Read Online THE POWER OF THREE by Billie Sue Mosiman - Free Book Online

are unleashed."
                  "I'm not an exorcist," he said. "I'm not sure I even, well, you know, believe in exorcism."
                  She snatched the papers from his desk and stuffed them into her purse. She rose painfully and turned for the door.
                  "I'm sorry, Miss Broderick. Maybe I could come pray..."
                  "Forget it." She was at the door and into a hallway. She heard the snick of the door closing at her back. Damn him. Damn the church that refused to help her. The one church she thought might be on her side. Damn them all.
                  Watch it.
                  Linda halted, holding onto the wall leading out to the vestibule. "What?" she asked. The wall beneath her hand was wood paneled like the walls of her house. They grew warm and she jerked her hand away, startled.
                  Watch your blaspheming. You're in the Lord's house.
                  "I'm sorry," she said, knowing she was talking with the walls and all the matter that made up the church. "But why won't he help me? If those are demonic manifestations in the house, why can't he come and force them away?"
                  We'll talk to him.
                  "He can't hear you! Only I can hear you."
                  He listens to his heart. We can make his heart talk.
                  Somewhat cheered, Linda made her way on out of the church, down the long, wide steps, and to her car. She was on her way now to the doctor for something to help her back problem.
                  Then she would go home and threaten the things in the walls. One more time.
     
     
                  #
     
                 
 
     
                  The three of them came together as one.
                  The woman who had lived in the house before.
                  The child who would one day live in the house as an adult.
                  And the Catholic priest who believed in the supernatural nature of his god, but not in the supernatural nature of the netherworld.
                  It was Saturday evening, late, the sun down and twilight coming like a thief to cover the house in writhing blue-gray shadows. The priest came to the door, a black Bible in his hand.
                  Linda answered the knock, standing back in surprise to see him. "Father! What are you doing here?"
                  "I had some spare time. I thought I'd come by to see if I could...well, help you with that problem you mentioned. I've been thinking about what you said and I don't think it will hurt to bless the house."
                  Linda's face fell into sober folds of flesh. A blessing wouldn't do any good, she knew that, maybe even he knew that. She felt she had aged an extra ten years since being in Hayden. She stepped aside and ushered the priest in. She led him to the living room. He took the sofa and she sat in the high-backed wood rocker. "I don't think you can bless it. If you do, it won't help."
                  Let him just try.
                  "Shut up!" Linda shouted, twisting in the rocker to stare hard at the wall. Realizing she had spoken aloud, she turned back with a sheepish look on her face. "I'm sorry, Father, you must think I'm mad."
                  He had his gaze lowered and was patting the Bible in his lap. "I only want to help you."
                  He can't help you.
                  "It doesn't matter that you're not Catholic."
                  He knows you're not Catholic .
                  "It really doesn't matter if you don't believe in religion at all."
                  You believe in Us .
                  "I appreciate it, Father, but I don't think this is going to