Ray kept babbling, going around and around in circles. He knew what he was saying, but what he was saying made no sense to Rufus.

“Ray, are you saying that Amy knew my dad?”

“Exactly,” Ray held his head in his hands.

“But, I don’t remember anyone called William. How can you be sure?”

“I’m sure, I know William and I know he wouldn’t make a mistake. Not about this.”

“Ray, I wasn’t aware that Amy was the cause of Willie being committed,” Gloria frowned.

“Neither was I, until just now, but it makes sense now. After all, who’s gonna believe a story about some ghost becoming real?”

That was the thing. Sure everyone could see her, if she revealed herself to them, that wasn’t the issue. The real issue was why she was becoming corporeal again.

“So, are you saying that I am somehow in the wrong?” Amy asked.

“No, but your presence didn’t help, nor did it hinder, William. He was too far gone by then, or so the doctors thought,” Ray set his cup down and stretched.

“So, the docs just didn’t listen? Is that why my dad died in an asylum?”

“Sad as it is, that’s the case.”

The room went deadly quiet and then the temperature dropped.

“Fuck!” Amy shouted.

“What, what’s wrong?” Rufus shouted back.

There seemed to be some sort of noise came down with the drop in temperature. What was going on, was anybody’s guess.

“Amy! Tell me what’s happening!” Rufus shouted.

There was a large flash of light and then a figure dominated the room. He stood about six feet, had long black hair and a menacing glare. Whomever he was, he seemed violently angry and as if he was out to deal some damage.

Cynthia got up and rushed over to Rufus, grabbing his arm and holding on. What happened next surprised them all. Gloria got up and confronted the figure.

“You’d better get out of my husband’s body, you bloody spook. Yeah, you heard me, get out!” She pointed at the window and scowled at the figure.

“What the hell?” Ray shouted, startled at Gloria’s boldness.

“This, you idiot, is not my Willie! He told me to be aware that this might happen. You mook, gather your stuff, we need to perform an exorcism! Amy, find a place to hide, this will get messy, go now!”

Amy took Gloria’s advice and ran with Cynthia to her house, trusting she’d be safe there.

“I’m staying here, I can help,” Claire offered.

“Good, we’re gonna need you!” Gloria smiled.

“Mum, what the bloody hell?” Rufus stood confused.

“You’ll know what to do, just follow your instinct,” Gloria smiled.

Ray returned with a bag. He reached inside and handed each of them a candle.

“Okay, I need to stand here, in the North. Rufus, you go to the northwest. Gloria, Claire, southwest and southeast. I’ll have to call help.

“Don’t bother, I can help,” Amy appeared.

“It’s dangerous, you might get hurt. Are you sure?” Ray explained.

“Yes, I’m sure, do it!”

Amy took her place opposite Rufus on the northeast and they all formed a star shape.

“Light your candles, people, I’ll start the chant.”

Everyone lit their candles and Ray started chanting:

“Oh goddess, banish this soul from it’s vessel, return William to his natural state and let his spirit rest... SPIRIT BEGONE!” Ray chanted.

A terrifying wind started blowing. The candles went out, but they were no longer needed, save from use as weapons, should the need arise. An ethereal scream pierced the air.

“William!” Gloria shouted.

“Let him go... Tachisaru!” Rufus bellowed.

'Where on earth did that come from?’ Rufus wondered.

The spirit tried to reach out and grab Amy, but Ray managed to grab her just in time.

“Behind me!” He told her.

They all looked around at Rufus. Energy was fizzling from his body and he looked as if he was some other kind of being.

“He’s been possessed!” Amy cried.

“Don’t worry, he can fight it,” Gloria Took Amy’s hand.

Rufus shook and uttered some words, in some unknown language. He fought hard, internally and externally, but it looked as if the spirit was winning.

“NOW!” Ray shouted.

They all rushed towards Rufus. Gloria took his left hand, Amy his right.

“RUFUS!”

Rufus looked up at the voice. It was Cynthia. Along with Claire, they formed a circle, Rufus leading the chant.

“Ready?” Rufus growled.

“As ever!” They all said.

Rufus continued chanting in the unknown language whilst Ray backed him up in English. Or what sounded like it might be English. Nobody really knew. As if by some unknown force, a bolt of light shot from Rufus and hit the spirit.

A cry was heard and the spirit was banished. Rufus collapsed and looked worse for wear. Just as he was about to get up, his dad appeared to him.

“Thank you, everybody. Now I can finally rest. Farewell, everyone.”

“We did it,” Ray cheered.

“No... It’s not over. Rufus, I remember now. I remember what happened to your dad,” Amy sobbed.

Battered and bloodied, Amy fell to the floor.

“Amy!” Rufus rushed over to her, but she didn’t respond.

“Rufus, she’s dead. The battle took too much of her psychic power. She can’t exist any more. She’s dead, Rufus, she’s really dead,” Gloria told him.

“No, no way, she can’t be dead. She’s a bloody ghost, for Christ sake!”

Rufus sat over Amy’s bloodied and battered body. He cried and cried, trying to come to terms with the loss.

“Why?” He sobbed.

His tears splashed on Amy’s face and there was no response.

“You can’t be dead, you can’t be!” Rufus kept repeating.

Whether dead or not, Amy had ceased to exist.