The Ghoul(ACT I): A Disturbing Horror Story...

It was a ghastly thing that happened in one of the old cathedrals of France — a very old cathedral indeed, one that had been standing for centuries, and one which had seen both the resting and rising of the dead.

It was a place of great antiquity, and had witnessed all manner of things that would make a man shudder at its name. And it is here, in this story, that I will tell to you how a little ghoul, or something of a Demon, came back from the grave to walk about the walls; and how it went into the crypts below, where many bodies were laid together in caskets, to feast upon them.

It is here also that I will tell to you how the priests saw it walking with its arms folded, and how they could not frighten it away. How it ate the flesh of men who tried to stop it, and how it left behind a smell like that of decaying bones.

And when I have told you these things, then perhaps you may be able to understand why, if ever I should die, I should wish to be buried in such an old church as this. For I believe there are some places where the dead do not sleep so soundly after death, and where those who cannot rest peacefully beneath the soil, choose to rise from their graves and walk about the Earth's surface once again.

But enough of this. Let us return to the cathedral, where the priests were still praying and the people were kneeling:

There was no noise now, but only the low murmur of the prayers, and the rustling of the leaves that blew against the stained glass windows. The priest who was leading the service, having finished his prayer, sat down on a stone bench, and looked out upon the grey-green fields that stretched before him. It was a dark and humid day, and the gloominess of clouds coveted the entire land.

He turned to look up at the tall spire that rose above the trees, and he wondered what it would be like to stand upon the topmost pinnacle, looking far across the countryside. But it was a dangerous thing to climb the steep roof, and besides, the church was too large to be seen from any point but directly overhead so, he refuted his wonder and stepped aside.

Suddenly, he noticed that a few of the people had risen from their knees and were making for the door — most of them even seemed to be running — and it made him wonder whether there was something wrong in the village, or if perhaps the plague had come. But regardless of what it may have been, he thought it must be something terrible for people would never run to church in fear.

Soon, the priest saw that one of the young men, who had been among the first to leave the church, was running toward him. And when he reached the steps, he fell to his knees and began to pray.

"What is it?" asked the priest, in a voice that trembled with fear.

"There was body found in the graveyard," said the young man "but not from a funeral my priest, someone has been murdered!"

The priest jumped to his feet, and hurried out into the sunlight. As he did so, he heard the other people begin to talk, and soon the whole congregation was assembled on the green. They crowded around the boy who had fallen to his knees, and the priest, with many others, followed him.

They found a boy kneeling beside the grave of a small child, whose face was twisted into an expression of terror. In the center of the grave lay the body of a woman, with the head twisted backward. Her dress was torn and bloody, and it was clear that she had died in great agony.

"My child, what is your name?" the priest tried his best to speak calmly to the child.

"Edwin sir...Edwin McCain" said the boy.

"Is this your mother?" asked the priest.

"Yes" said the young boy, in a trembling voice.

"Good lord! " exclaimed the priest in terror. "Dear child, please tell me what happened?"
"I.... I...." stammered the little boy.
"Speak up!" Implored the priest.
"I... I killed her." Muttered the boy.

_Scott

A great gasp rang out through the crowd. Some of the older villagers took up cries of horror. Then the young man who called for the priest earlier, spoke up:

"My lord... look at his mouth! It's covered in blood!" He pointed to the boy and the priest shuddered.
Now, some of the crowd started to cry out in alarm.

"Christ lord! He killed his own mother!" the members of the church shrieked "Look at the ground!" they cried.

Then the priest glanced down at the ground, and almost fainted. For there, in white paint, were written the words:

Here lies Edwin McCain
Loving brother and son(1798}

Death had come for him and death waits for all of us

"Christ my lord, save us" muttered another priest before the crowds scattered in terror. Then soon, the priest spoke:

"Quickly, call the members of the cathedral and restrain him at once! For this is no mere child but a ghoul..."

---

_Sam

Nightfall came soon and when it clocked 12:00am, the priests began preparing for the exorcism.

