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The Entity of the Wood:

Part I

Chapter One: Molly and the Wolf

Thirteen was the number chosen at first, for investigation into an area known only to the locals as, "The Wood." An area
in today's time that seemed to have an increasing amount of sightings of UFO's, and other strange phenomena. A yet, untapped
area of land of full investigation since the early 1930's. Thirteen, brave and eager scientists of various fields, and along
with them, the new recent owner of the nearly ninety acres of land, yet undeveloped by the surrounding public of farmlands.
For public safety, the exact wearabouts of the Wood, is classified.
Local investigation reports of eye witness testimony's, report that there is defintely something, out there in the
Woods, some kind of phenomena, that scares them, yet they seem to remain, and not flee. One man interviewed, Cliff Peterson,
a retired police officer in the area for the last twenty years, that "People want to run." He said. "They feel they cannot,
because once this place has a hold on you, it is best it doesn't spread." After a bried pause and awkward silence he continued
to say, "The locals feel they need to quarantine, `it`." When questioned to describe what `it` is, the investigators were
simply told, they would find out if they remain and dwell long enough, and to watch, the skies. "You will see, you will feel."
To the investigating thirteen, this only compelled them more to hurry out to the land, out within the Wood itself, a
hotspot, as it were, and farmland once owned by a man, who sold the land TO be investigated, once and for all. Several days
after the sale, the former owner was never seen again. The general idea was, they seeked the paranormal, they wanted it to
happen, and heard of other legends as well, old strange stones, in arrangement, and Native statues of Eagles and Serpents,
this was going to be the link that would bring, the paranormal to science, and bring answers to questions, that everyone seeks,
and investigate seperate things, as the reports are various.
One of the thirteen, is Molly Jameson. Fourty three year old, cryptozoologist and biologist, was eager, to investigate
the cattle and animal mutilations, and reports, of large animal sightings and attacks. Hoping to uncover, some kind of foreign
or mythical species, not yet caught into evidence with proof. Here is the interview data, between MOLLY JAMESON Investigating
scientist, and local, KELLY MASTERS.

 

The following is a transcript taken on 1/21/2020 at 9:36 AM.

MOLLY: Hello, as you know, my name is Molly Jameson, and it is oh, 9:37 in the morning, here with Kelly Masters, local
here within the city of (Blacked out), what can you tell me, you know why I am here correct?

KELLY: Yes, you wanted to know something, that I warn and stress against, yet you proceeded to insist since you plan to,
for some reason, wish to dwell and get on top of what goes on, within the Wood.

MOLLY: We are scientists investigating, for the record, with the efforts to obtain evidence, because this city and the area
the locals refer as 'the wood', we plan to obtain as much evidence and as much investigation done, as this seems to be a
new untapped hotspot for paranormal activity.

KELLY: Most will not tell their stories to you, as you are an outsider, but I wish to stress, that if you have yet to experience
what you call and refer as "phenomena" then I suggest, you leave before it has to much of a hold on you.

*Brief silence as Molly clears her throat.*

MOLLY: So, what can you tell me, will you share your story with me?

KELLY: This may be a new thing for you, but these things have been happening for a very long time. When I was a teenager, (She is 36),
me and a bunch a friends went out to a local spot in the wood known as the haunted trail. We all heard the stories, and were once sceptical
like you. Legend has it, you never wanted to wear red on that 3 mile long trail to the next little village across it, but off into the Wood,
we had an area where we liked to drink, smoke pot and hang out and make out ya know?

MOLLY: And then what happened?

KELLY: Well on this night, and it was stupid of me, I KNOW that now. I was wearing by coincidence, a red miniskirt and hoodie, a girl has
to match. I even had red laces on my shoes. I wanted to impress my boyfriend who seemed fearless before that night of really much of anything.
I can still remember my sister telling me not to go that night, especially in what I was wearing, but I was young, I was stupid.

MOLLY: So what was the legend, tell me more about that.

KELLY: The story went... that if you wore red, along the haunted trail, you would dissapear. All started in 1932, when a young woman
was found, age 16, viciously attacked and ravaged by wildlife, and her case was never solved. Locals had another legend of a giant wolf,
that lurks within the woods, and would eat your soul, if it should attack you. The young girl was off to her grandmothers within the village
but apparently ventured off a little to consume some berries, and ran back to the trail only to be killed by it, or so the legend goes, I would
NOT doubt it now, but the red thing was, all they could find of her in, was a red cloak, thus, more idea to the thought, of foul play.

MOLLY: sounds brutal!

