The 19th Century Paranormal Investigator

A young boy falls out, his hands and legs snapped stiff by the unseen energy. He looks to barely be thirteen or fourteen years of age. His hair is blacker than anything I\'ve ever seen. The clothes he wears are not much more than tattered rags. His eyes burn with a violent, violet intensity, all the proof I need that he’s not normal.

To begin, a demon summoning requires an intricate altar. The rooms in the manor are inspected and cleaned nearly every day, and likely would have led to someone discovering the altar. So, my search takes me outside, looking over the outer grounds.

I lie wide awake in bed, thinking over everything the doctor told me. Events began a year after the death of the Lady Maladar, though at the time, the doctor…

I stand, attempting to assert my authority on the matter. “Yes, ghosts can move furniture, and inadvertently taunt the living. However, they do not summon demon spirits. Most importantly, they do not cause damage to the foundation of the residence they occupy. The earth’s energy is what allows them to remain here.”

I may have presented myself as an expert in supernatural phenomena, which I most assuredly am, but this is the first time I’ve taken a case with so much time to prepare. My normal affairs are much more sudden. In the moment, it is easy to take charge and have people explain what is going on, but here? It requires discussion. It requires tact. And I’ve never bee quite good at either.

“I apologize for the mess, Mr. Branner,” the doctor says. I can’t respond. This is insane! I need to calm down. Somehow, Doctor Maladar is completely unresponsive to this madness,…

“I apologize for the mess, Mr. Branner,” the doctor says. I can’t respond. This is insane! I need to calm down. Somehow, Doctor Maladar is completely unresponsive to this madness,…