From the journal of Edward Charles.
December 13th, 1890
The “social club” has been meeting monthly. We have been doing a great deal of work. The Great One has been instructing me on building up our essence. It is our power that we can harness. It is no small thing. It takes years of practice and dedication. We must learn to clear our minds, picture our intentions, and manifest our desires. We must continue this practice at all times, every day. It is the only way to make progress and it is the foundation upon which all our future endeavors lay. He also told me of an ancient book containing spells that he wishes us to learn. It contains the ritual that we will perform to free him from the aether.
January 15th, 1891
My dear wife Virginia gave birth to our daughter Charlotte today. Both mother and child are resting. In truth, I preferred a son to replace the one I had lost. I am not unhappy, for I am somewhat excited at having a daughter, but my joy would be tenfold had she birthed me a son. I shall give them both time to rest.
May 8th, 1891
My wife hosted her first seance this evening. A woman who goes by the name of Madame Mystic Moon was conducting the seance. The supper beforehand was quite delicious. My wife takes her position as hostess seriously. The dinner went off without a hitch. It was fine dining at its greatest. Our cook is the best in the county, hell, the whole State if I’m being honest.
After our meal, we retired to the parlor for the seance. Virginia, Myself, and our guests, the Shelleys, Crowleys, and Winchesters sat in chairs around a round table with the Madame. My dear wife pestered me about contacting Matthew. I wouldn’t hear of it. My son is not a parlor trick. The Great One will bring my son back to me one day. His spirit will not be brought forth to entertain my wife’s friends.
Instead, they contacted Agatha Crowley’s mother. Despite her ridiculous name, the Madame has some measure of talent. With proper training, she could become a powerful magician instead of performing tricks for people.
March 25th, 1892
I have made progress. There are a few tasks I can perform. This eve I managed to light a candle with my mind. I thought It must be a fluke, that I was imagining things, but I performed the task a second time, and then a third. All the work and discipline I have put into my practice is now beginning to pay off. It shant be long now.
I have found a copy of the ancient grimoire The Great One told me about. It has been handed down secretly for generations, and several copies have been made. I am to purchase one such copy at a significant price. Any price is worth it to me if it brings back my son.
September 1st, 1898
Virginia has been ill every morning for a week. The doctor confirmed it. She is pregnant with our second child. The Great One tells me it will be a boy. I am guaranteed another son. I am overjoyed. I have longed for another son. Matthew will be happy for a brother once he is returned to me. We will all be very happy then.
February 19th, 1899
Virginia is fat and unpleasing to me. I know she is pregnant with our unborn son, but I cannot stand to look at her. I am a man. I have needs. Luckily there is more than one pretty maid in our employ. Tonight I cornered a pretty little blonde one who acquiesced and let me have my way with her in my Den. Afterward, she blushed and ran off. My wife is a mother, and the woman of the house. She is seeing to her duties, and taking care of my insatiable appetite is currently not one of them.
April 8th, 1899
All members of my “social club” have now mastered creating flames. We are truly on our way now. The Great One tells me that we still have a lot of work to complete before we are ready to attempt the ritual to free him. The ritual is complex and the skill we need to perform it is great. We have many years of study ahead of us.
May 3rd, 1899
My son was born this day. He is healthy, and his mother is well. He looked at me and smiled. He knows my voice. I am very proud. Virginia glows with vibrance, motherhood suits her well. She is a dutiful wife and mother. Though I still miss my first wife, I could wish for no better second wife.
New Years Eve, 1899
Virginia is hosting another grand celebration. Over the years we have become the talk of the town. We host the most elaborate parties. Tonight is no exception. My “social club” will be performing a ritual tonight.
New Year's Day, 1900
A new competitor moved in on Frederick’s business. The new dentist had the gall to open his business on the same block! Our carefully worded letters did not sway his decision to open his shop. Last night we performed a ritual to rid oneself of an enemy. The ritual required a sacrifice. A goat was acquired and we performed the ritual to the letter. At the end, Frederick performed the sacrifice and bathed in the blood of the goat. Now we wait.
January 2nd, 1900
Word has arrived that the new dentist has died in a tragic accident. It seems he was hit by a car while crossing the street. I’m told the scene was quite bloody. Though his death wasn’t the result we were looking for, it is acceptable.