Just beneath the altar on a table, two priests held hands over the boy who lay prostrate at their feet. Then, the exorcist stepped forward and took hold of the boy's wrist and felt for a pulse. When he found it, he raised the lad’s arm and drew out a dagger. He then pressed the blade against the artery in the boy’s arm.

In a soft voice, the exorcist uttered an incantation, which caused the knife to glow faintly blue. After several moments of silence, the man withdrew the dagger and the glow faded. With gentle fingers, he took off his silver ring and placed it gently on Edwin's right hand. Then, he touched the boy's brow and forehead with holy water. Then, when he was through with all his protocols, he stood up and called to the priests in the room to prepare the holy light for the expulsion of the demon.

Immediately, they lit candles, gathered about the altar, and prayed fervently under the flickering light. Their voices rose to a high pitch as they chanted:

"The demon shall be put to death in fire and by burning."

Then they moved from one to another to perform the ritual that will banish the ghoul from the mortal world:

It began with the exorcist slowly walking toward the altar while chanting the ancient Latin words, as the candles burned bright, casting long shadows upon the floor of the church. Then, upon reaching the altar, he picked up a crucifix that hung near the altar, dipped his finger in Holy anointing oil, and approached Edwin’s body and placed the oil on his forehead. Accordingly, this process was repeated with the other priests.

Then, after the entire process was done, the exorcist stepped to the altar okce more and prayed:

"O Lord, our God, we beseech thee, grant us thy protection and mercy. We ask that thou wilt protect our children and our families, and that thou wilt bless us with prosperity and peace."

For a moment, the room fell dead silent with no soul uttering a sound even as little as breathing but soon, that silence was broken by a loud chorus of:

"Amen..."

Then, the exorcist stepped down from the altar, walked to were the boy laid, placed his cross above his body and began speaking:

"Entity of the devil! Conceal no more! For with the power of Jesus Christ our lord, I compell you to reveal thyself!"

At once the candles and torches blazed up bright, and, as they cast their rays towards the altar, the flames leapt skyward, lighting up the dark and gloomy interior of the old church. Suddenly, Edwin started to convulse, and his limbs twitched wildly. All at once, he opened his eyes wide as if screaming out in anger and pain; but his lips remained tightly shut, so it was impossible for anyone to hear what he said. Then, the exorcist spoke again:

"Tell me thy name demon! Tell me, so I may cast thee back into the pits of Hell!"
He raised the cross high up in the air.
And this time Edwin spoke but in the voice of the demon:

"I am Dranak! Ghoul of the underworlds of hell!" it raged as Edwin continued convulsing.

"Tell me demon, why have you chosen to take hostage of this boy's body and soul?"
the exorcist commanded in a loud and stern tone.

"I am a demon, a fiend, an agent of the devil and I have been sent here by my master to feed." the demon's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Nay! Nay!! You are not welcome in this world nor are you welcome in Edwin's body. Release his body and soul at once and go back to where yee has come from." the exorcist commanded as the cathedral began to shake and the walls began slowly collapsing.

"In the name of the father, the son, and the Holy ghost... I condemn you back to hell!!!" the exorcist exclaimed as he rinsed Edwin's entire body with Holy water. Soon, the boy's skin began pealing and sounds of the boy's shrieking could be heard.

"Release him in the name of the father I compell you! the exorcist commanded. "Release him now!!!" he repeated. And suddenly, almost as if on cue, the screams stopped and the boy laid there motionless.

For a moment, there was a dead silence in the room until the silence as broken by the exorcist:

"Dear God, he is dead."

"Not dead" caught in a voice that sounded from Edwin's motionless body. "You cannot free a would whom has already been freed" it continued.

"The boy has been long dead and acts only as my vessel. Tell me father, how can you compell me in the name of the father when I was summoned by the very same father himself it snarled. "First, I will feast on the body of the boy and then I will devour everyone else in the church"

At this point, it paused for moment before chuckling and saying: "In the name of the father of course..."

To be Continued... Hopefully I'm not too lazy to get on the sequel...