by B L Maxwell
I patted him on the back, when I wanted to hug him. “We’ll get everything settled in this area and then seal it with the salt, at least nothing else will be able to get in.”
“Or get out,” he added. I wasn’t sure yet if that was good or bad.
Wade did as I asked and stayed close to me. I wasn’t sure why it was so important to me, but it was, and I couldn’t control the panic that threated to rise up in my chest when I thought about him being out of my sight. “We sketched out how we want everything set up.” I spread the paper out on a table for everyone to see. “Jimbo, you and Dean go salt the kitchen and office areas. Wade, you and I will set up the cameras and perimeter alarms in the dining room. Once we’re done, we’ll draw a hex sign at the door and seal it with salt. We’ll know if anything comes in or out while we’re in the basement,” I explained.
“Are we all going downstairs?” Jimbo asked, with a quick glance at Dean.
“I think you two should stay up here, if anything happens, we can call for help on the walkies. I brought them just in case, I know the phone signal is a little funky down there. Wade and I will go to the basement together, and hopefully we’ll be able to convince whatever’s down there to leave.”
“What if we can’t?” Wade asked.
I stepped closer to him and put my arm around him. “We can, and we will. We just need to find out what it wants, and what will make it leave here forever.” I tried to show Wade I wasn’t afraid, but he knew me too well. I noticed how many times he looked at me with concern, but I tried to let it go. We’d know soon enough what we were up against.
Wade opened the case that held the perimeter alarms and got busy setting them up at the front entrance and the door that led to the basement. I watched him for a moment before taking four cameras and setting them up in various places around the room, so every angle was covered.
“Dean, where should we set up our laptops?” I asked.
“Wherever works for you,” he answered.
“Let’s put it all in the office, it’s a big enough area. We can set up two laptops, and Dean and Jimbo can monitor them while we’re down in the basement. They can warn us if they see something we don’t,” I explained, while they all looked at me.
“Jason, promise me you won’t take any crazy chances. Don’t try to be the hero,” Jimbo said, as Dean looked at him with a warm look.
“Don’t worry, I’m not taking any chances. I won’t put any of us in danger. Now, let Wade and I set up the laptops and get the camera feeds up so you can get comfortable with the program.” Wade and I made sure everything was up and running, and all views were clear. We tested the perimeter alarm and it worked exactly like it was supposed to.
“Okay, everyone, I’m going to draw some protection signs at the entrance and at the office door, I’ll also draw it in front of the basement door. Dean, do you have a problem with that? I have chalk and was going to draw it out on the floor,” I explained.
“Jason, do whatever you need to do. I appreciate you trying to be respectful but, honestly, I just want all this behind us,” Dean answered, and as he did, Jimbo moved to his side.
“Do it, Jason. I know Janis thought those stones would protect us, but they didn’t do shit. I’ve seen your methods keep us safe, well, as safe as you can be when a lunatic ghost is hell-bent on attacking. I’ll help Dean clean up anything he wants me to when we’re all done,” Jimbo said, and Dean slowly reached his hand out and squeezed Jimbo’s.
I nodded and took out the stick of chalk I’d brought and drew the same design I’d used at The Vineyard House. I knew Dean would question it, but I’d leave that for Jimbo. After drawing it, I spread lines of salt at the entrance, and also at the door to the basement.
Next, Wade and I gathered cameras, the laser grid, and another perimeter alarm, and tucked them into a backpack. It also held salt, a couple of recorders, flashlights, and extra batteries. We both wore headlights; I didn’t want to take the chance of not having enough light this time. We’d both carry flashlights on us, in addition to the headlights.
“I think we have everything, anything we’ve missed?” I asked Wade.
“Not that I can think of, I think we’re good to go,” he said, with a tight smile. Jimbo didn’t say anything, but he looked worried.
“Jimbo, can you stay in control of whatever it is that draws ghosts to you? I know we haven’t talked about it in detail, but I need to know you can keep it under wraps while we’re down there. Can you do that?” I asked.
He took a moment to think about it and rubbed his hand across his shaved head. This time it was him who reached out and took Dean’s hand, pulling it close to his chest as he made eye contact with me.
“Jason, I won’t put any of you in danger. I’ll do my damnedest to keep myself in control. I’m not gonna lie, it’s harder to control when I’m emotional, so I’m going to try like hell to not let that happen. I’ve brought my stone, and I’ve done everything I can to prepare, but if it feels like I can’t control it I’ll warn everyone. Because you won’t want to be down there if that happens.”
He looked at me with such a serious look, it actually scared me. He wasn’t joking, and he wasn’t exaggerating. He was being completely honest. And knowing that did nothing to ease my fears.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Wade
After Jason sealed the entrances with salt and a hex sign, the air felt a little lighter. Whatever had been there when we’d first arrived seemed to have retreated, or just moved down to the basement. Hopefully the barriers held and kept Jimbo and Dean safe. At least they‘d be up here, and not down there. Something scared Jason, I wasn’t sure what it was, but he was keeping it from me, and that wasn’t like him at all.
“Wade, you ready to go?” he asked, standing just at the door to the basement stairs, backpack slung over his shoulder, and holding another bag that held salt and chalk.
