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Sneaking Suspicions
Last Updated:
2024-08-09 11:09:32
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Whispers of the Devil Darkness Sets In
BaileyThe Wilson house is fairly small, snug, and full of memories. I love old houses like these. Every creak step and notch in the floorboards holds a memory, and for the Wilsons, that’s over three decades of marriage and cohabitation. I run my finger over the squeaky clean mantle above the seldom used fireplace. I’m sure it’s just for show. I can’t imagine needing a fire ever in a state like Louisiana, but I sure do like the idea of cozying up in front of a fireplace and reading a book on a cold, snowy winter night. I chuckle to myself at the thought of snow–having never seen it in real life–and go about my business. I’ve set up a little workstation in the study off the living room, which is nothing more than a desk, a crammed bookshelf, and a large safe that takes up most of the tiny room. Robert likes to hunt and fish, and it shows. I eye the boxes of bullets, thankful they’re covered in years’ worth of dust, as I sit down at the cluttered desk and search for Robert’s file in
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Imperfections
TannerJose and the rest of the crew have been sitting around kicking rocks for days. That’s just how things go, but this house has been the bane of my existence all summer. Once we clear this inspection, work can start up again, but it’s taken weeks to even get to this point. I scan the behemoth of a house, finally able to see the shape taking form. It’ll be beautiful when it’s done, sure. I’ll make certain of that. While I’m not a fan of modern homes, I’ll leave my mark on this one as best I can. It’ll be the best damn modern home in all of Hahnville. Storm clouds funnel overhead as I walk around the house, checking the work we’ve done. It’s fully framed now, thank god. I’ve replaced every single fucking tool since we started building the foundation in the spring. Jake is finally off my ass about the schedule. It sounds like his wife is changing her tune about living here, which means he’s more involved in making this a home rather than a shell made of white and gray walls to sel
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil What Happened There?
BaileyI sip a cocktail in a quiet restaurant a few blocks away from Bourbon Street. It’s a quiet Friday night because of the rain, but I don’t mind. Tanner leans back in his seat with an empty plate in front of him. That man can eat, that’s for sure. No one has ever complimented my cooking like he does, and tonight he’s already spoken to the chef of this little establishment twice, showering him with praise. I smile at the thought and slide my leg against his under the table. He opens one eye and smiles softly at me. “You look like you had a long day,” I tell him. He shrugs. “Yeah, well. It’s been a long week. You’ve been gone, I’ve been splitting time between the job site and my shift at the firehouse.”“Well, we’re home all weekend.” I grin. “I think staying in bed until Monday is just what the doctor ordered.”“That sounds like heaven,” he says, but his voice is wistful and withdrawn, like his mind is elsewhere. I’ve known Tanner for a year. I’ve known him to be steadfast, st
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Let Her Die
TannerI barely slept last night or the night before. Bailey and I spent our weekend holed up in my house navigating a sudden rift that has formed in our relationship. She barely looked in my direction all weekend. Even now, I can barely put into words what happened. One moment, we’d been having sex, and the next moment things got… hazy. Like I was standing outside of my body, watching, unable to stop the series of events unfolding in front of me as Bailey’s eyes rolled back in her head and she was just… out. Out, for several seconds, them came to, screaming and pointing a knife at me. I can’t put my guilt into words, so I’m not going to even try. What’s worse is the fact she spent the last two days trying to apologize to me. It’s safe to say my head isn’t screwed on right today. I step down off the foundation and onto the wide driveway at the old Gregory property and run my fingers through my hair before putting my cap back on. Jose walks into view with his toolbox hoisted over
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Nightmare
BaileyI’ve been distracted all night, and it’s no wonder. It was actually Helen who told me about the fire. I hadn’t heard from Tanner all day, and suddenly Helen was dragging me into her living room where a video of Tanner bursting out of a burning building carrying an unconscious little girl was playing on a loop. When I called him, he sounded distracted. I get it, of course. It takes a certain kind of person to run into danger and save a life. But still…. He sounded off, withdrawn, and so I’ve felt a little off kilter all night. It’s 4:00 A.M., and I’m sitting in the cramped office downstairs preparing my notes for Helen to take to Robert’s doctor appointment later today. It’s been a quiet night. Robert hasn’t woken up a single time, and I’ve honestly just been twiddling my thumbs and trying to find something to do. He starts physical therapy this week, and once he’s back up on his feet enough to move around with the help of a walker, Helen wants me to switch to a day shift for
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Something’s Not Right
