Fic: Mr. & Mrs. John Moore (aka Miss Sara Howard Moore) VIII: Beaded Pearls (9/10)
Title: Mr. & Mrs. John Moore (aka Sara Howard Moore) VIII: Beaded Pearls (9/10)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): John/Sara, Julia Ogden, Miranda Minton, Greta Bremer
Fandoms: The Alienist/Murdoch Mysteries
Genres: Angst, Drama, Historical, Holiday, Horror, Mystery, Suspense
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings (this chapter): None
Spoilers: None
Summary: Halloween still clings to Pine Grove like cobwebs.
Chapter Summary: Can John be saved?
Date Of Completion: April 19, 2021
Date Of Posting: December 11, 2022
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, TNT, Shaftesbury Films and The Canadian Broadcasting Company do, more’s the pity.
Word Count (this chapter): 1297
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
The entire series can be found here.
IX
POSSESSION
Possession
Is nine-tenths
Of the law,
So they say.
Edna May Cadwallader
"The Modern Woman's
Poetic Guide"
1892 C E.
"No! It's not too late! John, say something!"
Even with the spirits and wind howling, John's strained voice could just be heard.
"Help me."
That quiet plea broke Sara's heart.
"This way," John said.
Somehow the women surged forward, determined to find John. They did their best to ignore the swirling spirits. A chair overturned and the chandelier swayed and tinkled as the words grew stronger.
"Hold out your hand, John," Sara pleaded.
"I've got it!" John said.
"We're getting out of here."
Sara led Julia out of the dining room, and Julia led John out in a human daisy chain. They stumbled down the foggy hall and entered the library, which contained very little fog.
Sara stopped and turned around, looking past Julia toward her husband. "John!"
John looked devastated. His expression was a mix of horror and despair, and he was shaking. Sara ran to him.
"John, what's wrong?" Speak to me!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Speak!"
John's eyes were glassy, and he struggled to breath. Sara shook him but was restrained by Julia.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know, but he's clearly affected." Julia shut the library down. "How do you feel?"
"A little dizzy, otherwise okay."
"Same here " Julia studied John. "I'm not sure he can hear us."
"What can we do?"
"Get him out of this house."
"And how do we do that in the middle of a blizzard?" Sara asked sharply, frustration fueling her tongue.
"Admittedly, that is a problem."
Sara looked at her husband. ""John, can you hear me?"
He struggled to focus his eyes on her. "Sara?"
"Yes, John, I'm here." Sara cupped his face with her hands. "It will be all right."
He grimaced. "I feel strange."
Fog began to curl in under the door. Moans sounded out in the hall as gale-force winds buffeted the house.
"They're coming for us," Julia said grimly.
"What can we do?" Sara asked.
"I don't know."
& & & & & &
Somehow the spirits stayed out of the library. Why, they never could figure out. Whatever the reason, they were grateful.
John fell into an exhausted sleep on the sofa. Julia and Sara searched for weapons, but the library was an unlikely room to hold any. Books were the only treasures in this room.
Julia began a quick search of the bookcases. Sara was searching the desk and frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Saving our bacon, I hope."
She kept at the task and hustled down the length of the bookcase. Sara concentrated on her search until Julia said, "Ah ha!"
"Ah ha, what?"
Julia brandished a thick tome. "The Wirches' Grimoire."
Sara blinked. "Is that where we're going now? Wirches' spells?"
"You've seen what happened this night. Do you have any better ideas?"
Sara blew out an exasperated breath. "Start reading."
"Right." Julia opened the book and scanned the Table of Contents. She took a quick look in the back of the book.
"How delightful! There's an index."
"Julia."
"Sorry," Julia said. She found out what she was looking for. "Okay, what I suspected is listed here. Under 'Seances', the book describes a similar scenario: severe cold, howling spirits, a confused person left by the end, much like John."
"What's it mean?"
Julia read more. "It could be possession."
