At first poor Charlie was in a hysterical fit when she explained to everyone what she saw and heard. Alastor had to take a moment to calm her down before she could continue and when she finally did, they were somewhat skeptical. So of course Charlie had to show them. She led them back into the living room and turned their attention to the television.
"Carrie." She said. "It's Mommy sweetheart. We wanna talk to you."
At first there was no answer.
"Carrie please answer me. Can you say hello to Daddy?"
Alastor was about to say something when the TV buzzed and a little voice spoke,
"Hello Daddy."
The man became instantly stiff and looked at TV completely astounded. In fact they were all astounded but Vaggie was by far the most amazed. In all the years she had studied and observed the paranormal, she had never seen anything remotely similar to this.
"Fascinating." She said taking a closer look at the television set. "How is this accomplished?"
"I don't know." Charlie said. "Do you know where she is? Is she in the TV?"
"I can't say. Angel get the detector."
He grabbed the device that they used to pick the waves of living or deceased and moved it around the TV.
"It's not picking up anything alive." He said. "But look, there's spectral energy all around."
"What does that mean?" Alastor asked.
"It means that this TV is being used by spirits or demons or something in the afterlife." Vaggie said. "If I had to guess I'd say that it's being used as a window or form of communication."
"So if she's not in the TV, where is she?"
"I don't know. Ask her to describe where she is."
"Carrie." Charlie said. "Do you know where you are?"
"Mommy where are you? I can't find you! I can't!" Her daughter's voice said.
"I'm home sweetie. Where are you? Can you tell me?"
"I don't know where I am."
"Can you tell me what it looks like there?"
"It's so big and I'm all alone. I see faces, so many faces. They scare me and so does the light. I'm afraid of the light Mommy."
"Light?" Vaggie said. "There's a bright light in there?"
"Carrie is the light bright?" Charlie asked.
"Yes. Mommy what is it?"
"Tell her to stay away from the light." Vaggie instructed.
"Maybe it's a way out." Charlie said.
"It is but not for her. Tell her that."
"Carrie stay away from the light. Don't go near it. The light is dangerous. Don't even look at it."
"Ask Carrie what the faces look like."
"Baby what do the faces look like?"
"They look sad and scary." The girl replied.
"What is this?" Alastor asked. "What's going on?"
"Judging by what your daughter is describing I'd say that she's in limbo."
"Limbo? What's that?"
"Somewhere between earth and the two afterlives. It's a common place that deceased souls retreat to when they've strayed from the path to their next state of existence. Those faces she sees are probably the poor lost souls and that light is most likely the gateway to heaven."
"But why is Carrie in there? She's not dead...Is she?"
"I can't say for certain."
"My baby is dead?!" Charlie cried.
"Do not panic. It is very likely your daughter is alive but I'd rather not confirm until I do more tests."
"How long is that going to take?"
"I can't answer that."
"Maybe you can answer this?! How are you going to help my baby?!"
"Charlie I understand your fear but I must ask you to remain clam."
"Calm?! You expect me to remain clam?! My baby is God knows where and with Heaven knows what! She's scared! I can't get to her! You really think I can be calm knowing that?! Why weren't you with her?!"
"Charlie!" Alastor said.
"It's your fault! I told you three to watch my baby! Why didn't you?! Now she's gone because of you!"
"Charlie enough!"
"Oh God!" She said bursting into tears. Alastor was holding her in an instant as she sobbed. "Oh it's all my fault! I should have never left her alone! I'm her mother! Why kind of a mother leaves her baby alone?!"
Alastor gave the scientists a non-verbal signal that he and his wife needed to be alone. Vaggie and Angel nodded, Husk placed a firm hand onto Aaron's shoulder to assure him that he'd watch the boy so he could tend to his wife. Alastor then escorted Charlie into another room while keeping her in his arms.
"Is my mom going to be okay?" Aaron asked Husk.
"She's fine kid." Husk said. "She's just really scared. We're all a little scared right now."
"You all are scared? But you're grown ups. Grown ups don't get scared."
"Who told ya that bull shit? Grown ups get scared all the time. But a lot of us act like we don't. Which is stupid but hey we're human. What are we going to do?"
"What about my sister? Is she going to be okay?"
"Whatever happens, we'll try our best to make sure she's okay."
Aaron look at the TV and move to sit down in front of it.
"Carrie." He said. "Carrie can you hear me?"
"Aaron where's Mommy and Daddy?" He heard his sister say.