August 30th, 1905
Business is well, my family is well, my mistresses are well, life is good. My “social club” and I are making great progress. The ritual we performed for prosperity last year has worked. All of the men, including myself are very successful. We have more money than we know what to do with. We give to charity, build schools, create parks, and make our community nice. We have the means to take care of anybody who dares to cross us. Nothing can stop us. We wish to perform the ritual. The Great One says that we are not ready but look at us. We are going to do the ritual next week. We are ready. I am ready.
September 6th, 1905
The ritual required a sacrifice. I had taken a messenger boy who would not be missed. I held him in our ritual meeting space. Nobody could hear his screams. I told him that he had been chosen and was part of something great. His sacrifice would not be forgotten. The other men weren’t sure about using a human sacrifice, but they all agreed that animal sacrifices had gotten us only so far.
We gathered in our robes around the circle, candles lit, incense burning, everything was in its place. When the time came I stepped into the circle, the others chanted the words in Latin, and I slit the boy's throat, catching his blood in the chalice. I drank deeply, then I passed the chalice to each man in turn who drank the boy's blood. Our chanting became louder, ending in a crescendo. A portal opened. This was the moment I had been waiting for. But it didn’t grow. It was the size of a silver dollar. A few small spirits escaped, but not The Great Old One. The portal collapsed upon itself and we were thrown across the room. He roared in our minds. He called us foolish. We could have killed ourselves. If we died, he would have to start all over again. We were too valuable to him. He cared about us. We cared about him. We listened to him. He mentored us and taught us. Through his teachings, we have grown powerful, but not powerful enough. We were humbled before him. I vowed to listen and obey.
The ritual failed, but it was not a failure, for it taught us our limitations. We knew we still had much to learn.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
July 4th, 1908
My family does love celebrations. Today Virginia and I took Charlotte and William to the parade. William loved it! It makes me so happy to see him enjoy things. He is so like Matthew. I cannot wait for him to finally meet his brother.
In the afternoon we attended the picnic. The children played with our friend’s children. In the evening we sat on our blanket and watched the fireworks.
July 5th, 1908
Two prostitutes had been acquired last night. We performed a complex ritual to strengthen our unity and bind our fates to collective success. They screamed, cried, pleaded, and begged, but could not offer what the ritual could. They did not suffer. They would also no longer blight the city with their sinful ways. I can feel the power. It hums through my veins. We are getting closer to freeing the great one. I can feel it.
~
From the diary of Virginia Charles.
November 29th, 1910
That no good, rotten man! I found out that he was having an affair with that hussie! The gall of him. I hired her because she needed a job. She had nothing! No family, no husband and the first thing she does is wrap her finger around my husband. And that’s not all. When I confronted him, he didn’t even have the decency to be shamed. I told him to stop seeing her this instance and I was going to fire her. I’m going to tell everyone what a hussy she is and she won’t be able to find work anywhere! No one will hire Ruth Bishop! Mark my words. She is ruined. He laughed in my face like it was a joke. He told me right there that he’d been having dalliances with more women than her and had done so throughout the entirety of our marriage. I’ll show him who’s boss. That girl will get what’s coming to her too! I’m not letting his bastard child be born. It’s an insult. Edward will rue the day he crossed me!
~
From the diary of Edward Charles.
November 29th, 1910
That blasted woman! She had the nerve to confront me about my affairs. How dare she. She will know her place. She told me she knew I was having an affair with Ruth, one of her maids. She is a voluptuous, pretty young thing. She accepts my advances better than most and will do things none of the others will do. She enjoys the pleasure and isn’t afraid of it. I did so hope to keep this one in my bed for longer, but I must appease the Mrs. She will be firing her shortly. Though I told her in no uncertain terms would I cease my dalliances with other women. I am very vexed with her right now.
~
From the diary of Virginia Charles.
December 9th, 1910
I confronted that harlot today. I got right up in her face when she was alone. I told her I knew what she did with my husband. My husband! She stammered and tried to tell me she didn’t do anything with him. I told her the jig was up. To pack her things and get out. She started crying and saying she didn’t have anywhere to go. I told her she should have thought about that before committing adultery with my husband. She got down on her knees and begged and pleaded with me to let her stay. That she wouldn’t let him have her anymore. I told her it was too late, she was fired and would never work for a grand house again. Good luck toiling away in a wash house, or making money as the whore she was. I left her sobbing on the floor. It felt good to confront that trash. The nerve of her to act like the victim. I’m the one who was cheated on and made out to be a fool. Well, she got hers. I used Edward’s book to curse her, she will forever be alone.