*Kelly hands Molly a newspaper that linked to her story* It had at the very least shown that indeed a young girl wrapped in a shredded
red cloak, was found that day. Seemed the media was leaning more towards an animal attack at first.

KELLY: Anyway, on that night, I was out with my friends, I will never forget that the story was true, she was murdered, I no doubt,
but not by a human. We were out and in the usual spot, but something felt different that night. My friends just teased me on it was
because I was wearing red, but I continued to make out and smoke pot with my boyfriend. My friend Justin, went out to take a leak, we
thought nothing of it, and continued as we were, but we noticed we hadn't heard or seen from him in a while. We set out to look for him,
maybe he ate some mushrooms earlier that day and didnt tell us, or got lost. It was dark but we had flashlights and we came across another
trail eventually. It lead us to an area where we found one of Justin's shoes. That is when we heard, the growl for the first time.
Scared instantly I ran, and my boyfriend was behind me, he also had a gun in his hand, I don't know where he got it, Jake's family was
also kinda weird, but ya know, I was into bad boys. Whatever he was firing at he was missing or it didn't do anything.

MOLLY: Jake? as in JAKE SUMMERS, JAKE?

KELLY: That's the guy.

MOLLY: I have yet to interview him, he is on my list of people to talk to today.

KELLY: He will show you the scar across his side, where the wolf used a single claw, chasing after him on hind feet like a human and
slashing him open.

*Kelly then, reveals four very deep wounds of her own across her right leg.*

MOLLY: Oh my goodness!

KELLY: People in town tried to convince me I am crazy that this was all self inflicted, but I know what I saw, it was like, like...

MOLLY: A werewolf?

KELLY: Yeah, like that, but worse, it had a way of moving about in the shadows, if you keep digging into this, you will know, exactly,
what I mean.

MOLLY: Going back to that night... You said you were being chased, what happened then? What is the difference between you, and that young
16 year old girl in the 1930s? How did you survive?

KELLY: I don't know exactly, everything happened so fast. A whirlwind of things, All I know for sure is, in my darkest moment only, and the
giant wolf like thing was on top of me, biting at me, trying to, and Jake shooting a peice of its fur off its flesh, but it wouldn't stop, it just wouldn't
stop! A bright light in the sky was there, and next I knew, it was morning and I was on the trail again. My red clothes shredded to peices all around me.
I dare never, wear or be around the color every again, since.

MOLLY: It is now 10:32, I think we will call this interview for a close for now, do you mind if we do a follow up another day?

KELLY: I rather not, to be honest, somehow digging up these old memories, frieghten me, as you SHOULD be.

*END*


Molly was a little stunned but remained sceptical at the time. She considered it more of a town legend, she did after all admit,
and as her investigation prior shows, that Kelly was considered mentally ill and this could have been a combination of drugs, local legend, and
group hesteria, So she decided to make one last stop before heading to the Ranch up there within the Wood itself, to this JAKE SUMMERS' house. She
felt compelled to hear his side of the story.

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Chapter Two: Welcome to Town

When it came to investigation of UFO's and the unexplained, RUTH RAINER, was sure to have some kind of knowledge or
wind of it. Been to Roswell, all up and down the coasts, and places of some kind of phenomena involving them. Even
known, to have bugged a few politicians, trying to get information to the public.
When it came to the idea of a place, where such phenomena was frequent, Ruth more then signed up for the slot
and opportunity. The idea that evidence can finally be explored, and the mysteries to some of life's greatest questions
may be revealed, was enough to pay what little her investigative funding allowed to spend on this expedition. That and
her life savings, and dipping into her daughter's college fund. ASHLEY RAINER. Who was and always is EVER so eager to
be the tag along.
The past is the past they say, but to give some kind of background, it would go without saying, 11 year old
ASHLEY, could care less about UFO's or Aliens, and often found her mother's job pointless, and fruitless. Always moving
places, Arizona, New Mexico, California, among other places, always, so mom could track down her delusions. She rarely
had time to make friends, and hated moving, and always carried her stuffed teddy bear, "Niko" she named it. Many child
ren around the world grow out of their childhood toys, but this one was special.
Ruth's husband, was not always as you say, the best of father's or husband's. His passion for science was amazing
and also, as if by family curse, Ashley would say, he had a tick for the paranormal and unexplained. What was once a hobby
of research was quickly an obsession, GARY RAINER, saw no difference between what was 'magic' or 'spirit' and what was
unexplained science, and he had quite alot of theories about the links between. Well versed in legend and parapsychology.
Until alas, despite claiming to be psychic, one day told his daughter, he would be back for dinner, and never came home.
His death was sudden and came on Ashley's birthday. To avoid a dog on the street, a bus swirved and hit her father
on his way home with Ashley's gift. She was always a good modest young girl, and these teddy bears on tv were all the new
rave, it talked, hosted a CD player, bluetooth, and mp3 function. it was soft, and fuzzy and liked to play! Or so it said
on TV. It was damaged and brought to the door by a police man, delivering the news to them.
All through most of her time, all she could really do is just stare into space, and hold unto that bear, a coping
mechanism, perhaps. Her beliefs, her heart, going through so much, and moving around alot as they have, didn't ease her
young troubled mind, poor Ashley.