TannerThere’s something wrong with this place.The surety of the thought reverberates through my bones as I stand beneath the glare of the mid-morning sun, my eyes sweeping the hazy scene as though I’m seeing it all for the very first time.“You okay, boss?” Jose’s voice jolts me from the stupor I hadn’t realized I’d fallen into. His tone is laced with concern and makes me wonder just how long I’d been staring off into the distance.“I’m fine,” I snap before wincing at my own gruffness. “Sorry,” I add quickly. “Rough night.”Jose nods at my apology. “I figured as much. You’re usually the first one here. It was weird being the only guy on site this morning. Honestly, this place gives me the fucking creeps.”“Tell me about it,” I mutter.My thoughts turn to yesterday’s conversation with Bailey. It was a relief. I had let everything spill out, from the vandalism to the thoughts that didn’t quite feel like my own. In turn, she told me about the figure she’d seen in the marsh and her risi
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Can’t Get Away
BaileyHahnville is in the rearview mirror, literally.I blow out a sigh of relief as the last exit sign for the town fades into the distance behind us. The bustle and lights of NOLA beckon, and I let myself relax more with every mile we cover. A shadow has plagued us the last few weeks. I can’t deny that any longer, just as I can’t deny that I can feel its noxious grip on me loosen as we put more distance between us and the marsh.“I can’t wait to show you the club,” I gush. “The DJ tonight is supposed to be great. I plan on dancing the night away!”My enthusiasm is contagious, and Tanner stands no chance against it. “Oh?” he asks, smirking playfully. “What kind of dancing can I expect tonight? Grinding? Twerking?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and I giggle.“The funky chicken,” I reply in the driest tone I can muster.Tanner lets out a booming laugh, and I quickly join him. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realize that I haven’t heard him let loose like that in quite some
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Whispers of the Devil Hunted
TannerBailey is crying.My hands tighten on the steering wheel as I try to tamp down my anger at whoever touched my girl. She had been borderline hysterical in the club and had insisted that I take her home. All plans of a romantic night at a NOLA hotel have vanished, and now we’re retracing our steps back to Hahnville.I glance over at Bailey, who’s curled up in the passenger seat. “You okay?” I ask for probably the hundredth time.“I’m fine,” she responds faintly. We both know that’s a lie, but I don’t call her on it. “I’m sorry I ruined our night.”“You didn’t ruin anything,” I tell her firmly. “That guy should never have fucking touched you. You didn’t do anything wrong. He did.”She doesn’t reply. She simply turns her head to the window, her eyes straying to the glass and the darkness beyond.Mirroring her, I fix my gaze on the road ahead. There aren’t many cars out on the highway this late, so we’re making good time. My mind drifts to earlier, when we first left Hahnville. Ever
Last Updated : 2024-08-09
Latest chapter
Whispers of the Devil The House at the Edge of the Swamp
JuliaIt’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed since peace came to the house at the edge of the swamp.I roll over in bed, blinking lazily in the golden sunlight that filters in through the windows. Zeke, already awake beside me, smiles.“Good morning, beautiful.” He greets me in a voice that’s husky with sleep. He scoots closer to press a kiss to my lips.It’s chaste at first. But as the grogginess of slumber flows from my veins, the warmth of his body against mine starts to become awfully distracting. A stirring between Zeke’s legs shows me that he’s no more immune to our current situation than I am.The kiss deepens as Zeke rolls on top of me, caging me in against the mattress. His body is deliciously firm against mine. No matter how many times we do this, I can never seem to get enough of him.“You’re insatiable,” he murmurs against my lips.“Only for you,” I counter.Can he really blame me? After so many years trapped with Jake as my partner, I didn’t exactly get a chanc
Whispers of the Devil Yours for Eternity
JuliaThe whole house feels different now.For the first time since moving here, I’m not plagued by the sensation of being watched. No more creaks or bangs plague the endless rooms. The laughter and running footsteps of ghostly children no longer echo through the halls. All of the noises I attributed to the settling of new construction are gone.It’s quiet now.Empty.“They’ve all moved on,” Zeke explains when I ask if he notices it too. “They gave everything to help defeat Amos.”“Moved on?” I repeat, morbidly curious. “To where?”Zeke shrugs. “Heaven, I guess. Or maybe another dimension. I don’t really know for sure. I suppose if there were bad ones, they got sucked down into the portal with Amos.”It strikes me that these spirits must have become family to Zeke over the last century that he’s walked this land. Even the annoying or unpleasant ones must have grown on him.“Do you miss them?” I ask gently.The glimmer of sadness in Zeke’s honeyed eyes confirms my suspicions. “I do,”
Whispers of the Devil Through His Eyes
ZekeI’ve been given a tremendous gift.I hover for a moment next to the vacant body that floats limply in the mud and glance down at the harrowing scene below.The ghoulish red glow emanating from the gaping maw of the portal illuminates the tableau, though I see a soft white light as well. Jake’s soul, now cleaved from his flesh, is dragged ever downward into the abyss in Amos’s wake, but I’m hopeful that change in the light means his last act redeemed him enough to save his soul.As much as I despise Jake for having harmed Julia so deeply, I’m also filled with a grudging sense of respect for the dying wish he imparted onto me. I have no doubt that he understands that he wasn’t capable of coming back and living a life that would make up for all he has done. Offering me his body wasn’t for him, not one bit.This is for Julia, a final act of the love that once flared between them.I’ll do my best to honor Jake’s last request. But can it even be done?I’ve never heard of a spirit inha
Whispers of the Devil So This is Death
