Seeing Is Believing
02
“Mason,” I knocked on his bedroom door. “Time to get up for school,” most of the snow had cleared up over night so they were going to have school today. When he didn’t say anything, I opened the door. “Mason, get up,” I was wearing my robe and a pair of black sweatpants. He grumbled something and rolled over, throwing the pillow over his head. “Wake up, sleepy head!” I shook his shoulder, trying to wake him.
“I don’t wanna; can’t I just spend the day with you?” He rolled over and looked at me with his brown eyes. I pushed his dark hair out of his eyes—a motherly, loving gesture.
“I don’t know what I’m doing today…Besides, you don’t need to skip school.”
“I’m sick,” he fake coughed.
“You’re cute,” I rolled my eyes. “C’mon, it’s a part of growing up. You have to go to school.”
“But people are mean…”
“To you? They’re pickin’ on you? I’m gonna go down to that school and kick some ass,” I said standing.
“No…You’ll just make it worse.”
“How are they picking on you?”
“Because I don’t have a mom or a dad and I’m tall and awkward…”
“First of all, none of those things are in your control. It’s not like you could’ve done anything to…” It was breaking my heart to hear this. That was my older brother and my sister in-law that those kids were talking about! How could people be so cruel?
“Aunt Macy, don’t cry,” he sat up and hugged me.
“You’re not going back to that school. I’m home schooling you or—”
“Can I just be sick today? You can’t home school me. That’ll only make things worse. Maybe I should be less nerdy…”
“You’re not nerdy. Mason, don’t ya ever even think ‘bout changing yourself for those assholes. A’right? You are who you are, you’re not them. You’re smart, you’re artistic, and you’re just genuinely great.”
“But none of those things make me liked. I eat lunch by myself…”
“Then why? Why can’t I home school you?”
“I don’t know…”
“I’m going to go call the school and tell them that you’re not gonna be in today.” I kissed his head and went out of the room. I picked up my phone, but of course it rang right away. “Hello?” I answered.
“You answered!” Zak exclaimed happily.
“Yeah…” I said with a sigh.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I just…It’s nothing. What do you need?”
“I was just going to see if you were willing to come tell us the history at the plantation.”
“Sure...Can I bring Mason?”
“Of course…Do they have another snow day or—?”
“No, it’s personal stuff…” I said. I didn’t want to elaborate; I didn’t really know him well enough to tell him all my personal information.
“Oh, okay then. Will you meet us up there in an hour?” he asked.
“Yeah, we’ll be there.” I then dialed the school’s phone number. I got the voicemail. “Hello, this is Mason Holland’s guardian, Macy Holland, he is feeling under the whether today. He will not be at school today; if you have any questions or concerns you can call me. Thank you.” I hung up and walked back into Mason’s bedroom. “Hey, get up. We’re going to go meet Zak and the rest of his crew at the plantation up the road.”
He sighed and got up. “Can you make me a waffle?” he asked. I rolled my eyes but nodded anyway.
“Do you want strawberries on it?” I knew that he loved strawberry covered waffles.
“Yes!”
Before making his waffles, I went and let our dog, Boots out. Boots was a five year old German Shepard mix. He had been so loyal over the years.
***
Nearly an hour later, Mason and I walked out to my truck. This time, I didn’t fall in a patch of ice. He went to the passenger side and I went to the driver. I put the key in the ignition and tried to start it. But, it didn’t work—of course. “Dammit!” I exclaimed. I tried again but the damn thing wouldn’t turn over. “Well, Mason, I guess we’re walkin’ there.”
“No way! That’s two miles from here!” Mason said. “Call that guy.”
“I don’t want to trouble him.”
“Oh for God’s sake!” he exclaimed. He took my phone from the seat beside me and I thanks to me, Zak now had his own caller ID. Great.
***Zak’s POV***
I answered Macy’s call as we were all getting in the car. “Oo you’re calling me now—”
“This isn’t Macy,” it was a male voice on the other end and I knitted my brow in confusion, but then I heard Macy yelling in the background.
