Trembling(50)
If the Satanists were responsible for putting a bell in my bag, why would they have done that? Would they have wanted me in detention? That didn't make much sense. Did it? I wandered into the living room and turned on the computer.
Mr. Sutherland said something about the invocation. If the Satanists were trying to complete the invocation, what would they have done?
I pulled up google and typed in, "Invocation to Azazel."
I didn't come up with much. There were several websites describing silly incantations, telling the reader to visualize the nature and modern civilization and to focus on the "gods of this world," while repeating a bunch of junk about the "Queen of Hell" and other such things. There was also a website about the mythical Azazel, claiming that Azazel was the scapegoat for the Jewish people, or the being who was punished for their sins in place of them. Darkly, I wondered if this was why my life was so screwed up. Was I being punished for the sins of the world, even though I'd done nothing wrong?
Abandoning the search, I tried another query. Was the bell related? I searched for "invocation bell."
I hit a few unrelated websites at first. One was actually for a role-playing game which instructed the player to "ring the bell of invocation" and descend into the pit of Moloch or something. There was another that was a news item about a Lions Club meeting.
Then I found a website entitled, "The Beast: Satanic Rituals and Spells." It took me to a site within the larger site that was headed, "Invocations to Satan." There was a description of something very similar to the first invocation I'd been part of, instructing the performer of the invocation to drink from a sacred chalice and chant in Latin. Beneath that, there was another ritual.
"If the first invocation fails, or if the desired object of the spirit of the demon is an unwilling participant (though this kind of magic is highly dangerous and not encouraged by the creators of this website), try this instead. Gather several large candles, a chalice consecrated to the demon in question, a bell, and an object that will symbolize the demon himself (or herself.) This object should be something that embodies or symbolizes the spirit of the entity you intend to invoke. For example, if you are invoking Lilith, a sexually charged item or talons of some kind might work well.
"This object needs to be anointed with some kind of body fluid from the person hoping to be filled with the spirit of the demon. Blood, semen, and/or vaginal fluid are the most effective, but saliva or sweat will work as well. Ring the bell to focus the demon on the spot you wish him to concentrate on."
The website went on to describe the various chants and spells one had to say over the person who was invoking the demon. It all sounded pretty gross to me. However, it was proof that someone might use a bell to invoke Azazel. And that the Satanists might have put the bell in my bag as a warning or something.
Mr. Sutherland had said that someone close to me had completed an invocation, and, when I'd elbowed him in the ribs, he'd grunted, "Maybe you are imbued with the spirit of a demon."
Someone had already performed this ritual on me. Who was close to me? Who had ties to the Satanists? Who'd shown up just before the bell did?
There was only one person who fit the answer to all those questions.
Lilith.
And she slept in my house, for God's sake. She could have come into my room as I slept, performed the ritual over me, and then placed the bell she'd used in my purse.
And it made sense that she was trying to seduce Jason. The Satanists wanted me to kill Jason. Perhaps they thought that if Jason slept with Lilith, I'd be so angry with him that I'd destroy him.
Augh. I couldn't believe I'd allowed Lilith into my house with her stupid story about wanting to get away from the Satanists. She didn't want to get away from the Satanists at all. Instead, she was working for them! And Jason had told her it was okay to sleep in our house tonight! I couldn't believe that. I had to get away from her. I had to get her away from Jason. Who knew what kind of damage she'd already inflicted?
I needed to call Jason. Tell him what I'd figured out. But no. I couldn't call Jason. I didn't have a phone. Hallam had a phone, but I didn't know where Hallam was. I guessed I should tell Hallam too. Maybe he'd know how to help. Or what to do.
I thought about Hallam and Jason earlier. Hallam screaming at Jason. Hallam demanding to know what Jason had done with Mr. Sutherland's body. Hallam was angry at both of us. Who knew if he was even on our side anymore? Should I wait for Hallam to come back?
No. I should just go to Jason. But I didn't have a car. Hallam had the car. Jason and Lilith had caught a ride with a co-worker. It wasn't too far to walk, but it was dark outside, and after what had happened over the last few days, I didn't feel quite comfortable walking around in the dark.