Pack your bags, it's almost time to go!

We had been doing everything the Reiki asked of us  The house felt so much calmer; safer as well.  It felt like a warm sunny spring day after a long and harsh winter.  It was as if everything was waking up after hibernating.  The attitude of everyone was improving as well. We were starting to feel more in control of our surroundings.   The screams of the crazy woman were less frequent.  When she did scream, they were different in tone and feel.  It was as if she was being to fade.

On the other side of the coin was the hat man.  He wasn't as affected by all the prep work we were doing for the Reiki's upcoming visit.  We could still hear him walking through the house.  Doors still open and shut on their own.  The smell of tobacco smoke could still be smelt at times.  His presence could still be felt but it was as if he was being patient with us.

Jennifer had taken to talking to him.  She would use a calming tone and was very careful; choosing her words wisely.  She made sure not to talk down to him or say anything she felt would antagonize him.

"We really don't mind you being here as long as you don't hurt anyone", she said to him on nearly a daily basis. "You're not trapped here and you're welcome to leave anytime you wish", she would add.

She explained to him we weren't to blame for why he was in our house.  "You know, it wasn't us that brought you here.  It wasn't our wish to harm you in any way or make you feel as if you're a prisoner here.  I know you were very angry about what happened, we were too, but it wasn't us.  We respect you would do anything to harm you.  We hope you understand.  We also don't want you to be angry or plot against those who put you here.  They were inexperienced and didn't know that their actions would cause you harm.  We ask that you hold no ill-will towards them and leave them in peace."  

In a stern yet motherly voice she told him, "You're welcome to stay on our land but when you leave the house, you cannot come back inside.  Regardless of who says you can, you cannot come inside.  I'm not trying to be mean, we have children and we want to make they're safe and feel safe."

I honesty feel that Jennifer talking to him saved us from further harm.  We knew that having Amy come into our home caused quite an upheaval with the dead.   It was as if there was chaos in front our house most of the time as we could feel the confusion among them.   I believe that by Jennifer talking to him, keeping him calm, helped us.  I feel that he respected her and may have took it upon himself to keep certain things at bay.  Even though I have nothing to prove that it certainly felt that way.

We continue our prep work as it had become a daily ritual of sorts.  Blessing, praying, burning the incense, etc.  All of it had now had become a habit; something that we would do without thinking. 

We were still waiting for a calm day but we live in the Midwest and calm days in early summer can be somewhat difficult to come by.  It seemed that every single day there was a threat of severe weather.

We had become hyper-sensitive to anything happening.  Paranoid thinking that everything negative was the result of some sort of paranormal activity.   The PTSD we had as a result of everything was  taking it's toll on us.

Jennifer and I had to be strong.  We needed to take charge and push through this even though we were exhausted.  Although we felt better, we still weren't a 100%.  This had truly kicked our asses.  We had to get up off the floor and fight.  We had to get ready for the battles and recovery ahead of us.   It was time to pack Etta's (the crazy woman) bags, roll up the Hat Man's bedding and tack up his horse because it was almost time for them to go.

We needed to do a better job at protecting ourselves from those who wanted to invade from the path of dead in front of house.  That scared me because who's to say that some dead person walking along that path wouldn't be more terrorizing than what we already had?  How do I stop that from happening?

We were so anxious to put this all behind us.  We just wanted our lives back and to be a normal family.  Little did me know that would be more difficult than what we thought.