Unliving Love

by Jason A Grimm

  Chapter 22

  Grant in a Shiny Hybrid

  “That was Grant.” Tracy said with a smile as she flipped her phone closed. “He will be here in about an hour.”

  “Perfect timing.” Mike replied as he filled his glass with tea. “You seem pretty excited Trace.”

  She attempted to hide the smile that was breaking out on her face. “Well he is good at investigations.”

  “Liar.” Jen let out a small laugh. Her mood had changed almost immediately as they made it back to Mike’s parent’s house. “You can’t fool us Trace.” She took Mike’s glass and took a small sip. “He must really like you, if he is driving all this way for you.”

  “You think?” Trace asked with a tone of doubt. “Probably just coming for the investigation.”

  “Nope, he is coming because he likes you. Trust me from a fellow guy.” Mike took a big gulp of his drink. “He likes you.”

  Tracy smiled. “You really think?”`

  “Come on Trace, it’s so obvious.” Jen scooted down off the counter. “So what all do we need to do before we are ready for tonight?” She asked trying to fake as much enthusiasm as she could.

  “We still have all the flashlights and voice recorders in the car so we just have to load the new batteries and then we’re ready.” Tracy answered. “I’d like to go over before nightfall and just double check the cables and make sure everything is ready. Nothing like trying to fix something in the dark. It’s not fun trust me.”

  “Ok so potty trips and then we head over?” Jen asked.

  “Sounds good.”

  Mike took a big drink finishing off his tea. “You sure you’re ok to do this babe?”

  Jen’s smile faded from her face. “I am going to try. It’s going to be scary and I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it but I am going to at least try.”

  Mike wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll be there and so will Trace and Grant.” He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “If you need to leave I’ll leave with you ok?”

  Jen nodded. “Ok.”

  After everyone prepared themselves they made their way out of the house and climbed into the car. The drive was over in no time at all and they were soon climbing out of the car. The sun was fading over the houses in the distance. Nightfall would be upon them soon and they would be beginning the investigation.

  “I’ll grab the flashlights and everything from the trunk.” Mike said as he climbed out of the car and walked around to the trunk. He grabbed the two bags, took them to the hood, and sat them down.

  “I’ll open the batteries.” Jen said as she snatched the many packs of batteries out of one of the bags.

  “Ok just open them all so if we need to replace some we can just grab them out of the bag. There is only two kinds so it’ll be easy to feel the difference.” Tracy opened the other bag and began to unscrew the flashlights.

  “Guess I’ll load them.” Mike said as he squeezed between the two. He began to load the flashlights and when they were ready Tracy handed him the digital voice recorders. He quickly loaded everything and lined them up near the flashlights. “Test them?”

  “Yep.” Tracy said as she reached up and grabbed a flashlight turning it on.

  “I’ll start with these.” Jen grabbed one of the recorders. She pressed the button on the side that was labeled record “Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow.” With the press of a few buttons the recorder was spitting back her words “Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow.” She sat it down to the side and repeated the process with all of the recorders.

  “Ok, we have about thirty more minutes before dark so let’s go get the lights on so we can check the cables and decide where we’re going to set the recorders.” Tracy grabbed the flashlights in her arms and looked to Mike. “Door if you would sir.”

  He nodded grabbing a few recorders in his left hand. “You are like night and day Trace. You are kinda backwards at home and here you’re very I am woman hear me roar.” Mike let out a comical growl and flexed his arms.

  Jen let out a laugh as she walked beside him carrying the rest of the recorders. “You’re an idiot.” She said as she shook her head. “But you are right though.” She turned her gaze to Tracy. “You are almost like a different person here Trace… I like it and I bet Grant loves it.”

  Mike was now at the door pulling out the key and unlocking the door. It went smoother this time, his previous hesitation was gone. It seemed he had gotten stronger and he wasn’t sure if it was from coming back or if it was all a show to make Jen feel more secure. Either way he wasn’t going to analyze it for the fear of losing his new found strength. “Speaking of Grant.” Mike rose the key pointing at a car that was slowing down near the drive.

  “It’s your man Trace.” Jen looked at Tracy and smiled. “Your knight in shining armor.” She waved as the car pulled in the drive.

  Tracy hurriedly disappeared into the house.

  “That’s the Tracy we know babe.” Mike said with a smile. “Oh…”

  Tracy sped back out of the house and quickly made her way into the drive to greet Grant.

  “Well maybe not.” He nudged Jen with his elbow.

  Tracy was now standing at the trunk of Mike and Jen’s car smiling as Grant pulled in.

  He climbed out of his car and with a smile on his face walked over to Tracy and gave her a hug. The smile on his face faded quickly though as they began to talk.

  “Wonder what that’s about.” Jen said to Mike. They couldn’t hear what they were saying but from the look on Grant’s face they knew it couldn’t be good.

  The smile returned to Grant’s face and he nodded his head then they began to walk to the house.

  Mike waved with his free hand. “Hey Grant, glad you could make it.”

  “Yeah me too. I’m very excited, this should be an interesting night.”

  “Yeah it should. Come on in, we were just getting ready to go double check everything.”

  Grant and Tracy walked up to the porch. “Glad I could make it here to help a little with this stuff.” Grant said.

  “We’re all just glad you could make it.” Jen said. “I know Tracy was worried you wouldn’t be able to.”

  Tracy turned her face a little to the side to hide the reddening of her cheeks. “Yeah wouldn’t be the same without you here.”

