Blue Spirit

A few days after looking over whatever they had gotten during the lock down in Bastion's Mine, as Joey now called it, the Ghost Adventures crew and their guest were on the way to their next location. This would be a big one. Joey was inwardly extremely excited about this one, as he'd always wanted to visit it, as a ghost hunter or not, it didn't matter. This was part of history that he actually knew quite a bit about when he was still a student back where he came from. When he saw the sign as he drove his motorcycle past, the G.A.C crew close behind in their van, he couldn't help but grin under his helmet where no one else could see it.

"Gettysburg...finally...this is a dream come true...!" He said to himself, going around a curve. He was looking for an old style village of sorts that wasn't far from the actual battlefield, and was a site of much to do with the Civil War. It didn't take long to find it after going around another curve in the road, and he drove in, stopping off to the side when he caught Zak's hand signal in his side view mirror on his bike. Stepping off, he did the whole chain routine, helmet and all, before anxiously waiting for the others, while not outwardly showing it. He shifted from foot to foot, one of his ways to avoid fully showing his impatience with a situation. As soon as the others joined him, he relaxed.

"This is...just...I can't believe I get to come along on this one...I never got to come here for field trips or anything before..." He said, as they walked towards whoever was going to show them their first stop, which had something to do with the only civilian casualty of the Civil War. It was said that when Jennie Wade was in the kitchen looking for something, a shot from an enemy soldier went through the door, and struck her, killing her where she stood. As the friendly person explained to them about everything to do with the house, Joey couldn't help but look around, and feeling like he'd stepped back in time to another world so to speak.

The next house they visited was multi-purpose in a way..or it used to be. Now it had been converted into a museum. It was once a rather depressing orphanage house, run by a horrible woman, who hated children it seemed, but still was the "matron" of the building. Joey hated her before they even got into the building, and it only grew as he heard what the woman did to the poor children. Especially when he heard about the "dark room" where they often got chained for up to four days at a time in total darkness. He would have to take his chances and get this lady to show herself...somehow. He wanted to ask her, badly, why the hell she was even a "matron" in this orphanage is she hated children so much. That didn't really make sense to Joey.

The last spot they would investigate was a railroad station of sorts, and the guy who explained the area to them told them that it would be near impossible not to get something at this particular spot. Zak nodded at that, and pulled out a gun filled with blanks, that he said he would use as a trigger object to try and bring something out. Trigger objects usually worked, so it was a good idea.

But before the lock down would begin that evening, they were dressed up in union uniforms and put into a re-enactment of a battle that may have taken place back then, in the middle of their camp and all. They would act like they were responding to a southern ambush while they were resting around a camp-fire near their tents. Aaron got "shot" first and went down almost right away, while Nick took a bit longer, but didn't get as "badly hurt". Zak put up a good fight, fake as it was, having to be stopped by his fellow "soldiers", as did Joey, whose street fighting skills he'd picked up as years passed came in handy when using the rifle and it's attached bayonet to fight with. He eventually went down onto his knees to relax, once the opposing soldiers were fully defeated.

Once it was done, Zak asked if he could have a spare union soldier cap to wear at some point during the lock down, and he was handed one. There was a spare, and it was offered to Joey of all people, who took it, surprised at the offer. He wasn't going to pass it up though, and put it onto his head right after taking it.

"Thanks...!" He said, not quite friendly, but nowhere near his usual tone, which was often cold and hard sounding. Wearing the Union hats might even help with looking for spirits later in the evening. They had time before they had to be there, so a helpful local led them to a period themed cafe where she said they could get some "damned fine" home style cooking. That was blunt and to the point, and Joey liked the sound of it. He didn't..like to think of the last time he'd had home style cooking done for him. It was part of the reason why has was kind of an asshole all the time to people.
The menu was very simple, being the type of foods the people back then would have eaten. Pies, meat, with mashed potatoes and such were available. Joey spotted his favorite type of pie on the menu, and couldn't resist getting a slice of it to eat after his main meal. Which was..meat and potatoes of course. He inhaled deeply when it arrived, and could barely avoid drooling with how wonderful it smelled. He dug right in, and it didn't take him long to finish off all of it. 'Wow...just like...home...used..to be...' he thought after taking the last bite he had of his pie.

All too soon it was time to leave the little "cafe" and head back to their first spot to check out. It was the nightmare that was a former orphanage building turned museum, with the supposed matron, Rosa Carmichael, still...living inside. Joey badly wanted to tell her a few things, none of them all too nice. He waited by a wall as they were all locked into this part of things. What a place to start things off. And as soon as it was time to begin, he looked up at the ceiling, eyes narrowed. 'Just you wait Rosa...I'll get answers out of you one way or another...' he stood up straight and followed the others into the basement where the 'hole" was that the poor children often got stuffed into, complete with chains, for up to four days...even for something simple as trying to get some food before a meal time.

Zak went into the hole, barely able to sit up, and began provoking for a response, any response, while Aaron did some voice work upstairs in the museum, and Nick waited just outside the hole in the wall. Joey wandered a little bit further into the basement, out of full hearing range, and began his own taunts. One of the recorders caught a voice saying "I never killed again", but it was hard to tell who or what was saying it.

"Alright lady...you want to tell me why the hell you were a orphanage matron if you hated kids so much? That makes no sense!" he continued with this until he heard Zak say he was coming out, after a small rant on not mentioning snakes when he was in a small dark area. Joey scoffed when he got not answer, after reviewing his own recorder to be sure.

