Wraith Page #4

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to that order, please.

Thank you.

Robert Ehrlich.

Father Ehrlich.

Uh, Katie Lukens.

Katie Lukens.

I haven't heard

that name before.

There's a list,

continually updated,

of every name

in our parish.

I pray for them all daily.

You pray for hundreds of people

every day?

Thousands.

Those that have not yet

taken their first breath

and those who are about to take

their last.

What parish

do you belong to?

Uh... we don't.

Another faith community?

No. Not at the moment.

[Ehrlich]

Oh.

Please.

Have a seat.

Thank you.

[Ehrlich clears throat]

What can I do for you,

Mrs. Lukens?

How did you know

I was married?

Well, when I asked you

what parish you belonged to,

you said, "we don't."

Which means a family unit.

Am I right?

My husband's name

is Dennis.

And we... we weren't really

raised in any kind

of religious tradition.

Uh, we have a daughter, Lucy.

She's 14.

Other children?

No.

So...

why are you here, Katie?

[sighs]

I'm not sure.

We were doing research

on our house.

It's about 125 years old.

- Mm-hmm.

- And we were just wondering

about the former occupants,

because...

I see someone got through

our elaborate security?

[Ehrlich]

Elsa, this is Katie Lukens.

Pleased to meet you,

Mrs. Lukens.

Likewise, thank you.

[Ehrlich]

Thank you.

[Katie]

So, Miss Squire, the librarian,

she said that you might

be a good source

to talk to about this.

Lovely lady.

I only met her once.

I have no idea

what she meant.

It's embarrassing,

but we think

that there could be

something in our house.

- Mm-hmm.

- Like a...

a spirit.

[Ehrlich]

A spirit?

Do you feel any danger

in your house?

Any for you

and your family?

Yes.

Mrs. Lukens, please understand

I'm here to serve you.

What is it you're not

telling me?

I'm sorry, Father, I... I...

If there is something

in your house,

to put it frankly,

there has to be a void

for it to be there.

A void?

A vacuum. An emptiness.

What do you think

might be lacking, Father?

Something that can give you

protection

for you and your family.

Okay, so...

when something is hungry

or... or trapped....

you become alarmed.

Why?

Are you trapped?

Are you...

are you threatened

in some way?

[sighs]

[toilet flushes]

How's it going?

I'm pregnant, remember?

[sniffles]

How was your trip?

Same old routine.

Times are tight,

we'll get back to you.

The usual.

Everyone wants

to hire a consultant,

but no one wants

to pay for one.

So where are you

with this?

Where am I?

Where are you?

You left me here

to deal with this by myself.

I...

wanted to respect

whatever decision you make.

I don't even know

if there's a decision to make.

What's that mean?

I just feel so alone.

And this,

in this house.

There is something here,

Dennis.

Or someone here

in this house.

Lucy was right.

Katie, you're not going

to let some apparition...

cloud your judgment?

Is this like part

of being pregnant or something?

This is not

my hormones talking.

This is real.

Okay.

Can we even do this now?

Financially?

Money.

You know what?

I'll take care of it.

I'll take care of it.

What the...?

Who are you?

What's going on here?

Daddy.

I'd say you're about

9 weeks along.

First trimester.

Um...

do you think there'll be

any complications?

Not this early.

It's a perfectly safe

procedure.

No harm or risk

whatsoever.

May I schedule

for next week?

Uh...

yes.

[girl shrieking]

[shrieking]

[phone rings]

Hello?

I found them.

- Who?

- The Steins.

The Clarksons' servants.

You were right.

Their name is Stein.

And what about

their daughter?

They had no daughter.

They were childless.

Are you sure?

Back then families

were always buried together,

especially if the child

died prematurely.

Then...

then who is Rebekah?

She may not exist.

She may never

have existed.

- [loud crash]

- [screams]

[panting]

[girl's voice]

How does it feel?

Feel?

Being alive.

It can be a pain

sometimes.

[girl]

But not all the time.

Maybe not all the time,

but lately, most of the time.

[girl]

If I can touch you someday

and you can feel it,

will you know it's me?

[Lucy]

Why are you here then?

I want to be here.

I need to be here.

This is my home.

Okay, but why?

I want to live.

Lucy?

Yes?

Something bad

is going to happen.

[screams and gasps]

No!

Moloch!

[door slams]

How are you, Katie?

You were visited again?

Yes.

And contact was made?

Yes.

It spoke to me.

It said a word.

It was, um...

"moloch," I think.

Or "molluck."

Do you know

what that means?

I can't say that word in here.

This is too sacred a place.

And that name,

too profane.

Although you may

find an image,

it'll only be a mere

representation of Moloch.

Also known as Molech,

and a host of other

blasphemous variations.

Moloch is the name

of an ancient Ammonite god.

He appears in the

Book of Deuteronomy,

and then once again

in the Book of Leviticus.

There is a valley, Gehenna,

by Jerusalem,

where apostate Israelites

and followers

of various false gods,

including Moloch,

sacrificed their children

by fire.

They sacrificed them?

[Ehrlich] The threw their

newborn children into fire.

Moloch demanded it.

How could they do that?

Why would they do that?

[Ehrlich]

The pagan world was cruel.

They wanted success,

security, prosperity.

But if their fortune was at risk

on the seas

and their ship came in,

a child was a gift

of gratitude.

If they had a great

misfortune,

the child was the price.

Was there weeping?

I'm sure there was.

But why children?

I mean, what does this demigod

want with children?

[Ehrlich]

Moloch mocks God

by desiring what is God's,

not his.

I'm not saying that God hates

one thing more than another.

But the innocent blood

of a child

is a de facto sacrifice

to Moloch.

Out of our arrogance,

it seems that we have control.

But God is the author

of all life.

He owns life itself.

The question is, Katie,

what do you

think it means?

I think your daughter's

in danger.

Mortal danger.

[girl]

I must go now.

Where are you going?

Away.

Why?

Moloch.

What's that?

Destroyer of life.

And it's coming here?

Right here.

[Lucy]

Hey, wait a minute.

Why is Moloch coming?

He was invited.

[screams]

No!

Let me go! Stop!

[gasps and screams]

- Get off me!

- Baby...

Stop it!

Get off me!

- Hey...

- No! Let go.

[breathing heavily]

Let go.

Oh, God.

[flips light switch]

No.

Ow.

[gasps]

[breathing heavily]

[buzzing]

Dennis? Dennis!

Sister, where are you?

[Katie]

Dennis!

Hey. You okay?

- I don't know!

- [pots clanging]

- What's going on here?

- I don't know!

Oh!

[pounding on door]

Oh, Father Ehrlich.

[breathing heavily]

This is the priest

I was telling you about.

I see. Come in, please.

And you too, Katie?

You welcome me here?

Yes. Yes, you are.

[Ehrlich]

Thank you.

This house has never

been blessed.

[praying in Latin]

St. Michael

and the archangels,

defend us in battle.

Be our protection against

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