The Ghost Chronicles Part 17

"Whatever, the line is getting longer by the minute. Well, look at this, it's time to say..."

"Good night and G.o.d Bless," we said in unison as the show ended.

Ron stood up from the chair and walked Arthur to the door as I made my way to the bathroom. Feeling exhausted, I leaned over the sink, the cold water rus.h.i.+ng over my hands. I slowly raised my head and glanced into the mirror. Startled, I stumbled backwards. I reached out and grabbed the towel bar to keep myself from tumbling over. My reflection was gone, replaced with the image of another woman. Unable to do much else, I stood there, staring into eyes that were not my own. Her jetblack hair was pulled up in a bun, a stark contrast to her pale, triangular face. Her small hands were folded in front of the soft blue bodice of her gown. Her striking green eyes stared at me longingly, as if she wanted to speak, but didn't know how. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. My heartbeat thudded. Finally finding my voice, I said, "I'm sorry. I can't understand you. What do you want?"

I blinked and she was gone.

I thought of yelling for Ron, then changed my mind. What good would it do now? He would rush in, meter in hand, and attempt to communicate. No. That wasn't happening. I was exhausted and just wanted to go home. Breathing a sigh, I shook my head slightly to clear the cobwebs, then leaned over the sink and looked up in the mirror again. "Gross." My normally olive skin, with the exception of dark circles forming beneath my eyes, looked like death warmed over. Great.

I exited the bathroom and walked smack dab into Linda, Leo's wife, who had been waiting outside the door.

"Maureen, it looks like you've seen a ghost!"

"Well, I..." I waved my hand dismissively. I was about to explain, then thought better of it. I didn't want to get into it now.

I crossed the room to Ron. "Ron, there's a..."

Ron interrupted me, "Maureen, I meant to ask you earlier, but forgot. Why didn't Steve make it to dinner tonight?"

"This isn't Steve's idea of a night out." I turned to look at Jan, who, looking exhausted, was pulling a toothbrush and toothpaste out of her overnight bag. She and Ron would be staying the night. I took it as a sign that it was time we called it a night. I put on my jacket. "You know, you're really lucky that Jan is part of the group. Who knows, maybe Steve will become a believer someday. I think he just needs to experience things for himself."

"Yeah. I guess," Ron said. "Oh, you were going to say something?"

"Yeah. There's a woman with dark hair in the bathroom."

"What?" Ron asked.

"I'm serious; she just appeared in the mirror out of nowhere."

At my words Ron dove on the bed. "Oooh, baby, come and get me."

"You are crazy." I laughed out loud. "You never know. You should be careful what you wish for, Ron."

"How so?" Ron grinning from ear to ear, sat straight up on the bed.

"Yeah, you know when you're watching a scary movie and the guy is kissing a beautiful woman, " I raised my hands and wiggled my fingers in the air. "Then, 'boogada, boogadda, boogadda,' she turns into a ghoulish demon." I laughed.

Ron wrinkled up his nose, and smirked. "Whatever."

I suddenly began to feel even more exhausted than I had a moment ago, if that was even possible. "Gang, I'm out of here."

After I'd gotten into my car, I pulled a little bottle of holy water out of my canvas bag. Typically, I bless my car with holy water to prevent any unwanted visitors. But it was 1:45 a.m. and I was tired. Besides, usually I do it before I get into the car, and I'd forgotten. At this stage, it seemed pointless-I was already in the car. Plus, I hadn't felt any negative energy, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about. I threw the bottle back in the bag and stepped on the gas.

As I pulled away from the Concord Inn, my third eye began to throb. What's up with that What's up with that, I thought. But I was too tired to think about it more.

Once I got home, I realized I should take out the sea salt and do a cleansing, but again, I was tired and felt physically incapable. I dragged myself to bed. Before my head hit the pillow, I was dead to the world.

SEA SALT CLEANSING.

An ancient method of removing residual energy. Sea salt and spring water are mixed together and either poured over one's body or placed under the head of the bed to draw away negative energy while a person sleeps.

I woke up, greeted by my husband's angry stare.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he spat out. "I'll tell you what's the matter. When you go on your little 'ghostly' adventures, you had better sleep in another room!"

Since I'd slept so soundly-it was the best rest I'd had in years-I was at a loss as to what he was referring to. "Why? What happened?"

His eyes grew wide. "You...you brought something home with you."

"Come on, Stephen. Really. What's going on?"

"Last night, I heard you when you got home and climbed into bed. But I fell back asleep."

"Go on."

He stared at me hard as if he didn't know how to say it. Then he began, "Well, you started rubbing my back and I thought, Wow, she should go investigate more often Wow, she should go investigate more often." He frowned. "Then, the next thing I knew, I was up on my elbows with you beneath me. I was kissing you, holding you. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I'd s.h.i.+fted over you enough that light from the streetlight was coming through the curtains. Then, bam! Right in front of my eyes, your face shriveled away, until it was nothing but a skull with eye sockets!"

