A group of sorority sisters gather in their dark cellar to break their boredom. Sophomore Wynette Strode pulls out an antique conjuring book, and the girls set to work. They draw the chalk circle, light the candles, and chant the unfamiliar words. Then come the footsteps and the possession of one of their own. Desperate for help, Wynette and the other girls turn to parapsychology professor John Walter and his clairvoyant wife Judith for help. The professor invites his top student, Arnie, to assist with the exorcism, but Arnie soon realizes this is no ordinary demonic possession. This is a more ancient evil. Can Arnie and the Walters save the sorority from the grasp of something sinister before they are dragged into a fate worse than Hell?
Overall, this was an incredibly fun novella with a lot to like about it. The engaging storyline about how the book comes into her possession and what leads the girls to try performing the ritual that sets everything in motion is a fun way to get started, as this allows the group to undergo their own exploration into their background and different personalities. Creating a fun introduction to the sorority and what they’re like when they hang out together, from the different backgrounds and purposes for being there to the way they think through what’s going on, inviting in the demonic activity that takes place after performing the ritual. It creates a fun setup that offers a great starting point for the haunting action within.
That is quite chilling as well, once it gets going and the girls are aware that something’s in the house with them. The setup here is quite impressive, going from the haunted house tropes of hearing something that shouldn’t be present, aided by the fantastic descriptions of sights, sounds, and smells that are present in the house, to bring together a thrilling atmosphere. As it starts getting darker, including the idea that a figure is haunting the girls, morphing into the trials and tribulations involving how she’s getting haunted and targeted within the house in a series of strong encounters that highlight how interconnected the experience is against the figures that get involved trying to sanitize the house against the entity within. This is all quite enjoyable, making for a great time overall.
4.5/5
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