“What do you need, Mason?” I asked.
“Our truck won’t start and she refuses to call you herself. Can you come by and drive us?”
“No problem. There’s not gonna be much room, but we’ll be by in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” he said. “You wanna talk to him, Aunt Macy?” Mason asked. There was a slight commotion before I heard Macy’s voice.
“I’m so sor—”
“Don’t apologize; you’re doing us a favor. You’re giving us info while everybody else in this town is shut in because of snow.” I found it so odd that they all freaked out over snow…sure we didn’t ever get snow in Nevada but still!
“I don’t have anything better to do,” she said. “It’s cold, so I’m going to be waiting in the house.”
“Alright, we’ll be there soon.” I got in the passenger seat—letting Nick drive, and Aaron took his usual place in the backseat. “We gotta make a quick stop first. Macy’s car won’t start.”
“Where’s her house?” Nick asked. I gave him a quick direction to it.
“Why don’t you just drive? It’ll be faster probably,” he suggested. I nodded and we quickly switched spots. I drove to her house and stopped outside of it. She and the tall teenager walked out and the gentleman side of me compelled me to open the door to the backseat for her.
“Look at ya, actin all gentleman like again,” she said with an eye roll.
“I am a gentleman,” I said.
“Whatever,” she laughed.
“Ladies first,” Mason said. “See, I’m a gentleman too,” he smirked.
“Haha, you’re funny. Ya can sit in the middle, you’re the kid,” she said.
“And you’re shorter,” Mason countered. She sighed and gave in.
***Macy’s POV***
“You’re such a bratty child, ya know that, don’t ya?” I asked Mason.
“Yep, and I’m proud of it,” he said with a grin, showing all of his teeth just like a Cheshire cat.
“Macy, I think I should probably formally introduce everyone. This Nick,” Zak pointed to the man next to him. “And that guy next to you is Aaron.”
“Hi,” Aaron said, waving at me.
“Hi,” I replied.
“You’ve both already met Macy, but this is her nephew, Mason,” Zak introduced.
“I’ve gotta ask,” Nick said. “Why is it that you have a southern accent but your nephew doesn’t?” he asked.
“I was raised in New York until I was seven,” Mason explained.
“Are you also a skeptic?” Aaron asked Mason, who nodded.
“I don’t see why I should believe in things that I’ve never seen,” he added.
“You’re a lot like your aunt,” Zak said, giving me a look in the rearview mirror. I laughed slightly and then I noticed Aaron getting out a small camcorder.
“Aaron’s Vlog!” he exclaimed. “I’m sitting here with two skeptics as we drive to our latest lockdown here in Tennessee. This is Macy and her nephew Mason,” he pointed the camera at the two of us. I waved nervously. “Because it’s snowing here, the town has shut down and well we’re stuck with just her to give us some of the background on this place,” he said playfully. “And she’s gonna be joining us on our lockdown. Well you’ll have to watch the episode to see more!” He turned off the camera.
“What’s a Vlog?” I asked.
“A video blog,” Mason and Aaron said at the same time. Mason’s tone was a little bit more annoyed. I wasn’t very tech savvy and he always had to explain things to me. I was sure that he got tired of it, but oh well!
“How do you no know some of these things?” Mason asked.
“Um I don’t know. I’m just not good at technology, I guess,” I shrugged.
“Well it did take you almost a month to figure out your iPhone…”
“It also took you a week to figure out the oven and an hour to figure out the toaster,” I fired back. We were a unique pair. It didn’t help that he was a smart ass…
***
I had only been to the Ritchie Plantation once before. I was young—probably about sixteen—and I came up here on a dare with some friends. The friend I was up there with chickened out so I just went back with her. I didn’t see anything strange. I had heard all of the legends though. While we drove up the long driveway Aaron turned his camera back on and filmed Zak as he said some of the history he knew. He talked about the slave cabins that were on either side of us and we stopped just outside of the main house—a huge white painted structure. It had a large wrap around porch and a balcony on the upper level. We all stepped out of the car and made a game plan so to speak.