"Now Ashley..." Ruth says to Ashley, along the drive to "The Wood" and the Farm Cabin, that is out there. "This is
the real deal, out this way."
"Whatever." She snidely replies. Lost in her own thoughts, or lost in the absence of them.
"That isn't fair." Ruth sighs. "I try, ya know? I really do." "Your father would have loved this place you know,
he would have been super into this, why can't you just..."
"Okay mom! It's all the same thing, Dad would have liked this woulda liked that, and we always move." Ashley didn't
mean the words to jet fire at her mom like that, but she was tired, traveled for hours, needed to use the girl's room, and
didn't want to go in the side of the road. Also, the LAST thing she wanted to do at this point was talk about what her dad
wanted. That fraud. Believer in nonsense. Mom too. She is crazy to think UFO's are real.
After some time of silence, her mother finally came to her first quick pit stop in the village. A small market area,
with a grocery store, post office, a few mom and pop stores, a pawn shop, the usual, but not really big enough to be a city.
Not even a Walmart resides here in (Blacked Out).
The locals seemed to eye their vehicle with a cross of curiousity, suspicion, and unwelcome glances and glares. Ruth
noticed almost every single one too, yet she didn't get a, "Get out or we will hurt you" vibe. Rather more so, a, "Who are you,
and what are you doing here, and how long until you leave?" kinda vibe.
"I am sorry, we ain't got a credit card machine yeet." The man at the gas station, Ruth pulled into said, eyeing her
child who is examinining the contents of his wares. "I keep tellin' Ma, we gotta geet wit the times now, and she all, 'Over
my dead rottin corps do I let them city people and deer machines enter dis close to da Wood."
"That's fine, I think I got it in cash." She says as she goes to go to the familiar place her purse should be. She
then with a spark of thought peered through the gas station glass at her car. Two locals, standing near it. "Hang on, I gotta
get my purse."
"Take yer time." The man replies, as his eyes follow her exit, then the moment the ding of the door shuts, immediately
on to the young girl, holding her teddy bear. "What's a perty girl and mom doing way out here, anyway, not exactly a place on
the map." A brief creepy half laugh follows. Followed by a cough, sniffle, snort and spit in a bucket, whipping a fly with a
swatter. By looks of brief examination on the counter, the fifteenth of his victims today.
"Mom's got some place out there in the woods with a bunch of geeks, talking UFO's and Unsolved mysteries and crap."
The girl replies. Ashley peers out the glass to see her mom, seemingly having a talk, taking her sweet time with those two
locals in the parking lot. This clerk was honestly kinda creeping her out. Wife beater white shirt, red baseball cap wearing,
more teeth lost then in, spitting, gross guy.
"You don mean you with them weirdo's stirring up things up in the Wood, trying to prove dem theereez." Saying Theories
with quotations of fingers. "You people don't know what yer dealin wit."
A sudden bang sound, not one of a gun, but a car door slamming, and sounds of her mom, seeming to argue and yell,
made Ashley increasingly nervous. The men seemed to grow louder and she can see her mom, turn towards the store, storm several
steps, turn around to yell back, and then proceed to walk toward the store again. Ashley looked as the store clerk, was now
unto the situation and went outside. Whom seemed quick to yell at the two locals and dismiss them away, when one revealed a
gun, that is when Ashley's heart jumped. Her mom rushed into the store, and grabbed her crouching her down inbetween the aisles.
The clerk quickly, ran inside as well, grabbing a loaded shotgun.
Ashley just staring into nothing, rocking back and forth, within her mom's arms, expecting the worst. Expecting noise,
any moment a gun fire would go off, and someone, someone might die.
To her surprise the clerk came back in. "Nothin to worry bout miss." He says, reshelving the rack. "Them Dover Bruddas,
thems bad news, always have been."
"Wha... What was WRONG with them?" Ruth manages to get out, peering out the glass again, to make sure they weren't still
lingering out there.
"The Dovers are not, what we call sane Miss Rainah!" He sighs. "Story goes, their property is what you'd probably call
possessed or haunted or whatever you call it." "Son's and daughter's of witches and warlocks, worshipping some kind of ancient
spirit of some kind, some kinda darkness, the natives of these lands believed in."
There was kind of a shocked look on Ruth's face. Not much different then the look of panic. She turns only her head a
moment to see her child, is still there, on the floor, grasping her teddy bear for dear life.
"If ya ask me, its all horseshit." The clerk says, wiping his table of flies.
"It ain't horseshit! How dare ye!" A voice of an old lady from behind the counter is heard.
"Here we go." The man says as the old woman comes out waving her cane around from the back.
