned- last week, and she immediately disappeared from me. By now she’s probably changed her appearance; she might be a young hippie. All of them would be young hippies.” Etsy scoffed.

A young hippie, 
Alice wondered. A familiar face jolted into her mind. Though she wasn’t great at remembering faces, this one had got her attention. The girl she saw at the roadside last night. She had all features of Mrs. Diane Paul! 

“I know who it is.” Alice raised her hand like a school kid. 

“No use now, dear. The demon is loose inside of you. It is probably still her responsibility to watch after you, but she will be keeping a much lower profile now." Etsy snorted. 

“Ron told me that the demon killed sixteen people in the past, before the same started in Colorado. Sixteen people in fifteen years and now every day!” Alice protested, her voice rising. 

“You would have killed thousands if not for me and Veronica. I doubt you would’ve survived if not for us. Children who have this problem develop mental problems; even kill themselves out of guilt. We did whatever we could. The first few years you were on my sleeping spell, but eventually your sleep got shallower until one day it didn’t work at all. I made charms, potions. Veronica tried depression pills to numb you, but everything became useless after a while. Veronica even had to chain you to the bed, but it was no use at one point. The demon was much too strong for us to contain any longer." 

“You mean the Grasp didn’t do anything to stop you?” 

“They wouldn’t. It isn’t the way they work. And it also meant the demon was growing each day inside you. They were, and still are, counting on the demon to gain control over you, and in a way we were still helping them by taking care of you.” She said plainly. 

Alice swore her jaw dropped upon hearing that. “What!?”

“Don't worry, girl. I am pretty sure that you can get over it before that happens. You just need focus and determination. That very day you tried to kill yourself, you were using the demon to kill you. You were controlling it, don't you get that? You can try controlling it again, you know. And once you suppress it for good, it will never gain control over your mind and body again.” 

Alice scowled. “I don’t even remember controlling it,” she confessed. 

“From what I heard about that night, your emotions had got the better of you. I have wondered if that had anything to do with your ability to control the demon. But coincidently that night you lost your memory. The doctors didn’t see any great impact that would let you forget everything. What I think is that it was the Grasp behind it. So that you’d forget everything and the demon would be safe until it can gain total control over you. I’d told Veronica this and she had another theory that it might be for the better, because the accidents had stopped. I wasn’t too sure and so we went with her plan. Cunning people the Grasp are. Get back to Lance and maybe you both can try your way out.” 

“It would be easier if you help me regain my memory.” Alice hesitated. “With… umm... magic” 

“Believe me. If I could, I would. It’s all up to you now.” Etsy looked on stern.

“Make a stitch in time. That is all I can say. It is the only way you can mark your way above the demon. Do not let it control you, understand my dear?” Etsy said and checked her watch. “Now, you must hurry if you want to catch your flight."

“Hey…” Ravi Kumar came up.

“Call him Derek,” Janice spat out the last word like he wasn’t supposed to be called that. Then she turned to her husband, Ravi, who was surprised by her loud interruption. “After all, we are at the Great Jacob Lawson’s home.”

“Mom, cut it out,” Derek whispered. “Dad’s upset.”

“Your mom never learnt what to say at what time,” Jacob started with his part.

“That might be you mister.”

Derek threw up his hands and stepped back. Ravi had to literally pull them away before commotion rose above the grievance of Steph’s death. Derek marched across the hall.

“Stephanie’s body was in such bad shape that I’m sure it had to be scooped up,” a lady was whispering to another at the corner. “Poor girl. I heard they couldn’t find a hand.”

Derek glanced in their direction. An Asian and a blonde, dressed in black satin dresses. The dresses looked identical besides the sleeves. While Veronica’s death had only been briefed, Stephanie’s death had made huge news. It was on every news channel, the terror of the accident. It was categorised under the mysterious demonic deaths as the previous days but it got engraved in people’s minds. Not because she was the daughter of Jacob Lawson’s late wife, but because this was by far the worst accident anyone had seen in ages. It would be kind if none could find her shattered body, let alone dogs. Now people were talking, describing of how bits of her were strewn all over the street.

“Well,” The Asian responded in a whisper. “I think they couldn’t find both hands.”

With his parents breaking up the argument they were over, Derek decided it was best to just leave the ladies be and Steph’s funeral service go smoothly.

“Want to bet? Fifty dollars.”

That was all Derek could take. He pushed the blonde to the wall.

“That’s what you are here for huh?” He shouted in her face. “Betting on how my sister was found.”

Franny appeared at his side. “Derek,” she ordered, “let go.”

“I bet whether I can destroy your face in one punch,” Derek continued. “One million dollars.”

“I’m sorry,” the woman almost cried.

