What Was Dug Up Can't Be Undug

63.

"When you dig coal for as long as we did you get used to seeing shit down there." Robert Douglas was in his eighties and looked even older than that. He had a long eyed stare that Gilbert had seen before when dealing with forests, but Robert had never been in the woods, said he never hiked or camped or did any of that. What he had done was dug coal.

"Take your time Robert, we don't have to go through this all right now." They had found Robert from talking to a couple people around the town of Beckley, he was all by himself in a small shack outside of a ghost town that Gilbert couldn't make out the name of when they drove past it.

"I've been taking my time this whole time Mr. Dunkley now its time for someone to know, know what we found down there, know what we unleashed." Robert took a drink from his mug, shuddered and went on, "It was back in fifty three, we had opened up a new tunnel deeper than we'd dug in the time I'd been there, a guy I knew was down there talking about hearing things, strange things. I remember back then thinking he was full of shit, just imagining things down there deeps, then I heard it." Robert drank again, shuddered again, and continued though both Gilbert and Clarissa could see from his eyes he wasn't really with them anymore. "Sounded like a young girl, we'd get them every once in a while, they'd wander into a mine when we'd be on lunch or something, get lost and get afraid, usually not an issue just have to find them. But something seemed off about this little girl, the voice was a little too insistent on me finding her. Less asking for help and more drawing me in. The hairs on my neck stood up as I moved further into that mine, when I finally found that little girl I was in full terror mode. She looked fairly normal, a little soot covered, but pretty much like every little girl I'd seen around town but my body was acting like I was looking at the devil himself. She called out to me and I couldn't find it in myself to move. She kept calling to me, each time a little more pleading, each time I felt like nothing more in the world wanting to leave her presence. I could see it you see, I could see as I looked at her she changed, her body became twisted, flesh cracking, the mask falling away revealing what she was to me." Clarissa and Gilbert both knew what Robert was talking about, they'd seen the same thing. "She was moving closer to me asking me to come toward her, I was paralyzed in fear until the explosion went off. Some dumb ass up tunnel had done an unplanned demo, wrecked a whole bunch of tunnel work almost got a couple guys killed, but it shook me out of my issue. I hauled ass out of that tunnel and quit that very fucking day I'll tell you what. Just said 'fuck this job' they thought it was the explosion and understood. I got a job as a prison guard, it was a far trek compared to the mine, but I made it everyday just to stay the fuck away from whatever was down there." Robert finished his drink and then poured himself another.

"So it was just the little girl down there, that's all you saw?"

"That's all I saw down there, but that wasn't it. A few days after I quit first guy went missing. Thomas Gribbs a foreman who worked the late shift. Just there one minute gone the next. Other people went missing over the years too, every time one did I'd think back to that little girl lost down there, and what was she doing. I knew it was her, whatever she was, we unearthed her and now she was taking people to wherever she planned on taking me." Gilbert understood the guilt, he'd felt it himself. "But you really want to know what keeps me up Mr. Dunkley? She's calling for me now. I heard it a couple weeks now, can hear my name on the wind in her voice, that thing I touched is now looking for me, and I got a sense its looking for you, you got the look of it."

"I plan on going down there and killing it Robert."

"Don't think what's down there can be killed Mr. Dunkley." Gilbert stood up and Clarissa followed.

"Everything can be killed Robert, everything."

"Well if you're looking for it, seek out the Davidson mine, its capped now, they lost too many men, blamed it on chemicals but I know what it was, it still gets people from to time, see it in the paper." Robert resumed rocking on his deck like he was when Clarissa and Gilbert had found him. "I hope you can kill it Mr. Dunkley, god knows my time is coming soon as it is, but I don't want whatever that thing wants for me in the Davidson, what it wants for us all."

West Virginia, For Real This Time

62.

"Can't kill a dragon just by cutting her head off." Gilbert and Clarissa were together again. Reverend Timms had wished them well on their way and gone off to whatever place Timms went. Clarissa was relieved Gilbert seemed to be in better spirits.

"But she died."

"She made you think she did, probably because she's planning some overall bad thing with other bad things and wanted to fall of the radar for a bit."

"That happen a lot?"

