Page 13 of The Haunting of Lockton
“Ah, pardon my fangirling.” Val placed her coffee mug on the counter and shook their hands. “But being a fan is what prompted me to reach out. I thought, why not? Why not tell them about our quaint little haunted town and see if you’ll respond. And here you are!”
“Paranormal phenomena seem to be deeply rooted in Ivy Grove’s history,” Julian said, keeping the phone aimed at Val. “I researched before we came, and I couldn’t even get through half of it. So much tragedy. Redwood, alone, has a staggering number of deaths and alleged ghost sightings.”
“Almost as though the town’s cursed, yes?” Val smiled. “Some say it is. They say the town was built over a ley line, and the magical energy beneath our feet is a sort of gateway for those that live beyond the veil. They say the energy, being so close, can taint the mind too. Bring out the worst in people. Turn them into monsters.”
“Monsters like Arthur Warren?” Skyler asked. “He designed Redwood like a maze, taking pleasure from seeing those around him struggle. Secret passageways. Corridors that lead to dead ends. Sloped ceilings that disorient people.”
“Locals claim he’s Ivy Grove’s most infamous serial killer,” I said, drawing Skyler’s gray eyes to me. “People compare him to H.H. Holmes and his murder hotel, though there’s no proof Warren ever actually killed anyone at Redwood. Lockton is another story.”
“Yeah?” The edge of Skyler’s lips hitched up, much like my heart rate. “What else can you tell us?”
Julian moved the phone to me, and I tried not to think about how I was potentially speaking to their two million followers. Unless it wasn’t live. But even still, the footage would be edited andthenreleased into the world. My face. My voice. On countless laptop and phone screens.
Shres.The word would haunt me for the rest of my days.
“Well.” I cleared my throat. “Arthur Warren was the mind behind many of the experiments at Lockton. Ones that were disturbing and inhumane. He had a twisted mind and pockets deep enough to turn those twisted ideas into reality.”
“Speaking of ideas, I have a great one,” Madison said, stepping closer to Julian. Definitely not subtle about her desire to have a minute of fame. She even did a little pose once the focus turned to her. “You two should come on the tour tonight! It’ll give you a nice history lesson of Redwood, Lockton, and several of Ivy Grove’s other haunted spots. I’m Madison, by the way. The tour guide. Well, one of them. There’s four of us who alternate days and times. But for those currently present, Pax handles the walk-on tours, and I do the general ones.”
“Walk-on tour?” Julian asked.
“One where the guests explore the location,” I explained. “We have several places to choose from. Bellview Cemetery, the Glass house, and Miss J’s Boarding House. Redwood used to be on the list, too, before it was purchased and turned into a B&B. I walk guests around the property and tell them the history. The general bus tour takes you all over and isn’t as immersive.”
“Or as scary,” Madison added. “Guests stay on the bus and eat snacks.”
“Well, I do love snacks.” Skyler tossed her a smile. Was he into her? Not surprising if so. I was gay, and even I could see that Madison was a knockout. His gray eyes flickered back to me. “But I’m all for a more immersive experience. When’s your next tour?”
“Tonight at eight thirty. It’s for Bellview Cemetery.”
Bellview was my favorite tour to do. It didn’t last too long, and something about it was just… peaceful. I found beauty among the mausoleums and gravestones. Alan said I was creepy for it. I then reminded him that he was a ghost and most people would think he was creepy too.
“Lockton isn’t one of the places available for the guided tours?” Julian asked.
“It is in October,” Val answered, the mini hat wobbling as she moved her head. “It’s our best-selling tour. But for the rest of the year, it’s off-limits to the general public. So, you boys will have full access for your investigation.”
Customers strolled into the shop, and Madison greeted them. My attention was still locked on Skyler. His was locked onto me too.
“Let’s go to the parlor, where it’s quieter,” Val told the twins before guiding them toward the hall. “Do you like pumpkin pie? My husband…”
Her voice trailed off as they walked out of sight.
A group of teens entered the store, and I stepped over to greet them.
“What are you supposed to be?” one of the boys asked, his gaze raking over my costume. “Dracula’s reject brother?”
Ah, teenagers.I hadn’t fit in when Iwasa teen. Why would I now? But instead of reacting to the insult, I forced a polite smile. “How can I help you?”
“You can’t,” he responded before his eyes widened at something over my shoulder. “Oh, man. But she can.”
He and his buddies shoved past me on their way to Madison.
“Interested in the tour?” she asked once they were in front of her.
I waited until she looked at me and nodded, giving me the “okay” that she had it handled. The rude-ass teenagers had nothing but lovesick smiles for her. Then, I walked down the short hallway and through the dark green curtains that led to the museum in the back.
Photos lined one wall, ones sent to us by people who’d captured what they believed to be ghosts while visiting some of the haunted locations. A flat-screen TV played video footage ona loop of alleged ghost sightings—orbs floating across the screen, mist-like blurs. A little boy sat in front of it, wide-eyed, as a transparent figure on the video dashed in front of the camera and disappeared into the woods.
The next video was of Redwood Manor, showing a glowing figure in one of the windows before it flickered out of sight.
