I Need an Exorcist

One of our guests saw a ghost outside her chalet this past weekend. She said he was a man in a suit, with hair slicked back.

My 4-year-old nephew, who lives at the entrance to our guesthouse, has also been seeing a man at night. This one sits in my brother's living room when the lights go out and waves at my nephew if he happens to wander by.

My sister-in-law tried to tell him there was nothing to be afraid of, that the man was good. But my nephew replied "no mom, he's not nice - he's worse than a bicho papão." [1]

One of our maids has heard a baby cry in our laundry room and a male voice whisper calming words to it.

The list of things that have broken or blown up by themselves these past two months is endless: my mom's car, the pool's motor, the water pump, a varanda double-glazed window, computers, laptops, cameras, fridges, washing machines, lamps, televisions, routers, even my bloody flip flops.

A few weeks ago, I had to sleep at my grandmother's house because the guesthouse was full. I had the house to myself as my grandmother prefers to sleep in the main house. (She doesn't mind spending the day alone in her house but she gets scared alone at night.)

I woke up in the early hours to the sound of someone moving cutlery, cups and plates in her kitchen. I didn't dare get up and investigate. All doors were locked from the inside in the morning.

[1] A bicho papão is a type of "monster under the bed", wheeled out to scare disobedient children.