“Mason, you’re good with cameras and stuff, aren’t you?” Zak asked. Mason nodded with a shrug. “Give the kid a camera,” he told Aaron. “If you want you can help film. Kind of just focus on your aunt and me. Watch out for anything odd.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Mason said, taking the camera. Moments later, I began my explanation.
“People have said that they see woman with a long black hair standin’ up on that balcony just watchin’…She is always in all white and they say she looks sad,” I began.
“I just want to add before she says anything else she is a skeptic and our camera man for the day—Mason—her nephew is also a skeptic,” Zak told the cameras. Aaron aimed one at Mason to show him on film.
“I’m just here because they wanted to hear the legends.”
“And secretly you want to see proof that you’re wrong, that spirits do exist,” Zak grinned.
“Not so much. Anyway, onto the slave cabins,” I led them to the first one in the line. “When I was a little kid, in here there was a group of teenagers that came up and tried to call upon the devil. Why the came here, I ain’t got the slightest clue. But since, I’ve heard ‘bout odd dark figures standing in the window an’ other jus’ strange stuff. When I was ‘bout fifteen, a group of kids in my grade came up an’ tried to see it for themselves…They all changed after that. They were jus’ dark…”
“What do you mean by that?”
“They, uh, they started gettin’ into fights an’ yellin’ at teachers…Throwin’ stuff down with they’d get angry. These people may’ve thought outside the box about some things but they weren’t bad people…”
“Aaron, why don’t you put an ‘x’ facing the house and one shooting into the window for this cabin.” It was a small wooden cabin with windows that needed closed from the inside—that nobody had closed…
“I have to ask, y’all have permission to be here, don’t ya?” I asked.
“Of course, we’ve just gotta wait for the owner to come with the key…” Zak said. “We wouldn’t just come into some place and not be allowed in.”
“Uh huh, y’all seem like a whole mess of trouble.”
“We’re some of the most innocent people to ever walk the earth, if I do say so myself,” he replied sarcastically.
“Anyway,” I said, trying to direct things back to the lockdown. “This next cabin was the hospital, well so to speak anyway…” I walked over to the next one and opened the door and walked in. They followed me in and I explained some of the deaths that went on here. How cruel the overseers were and how the plantation owner’s wife was the cause of it all. She enjoyed watching the slaves suffer so she ordered for the harsh rules.
“So to sum it all up, she was a sick, sick woman,” Zak said, crossing his arms.
“Basically…”
“While we were in school, we learned about a nurse that worked here,” Mason said from behind the camera. He moved it as everybody turned to face him. “Her name was Evelyn and she saved more lives than anybody else around here…It’s also rumored that…” he trailed off as he started stomping around on the floor until he found a spot that sounded more hallow than the rest. “That there’s a secret tunnel out of here that the slaves could use to escape and head north towards Canada.” He moved the small rug that was over the wooded floors to find a handle. “Aha!” he pulled the hatch open and found a whole in the ground that led underground and probably under the whole plantation.
“Holy fuck,” Zak said. He walked over with a flashlight and started to shine the light down there. At one point he was rather close to it and then he freaked out and closed the hatch with a slam. “What the hell? Oh my God!”
“What, Zak?” Nick asked.
“There’s a fucking raccoon down there or something! I saw the damn shining eyes!” We all laughed for a moment before I suddenly felt odd…My shoulders felt heavy and I was kind of drained momentarily.
“Are you okay, Macy?” Aaron asked.
“I’m fine…Jus’ tired all of a sudden…”
“Nick let me see a digital recorder,” Zak said. When Nick handed it to him, he started talking. “Is there somebody here with us that’s making Macy tired? Are you draining her energy so that you can communicate?” We waited a moment before he went to ask another question. But I heard this loud scream.
“Did you hear that?” I asked. Everybody just nodded. I may’ve just had my first paranormal experience…
***
“Why don’t I make y’all somethin’ to eat?” I asked as they finished up the interviews and loaded up the van. “Don’t even think ‘bout refusin’ either.”