"Figures..." he mumbled, turning when he was called for. It was time to go to the next building, the Jenny Wade house, where the first civilian casualty occurred during the Civil War. As they made their way up the stairs, Aaron's recorder caught someone saying "I want the money" or something similar.
It didn't take long to get to Jenny's house, and they were locked in. It wouldn't be a long visit, but hopefully long enough to get something evidence wise. Zak was still wearing a northern army hat, and now had a backpack on his back. He was using a device that had a dictionary built in, that a spirit could use in an attempt to communicate with the living. Joey stayed at the back, barely able to keep himself from yelling, knowing full well he was still being followed by Bastion. He really wanted to know why this particular spirit was constantly around, and how he was even able to leave the mine he was first seen in.

He was suddenly shaken out of his angry line of thinking, when the device Zak was using went off. "Drink" was what it said. Joey watched Zak and Aaron react, and then ask what was being offered or available to drink. It didn't take long for the next response "Water" to be heard.

"Water? That's what you have?" asked Zak, followed by Aaron making a comment about something that should have been obvious but wasn't.

"Dude..your backpack and hat...she must think you are a union soldier and is trying to help you" was what he said. Zak blinked, but then turned his head to face the stove.

"You are trying to help me...thank you Jenny" was all he said. They got no more from the device, at least not in the kitchen room. The next stop was a basement room in the building connected to this house, where a model of Jenny's body wrapped in a sheet was on a makeshift bed down below. Her dad's spirit was even said to haunt the house, or parts of it at least, and as a result Zak attempted to get a reaction to his next move. He climbed over and partially on top of the model, mentioning something about Jenny. He suddenly jumped off and away from it, to some distance off.

"Something just grabbed my butt!" he shouted. Nearby Joey blinked, before the corners of his mouth twitched, turning just slightly upward into a smile..sort of. It was funny in a way. As annoyed as he was, he got a kick out of the whole situation, and even thought he heard Bastion's ghostly, echoing laughter. Or he could have been imagining it again. He stood up straighter after a few, as he heard it was time to go to the last spot, which was outdoors. It involved a train yard where minor battles and fighting often occurred, along with major fighting. Zak had a prop gun filled with blanks that he brought along to use as a trigger object, no pun intended in this case. He was going to shoot it into the air, to see if it would bring anything out. He had Nick bring a night vision camera, that worked with heat. Anything body temperature would show up warmer than the cool air around it. That included spirits.

It was a balmy night, not too cold, not too hot. Zak lifted the gun up and fired a single blank shot into the air, and then asked questions before beginning to scan the area with the camera. Bastion's presence near Joey abruptly disappeared, briefly surprising the blue haired teenager. He had almost gotten used to the as of yet annoying ghost being around. He could have sworn the spirit was...afraid...to be there after the shot was fired. If that was true...then could Bastion possibly be from the same time frame as the Civil War? Or even had participated on one side or the other. Joey stored this possible information away in the back of his mind.

A startled shout from Nick got his attention. He had been watching the tiny camera screen as Zak panned across the train yard.
He told Zak to rewind the footage a few seconds. He then said stop and pointed to where he saw a figure walk out, and then possibly turn and point it ghostly weapon their direction.

Zak went back to the spot again after doing so, and there was nothing there when he did. It looks like his gunshot did get attention alright. Not long after that, Bastion reappeared. Not so he could be seen of course, but Joey could feel him return. He would have to ask the spirit what was up with the vanishing act, no pun intended, when he could. They did the same thing again, but no spirit this time. But it didn't matter, it was good evidence regardless. Joey looked up, and could see the barest hints off day light starting to appear, as the stars above disappeared. He exhaled, his breath visible in the cool night air.
Then, before he knew it, it was time to be "let out" of their investigation so to speak. Zak thanked those that showed them around for allowing them to do this, and then it was time to return to wherever they were staying to look over evidence, get some good, and definitely some sleep. Joey didn't have to help with the evidence, but he offered to do so anyway. The help was welcome, so he was given the voice recorders to check. It didn't take him long to find the part where someone asked Zak if he would like a drink of water.

When they were done with the reviews, Joey trudged back to his room to take a nap before dinner. He didn't get much. His cell phone, sitting on the end table besides the bed, buzzed, as he had it set to vibrate on purpose. Picking it up, the teen groaned when he saw it was Peter, his father. He knew he'd better answer or else...besides..it might be news about his mother. When he'd said he would find her before, he meant he would find some way to make her feel better. She had always loved ghosts, so that was on reason he did so much and became a ghost hunter. He lifted the phone to his ear, after pressing the green answer button.

"Yeah?" came his typical greeting meant for someone he actually knew. He was more formal with a stranger. "What...? Speak louder..I can't hear you..." he moved away from the window to his room. A few seconds later, his dark blue eyes went wide, and the phone slid from his hand, landing at his feet. It hit button side down, and went off, as in power off.

"No...no...no..no!" Joey whispered. Something inside his head gave way, and he did something he'd never done before. He passed out, body falling to the floor with a reasonably loud thump noise. But it wasn't enough for anyone to hear in another room anywhere, not even below his. That is...anyone alive. Bastion hovered outside the window, his expression sad. He could hear what was said where he was, and it wasn't good.

End chapter 2!