The Guidance - By Marley Gibson Page 0,67

went straight to voice mail. Fine. I needed to get some sleep anyway, which I did. Emily didn't bother me and I didn't even wake up when Mom and Dad got home.

My dreams were racked with images of ghosts and spirits and all of the conflicts in my life. Jason was there in the distance, standing apart, as Celia, Taylor, Becca, and I investigated an old abandoned warehouse. Courtney was there, channeling the spirit of every ghost who'd ever been in this building. She was crying out to me, begging for help, asking that I do everything in my power to free her. I awakened with a jolt, knowing I have to exorcise this chick from my life. Only then can I make things right with Jason.

I dress and head over with my family to Christ the Redeemer Holy Episcopal Church for some solace.

Ahhh, church ... the last refuge of a scoundrel.

When the service is over, I tell my parents I'll walk home and to go ahead without me. I linger in the vestibule of the church as all of the other parishioners compliment Father Massimo on his sermon. Something about Peter and the Church and I don't know because I was so kerfuffled over thinking about how to help Courtney. Courtney, Courtney, Courtney—she has taken over my life! Ghost hunting has taken over my life. Jason's right. Ugh!

Still, I can't get past the unavoidable fact that Courtney was stupid enough to open herself up to something that is now imposing its will on her. No matter what Jason or anyone thinks, it is my duty as a psychic medium to try to wrestle the thing away from her.

I cram down the sting of Jason's walking out on me last night and keep my eyes on the task at hand, getting the best advice that I can.

"How'd you like today's sermon, Kendall?" Father Mass asks when the last few people head out of the church.

"It was great, one of your best." Man, I'm lying to a priest in church. Now who's evil? "Can I talk to you?"

"I don't know. Can you?" he says with a smirk.

Great. Even my priest is a smart-ass. "May I?"

He lifts his vestment off of his shoulders and nods his head back toward the church. "You know I'm always here for you."

I follow him up to the altar, where he gathers the remains of today's Communion and puts them away. He kisses his vestments and hangs them carefully in a cabinet behind the choir loft.

I strike out with the burning question. "Can I ask you about exorcisms?"

His handsome face is scrunched into a pained look when he turns to me. "Now, why would you need to know anything about that?"

"I thought I'd read somewhere that the Episcopal Church has a ceremony for it."

Father Mass removes his robe slowly and hangs it in the closet also. Then he lets out a long sigh. "The Book of Occasional Services does indeed talk about exorcisms and provisions that can be made for them. However, there aren't any definitive rites or rituals to be followed."

"But you know how to do one, right?"

He squints. "I might. I'm not allowed to though."

"Why not?"

"Because there are rules within the church, Kendall. I can't perform an exorcism without the permission of the bishop. He has to bring in psychiatrists and physicians to examine the person in question and approve of a cleansing of the possessed."

I hold my index finger up. "Aha. What if it's not a possession but an oppression?"

"Semantics, Kendall."

I sit in one of the choir chairs. "Loreen says if a spirit is oppressing you, he or she is influencing your actions and behaviors without actually inhabiting your body or possessing you."

He harrumphs. "Loreen again, huh? She sure has a lot to say about everything."

"Loreen's given me tons of good advice. That's why I'm here talking to you. I e-mailed her about what's going on, and she said I needed to get guidance from you."

His mood lightens. "Very well, then. Why don't you tell me exactly what's happening?"

Father Mass sits next to me, and I tell him what's been going on with Courtney since the incident at the Halloween party escalated like it did.

"Oh, that girl. I tried contacting her family afterward. Only, no response."

"Yeah, her."

And like that, his disposition darkens again. "Look, Kendall. If that girl is possessed, we're looking at some nasty business that you and your friends should not get involved in."

"We haven't done anything yet, Father, I promise. But