"All the god damn time, one time me and Janice back when we were just foot soldiers in the military fell into this conspiracy to replace the president with a vampire, just another week in this industry I tell you."

"Well that's reassuring." Gilbert laughed.

"Welcome to being a monster exterminator. Don't worry Parker will get hers sooner or later, we got this forest shit to work through though, something in West Virginia."

"You sure you are up for it?"

"Not in the slightest, but between what the sorrow said and Parker's actions making it clear she doesn't think I'm going to stick around, I better get this resolved sooner rather than later." Clarissa nodded.

"I'm still scared Gilbert."

"Don't be, not my first time of having something evil inside, this one at least doesn't talk, I had some eighteenth century spirit along for a ride once, good lord was that awful, dude never shut up, just talked all day being amazed by simple shit, by the time it was time to get rid of him I was beyond annoyed with his bullshit." Clarissa remembered the dark spirit she'd given a ride and wondered if this was Gilbert telling her he knew and just was letting her keep the fiction going.

"Monster Exterminating is crazy shit."

"Yes yes it is, but the pay sucks and the hours are terrible." Gilbert and Clarissa both laughed at that for a bit and then drove on in silence. The roads towards West Virginia beckoned.

****

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean no." Gilbert had checked in with a Sheriff when they had gotten to West Virginia. The man's name tag read Dewey and to Gilbert he looked exactly like a Dewey.

"Sheriff I'm just giving you a courtesy notice."

"You're stepping in shit that I can't walk off is what you're doing, if you and your assistant insist I'll arrest you both, now get out of my office." He slammed the door to punctuate it. Clarissa who had been waiting in the small waiting area shrugged at Gilbert.

"So that's that?"

"No its not that, we'll find another way to do this shit, but we're doing it." Gilbert didn't remember much of West Virginia, but it was coming back to him why he hated it.

I Need Asylum from the Asylum

61.

Gilbert's van was out front of Green Bluff Asylum. The building itself didn't look too scary to Clarissa or Reverend Timms, but Shirley didn't want to leave the hearse.

"There is a lot of evil in there." Shirley looked actually scared, something that Clarissa didn't understand for a ghost.

"Looks normalish to me, maybe broken down." Timms didn't feel anything, but realized unlike Clarissa or Shirley this was a whole new ball game for him. Clarissa took out a bag from the back and handed Timms a breathing mask.

"Never can tell what's inside their Reverend, asbestos or god knows what else, mask up."

"I don't believe the former Mrs. Dunkley is talking about building materials." Clarissa kept her hand out.

"Mask up Reverend."

"I can see you will insist over my objections, so I'll oblige you." The three of them made their way into the Asylum and it looked just as run down as it looked on the outside. Run down but otherwise not very scary. Clarissa had some of the expel passages they had used to hunt ghosts before, she didn't know how useful they'd be if whatever was in the building wasn't a ghost, but she figured better safe than sorry. They were following what were obviously Gilbert's foot prints through the facility. Alarmingly for Clarissa they had gone down, she hadn't learned much about exterminating, but what she did know is bad things lived under ground, sometimes really bad things.

The entrance to the basement was in better shape than the rest of the facility which made the hairs on Clarissa neck raise up. Timms himself had his pistol out as they descended the steps. Shirley who was corporeal was the most hesitant staying at the top of the steps for a long time before she followed after them. Once in the basement they saw Gilbert standing their waiting for them, he didn't have a weapon or any other item. He was in his work suit standing in the middle of what looked like four electrodes.

"Come on in, come on in."

"Gilbert you're sick." Clarissa was the first to say something, she had been trying to think of what she could tell him since she'd gotten back.

"I know Clarissa, I know I'm not well, its been going on for far too long," Gilbert looked behind Clarissa for a moment at Shirley who was at the back of the group and moving back from him, "You just tell yourself you'll allow it to go on for a time because you're lonely, and you know its wrong, but its nice to think someone you care about is around." Shirley looked to run, but was prevented from it, Gilbert turned on the lights in the basement and runes lit up the whole room.

"Gilbert what is going on?" Timms was confused, he had come seeking someone who was lost, and now it felt like he was lost.

