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Judy Warren had been through a lot. From demon hunting parents, to being haunted by a doll, to a birthday party gone horribly wrong because of demonic possession. One would think she could handle anything. But today was her first day of high school and she was more terrified than she had ever been. Her parents, Lorraine and Ed Warren were well known in this town. They had been on TV and in the papers, usually next to words like “Hoax” or “Scammers”. Whether or not people believed, it didn’t help the reputation that had been placed on Judy since birth. A weird kid with weird parents was practically stamped across her forehead when she would tell people her name. She just wanted a fresh start.
She got up from bed, letting out a shaky deep breath and proceeded to get ready for today. She splashed cold water on her face and looked up at herself in the mirror. She put on a weak smile, before rolling her eyes and heading downstairs.
“Hi sweetie,” said Lorraine.
“Hey how’d you sleep, pumpkin? Are you ready for today?” asked Ed.
“Guys, I’m 14. Do we still need pet names?”
Her parents bit back their chuckles when they glanced at each other.
“Testy today. Want to talk about it?” questioned Ed.
She sighed and apologized. The nerves were getting to her. They offered her something to eat, but she declined because the thought made her nauseous. Her father walked over and hugged her. She took a deep breath and relaxed into him. Her mother quickly joined.
“What if I see something?” she asked quietly, her mouth buried slightly into his chest.
“What sweetheart- Judy?” Lorraine corrected herself.
“What if I see something or someone no one else can see?”
Oh . Judy knew about her mother's abilities and she knew they had been passed down to her. But they were nowhere near as potent as Lorraine’s. But she worried that was changing. Like most kids, she wants to be normal.
Her mother rubbed her head and kissed it gently. She remembers how she was treated for her gift. People were cruel but then she found Ed. Someone who believed in her. Someone who loved her. She placed her hand on her necklace with a small silver cross attached at the end of it. She removed it and placed it around Judy’s neck.
“Even I can’t stop some of them from visiting. But this will help with the bad ones. If anything happens, call us or we will talk after school. Do you know the landline number?”
“203-555-4568”
They smiled and hugged her tighter.
“We should get going.” Ed said looking at the time.
Together, they got in the car and drove to Judy’s new school, St. Augustine Catholic High School for Girls.
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Soon the family pulled up with all the other carpool students. Judy reached for the door handle but paused. There were so many people. Kids that already knew each other and huge seniors. She was terrified.
“Hey,” her mom says, snapping her out if it
“It’s ok. We did research. This is a good school. And like we said, if anything happens, you call us. We will be there in a second. We love you sweetie.”
A smile peaked through her fear. Judy took another deep breath and opened the door. Before closing it behind her, she said her goodbyes and I love you’s. She closed the door and was quickly ushered into the building by faculty and staff bombarding her with welcomes. Ed and Lorraine turned to each other before driving off, tears prickling both their eyes. They grabbed each other's hand and squeezed before Ed pulled off, watching Judy disappear into the crowd in his rearview mirror.
Inside the school, there are a plethora of signs reading “Welcome Freshmen!”, “St. Augustine Welcome’s You!”, amongst other variations. Nuns were checking in the Freshman and handing them folders of information.
“What’s your name?”
Judy didn’t even realize she had been pushed up to the front.
“Uh, it’s Judy. Judy Warren .”
It’s like her last name was dripping with poison the way the teacher’s eyes widened as she looked up at Judy.
“Oh, uh- um. Oh, here you are! Judy. Warren . Please find a seat in the auditorium.”
Judy took her folder and headed in, feeling the teacher continue to stare as she left. She quickly found a seat in the back far from anyone. Time passed and all the freshmen had been checked in.
A nun walked onto the stage and tapped the mic.
“Good morning, ladies! Welcome to St. Augustine’s School for Girls. It is an honor to have you all here. You are in good hands. We’ll make this as quick as possible, so here is the itinerary!”
Judy listened as the nun talked about what the day would contain. It made her feel better knowing that there would be a routine for her to follow. Towards the end of the presentation, the nun informed the freshmen that they each would be assigned a mentor, a Big Sister to guide them through the school year. She began to rally through the names, pairing each freshman with a senior.
“And lastly, we have Judy Warren ! Please raise your hand, dear.”
There it was again. The dread that came with her last name. The auditorium filled with whispers as she raised her hand.
“You’ll be paired with Faith Rogers. Faith?”
A girl, about average height with brown doe eyes and dark brown hair looks up in surprise.
“Sorry sister! Who am I with again?”
“Judy Warren . She’s raising her hand in the back.”
She walked over to Judy and sat next to her. Getting a closer look, she could see how glazed over Faith appeared. She gave off an energy that she typically had everything together but this exhaustion is cracking her shell.