“Your mom just left and now you... All are looking please let go.” Franny pleaded.

Derek heaved and stepped aside pointing to both the women. “Never gossip and bet on dead people again. Now get out!”

Shaken, the lady went out, and the Asian followed. They had to be dad’s friends from business but they weren’t stopped, Derek thought they weren’t very important to him. Even otherwise Derek knew if he told Jacob the whole thing, Jacob would kick them out himself.

“They were betting on Steph,” Derek said incredulously to Franny. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Steph.”

“Come on sit down, dear,” Franny lead him away in the kitchen. “You look awful. Rest up, I’ll check on your dad.”

Jane was sitting across from him, completely numb, while her twins were firing questions at her. One of them walked up to Derek.

“Derek! Won’t Steph come back ever? Mom’s not answering us.”

“Look Kim,” Derek knelt down, taking a long breath.

“Kate,” she corrected.

“Right. Kim, you come over here too.” Jane looked up at Derek, expressionless.

“Steph will always be with you.” They listened to him carefully. “Aren’t those the chains Steph bought for you?” he pointed to the delicate metal around their necks.

“Yes,” Kim answered. “Mom got it from her room. It was supposed to be our birthday present.”

“Whenever you want to talk to Steph wear them and close your eyes.” Derek told them.

“Can we try?”

“Go ahead.”

“Steph, I miss you so much. We all do,” Kim started.

“We’ll wait for you forever. Please visit us sometime.”

“And she told me to tell you something else,” Derek said. There was a poem. He had heard Steph telling them a poem. “My two little angels, my two shiny eyes, my dear sisters smart and wise. Don’t get into trouble. Uh...” It had been a long time since he’d heard that and it was hard to remember what was next.

Derek glanced at Jane who mouthed the words. “Please be nice. Come and give me a hug. I can’t say goodbyes.”

Both of them hugged Derek, teary eyed. “And this time she added another line to it,” Derek flicked their tears. “Whenever you need me, call Derek by. Please little sissies don’t you cry.”

“We won’t.” Kate promised.

“Will you come to our birthday?” Kim sniffled and Derek nodded.

“Go and play outside.” Jane said, offering Derek a weak smile. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

After the girls went away Jane continued.” I can’t believe she’s gone. First Rosalie, then Steph. And Steph was figuring out something she said... She was going to leave us and move away. She had left a letter in the house. It would've been a bad thing if she had fled, but I would pick that over her death.” She looked at Derek and her lip quivered. "And now she's gone."

“They both were more than family to me.” Derek hugged her.

“I have something to give you,” she said, opening the kitchen drawers one by one and rummaging through them. Finally, she pulled out a snow globe from one and came over to him.

“That is Steph’s” Derek said, taking it into his hands.

“Yeah, it is. But when I’d been to her room to check her room before coming here, she’d left a note under this as a reminder to give it to you. It might've been a parting gift to you, but now it is just a reminder of her. Take care of it.” Jane paused. “And take care of yourself too.”

“You too, Jane,” he took it from her. “I’ll be there for the twins’ birthday. I will arrange it myself.”

Derek slipped upstairs and locked himself in his room. At least he thought it was still his room but it was completely transformed into a home gymnasium, completed with a treadmill, weights, foam mats, and a layer of dust over everything that showed how often it was being used. The last time he had come here a little over a month ago, before Jacob’s wedding, it was quite the same as he’d left it when he moved to high school. Rosalie had kept it untouched. Dad’s current wife, Nina, had given the house a complete makeover, replacing everything with a more expensive version.

But that didn’t bother Derek, he never did want to stay here anyway. It was okay that Nina thought to change his room, though clearly she did it on purpose. But what she did today was heights- leaving for a vacation. Dad was so upset but Nina couldn’t afford cancelling the pre-planned vacation with her girlfriends. She’d left hours earlier than she had to and Derek was sure that it was because she was afraid to have to stay.

Though Steph was in no way related to Nina, dad was clearly disturbed today. This lady was completely immune to emotion, worse than Janice. Derek was still surprised that Jacob had married her.

Suddenly he pulled back his attention to the globe. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do. Under the floorboard near the window, he felt around for a small metal catch. Finally his fingers reached the remembered spot, and with a little click, the floorboard opened to reveal a secret hatch that he knew Steph had used to stash bills. Inside, there was a note. Derek’s hands trembled as he unfolded it.

     DL, if you are reading this, I must’ve fled. I couldn’t face you all after doing what I did. I had promised I would be a better person but I couldn’t. About Alice... I don’t know the whole story of your love but it’s not worth spoiling your life with her gone. She was the road demon DL. She killed mom and so many innocent people. You are my brother and that’s why I’m telling you this – I killed her. I have been tracking her since the night that I saw her kill mom. I couldn’t ignore the Grasp as I’d promised. I know you hate me, I’m sorry.