“That could be fun,” Zak said. “And Mason and Aaron can finish up their camera talk,” we looked over at the two, so deep in conversation that they were oblivious to mine, Nick, and Zak’s.
“Yeah, I’m sure Mason will want to show off some of his cameras…”
“Did you say you went to photography school?” Zak asked.
“Yeah, only two years though. Mason’s a photo nut though. He loves it and has like ten different cameras.”
We drove back to my house and as suspected, Mason and Aaron went to Mason’s room while I stood in the kitchen cooking. Zak and Nick had both offered to help but I told them they weren’t allowed and handed them each a beer from the fridge. The three of us spent time in the kitchen while I cooked for a while. “Where’s your restroom?” Nick asked.
“Second door on the left,” I said, pointing towards the hallway. He nodded and disappeared.
“So, what did you think about that scream?”
“I thought that it was interesting, but I’m not fully convinced…” I replied.
“Hmm…” he said.
***
After dinner and a little bit of hanging out—it was nearing eleven, the boys went to leave but when they walked outside, the roads and the side walks were all ice. “Um, I don’t see how you’re gonna be able to get back to the hotel in this shit,” I told them. My house phone—which rarely rang did just that. I walked over and picked it up.
“Glad I got you Ms. Holland. This is Deputy McCann and I just wanted to let you know we have a level three snow emergency until one o’clock in the mornin’.”
“Oh? What does that mean?” Level three? What the hell was that?
“It means that nobody’s allowed on the roads. Everyone needs to stay indoors. Hell, I ain’t ever seen snow this bad…”
“I haven’t either—not here anyway. Thank you for the call, Deputy.”
“Yes ma’am of course.” He hung up and I set the phone back down.
“Um, looks like you boys’ll be stay with me tonight…Nobody’s allowed on the roads. We’ve got a level three snow emergency…You’re welcome to sleep here if you want to,” I told them.
“Do we have a choice?” Aaron asked with a half smile.
“Nope,” I grinned. “I’ve got two couches in here and then there’s a futon in my bedroom…”
“Well, I’ll sleep right here,” Aaron picked up the bigger of the two couches.
“I’ll sleep out here too,” Nick said.
“Looks like you’re gonna be sleepin’ in my room,” I told Zak. “Mason will ya get the extra sheets an’ blankets from the linen closet?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Three sets please,” I called. “Now, we’ve only got the fireplace that we don’t usually use. There’s some wood outside an’—”
“Nick, Aaron, help me go get that,” Zak said, putting his shoes on. I knew he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I let the three of them go.
“It’s around the right side of the house,” I called as they left. I made up their couches in the living room before headed towards my room. I paused only to tell Mason goodnight and not to stay up too late talking to the guys. I made Zak’s futon bed up as well. I quickly decided that he would take my bed though because I was barely 5’5” and he cleared 6’0”, this thing would be way too short for him. Speak of the devil; he walked into my bedroom a moment later. How the hell did he—
“Mason directed me,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “So I’m sleeping here?” he asked, walking over to the futon.
“No. You’re sleeping in the bed. You’re too tall for this thing…I’ll sleep here.”
“No way, it’s your bed. I’m not letting you be uncomfortable for my height issues.”
“Height issues?” I asked. He just shrugged. “You’re my guest. I don’ wanna hear another word.”
“Well, you could always share the bad with me,” he said with a wily grin and a wink. It was a though, even if he was trying to make it sound dirty.
“Okay, but you stay on your side,” I decided. He quirked an eyebrow at me, as if he were questioning my decision a bit. “You heard me.”
“No promises.” He went for the left side of the bed and I smiled, happy I wouldn’t have to sleep awkwardly on the other side. I always slept on the right. Always. We each lay down on our own separate sides.
“Good night, Bagans.”
“Wait, Macy,” he said. I rolled over to face him. “I have to warn you…I get really bad nightmares sometimes,” he told me, a serious look in his dark blue eyes. I studied him with my blue/green colored ones.
“I’m sure it’s not anything I can’t handle,” I told him honestly. Mason had had terrible nightmares after his parents past away, I was used to waking up someone in a nightmare. “Do you want woken up if I notice you having one?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’.”
“I don’t wanna; can’t I just spend the day with you?” He rolled over and looked at me with his brown eyes. I pushed his dark hair out of his eyes—a motherly, loving gesture.
“I don’t know what I’m doing today…Besides, you don’t need to skip school.”
“I’m sick,” he fake coughed.
“You’re cute,” I rolled my eyes. “C’mon, it’s a part of growing up. You have to go to school.”
“But people are mean…”
“To you? They’re pickin’ on you? I’m gonna go down to that school and kick some ass,” I said standing.
“No…You’ll just make it worse.”
“How are they picking on you?”
“Because I don’t have a mom or a dad and I’m tall and awkward…”
“First of all, none of those things are in your control. It’s not like you could’ve done anything to…” It was breaking my heart to hear this. That was my older brother and my sister in-law that those kids were talking about! How could people be so cruel?
“Aunt Macy, don’t cry,” he sat up and hugged me.
“You’re not going back to that school. I’m home schooling you or—”
“Can I just be sick today? You can’t home school me. That’ll only make things worse. Maybe I should be less nerdy…”
“You’re not nerdy. Mason, don’t ya ever even think ‘bout changing yourself for those assholes. A’right? You are who you are, you’re not them. You’re smart, you’re artistic, and you’re just genuinely great.”
“But none of those things make me liked. I eat lunch by myself…”
“Then why? Why can’t I home school you?”
“I don’t know…”
“I’m going to go call the school and tell them that you’re not gonna be in today.” I kissed his head and went out of the room. I picked up my phone, but of course it rang right away. “Hello?” I answered.
“You answered!” Zak exclaimed happily.
“Yeah…” I said with a sigh.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I just…It’s nothing. What do you need?”
“I was just going to see if you were willing to come tell us the history at the plantation.”
“Sure...Can I bring Mason?”
“Of course…Do they have another snow day or—?”
“No, it’s personal stuff…” I said. I didn’t want to elaborate; I didn’t really know him well enough to tell him all my personal information.
“Oh, okay then. Will you meet us up there in an hour?” he asked.
“Yeah, we’ll be there.” I then dialed the school’s phone number. I got the voicemail. “Hello, this is Mason Holland’s guardian, Macy Holland, he is feeling under the whether today. He will not be at school today; if you have any questions or concerns you can call me. Thank you.” I hung up and walked back into Mason’s bedroom. “Hey, get up. We’re going to go meet Zak and the rest of his crew at the plantation up the road.”
He sighed and got up. “Can you make me a waffle?” he asked. I rolled my eyes but nodded anyway.
“Do you want strawberries on it?” I knew that he loved strawberry covered waffles.
“Yes!”
Before making his waffles, I went and let our dog, Boots out. Boots was a five year old German Shepard mix. He had been so loyal over the years.
***
Nearly an hour later, Mason and I walked out to my truck. This time, I didn’t fall in a patch of ice. He went to the passenger side and I went to the driver. I put the key in the ignition and tried to start it. But, it didn’t work—of course. “Dammit!” I exclaimed. I tried again but the damn thing wouldn’t turn over. “Well, Mason, I guess we’re walkin’ there.”
“No way! That’s two miles from here!” Mason said. “Call that guy.”
“I don’t want to trouble him.”
“Oh for God’s sake!” he exclaimed. He took my phone from the seat beside me and I thanks to me, Zak now had his own caller ID. Great.
***Zak’s POV***
I answered Macy’s call as we were all getting in the car. “Oo you’re calling me now—”
“This isn’t Macy,” it was a male voice on the other end and I knitted my brow in confusion, but then I heard Macy yelling in the background.
“What do you need, Mason?” I asked.
“Our truck won’t start and she refuses to call you herself. Can you come by and drive us?”
