Chain On The Crescent

 

 

The Journey North

The Amtrak Crescent rumbled out of New Orleans, cutting through the morning haze toward Picayune. Mrs. Lin sat by the window, staring at nothing, her mind back home with her daughter—alone, chained to the bed again.

She hated those padded restraints more than anything, but after the last time her girl had levitated off the mattress and spoken in a voice that sounded like gravel and smoke, Mrs. Lin didn’t have a choice. She had to go to work. Bills didn’t care about demons.

The doctors said psychosis. The preacher said Legion. The preacher had tried three exorcisms, then went blind for a week and never came back. Some days her daughter was fine—laughing, normal, begging for extra syrup on her waffles. The next minute she was snarling in languages nobody in Louisiana had any business knowing and trying to bite through her own wrist.

Mrs. Lin was so deep in it she didn’t notice the young man until he spoke.

“Excuse me, ma’am—I think that’s my seat.”

 A Stranger on the Train

She looked up. Early twenties, polite smile, holding his phone with the ticket pulled up. Beat-up backpack, tired eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry, baby.” She slid over. “Mind was somewhere else.”

“No problem at all,” he said, dropping into the seat with a long sigh.

“You alright?” she asked.

He gave a tired laugh. “Been sleeping on the street in New Orleans the last couple weeks. Finally got enough saved for a room and a new job up in Picayune. Trying to look halfway human for the interview.”

Mrs. Lin’s heart softened. “Lord, that’s hard.”

He shrugged, then dug into his backpack and pulled out a folded work shirt. He glanced at her, cheeks red. “Ma’am, this is gonna sound crazy, but is it okay if I change real quick? I do it all the time on this train—nobody ever notices.”

Mrs. Lin actually smiled—first real smile in days. “Son, I’m fifty-seven and got a possessed child chained to a bed right now. Go right ahead. Ain’t nothing I ain’t seen.”

He grinned, relieved. “Thank you. Name’s Justin, by the way.”

“Mrs. Lin,” she said. “Pleasure, Justin.”

He turned toward the aisle for a little modesty and swapped shirts fast. Mrs. Lin looked out the window again, but the knot in her chest loosened just a fraction. Sometimes all it takes is a stranger being kind to remind you the world hasn’t completely gone to hell.

 The Truth Comes Out

After Justin buttoned his clean shirt, he sat back down and gave her a sideways look.

“Ma’am… you weren’t serious about the possessed-daughter thing, right? Tell me that was just a joke to mess with the homeless kid.”

Mrs. Lin let out a tired laugh that didn’t reach her eyes.

“I wish I was, Justin. One minute we were eating cereal like any other Tuesday. Next thing I know, my baby girl’s sitting at the table… and she’s not in there with me.”

Justin shifted in his seat. “Look, I’ve slept under bridges from here to Baton Rouge. The street beats the fear of ghosts right out of you. I don’t really believe in that stuff.”

“If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t either,” she said quietly. “I called her name three times. When she finally looked up… her eyes were solid white. Not rolled back—just pure white, like milk glass, with little red veins crawling up her cheeks. Then she smiled, real slow, and said in this voice that still rattles my bones: ‘You will suffer, Mama.’ Wasn’t my Rebecca talking.”

Justin swallowed hard. “Jesus.”

“Almost had a heart attack right there at the kitchen table.” She stared at her hands. “That was six months ago. Been downhill ever since.”

A long silence settled between them, broken only by the steady clack of the rails.

Justin cleared his throat. “I’m real sorry, ma’am.”

An Offer of Hope

Mrs. Lin looked at him for a long moment, then out the window at the pine trees whipping past. An idea flickered across her face—half hope, half desperation.

“Justin… how would you feel about renting a room at my place? House is way too big for just the two of us, and I’ve got spare bedrooms sitting empty.”

He blinked. “Ma’am, I—I just told you I’m broke. I’ve maybe got forty-three dollars to my name right now.”

“You wouldn’t owe me a dime. Not till you’re on your feet.” She leaned in a little. “My daughter—Rebecca—she’s nineteen. Same age as you. She’s… lonely. Scared. If she saw a new face, somebody kind, somebody her own age… maybe it’d bring her back a little. Even for a day.”

Justin stared at her, the offer sinking in. Winter was coming fast. Nights on the street in December could kill you.

“You’re serious,” he said.

“As a heart attack.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking about frostbite, about waking up with ice in his beard, about the way this woman was looking at him—like he might actually be an answer to somebody’s prayer.

