The Guidance

chapter Thirteen

This time, I know Courtney's not acting.

And everyone knows that I'm not playing around.

She begins to thrash about on the floor, like someone's spilled hot coffee all over her. Both Mina and Sean try to let go of her hands, but Courtney's clinging on for dear life.

"Someone get my mom!" Stephanie screams out.

The music has stopped and people are swarming the room. Taylor pushes her way to where I'm standing with my hand over my mouth. Jason holds me tightly, waiting to see what he should do next.

"Call Loreen," I say to Taylor. Then I add, "And Father Massimo! We can't handle this alone. Wake them up if you have to!"

"I'm on it," Taylor says, whipping her cell phone out from her cleavage.

I don't even want to know.

I lift my skirt and literally crawl back into the circle. I kneel in front of Courtney with Celia at my side.

"What happened to her?" Celia asks.

"Something went into her."

"You saw it?"

"I saw him. We've got to talk her through this until help gets here."

"What if she's faking?"

"She's not this time, Cel."

I certainly don't know what to do for her. I'm not exactly qualified to do an exorcism or whatever is needed. God, what have I gotten into with all of this? How did it get this out of hand? I just wanted to use my psychic gift to help troubled and trapped spirits move on and to bring peace to the living. I never intended to have to intervene in a possession. Especially for the one person in this world who's making my life hell.

Courtney's eyes flutter open. "I'm famished. I haven't eaten in weeks on my way here."

"What?" Celia asks with her eyebrow lifted.

"Someone get her some food," I yell over my shoulder. I want to reach out and shake Courtney back to reality, but my intuition tells me not to do anything. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I hear you," she says. Her voice is deep and distant. Certainly not her typical high-pitched cheerleading tone. "Where is the rest of the unit? Why aren't they here?"

A guy laughs from behind me. "Dude, she's gone totally spaz."

"This is awesome!" another exclaims.

"We're here," I assure Courtney. "We're trying to help."

With the strength of almost three men, she shoves me in the chest hard, knocking me backward with a hard thwwwaaack! Ouch! That hurt!

"Who said I needed your help? You're the one who tried to stop me. When I was down by the river that time and when I was looking for supplies next door. You meddled."

My psychic headache taps at my cranium and it's then I realize that the Union soldier is speaking through her and it's not Courtney at all. Where has she gone? What has he done to her? I see her, scared and shaking somewhere in the corner of her own mind. I've got to get him out of her. Now!

Looking around, I see everyone is still holding hands, dazed by the happenings around them.

"Let go!" I beg. Words collide in my throat and I find it hard to put a complete sentence together fast enough. "Your hands. Drop them."

Everyone remarkably does as I say, and the energy in the room shifts abruptly.

The soldier screeches, "Damn you!"

Some guy from the basketball team passes Stephanie a fork and a plate of mashed potatoes and roast beef. Stephanie holds it out to Courtney. "Here's the food you wanted."

Courtney reaches out and begins scooping the food into her mouth, not even bothering to chew before she swallows. The fluffy white mixture smears all over her face, and gravy trickles down the front of her costume; she finishes and begins to lick the plate clean, like a starving dog.

I stare up at Celia, who shrugs in return. I wish I could tell everyone in the room what's going on, but it would only make them think I'm completely nuts, beans, and crackers.

"Do you want more?" Stephanie asks. Courtney tosses the plate at her and it breaks into ten pieces on the hardwood floor. "Crap! That's Wedgwood. My mom's gonna shit a brick."

"I think we have bigger problems," I say to Stephanie.

In front of me, Courtney begins to cry; mascara cascades down her porcelain cheeks, mixing with the remnants of food and totally ruining the perfect-little-princess effect she's been going for. A whimper escapes from her chest and I believe it's Courtney trying to break through.

"Come back to us," I instruct, hoping I'm doing the right thing.

The soldier is still present. His breath touches my neck. The stench of his life permeates my nostrils. His creepy mocking tone fills my head, bringing a deep-seated pain to my inner ear.

When Courtney peers at me, I see that her eyes aren't the normal gray color. Instead, they're dark and dilated and belong to the soldier inside. His laughter continues to knife away at my skull and I hear him whisper, "She invited me in."

"But she didn't understand what she was doing!"

Everyone in the room snaps around to look at me shout out to no one.

"Oh God, oh God," Courtney quivers out in her own voice. "Someone help me!"

Then the soldier takes over again. "I'm not going anywhere."

I want to take Courtney's hands, but Emily is suddenly fussing at me.

Never touch anyone who might be possessed by a spirit.

Not knowing what else to do, I start praying for her. Hard. The hardest I've ever prayed in my life. I ask God to take this spirit from her and make him leave her alone. I mean, Courtney's a holy terror to me and has been treating me like dog shit since I stepped foot onto the RHS campus, but not even she deserves to be controlled by a 150-year-old ghost who apparently has an ax to grind.

