Our Ghost Adventures

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Zak asked me as we sat in the back of the tech van, eating candy that we’d picked up earlier.

“Yes, Zak. I feel fine, you’re goofy,” I said. I knew that he was worried and all, but I’d done lockdowns before. “I’m more worried about being in that room upstairs with you,” I laughed he gave me a suggestive grin.

“Now, now, it’s not like I can get you pregnant,” he said. I shoved his arm; it was odd that he was already joking about this. But I was okay with it.

“That’s very true, but we’re going to be on camera, so you have to behave.”

“Maybe I don’t wanna behave.”

“Too bad,” I said. “We should get out there…”

“Yep, it’s getting dark, and we’ve got cameras to set up.” We both climbed out of the van and found the sever cases with static night vision cameras in them and Nick, Aaron, and Billy walking back from the house. They all picked up one in each hand and I started to do the same thing, but Zak stopped me. “You don’t need to strain yourself,” he said.

“Zak, I always carry cameras in with you guys,” I said. By now, the other three had turned to look at us. We bickered all of the time. Lover’s quarrels, as Aaron would call them. But this was different. This was over something that under normal circumstances would be completely meaningless to both sides. Zak had never argued with me about carrying cameras. I knew he just wanted to protect the baby, but I was pregnant, not made of glass. He would come right out and say that he was protecting the baby if it weren’t for the rest of the group not knowing, but we’d agreed to wait until sometime after this lockdown. Maybe on our way home, maybe after.

“Not tonight,” he said, giving me a stern look. I loved his protective nature, I really did, but he could be sometimes over protective.

As if seeing something that the rest of the group didn’t, Nick spoke up. “Maybe you should take it easy and just help set up. You’re still recovering.” Although his words made sense, I didn’t miss the knowing look he sent Zak, or the subtle nod he gave the man with the faux-hawk. Nick did indeed know something, I didn’t know if Zak told him or if he had found out another way.

“These things aren’t even that heavy,” I said.

“Adri,” Zak warned. “We’ve got it, okay, baby?” I sighed; he had that damn look in his eyes. I knew that he wasn’t trying to be controlling or annoying, it was for my own good…So, I gave in and nodded. “Thank you, I love you.” He set his cameras down and walked over to press a kiss to my forehead. He waited expectantly for me to return his words, and I knew if I didn’t I’d hurt him, and I didn’t want that.

“I love you too,” I said.

“That’s my girl,” he picked up that cameras and caught up with everybody else. I followed behind and ended up walking next to Aaron and Billy. Zak and Nick were at the front of the pack, leading the way across the long yard.

“What was that about?” Aaron asked. “You’re not still feeling sick, are you?”

“No, I’m fine. He’s just…being protective.”

“He was kind of a pain in the ass while you were sick, so I guess I get it…Don’t get sick again, by the way.”

“What do you mean? He was a pain in the ass?” Before Aaron could answer we were walking up the porch steps and into the house. They set the cameras down and Zak turned to face the rest of us, about to give out orders.

“Billy, I need four cameras outside. Two pointed at different angles towards the dock. One aimed at the back of the house and one at the front,” he began. “Nick, Aaron, I want you to take care of the five down here. The kitchen, library, dining room, one at the foot of the stairs, and one in the bedroom down here. Adri with me, for the other five cameras.”

***
After the set up, Nick, Aaron, Zak, and I all went back to the main entrance. Billy was in the van looking for any activity. We each also had a camera on us.

“Aaron, I want you in the room where they heard the kid laughing-which was the room of a little girl that died of Spanish Influenza in the early twentieth century. Nick, I want you in the library, where books supposedly fall off of the shelves. And Adri, again with me up to the honeymoon suite.”

