Ghost Adventures: Application

I didn't want to think about the number of frustrating phone calls that I would have to make in the near future. One to my mom in Michigan, one back to Kas, and about a million others to people that might be able to track down Zak Bagans. I knew he lived in Vegas, but about a million other people did too. I glanced over at the balcony to Kas and mine apartment, a figure was standing there, looking down. His name was Christopher Laren and he committed suicide by jumping off that same balcony four years prior. I learned this thanks to my extremely annoying... gift.

Donning on a jacket to protect me from the cool winter breeze in Chicago, IL. "What are you still doing out here Christopher?" I asked, looking over at the nonresidual spirit of my (pathetic as it is to admit this) friend.

"Thinking." Christopher's reply was bleak, but I knew there would be more coming next. "I was watching that show with you, that Zak guy... he's not too bad. Wasn't he your babysitter?"

I nodded. "Yep." I said, sighing. "I'm going to go into Las Vegas tomorrow. You going to come with?" I made the decision on a whim, I don't care what Kas would think about it, hell, I would leave tonight if I had to. In fact, I would leave tonight, Vegas was only so far away. I would find Zak somehow.

"Nah," Christopher stated, smiling at me. "I think I'm going to stick here, besides, I kinda like your roommate." He winked at me, then turned back off into oblivion.

**ZAK**

"Alright Aaron," I stated into the phone, shrugging a little bit. "I'll see you later at the Airport." I closed the phone as Aaron said his goodbye, and looked at the bags I had already packed. We were going to Chicago tonight, to investigate an old psychiatric hospital whose name escapes me. I wasn't exactly sure about this time, since there weren't many 'evil spirits' said to roam there, but there was surely some activity if so many claims were made about it.

There was one thing that haunted me the most, and that was the picture that sat in my suit case, face up, and smiling at me with her little girl braces. I hadn't seen Mae in so many years, and this picture just kept staring at me where ever I went. It seemed like ages ago that that picture was taken, I was fourteen and she was eleven and Mae and I had walked to a carnival that took place down the street from my apartment complex. She'd never been in a photo booth before so I took her in and she and I took some crazy pictures in there.

I smiled at the memory, Mae had been a good girl. Where was she now? I hadn't kept in touch with her after her parents picked up their stuff and moved. Sure maybe I had called her once or twice, to check up on her since she was a good girl and I didn't want her getting into any sort of trouble, but then after the first few calls and letters, I lost track of the family. Did she watch the show? Was she aware that I was living in Vegas? Where could I find her!?

Somehow, all of this still drove me crazy, over all the ghosts, all of the stories and tales and haunts and horrors that I encountered, this one mystery kept nagging in my brain. Where was Mae Collins?

I shut the suit case that was in front of me, making sure that the lid didn't slam against our framed picture, and lugged it out to my car. We were leaving for Chicago tonight, another place that I could mark off for our Ghost Adventures, and for my failed search of Mae Collins.