Ghost Hunt 2: MORE Chilling Tales of the Unknown (14 page)

The powerful flashlight made a wide beam of bright white light. But outside the reach of the beam, the night seemed to close in.

The group went around the side of the house and started through the orchard.
Jason’s right,
Lyssa thought.
It’s super-dark.

The trees of the orchard stood silent as the TAPS team passed by. Not so much as a breath of wind moved through the branches.

“I’m a little spooked out here,” Lyssa said to Mike in a low voice. “It’s like the trees are alive.”

“I really hate to break this to you, Lyssa,” Mike whispered back. “They are.”

Lyssa choked back a laugh. “Okay,” she said. “You’re right. But you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do,” Mike admitted. “It’s like they’re listening or something. But we shouldn’t let our imaginations run away with us. Come to think of it, we shouldn’t run at all. That is one steep hill ahead of us.”

“Roger that,” Lyssa said.

Up ahead, Lyssa could hear Jason and Grant talking in low voices as they walked toward the lake.

Lyssa knew the lake was right at the bottom of the hill. Not far, but the walk seemed to take forever. The team had to go slowly and carefully down the steep hill in total darkness. It seemed to Lyssa that the longer they walked, the thicker the air got. It was like walking through a heavy wool blanket.

We must be getting close to the water,
she thought.

Finally, Jason and Grant stopped. Grant held his flashlight out in front of him. Lyssa followed the beam with her eyes. She caught the glint of water.

“This is it,” Grant said. “We’re at the lake. This is where we split up. Remember, stay together. And if you get into trouble, blow the whistle.”

He slapped Jason on the back. “Let’s go.”

Without another word, the two moved off.

Lyssa and Mike were all alone.

“Let’s go this way,” Lyssa said. She pointed with the flashlight. “We can do this half of our side first. Then we can come back here to the middle and do the other part.”

“Sounds good,” Mike said. He pulled the white sweatshirt he wore over his head. “We can mark the spot with this.” He draped it over a bush. “It should be easy to see. And it’s not like I need it anyhow. Man, it’s hot.”

They started walking slowly, following the edge of the lake. Lyssa expected to hear the sound of water lapping the shore. She heard nothing. Everything was silent until Mike spoke.

“How do you think we should do this?”

“What if we walk a little way, then stop and try to make contact with the boy?” Lyssa suggested. “If nothing happens, we can walk a little farther, then try it again.”

“That is just the right thing to do. You know how I know?”

“No, how do you know?”

“Because it was exactly what I was going to suggest!”

Lyssa couldn’t see Mike’s face in the dark. But she was sure that he was smiling. She always liked working with the Hammond twins. They knew that when things got scary, a little laugh really helped.

A few minutes later she said, “Okay. Let’s stop here.”

Mike held the recorder out in front of him. “This is Mike and Lyssa. We’re down by the lake,” he said. He was establishing a base reading for the recorder. “We’re attempting first contact.” He nodded at his partner.

“Hello?” she called out. “My name is Lyssa and this is Mike. We’re here because we know you need some help. We know you’re lost and need someone to find you. Can you help us do that? Can you give us a sign to show us where you are?”

She paused. She could hear Mike breathing quietly at her side. The sounds of crickets and frogs. But she didn’t hear anything that sounded like a boy’s voice.

“I got nothing. What about you?” she finally said.

“Same here,” Mike answered quietly.

“Okay,” Lyssa said. “Let’s change location and try again.”

They moved on. The ground beneath their feet grew swampy. Mosquitoes rose up in great clouds.

“Man,” Mike said. Lyssa heard a
slap
as he tried to swat the bugs away. “Why didn’t I think to put on bug spray? I’m getting eaten alive!”

“I think I put some in my backpack,” Lyssa said. “Here. Take the flashlight a minute.”

She held it out. The beam swept across the water. Lyssa stumbled back a step. She let out a sharp cry.

“Did you see that?” she gasped. “Did you see it?”

“What?” Mike said. He spun toward the lake. “What is it, Lyssa? What did you see?”

“A face,” Lyssa choked out. “I saw a face in the water.”

“Where?” Mike said. “Where is it? Show me!”

Lyssa swept the flashlight beam back and forth across the water.

“It was here. I know it was!” she cried.

“Take it easy, Lyssa,” Mike said. “Slow down. Focus.”

“I saw a face. A pale white face,” Lyssa said. She continued to search the lake with the flashlight. But she took Mike’s advice. She moved the beam more slowly.

“All of a sudden, it was just there. But I can’t find it. It’s gone now!”

“Okay. Hang on a minute,” Mike said. “Hold the light steady and take the recorder.”

He handed it over. Lyssa took it in one hand. She held the flashlight with the other. The beam shook. Her hand wasn’t steady. And not just because the flashlight was heavy.

“Got it,” Mike said. He pulled the backup light from the
pack and turned it on. Lyssa gave the audio recorder back to him. Mike tucked it under one arm. “Let’s try again. Together, this time.”

The two moved their flashlight beams back and forth across the surface of the water.

“Anything?” Mike asked.

“No,” Lyssa said. “There’s nothing now.”

“Let’s try getting a little closer,” Mike suggested. “Our feet will get wet, but it’s worth a try.”

Together, they approached the water’s edge. Lyssa was glad she had waterproof boots on. Her regular shoes would be soaked by now.

“Sweep to the right, then left,” Mike said. “Ready, set,
go
!”

Together, the two TAPS team members swept their flashlight beams over the lake.