Faith saw how Judy was examining her. She tucked her just past shoulder length hair behind her ears and forced a smile across her face.
“I’m Faith. Sorry if I seem out of it. I’m just not sleeping well.”
Judy shook her head in understanding. They sat in silence together as the orientation wrapped up. All the new and returning students were let out into the hallways to find their first period classes together. All of the Big Sisters were given a copy of their Little Sister’s class schedules.
“Looks like your first class issss this way,” Faith declared.
They walked together as Faith tiredly explained the school, where she can find things, best bathrooms to use, etc. They walked up to the second floor and found her class.
“Here’s your first period class. 9th grade English in Room 206 with Ms.R-”
Faith paused. Her breathing deepened in her chest. She felt something. Cold. Something, no, someone was staring at her. She slowly looked over her shoulder and saw a woman. She can’t be a student since they have uniforms. She can’t be a teacher as they're all nuns. She just looked out of place. Blood dripped from her head and onto the floor.
Judy noticed her pause and the leering glare over her shoulder. She looked, and saw the same woman, the same blood. Judy opened her mouth to speak but was pushed into the room by other students.
Faith quickly turned around shaking her head from the site before running in the other direction.
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All Judy could think about was Faith. Did she see that woman? Is she being haunted? Why was this happening to her? The bell rang and Judy swiftly packed up and left, eager to talk to Faith. She waited. All the other freshmen were guided by their new big sisters except Judy. Faith was nowhere to be found and Judy didn’t know this school well enough to find her. Another Big Sister saw how lost and alone Judy looked and offered to help her out.
“Let me see your schedule. Okaaaaay. Groovy! You and my little sister have the same class next period. Just follow me!” she smiled.
Judy followed behind listening as this new senior explained more about the school.
“Who’s supposed to be your Big?”
“Faith Rogers.”
“Oooh. She’s usually so together, but recently she’s been really out of it. Oh well! What’s your name?”
“Judy Warren ,”
The senior girl stops in her tracks.
“No. Way. As in Ed and Lorraine? The demon hunters?!”
Judy sighed, preparing herself for whatever comes next.
““I saw the paper! Is it real? Do you see ghosts? Can your mom talk to my cousin's girlfriend's great aunt for me? She had some money hidden in her-”
Judy clenched her fists and sharply turns away walking in the opposite direction of the Big Sister.
“Hey!” she yelled.
But Judy was already gone and she didn’t hear her say that she was going the wrong way. Pretty soon, Judy was completely turned around. This school was huge and a lot of the signs were incorrect or not helpful. She heard the bell ring.
Crap
She kept walking and found herself at a dead end. The hallway was uncharacteristically dark and it seemed to be getting colder. A shiver wracked her body as a faint voice crept through the air. It was rough, almost like the person couldn't get enough air.
“Can you hear me…?”
Judy started to back out of the hallway. A blurry translucent figure appeared in the dark. It looked like the same woman from before. Judy took another step back. The woman is coming into frame now. She’d been impaled through her chest, her head was bleeding all over the floor. Judy took another step but she tripped over her foot and fell onto her back. She quickly sat up only to find the spirit inches from her face. The bloodied woman reached out to Judy, but she threw her arm up in defense. She grabbed her by her wrist,
“Please!”
Visions flash through Judy’s mind. She sees the woman, a destroyed car, snow, a truck carrying tubing or something. She looks down and sees her chest impaled just like the apparition’s.
Judy pulled herself from the images. She panted and tried to shake away what seemed seared into her brain. She yanked her arm away from the woman and scurried back before standing up to run.
“PLEASE! PLEASE!”
She heard it cry but she kept running, not paying attention to where she was going. She ran into someone, hard and heard items go clattering across the floor. She looked up and saw Faith who was holding a bottle of pills that are now hopelessly scattered.
“Faith! I’m so sorry, I got lost and-”
She was picking up Faith's things and came across an orange bottle that read “Clozapine - 10 mg”. She recognized the name. She had researched it herself when she thought her psychic abilities might be psychosis. Faith snatched the bottle from her hand as she placed what she could of the spilled pills back into it. Judy could see the embarrassment peaking through her exhaustion.
“I-I’m sorry,” Judy says
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to snatch. It’s just-”
That sinking feeling in her chest from before stopped her once again. She tries not to look but it’s almost like she is being pulled. She looks into the same dark hallway where Judy was and sees her again. The impaled woman with a pipe through her chest. The dull wheezing coming from her and she stood there watching them sent shivers through her spine.
“No, no no” Faith mumbled, reaching for a pill.
But before she could take it, Judy grabbed her hand and looked her, eyes full of intrigue and confusion,
“You can see her too?”