Seven-X by Mike Wech

reporter remembered different facts and quotes and wrote the story down. But both guys remembered these particular words exactly as stated above.
    So Jesus knocks out this evil spirit and it gets pissed and goes to find seven more demons tougher than it to come back and take over that person again. Take back home court advantage. It makes sense. It’s the law of the streets. You get pushed off your turf, go back and get reinforcements. 
    Any schoolyard kid knows there’s power in a gang, power in numbers. Even a cop calls for backup when he needs to take someone down.
    Billings wanted me to see this, because he knows how reporters think and work. This means something. I guarantee you that.  I’m going to circle this and call it: 
     
    “SEVEN-X.”  
     
    Seven times the evil returned. That’s a good horror movie right there. 
    You know what is weird. Both reporters used the same word Billings used, “arid.” 
    The air was really dry in that room yesterday, and when I woke up from that nightmare, I felt a brush of cold dry air run through me like a winter storm. 
    I could feel something moving around me in the dark. I thought it was just me being paranoid. Could it really have been a demon? I don’t know. I didn’t see anything. 
    Your mind runs wild when you’re trapped alone in a room like that for so long. It plays tricks on you.
    But what if these demons are real, not fictitious characters like vampires or zombies or werewolves. If demons are real and not some expression we throw around the media, then I got some things to think about in this case. I’ve got to make sense of it all.
    I better get on the road. It’s a long drive and I need to get a lot done today.  Tonight is going to be interesting.

AUDIO LOG                                                        
    FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2010 - 11:21 AM
     
    ENTERED BY MELODY SWANN
     
      This is my transcript of the first phone call I received from Eddie on December 10 th . He sent this with the first batch of recordings.  It feels weird listening to myself. This is Eddie talking.
     
     “It’s Eddie, December eighth. About eleven am. I’m in Dell City parked in front of the post office.  I finally got a clear cell signal so I’m gonna call Melody to let her know I’m okay and I’m sending out the tapes… It’s ringing… Mel. Hey baby. It’s me.”
    “God Eddie. What took you so long to call? I was worried.”
    “I’m way out in the boonies here. We got no cell reception. You got to see this place,” Eddie told me.
    “Where are you?” I asked him.
    “Dell City. I’m sending you a thumb drive with my notes and recordings.”
    “You okay?”
    “Yeah. Why?”
    “Your voice sounds different.”
    “I think I’m catching a cold. It’s freezing here at night.”
    “You sound disconnected.”
    “Maybe it’s my cell. I’ll step outside. Hear me now?”
    “Better,” I told him.
    “Guess what?”
    “What?”
    “Tyler is here!” Eddie said excitedly.
    “What? You’re kidding me. Baby, that’s huge.”
    “I know. It’s bigger than we thought. Dobson too. But they got her under lock and key somewhere. This place is a freak fest.”
    “Be careful,” I warned Eddie. 
    “Don’t worry,” he said. “And don’t freak out about this stuff when you get it. Okay? You’re gonna hear some whacked out shit. It’s just a show. You got that. It’s just a show.”
    “What do you mean?” I asked, feeling worry crawl over me.
    “Remember when we saw The Last Exorcism?” Eddie asked. 
    “Yeah.”
    “Well it’s like that. These guys put on a dog and pony show to get money from someone. Probably from the state or some medical company.”
    “Don’t mess around with this.”
    “Baby, I’m fine.”
    “Eddie!”
    “Mel, I’m okay… Alright.”
    “Alright… I get worried,” I told him.
    “Well don’t.”
    “Okay,” I said, not meaning it. I worry. I can’t help it. 
    Eddie continued: