My Best Friend's Exorcism(79)

Abby nodded.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” she asked. Even in the dark, she could see her breath puff out of her mouth.

Brother Lemon blew into his hands and rubbed his palms.

“Deliverance can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to, oh, about an hour,” he said. “Maybe four or five, but that’s rare.”

It didn’t sound too bad, Abby thought. Maybe they could even return Gretchen before her parents came home.

“Abby?” a voice called in the dark. “Where am I?”

Brother Lemon and Abby looked at each other, eyes gleaming in the shadows, and then he stood up. Rummaging in one of his duffel bags, he pulled out an athletic cup and slid it down the front of his pants. He caught Abby staring.

“First place they go for,” he explained. Then he adjusted himself and picked up a well-worn Bible. “Let’s do the Lord’s work,” he said and headed for the bedroom, walking slightly bow-legged.

Inside, he snapped on the overhead light. The glare blinded Abby for a moment, but then her eyes adjusted and she saw Gretchen squirming on the bed, turning her head away from the light, pulling on the strips of sheet holding her down.

“This isn’t funny,” she said.

Abby closed the door behind them. Brother Lemon stood at the foot of the bed while Abby stayed near the door. Gretchen studied Brother Lemon.

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,” Brother Lemon prayed. “Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by God’s power, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls. Ay-men.”

“What the hell is this?” Gretchen asked. She turned wide eyes to Abby. “What’re you doing with this guy? You’re scaring me.”

Brother Lemon began to recite the Lord’s Prayer.

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name . . .”

“Why are you doing this to me?” Gretchen asked. “I want to go home. Please, my parents will do anything. Abby, why are you doing this?”

“. . . Give us this day our daily bread, and deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Ay-men.”

He repeated the prayer a second time, and then a third. It was so cold, Abby was shivering. She watched Gretchen, waiting for her to smoke, or scream, or vomit, or something. But Gretchen just kept talking.

“Are you mad at me, Abby?” she asked. “Is that why you’re doing this? I know I’ve been weird lately, and I’m so, so sorry. There’s a lot going on at home. Things are . . . really bad. I think my parents are getting divorced and you’ve seen how my mom treats me. But that’s no excuse. I’ve been a bad friend. I’ve been shitty to you and Glee and Margaret. I just got so angry at them, and I probably overreacted, but you know how it is, right? I’m sorry. I screwed up, and I’m not good to you, and I know that. I’m really sorry. But you have to let me out. Look at this, it’s not right. You know it’s not right.”

Brother Lemon braced his legs and squared off against the bed, as if he was getting ready for a fistfight.

“I command you, unclean spirit!” he boomed. “Along with all your minions now attacking this servant of God, by the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, reveal to me your name. Tell me your name!”

Gretchen kept talking to Abby.

“This is crazy,” she said. “You can’t keep me tied up like this.”

“I command you, unclean spirit,” Brother Lemon repeated. “Along with all your minions now attacking this servant of God, by the mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you reveal to me your name. Tell me your name!”

“Please, Abby,” Gretchen said. “Let’s get out of here. I won’t tell anyone what happened. I promise.”

“I command you, unclean spirit,” Brother Lemon started for a third time, even louder. “Reveal to me your name!”

Gretchen turned her head on the bare mattress to look at him.

“Gretchen Lang,” she said. “That’s my name, okay? You could have asked Abby.”

“That’s not your real name,” Brother Lemon said. “Once more, by the power of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I command you to tell me your name!”

“I just told you my name!” Gretchen said.

“Your true name, demon!” Brother Lemon said.

There was a long pause. Gretchen started to laugh.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just realized what you think you’re doing. The two of you standing there like it’s The Exorcist, asking me my name over and over. You think I’m possessed. Oh my God! Abby, this is bizarre.”

She kept giggling, eyes closed, rolling her head from side to side, grinning.

“Demon,” Brother Lemon said. “I command you to tell me your name!”

“Andras,” Abby said quietly.

“What?” Brother Lemon looked at her, startled.

“Andras,” Abby said, embarrassed. “His name is Andras. You said so before.”

There was a long silence. The air pressure dropped and the walls and ceiling in the beach house gave off a crack.