Exorcism

Image Courtesy of Pixabay.com by EmersonMello

After about a year living in the duplex, my parents bought a brand new house up on Terika Drive in Follansbee. It must have been exciting as it was their first home they built and owned as a married couple. The move was only a few miles away from the duplex. 

    I'm sure my parents thought leaving the duplex meant also leaving behind the ghosts and other paranormal events they'd encountered there. Unfortunately, that was not the case. 

    One evening after work on the railroad, my father returned home to find my mom still awake, sitting up in their bed. She looked most unhappy and a bit frightened. 

    He asked, "What's wrong?"

    "Your friends are here."

    "My friends? What are you talking about?"

    "Your friends from the duplex and they aren't friendly. I can tell you exactly where they are, too." She pointed to the windowsill and said, "One's there and two others are here and here." My mom pointed to the headboard, on the left and right of it. 

    "What do you want to do?" my dad questioned, uncertain about what was happening as my mom never wanted to talk about the spirits believing recognizing them invited them in.

    "I think we need to have the house blessed."

    "I think that's a good idea. We can call the minister tomorrow."

    Come morning my mother phoned the Episcopal priest at the church where she belonged. He offered to come to the house and they set a date and time. 

    When he arrived, he carried his Bible and a vial of Holy Water, which he showed my parents. They were instructed to read a passage from the Bible in unison when he told them to. As he read his passage, he held the vial in the air and shook it, spreading a few drops of Holy Water in the room. 

    As he continued to read and sprinkle the water, my dad shivered and gasped as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him. The priest stopped and looked concerned. 

    "Did I get you with the water?"

    My dad answered, "No, I just got very cold suddenly."

    "I assure you the water is room temperature. Here," he offered to let my father test the water. My dad believed him and they continued the ritual. The priest went into each room and blessed them and thanked my parents, wishing them a blessed day. 

    From that point on, neither parent, nor I, noticed any unusual occurrences in the house. Not quite The Exorcist - but that was a blessing of the house which is from a particular part of the Bible.