For a minute I was stunned. I looked at the way his eyes watered as he retold the story, reliving it a second time. Not knowing what else to say, I asked, "Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" as the memory of the night before began to come together in my mind: the woman in the mirror, the conversation I'd had with Ron and Clay, the "boogada, boogada, boogada" thing.

"No, I wasn't dreaming. I was still up on my elbows when I turned to my left, and you were there, sound asleep, oblivious to everything. It hadn't been you at all. Then when I turned back, the skull was gone..."

Intuitively I knew the woman in the mirror had followed me home. I was torn, one part of me felt bad that he had endured such an ordeal. The other part of me was happy that he'd finally experienced something paranormal. Maybe he wouldn't think me crazy after all.

I waited for my husband to leave to run some errands, when it was safe, I called Ron and blurted out my husband's "little indiscretion." After his laughter subsided, I asked, "So, Ron, did you get lucky?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know, did you capture anything?" Maureen asked.

"After you guys left, I did some base readings with my EMF meter. Although I was picking up some low-level readings, there really wasn't much to write home about. But here's the thing. After I finally fell asleep, I was awakened by what I thought was the shaking of the bed. I looked at Jan, who was curled up like a newborn baby, oblivious to what was going on."

"Did you see anybody?"

"No. But then it happened again, so I grabbed my EMF meter. The readings were definitely higher than before I went to bed."

"Who sleeps with an EMF meter on the nightstand?" Without waiting for a response, she said, "You do, evidently. Ron, do me a favor. . . please don't tell anyone else about his 'little indiscretion,' Steve will kill me."

"I promise I won't. Scout's honor," I said. But in truth, I never was a very good Boy Scout...I continued, disappointment in my voice. "I went through the footage of the night, and guess what?"

"The bed was shaking."

"No. Before it happened, the tape on both camcorders had run out."

"Maybe that was the plan," Maureen said. "So what did you do?"

"Nothing. What could I do? I gave Jan a kiss on the forehead and went to sleep. But I have something neat to tell you."

"What?"

"After breakfast, I was interviewing the girls at the front desk for the iTunes podcast. You're not going to believe this...They told me when the guys from the TV series Ghost Hunters Ghost Hunters came here and investigated Room 24, they saw a woman with dark hair as well." Ron paused. "So I guess it was a productive night after all. The radio show was a success. You saw the woman in the bathroom. I got my bed shaken, and just maybe, Steve was left with a deeper understanding of what the paranormal is all about." came here and investigated Room 24, they saw a woman with dark hair as well." Ron paused. "So I guess it was a productive night after all. The radio show was a success. You saw the woman in the bathroom. I got my bed shaken, and just maybe, Steve was left with a deeper understanding of what the paranormal is all about."

RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION.

We found little physical evidence on our investigation of the Concord Colonial Inn, other than a photograph taken during the radio show, which revealed an unusually large number of shooting orbs. Even though a shaking bed woke Ron, we were unable to verify it through video, because both camcorders ran out of film prior to the event. But the most intriguing evidence was Stephen's tryst with the spirit of the woman that followed Maureen home. Although he he found it terrifying, most paranormal investigators would give their right arms to have that experience. found it terrifying, most paranormal investigators would give their right arms to have that experience.

episode fourteen

DANCING WITH THE DEAD.

CASE FILE: 6437463.

DANCING WITH THE DEAD.

Location: Quincy, Ma.s.sachusetts.History: An old mill building converted into several businesses, including a dance studio.Reported Paranormal Activity: Shooting orbs and mists caught on film.Clients: Wendy (proprietor).Investigators: Ron (lead investigator), Maureen (trance medium), Leo (photographer), Jeff Belanger (author and paranormal investigator), Rob (particle engineer).

The Ghost Line rang with a call from Jeff Belanger, the founder and chief cook and bottle washer of Ghostvillage.com.

"Hey Ron, what's happening?" he asked, in his familiar jovial voice. " I take it you haven't had a chance to review the video clips I sent you."

"Ah, that would be a no, but I'll check it out right now." Punching a few keys on the keyboard, I found Jeff's email. I pressed a few more, and a video popped up on the screen. The heavy beat of nightclub music blared through my computer speakers as I sat, momentarily mesmerized by the scene before me. "Wow! Is that what I think it is?"

"Yup, and you, my friend, are going to owe me, big time. If you're interested, I can hook you guys up."

"Are you serious? I'll tell you, Jeff, I've never seen anything like that before. I'd definitely like to get a closer look. If you know what I mean." I laughed out loud. Not wanting to let this opportunity slip through my fingers, I said, "We're going to be in Lawrence on Friday doing the radio show on WCCM. How about we hook up after the show?"

"That works for me. Say around seven? I'll email you the directions."

I hung up the phone. As far as I was concerned, this was going to be a great case. But how the h.e.l.l was I going to tell Maureen that we'd be investigating the source of strange lights at a "pole-dancing" studio?