"They're doing something important right now. But don't worry I'm here. I'll talk to you til they come back."
"Stay with Aaron." Vaggie instructed Husk. "Don't let him out of your sight for one second."
"What are you going to do?"
"Angel and I are going to try to find a trunk that contains things that belonged to Charlie's father. Apparently he was an exorcist and I believe his work may have something to do with all this."
Vaggie and Angel proceeded to search the rooms for the trunk Charlie had spoken of. Vaggie was especially determined to locate it and she appeared somewhat desperate to do so. Her face looked frantic and her eyes were filled with guilt. An expression that her boyfriend recognized immediately.
"This isn't your fault you know." Angel said while they were checking one of the bedrooms.
"Agree to disagree." She said.
"You're not to blame for what happened to that little girl."
"Charlie asked me to watch her."
"She asked one of us to watch her but we were all locked in a basement, the door wouldn't open in time. It couldn't have been helped."
"Charlie disagrees."
"She didn't mean it. She was upset. You know how mothers get in these situations. They'll blame anyone. Even when there's no one to blame. She just needs to cool off."
"We shouldn't have let the family stay here. We should have told them to leave and let us handle this ourselves."
"Vaggie what if's aren't going to get us anywhere. Let's just try to get the kid back. Focus on that."
The search continued but they found no trunk or anything else useful in the bedroom. Angel knew it was a long shot, but he checked the conjoined bathroom just to be on the safe side. As expected that search lead to nothing. He started to leave but took a moment to admire his reflection in the medicine cabinet mirror.
"Hello gorgeous." He said smiling at his reflection. "A real magnet for chicks and dudes."
"Still as vain as ever I see. But with a body like yours I guess you can't help yourself."
Angel jumped upon hearing unfamiliar voice speak real close into his ear. He turned around in a flinch but he didn't see anyone.
"Who said that?" He asked getting spooked. "Husk is that you? Are you pulling a prank or something? If you are then it's not funny given the circumstances we're in."
There was no answer. He started to look out the doorway when suddenly the door was slammed in his face.
"Oh shit not again!"
The door wouldn't open when Angel turned the knob. He stepped back so he could run and break it down but stopped when he glanced in the mirror to see a change in his reflection. He didn't look how he looked before. His hair was white and white fur covered his entire body, his eye pupils were pink while one sclera was yellow and the other was dark pink, pointy teeth, two extra arms with gloves on each of his hands, he wore a white and pink stripped suit, pink thigh highs, a bow tie, and shorts.
"Ah! Holy crap!" He jumped when he saw himself and after catching his breath, he stood up to look at himself again. "Is that supposed to be me?"
He moved his arm slowly in front of the mirror and the spider-like creature in the looking glass did just the same. He waved his hands, made faces, spun around, hopped, and the figure still mimicked his movements perfectly.
"What the fu-"
But then he saw a new figure appear in the mirror. One who came from behind and grabbed his reflection roughly. That's when Angel felt himself getting grabbed roughly by an unseen force.
"Remember this Angel baby."
Angel was suddenly thrown into the bathroom wall and he felt something coming inside of him. Something twisting him around in him and giving him an extremely painful sensation. He felt violated. He wanted to move but his body wouldn't listen to him.
"Vaggie!" He shouted unable to do anything else. "Help!"
"So you like screwin things with tits now huh?" The voice continued. "Do you charge her like you charged the ladies back then?"
"Help! Help!"
"Angel?" Vaggie ran to the bathroom door but couldn't open it. "Angel what's going on? Open the door!"
"I can't! Damn it! Get the hell out of me!"
His body now moved by itself. It stood up from the floor and started to slam his face into the mirror repeatedly.
"Angel! Angel are you okay?" She got really scared when she heard the glass break. In desperation she grabbed a nearby chair, broke off a leg, and used it to beat against the door until she bust a hole through. When she had made the hole big enough she stepped inside to find him lying on the floor with his face all bloodied.
"No! No! Oh God no!" She dropped to the floor and lifted his upper body into her arms. "Angel! Angel wake up!"
But he remained motionless.
"Husk! Call 911!" She screamed in a terror filled voice. "Call 911 now!"
She snatched a bath towel off the rack and used it to stop the bleeding all while frantically begging Angel to regain consciousness.
"You're going to be fine! Just stay with me! Stay with me! Stay with me!"
She was so frightened. So frightened that she didn't know what to do except pray that he would be alright. He had to be alright. He just had to be.