by A C Utter
Subject: Job Opportunity
Hello Brenda,
I’m writing to express interest in the open position. Tom Callahan referred me. I hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you for your time,
Jordan Ashby
It wasn’t long before I received a response.
Subject: RE: Job Opportunity
Hello Jordan,
I’m glad to hear from you. Your friend Tom knows one of our staff and has vouched for you. I just have a few quick questions. These aren’t questions a typical employer would not ask, but due to the unusual working conditions, I’m sure you can understand why we need this extra information.
Will you be able to work long hours? This job will be two full days and one full night.
Do you have any respiratory or allergy issues that would require you to wear special equipment if you were to enter a dirty and/or rodent infested basement?
Are you able to stand/walk for hours at a time?
Are you at risk for seizures?
Do you believe ghosts are real?
Regardless of your last answer, can you be professional and polite to any spirits we may encounter?
During your time with us you will need to wear long pants, work boots, and at least bring a heavy coat with you. You will report to Kyle and mostly follow the guys around with a camcorder. I look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Brenda Kline
I was immediately confused. Some of these questions employers aren’t typically allowed to ask. However, I didn’t mind answering them if it meant a paycheck was heading my way.
RE: RE: Job Opportunity
Hello Brenda,
Here are the answers to your questions:
I can definitely work long hours.
I have allergies, but they aren’t very bad. I will take an antihistamine and bring some with me just in case. I don’t anticipate needing any special equipment.
Yes, I can stand and walk for however long you need.
I’m not at risk of seizure.
No, I personally do not believe ghosts exist.
I pride myself on my professionalism. I respect other people’s opinions and viewpoints. I can be courteous and polite to anyone I come into contact with, living or dead.
I have everything I need, just let me know when to show up and I will be there. You can also contact me at 555-555-1234.
Thank you,
Jordan
A few minutes later I received a response to my email.
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Job Opportunity
Hello Jordan,
I appreciate your honest answers. We begin at 8am this coming Thursday. We will need you during the day on Thursday and Friday as well as overnight on Friday. There may be a few hours we need you on Saturday, but we will play that by ear.
I don’t have the address now, but Kyle will text you with the address in the next couple of days.
Thank you and welcome to the team!
Brenda Kline
I received a text from Kyle with the address just a day later. Before I knew it I was headed to the address early Thursday morning. I wanted to get there a bit early to check the place out. It was also about forty-five minutes from my home, so I wanted to make sure I plenty of time to make the drive.
~
As I approach the property, I’m surprised to see that it appears to be an old rundown building. The sign out front reads Emerald Valley Sanatorium. I heard a little bit about this place on the radio last Halloween, they said the gate is usually locked to keep trespassers out. Around Halloween they have a lot of trouble with teenagers breaking in because it’s rumored to be haunted. Personally, I think that’s hogwash, but probably a fun dare for the kids.
I pull into the driveway and I’m mesmerized by the building and property. The driveway is long and I follow it up hill towards the Sanatorium. Although the grass has been recently mown and the trees trimmed, the place could use some serious TLC.
The gravel driveway loops around by the front door, so I choose to pull through and park with the nose of my car facing the road. I don’t want to get blocked in by anyone. I get out of the car, putting my phone in my back pocket and shoving my work gloves in my front pocket. Looking at the building it makes sense why they were asking about allergies and respiratory issues, so I pop an extra antihistamine for good measure.
It doesn’t seem like anyone else is here yet, so I use the opportunity to take in my surroundings. The building is large and intimidating, sitting at the top of a hill overlooking the grass and tree covered hillside. It towers over me, it must be three stories high, four if there is a basement. I stand near the central entrance, which is flanked by the large east and west wings of the building. Many of the windows have been broken, they stare at me like wide, unblinking eyes.
The stone walls are showing their age and neglect. Ivy and moss cover many of the walls, while other walls are slowly crumbling. However, most of it seems cosmetic. Then again, who knows what it looks like on the inside. I can’t help but wonder why I’ve been hired. It could be general clean up, maybe there is old equipment inside that needs to be hauled off. However, I don’t know why I would need a camcorder for that.
Just as I finish my thought, I hear the crunching of tires on gravel. I turn and look down the hill and see an old beat up truck and a black van coming up the driveway. The truck parks behind my car, followed by the van. An older gentleman hops out of the truck. He looks to be around sixty, sixty-five, with salt and pepper hair, and laugh lines around his eyes and mouth. I’m not sure, but I doubt that this is Kyle. He walks around to the back of the pickup and starts rooting through his toolbox.
The doors on the van open and four people get out. Three of them head to the back of the van and begin unloading what appears to be camera equipment. The fourth heads in my direction. He’s around six feet tall, muscular build, with gel-styled black hair. I recognize him immediately and it’s all I can do not to fall over laughing.
“You must be Kyle, I’m Jordan,” I say, a grin spreading across my face as I extend my right hand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he says as he shakes my hand. “Have you been given much information on what we need you to do?” he asks.
