Constantine: Hellraiser

A Story by Matthew Walker

First story in my Justice League Dark series

“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you begone demon,” John Constantine yelled as the demon approached him. “I'll never leave this world,” the demon yelled back. “In the name of God the Father I condemn you to hell you foul piece of crap,” John roared as he slammed his Bible on the table. The demon screamed as a portal of fire opened around him and he fell through it. “That was rather well done,” John said as he picked up his Bible and left the room.

John then headed down the stairs out of the building towards his car. As he got in his car he noticed a piece of paper on his windshield. He got out of the car and picked it up. “Hello my name is Elizabeth and I hear you are an demon hunter of sorts and I am facing a pretty dire situation at my house I think. My family and I recently moved and I think our house may be haunted. We moved into it less than a month ago and we have things like pictures falling off the walls, knocking on the walls and various other things please help us,” John sat there for a minute wondering if he should get involved or not, “What the hell why not?”

The next day Constantine drove to the house that was supposedly haunted in Shelbyville, Indiana not far from where he was the previous night in Indianapolis, Indiana. He approached the rustic old home with not a care of caution and quickly knocked on the door. A woman in her late forties answered the door. “Oh, thank heavens you've come,” she said with a sigh of relief. “Yeah I'm hear to see what is going on with your house so if you please..” John said with a tone of annoyance. “Yes please come in quickly,” Elizabeth said as she shut the door behind him. As he looked around the house, he noticed a presence in the house immediately. It was an overwhelming force of evil that nearly knocked John off his feet.

“Are you all right,” Elizabeth asked. “I'm not sure there is definitely something here though I just don't know what,” John responded. “Has there been any particular noises you can tell me about? Anything that sticks out in your mind?” Around 3:30 A.M there is repetitive knocking in threes,” Elizabeth told John. “That's the witching hour in threes you say oh bloody hell,” he grunted. “Why is three bad,” she asked. “It could be a demonic presence. Knocking in threes is meant to mock the Creator the three represent Father, Son and Holy Ghost the knocking is meant to mock them,” John explained. “So are we dealing with...bad ghosts or something,” she asked. “I'm afraid it's much more than that. It could be something...demonic,” Constantine said. “What do you mean demonic?” she asked. “I mean fallen angel, Satan, demons those type of things that go bang not bump in the night, after shadows fall they appear,” he said. John promised to return that night to investigate.

John returned later that night after Elizabeth's husband got home. It was a unusually dark night no sight of the moon or any starts for that matter. He knocked at the door and her husband answered. “Hello you must be Mr. Constantine I'm Marty,” Elizabeth's husband said. “Just call me John let's get on with this shall we,” John said with a smile. He entered the house just as he did their son came running down the stairs. “Jeez you didn't tell me you had a kid,” John said. “Why is that a problem,” Marty asked. “If there is a demon present in the house it is most likely to come after your son as he will be most susceptible to it's power. It will target him soon if he hasn't already ,” John explained. “Mommy I'm scared who is that man,” “It's okay baby the man is here to help with the scary stuff going on,” “Son my name is John your mom is right I am here to try and help with the scary stuff going on in your house now head back to bed,” The little boy then turned around and started walking back up the stairs.

Suddenly as the boy reached the top of the stairs he screamed and his arms outstretched in a cross position. He then floated in the air still screaming and was flipped upside down in the air. John started running up the stairs towards the boy but an invisible force threw him back down the stairs. Just as that happened the boy flipped upright and landed on his feet like nothing happened. Then the boy started grinning and opened his mouth. “Stupid man of the church you think you can defeat a almighty Inner Circle demon like me,” the boy said with a growl. “I can through Him who gives me strength,” John yelled at the demon. As soon as John started running up the stairs again a shadow flew out of the boy and down the hall. It was silence in the house the rest of the night they didn't hear another sound.

John left in the morning and went to go to the local library to research more on the Inner Circle demons even though he pretty much had defeated all of them. When he couldn't find any information he drove back to the Huntington house and fell asleep in his car. He awoke just before nightfall and headed inside as they had prepared a meal for him. “I think what happened last night was just the beginning I think a lot worse things are coming,” John said. “What could be worse than what we seen last night, what that thing did to our pour little boy,” Elizabeth asked. “There is always worse,” John said.

After eating supper John went outside to smoke a cigarette when an angel appeared before him. “You have got a pretty big problem down here John,” the angel remarked. “Nah really Sherlock,” John replied back quickly. “Why don't you leave me to do my business,” John asked the angel. “Because there are even bigger problems coming, it will be a real hellraiser” the angel replied. John nodded in agreement and walked back inside.

As John entered the front door he could hear Marty screaming for help as Elizabeth was laying in a bloody pile on the floor. “What happened,” John asked. “I don't know I came out of the bathroom and she was laying like this. I don't know what the hell to do,” he said in a panicked tone. “Where is the boy,” John asked. “He is upstairs in his room, it is past his bedtime he must be sound asleep,” Marty said. “Which room is his?” John asked as he headed towards the stairs. “First door on the right,” Marty yelled up the stairs to John. As John opened the door he saw five year old Tommy covered in blood, repeated slicing his arm with a knife and drinking the blood out of the cuts. “Demon I demand you release this boy at once,” John said angrily. “Make me church boy,” the boy growled. John then touched his head and pulled out his cross necklace as he prepared to go into spiritual war with the demon.

“I am addressing the leech inside this young innocent boy,” John said. “Screw you Constantine this boy is no longer innocent he killed his mother he has bathed in her blood now he will kill himself and I will possess old man Marty,” the demon said with a laugh. “But the mother is still alive and will remain that way you underestimated how weak the boy's strength is,” John said with a laugh. “NO! SHE MUST DIE,” the demon roared. “You're straight out of luck then,” John said. “By the power of God I send you back to hell,” the demon roared as he flew out of the boy and caught fire and disappeared into the ground. John then called an ambulance and told them an intruder came and left while Marty and John were tied up. The medic got there and said both Tommy and Elizabeth were going to make it with a lot of therapy and stitches. John left for the Indianapolis Airport to head home to London. As the plane took off he relaxed for the first time in days as he was on his way home.

“My name is John Constantine, I am an exorcist and demon hunter. I step into the dark of night without any complaints or regrets. Call me if you have a demon problem, I'll be the one to knock them down and kick them in the balls for hell doesn't rise on my watch. Evil never sleeps and neither do I.”