“We’re going to salt down there too?” I asked.
“Yes, fuck ’em, we’re going to do all we can to take away any power from them.”
“I think there’s one main one,” I said, not really realizing what I’d said.
Jason stopped in his tracks and turned to me. “What makes you say that?”
“I’m not sure, but I think the dream we had told us more than we realized at the time.”
He squinted his eyes and seemed to be deep in thought. “It can’t be just one, can it? I know you said they’re trapped here, why would they be? We don’t really know any more than we did before,” Jason said, and moved closer to me.
“We do, and we know we’re both strong, and stronger together. We got this.” He held his hand out for me, and I hefted the backpack higher on my shoulder and took it. I turned the knob and looked over at Jimbo and Dean, they were both standing in front of the office, watching us. Dean looked worried, but Jimbo looked terrified. He had seen what could be down there, and he was probably relived to not have to face it again.
“Turn your walkie on, I want to know we can contact you,” Jimbo said, waving his walkie at us. I turned Jason around and reached into his backpack to get it. Turning it on, it came immediately to life with a crackle of static. I clicked the button a couple of times, and Jimbo’s walkie reacted.
“Sounds good, let’s do this before it gets any later,” Jason said. It was already around nine, and since it was summer it was still not completely dark out, but the sun had set, and we didn’t have much time left before night was completely upon us.
“Let’s go,” I said, and continued down the stairs to the bottom. We both stood there for a moment before I reached for the doorknob. The door seemed to pulse with energy, I hoped I was imagining it, but I wasn’t willing to bet on it. I turned the knob and the door swung open. The light was on, so the room was illuminated. From where we stood, it all looked as it had the last time we were here, nothing had changed.
“Wade, remember what I said earlier—”
“Stay close,” I finished for
him. “Don’t worry, I’m not planning on wandering away again anytime soon.” He nodded and walked over to one of the crates that were stacked against the wall next to the door. Jason set his backpack down and took out the laser grid, then looked at me and waited for me to walk over to the far side of the building with him. After making sure we had it positioned in a good area, we turned it on and returned to the crates.
“Laser grid is in position,” I said into the walkie.
“Guys, be careful,” Jimbo said, not even bothering to try to hide his fear.
“We will, we’re about to set up the cameras. I’ll let you know when we’re done, and you can check the feed.”
“Roger,” he said, completely serious. I met Jason’s eyes and we both grinned at each other—and then the lights went out.
“Fuck,” I said, and scrambled to turn on the headlight that, luckily, we’d slipped on while we were still upstairs. My fingers grappled with the button to turn it on, and I realized my hands were shaking. The light flooded my immediate area and I blinked, trying to make my eyes focus faster—Jason, where the fuck was Jason? My head whipped around, and the light with it. It was bright, but only a fairly small area was illuminated.
“Jason? Jason? Where are you?” I heard a scraping noise in the far corner where we’d set up the grid, but it wasn’t on, so I couldn’t tell exactly what the noise came from. I stood still and listened, I heard it again. I turned my head in that direction and saw him then. He was in the far corner, the one that was partially made of earth. I stepped closer to him, but I couldn’t see much. He was pressed close into the corner and wasn’t moving.
“Jason?” I called again. He slowly raised his hand and started clawing at the wall, the light illuminating enough to show me his fingers were already scraped up from ragged bricks, dirt caked in his nails, and still he hadn’t moved. “What are you doing?” I stepped close enough to put my hand on his shoulder. He startled before he froze in place, and slowly turned his head so I could see his face. A slow smile spread across his lips, but it wasn’t my Jason who looked back at me.
I jumped back, startled by what was right in front of me. I scrubbed at my eyes, but still nothing had changed. He looked like Jason, but somehow, I knew he wasn’t. He turned around and took a step closer to me. “Don’t be like that, baby, come here,” he purred.
“Get out of him!” I yelled. I wasn’t sure what to do. My instinct told me to get the fuck out of here, but my heart wouldn’t let me. My mind raced, trying to come up with some way to save Jason from whatever was in control of him, and not hurt him at the same time.
“Wade, the salt, throw some salt at him,” a child’s voice said to my right. I glanced in that direction but didn’t see anything. I backed away from Jason, afraid to turn my back on him, but needing some distance between us. He hadn’t moved, he stood in front of me, still wearing that not-quite smile, and breathing so heavily, his breath panted in and out of him as his chest rose and fell in quick succession. I slowly made my way to where we’d put our backpacks down on the crate. Without taking my eyes off him, I felt for the bag of salt. My fingers brushed it, and I lurched toward it to get a better grip before shoving my hand into the bag. Not thinking about it, I flung a handful at Jason. As soon as it hit him, a screeching noise tore through the area and seemed to circle the room, before silence once again fell on the room.
Jason collapsed onto the ground, his hands clutching at his head. “Jason.” I rushed over to him and pushed his hands away. He fought me at first, but then he chanced a look, and realizing it was me, he sprung up and pulled me to him. “Are you okay?” I asked, smoothing his hair back and forcing enough distance so I could get a look at him.
He didn’t answer at first, he looked terrified, and I had no idea what was really happening.
