A L O S T G I R L
In the suburbs of Chesterfield, New Hampshire, Cooper and Janice Lawrence have contacted Travis Vail to investigate mysterious behavior of their nine-year old daughter, Carrie Lawrence. According to the parents, Carrie had been participating in some unusual behavior, talking and playing with an imaginary friend whom she calls Leta. Within a few days, Carrie began to act a certain behavior that appeared to be abnormal to her parents, speaking in an unknown tongue and drawing art that seemed to have an infatuation with death and fire.
Vail arrived at the suburb home of the Lawrence family. He walked toward the door and knocked three times. Cooper opened the door and greeted Vail, allowing him to enter his home. When Vail walked inside the home, he immediately felt a negative presence. He looked around the home’s first room, which was a living room, next to a kitchen. Sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV is Carrie.
“Carrie, meet Mr. Vail.” Janice said.
Carrie turned and looked at Vail. She stared at him for quite a bit before turning back toward the TV. Vail turned to Cooper and Janice. He asked them about Carrie’s behavior when she began to speak about an imaginary friend. Janice told him that it stared when Carrie went outside to play with some neighbors before she saw a young girl sitting by a tree, who she claimed to be Leta. Vail told them that he will investigate their home later that night to find evidence of Carrie’s friend.
Vail returned to their home and began his investigation. Upon finding no source that could trace to Carrie’s imaginary friend. He started to doubt that he would find anything related to Leta. Though, Vail walked into the backyard to the site where Carrie came into contact with Leta. Vail noticed some form of objects buried in the dirt by the tree. What Vail found was a locket necklace. Inside the locket was a photo of a young girl with the name Leta under the photo. Vail took the locket and left the home, stating that more research had to be done.
The next day, Vail meets with Raynard Brown, a historian. Raynard greets Vail as he pulls out the locket and showed the picture. Raynard looked at the photo.
“I would like to see if you could tell me what century this photo was taken in?”
“Appears it dates to the late 19th century.”
“The late 1800s you say.”
“Indeed. Tell me, what about this picture intrigues you, Mr. Vail?”
“I’m currently on an investigation about a young girl’s imaginary friend. This locket was buried by a tree where the girl first met the imaginary friend.”
“So, I take it, you believe this young girl on the photo is the imaginary friend?”
“That’s my current guess. Even though, when I walked into the home, I felt a negative presence that seemed beyond human.”
“It is possible that a demon could have taken the form of this “Leta” and is using it to deceive and control the young girl.”
Raynard handed the locket back to Vail, who placed it inside his coat pocket.
“I’m heading back over there immediately to do another form of test.”
“Wish you luck on this one.”
“Thanks, but I’m not an actual believer in luck.”
Vail left the building, returning to the suburb home of the Lawrence Family.
Vail returned to the home, he sat with Cooper and Janice to speak with them about Carrie. Janice request for Carrie to sit in her room while they talk with Vail. Carrie walked into her room and closed the door. Cooper turned to Vail.
“So, what have you discovered so far?”
“I found this buried in your backyard.” Vail said, pulling out the locket from his coat pocket.
Vail handed the locket to them. Cooper opened it and seen the picture of a little girl. Janice placed her hand over her mouth as she saw the name “Leta” beneath the picture. Cooper pointed.
“That’s the name which Carrie told us. That’s the name of her friend.”
“So, you’re telling us this is who Carrie’s been talking with?” asked Janice with fear in her voice.
“It’s a possible theory. Not sure so far since I would like to speak with Carrie, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure.”
Janice called out Carrie to sit with them. Carrie sat between her parents as she stared at Vail. Looking him in the eyes. Vail could feel the heavy presence from her.
“Carrie, I would like to ask you about your friend, Leta.”
“She doesn’t like you.”
“How can you tell?”
“She told me that you’re here to get rid of her. She says you won’t be able to because we’re friends.”
“I know you’re just a child, you shouldn’t play around with things you can’t comprehend.”
“I understand enough, thanks to Leta.”
Janice turned to Cooper, frightened at her daughter’s words toward Vail. Cooper looked at his daughter, worried about her well-being.
“Honey, what has Leta told you?”
“Leta told me that we will be friends forever and no one can breakup our friendship. Not even this man here.”
“Sweetie, this man is here to help you.” Janice told her daughter.
“This man is here to ruin my friendship with Leta and I won’t let him.”
“Carrie, me and your mother have decided that you cannot be friends with Leta anymore.”
“Leta is my friend and we will always be together. Whether any of you like it or not.”
Vail looked into Carrie’s eyes and noticed a slight change. Her eyes had shifted solid black for a quick second. He warned Cooper and Janice of this change and told them to stay guard of what could possibly happen.
“Carrie, where is Leta at this moment?”
“She’s here with us.”
Vail stood up and looked around the room, Cooper and Janice looked around, but saw nothing. They looked at their daughter with fear and confusion, not understanding what is happening to her.
“What is she doing?”
“She’s plotting to kill you silly.” Carrie said with a smile.
Carrie giggled as objects in the room began to levitate and throw themselves at Vail. He ducked the thrown objects that came his way. He yells to Cooper and Janice to take Carrie out of the house. They take Carrie and leave the home in a hurry. Vail is left inside the house by himself, seeing the objects in the room levitating and moving around with no natural explanation. Vail knew it was Leta’s doings.
“Leta, I know it’s you. If you wanted a fight, you have one with me.”
The objects ceased moving and the room quickly turned silent. Vail slowly walked through the house, with a ritual notebook in his hands, equipped with a metal cross.