Leaving out a few details, I convinced Maureen to go along. So after the radio show on Friday, we had a quick bite to eat and left in Maureen's car for our trip to Quincy, Ma.s.sachusetts. We followed the directions Jeff had emailed me and in about an hour we arrived at the studio. We parked next to a blue compact car and were immediately greeted by Jeff.

"Hey, Ron and Maureen, glad you could make it. This is my neighbor Rob," he said, nodding in the direction of the tall man pulling some type of equipment from the trunk of his car. "Rob's an engineer," he continued. "He works with particle-measuring devices."

"That's neat. Where is this place?" I replied.

"Just follow me," Jeff said, as he led us through a small wooden door into the old brick mill building. Once inside we followed him up three flights of stairs, but my eyes were drawn to the black and pink walls adorned with boas, hats, and bordello-type decorations.

Before we had the chance to enter the studio, a scantily clad woman with short auburn hair rushed out to greet us at the top of the stairs. Her lily-white skin was a stark contrast to the thighhigh black boots and black miniskirt. "Hi, I'm Wendy. Welcome to Gypsy Rose Dance Studio," she said in a bubbly voice.

"Hi, Wendy, I'm Ron and this is Maureen, our psychic investigator."

"Hey," Maureen said, looking a little uncomfortable.

Wendy looked from Maureen to me and said, "Has Jeff told you what's been going on?"

"Well, I saw the video and it's pretty cool," I replied.

"What video, Ron?" Maureen asked, her voice rising an octave.

Not even giving me a chance to answer, Wendy spoke up. "You know this a pole-dancing studio, don't you? I tape all my cla.s.ses and rehearsals and when I do, I get these little lights that dance along with me. They're really neat. If you want I can show you the video while the boys set up the cameras. By the way, Maureen, do you want a costume? I'm sure I have one in your size."

Heat rose in Maureen's face and her eyes flicked from person to person, as if there wasn't a place big enough for her to hide. "Costume? Nah, I think I'll pa.s.s. But thanks anyway."

Maureen in a costume! I thought. In all the years I have worked with Maureen, I have never thought of her in a s.e.xual way. Maybe a partner, a friend, and even a sister. But definitely not as an object of s.e.xual desire. I was as happy as she was when she declined. I thought. In all the years I have worked with Maureen, I have never thought of her in a s.e.xual way. Maybe a partner, a friend, and even a sister. But definitely not as an object of s.e.xual desire. I was as happy as she was when she declined.

I walked by Jeff and Rob, who were setting up the camcorder, and continued to the far side of the studio. I blinked. My eyes needed to adjust to the hot pink walls and several wall-size mirrors that made the room appear bigger than it actually was. Two metal dancing poles ran from the hardwood floor to the suspended ceiling.

"Okay, guys, I'm ready when you are." Wendy strutted over to the boom box she had left on the floor in the right-hand corner of the room. "I'm going to start dancing like in the video. If you accidentally catch a glimpse of 'something,' and I don't mean paranormal, I apologize in advance." She smiled, then asked again, "Are we ready to go?" As if receiving the acknowledgment she was waiting for, she placed the CD in the player and pressed the b.u.t.ton.

A lump formed in my throat as I looked at Ron and the other guys, their eyes glued to Wendy, barely blinking as if they were afraid to miss out on "something." Almost immediately her body began swaying with the beat, pulsating to the point where she and the music became one. We watched intently as she twisted, twirled, and spun around the bra.s.s poles to the heavy beat of the music. Each move, each thrust of her body, made me feel more and more uncomfortable. In my mind, I knew she wasn't a stripper, but for the life of me, I had begun to feel like the only woman, a voyeur if you will, at a strip joint, while men drooled at the abundance of bare flesh.

Wendy dances to the beat of the music in an attempt to excite the spirits.

Ron peered into the viewfinder of the camcorder. "Oh, I'm seeing something," he said over the pounding of the music. "It's the light anomalies, they're back."

I glanced at Jeff, with Rob peering over his shoulder. Jeff acknowledged seeing them with a nod of his head and a thumbs up. Well, I think that was what he was signaling.

Ron removed the EMF meter from his red duffel bag, gingerly stepping further into the room as if not wanting to disturb the sensuous performance of our host.

The EMF meter blinked sporadically, and the CD quickly ended.

"Hey, Ron, take a look at this," Jeff said, pointing to the camera's viewfinder. "Don't they look like the orbs in the video?"

Ron bent over to take a closer look at the small LCD screen and said, "Yeah, kind of, but not nearly as bright."

"Rob and I are going to try some experiments to see if we can reproduce them," Jeff continued.

"Great idea. Wendy, can you dance again for us?" Ron asked.

My back stiffened and I glared at Ron. I had just endured seeing more of Wendy than her gynecologist had and I wasn't looking forward to another round. As if Ron was reading my mind, he said, "Come on, lighten up, will ya? It's all in the name of science."

Science, my a.s.s.