"Damn!" Husk cursed when he tried to call an ambulance. "The phone line is dead!"
"Go over to the neighbors and ask if you can use their phone." Alastor suggested.
"Kay! I'll be back!"
Husk hurried out the door while Alastor went to get the first aid kit from the bathroom. Poor Vaggie had spent this whole time trying to get Angel to regain consciousness. But he wouldn't respond.
"Take it easy Professor RamÃrez." Alastor told her. "He's still breathing and the bleeding has stopped. There's nothing more we can do until the ambulance arrives."
"Oh dear God what if his skull was fractured?" Vaggie said. "If it's fractured then I've lost him for good."
"I don't think so. His pulse is still strong. I'm not a doctor but I'm sure the worst he has is a concussion."
"I hope so. God I hope so."
When Charlie saw Vaggie in the state she was in right now, desperate and fearful for Angel's life, she felt terrible for how she had spoken to her earlier. Blaming her for what had happened to her daughter when no one was at fault. She didn't mean to lash out at her she was just angry and scared over losing Carrie. Still that was no excuse.
"I'm so sorry." She said gently putting her hand on Vaggie's shoulder.
"It's fine but don't feel sorry. Pray for him."
"No I meant I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier. When I blamed you for Carrie getting taken. I was wrong to speak to you like that. Please forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive." Vaggie smiled in an understanding way. "Trust me, you reacted how any mother would in this situation. I've seen it countless times with my grandmother. She once threatened to sue the elementary school I was attending just because I broke my foot on the playground. Of course that didn't happen and she apologized after she calmed down."
"I'm just so scared. My baby is in danger, she's frightened, she needs me, and I can't get to her. I'm a mother who can't protect her own children. I...I just don't know what to do."
"I know. I know."
A little while later Husk returned to the house to inform everyone that an ambulance was on it's way. During the wait they tried to contact Carrie again.
Charlie turned on the TV and called out to her daughter.
"Carrie." She said. "Carrie it's Mommy. Can you talk to us please?"
"Mommy there's somebody here."
Charlie and Alastor didn't know why but when she said that it caused their blood to turn cold.
"Mommy is that you?" Carrie asked.
"No it's not Mommy." Alastor said.
"Who's with you baby?" Charlie asked.
"Mommy somebody's coming! Mommy help me please! Get away from me! Leave me alone!"
"Oh God!" Charlie cried in desperation. "You bastard! She's just a baby!"
"Professor what's going on?" Alastor asked Vaggie. "What is that? Who's in there with her?"
"I don't know." Vaggie said.
Suddenly there was a static spark coming from the television followed by a noise that resembled an inhuman snarl. It sounded like it was moving toward them.
"Mommy!" Aaron fearfully ran to his mother who wrapped her arms around him, holding him as if he would disappear from this world if she didn't.
"Carrie! Carrie are you alright?" Charlie called.
"He couldn't touch me Mommy." Her daughter replied.
"What?"
"When he touched me it hurt him."
"What does that mean?" Alastor asked Vaggie.
"I honestly don't know. I can't think of anything that could cause that except- My medallion. Charlie ask Carrie if she's still wearing the necklace I gave her."
"Carrie are you still wearing that necklace Vaggie gave you?" Charlie asked.
"Yes." Carrie answered.
"Alright that probably explains why. My grandmother always said that the medallion was blessed by archangels to prevent evil spirits and demons from hurting the wearer. I never really believed it actually worked before but it seems that I was wrong."
"Does that mean Carrie is safe?" Alastor asked.
"I believe so. The medallion should prevent anything in limbo from harming her."
"That's a huge relief but how do we get her out of there?"
"I'm still not sure but I am trying. Believe me I am." She said. "I've been thinking that maybe we need to bring in an expert."
"What kind of expert?" Charlie said.
"One who has actually made conversed with paranormal beings. Someone who can read them, understand them. A spiritual medium."
"What's that?"
"Someone who can communicate between spirits of the dead and living human beings. It's like a gift they're born with."
"Yeah right." Husk mumbled with an eye roll.
"Husk doesn't believe in mediums." Vaggie huffed. "He thinks they're just glorified schizophrenics."
"Well they hear voices in their heads like schizophrenics."
"Husk how many times must we go over this? Schizophrenics hear voices they made up in their own mind. Mediums hear the voices of spirits."
"So they say. How do you know these voices of the spirits they hear, aren't made up too? They're crazy."
"Ignore him." Vaggie said. "Anyway a spiritual medium might be the best way to go given what we're dealing with."
"Do you know one?" Charlie asked.
"I know of one. When I was in college I wrote an essay about her, I'm certain that she's legitimate. I can contact her and ask for her help but I can't promise that she'll comply."
"We understand but try to get her to come. Please."
"I'll do my best. I'll explain the urgency of the situation, let her know that a child's life is at stake, I've read that she's a very kind individual so she might-"
But Vaggie was cut off when Angel suddenly sat up from the couch he was laying on. Everyone in the room turned to look at him and just stared at him quietly for a few seconds. Then Vaggie and Husk approached him.
"Angel thank God you're alright." Vaggie said.
"How are you feeling man?" Husk asked.
Angel didn't answer them and when he looked at them it was with a stare of pure malice. To Vaggie and Husk, he didn't even look like Angel. There was just something about him that appeared to be very off. Then without warning Angel lunged for Husk's throat and proceeded to strangle him.
"Angel what the hell are you doing?!" Vaggie asked in horror.
"I'll kill you first cat boy!" Angel laughed in maniacal voice. "Then I'll kill the little slut next! You two are the ones he loves most! Without either one of you he's nothing!"
Husk choked and gasped for breath, he could feel his heart rate slowing down. Alastor quickly tried to pull Angel off of Husk but the man had somehow gained the strength of ten men and knocked him back into the wall.
"Alastor!"
"Dad!"
Charlie and Aaron ran to his aid. Vaggie tried to stop him next. She grabbed hold of his arm and pulled.
"Angel stop! You're killing him! Don't you see that?! Stop please!" She pleaded.
That's when he drew back and struck Vaggie right across her face, done in a way that was so hard that she dropped to the floor. He would have continued to full fill his desire to strangle Husk to death but a something made him turn around to look at her. That something was a sob Vaggie had made, he saw her lying in a fetal position and looking at him with a tear filled gaze of betrayal. Just like how his mother often looked at his father whenever he hit her.
It triggered a flashback. It finally made him realize what he was doing and it gave him the will to regain control.
"Oh Vaggie." Tears were now in his eyes. "Vaggie I'm so sorry. It's not...It's not me...That wasn't me...I'm not me...Damn it! What's wrong with me?! What did I do?!"
He clutched his head and shouted in agony.
"Get out! Get out of me! Damn you!"
"Angel?" Vaggie reached for him.
"No! Stay away from me!" He warned.
Then to Vaggie's horror he threw himself out the window of the house.
"Angel!" She and Husk both cried in terror.
They were outside in seconds and they found him on the ground motionless. Luckily it was at that exact moment the ambulance arrived. He was taken to the hospital and only Vaggie was allowed to go with him. The entire ride there she just prayed over his body.
"Beate Mariae semper Virgini." Vaggie wept her prayers and held his hand with both of hers. "Beato Michaeeli archangelo, Sanctis apostolis omibus sanctis."
She wept and prayed. Wept and prayed. That was all she could do until the medics and the doctors would be done with him.