“Whoa!” Mike suddenly cried. “Did you see that? What
is
that? It looks like—”

“Like a hand. A bony hand sticking up out of the water,” Lyssa said. She tried to swallow. But she couldn’t. Her throat was too dry.

“I’m going out there,” Mike said.

“You can’t!” Lyssa cried. “We have no idea how deep it is. Please, Mike.”

“I just want to get a little closer,” Mike said. He took a few
steps forward, into the water. He held the light out in front of him. “If I can get a better look, maybe I can—”

Lyssa couldn’t let him go alone. She waded in after him. The water felt thick, and the bottom of the lake was slippery. Her front foot slid forward, went in deeper. Lyssa gasped as cold, slimy water crept up over the top of her boots, soaking her jeans.

“You okay?” Mike called back.

“Fine.” She kept her eyes on the bony hand. She felt her heart beat faster. She really didn’t want to find a body in the water.

“It’s a branch,” Lyssa said suddenly. She waded out to stand beside Mike. “From some kind of bush, I think. Look at it again, Mike.”

Mike let out a long, slow breath. “You’re right. It is a branch,” he said. “Boy, do I feel dumb.”

“At least you saw something that’s actually there,” Lyssa told him. “That’s more than I can say.”

The two turned and walked back to the edge of the lake. Mike handed Lyssa the recorder. He turned off his flashlight and put it in his pack. Then he took the recorder back.

“Let’s try making contact again,” he suggested. “If we still get nothing, we can turn around. We’ve almost reached the end of this half of the lake anyway.”

“Good idea.” Lyssa pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself. “Is there anybody out there?” she called. “I’m Lyssa and this is
Mike. We want to find you. Please. If you can hear my voice, give us a sign.”

Nothing. Nothing at all. But then…

“Hey, do you feel that?” Mike asked. “The wind’s come up.”

“Yeah,” Lyssa said. She shivered. “And it’s cold.”

“The temperature must have dropped ten degrees,” Mike said. “Maybe that’s the sign we’ve been asking for!” His voice sounded excited. “Charlie said she felt a cold wind when she saw the boy, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did,” Lyssa answered.

“Are you trying to communicate with us?” Mike called out. “Are we getting close to where you are?”

For the first time, Lyssa heard the water of the lake. It slapped against the shore.

Like it’s trying to get someone’s attention,
she thought.

Then she heard something else.

“What’s that?” Mike asked suddenly. “What’s that weird hissing sound?”

“I don’t know,” Lyssa said. An eerie sound, like whispering and hissing, filled the air.

“Shine the light over there,” Mike said. He put a hand on Lyssa’s shoulder and pointed. “That’s the direction it’s coming from.”

Lyssa aimed the flashlight in the direction Mike pointed. Back and forth, she swung the light across the water. Then the flashlight caught a glimpse of green.

“There! Stop right there!” Mike cried.

“It’s the willow tree,” Lyssa said. “Wow! That’s all the way at the end of the lake. I didn’t realize we’d come this far.”

Lyssa aimed the flashlight at the weeping willow. She’d never seen one so large. Its branches reminded her of long, green ropes. They swayed and whispered in the cold wind.

“What do you think we should do now?” she asked Mike. “Officially, that’s Jason and Grant’s side of the lake.”

“Yeah,” Mike agreed. “But I think we should investigate that tree anyhow. Maybe the wind came up just because it did. Or maybe there’s something there.”

“Come on,” Lyssa said.

She lifted her foot to take a step. The flashlight went out.

She whacked it with the side of her hand. “Oh, come on. Not now!”

“I’ll get the backup out again,” Mike said. “Here, hold this.” He thrust the voice recorder into Lyssa’s hands. Then he froze. “What’s that? Can you hear that?” he said.

Somewhere in the darkness, they heard an eerie howl.

“Roscoe,” Jen called out to the dog. “What’s the matter? Why are you howling? Where are you, boy?”

She and Mark were in the house, on their way to Charlie’s room. They were halfway up the stairs when the dog began to howl.

“Maybe he misses the family,” Mark said. “They did leave him behind.”

“Yeah, and maybe it’s something else,” Jen said. She and Mark reached the top of the stairs. Jen shone her flashlight down the hall. The beam caught the glint of glassy eyes.

“He’s right outside Charlie’s room,” Jen said. “Just like Charlie said.”

The dog sent up another howl. It was a long, sad sound.

“Hey, Roscoe,” Mark said. He held out a hand and moved cautiously down the hall. “Good dog. What’s the matter, boy?”

Roscoe’s mouth opened to reveal a set of sharp, white teeth. Then, totally without warning, he lunged.

“Mark!
Look out!
” Jen cried.

Mark threw himself sideways. Roscoe raced past him, heading for the stairs—and Jen. She flattened herself against the wall. Roscoe shot by, as though she wasn’t there at all. He galloped down the stairs and vanished into the dark first floor.

“Mark!” Jen sprinted toward him. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” Mark said. “Just clumsy, that’s all.”

“I’m thinking it’s a good thing you got out of his way,” Jen said. “I wonder what that was all about.”

“Something tells me the answer may be inside Charlie’s room,” Mark said.

“I’m with you on that,” Jen said. She held out a hand and helped pull Mark to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go check it out.”

The door to Charlie’s room opened easily, soundlessly. Jen and Mark stepped inside. The room was big. In the light of her flashlight, Jen could see a bed and night table on the left wall. Opposite them, on the right, she saw a desk and chest of drawers. Two big windows were just across from the door. The shades were up. The windows looked like two staring eyes.