“No problem. There’s not gonna be much room, but we’ll be by in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” he said. “You wanna talk to him, Aunt Macy?” Mason asked. There was a slight commotion before I heard Macy’s voice.
“I’m so sor—”
“Don’t apologize; you’re doing us a favor. You’re giving us info while everybody else in this town is shut in because of snow.” I found it so odd that they all freaked out over snow…sure we didn’t ever get snow in Nevada but still!
“I don’t have anything better to do,” she said. “It’s cold, so I’m going to be waiting in the house.”
“Alright, we’ll be there soon.” I got in the passenger seat—letting Nick drive, and Aaron took his usual place in the backseat. “We gotta make a quick stop first. Macy’s car won’t start.”
“Where’s her house?” Nick asked. I gave him a quick direction to it.
“Why don’t you just drive? It’ll be faster probably,” he suggested. I nodded and we quickly switched spots. I drove to her house and stopped outside of it. She and the tall teenager walked out and the gentleman side of me compelled me to open the door to the backseat for her.
“Look at ya, actin all gentleman like again,” she said with an eye roll.
“I am a gentleman,” I said.
“Whatever,” she laughed.
“Ladies first,” Mason said. “See, I’m a gentleman too,” he smirked.
“Haha, you’re funny. Ya can sit in the middle, you’re the kid,” she said.
“And you’re shorter,” Mason countered. She sighed and gave in.
***Macy’s POV***
“You’re such a bratty child, ya know that, don’t ya?” I asked Mason.
“Yep, and I’m proud of it,” he said with a grin, showing all of his teeth just like a Cheshire cat.
“Macy, I think I should probably formally introduce everyone. This Nick,” Zak pointed to the man next to him. “And that guy next to you is Aaron.”
“Hi,” Aaron said, waving at me.
“Hi,” I replied.
“You’ve both already met Macy, but this is her nephew, Mason,” Zak introduced.
“I’ve gotta ask,” Nick said. “Why is it that you have a southern accent but your nephew doesn’t?” he asked.
“I was raised in New York until I was seven,” Mason explained.
“Are you also a skeptic?” Aaron asked Mason, who nodded.
“I don’t see why I should believe in things that I’ve never seen,” he added.
“You’re a lot like your aunt,” Zak said, giving me a look in the rearview mirror. I laughed slightly and then I noticed Aaron getting out a small camcorder.
“Aaron’s Vlog!” he exclaimed. “I’m sitting here with two skeptics as we drive to our latest lockdown here in Tennessee. This is Macy and her nephew Mason,” he pointed the camera at the two of us. I waved nervously. “Because it’s snowing here, the town has shut down and well we’re stuck with just her to give us some of the background on this place,” he said playfully. “And she’s gonna be joining us on our lockdown. Well you’ll have to watch the episode to see more!” He turned off the camera.
“What’s a Vlog?” I asked.
“A video blog,” Mason and Aaron said at the same time. Mason’s tone was a little bit more annoyed. I wasn’t very tech savvy and he always had to explain things to me. I was sure that he got tired of it, but oh well!
“How do you no know some of these things?” Mason asked.
“Um I don’t know. I’m just not good at technology, I guess,” I shrugged.
“Well it did take you almost a month to figure out your iPhone…”
“It also took you a week to figure out the oven and an hour to figure out the toaster,” I fired back. We were a unique pair. It didn’t help that he was a smart ass…
***
I had only been to the Ritchie Plantation once before. I was young—probably about sixteen—and I came up here on a dare with some friends. The friend I was up there with chickened out so I just went back with her. I didn’t see anything strange. I had heard all of the legends though. While we drove up the long driveway Aaron turned his camera back on and filmed Zak as he said some of the history he knew. He talked about the slave cabins that were on either side of us and we stopped just outside of the main house—a huge white painted structure. It had a large wrap around porch and a balcony on the upper level. We all stepped out of the car and made a game plan so to speak.
“Mason, you’re good with cameras and stuff, aren’t you?” Zak asked. Mason nodded with a shrug. “Give the kid a camera,” he told Aaron. “If you want you can help film. Kind of just focus on your aunt and me. Watch out for anything odd.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Mason said, taking the camera. Moments later, I began my explanation.
