Page 5 of Fed By Fear

She shakes her head. Tangled blonde hair tumbles to her shoulders. It looks like it’s been weeks since it’s seen the other end of a brush.

“Maybe I can help you. When were you born?”

She looks to her mother who answers for her. “June third.”

“Look at that. You’re a Gemini too. Very lucky. We’re good at all kinds of things.”

Eliana smiles at me. The gesture is genuine but the childlike innocence is missing from her face. I know better than most how much a paranormal experience can change a child.

The four-bulbed fixture above the table flickers. Gazes dart upwards. Eliana covers her ears, eyes shut tight. A whispering voice accompanies the next round of flickering.

The energy in the rooms shifts. Everyone is on edge now.

“Does that happen a lot?” I keep my voice soft.

“All night. It doesn’t stop. The voices and lights. It never stops.” Tears drip down the mother’s lined face and onto Eliana’s head. Her husband squeezes her shoulder but says nothing. Men tend to have a harder time with things beyond their control. They’re fixers. He hasn’t been able to fix this for his wife and child. By now, he’s likely run out of comforting words and empty promises.

“I’d like to walk around and explore the house. Would you mind joining me?” Sometimes the people in the home are triggers for the activity. Keeping them close will help me assess if the energy is tied to one of them in particular. Mycurrent suspicion is Eliana. Young children have no control over energy and don’t learn to shield until they’re much older.

We walk through a modern and tidy home. The family tenses each time I illuminate a room. As if something will be waiting for us when I turn the light on. The heaviness intensifies as we make our way down the hallway.

The door to the last room is closed. “Whose room is this?”

“Eliana’s.”

Eliana is wrapped around her mother. I give her another gentle smile. “Do a lot of scary things happen in your room?”

She nods quickly.

“Let’s find out why and make it stop. Can you be brave with me? Geminis are known to be very brave.” Not exactly my best choice of word for a Gemini’s notoriously impulsive nature, but it will work for this scenario.

Her nodding is slower this time.

The light is already on in Eliana’s room. The pressure in my head intensifies at the same time my dinner threatens to projectile back out. This is definitely the spot.

The room is painted pink and yellow. A rainbow rug runs from the small white desk to the opposite end of the room. The bed is pushed up against the far corner. The flowery rainbow comforter is absolutely covered in stuffed animals.

There is one item among the bears and bunnies that does not belong. I should have known it would be a damn doll.

“Is the doll new?” The lights flicker, causing everyone in the room to take a step back.

“Yes.” The mother’s voice is raspy and dry. “My momfound it at a yard sale a few weeks ago and gifted it to Eliana. It reminded her of one I had as a child.”

“When did the activity start?”

She exchanges a look with her husband. Her shoulders sag. “A few days after.”

I know that look. It’s the face of someone who suddenly sees a puzzle piece clicking into place and feels foolish for not figuring it out themselves. She’s not alone. Those who aren’t accustomed to the supernatural often look for other, more rational explanations. The lights are flickering? Must be a power issue. It feels like someone is watching you? You’re just tired and paranoid. Every single cabinet door is wide open when you walk in the kitchen? You must have forgotten to close them all.

We protect ourselves by rationalizing. Humans aren’t inherently good at asking for help or admitting things are beyond their control.

The doll is old.Old, old. Obsessions with dolls baffle me. You’d think even without a smidgen of psychic abilities you’d still recognize a creepy doll when you saw one. So many people are oblivious. They find the painted faces, glass eyes, and bonnet-covered shiny ringlets endearing. Dolls have a way of trapping energy. Anything that is loved unconditionally or hated fiercely has the potential to trap the dark and unwanted.

Rule of thumb—any dolls, pianos, mirrors, wedding dresses, or hairbrushes you find at the antique store should stay at the antique store.

This doll’s energy is definitely malicious. It’s dark, but not completely rooted to the home. What they need is a plan involving a proper cleansing and a permanent removal.

“I would like for you to pack your bags and drive to a hotel on the beach. Tonight. You could all use some sun andfresh air. Edwin and his team will remove the doll from the premises and reset the energy of the house. When you return after the weekend, cleanse your home with sage twice a day for the next four weeks. I’d also like for you to arrange a few energy-healing sessions for Eliana. It will help her to leave all of this behind. I know a healer who is very good with children.”