Meredith has gone to bed, and I thought Nikolai had, too, until Rebecca tells me he's calling for me.
I walk upstairs and knock on his door. When I hear him say, "Come in," I open the door and step into the room, finding him lying on the bed. His room is spacious and cozy. "Sir, hello. You called for me?"
"Good, good, come in. Take a seat. Yes, I did ask for you, Lisa."
I sit on the couch, waiting patiently for what he wants to discuss. I notice him studying me intently, making me fidget in my seat.
"You're a Christian, aren't you?" he asks, his gaze shifting to my neck.
I smile lightly at the question. "Yes, I am," I reply, glancing at the rosary resting against my chest and holding the cross in my palm.
He smiles in a way that makes me feel nervous. Sitting up straight on the bed, he says, "I sent a message to the parish; maybe it's your church."
"What church?" I ask, curiosity piqued.
He tilts his head slightly. "What's your church?" he counters.
"Our Lady of Solitude," I answer.
His smirk deepens, revealing a dimple on his left cheek. "Yeah, that's the one. I sent a message to the priest."
"What message, sir?" I ask, confusion creeping in.
He continues to study me, his demeanor unnervingly calm. "Something about a suspicion of an evil spirit in this house. I wrote him an email."
My eyes widen in shock. "Oh my god..."
I look around his room, trying to recall if I've sensed anything unusual. But I can't remember anything out of the ordinary. In fact, I slept well during the few hours I had, untouched by any haunting.
He leans in a little, his elbows resting on his lap. "Do you think you can help me?" His voice is low and seductive, sending a flutter through my stomach and making my heart race.
I look at him uncertainly. "I'm not sure, but I can try. I am a devoted Christian."
When he hears that, a victorious smile spreads across his face. "Good, because I want you personally to help me." There's a double meaning in his tone that makes me hesitate, but I push it aside.
"Okay, maybe I can write down what you say, and on Sunday, when I go to church, I can consult the priest."
"Take the notebook and pen on the desk over there."
I get up from the chair and quickly grab the notebook and pen, opening it to a clean page, ready to write. "Okay, so tell me about what's been going on, sir."
The thought that this house may be haunted scares me, but I know if I get this to the church, they can help. We just need to inform them early.
"I've been told there's an evil spirit haunting this house for the past few days," he explains, his tone too calm for someone who claims to be haunted. Still, I give him the benefit of the doubt.
"So you haven't experienced it yourself, the demonic presence?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I have. I've felt this ominous force, watching, waiting, biding its time..."
"Okay." I start writing that down. On Sunday, I'll tell all this to the priest. I'll show him these notes, and hopefully, he can come help soon. I still can't believe I might be living in a haunted house. But I know God will keep us safe. "Has this demon tried to hurt you?" I ask, recalling a question Father Patrick would likely have.
I raise my head to look at him as I finish writing. I see him shaking his head. "No, it hasn't. It's merely been watching me from the corners of the room, like a cat observing its prey. But I can feel its gaze, cold and relentless."
I notice the mischievous grin on his face and the glint in his eyes, but I choose to ignore it. Maybe it's not what I think.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, sir. Is there anything else the demon has done? Move objects around? Lock the door? Anything?"
"Nothing too drastic thus far. Small items have occasionally gone missing, only to reappear in locations I hadn't placed them. It's as though the entity is testing the waters, learning my routine and observing my reactions."
"I see." I nod, jotting that down. "Is there anything else you feel I should know?" I ask, looking up at him again.
I try to meet his gaze, but there's something in his eyes I don't understand—almost flirtatious. I brush it off as my imagination.
Nikolai leans forward slightly, a sly smile on his face. "There's one more thing, Lisa... Whenever the presence is near, I can feel a heavy energy in the air. It's almost palpable, like a thick fog that weighs on me physically."
I feel a pang of sympathy for him. Hearing about someone haunted is unsettling, and Nikolai doesn't seem like a typical Christian. I quickly note his words down. I should tell my mom so she can advise me. "That has to be a traumatic feeling, sir."
Nikolai shrugs nonchalantly. "I've dealt with far more bothersome presences before, but yes, it can be unnerving at times. But..." He holds my gaze, studying my features intently. "That's not the only thing I've felt about the entity's presence..."
My eyebrows furrow. "Is there anything else?"
His gaze drifts over my figure, sizing me up before returning to my face. "There's something else I've begun to notice about the demon's presence. It's difficult to explain, but I feel like it's drawn to me specifically. It follows my every movement, and I can almost sense its interest, its curiosity. It's as though it's fixated on me, obsessively so."
I jot that down immediately.
"What about your father, mother, and wife? Does it do the same to them?" I ask, curiosity tinged with concern.
Nikolai shakes his head. "No, as far as I know, the entity doesn't seem to show the same level of interest in my family. It's almost as if it's fixated solely on me for some reason."
