Happily Never After Read online

  He had no idea how much I was going to take that advice to heart.

  Chapter Nine

  We said goodbye to Martin and walked out of the office. It felt as if there was a new spring in my step, as though a load had lifted off my shoulders and every other cheesy cliché that applied. It was nice to actually have an idea of what was going on in my life and how I might be able to come out of it.

  “Now where?” Jason asked. “I’d suggest we go celebrate some place with air conditioning but I’m guessing you’d turn me down flat. How can you handle this heat? I’m melting.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “I would absolutely turn you down. This doesn’t make us BFFs. Sometimes it’s easier to share things with a stranger. As far as the heat, you get used to it.”

  It was a brutally hot day. Not a lot of people were out and the ones who were sat listlessly on benches or front porches. Things in the South moved at a different pace.

  “You’re great for my ego, you know that?” He bumped me playfully with his shoulder.

  “I’m sure you have no problems whatsoever with your ego.”

  I took a second to put a hold on the friendly feelings. Developing any kind of crush on him meant traveling down a dangerous road and I needed to avoid any one-sided emotional attachments. Before he could come back with something he considered witty or flirty, I continued talking.

  “I texted Abby earlier and told her to meet us at Moon River Brewery, where her mama works. The owner lets us use it for investigations. It’s supposedly one of the most haunted buildings in Savannah.”

  “Sweet, the most haunted building in the most haunted city. That should be interesting. So, why ghosts? Is it because you lost both of your parents so young?”

  The last thing I wanted to say was ‘because I can feel them’ or bring up his dead brother, so I stuck with a general answer.

  “In a sense, yes. You said it yourself, you can’t be in a place like this and not at least wonder. Especially when you can almost feel it.” Oops, almost too much.

  Jason had a funny way of making me want to confide in him, which was something I had to be careful about. The thought of being hurt and my general lack of trust, made me work hard to keep him at a distance. It was turning out to be harder than I thought.

  “I get it. I’m staying at one of those older hotels downtown. I hate new places. As crazy as it sounds there are times when I swear someone is in the room with me. Or I’ll sense someone walking down the hall behind me. I’ve never experienced it before.”

  “That may be a residual haunting. It's energy trapped in a place that keeps repeating itself, like a song on repeat. They’re not aware of you. To them, they’re just going about their lives, the lives they think they’re still a part of. That’s what I love so much about old buildings or my house. Even when it’s just me, I never feel alone.” As hard as I tried, it was impossible not to get caught up in his enthusiasm.

  “I’d love to see your place.”

  The idea of showing up at home with Jason Preston in tow made me equal parts giddy and terrified. They’d probably assume I put a spell on him. That’s the only way he’d be with someone like me.

  We turned the corner and I was saved from having to answer him.

  Moon River Brewing loomed in front of us. The four-story building looked harmless from the outside. The pale stone exterior was made of common Savannah brick and the windows on the empty floors were clean and inviting. Still, something about it hinted at what went on inside. Or maybe that was only because I’d witnessed it.

  “Let’s go around back.”

  I led him into the alley. Abby’s mom, Barb, worked as a waitress on the weekends and we knew all the kitchen staff. Abby and I had the run of the place most times and the manager assured us as long as we were careful and let him keep any evidence we found, we could go into the unoccupied floors of the building when no other groups wanted to use it for an investigation.

  We found Abby sitting at a prep table in the kitchen waiting for us and I properly introduced her to Jason. No one else seemed recognize him, which was really starting to put a damper on my preconceived notion of him being an egomaniac; a notion I wanted to cling to.

  After shaking his hand a little skeptically, Abby turned to me. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad was it?”

  “Oh, about an eight or a nine. I’m sure I’ll be in trouble whenever I do decide to go home so let’s make the most of tonight. Jason wants to see what we do, so I thought what better place than this?”

  I could tell she was dying to ask why I changed my mind about Jason so I ignored her questioning looks.

  “Agreed. I already talked to Mr. Manager and we’re good. Can we eat first? I’m starving.”

  I nodded as Jason went to sit at the prep table and we joined him after ordering sandwiches. Abby made no attempt to be subtle.

  “So, Jason, what’s life like in bright, shiny Hollywood?”

  He turned his killer smile towards her. “I wouldn’t describe it as bright and shiny. I’ve always thought of it as a black hole. It sucks you in and life as you knew it outside ceases to exist.”

  “Oh please, you’re telling me that being a young, rich, hot actor isn’t as wonderful as everyone imagines?” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  Jason leaned close to me. “You think I’m hot?” I fixed him with my iciest glare, which didn’t seem to work. “Fine, I’ll take your silence as a yes. Fact is I’m never there. I consider Colorado, where I’m originally from, to be my home. When I’m in California I stay in Malibu to avoid the whole Hollywood scene. L.A. is a hard place to get used to.”

  Hearing him talk about Colorado reminded me of the story about his brother. That was the part of Jason that most interested me.

  “Do you miss Colorado?” I asked.

