Lucifer's Daughter. V. J. Banis

short, plump little woman of yesterday sat chatting with the others gathered around her. When Julia was ushered into the room, the medium looked up and smiled. She motioned Julia to the remaining empty chair between a handsomely dressed matron wearing an expensive black fur and a rather frail-looking young man wearing a blousy black silk shirt and a black velvet ribbon tied around his throat. Both the matron and the frail young man smiled at her as she took her place between them.

      “The social amenities can take place following our séance,” the medium told Julia. “I prefer not knowing anything about you at first, my dear. Facts clutter up my vibrations.”

      Julia nodded. Her eyes wandered briefly in Fred McAndrews direction. He smiled at her. She felt herself blush and shifted her eyes back to the medium.

      “Now, if you are all relaxed and composed, we can begin.” The medium studied Julia closely. “You appear relaxed, child. Are you in good health and clear mind? It is very important that you are sound in both mind and body because the trip may be extremely taxing for you.”

      “Trip?” Julia asked, knitting her brows slightly.

      “You will journey far, if the spirits so permit,” the medium said. “You will travel a long, long way. Your mind must be open to receive any and all messages from beyond that those of the other world desire to impart to you. You do believe?” the medium asked.

      Julia felt confused and slightly embarrassed at being the focus of everyone’s attention. She felt her mouth go dry. Her throat felt tight. She nodded, feeling that a nod would not be as grave a lie as a spoken word. She actually did not truly believe, yet she felt that some good might come out of the séance.

      Everyone was smiling at her. There was a lovely feeling of belonging and she suddenly found herself relaxing in her chair. Whatever was in store for her, she felt she was among friends and nothing terrible would happen.

      “We’ll begin now,” the medium said as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Almost immediately, as if the closing of her eyes had been a signal, the room went black. The blackness gradually turned into an eerie glow from the single bulb that hung suspended over the round table.

      Julia felt the woman on her left take hold of her hand; the frail blond youth took her other hand, giving it a friendly squeeze. She saw the hands around the table touch, making a human chain. She felt a slight discomfort at sitting there with two complete strangers holding her hands. She had never been subjected to physical contact with others, except on extremely rare occasions, and the idea of hand-holding made her a trifle embarrassed.

      The medium began chanting in Latin and Julia found herself forgetting her discomfort and her embarrassment and concentrated on what was about to transpire. She found herself being lulled into a deeper state of relaxation. The foreign words drifted softly over the group around the table. Julia had forgotten most of the Latin taught her, but found she could translate some of what the medium was chanting: “Great spirit of the universe, we conjure you up....” There followed a whole string of strange names, none of which Julia recognized. Then she heard a name she did recognize: “Beelzebub.” She knew very well who that was and unconsciously found her hands tightening on the hands clasped in hers.

      The chanting went on and on and on and Julia found she wasn’t translating any more. The soft, soothing voice was gently lulling her into a wonderful state of restfulness. She felt a wonderful glow burning inside her and suddenly she felt weightless, as though she were no longer under the control of the earth’s gravitational pull. She was floating. Her body was suspended in a void of unlimited expanse.

      “Johavam, Tagla, Mathon, Oarios, Almouzin....”

      A thick carpet of feathery down closed in on her. Her eyes were blinded by a sudden brilliance of color that spun and rocketed all around her. Pinwheels of flashing sparks twirled and spiralled; bursts of liquid gold splashed in every direction; fireballs of scalding red zoomed over, around and through her.

      “Salmandrae, Gnomus, Godens, Gigua, Belial, Diabolus....”

      The sound of a rushing wind all but deafened her. Her throat felt parched and clogged with dust.

      “Come to us, O great and powerful Master of the Universe. Tell us what secrets are to be known about this humble subject. Tell us of Julia Carson.”

      Through her clouded vision Julia saw a tall, masculine shape materialize. The outline looked familiar. She felt she’d seen it before somewhere, but could not recall just where. Again she heard her name, but this time it was a man who called to her.

      “Julia Carson. Julia. Come to me.” The shadowy figure beckoned to her. “Come to me, not as you are now, but as you should be.”

      Julia found herself repeating the man’s words. “Come as I should be.”

      The shadowy figure kept saying the same thing again and again. “Come not as you are now but as you should be. Come not as you are now but as you should be.” His shape came closer and closer but Julia could not see the face, only the outline of broad shoulders, tall stature, trim body. The figure beckoned again and asked, “Will you come, Julia?”

      Unconsciously, she found herself saying, “Yes, I will come.”

      Again the shadowy figure beckoned to her and Julia heard him say, “Remember. Come to me, but do not come as you are now, but as you should be.” Then the figure began to dissolve and the boundaries of the void moved closer together until the void no longer existed.

      Julia found herself standing high atop a rocky pinnacle. Below was what appeared to be a huge, majestic city. Lights blinked and twinkled like so many diamonds. A strong, cold wind threatened to topple her from her vantage point. The wind was blowing full in her face, taking her breath away. Its volume and force became steadily louder and stronger. Her hair streamed out behind her. Her body ached from the cold. She tried to wrap her arms about her in order to warm her bones but her arms were pinned to her sides. Then, at the height of the tumult, she saw a familiar face. The medium’s face stared down at her from a dark, grey cloud. Their eyes met and held for what seemed an eternity. The medium pointed an accusing finger at Julia.

      “Daughter of evil...evil...evil...evil....”

      “No!” Julia yelled and then everything suddenly went blank. Julia could hear her own scream and gradually she heard the hurried murmur of voices all around her. She opened her eyes slowly, afraid of what she might see. She found herself seated at a round table. Her hands were clasped firmly in the hands of two complete strangers.

      Julia shook herself and tried to smother the aching in her head. Tears were streaming from her eyes. Her body was bathed in sweat. People moved and began speaking more loudly, but she could not understand a thing. The only word she could hear was “Evil...Evil...Evil.”

      She felt something wet on her wrists and temples, and realized that someone was dabbing her with a cold, damp cloth. Fred McAndrews touched her elbow and helped her rise from her chair. Her legs felt like gelatin. Every muscle in her body ached and throbbed in pain. She allowed herself to be led to a soft, overstuffed chair that sat near a heavily draped window. Fred McAndrews drew back the draperies and opened the window slightly. The cold, damp sea air swept over her and wiped away the cobwebs. Julia felt her strength gradually return, along with her sanity.

      “Julia. Julia,” the medium said softly.

      Slowly Julia turned her eyes on the strange little woman. “You knew my name all along,” Julia found herself saying.

      The medium did not seem to sense Julia’s anger. “No, my dear. Your name was given me by the powers from beyond.” The medium reached out to smooth Julia’s hair. Julia pulled back sharply. “Tell us, child, what you saw? Was anything told to you?”

      Julia spoke but she did not recognize her own voice. It was as if someone else was speaking through her mouth. “You know very well what was said to me,” she said angrily.

      “But I do not,” the medium insisted.

      “You do. You were there,” Julia said, feeling her anger building