“I was told I will probably be carrying around a camcorder, but that’s about it. I feel like I have an idea though, because I do recognize you. You are Kyle Tannsion from Ghost Connection, and those three unloading equipment are also on the show”.
“Interesting that the recruiter didn’t tell you that up front. Are you a fan of the show?” he asks.
“I won’t blow smoke, I want to be honest with you, I am not a fan. I have seen the show a couple of times because a woman I dated for a while really loved it. Personally, I don’t believe in spirits or ghosts or anything paranormal, so I don’t watch.” Hopefully he likes my honestly more than he dislikes skeptics.
Kyle chuckles, “Thank you for the honesty. Hey! Guys!” he says motioning to the three unloading the van, “Come meet our temporary crew member. His name is Jordan, and he is a skeptic.”
The other three crew members come over and introduce themselves. All four of them seem to be about my age, thirty-something, and they all seem nice. Dennis is tall, he must be six-foot-three because I’m looking him square in the eye. Despite being my height, he’s very slight, with dark hair and dark eyes. Tanner is fairly short, maybe five-foot-eight or so, average build, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Jessi is probably a foot shorter than I am, she’s athletic and curvy at the same time, with jet black hair and green eyes, she’s a knockout. I pretend not to notice.
They all seem generally excited to have a skeptic along for the ride. I think they are under the impression they can change my mind. They don’t realize that no amount of dust particles caught on film, creaky floors, or shoddy wiring will change my mind.
“Okay, listen up everyone,” Kyle announces, “we have a lot to d
o, so we better get started. I want to do a quick run down for Jordan. Today we will be interviewing eyewitnesses and walking the grounds and building during the daylight. We use this time to get a better understanding of the history of the building and to plan out where our cameras will be placed. We also have extra footage and photos to take for editing purposes. Tomorrow is more of the same, except we will set up our equipment as well. Any questions?” he asks. We each shake our heads and he continues, “Tomorrow night is our investigation. We can go more into this later, but here’s the rundown: The gate at the bottom of the hill will be locked behind us. This prevents anyone from getting onto the property and contaminating our evidence. I am the Lead Investigator. Dennis and I go into the property to film and interact with the spirits. Tanner and Jessi are our equipment techs. They will be at our safe room monitoring cameras and watching for anything we do not see or hear while we are exploring. Jordan, you will be inside with Dennis and I. We may ask you to run back to the safe room to get different equipment, batteries, etc. We will leave the property the next morning around seven o’clock. I don’t think we will need you Saturday, but don’t quote me on that quite yet,” he finishes.
“Sounds good to me, does this mean I will be filmed? Or am I strictly behind the camera?” I ask.
“It depends on what footage we end up using, but it is almost guaranteed that you will make an appearance on camera. We usually have another investigator with Dennis and I, however Rick is off right now for personal reasons, so you are his replacement for this location,” he answers.
“Sounds good, just point me in a direction,” I respond. Kyle looks around for a moment then says, “Jessi, can you please get Jordan set up for interviews and our walk through? Maybe go over the basics with him and have him sign the HR paperwork as well”.
“You got it boss, this way please,” she motions for me to follow her. She’s very beautiful, but I couldn’t get involved with someone that not only believes this nonsense, but has devoted their career to it. Knowing that will help me remain professional, and I wouldn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. Locked in a dark abandoned building is probably not an appropriate time to ask someone out for a drink.
“First, let’s get the paperwork out of the way,” Jessi begins. “There are only a few items to sign. The first is your tax paperwork, the second is a nondisclosure agreement, and the third is the liability waiver. The nondisclosure agreement essentially states you won’t discuss our findings until the episode airs. The liability waiver protects the show and the network from being sued if something happens to you. This is an old building, it’s not exactly safe. We do have safety equipment and first aid kits, and we’ve never run into any serious issues, so it’s more of a formality.”
“I appreciate it, but I’m not too worried. I may be a software developer, but in high school and college I worked for my father’s construction company. He has a thing for renovating old buildings. Needless to say I’ve had more than my share of injuries and close calls. Luckily I’ve come a long way since then; I’ve gotten wiser, tougher, and smarter in my old age,” I say, flashing her a toothy grin.
“Good! That means I won’t have to babysit you,” Jessi quips, pulling her long black hair into a ponytail as she speaks, lips spreading into a grin. “To the right here you’ll find a camcorder, a digital recorder, a walkie, a flashlight, and fresh batteries for everything. On the left you’ll find first aid kits, water, protein bars, and dust masks. Go ahead and take one of everything. Here’s a small backpack to put things in. Once you’re stocked up, head inside. Kyle will let you know where he wants you. Let me know if you have any questions.”
“Thanks Jessi, will do,” I reply. Gathering my items, I put together my pack and slip my arms through the straps. I slide the flashlight into the loop on the right side of my jeans, double check that my phone is on vibrate, and head inside.