  “More than you can imagine. I’d never planned on getting into acting and tried out for Home on a whim. I never thought I’d get it. When I’m not working, I spend more time in Colorado than anywhere else. I miss the mountains, the crisp air in winter. Even the people, they don’t have as much to prove.”

  Abby got a dreamy look on her face. “Winter...I wish I could experience an actual winter. Heck, I’d be happy with seeing the actual seasons change.”

  “I miss winter. We’d get snowstorms that dumped over a foot of snow at a time. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.” He looked at me as he said the last part.

  I fidgeted in my seat and was saved by one of the line cooks saying our sandwiches were done. While we ate, I brought up the subject of why we were there.

  “Do you know anything at all about ghosts, Jason?”

  “In what way? I mean, I’ve seen the TV shows so I'm fairly certain of what an EVP is. Besides, last I heard ghosts were still a mystery. Unless you consider yourself an expert.”

  I wanted to call him a smart aleck but Abby saved me.

  “Everyone kind of has their own ideas about spirits or ghosts which can actually affect how you see them. I think that’s why it’s always a woman in white or a little boy. Your mind sees something it doesn’t recognize or feel comfortable with so it transfers it into something familiar. A spirit might not have enough energy to manifest into anything other than a mist or a ball of light or even a footstep.”

  “And you guys have documented spirits?”

  “We have,” I answered, “recorded some great ones in this building but we let the owners keep what we find. It’s part of the deal. Mostly, the ghosts here haven’t given us much trouble but there are rumors of some evil spirits as well. We try not to provoke or say anything that might anger them. Others do but I show them some respect.”

  “I agree with the idea of not upsetting them. Let’s made sure we stick to that plan. Do you think we’ll see anything tonight?”

  “The chances are very high. We haven’t had a night here where something didn’t happen, even if it was just hearing footsteps or knocking. It’s a ver
y active place. You have to keep yourself open to the possibility and learn to be patient.”

  “Is it normal to have second thoughts about this?” Jason tried to joke but I heard a trace of nervousness in his voice. I couldn’t help but tease him.

  “A big tough actor scared of a little ghost? I knew you were all an act.”

  Abby laughed loudly while Jason fought to keep a grin off his face. He held up his hands in defense.

  “I’m not afraid to admit it. I’ll hide behind you, gladly sacrificing you to the legions of undead.”

  “My hero,” I drawled sarcastically.

  Chapter Ten

  We finished eating and answering more of Jason’s questions. His tension started to ease into curiosity and I got the feeling he was a little excited. We led him up to the second floor and began getting out the equipment.

  “I brought along another camera, my personal digital, so we have more,” Abby said as she pulled out a small pink camera. “Unfortunately, since you aren’t familiar with what we’re doing, this one’s yours, Jason.”

  I watched him hesitantly take the pink camera then turned before he caught me grinning.

  “As we go into rooms, take pictures,” I explained, pulling out my big digital camera. “We’ve discovered part of it’s based on feelings so let those guide you to where you point the camera. You said you knew what EVP’s are right?”

  “Electronic Voice Phenomenon, it’s a voice you catch on a recorder you didn’t hear with your own ears.”

  “Right, Abby and I both have digital recorders. You’ll hear us asking questions to try to get a response. If you feel there’s something you want to ask, go for it.”

  Abby launched into some history. “This building started out as the First City Hotel in 1821. Eleven years later, there was a murder downstairs and by 1864 the hotel ceased operations, probably because of the War. In 1999, the restaurant opened downstairs so most of this building is still in its original condition. They have tried to renovate but each time they start, activity also picks up. Workers will get knocked off ladders, objects move, and supposedly a woman was pushed down the stairs.”

  “Wow, okay.”

  He sounded nervous so I gave him an encouraging smile. “I wouldn’t worry too much. We tend to stay out of the basement where the evil spirits are.”

  His eyes widened and he started fidgeting with the camera.

  “Alright, I’m ready. Let’s head all the way up first and then work our way down.” Abby went up the first couple of steps and handed Jason a flashlight as she passed by.

  We walked up to the top floor and wandered through the rooms. I found myself very self-conscious, not because of the building or why we were there but because of Jason.

  Those forbidden thoughts stopped when Jason came to stand beside me. A loud crash sounded from the room on our right. I felt Jason jump and inch even closer to me.

  “Hello?” Abby called out into the dark. “Is there someone here with us?”

  All three of us were absolutely still, but no more sounds came from around us.

  I asked, “If you’re here, there’s no need to be afraid. I think I heard you. If that was you, could you do it again?”

  We’d turned off our flashlights so the only illumination was the light coming from outside and the narrow view we saw through the screens on our cameras. From our right I heard a scuff, like a shoe moving on a dirty floor. I saw Abby turn in the direction and begin filming.

  Another, quieter bang came from behind us. It was the kind of stuff I was used to in this building, though I sensed Jason's tension growing by the minute. It surprised me how active it was already, surprised and pumped up. This was what I loved.

  The darkness, the holding your body still to keep quiet and the unexplained noises would have scared normal people. Thank goodness, I wasn’t one of them. It was a comfort knowing life continued in one form or another.