Finally he nodded. “All right. If it’ll help Rebecca… and if you’re sure… I’d be honored, ma’am.”

Mrs. Lin’s eyes filled up, but she smiled for the first time all morning. She pulled an old receipt from her purse and scribbled on the back with a pen.

“Here’s the address. And my cell. You get yourself up to Picayune anytime—today, tomorrow, middle of the night, don’t matter. Door’ll be unlocked and a room’ll be waiting.”

Justin took the paper like it was made of gold. “Thank you, Mrs. Lin. Truly.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, folding her hands tight so he wouldn’t see them shake. “Maybe you’re the miracle we been praying for.”

The train whistle moaned as Picayune station slid into view—two platforms, a couple of benches, and a sky turning the color of bruised peaches.

Neither of them knew it yet, but one of them was about to meet Rebecca for the first time.

And only one of them would still be entirely human when it was over.

A New Arrival

A week later, on a sunny Saturday morning, Mrs. Lin and her daughter Rebecca were just sitting down to breakfast when the doorbell rang. Mrs. Lin sighed.

“Who on earth is coming by this early?” she muttered, glancing at Rebecca. Her daughter gave her a curious look, but Mrs. Lin just shrugged and headed to the door.

When she opened it, she did a double-take. Standing on the porch, looking nervous but hopeful, was Justin.

“Justin!” she exclaimed, breaking into a huge smile.

“Good morning, ma’am,” he said politely, a shy grin spreading across his face. “Hope I’m not too early.”

“Not at all! Come in, come in—we’re just about to eat breakfast.”

“We?” Justin asked, suddenly looking a little uneasy.

Mrs. Lin laughed. “My daughter Rebecca’s here. Come meet her.”

Justin let out the breath he’d been holding. He’d spent the whole week wondering if Mrs. Lin would even remember him—or if her offer still stood. Seeing the warmth in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

He stepped inside and followed her to the kitchen. At the table sat a young woman who could’ve stepped straight out of a magazine—beautiful, with striking green eyes and an easy smile.

“Rebecca, this is Justin—the young man I told you about,” Mrs. Lin said proudly. “Justin, this is my daughter Rebecca. I might’ve mentioned… her situation.”

Justin nodded, extending his hand. “Nice to finally meet you, Rebecca.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” she said, shaking his hand with a genuine smile. “Mom wouldn’t stop talking about you. I’m really glad you came.”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

Mrs. Lin beamed. “So polite—and straight off the street, no less!”

Justin smiled. “People can choose who they want to be, ma’am. I just chose to be someone my mom would’ve been proud of.”

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Mrs. Lin said, already pulling out a chair. “Now sit down and let me fix you a plate.”

And just like that, Justin became part of their home.

Peaceful Months

He was a godsend around the house. He fixed the creaky back door, patched the leaky faucet, mowed the lawn every weekend, and tinkered with anything that wasn’t working right. He never complained, never asked for much, and always said “yes, ma’am” and “thank you.”

Little by little, both Mrs. Lin and Rebecca grew to love him—not in a romantic way (at least not yet), but like the son and brother they’d never had.

Best of all, Rebecca had been herself the whole time. No episodes, no dark moods, no signs of the thing that used to take over her. For the first time in years, the house felt peaceful.

And as the weeks turned into months, Rebecca and Justin grew closer than anyone expected—two kind souls who’d both been through too much, finding something like family in each other.

The Darkness Returns

Nothing good lasts forever—that’s what they always say. Happy endings are for fairy tales, and evil usually wins in the real world. Justin had started to believe life could be simple. He and Rebecca had fallen into an easy rhythm, the kind of quiet happiness most people only dream about.

Then came the winter afternoon that shattered everything.

He found her in the backyard, bent over something hidden by her body. The bare branches of the old apple tree clawed at a gray sky, and her breath hung in the freezing air like smoke. Snow crunched under his boots as he walked toward her.

“Rebecca?” he called. His voice sounded small against the cold silence.

No answer.

“Rebecca!”

Still nothing.

He stepped closer, boots sinking into the thin layer of snow, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

The second he touched her, she spun like a whip-crack, seized him by the jacket with inhuman strength, and flung him ten yards across the yard. He hit the frozen trunk of the apple tree hard—spine first, then the back of his skull. Pain exploded white-hot. Ice and bark scraped his skin as he slid to the ground.

Before he could draw a breath, she was on him again—fingernails now black talons, eyes glowing with something ancient and hungry.

