As we walked upstairs, a funny feeling settled in my chest.
Where were the kids? Were they all grown up and away from the house?
Why did everywhere seem so quiet and . . .
Even before we got to the landing, I smelt it. I was sure father James could as well. He immediately ordered the woman to open all the windows on that floor, which she did, but it didn’t do anything because it wasn’t the kind of smell that was caused by something physical. This was a spiritual smell; the kind of smell that demons had.
Fetid.
Sulphuric. . and
Ashy.
Father James brought out something from under his cassock and gave it to me to hold. I didn’t look down at it, I only clutched it with my right hand and kept my eyes alert, looking this way and that. I didn’t want to miss anything, neither did I want a
