Monkey Boy's Playground

“Not a thing. After diner we’ll gather at the table with a sound recorder, and call out to any, if any, spirits in the house and see what we get.”

Gathered around the table, with sound recorder placed center, Andrew begins the séance.

“We are peacefully gathered here to explore the possibility of spirits within the confines of this house. We call out to you; let us know of your presence. I am going to ask you a few questions. If you feel so inclined, please respond as you feel fit.” Andrew begins his inquiry, pausing for a few seconds between each question to give any spiritual force time to make a response. “Are you a member of the family? What connection have you to this family? Is there a connection you have to the house? Does the presence of others in this house threaten you? Should we feel threatened by your presence?”

As Andrew finishes his last question, Oscar darts from the foyer to the living room and hides under the couch. Andrew can hear Oscar growling. He gets up from his chair, and looks down the foyer, but can see nothing out of place. “Interesting to say the least. Are you a dog lover then? Do cats remind you of something threatening? Are you against pets in general?” Andrew returns to the table and shuts off the recorder. “Well I think that should do for one night, I’ll take a look at this tomorrow and see if anything turns up.”

Andrew is woken up by Mr. Newton early the next day. Mr. Newton is freaking out as the master bath has been rifled through. Everything in the cabinet, on the sink, on the shelf, and on the towel racks, lays tossed about the floor. “I didn’t hear anything last night,” Andrew replies looking on at the mess.

Mr. Newton replies with all sorts of bewilderment on his face, “Me neither, not a damn thing. And neither of us are real heavy sleepers. I wake up every time I hear one of the kids go to the bathroom.”

Taking in a deep breath and exhaling heavily, “Well looks like I should have quiet the work to do today.”

With the family gathers around Andrew’s table of equipment in the basement, Andrew finishes a presentation of data gathered from the past night. He plays the audio of the moment when the master bath was all but turned upside down. Jabbing at the family as a whole, “Pretty sure you’re all dead to have not woken up from that racket.” He then shows a shot of the hallway from the attic. “This is the control shot I took,” then switching to another picture, “this is the picture the cam took last night.” In the picture a shadowy figure can be seen heading toward the stairs, with back turned to the master bedroom. Another pair of pictures show the spare bedroom door open and close. “Also after listening to the audio from the séance, I could make out a male voice, mid thirties. So with this, I can say there be someone else living here, and,” looking to the family, “you guys need to start collecting for back rent.” Mrs. Newton and the children smile at the joke. “That’s all I got, shows over I have a few other things to look at.” The family makes their way to the stairs and up to the house. “Jim, can I get a moment: I need to ask you a question?”

Stopping mid step, pivoting, and walking back to Andrew, “Sure, what’s up?”

Pulling up another audio snippet, “I want you to hear this; it’s how I know it’s a male.”

Andrew plays the audio: “Should we be threatened by your presence?”

A male voice answers with a playful sarcastic tone, “Maybe.”

With all manner of worry in his face and voice, “What fuck was that?”

“Not sure. But from what you’ve told me he tends to muddle about upstairs to I think I’ll sleep in the attic room tonight and see what happens.”

A loud, crashing, thud wakes the family at 2:33 A.M. that night. Mr. Newton and Andrew arrive to the hallway door at the same time. The youngest child calls for mom and dad. Looking at Mr. Newton, “Let’s go see what’s up.” The two head down the steps while Mrs. Newton comforts the children back to bed.

Andrew and Mr. Newton go downstairs, and begin the search through the house. As they leave the foyer and enter the kitchen, Andrew looks to his left, “Fuck all kinds of duck.” They hear a vanishing laughter as Andrew expresses his displeasure of the situation. The couch and both chairs lay in one pile, upside down, in the center of the living room. Turning to Mr. Newton and point to the office, “In the office now!”

“Great this can’t be good,” Mr. Newton exclaims with good reason to worry.

Andrew retorts, “Dare I give it to you straight?”

Thinking hard with desperate worry for his family’s safety, “Hit me.”

“Demon. You have a fucking demon in your house.”

Absolutely taken aback at the simple answer, “What?!”

“I know. Mostly demons possess a single person, sometimes going through the blood line trying to accomplish some fool’s errand. I’ve never seen this sort of family terrorization before. This suggests that he’s simply picked your family at random and decided to harass you until he moves on.”

Lost at what to do, think or say, “What do we do now?”

“You take your family, and get out of the house come first light. Never seen a ghost or demon do shit during the day. When I know you’re all safely away I’ll make my move at exercising this bitch.”

With the family comfortably back to sleep; Andrew stands in the entryway. He faces the front door; with a paper in one hand and his knife in the other, “By the power of God in Heaven I hereby confine you demon, to this house for eternity until sent henceforth!” Andrew then uses his knife to nail the paper with a blood cross to the door. As he does so he can hear a growling howl come from within the house. “Holy shit! It actually worked.”

The family has again stirred from the sounds of the demon within the house. Andrew and Mr. Newton help the family with a quick pack of overnight items; and then loads the family van for. The Newton’s are off for a good sleep somewhere else.

Andrew, with the Newton’s safely away, then walks back to his truck parked in the drive and gathers all his gear. He dons his body armor, batons, pistol, and combat knife. He grabs a bible, a bottle of holy water, and a wooden cross. As he turns, “Let’s do this sh-who the hell are you?”

A man, average, short, almost buzzed black hair, zero signs of ever have facial hair or the ability to grow any, and deep brown eyes stands a few feet from Andrew. The man is dressed in a black classic men’s kimono with silver edging, and a sword classically worn at his left side. Thinking for a moment, “Yea I get that a lot. Always just popping in and all. Um…shit, sorry…the name’s Damien. Yeah, that should do; dark enough, but not too ominous sounding. I’m here to offer my assistance, should you choose to accept.”