“How dare you interrupt my pet,” she hissed, breath hot and sulfurous against the winter air.

Justin coughed, tasting iron. Her knee dug into his chest, pinning him to the frozen ground.

“Who the hell are you?” he rasped.

“You’re ruining my toy,” the thing snarled. “She belongs to me. Only me.”

He spat blood into the snow; it steamed for a second before freezing crimson. A weak grin cut through the pain. “Yeah? Says the parasite too chickenshit to show its own face. Think I’m scared?”

A drop of his blood must have landed on her hand.

The Power of Blood

The creature shrieked and recoiled as the skin smoked and blistered like it had touched holy water.

“What are you?” it demanded, voice cracking with sudden fear.

Justin pushed up on trembling arms, the cold snow biting into his palms. Something dark and hungry stirred inside him, answering the winter chill with fire.

“How the hell should I know?” he growled, rising to his feet. “But I’m about to find out.”

Justin advanced toward the thing possessing Rebecca just as it fled from her body. Rebecca collapsed, unconscious. Justin skidded to a stop and rushed to her side.

"Rebecca!" he called, but there was no response.

He scooped her up and carried her into the house. Mrs. Lin let out a frightened gasp and hurried over.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I have no idea," Justin said, laying Rebecca gently on the couch. "One moment she was herself, and the next... she wasn't. She threw me like I weighed nothing."

Mrs. Lin examined Rebecca closely. When she spotted the fresh burn mark on her hand, she hissed under her breath. "What caused this?"

Justin scratched his head, still trying to make sense of it. "This is gonna sound crazy, but when she threw me, I slammed into that old apple tree out back. She came at me again, and as soon as my blood touched her skin, this happened. Whatever was inside her got terrified and bolted."

"Your blood did this?" Mrs. Lin asked, staring at him intently.

"Yeah," Justin replied, frowning at the strange way she was looking at him.

"And the demon fled right after your blood made contact?"

"Exactly."

Mrs. Lin's eyes widened. "Then you must be the key."

Seeking the Past

"The key to what, ma'am? I'm just a homeless kid scraping by on your kindness."

"Don't play dumb, Justin. Your blood has power—maybe something you inherited from your mother's side."

Justin let out a bitter laugh. "I wouldn't know. I never knew my mother. I'm an orphan—grew up in a group home and got kicked out the day I turned eighteen. Those are the rules."

Mrs. Lin nodded thoughtfully. "Then we need to visit that group home and find out who left you there."

Return to Raintree

It was a week later that the three of them visited Justin's old home, Raintree Children and Family Services, located at 1233 Eighth Street, New Orleans, LA 70115.

He shuddered as they drew nearer. It had been a home with no love; the staff were just cold and mean. All they cared about was the paperwork and the day a kid turned eighteen so they could kick him or her out, no matter the time or weather.

He remembered old Mother Benita, who always tormented them and reminded them that they were just there for a while and would be kicked out when the time came. He remembered how he had scraped every pot just to get a little food into his mouth.

"You okay?" Rebecca asked him as she noticed his nervousness.

"Yeah, sure," he said.

Mrs. Lin patted him on the back and led the way forward. As they approached the reception desk, the clerk jumped up with a beaming smile. "Are you here for an adoption?"

"No," Mrs. Lin said. "We want to see Mother Benita."

The clerk looked at all three of them and then peered closer at Justin. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

"No," Justin said with a straight face.

"Hmm," the clerk said. "Be right back. Please have a seat over there," he said, pointing at a rickety chair covered in rust.

As he left, Mrs. Lin looked around and shook her head. "This is a disaster."

"What, Mom?" Rebecca asked her.

"How can people not want kids? How can they just dump their kid and leave?"

"It's okay, Mrs. Lin," Justin replied. "Things happen beyond their control."

Mother Benita arrived with the clerk, and when she saw Justin, she growled, "You!"

Mrs. Lin shot to her feet. "Good morning. My name is Lin, and this is my daughter, Rebecca." She smiled and added, "I guess you already know Justin."

Mother Benita never took her eyes off Justin as she asked Mrs. Lin, "What do you want?"

"Uh, I just want some information about Justin."

"He's right here—why not ask him? Why drag me out of my busy schedule?"

At that, Justin scoffed and pretended it was a cough, but Mother Benita's eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

Rebecca just shook her head with a small smile.

"It's about his mother—or whoever left him here. That's the information I'm after," Mrs. Lin said quickly.