“People have said that they see woman with a long black hair standin’ up on that balcony just watchin’…She is always in all white and they say she looks sad,” I began.
“I just want to add before she says anything else she is a skeptic and our camera man for the day—Mason—her nephew is also a skeptic,” Zak told the cameras. Aaron aimed one at Mason to show him on film.
“I’m just here because they wanted to hear the legends.”
“And secretly you want to see proof that you’re wrong, that spirits do exist,” Zak grinned.
“Not so much. Anyway, onto the slave cabins,” I led them to the first one in the line. “When I was a little kid, in here there was a group of teenagers that came up and tried to call upon the devil. Why the came here, I ain’t got the slightest clue. But since, I’ve heard ‘bout odd dark figures standing in the window an’ other jus’ strange stuff. When I was ‘bout fifteen, a group of kids in my grade came up an’ tried to see it for themselves…They all changed after that. They were jus’ dark…”
“What do you mean by that?”
“They, uh, they started gettin’ into fights an’ yellin’ at teachers…Throwin’ stuff down with they’d get angry. These people may’ve thought outside the box about some things but they weren’t bad people…”
“Aaron, why don’t you put an ‘x’ facing the house and one shooting into the window for this cabin.” It was a small wooden cabin with windows that needed closed from the inside—that nobody had closed…
“I have to ask, y’all have permission to be here, don’t ya?” I asked.
“Of course, we’ve just gotta wait for the owner to come with the key…” Zak said. “We wouldn’t just come into some place and not be allowed in.”
“Uh huh, y’all seem like a whole mess of trouble.”
“We’re some of the most innocent people to ever walk the earth, if I do say so myself,” he replied sarcastically.
“Anyway,” I said, trying to direct things back to the lockdown. “This next cabin was the hospital, well so to speak anyway…” I walked over to the next one and opened the door and walked in. They followed me in and I explained some of the deaths that went on here. How cruel the overseers were and how the plantation owner’s wife was the cause of it all. She enjoyed watching the slaves suffer so she ordered for the harsh rules.
“So to sum it all up, she was a sick, sick woman,” Zak said, crossing his arms.
“Basically…”
“While we were in school, we learned about a nurse that worked here,” Mason said from behind the camera. He moved it as everybody turned to face him. “Her name was Evelyn and she saved more lives than anybody else around here…It’s also rumored that…” he trailed off as he started stomping around on the floor until he found a spot that sounded more hallow than the rest. “That there’s a secret tunnel out of here that the slaves could use to escape and head north towards Canada.” He moved the small rug that was over the wooded floors to find a handle. “Aha!” he pulled the hatch open and found a whole in the ground that led underground and probably under the whole plantation.
“Holy fuck,” Zak said. He walked over with a flashlight and started to shine the light down there. At one point he was rather close to it and then he freaked out and closed the hatch with a slam. “What the hell? Oh my God!”
“What, Zak?” Nick asked.
“There’s a fucking raccoon down there or something! I saw the damn shining eyes!” We all laughed for a moment before I suddenly felt odd…My shoulders felt heavy and I was kind of drained momentarily.
“Are you okay, Macy?” Aaron asked.
“I’m fine…Jus’ tired all of a sudden…”
“Nick let me see a digital recorder,” Zak said. When Nick handed it to him, he started talking. “Is there somebody here with us that’s making Macy tired? Are you draining her energy so that you can communicate?” We waited a moment before he went to ask another question. But I heard this loud scream.
“Did you hear that?” I asked. Everybody just nodded. I may’ve just had my first paranormal experience…
***
“Why don’t I make y’all somethin’ to eat?” I asked as they finished up the interviews and loaded up the van. “Don’t even think ‘bout refusin’ either.”
“That could be fun,” Zak said. “And Mason and Aaron can finish up their camera talk,” we looked over at the two, so deep in conversation that they were oblivious to mine, Nick, and Zak’s.