  Grant smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of missing this.”

  “Nice car.” Mike said trying to take some of the matchmaking awkwardness out of the air. “Yours?”

  “No my cousin’s, it’s a Prius. They are so good on gas” He smiled. “Mine’s older and guzzles the gas so I figured I’d borrow his for the trip.”

  “Nice. Let’s get inside Jen looks like she is going to drop those.” Mike nodded in the direction of the stuff piled in Jen’s arms.

  “Oh sorry.” Grant grabbed the recorders leaving Jen with just the bag of batteries. He turned and made his way inside the door. Following suit they all made their way to the table they had set up earlier they had dubbed home base and sat down all the stuff in their arms.

  “Thanks Grant.” Jen said.

  “Tracy you want to show him around some before it gets too late?” Mike asked as he pulled one of the chairs out from the table. “I’ll make sure all the monitors are working from this end.” He grabbed the walkie talkies and handed one to Tracy. “In case we need to adjust anything.” Mike grabbed a couple of the chairs from where the table originally sat and pulled them over.

  “That’s a good idea.” Tracy turned her walkie talkie on and turned to Grant. “You ready?”

  Grant nodded. “Very.”

  Tracy turned and led him through the large great room and they soon disappeared through the large set of double doors that led to the front room and the stair case.

  “Ok we got home base then babe.” Mike sat down and slid one of the extra chairs beside his for Jen. “Power up all the monitors and see what we can see.” He turned the first
monitor on and there was the front room and the main stair case. He powered up the second and there was Tracy and Grant in the small room where the drawings were. Grant was slowly making his way around the room taking in all the different drawings then he turned back to Tracy and shook his head and brought his hand up to his mouth. What is that about? He thought to himself. Not dwelling, he turned on the third monitor and there was the antique wardrobe.

  “That’s the first time I have seen those two rooms.” Jen said as she scooted her chair closer to Mike’s.

  “That’s right you didn’t come up.” Mike scooted his chair over some so she could get a better view of the monitors. “That’s the famous wardrobe. I can take you up if you want.”

  She started shaking her head. “I can see from here.” She turned and smiled at him. “I think this is a good place for me.”

  Mike smiled. “Can’t blame you.” He reached up and turned on the fourth monitor. “What the hell?”

  “What?” Jen turned from the monitor that showed Grant and Tracy standing next to the wardrobe and looked at the fourth monitor. “It’s completely dark. What’s wrong with it?”

  He turned it and checked the connections. “I don’t think anything.” He stood up and looked at the cables. “I’ll have to check the camera.” Mike moved around the table and made his way into the other room.

  Jen continued to watch the monitors looking at the one with Tracy and Grant in view and the dark one. When she glanced at the active one, she saw Tracy hold the walkie talkie up to her mouth and could see Grant’s face show a look of surprise. Jen looked back over at the dark monitor and she noticed two small something’s in the middle of the screen. They started dull and slowly brightened. Jen gasped and her hands shot to her mouth as she clinched her eyes shut. “Mike!” She yelled through her hands. “Mike!”

  He came sprinting around the corner and was beside her in seconds. “What? What’s wrong?”

  Tracy and Grant showed up a few seconds later. “What? You ok?”

  Mike, Tracy, and Grant slowly followed Jen’s outstretched arm pointing at the dark monitor. “Eyes…” She said with a shaky voice. “His eyes! His red eyes!”

  “Jen there isn’t anything there.” Mike said as he knelt down and placed his hand on her knee. “It’s blank.”

  Jen opened her eyes. “They were there.” She took her hand away from her mouth and pointed with two fingers where the eyes where at on the screen.

  They all stood there in silence. Tracy reached out and placed her hand on Jen’s shoulder. “It’s not there now Jen.”

  “It was I’m not imagining this.”

  “No one is saying that sweetie.” Mike said in a calming voice. “None of us would question that.”

  “We are all here because we know what can happen here. We all believe you.” Grant said.

  “What were you two talking about?” Jen turned to Mike

  “What?” He responded in a questionable tone. “Who?”

  “You and Tracy?” Jen asked

  “What?” Mike asked confused. “Oh… Oh ok.” It finally came to him. “Through the walkies… Sorry hearing you scream rattled me a bit.” He glanced up at Tracy then focused back on Jen. “I was telling her about the camera in there.”

  “What about it?” Jen asked “What’s wrong with it?”

  “It’s not there.” Mike paused. “It’s gone.”

  “Gone?” Jen took her hand back to her mouth. “Where is it?”

  “When I went to check on it, I noticed the tape was torn that was holding the cable down and as I got closer the door was opened and the cables were stretched up the stairwell.” Mike paused as if not wanting to continue.

  “Up?” Jen asked.

  “It was taken up the stairs.” Tracy squeezed Jen’s shoulder. “It’s in the room up there…” She paused.

  Mike looked into Jen’s eyes and squeezed her leg. “I tugged on the cable and it came, so I pulled in back down but the wire was torn. The camera is still up there, somewhere. So if those were Warren’s eyes… ”

  At the mention of his name there was a loud bang from the direction of the hidden stairwell followed by the sound of the front door slamming shut. They all jumped and Jen latched on to Mike.

  “I’m scared” Jen said with a shaky voice fighting to hold back tears. She let out a small shaky squeal as all the lights throughout the house suddenly turned off at once, leaving the four in complete and utter darkness.