A hand moves to my shoulder and squeezes. I know right away that it's not Jason but Celia. Calming, yet concerned. "Is there anything I can do to help, Kendall?"

"I don't know, Cel."

In my head, I ask the spirit his name.

Wouldn't you like to know?

Yes, I would.

Courtney lunges forward at me and wraps an iron grip around my wrists. Jason moves in to stand up for me and restrain her, but she begins kicking her feet. Believe me, no one wants to get stabbed with those three-inch stilettos she's wielding. Next thing I know, I'm in a semi—wrestling match with Courtney and the Union soldier. I can't help but touch her now since she's trying to scratch my eyes out with her fresh manicure. It's not her at all though. The soldier is controlling her moves—although something tells me that inside Courtney, she's not doing much to fight him. Damn, he/she is strong.

"Cool, girl fight!" some guy shouts out.

"My money's on the chick from Chicago."

"Tillson, get in there and help your woman," another says.

There's laughter and cheering. These kids are sick. Or they think this is an act.

"What are you kids doing? Stop that!"

Evelyn Crawford moves in and tries to pull Courtney off of me. "I know it's Halloween, but there's no reason to act like hooligans."

"Mom, it's not Kendall's fault. Courtney's gone wack," Stephanie tries to explain. "She was doing this séance and then everything went crazy."

"A séance? In this house?" Miss Evelyn is not pleased.

Just then Taylor rushes in with Loreen in tow. Loreen's hair is all mussed and disheveled, like she just got out of bed. I wish I could appreciate the humor of her T-shirt, which reads "Jesus Is a Capricorn," but now is not the time.

"Did Taylor tell you what's going on?" I ask immediately.

Loreen nods. "Evelyn, these kids didn't know what they were doing. Let me help."

"Of course, Loreen." And Miss Evelyn stands aside.

Loreen brings out a small spray bottle from her purse— more than likely her magical blend of holy water and sage—and pulls me away from Courtney.

"There's a Union soldier in her," I whisper. "She's possessed."

"She's oppressed."

"What?" Semantics ... really? Now?

"I'll explain later," Loreen tells me and begins showering Courtney as she says the prayer to Saint Michael.

As if touched by molten lava, Courtney begins to twitch and squirm against the holy water, and then she collapses. Loreen continues to pray over her. I mean, Courtney's a bitch and all, but I don't want anything to happen to her just because she was trying to show me up.

While Courtney lies on the floor panting, I see the spirit of the Union soldier rise from her and stand tall, brushing at his uniform.

That was fun. I'll have to try it again.

"Like hell you will!" I say to him—and everyone.

He tips his hat to me and then is gone.

In the background, kids begin clapping, hooting, and hollering.

Sean Carmickle carefully shifts on his bum leg and says, "Man, that was better than last year when Josh Waters puked up green beans all over the place. You sure put on a helluva floorshow, Stephanie!"

The room erupts with laughter and more applause.

I know this show's not over. Not by a long shot.

***

"Here, sweetie, have some water," Miss Evelyn says to Courtney in the front parlor, away from everyone. Courtney seems completely out of it. "I couldn't reach your parents on their cells, so you'll spend the night here with us. We'll get you cleaned up and you can borrow some of Stephanie's pajamas."

Courtney takes the water and drinks it down, nodding obediently.

I can't believe she'd want to stay in this house after what happened. Not me, man. I'd get the hell out of here as fast as my feet—or Jason's Jeep—could carry me.

Over in the doorway, Loreen curls her index finger at me. "May I speak with you, Kendall?"

"Thanks for coming so quickly," I say, able to breathe easy for the first time in an hour. "I wasn't sure what to do."

Loreen's not amused though. "I can't believe you've allowed things to go this far in your feud with that girl."

My mouth drops open. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear. I was dancing and having a good time when I was told she had this séance going in the other room. Emily told me I had to stop her, and I did."

Her face softens. "Well, then ... I'm sorry."

Father Massimo comes into the room and goes to Miss Evelyn. They whisper with their heads bent together for a moment and then he checks on Courtney. She's more tired than anything else and doesn't seem to remember exactly what happened.

Crossing the room, Father Mass asks if I'm okay.

"Yeah. It was a little hairy there for a minute when I nearly got put in a headlock, but I managed. Emily told me I couldn't let Courtney continue because something bad was going to happen."

"Spirit possession?" he asks.

"Oppression," Loreen corrects. "It's when a spirit uses its powers in a cruel or unjust way, weighing down a human's body or mind for the spirit's own enjoyment or purpose."