“Yeah, I’m sure Mason will want to show off some of his cameras…”
“Did you say you went to photography school?” Zak asked.
“Yeah, only two years though. Mason’s a photo nut though. He loves it and has like ten different cameras.”
We drove back to my house and as suspected, Mason and Aaron went to Mason’s room while I stood in the kitchen cooking. Zak and Nick had both offered to help but I told them they weren’t allowed and handed them each a beer from the fridge. The three of us spent time in the kitchen while I cooked for a while. “Where’s your restroom?” Nick asked.
“Second door on the left,” I said, pointing towards the hallway. He nodded and disappeared.
“So, what did you think about that scream?”
“I thought that it was interesting, but I’m not fully convinced…” I replied.
“Hmm…” he said.
***
After dinner and a little bit of hanging out—it was nearing eleven, the boys went to leave but when they walked outside, the roads and the side walks were all ice. “Um, I don’t see how you’re gonna be able to get back to the hotel in this shit,” I told them. My house phone—which rarely rang did just that. I walked over and picked it up.
“Glad I got you Ms. Holland. This is Deputy McCann and I just wanted to let you know we have a level three snow emergency until one o’clock in the mornin’.”
“Oh? What does that mean?” Level three? What the hell was that?
“It means that nobody’s allowed on the roads. Everyone needs to stay indoors. Hell, I ain’t ever seen snow this bad…”
“I haven’t either—not here anyway. Thank you for the call, Deputy.”
“Yes ma’am of course.” He hung up and I set the phone back down.
“Um, looks like you boys’ll be stay with me tonight…Nobody’s allowed on the roads. We’ve got a level three snow emergency…You’re welcome to sleep here if you want to,” I told them.
“Do we have a choice?” Aaron asked with a half smile.
“Nope,” I grinned. “I’ve got two couches in here and then there’s a futon in my bedroom…”
“Well, I’ll sleep right here,” Aaron picked up the bigger of the two couches.
“I’ll sleep out here too,” Nick said.
“Looks like you’re gonna be sleepin’ in my room,” I told Zak. “Mason will ya get the extra sheets an’ blankets from the linen closet?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Three sets please,” I called. “Now, we’ve only got the fireplace that we don’t usually use. There’s some wood outside an’—”
“Nick, Aaron, help me go get that,” Zak said, putting his shoes on. I knew he wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I let the three of them go.
“It’s around the right side of the house,” I called as they left. I made up their couches in the living room before headed towards my room. I paused only to tell Mason goodnight and not to stay up too late talking to the guys. I made Zak’s futon bed up as well. I quickly decided that he would take my bed though because I was barely 5’5” and he cleared 6’0”, this thing would be way too short for him. Speak of the devil; he walked into my bedroom a moment later. How the hell did he—
“Mason directed me,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “So I’m sleeping here?” he asked, walking over to the futon.
“No. You’re sleeping in the bed. You’re too tall for this thing…I’ll sleep here.”
“No way, it’s your bed. I’m not letting you be uncomfortable for my height issues.”
“Height issues?” I asked. He just shrugged. “You’re my guest. I don’ wanna hear another word.”
“Well, you could always share the bad with me,” he said with a wily grin and a wink. It was a though, even if he was trying to make it sound dirty.
“Okay, but you stay on your side,” I decided. He quirked an eyebrow at me, as if he were questioning my decision a bit. “You heard me.”
“No promises.” He went for the left side of the bed and I smiled, happy I wouldn’t have to sleep awkwardly on the other side. I always slept on the right. Always. We each lay down on our own separate sides.
“Good night, Bagans.”
“Wait, Macy,” he said. I rolled over to face him. “I have to warn you…I get really bad nightmares sometimes,” he told me, a serious look in his dark blue eyes. I studied him with my blue/green colored ones.
“I’m sure it’s not anything I can’t handle,” I told him honestly. Mason had had terrible nightmares after his parents past away, I was used to waking up someone in a nightmare. “Do you want woken up if I notice you having one?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’.”