I note that down before asking, my heart pounding, "Do you feel the presence of the demon right now?"
Nikolai nods slowly, his eyes still locked on mine. "Yes, I can sense it now. It's close by, just beyond that door over there, hiding in the shadows."
I turn to look at that door as I make the sign of the cross, my heart racing. This is terrifying. "Can you see it?"
He shakes his head, a wry smile creeping onto his face. "No, I can't see it directly. It remains hidden, always watching from the shadows. I only feel its presence, its gaze, its energy."
That sounds frightening, but I choose not to voice my thoughts. I hold on to my rosary as I say a silent prayer. "Okay. Is there a specific time it attacks or appears?"
He taps his finger on his lips, seemingly deep in thought. I can't shake the feeling that he finds this conversation amusing; a secret smile dances on his lips, as if he's struggling not to laugh. But perhaps I'm just overthinking it. "No, there doesn't seem to be a specific time. It's random. But every night, without fail, I can feel its presence, prowling about like a restless predator."
"Okay. Is there anything else I should know?" I ask, playing with my long brown hair. My brown eyes holding his gaze.
He pauses, as if contemplating whether to share something. "There is one last thing I've noticed. The entity almost seems... intelligent. It doesn't act like a mindless spirit. It observes, calculates, almost strategizes. It's as if it's playing some sort of game with me."
"What type of game, sir?" I ask, intrigued.
He leans back, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, it's a game of cat and mouse, you see. The demon seems to enjoy toying with me. Its presence becomes more noticeable, more intense, just to gauge my reactions. It's like it's testing my limits, my resolve."
"And do you... play along?"
He chuckles, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, of course. It's quite entertaining, you know. While it thinks it's playing mind games with me, little does it know that I'm enjoying this little game myself. I can't let it have all the fun, now, can I?"
His smile makes me a little uncomfortable, and I shift in my seat. "Well, then, you're not being haunted?"
I can't shake the feeling that he notices my discomfort and is secretly relishing it. "Haunted is such a strong word, isn't it? I suppose it depends on your perspective. Personally, I see it as more of a nuisance than anything. It's quite fascinating, actually—observing the entity's behavior. It's almost like having my own uninvited guest."
"But, sir, if you are being haunted by a terrifying demon, you need the priest to come and perform an exorcism. You need him to come here and confirm it before the church takes action."
He feigns nonchalance, waving his hand dismissively. "Oh, you Christians and your superstitions. It's not as terrifying as it sounds, really. I might have exaggerated my words a bit earlier, just to get a reaction. After all, it's not every day that one has their own personal demon haunting them."
His words confuse me even further, and I narrow my eyes. "Okay. I see. So you don't want the priest to come over?"
He ponders for a moment, playing with a strand of his hair. "It's not that I don't want the priest to come. Oh no, of course not. But there's no need to trouble him for something so... trivial. Besides, I'm perfectly capable of handling this little issue on my own. And I do enjoy this little game the entity and I are playing..."
"And what about me? Why did you ask for me to come here?"
He leans forward, a coy smile playing on his lips. "Oh, Lisa, it's simple, really. I needed a second opinion, and who better to consult than a dedicated and knowledgeable Christian like yourself? Surely you understand the importance of a second, professional opinion for something as serious as a supernatural occurrence, hmm?"
I'm no professional; I'm just someone who believes in God and has been a Christian all my life. "Okay. Uhm, sure... Do you still want a cleansing of your body and the house? The church can do that," I ask.
He tilts his head, considering my suggestion. "Hm, a cleansing ritual, you say? Sounds a bit... extreme, don't you think? After all, as I said, it's all just a bit of harmless fun. A little challenge to pass the time. Is there really a need for something so drastic, Lisa?"
"I see. Okay, that's all the questions I had for you, sir." I stand up, ready to leave. "I will make sure Father Patrick learns about this so he can help you."
But before I can tear the page off and take a step away, he suddenly says, "Hold on, Lisa, hold on. We can't possibly be finished already."
He gets up from the bed and stands in front of me, blocking my path to the door. Crossing his arms, he fixes me with a curious gaze. "Surely there must be more we can discuss? After all, I did call upon you for a reason, you know."
"I don't understand... Is there another reason other than the haunting?"
"Oh come on, Lisa, don't be so innocent. You really think I brought you here just to talk about some little demon?"
He takes a step closer, closing the gap between us. "No, no. There's something else I need to discuss with you. Something more... personal."
My heart races. Did he weave the story about the demon as an excuse for something else? "I... I don't understand."
He reaches out, lifting my chin with a slender finger, compelling me to look at him. "Oh, come on now, Lisa. You're a smart girl, aren't you? Surely you must realize why I requested you specifically. You're not a priest; if I just wanted to discuss a silly haunting, a simple phone call to the parish would have sufficed." He steps even closer, his presence overwhelming. "You see, I have a... different reason for bringing you here. A more... personal reason."