"Do you normally sound like a dictionary?" Father Mass asks.

Loreen just levels her stare at him and almost dares him to doubt her.

"In any event," Father Mass says, turning away, "the young girl lost control of her own mind, body, and spirit."

"She invited it in," I say, although the adults seem to be more interested in duking it out between themselves.

"The girl has been trying to one-up Kendall by pretending to be psychic," Loreen explains to him. "I think the situation is more dire because there is now an entity involved who's using this girl as a tool for his enjoyment."

Father Mass's dark eyes settle on Loreen's face with curiosity. "And you are?"

Without faltering, she holds out her right hand. "Loreen Woods. I'm Kendall's mentor. And you are?"

Since he's wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans, it's hard to tell he's part of the clergy.

He takes her hand and shakes it politely. "I'm Father Massimo Castellano, from the Episcopal church."

Loreen seems slightly offended. "You brought your priest here too?" she asks me.

I have to literally choke back the snarky urge to say, I need a young priest and an old priest, á la The Exorcist. Not exactly the right time.

"I needed all the help I could get."

He continues, his eyes slicing up and down her. "Ahh ... so you're Loreen. I've heard a lot about you." Did he just check her out? I mean, I suppose she's cute in an older person way in her jeans and T-shirt, but now's not exactly the time for the adults to be playing Match.com. I need them to focus.

"All good, I hope," she says, now with a hint of a smile.

Oh. My. God. Are they flirting with each other? I have to stop this.

"Look, Courtney was an idiot. She brought this on herself by pretending she's got these supernatural powers. It's all an act to show me up and get attention." I shove my hands into my hair, messing up the lovely do Taylor styled for me. "I frickin' hate this. It's asinine. I don't know how to get her to quit competing with me over something I'm still trying to understand myself. Everyone here at the party thinks this was some sort of play we put on sheerly to entertain them for Halloween. This is serious shit though." I pause and cover my mouth. "Sorry, Father. Serious stuff, I meant."

He smiles at me. "No worries, Kendall. The word shit is in the Bible"

Loreen pulls me into a side hug. "Tell me what happened."

I relate the whole thing with the street ghost and what he said to me. He's doing this for fun and sport. He's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Stone Mountain, Georgia. I don't know exactly why, but it's there.

"Good, Kendall. You're really strengthening your gift. The time will come when you'll be able to help this soldier cross," Loreen says. "I believe that. And I believe in you."

Clearing his throat, Father Mass crosses his arms over his muscular chest and says, "Loreen, don't you think you need to be more responsible in your guidance of Kendall?"

She stabs her fists to her hips. "I guide her just fine, thank you. I always tell her to be smart and to protect herself through prayer, meditation, and holy water before she goes on a ghost investigation."

He furrows his brow. "This wasn't an investigation, though."

"What do you suggest she do, Father? Bathe in holy water every day in the event that she runs into a situation she can't handle? She's still a teenager trying to get through school and the social scene. It's hard enough on her as it is."

"Which I realize," he says. "It's a good thing that her faith is so strong and she has support from you, me, and her family."

"Exactly," Loreen says, seemingly proud that he recognizes her as a positive influence in my life.

Jason comes up behind me and wraps his arm around my waist. We're joined by Taylor and Ryan, Celia and Clay, and Becca and Dragon. Dragon's gotten a good kick out of all of this, but I also think he's a little buzzed off the flask inside his leather jacket he's been nipping from.

"So, everything okay now?" Celia asks.

"That's one way to stop a party," Jason teases.

"I'm fine," I say, although I am pooped by my contact with the soldier.

"Well, Stephanie, why don't you take Courtney upstairs and get her settled," Miss Evelyn says.

"Aren't you going to call the girl's parents?" Loreen asks.

"I already tried. They're out for the evening," Miss Evelyn notes. "I left them a voice mail saying Courtney's staying here."

"As if they'll care," Courtney mutters. I don't think anyone but me actually picks up on it.

"I guess my work here is done," Father Mass says. He ruffles my hair. "Next time, don't wait so long to call for help. I'm here anytime, Kendall."

"Me too," Loreen adds.

"I did the best I could, considering the situation."

Jason snuggles me to him. "You did perfectly fine, Kendall."

We watch as Stephanie escorts Courtney up the staircase to her room. Miss Evelyn claps her hands to get the attention of the onlookers in the adjoining rooms. "I'm sorry, everyone, but the party's over. Thanks for coming."

I stand gripping Jason's hand, getting strength from his touch, while I watch fellow students file out of the house. Over by the base of the grand staircase in the foyer, I see the Union soldier standing there, leaning against the banister with his ankles crossed. He's whittling something with a knife and smiling like a Cheshire cat.

Stephanie's party might be over, but this spirit's festivities have just begun.