"Proper Technique applied properly, isn't that right creature?" Gilbert was directed his ire at Shirley and Clarissa felt sick to her stomach.

"Gilbert just because she's your wife spirit doesn't make her a creature."

"Look at her Clarissa, really look, not at what she wants you to see, but what's really there." Clarissa thought Gilbert was crazy at first, but then she saw, Shirley's spirit had changed, she looked older and paler, her skin grew cracked and broken and her hair longer and whiter. What remained looked barely human. Clarissa in a panic snatched the necklace she'd been wearing and threw it on the ground.

"Oh god did she use that to possess me?"

"No what that is, is not a spirit, or not a normal one, the necklace was the fiction that let her come with you. She's a sorrow, something conjured up in grief that haunts you the same as anything else." Shirley attacked, she rushed straight for Gilbert, as soon as she crossed in front of the electrodes she was wrapped in spectral chains.

"You're still sick Dunkley, you need me! I've kept what's inside you from killing you!"

"That I may be, but your time has come sorrow, its time for you to move on, somewhere else." The sorrow tried to say something else, but the chains drug it down into the earth. It screamed as slight bit of fire emerged and then was gone. Clarissa hugged Gilbert and he was happy to have the warmth.

"I'm sorry Gilbert."

"Oh it's all right Clarissa, it's all right, I'm sorry too, I fucked up too." And that was all that needed to be said between the two exterminators.

Only the Living

60.

Reverend Timms chuckled. They'd been driving for a day now, almost none stop since he didn't really eat anyway, Shirley was a ghost and Clarissa didn't seem like she was interested in food at all. The whole car ride had felt like going to a funeral, Timms had mused taking a hearse was probably the first mistake, but no one in the car seemed that interested in laughing.

"Something funny Reverend?" Clarissa was absently staring out the window. They were driving through what felt like an endless cornfield.

"Just you're the only living person in this car right now."

"Well she was." Timms slammed on the brakes immediately after hearing the Santinni's voice. The demon was in the back seat next to Shirley his feet up like he'd been there the whole time.

"Demon I ain't even going to give you one warning." Timms had his revolver out and pointed at Santinni's face.

"Reverend Timms so..... hostile, so angry, I'm only trying to help you all." Clarissa put her hand on Timms gun.

"Let him speak."

"He's a tool of Satan Clarissa the great deceiver." Santinni chuckled but didn't say anything.

"Lets just hear him out."

"Listen... to the girl... reverend Tiiiiiiiimmmmms, I'm only here to help." Timms put his gun away, but still gave Santinni a death glare, "Well now that's.... over, lets talk shop, you are looking for Gilbert yes?"

"You know what we are up to." Shirley finally spoke and Santinni gave her a wide toothed smile.

"Lost soul I know sooooooo much of what you're up to, and I'm going to be polite and say I'll look past to unlicensed hunting Clarissa, just. this. one. time, but I'm not here to chastise I'm here to help," Santinni looked around the car again and then smiled, "Where you are going is wrong, Mr. Dunkley is not in West Virginia, there is... something there, but nothing for your current problem."

"Why should we believe you?" Timms doubted the demon wanted to help, he'd run into several demons over the years and every time they'd been liars.

"You shouldn't I guess, but if you want to save Gilbert.... you should." Timms wanted to take his gun back out, but Clarissa believed Santinni if only because she felt he had no reason to lie.

"Where is he then?" Santinni held his hand out, Clarissa assuming he wanted her phone handed it over and he pulled up a map without even touching the screen, and then handed it back to her.

"You will find Mr. Dunkley there." His task finished Santinni exited the car, Clarissa followed after him.

"Don't you want to help us?"

"I did?" And then he was gone no further discussion offered.

"So where we headed Clarissa I assume you want us to believe the demon." Timms didn't want to, but he assumed he was overriden by Shirley and Clarissa.

"Green Bluff Asylum."

"Oh that sounds like a lovely vacation destination, lead us on."

****

"You play a dangerouuuuuuuuuuuuss game Dunkley." Gilbert was setting up in the basement of the asylum, he had a bunch of pylons and sigils written everywhere.

