Page 17 of Shadow Running
“Carson, can you set up the equipment?Dante, help him, please.I don’t want to wait for anything worse to happen.Let’s get some readings now.Penn, do you want to leave?I know that shook you up quite a bit?—”
“No,” she said.“I’m sticking around.Nobody does that to me and gets away without answering for it.”She watched as Carson and Dante began bringing out equipment.
I turned to my uncle.“Konstantine, how often do events like this happen?Can you give us a rundown on what you’ve experienced the past few months?”
He nodded.“I actually started keeping a journal, given it’s kept going from bad to worse.I’ll get it.Do you want a tour first?”
“I suppose that would be best.All right, show us what we’re dealing with,” I said, putting my tablet aside.“Lead on.”
As Konstantine stood, a stiff breeze swept past.That the windows and doors were all closed didn’t escape me.It seemed our client—my uncle—was living in a nightmare situation, and if we didn’t get to the bottom of matters, I had no doubt that eventually, the attacks would manage to catch him and he might well join the spirits who seemed determined to take over the house.
CHAPTERSIX
The house wasthree stories high, plus the basement.The top story was more like an attic, but it still qualified as a bedroom.The second story had four bedrooms, three baths, the laundry room, and a sitting room.And the main floor contained the kitchen, dining room, living room, an office, an en suite, and a separate powder room.Like most Victorians, the rooms were fairly small and choppy, but overall, it was a beautiful old house.
“While my mother was still alive, she had the master bedroom on the first floor.Once she died, I took it over.I suppose I should rent out the spare bedrooms, but with all the psychic activity, I have my doubts about the wisdom in that.”Konstantine shrugged.“I could use the extra money—who can’t use a little extra—but there’s also the fact that I love my privacy.”
“Where is most of the paranormal activity located?”Carson said, holding up an EMF.The device measured electromagnetic fields.He was wearing a portable EVP on his wrist to capture any voice recordings that might be going on.
“The worst of it’s upstairs in the attic, and down in the basement.But it’s been spreading out to the rest of the floors.It was different when I was a boy.The activity was more spread around, but far less in intensity.I knew we were protected, and nothing ever seemed intrusive or frightening.”He shrugged.
“When you replaced the furnace and had the joists restored, did you notice an upswing in the activity?”Carson asked.
Konstantine nodded.“Actually, I did.And then…oh—wait!”He snapped his fingers.“I forgot all about this.”
“All about what?”I asked.
“I invited a group of ghosthunters over to examine the place.They promised me they wouldn’t do anything but observe.I ended up having to go out for awhile and…maybe it was more than that.Maybe they did something to stir up the spirits.”He frowned.
“How long ago was this?”Carson asked.
“Two years,” Konstantine said.
“They were lying to you,” Penn said.“I know it as well as I know my own name.I think they tried an impromptu exorcism.And that’s abigmistake.”
We were in the attic by then.The room had boxes and trunks scattered about, along with a few pieces of furniture.It smelledoldup here, all musty, as though the room hadn’t seen a cleaning in years.A layer of dust covered everything and cobwebs stretched across the ceiling.
“How long since you took a vacuum to this room?”Penn asked.
“Why?”Konstantine asked.
“Because the longer you let a room stand without cleaning it, the more chaotic the energy becomes, and the more negative energy gets stuck.Positive energy—even neutral energy—has a circulation of its own, but negative energy is weighted down.It settles in the dust of forgotten rooms and abandoned buildings,” Penn said.“It builds in layers, and dampens movement and progress.”
“I guess I should get up here with a broom and dustpan,” he said.“What do I do after—” He froze as a deep rumble reverberated through the attic.I caught my breath, realizing I was afraid.
“Something really doesn’t want us here?—”
“We need to go, now?—”
Penn and I spoke over each other.I nodded toward the door.“Let’s go.Konstantine, you can’t stay here, not until we figure out what we’re dealing with.”
“I’ll set up a second camera before we go,” Carson said.
He’d already set one up downstairs.Orik was our primary video expert, but Carson knew what to do, as well.He quickly plugged in a second camera set.“This has a five hour battery in case something cuts off the power,” he said as yet another massive echo reverberated through the room.It sounded like a deep, resonate gong.
“Hurry.Something’s coming.I can’t tell you whether it’s from outside the house or in, but it flows, like a tidal wave,” Penn said.
“I’m almost done.We can watch and listen remotely.”He frowned.“I wish we had time for me to set up another in the basement.”
