Sunday Screams: The Exorcist - When the Devil Knocks, Will You Answer?

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Episode #20 Board Games

“There are nights I forget I’m changing… but the mornings always remind me.”

I woke up today with another nosebleed, a pounding headache, and two small burn marks near my collarbone. No memory of how they got there. My reflection looked pale—drawn, tired. My hands trembled as I made coffee, which promptly spilled, a dark splash like ink bleeding into the counter. Something wasn’t right. Something hasn't been right.

I caved. I went to the doctor.

Blood work, scans, endless questions. "Are you under a lot of stress?" (Define a lot.) "Are you experiencing hallucinations?" (Would seeing shadows in mirrors count?) "Have you traveled anywhere unusual lately?" (Estate sales in forgotten towns. Does that count?)

They couldn’t explain the bruises. Or the night sweats. Or the voice I heard whispering in the clinic’s restroom that clearly said, “It’s almost time.”

I needed air. Sunlight. Life.

So I went to the local flea market.

Rows of dusty tables, trinkets, forgotten dreams laid out like a treasure map. I wandered between booths, gently fingering the occasional rusted key, old record, or doll missing one eye.

And then I saw it.

A Ouija board. Vintage. Weathered. The planchette still sat neatly in its box like it was waiting for someone.

It stopped me in my tracks.

My mind immediately jumped to The Exorcist.


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The Film That Possessed the World

Released in 1973, The Exorcist wasn’t just a movie—it was an event. People fainted in theaters. Some threw up. Others ran out screaming. Cities debated whether to ban it altogether. Churches condemned it. Teens dared each other to watch it. And the Vatican… well, they weren’t thrilled.

What made it so terrifying?

A sweet 12-year-old girl, Regan, begins exhibiting bizarre behavior. At first, her mother thinks it’s psychological. But doctors are baffled. Eventually, a priest is called. What follows is one of the most disturbing and unrelenting portrayals of demonic possession ever put to screen.

Green vomit. Head spinning. Crucifix trauma. A voice that echoed like a million lost souls. And those eyes—those godforsaken eyes.

Directed by William Friedkin and adapted from William Peter Blatty’s novel, the film is loosely inspired by a real 1949 exorcism case involving a boy. Real-life events included beds shaking, words appearing on skin, and objects moving by themselves.

And the set? Cursed.

A fire destroyed the original set—except Regan’s room.

Multiple cast and crew members died during or shortly after filming.

Linda Blair (Regan) suffered a permanent spinal injury during a harness stunt gone wrong.

The premiere required paramedics to be on standby.


It wasn’t just a movie—it felt dangerous.

And yet, it became the first horror film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Over time, The Exorcist turned into a cornerstone of horror. A masterclass in dread. A benchmark for every possession film since.


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Back to Me… or What’s Left of Me

As I stood there staring at the Ouija board, I felt a chill crawl up my neck. The vendor looked up at me and smiled.

“Y’know,” he said, “things like that shouldn’t be messed with.”

I didn’t buy it. I walked away. But I swear… when I glanced back over my shoulder, the planchette had moved. It pointed right at me.

Coincidence?

Maybe.

Or maybe I’m not the only one changing.


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Shelf of Secrets Entry #4:

Tucked in my coat pocket when I got home—though I don’t remember putting it there—was a small silver medallion with Latin carved around the edges: “Obscura venit nocte” (Darkness comes at night). The reverse side has the faint impression of a screaming face.

It's warm to the touch.

I placed it next to the other cursed items. The shelf is filling up… and I’m not sure that’s a good thing.


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Today’s Dream Symbol Hidden in the Image: A faint outline of a shadowed figure clutching a cross can be seen in the windowpane if you zoom in. Was it always there?


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Thanks for walking into the shadows with me.
Until next Sunday Screams…

— The Nightly Storyteller


Stick around. Subscribe. Share.
And if you dare… drop a comment and tell me your favorite scary movie, urban legend, or horror memory.

We’re just getting started—and things are about to get dark.

thenightlystoryteller.blogspot.com

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