JakeFor once in my life, I’m absolutely sure I’ve done the right thing.I can’t believe that I fell for Amos’s empty promises. Even now, I wonder how much influence it exerted over my mind and actions.Every shout, every slap, every nasty thought about Julia swims through my brain as my soul is torn to pieces. How much of that was Amos? I shudder to think about how much was me.Because I do hold a hell of a lot of blame, don’t I?None of this would have happened if I’d been stronger.But I was weak, and now, I have a terrible feeling that Amos knew that from the start.As soon as I struck that deal in the driveway, Amos invaded my mind. The process itself was horrible. My brain and body was only big enough for one soul. The ordeal of adding another passenger wa sunbearably painful, and though my memories are hazy, I’m pretty sure that I passed out.At first, it wasn’t so bad, not after that first part. Amos promised me anything and everything, and I had stupidly believed it.It wove
Whispers of the Devil The Sacrifice
JuliaThe whole world spins.The driving rain is relentless, sloughing down my skin in cold rivulets. My hair hangs limply in a sodden curtain around my face, blocking my view of everything except the swirling muck below. There’s a rank taste in the back of my mouth, and I understand dimly that I must have bitten my tongue when Amos hit me.The place where the branch slammed into my skull throbs with every step the demon takes. Even though I can’t see it, I’m pretty sure that I’m bleeding. My vision swims as I’m drawn deeper into the swamp.“I’m going to break you on your husband’s cock,” Amos croons as it carries me over its shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “I’m going to fuck you until you plead with me to release you from your sorry life.”There’s nothing I can do to block out the filthy, horrible things that spill from its twisted mouth. Instead, I fight against its hold, kicking my bare feet into the torso of Jake’s body and pounding my fists against its back.But my efforts don’
Whispers of the Devil Fight for Domination
ZekeI’m not strong enough.After Amos tossed me like a ragdoll from Jake’s body, I barely have any energy left. Still, I won’t stop until there’s nothing left of me. I have to fight for Julia. I can’t let Amos take her.As Julia runs outside into the storm, I square up to the demon. It’s wearing Jake’s body like an ill-fitting suit. While it’s clumsy and uncoordinated, its movements are still powerful.“I told you not to get in my way, Hezekiah,” Amos growls. It doesn’t seem in any rush to chase after Julia. What game is it playing? Whatever it is, I don’t want to find out.“I won’t let you hurt her.” I stand firm, unwavering beneath its midnight stare.“I will destroy you,” the demon threatens as it stalks forward. “I will devour your very soul.”I parry to the side as it attempts to dart around me, blocking it from pursuing Julia’s retreating form. “You can’t kill somebody who’s already dead,” I snarl.Amos laughs. The sound is something that a human throat shouldn’t even be able t
Whispers of the Devil Back to the Swamp
JuliaThis is a terrible idea.Every nerve ending in my body screams for me to turn around, but it’s way too late for that.I’m already here.The house on the edge of the swamp rises up before me, blotting out the overcast sky. Clouds the color of fresh bruises creep overhead, threatening rain. It’s barely evening, yet the darkness is already encroaching.There’s no sign of Jake. I’d half expected him to be waiting for me in the driveway, but the whole place seems deserted. I can only hope that Amos is lurking out in the swamp and is unaware of my arrival.I survey the building in front of me. It looks like years have passed since I was last here, though it’s only been a few hours. It looks like it could crumble into the swamp at any moment.The front door hangs open, as though it’s been waiting for me this whole time. I approach it cautiously, scanning for movement within, but everything is still.Waiting.“It’s just a house,” I whisper to myself, though I know now that it’s much mor
Whispers of the Devil Ganging Up
ZekeI’m going to kill Jake.It’s all I can think about. I didn’t have the energy to intervene as he hurt Julia and shattered their relationship beyond repair. I’d tried to manifest myself, to fight against Amos’s hold on Jake, but it was no use.I wasn’t able to protect Julia.I failed her.A powerful surge of anger flows through me as I think about how distressed she was as she snuck outside, jumped into the driver’s seat of Jake’s car when he wasn’t looking, and sped off into the rainy night. Even though I desperately wanted to go with her, I’m unable to cross the invisible line marking the boundary of the property. I can only hope that she’s taken refuge somewhere safe, some place where Jake can’t follow.It’s morning now, and there’s no sign of Julia. Jake lays in the driveway amidst a mess of mud and gravel, unconscious. I’m itching to kick him, but I’m still too weak to summon my corporeal form. Instead, I spare him a scathing glare as I bypass his prone form and head toward th
Whispers of the Devil An Open Door
JuliaIt’s over.There’s no room for doubt as I drive through the worst of the storm. I feel violated, all the way down to my soul. My face is red and streaked with tears, and my lungs constrict with every breath I take, as though my chest is trapped in an immovable vice.Jake’s actions are unforgivable.And it had been Jake, not Zeke. I’m absolutely sure of that. Aside from the fact that Zeke would never treat me so horribly, we’d simply spent so much time together during Jake’s absence that the ghost was all but drained of energy by the time my husband returned home.But there was something else wriggling through the back of my mind, insidious and full of venom.How had Jake even known about Zeke in the first place?He didn’t look at all surprised when I spoke the spirit’s name aloud. In fact, he played along with it, lulling me into a false sense of security until the point of no return.Only then did Jake reveal himself.Somebody must have told him about Zeke. Somebody must have p