"There is a dark thing in those woods, there are, don you be denying your ma now!" She says, tapping the butt of the man,
making him lurch forward. The woman was pretty darn old, her glasses much like tiny bottles, her cane aids her movement, by grace,
but enough stamina and kick in her to still swing it around whenever she wants. "Everyone upon anyone has seen them, those lights
atleast, talks of portals to other worlds, things in the sky, I even saw it myself, you remember! I told you!"
The man sighs. "Ma, I ain't sayin, I don believe ya, I am just sayin that..."
"Excuse me, maam?" Ruth asks, with all politeness. The old woman looks up as if Ruth at 5'4 towers the old woman. "Did you
say lights, things in the sky? Like what kinds of things have you seen?"
"She's one of them idiots whoz gonna try living out at the Fendrick Farmland." The man says to the mom.
"Let me take a look at you dear." The old crone looks at Ruth and kneels her down. "Yes yes, I see, you are a very bright
soul, wrapped in tragedy perhaps ye be, but a good soul still."
"The whole reason I am here, is because of those lights and things, I study UFO's for a living, seen alot of things, and
have heard thousands of testimony's, I would love to hear your experiences." Ruth blurts out her pitch right away. Suddenly the
traumatic events of earlier didn't seem to matter or have effect, the peak of interest outruled it.
"For you and dat child's sake I say unto ye, yes I have seen things, especially out there, near and around the wood,
the lights, the portals, and while that may take your fascination, I beckon ye, take my advice." The old woman looks at Ashley.
Whom still is in a bit of a state of shock, not even listening. "If you worry about your soul, leave, do not talk to anyone,
just fill up and go, far away from here."
"I am not going to just leave!" Ruth says in an angry but still respectful level of tone. "I spent all I had left on this
expedition, with me, there is at least twelve others, we have heard some of the local legends."
"I would suggest, you risk starting over, for you see, dear child, this place is much like what inhabits it, once it has a
hold of your light, your flame, it will never let go." She points her cane quickly directly at Ashley. Who comes to, to see a cane
sticking at her face.
"Get that out of my face, so theres some story, its all the same as before, we will be here a couple of weeks, see nothing,
get bored of peoples stories and leave." Ashley screams as she storms outside. Ruth, suddenly remembering their earlier encounter,
went to the door after her.
"I would like to talk to you later, if you don't mind. About what you saw." Ruth asks, noticing her daughter inside of the
car already. Relief settles in. No Dover boys in sight.
"Leave. While yer spirit is still pure." The old lady says slowly making her way towards the back. "What ye seek, and find,
may be similar, and yes, very true, but it will not, be the answers yer lookin fer. Once you have seen and experienced enough you will
understand, when I say, I will never speak to you again, and I do not want you in my store ever again if you go to that Wood and farm."
As the old lady dissapears from view, the man fixes his cap, giving a brief chuckle. "Just be careful up there, okay?" "Nothing
good ever, came out of that farm, nuffin." Ruth leaves the store bewildered and heading back to the car, realizing she hadn't even paid.
Her experience early and the trauma she supposed, was enough. The man after all, didn't stop her from leaving, or make her pay.
"Well..." Ruth says, getting in her car. "That was quite the welcome into town wasn't it?"
"Mom..." Ashley pleads in a worried tone. "Can we just leave, don't make me go, this whole place and thing creeps me out, more
than usual."
"I can't just abandon my life savings and life's work sweetheart." Ruth says showing her daughter a smile as she starts
the car. "So we had a bad start, things will be okay." "Town's like this are filled with superstition and tales, once we get out to
the farm, you'll see, could even be fun, you and me out under the stars..." Pats her daughters head in comfort. Then proceeds to tickle
a smile out of her. It somehow worked. A glimmer of her old daughter again, such times were rare.
"Okay, let's just get out there, I am hungry." Ashley says staring out the passenger side. Back to the same routine of,
I am mad at mom, so Ill stare off into space routine.
"Should I go back in there, get some munchies?" Mom asks as she drives less then a mile an hour.
"No... I will wait." Her daughter replies then looks up to see her mom having a goofy grin on her face.
"Probably expired peanuts in there anyway and week old donuts, right? ewie ewweee gooey duck!" Ruth tries another
attempt to lift her daughters spirits, Ashley laughs along with her. It worked!
"Dad used to say that alot to me, whenever you cooked dinner." Ashley says and then stops laughing shortly. "Youre
probably right mom, he probably woulda gotten a kick out of that old lady, she smelled."
Ruth laughs and then ponders the old womans last words. "Leave while your spirit is still pure." echoed in her mind.