“Where are you, Leta? I know you’re still inside this house.”
Vail heard a set of footsteps coming from behind him. The footsteps become louder as Vail stood his guard. He turned to see what could be creating the footsteps and when he turned around, he sees Carrie’s room and coming from the room is a young girl, the same girl from the photo. She is Leta.
“So, you’re Leta.”
“I am. Who are you supposed to be?”
“I’m Travis Vail, occult detective. My job is to find and solve cases that involve the paranormal, such as you.”
“There’s no reason for you to have ever come here. We were doing just fine before you came into our lives.”
“First off, you don’t have a life anymore. You’re dead. Secondly, you’re turning a young girl into a monster. Her parents are scared to death of their daughter because of your influence.”
“Her parents are a thing of the past. Carrie is the future and I’m guiding her in the right direction.”
“You’re not guiding her in any direction but the paths of pain and death. You don’t belong in this world anymore, Leta.”
“What gives you the right to say so?”
“Because it’s my purpose.”
Vail took out the cross and held it toward Leta. She slowly backed away from Vail, her hands up, covering her face and screaming at him to drop the cross.
“I’m not dropping it.” Vail stated.
Leta looked at Vail and smiled. She waived her hand toward the cross and it melted in Vail’s hands. Turning into liquid ash. Vail stepped back, looking down at the remains of the cross.
“You know that stuff doesn’t work on us.” Leta smirked.
Vail had realized Leta isn’t an ordinary ghost who’s trapped on Earth. She is the negative energy that he felt, and he now knows she’s a demonic entity posing as the young girl in the picture.
“What are you going to do, Spirit-Seeker?” Leta inquired. “Show me what you have to offer.”
“It’s time for you to go, little demon.”
“You have no understanding. I’m not going anywhere!”
Leta raised her hand, causing a wave of energy to hit Vail. The wave was powerful enough to pick Vail off the ground and knocking him into a wall. He looked up and doesn’t see Leta anywhere.
“This girl I tell you.” Vail muttered to himself as he stood up.
Cooper and Janice walked back into the house with Carrie. Entering, they see the living room covered with shattered frames, vases, and other objects on the ground. Vail walked back into the room, seeing Cooper, Janice, and Carrie.
“Are you alright?” Janice said.
“I’m alright. Why did you come back inside?”
“We heard noises going on and we wanted to see what was happening.” Cooper said.
“What did you find?” Janice asked.
“For starters, I seen your daughter’s imaginary friend. She’s a tough one to deal with.”
“You’re telling us that Carrie’s friend isn’t imaginary, but real.”
“That’s what I’m telling you. She wants the two of you to stay out of her way. She said she’s influencing Carrie for the future.”
“Influencing her? There’s nothing wrong with our daughter.”
“I thoroughly believe that your daughter is mildly possessed by Leta. That would explain the shifting eyes and her friend coming from her room”
“Why do we have to go through this.” Janice stammered.
“Lot of people have these problems in a lot of different ways. I’m just here to help out.”
Janice grabbed Vail’s hand, looking him in the eyes with fear. Vail could feel her fear.
“You have to save our daughter. You must.”
Vail nodded. Cocked his head with a nod and slight chuckle.
“I have one more solution that can be done.”
“Name it.”
“I’ll have to exorcize your home and your daughter.”
Later at nightfall, Carrie is sitting down on the couch in between her parents. Vail walked into the room with holy water. He dabs his thumb into the water and created an insignia onto Carrie’s forehead. She screamed as the first touch of water burned her. Her parents held her tightly during the burning sensation that she felt.
“That confirmed she is mildly possessed.” Vail said. “Thought you should know that. For the best.”
“What are you going to do next?” Cooper asked.
“Read a ritual that will lift the essence of Leta from your daughter and send her to the other side.”
Vail took out his book of rituals and began reciting the ritual of lifting Leta’s essence. The home was quiet and there weren’t any sounds to be heard.
“I, Travis Vail, read from the book of rituals, I hereby declare a cleansing of this home and its inhabitants.”
Carrie started to shake, as if she was losing control of her body. Her parents held her down as Vail continued to do the ritual.
“I hereby command the spirit of Leta to leave this home and its inhabitants.”
Vail looked at Carrie as she screamed in pain. Janice’s face covered with tears as she held her daughter down.
Cooper held in his emotions. Carrie looked at Vail with intense anger, now knowing that it isn’t Carrie.
“You’ll never take me away from here!” Carrie said with a changed voice. A deep-pitched voice.
“We’ll see about that.” Vail replied.
Vail continued reciting as black smoke started to emit from the house and from Carrie into the air. Vail ran over to the door and opened it as the black smoke swiftly flew out of the house. Carrie stopped screaming and fell unconscious. Janice called out to her for a response. The smoke left the home and Carrie. Vail shut the door and approached the parents.
“There’s nothing to worry about. She’s fine.”
“Thank you.” Cooper said.
“Thank you so much.” Janice beamed.
Vail prepared himself to leave the home and was getting himself ready. Before he left, he was stopped by Janice, who hugged him for his help. Cooper stood behind Janice, smiling.
“Thank you again.”
“It’s my job to help.”
“If I may ask, where did the spirit go?” Cooper inquired.
“Leta went to a place that she will feel comfortable, I hope. In truth, she was just a lost girl looking for a way out.”
Vail left the neighborhood and Carrie awoke inside her room with her parents over here, smiling.
“What happened, mommy?”
“It’s a long story.”
