Some people attracted attention the moment they entered a room. Others gave everyone around them a sense of security without saying a word.
Father Anderson belonged to the second group.
His arrival lifted the gloom that had settled over the house. Ed and Drew had remained relaxed that morning because they knew Anderson was coming.
The Tracy family had never met him before. Even so, his towering figure and calm presence left a powerful impression as soon as he stepped inside.
"Thank you, Father."
Theodore Tracy stood before Anderson with deep gratitude.
His family had already visited a local church for help. However, Abbott had never been baptized and the family was not registered with the parish. Their request therefore required a longer investigation before the diocese would approve an official exorcism.
Theodore feared that the entity would reach them before the process ended.
"Thank you for helping our family."
Anderson looked at Theodore, Tracy, and Abbott as they stood close together.
He understood how the Church operated. It could be strict and unforgiving when rules were ignored. A priest who performed an unauthorized exorcism for nonparishioners could be held personally responsible for anything that went wrong.
Even a compassionate priest had to consider those consequences.
"You're welcome, Mr. Tracy. I already reviewed the evidence. Your family is being tormented by an unclean spirit."
Anderson's voice remained calm.
"The Church would have sent someone eventually. I simply arrived before the paperwork was completed."
The family continued looking at him with gratitude.
"From this point forward, you must follow every instruction I give you. That is the most important thing."
Theodore nodded at once.
"Yes, Father."
Anderson smiled before turning toward Ed and Drew. Both men had already prepared the equipment and were waiting for orders.
"Then let's begin."
"Yes, Father."
Anderson opened the first backpack and removed several tools used to restrict supernatural movement around a property.
He handed them to Ed and instructed him to place them around the outside of the house. The purpose was to contain the spirit and prevent it from escaping once the exorcism began.
Drew received another assignment.
Anderson gave him several ordinary consecrated crucifixes and told him to place them throughout the rooms. They would provoke the entity and help reveal where it was hiding.
Malicious spirits hated sacred objects. Divine energy caused them discomfort and could even weaken them. Placing blessed crosses throughout their territory was both an insult and a threat.
After supervising the first preparations, Anderson picked up another bag and entered the hallway where the spirit appeared each night.
He secretly placed the consecrated Bluetooth speaker in a concealed position.
Testing the device was his main objective.
With his current strength, destroying an ordinary evil spirit would not be difficult. Anderson had come to examine the recorded prayers, test his new holy water, and see whether the haunting would trigger another random mission.
Unfortunately, the system remained silent.
Night eventually arrived.
Following Anderson's instructions, everyone gathered inside the bedroom at the far end of the hallway. It was the same room where Theodore and Tracy had hidden from the footsteps.
Darkness made the house feel far more oppressive than it had during the day.
The Tracy family stayed close together despite Anderson's presence. Lorraine spoke softly and tried to calm them. Ed and Drew remained quiet while waiting for the priest's next command.
Anderson looked at the alarm clock beside the bed.
[9:55 P.M.]
"Five minutes."
His gaze moved across the room before stopping on a humidifier in the corner.
The device held water inside a tank and released it into the air as a fine mist. It was a common household appliance used to increase moisture inside dry rooms.
That also meant it could spread holy water throughout the entire bedroom.
Anderson considered the idea for a moment. He then removed a bottle from his field bag and approached the machine.
Everyone watched as he opened the empty tank and poured the holy water inside.
In the past, he would never have used so much for a single experiment. His supply had always been limited by the sacred energy available inside St. Michael's.
The church could produce only a fixed amount through traditional blessing. Preparing too much on one day meant less energy remained for the next.
The small number of regular parishioners also limited how much faith accumulated inside the building.
His new consecration ability had removed that restriction.
As long as his Spirit recovered, Anderson could create five hundred grams of holy water whenever he wished.
"Father Anderson, what are you doing?"
Drew was the first to ask.
Anderson emptied the entire five-hundred-milliliter bottle into the humidifier. He closed the tank and answered without concern.
"The machine will turn this water into mist. Once it spreads through the room, the spirit should be unable to enter."
Drew stared at him.
"What?"
Ed and Lorraine exchanged a glance.
"Father, is that holy water?" Ed asked.
"Yes."
Anderson pressed the power button. A thin stream of mist began rising from the machine.
"Holy water is still water. The humidifier can disperse it without contaminating the air. Its sacred properties should create a protective atmosphere throughout the room."
Everyone except the Warrens looked confused.
Drew studied the mist with growing interest. He appeared to be considering whether he should purchase holy water for future investigations.
Anderson noticed.
"You can visit St. Michael's and receive some in exchange for a reasonable donation. The price will be affordable."
Even Ed and Lorraine gave him helpless looks.
"Father, aren't priests forbidden from selling sacred items?" Ed asked.
"Why would it be forbidden?"
Anderson looked at him calmly.
"Ed, the world is vast. There are many things you still don't understand. That is not necessarily a weakness. It only means you still have more to learn."
As he spoke, Anderson remembered the wealthy donors and government officials who had mastered the art of turning every favor into an exchange.