~
From the journal of Edward Charles.
December 20th, 1910
Preparations are in order for the ritual on New Year’s Eve during the party. We will begin at exactly midnight. I know what had gone wrong the first time we attempted the ritual. The sacrifice wasn’t enough. It was also the wrong sacrifice. I was correct in my assumption that we needed a human sacrifice, but what I didn’t know at the time was that I needed more than one and that they would come from the members themselves. I do adore these fine gentlemen, but what we are doing is about much more. Freeing The Great One is greater than our lives. I would give any one of these men to him as a sacrifice in order to free him and reclaim my son.
As I said, Preparations are in order. The men do not know that they will have a sacrificial part to play. I do not know how many will be sacrificed, The Great Ones says it depends on the energy he needs to break free once the portal is open. He may need one, or he may need all.
The following items are needed for this ritual to be cast:
Red brick dust
Pressed flowers from Belle Isle
Ink made from soot and vinegar
A silver coin
Soil from Matthew’s grave (It could be from any grave, but I chose Matthew’s)
Tobacco
Bone char
Salt
On New Year’s Day, I will have my son Matthew back.
~
From the diary of Virginia Charles.
Later entry New Years Day 1911
Oh lord, what did I do? They’re all dead! I didn’t mean for anybody to die. It was like they were all turned inside out. The police couldn’t be sure, but they think that Edward's body was not among the dead. Where did he go? Oh lord, help me! I did not mean for this to happen. I’m a good woman! But it’s my fault those men died. If I hadn’t sabotaged Edward’s ritual they’d all be alive. I only wanted to ruin it. I can’t tell anybody about this. They wouldn’t believe me anyway. The police are telling everybody that a fire broke out and they couldn’t get out of the room. They know that he was part of a secret brotherhood. The way those men died…it was unnatural.
The children have been asking for their father. Abigail and Edward have been with their nanny all day. They keep asking where their father is and I don’t know what to tell them. They know something bad happened. I keep bursting into tears. Please, Lord, please let this be a nightmare. I want to wake up.
January 15th, 1911
Two servants quit today. They said that they’d been hearing strange noises coming from the cellar. When I asked them what kind of noises they said it sounded like the screams of dying men. I’ve never seen a grown man scared before. They said that they were sorry to have to go, but they couldn’t stay after what happened to Edward and the other men. They said the house felt off to them. I asked them what they meant, but they didn’t know, just that it felt wrong somehow. I can’t blame them. The accident that took Edward and the other men was so terrible I’m not surprised that it tainted the house in some way.
I’ve heard things too, though not screams. Thank the Lord. I don’t think I could stay either if I had heard that, but I have heard whisperings. It happens late at night when I am between wakefulness and sleep. It sounds like someone is there in the room with me. At first, I thought it was Edward because I hadn’t gotten over the fact that he was dead. Also, I don’t remember a lot in that in-between state. I can’t think much. That’s where I most often hear the whispering. I can never make out what is being said, but it sends chills down my spine. In the morning I usually forget about it and go about my day.
There are other strange occurrences. I find that objects seem to move of their own accord. I asked a maid one day after I had left a cup of tea sitting on the table. I left the room for a few minutes and when I came back the cup of tea was sitting across the room on top of the mantel. Or a book that I had been reading will be in another spot. The maids say they haven’t touched them. I can only conclude that the house is now haunted by Edward and the men who died. It’s no less than I deserve.
An old black and white photograph fell out of the journal. It showed a smiling woman with brown hair in a maid's uniform. Vic was speechless. She recognized the woman in the photograph. It was her great, great-something grandmother! Why was her photograph in Edward Charles’ journal? She was wearing a maid's uniform in the picture. Was she his maid? Did she have an affair with him? Oh my God! Was she related to Edward Charles? This was a lot to take in.
If her great-something grandmother Ruth was the maid who Virginia cursed, could the curse her mother spoke of be true? What was this curse about? Virginia said she would forever be alone. Her dad died when she was little. Her mom’s dad left. The men never stayed. Is she cursed to forever be alone? She couldn’t wait to get the translation back on that spell book. Maybe there is a reversal spell in there. This is too crazy. There’s no way this is true, but she was proven wrong about ghosts and hauntings, so it could very well be true. She had to sit down and look at all the evidence.
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