"Possession! How do we fight that?"
The door to the library opened, startling both women. In the doorway stood a snow-covered Madame Miranda Minton.
& & & & & &
It was a great recitation of a hazardous journey from Greta Bremer's boardinghouse to Pine Grove. Sara and Julia were amazed that Miranda and Greta had gotten through, Greta had been standing outside in the hall during Miranda's grand entrance but had scurried in right after her, closing the door firmly behind them.
"We think John may be possessed," Julia said.
"That's an astute diagnosis, Doctor," said Miranda.
"I've been known to have occasional insights."
Miranda took the Grimoire and read, nodding as she looked over at John. "Your insights are correct."
"Why did the ghosts stop coming after us?" Sara asked.
"I don't know, but we can attempt an exorcism while we have the chance."
"Don't you need some kind of props?" Julia asked.
Miranda smiled briefly and held out her hand. "Greta."
Greta was holding a cloth bag and dug candles out, placing them in her friend's hand. Miranda held up the candles. "Clear the desk," she said.
The other women cleared the desk and Miranda set the tapers in candlesticks that Greta had brought in her bag.
"Set chairs around the desk," Miranda directed
Five chairs were arranged around the oak desk, including the red leather chair behind the desk. Miranda took that chair and said, "Bring John Moore to sit beside me."
Sara woke John and brought him over to the desk. She helped him into the wingback chair on Miranda's right. She took the chair next to John while Julia and Greta selected the other chairs. Greta lit the candles
Miranda took deep breaths as she prepared herself. John was slumped in his chair. Snow was piling up against the library windows. The rest of the house was eerily quiet. Sara disliked the silence. It did not bode well.
Miranda took a final breath. "Join hands " She took one of John's hands and Sara grasped hold of the other hand. The circle was completed as the others joined hands.
"Time to speak, Abigail Biggsby," intoned Miranda.
Sara was surprised. Abigail Biggsby, not Emily?
"Speak, Abigail. Let us know that you hear us."
It was all very strange and frightening. Sara dealt with facts as a private investigator, not mystical mumbo-jumbo, yet ever since Eleanor Biggsby had walked into her office, she had been caught up in supernatural happenings. Now John was in danger. It all depended on Miranda Minton.
"Speak, Abigail."
"I am here, Madame Minton."
John's eyes were closed but his mouth opened and the ghostly voice spoke. Sara was chilled as she listened to the strange voice.
"Leave the body of this young man. You know how this feels."
"I know."
"Then leave this body."
There were several minutes of silence, the storm's rage rattling the windowpanes. Sara's patience was wearing thin, but she knew better than to interrupt. She tightened her grip on John's hand.
Stay with me.
"Leave, Abigail. You are no longer among the living."
"I tire of this house."
Howling noises began in the hall. Pounding on the door made everyone jump up except for John and Miranda.
"Leave, Abigail. Free this man."
"It's 1876."
"It always is in this house."
Abigail wailed. "I'm not evil!"
"I know."
John began to convulse. Sara started to move and Miranda said sharply, "Don't break the circle."
Screams came out of John's body. The convulsions grew stronger.
"John!" Sara pleaded
The candles flickered and fog began to seep under the locked door. Bang! Bang! Bang!
"John!"
"Leave!" Miranda commanded
John's body gave one final convulsion, and a spectral fog left him, howling in despair. John slumped in his chair.
"Thank you, Abigail." Miranda spoke some words in a language Sara had never heard before, and the spirits demanding to be let in ceased.
Miranda opened her eyes. "It is done."
Sara immediately checked on John. His skin was warmer and his breathing was no longer labored. She looked over at Miranda. "Thank you."
Miranda nodded, looking exhausted. Julia took hold of her. "Greta and I will help Miranda up to a bed. We'll be back to help you with John."
Greta and Julia helped Miranda out of the room. Answers would come tomorrow. Tonight, Sara would just be grateful.
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