Chapter 3: Blood, Betrayal, and the Truth

Ms. Franklin nodded eagerly. "Yes! Savannah, that’s amazing! Everyone says I nap so much because the baby’s lazy, so I’m always tired."

Her relief was palpable, as if my question had validated her experience. But she looked exhausted, no matter how hard she tried to smile.

When she talked about her baby, her face softened with love. Seeing that, I took a deep breath and said, "Ms. Franklin, the child in your belly is already—"

I hesitated, not wanting to shatter her world.

My words hung in the air, thick with unspoken dread.

“Click!”

The sound made all of us jump. The tension in the room snapped. My heart skipped a beat.

The person who came in was an older woman in her sixties. "Ms. Franklin, you’re back?" she greeted with a smile.

She wore a faded cardigan, her gray hair pulled back in a neat bun. Her eyes were sharp, taking in every detail. There was something almost too calm about her.

Mariah and I turned to look. Ms. Franklin introduced us: "Savannah, this is our housekeeper. Ms. Ruth, where’d you go just now?"

Ms. Ruth eyed us warily. "Ma’am, I felt a little stuffy, so I went downstairs for a walk."

Her voice was even, but her gaze lingered a second too long. I made a mental note.

"Alright. Well, take a rest. When the DoorDash order gets here, let me know. I have something to discuss with Savannah."

Ms. Franklin’s tone was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of tension. She looked at me, eyes pleading for reassurance.

I gave the old lady a long look, then turned to Ms. Franklin. "Let’s talk inside."

I nodded toward the storage room, giving Mariah a look—she knew to stay out and watch Ms. Ruth.

Ms. Franklin hesitated to go into the storage room but followed me anyway. Mariah wanted to come too, but I gave her a look—she knew to stay out and watch Ms. Ruth.

Mariah squared her shoulders, planting herself by the doorway like a bouncer. She shot me a thumbs-up, looking like she was about to take on a linebacker.

Once the door was closed, Ms. Franklin looked at me, puzzled. "Savannah, you said there’s something weird in my house. What is it?"

She sat on a storage bin, hands clenched in her lap. The room felt colder, the shadows darker.

I lowered my voice. "Ms. Franklin, no matter what I say, don’t get upset. If you get upset, it could be dangerous for your baby."

I met her gaze, willing her to trust me. The stakes were too high for sugarcoating.

"What do you mean? Is my child in danger?"

Her voice cracked, and she wrapped her arms around her belly protectively. Her eyes filled with tears, and I could see the fear in her face.

Of course she was. Normally, when a demon spirit enters a pregnant woman’s womb, it devours the original baby’s soul for nourishment. But from what I could tell, the demon had only recently entered Ms. Franklin’s belly and hadn’t fully adapted yet. That’s why she was so sleepy. Once it adapted, she’d start craving blood! That’s also why over a hundred infants were needed to help the demon child be born. If we could drive out the demon in time, both Ms. Franklin and her baby would be safe. But if she got too agitated, it could cause a miscarriage. If that happened, the demon would seize the chance!

I explained everything as gently as I could, but the truth was brutal. She started breathing fast, panic rising.

I carefully explained the seriousness of the situation. With every sentence, Ms. Franklin backed away.

Her face twisted from shock to horror. She pressed herself against the wall, shaking her head in denial. “No, no, this can’t be happening. You’re making this up!”

"Impossible! You must be lying! How could my baby be a demon!"

She sobbed, clutching her belly as if she could protect her child by sheer force of will. She didn’t want to believe me, but I could see the doubt in her eyes.

Seeing her so agitated, I grabbed her hand tightly. "Ms. Franklin, your baby isn’t a demon, but we have to work together to drive the evil spirit out of your belly to keep your baby safe."

I squeezed her hand, trying to steady her. “You’re not alone. I promise, I’m here to help. But you have to trust me.”

"How do I know you’re not lying!?" She still refused to believe me.

She squeezed my hand, looking for something—anything—to hold on to.

I gently let go of her hand and asked, "Has your belly been hurting off and on this past week?"

She looked scared out of her mind.

"A little," Ms. Franklin nodded, nervous.

She rubbed her belly absentmindedly, as if trying to soothe the pain.

"Every time your belly hurts, someone brings you soup. After you drink it, the pain goes away, right? Think about it—does it always happen after you’ve had that soup?"

Hearing this, Ms. Franklin’s face turned even paler. "How did you know?"

She stared at me, her lips trembling. For a moment, I thought she might faint.

Of course I knew. After forcing a demon into a pregnant woman’s belly, the environment needs to be full of dark energy, and the demon needs nourishment. That so-called nourishment is made from the placentas of stillborn babies. I didn’t say this out loud to avoid making her sick.

Some things were better left unsaid, at least for now.

"Ms. Franklin, I have no reason to lie to you."

I met her gaze, putting everything I had into sounding sincere. “You have to believe me. This is bigger than both of us.”

Ms. Franklin hesitated, then broke down, sobbing. "So my baby’s in grave danger now?"

She broke down, sobbing.

I didn’t want to lie, so I nodded. "Not just your baby—you’re in danger too."

I put a hand on her shoulder.

The air in the room felt even heavier now, as if the walls themselves were listening.

The demon would grow by absorbing both the baby’s soul and the mother’s strength. When the demon was born, the mother would die.

The only sound was her quiet sobbing.

"So, what should I do now?"

She looked at me, desperate for a solution.

I set up a circle around her. "Just stand inside, and no matter what happens, don’t step out."

I used chalk from my kit, drawing a circle on the hardwood floor. Salt, sage, and a handful of protective stones completed the barrier.

I could feel the energy shift, the air crackling with anticipation.

"That’s it?" Ms. Franklin asked, uncertain.

She looked both hopeful and scared.

"That’s it. Stay put. Leave the rest to me."

I gave her a reassuring nod.

I pulled out my toolkit: candles, matches, a small flask of holy water, and a bundle of dried sage.

I took out my tools and began to set up a protective circle—it was the best way I knew to summon and trap spirits. I planned to lure the demon out and destroy it!

I worked quickly, my movements practiced. I’d never been this scared before. The shadows in the room seemed to press closer, hungry for a misstep.