“How romantic,” I laughed. He laughed too and we went upstairs, now in our more serious modes. I knew that this was serious and we needed to act as such. While we were on camera I acted just as I had before anything happened with Zak and I. He was my colleague, not my boyfriend right now. Sure the audience would know that we were a couple once the Griffen Orphanage aired next Friday (thanks to Zak and calling me his girlfriend right before we got evidence). I was just worried that I’d get like death treats. Were his fans going to be crazy? I hoped not, it would be one thing if I was some random girl and I didn’t love him, then I could understand death threats, but I wasn’t. I loved him.

When we walked into the room the cameras were already set up and facing towards the bed. There were two angels. One pointed at my side and the other pointed at his. I crawled into the bed, I was thankful that Rod had kept up on the maintenance of this place and the sheets were clean as was the room. I felt Zak lie down in the bed too-I couldn’t see anything, since we had all lights off. Zak’s moved closer to me and patted his chest. I complied, we were supposed to be in the honeymoon suite as a couple and that’s what we needed to look like to hopefully make contact with Lana.

He brought his camera up to face us-I could see because he had the LCD screen flipped around to face us. “We’re up here in Lana James’s bedroom but I’m not feeling anything,” he said. “I have a digital recorder on the table next to me. Adri, do you feel anything?” he asked.

“No,” I said honestly. “But the night is still young. We could try going to sleep?” I offered.

“Yeah, we should do that,” he said, leaving the camera there. “Good night, Adri.”

“Good night, Zak,” I said with a slight smile.

***
I was actually asleep when I felt Zak jump next to me, waking me up. We were lying differently now. He was lying on his side-as was I, but we were facing each other and his arms were around my waist.

“Adri, where are you hands?” he asked.

“Right here, on your chest,” I said, moving them a little. I felt my body shiver and I could feel the goosebumps on my arms and the rest of my body. “Are you cold?” I asked.

“Just my back…I think somebody’s touching me. Lana, is that you?” he called into the room. “Do you not like me in your bed with this beautiful woman?” It wasn’t actually Lana’s bed, hers had been done away with because of the age…But it was in her room.

“No…” I heard somebody whisper into my ear.

“Zak, I swear to God, I just heard a woman say ‘no…’ in my ear!”

“Don’t pick on Adri, talk to me, don’t be a coward.”

“Get out!” This time the voice was louder, but still in my ear. Zak reacted to something, but I don’t think he heard what I heard. Was she addressing me?

“Did you just tell me to get out?” I asked. I didn’t hear a response that time…I just felt this sudden pressure on my face. It stung, like I’d just been slapped. “Ow,” I said, touching my face. Zak turned his attention back to me.

“What happened?”

“My face stings,” I said, pulling the digital camera out of my pocket. “Here, take a picture of my face so that I can look at it,” I handed him the camera.

He snapped the photo and held it up so that both of us could look at it. “Damn!” he exclaimed. “You can make out the whole damn hand!”

“Oh my God,” I said.

“Why’d you slap Adrina? What did she do to you?” Zak asked, his voice echoing throughout the mostly empty room. Nothing. The presence in the room was gone. With that, we decided to continue the investigation in other locations.

“I’m going to go look around some more upstairs,” I announced. Zak turned to me with his camera because it was still dark.

“I’ll go with-”

“I’ll be okay, Zak,” I told him and turned away, going back up the stairs. I heard him sigh before mumbling things with the guys. I must’ve been up there about an hour before I heard Zak call to me from down stairs.

“Adri, baby, I need you to come down here!” He sounded like he was in distress. I hurried that way, but paused before going down the steps. I looked around downstairs for any sign of Zak or the guys. But there was nothing. “Adri,” his voice whispered, sounding like he was right in my ear. I whipped around quickly and searched for body to be inches from my face. But he wasn’t there…All I saw was a tall shadow.

***Zak’s POV***

“Uh Zak, something big is happening upstairs,” Billy said, coming through the walkie. He had just interrupted my EVP session, I figured Adri would get some activity, but she said she’s be okay, I was trying to give her that chance.

“What is it, Billy?” I asked.

“Adrina just fell down the steps.”