At that, Mother Benita's head turned to her. "I have no idea who left him. Nobody ever 'dumped' him, though—he's been trouble right from the crib."

"So no idea or any hint about his background?"

"Just a darn letter left for him and a box. As far as I know, that's all there was."

"And you never gave it to me before I left?" Justin asked.

"Is someone talking?" Mother Benita asked, looking around. "I don't know whose voice that is or who’s talking."

"Please, could we have the things that were left for Justin?" Mrs. Lin asked, giving Justin a calming look.

"Sure. And get out of here fast—bad luck follows that boy wherever he goes." She called to the clerk and ordered him to get Justin's things and make sure they left. The clerk looked at Justin and then grinned. "Now I know who you are. I guess the rumors were true."

"Rumors?" Rebecca asked him.

"Yeah, rumors say he once fought a demon, but no one could ever give me any details."

Rebecca looked at Justin with a questioning expression.

He just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. They collected his things and headed home.

The Mother's Letter

At home, they wasted no time opening the box. A letter popped out, and Mrs. Lin picked it up and handed it to Justin. He shook his head and motioned for her to read it. She opened the letter and began.

Justin,

I’m sorry about how I left you. No mother who carries a baby in her womb for nine months would ever truly want to abandon her child to strangers. I didn’t do this because I couldn’t take care of you—I did it to protect you.

My family has been hunters of demons for generations, and the power is always passed from mother to her first child. When I was pregnant with you, I broke a vow that should have protected us both. Because I broke that vow, our protection was weakened, and we became vulnerable to the demons that hunt our bloodline. I had to do what was necessary to keep you safe so you could continue where our family left off. I had to take my own life and perform a ritual that would place the power of exorcism in your blood. I can’t explain how, but in time you’ll come to understand. I’m truly sorry. As you read this, know that I’m gone, but I will always love you.

Look in the box—you’ll find the ring I left for you. It will lead you to the tree of the demon hunters, and from there you’ll know what to do. Always wear that ring, no matter what. I hope you find a good life, build a family of your own, and stay safe. Be strong.

Sally

“That’s it,” Mrs. Lin said as she looked into the box and pulled out the ring for him.

Justin took the ring, and suddenly he saw things—he saw exactly how to save Rebecca. He stared at her in a strange way.

“Uh, Justin, I don’t like the way you’re looking at me,” Rebecca said uncomfortably, taking a step back.

Justin just laughed. “Calm down. I think I know how to get the demon out of you. As for this letter—it saddens me that I never got to meet my mother or even know what she looked like. It’s all so strange.”

The Ritual

“How do you plan to free my Rebecca?” Mrs. Lin asked, her face full of hope.

“Simple,” he said with a grin. “Bring me a knife and a glass cup—white would be best, with no markings on it.”

“And the knife?” she asked.

“It needs to be sharp and as clean as possible—no nicks on the blade. The handle should be black if you have one; if not, paint it black.”

When she brought everything he’d asked for, he handed the glass cup to Rebecca and told her to circle it over her head seven times while saying, “I denounce you, you spirit of hell. My body is not your temple. Begone, begone, begone.”

As she spoke the words, he used the knife to cut his palm and squeezed it to let the blood drip into the cup. Then he offered it to her to drink.

“Really?” she asked, glancing at her mother, who nodded vigorously.

“Drink it,” Mrs. Lin muttered.

Rebecca took a sip, and that’s when she felt the burning in her chest. An unnatural wind began to blow. A shadow appeared on the wall, screaming, “No! Don’t drink any more—it will kill you!”

She drank every last drop. Then her feet lifted off the ground, a strange sound escaped her mouth, and a fierce wind tore the roof clean off the house. A black void opened above them, and a voice like lightning and thunder roared, “You took my pet from me, child of the accursed hunters. This I will not forget. This I will not forgive.”

Just like that, the voice was gone, and Rebecca was free of the demon.

The War Begins

The three of them sat in stunned silence, staring at the open sky where the roof used to be.

“The war has just begun,” Justin said.

“And I’ll be right by your side to fight it with you,” Rebecca said, taking his hand.

With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Lin pulled them both into a tight embrace. Words couldn’t express her joy—she just wanted them safe in that moment. Let the demons come; she would do anything in her power to help Justin. On second thought, she wondered if she too could become a demon hunter. But that could wait. First, Justin needed to follow the letter and find that tree. From there, they would figure out how to deal with these wicked, infernal monsters from hell.