I Ain’t Afraid o’ No Ghost
This place is monstrous. Stepping across the threshold I’m taken aback by the sheer size of this building. It’s so strange that it just sits here completely empty. I wonder why no one has knocked it down. The ground is covered in dirt, dust, animal droppings, and hypodermic needles. Apparently this is a nice place to shoot up in private. I spot Kyle and head in his direction, minding the loose boards and random nails.
“I’m all yours, just set me loose,” I say with a smile.
“Hey! Jordan, good timing. We need to get some B-roll. Go ahead and explore the west wing over here. Make sure you get shots of the long corridors, anything interesting. We basically need footage we can splice into the episode,” Kyle instructs.
“Consider it done, boss,” I reply. I head off towards the west wing, noting the graffiti that covers the walls. Some of it is beautiful artwork, but most are vulgar slurs.
Better get this camera up and running, I think to myself. I stop right before entering the west wing and pull the camcorder out of my backpack. I get it up and running, and move forward into the wing. It looks the same as the entryway, dilapidated and crumbling.
Swinging the camera slowly from side to side, I make sure to catch the corridors as well as a shot of each room that I pass. There are many, many rooms. Most are fairly small, and must have been patient rooms. I take time to step into each room, noticing the graffiti there, as well as random items that have been left behind; chairs, pencils, bottlecaps, syringes, bottles, broken glass, chalk, and other odds and ends. It would be cool to think that these items are from the patients that lived here, but judging by their age, I can tell that most were left behind by a more modern crowd.
The wing is fairly well lit, since the sun is shining outside. I can imagine that without the sun I would likely be unable to see my own hand if I held it directly in front of my face. As dusty and dirty as this place is, it’s kind of peaceful, well, on the surface anyway. I’m sure at night this place can be pretty creepy, ghosts or no ghosts.
As I continue down the corridor I hear a faint voice, like a woman speaking quietly down the hall. I didn’t think anyone else was going to be up here, so I better announce myself as to not scare anyone. “Hello?” As soon as I speak the faint voice stops, and I’m left with nothing but the sound of my own footsteps. “Hello? Is someone there? My name is Jordan and I’m with the crew filming here. I didn’t mean to startle you.” But still, there is no reply.
I stop moving, listening closely. I can hear a faint voice again, and I figure maybe there are teenagers up here playing around, thinking they will be in trouble if I find them. “Listen, if you’re just screwing around up here, I don’t care, but it is dangerous. Please just let me know if you’re up here so we don’t scare each other.” Laughter, I can hear laughter, yet still, no one responds to my request.
I move forward a few more paces, ears tuning into the sound of a woman laughing in the distance. All at once the laughter disappears and I stop moving. The laughter begins once again, but this time it is directly behind me. I spin on my heels, expecting to find several laughing teenagers, but instead I see the empty corridor I’ve just passed through.
What the fuck? I think to myself. I looked in each of those rooms as I walked by them, so there’s no way someone was behind me unless this corridor loops back around. Oh for fucks sake, I have a walkie for a reason, I can’t believe I forgot all about it. Jesus.
“Hey,” I begin, speaking into the walkie I’ve retrieved from my belt. “This is Jordan, is anyone up on the second floor of the west wing? Over.”
“This is Kyle. Nope, you’re alone. Why? Over,” comes his voice from the walkie.
“I’m hearing a lot of talking and laughing. My guess is teenagers, but I can’t seem to find them. Over.”
“Keep the camera rolling and be careful. Let us know if you hear anything else, over.”
“You got it, boss, over,” I reply. I continue down the corridor, filming each room as I pass by. I keep my ears open but don’t hear anything else for the rest of my tour.
~
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It is a long day of filming B-roll as well as Kyle’s stream-of-consciousness rambling, which seems to be his method for getting into character to film his commentary. Although, he doesn’t call it getting into character, that’s my term. He calls it, “getting pumped,” or “getting jacked,” which makes me cringe.
Once we are done for the day we all head over to a local bar to eat and relax. They seem like a cool group of people, for the most part, so I gladly accept their invitation to join.
“So Jordan, what is this about you hearing voices in the west wing? I thought you were a skeptic,” Dennis asks with a smile.
“Hearing voices?” I reply. “I heard the voices of living human people, yes.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize you found them,” Kyle interjects.
“I didn’t, but they were there, they just managed to sneak out before I caught up to them,” I say.
Dennis laughs, “We will see how long that explanation holds out once we are there in the dark.”
“Hey, I’d love it if you made a believer out of me. That would mean we would see something amazing. I’m not a head-in-the-sand skeptic, I’m a show-me-the-proof skeptic,” I say with a smile. “I am excited to hear the interviews with the eyewitnesses tomorrow. People are fascinating.”
“Yeah, but can you keep a straight face if someone says they saw the ghost of Michael Jackson in the east wing?” Jessi asks, brushing her dark hair behind her ear as she takes a sip of her beer.