“Wade, it happened again, it took over my body. I couldn’t stop it,” he whispered, and glanced around the room.
“Who? I don’t understand how this could have happened. We did everything we were supposed to do.”
“This is different, Wade, this one doesn’t play by the rules. I don’t think it knows there are rules. And I know it doesn’t care who it hurts, or what it has to do to get what it wants.”
“What does it want?” I asked, afraid to know.
“Everything,” he whispered, his eyes wide with fright, as his lips quivered. I reached for his hand, and my helmet light went out, once again plunging us into darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jason
I blinked my eyes repeatedly, but it was so dark in the basement I couldn’t tell the difference between my eyes being open or closed. “Wade,” I whispered, “we need to get some lights on.” I fumbled with my headlight and pushed the button repeatedly, with no success.
“Stay where you’re at, I’m going to see if I can make it to the bags and get a flashlight,” Wade said.
“No, don’t go alone. We stick together, remember?” I reminded him. We both stood, and after taking a moment to get our bearings, we moved toward the direction we thought the bags were, sliding our feet along the dirt floor and hoping not to trip on any of the boxes stacked around the room.
“It seems like we should be close,” I said, feeling around with my foot but not making contact with anything.
“Yeah, this place isn’t that big, let me try my headlight,” Wade said. I heard him fumble with the button, and this time the light pierced the darkness, startling the two of us. Neither of us moved as we looked around the space, making sure we were indeed still alone.
“Let’s finish setting up, we can put a camera in two opposite corners and cover the whole space. Did you bring the EMF detector?” I asked, reaching into my bag and taking out a flashlight. I breathed a sigh of relief when it came on and illuminated even more of the area.
“Yep, got it right here,” Wade answered as he took out the device. “Should I turn it on?”
“Yes, maybe we’ll have a little warning, it couldn’t hurt.” I watched as he switched it on. It came to life immediately, detecting a strong electromagnetic field, its lights flashing as it emitted a loud chirping sound.
“Do you think there’s electrical wiring or other interference?” Wade asked, waving it around as he turned in a circle.
“I’m not sure, there shouldn’t be much electrical down here, the breaker box is in the kitchen. I checked for it when we came before.” He continued to watch the meter as I gathered the tools we’d need to anchor the cameras.
“Here’s a flashlight. I think we should both place each camera, that way if the flashlights go out, we’ll at least be close enough to find each other.” He nodded his agreement and we walked over to the corner closest to the door. “If we put it here, it’ll be focused on the door and the room,” I said.
“Sounds good,” Wade said, before helping me find an anchor point and turning the camera on. “Jimbo, how’s that look?” I said into the walkie, and waited.
“Yeah, man, looks good. You’re putting one at the other end too, right?” he asked.
“Yes, on our way to do that right now.” Wade helped carry the tools and camera equipment to the far corner. The closer we got, the thicker the air seemed to get. “Be careful, let’s not take any chances,” I said, and reached out to tug on Wade’s arm. He slowed and stood closer to me, and we slowly made our way to the back corner.
“Jason, let’s get this set up and go back closer to the door,” Wade said quietly, and started to attach the anchor for the camera on the wall. I held it steady while he clipped the camera into place and turned it on, then he adjusted the angle.
“Jimbo, how’s it look?” I said into the walkie. Nothing. I met Wade’s eyes and we waited a second longer. “Jimbo?”
“Let’s move back to the door,” Wade said, looking uneasy.
“Jimbo?” I tried again, as we made our way out of the corner and into the middle of the room. Finally, when we were in the middle of the room, the walkie crackled to life.
&
nbsp; “Jason? Wade? I can’t hear you, answer me, you fuckers.”
“Whoa, language,” I said back to him.
“Jason, you scared me to death. I could hear you clicking in to talk, but nothing was coming through,” he explained.
“We have it all set up, can you look at the camera feeds to make sure you can see the whole room now?”
“It looks good from here, I can see it all. Are the lights out?”
“Yes, as soon as we got down here, they went out. We’ve got our flashlights and headlights so we’re good for now.”
“Is Wade safe? Don’t leave him alone down there, Jason.”
“Don’t worry, he’s right here next to me.” I reached out and squeezed Wade’s shoulder, needing to remind myself how close he really was.
“Did anything happen when you were putting up the cameras?” Jimbo asked. Wade’s eyes met mine and he shook his head slightly.
“No, nothing unusual. I’m going to sign off for now so we can finish salting this area. Stay close, Jimbo.”
“Will do,” he said, and the walkie was once again silent.
“I don’t want to worry him about what happened earlier, we’ll deal with whatever is down here and get the hell out. You and me, Jason, that’s all we need to take care of this.”
“I hope you’re right, I really hope you’re right.” We moved closer to the basement door and where we’d left the backpacks. I picked up the bag that held the salt and took it out. “We need to salt this area, I feel like we’re forgetting something, but I don’t know what else we can do.”
“Jason, are you sure you’re okay? You do understand what happened earlier? You haven’t even mentioned it.”
“I know what happened. I don’t understand why, though. I have the stone Janis said would protect me from being taken over again, I wonder why it didn’t work?”