  Abby walked farther along the hall, filming the area in front of her. Of all the floors, we were on the one that seemed the most consistently active. One more knock or bang came from the far end of the hall and Abby motioned she was heading that direction.

  Jason was still glued to my side. If we hadn’t been experiencing activity, I would have loved teasing him about it.

  He smelled clean, a breath of sunshine and fresh air. I couldn’t believe I was standing in the middle of a haunted building thinking about what he smelled like. It also dawned on me we were almost touching. It made my palms instantly sweat and I had to get a better grip on my camera. I started snapping pictures, forcing myself to concentrate on what I was there to do.

  “Are you expecting company?” he whispered. When I didn’t answer he continued, “Someone’s coming up the stairs.”

  Turning my head slightly, I listened for a sound from the direction of the stairs. Sure enough, I heard slow footsteps. Occasionally the steps themselves creaked or groaned as if a person with actual weight were on them. The sounds were faint but obviously moving up towards us.

  My eyes adjusted to the dark. If something was there, I didn’t want to startle it by turning on the flashlight. I moved slowly to the stairs using only my camera’s LCD screen as illumination and waited.

  I heard Jason follow. He started to say something but I elbowed him. He must have gotten the message because he shut up.

  The air changed, growing heavier and heavier. People always say when something spooky happens, every hair on their body stands up and that’s exactly what happens. It was similar to standing in the middle of a lightning storm. No other words did it justice.

  I knew the feeling; it meant we weren’t alone.

  If anyone asked me, I’d freely admit I still experienced a small twinge of fear in situations like this. The expectation of the unknown and of what I might come face to face with never left me, regardless of my strange ability to communicate. Eventually the fear lessened but never fully dissipated. Evil entities did exist. I should know. I was living with one.

  Jason stepped closer and I knew he'd sensed it too. I raised the camera and started snapping a quick series of shots in the direction of the staircase. It seemed that with each picture I took, the temperature of the air dropped. Soon, I saw the white vapor of our breath in the dark.

  From being in the building before, I recognized this spirit. It was female and over time, I had come to learn certain things about her. She searched for her children who'd stayed here when the building was used as a hospital. An outbreak of fever had swept across the city and the dead piled up. Many people brought their children here to die. I wished more than ever that I could actually talk to the spirits. Seeing and sensing things about them wasn’t enough anymore.

  I wish I could help you, I thought.

  So do I.

  I jumped, which startled Jason beside me.

  “Are you okay?” he whispered breathlessly.

  “Did you say something, before?”

  “No,” his voice was in my ear so I knew he still stood very close. “All I’ve been able to hear is your camera and something else. Like something’s moving around us.”

  I nodded, not really caring that he couldn’t see me. The voice in my head hadn’t been me. It had tone and a heavier accent than mine. The only other time I'd heard a voice was with Marietta. Even though this one was different, the sensation of having another voice in my head felt unnatural. Normally, I was fine with whatever abilities I had. Feelings, hints and apparitions were much easier to deal with than voices inside my head.

  Before I knew what I was doing, I'd cleared my head and thought ‘hello’.

  This time nothing answered. Almost immediately, the air changed again, back to normal. It was easier to breathe and the static feeling disappeared.

  I let out a breath I hadn’t been aware of holding.

  “What was that?” Jason’s voice shook a little.

  I flicked on the flashlight and turned it towards him. “That was a ghost, a spirit.”

  He cam
e alive, almost bouncing in place. “Holy crap, that was crazy. The air changed somehow and I heard movement, like clothes rubbing when you walk. I thought a person was standing right in front of me. I knew if I reached out, I would have touched someone.”

  His excitement transferred onto me and I temporarily forgot about the voice I'd heard. “I know. That’s how it is. You’re lucky, not everyone can experience something their first time and we encountered one of the friendly ones. There are some nasty spirits in this building but they are a whole other experience.”

  “Did you get anything on your camera?”

  “I’m not sure,” I answered as I began going back through the pictures. “With the small screen on the camera, sometimes you don’t notice anything until you can look at it on a monitor. Wait, here.”

  I gazed at the picture in the tiny screen. I’d caught some kind of mist, something not much lighter than the surrounding darkness. It had been standing right in front of me, exactly as I’d sensed. I showed it to Jason.

  “Oh man, it’s the shape of a person. It’s hard to tell, though, it is so faint. It can’t be that easy.”

  I narrowed my eyes as I said, “It’s not that easy. You got lucky tonight. We haven’t even been here thirty minutes.”

  “I’d bet everything that someone was standing right in front of us. Are you, what do they call it, one of those sensitives?”

  That question brought up a whole mess of personal details I really didn’t want to get into with him. I ignored the question instead and said, “Come on, let’s find Abby and show her this.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The rest of the night was uneventful but Jason still vibrated with adrenaline as we walked up Lincoln Street in the direction of my house. Luckily, because of the heat, there weren’t many people out or I’m sure Jason’s presence would have caused a stampede. I followed his lead and stuck to the shadows when we passed someone on the sidewalk.