"So they are on their way." Santinni chuckled.

"Yes, I assume, though what if they had decided west Viriginia was the real route?"

"They wouldn't have, she wouldn't let them, she can feel my presence and would know I'm not that way when they passed the asylum."

"You sound so sure, but you can never tell with things like this." Gilbert sighed and kept working.

"Anything else Santinni?"

"Nope." And he was gone, which Gilbert appreciated, he had a lot of preparing to do.

The Hills of West Virginia Call

59.

"I just need a minute Reverend, just give me a minute to process this." Clarissa felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She had just gotten off the phone with Doris who was ok, but weirded out by Gilbert's behavior. What had caused Clarissa such alarm was the day, it was the same day she'd left with Ms Parker. Despite being in the jungle for months, she had been gone around three hours.

"I don't want to be an asshole, but we are behind Mr. Dunkley, and perhaps if we catch him at the house..."

"You must give me a minute to process I've only been gone from the world for three hours Reverend, I WAS THERE FOR THREE MONTHS!" It was scary and sad at the same time, Clarissa was happy to an extent she hadn't missed three months of her life in the "real" world, but at the same time she worried for Izu who claimed to have been gone years.

"I understand but you have to approach this from a position of that is in the past, this is the potential horrible future." Clarissa wanted to scream and Timms, but he was correct, they had to find Gilbert and stop him from going into the forest wherever it may be.

"Ok lets go to the house, hopefully we catch him there and stop this shit now." They left the office, Clarissa made sure to take a couple things from the back just in case she had guessed wrong on what was going on and made their way to Gilbert's house where he and the van were not located. Timms and Clarissa knew he wouldn't be there, but confirming it made it all the more deflating.

Clarissa was wandering around the house trying to think of what to do when she saw a picture of Gilbert and his former assistant Charlie. She remembered Gilbert calling him after they had dealt with the forest the first time. It was all she had. After a couple panic'd moments running around the house she found Gilbert's personal phone book and Charlie's number. She worried for a moment while the phone was ringing Charlie to had succumb to the forest's call.

"West Virginia." His voice was cracked and gravely, Clarissa did not know if that's how Charlie normally sounded, but it didn't sound natural. Like he was dying of something.

"Charlie?"

"Gilbert's going to West Virginia, I know because it's calling to me too, stronger than ever, but I'm not going, and I pray that you can get there before I have to do something drastic, so hurry, for my sake." The phone went dead, Clarissa didn't want to know what was something drastic Charlie would do, but feared the way he said it.

"What did he say?" Timms felt on edge, Clarissa had been not really saying anything to him and in her mindset he was getting worried himself.

"West Virginia."

"Ahh, my people."

"You have family in West Virginia?" Timms smiled.

"Oh I have family everywhere the lord's word need spreading young Clarissa, but don't you worry I'm sure we'll be welcomed in no time to the great state of Western Virginia and have Gilbert back here in no time." Clarissa did not have the same confidence Timms did.

****

"You have to take me with you." Shirley was more than a little worried about Gilbert, she had seen him when he had gotten home hours ago and he looked terrible.

"Aren't you stuck here as like a ghost? And I dunno if Timms would react well to a ghost Shirley."

"He's my husband, and if you take this I can go anywhere." Shirley held up a locket that drifted towards Clarissa's bed.

"Still doesn't make Timms ok with it."

"Ok with what?" Timms was standing in the doorway he had his pistol out.

"Timms she's not what you think."

"She's not a ghost? I do know that the former Mrs Dunkley has passed from this world." Timms put the pistol away. "I heard voices and I got worried, it is lovely to see you again Shirley though as a man of the lord I am saddened you have chosen to remain here instead of going to his lights grace."

"Reverend I need to come, Gilbert is in trouble and I can help."

"Than I welcome you're help, Clarissa please finish up we got to be getting going." Timms left and Clarissa let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"That went better than I thought."

"I never knew Timms personally, but he always seemed to be ok with all the weird things Gilbert brought him." Clarissa finished gathering her things, and put on Shirley's locket.

"I just hope Gilbert's ok." Shirley looked Clarissa deep in the eyes.

"He will be, he will be."