You don’t deserve a demon, you are a wonderful guy. Consider Anna. Please forget Alice.

Love,

Steph.

Derek sat on the floor, leaning against the wall in sudden exhaustion. Why hadn’t Steph just talked to him about this? Why had she rushed into this? Derek could have prevented everything. She had told him about the Grasp before; Derek had known that Alice was actually innocent. It was something Steph overlooked because of Rosalie’s death. He could’ve convinced her, made her understand.

Derek shredded the note into tiny bits and flushed them, no one could find out about Alice. It was too late to fulfil Steph’s last wish. He could never forget Alice or let her come to harm. For the next hour and a half he cried, recalling memories of Steph.

As Derek decided it was time to leave, the door opened without a knock. It was Jacob.

“May I come in?”

“Do you have to ask?”

Jacob took that as a yes and entered the room.

“I’m sorry with what happened downstairs between me and...” he cleared his throat. “Janice. I would’ve known better than to react like that.” He was taken aback by the room’s appearance. “I thought Nina said she would only move a treadmill here.”

“She seems to have her ways to get what she wants.” When Jacob seemed to be hardly listening to him, inspecting the dust, Derek continued. “And nothing can stop Nina from going on a
vacation
.”

“That will be enough about Nina.” Jacob looked sharply at him.

“Why dad? Why did you marry her? She doesn’t even love you. And you tell me to find my true love in life.”

“I believe that love that lights up the soul can only be found once. That love is lost by Rosalie’s death. I don’t think I can find it again.”

“Why did you marry Nina then?”

“Your old man needs company. It is hard living alone.”

Derek nodded before picking the snow globe back up. Jacob must’ve recognized it because tears formed in his eyes.

“She was my daughter. She is gone.”

If it was anyone in his dad’s place, Derek would have hugged the person. “I know. I miss her so much already.”

“Are you leaving now?” Jacob asked and when Derek nodded, he continued. “I’m scared of losing you.”

“We have already talked about that. I’m trying to give you another chance, even after what you did to me...” Derek shivered involuntarily and decided it was better to let go of the topic. Thinking of it would only make his situation worse at the moment, he could feel it.

“Not that…” Jacob corrected. “I feel this road demon is after my family.”

Derek raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jacob had never accepted the idea of the demon behind the accidents before. “You admit there is a road demon now?”

“After Rosalie’s death I started thinking. But with Steph’s death I couldn’t be more sure. It
is
a demon and it is after the people I love. Rosalie, then Steph...” he said. “Now I can’t lose you.”

“I will be careful.”

“I pray if that demon even gets a mile radius from where you are, that it be dragged to hell and burned to coal. That it suffers the pain it caused our family and all the people whom it killed.”

Derek winced at that. He wished that Jacob’s prayer wouldn’t come true, at least as long as the demon was within Alice. He would protect Alice; he’d be with her and help her- even if that would cost him his life.

“I’ll take care of myself.” On his way past Jacob, he found himself saying something he had never told Jacob before. “Take care of yourself too, dad. Call me whenever you want.”

*****

It was late by the time Derek flew into Colorado. He had promised Alice that he would be early, but he had been unable to keep that promise. Driving his rental car, he noticed the large number of flashing blue lights near the park and a feeling of dread came over him. There had been far too many accidents lately, and Derek bet that this was no ordinary one. Dreading the answer, he thought he’d ask who it was.

Getting out of his car and walking towards the accident, Derek was stopped by a policeman. “Who was it officer?”

“Can’t say, do you think you might know? Is someone missing? We’re trying to figure out who this guy is.” The policeman answered. Derek had to shake his head no.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so. I don’t think he’s from around here anyway. I heard he was wandering around asking for directions.” The officer said.

Carl?
Derek thought. After dropping off Cloud, he would have had to walk on foot to his friend’s place. Though he had to have left a long while ago, still Derek hadn’t spoken to him. Derek called Carl’s cell phone. No answer. Again, no answer. Just the sound of Carl’s voicemail greeting. A knot tightened in Derek’s stomach. He’d lost Steph already, he couldn’t lose Carl now.

Derek’s phone vibrated unexpectedly in his hand. Carl’s phone number came up on the caller ID. Half relieved, half suspecting that someone would inform him that Carl was dead, Derek answered the phone.

“Hey bro,” Carl’s voice rang out excitedly from the other side. “What’s up?”

“Where are you?” Relief flooded Derek’s voice.

“I dropped Cloud off hours ago. Roger took me to this new club. Pretty ladies all over me man. I’ll call ya later.”