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Chapter Three - Warning shot

"Mrs. Chamberlain?" A voice in front of her says, as she squints to awaken. Her head felt like fire ants
crawling amongst her brain, chomping away at her temples.
"What is it, have we arrived?" Vision refocusing to her stretch limo, to which her eccentric millionaire
husband provided. The mini bar, within and next to her, now nearly empty in stock. She looks out the window, not much
but trees to be seen and dirt road, looks out the other window, and the scenery almost the same. The glare and glint
of the sunlight off the chrome of the car window frames not helping her headache.
"There is someone in the way." The driver says, in a slightly upset sounding voice. Curious, she looks out
the front window to see a man, dressed in raggedy clothes, and a baseball cap sure enough stands in front of their
car, unmoving, flinching, or blinking, as if a statue, or a deer caught in the headlights.
"Where are we?" She says, blinking her vision back to singular, headache slightly giving respite.
"We are almost to the property Mrs. Chamberlain, about a mile away from the farm house." The driver. TOM
BRANSON, replies, eyeing the man in the road. "This guy just showed up out of nowhere, and hasn't moved since, I
didn't see him even come up, just one second nothing but road, the next, poof, here is this guy." He honks the horn,
trying to shoo him that way, the man before them doesn't seem to even respond by a mere wince at the loud sound.
"Hang on, I will call Frank, he should be at the house already." The second she looks down to dig into her
fashionable purse for her phone, the man before them starts to pound violently on the hood with his fists, seemingly
in a blind rage. "Oh dear god!" SUSAN CHAMBERLAIN, screams, heart jumping. How could this man go from a being of
lack of emotion or consciousness, suddenly become so full of hate and discord. The man's fists were starting to bleed
for god sakes, just pounding, and pounding and pounding on her car hood. "What did you do, Thomas!?"
"I didn't do anything! This man is insane!" The pounding continues, thump, thump, thump thump thump. Finally,
BANG! Both the man's fists struck the car hood causing a huge dent amongst the many formed. The malice clear in his
eyes. Tom looks within the glove department where he keeps his gun, and finds the trusty 357 Magnum revolver within.
Tom's feeling of control of the situation now drastically changed. He points it at the man, who was now finished, now
only in front of the car, panting and hissing, nearly foaming at the mouth. You could feel the intensity off this
man, he would scare anyone. However, in this moment, Tom has confidence, for now he possesses the most powerful handgun
in the world in his right hand, pointed and ready to fire.
"Jesus, jesus..." Susan says, struggling through the shaking of her fear, to hit the numbers to dial her
husband. She knew this place was a bad idea from the start, but SOMEHOW, he had convinced her to come along on this
latest project, this coming out to this "Wood". She hated the outdoors, she hated trees, she fussed, she bitched,
she complained, but nothing worked. Her Husband, FRANK CHAMBERLAIN, simply HAD to purchase this land in the middle
of nowhere, with tales of every kind of nightmare mankind ever created is said to contain, to make matters worse,
he is paying all these professionals to go out and seek out these nightmares.
"I am warning you!" Tom says, gun still pointing at the man who still remains in a blind motionless rage. What
was a calm and desolate face now just seemed like, the macabre face of pure evil, of pure malice and intent. "I will
shoot you! Go away!" The man takes a step backward, then, quickly lunges forward, arms raised, as if an uncle, pretending
to be a monster for the kids would. Tom lunges back a little, as far as he could in his seat, he jumped, he couldn't
help it, and the gun starts to shake almost as much as he is.
The man starts to laugh, a laugh that was harmful to the ears. He delighted clearly, at the sheer terror,
the occupants of Mrs. Chamberlain's limo, and the laugh, was a point, that he did. An odd black tar like ooze, seems
to puss out between the mans grinning teeth, falling down in clumps on the hood of the car and ground. The man's
laughing turned into a coughing spat, horrified and mortified, all Susan and Tom could do, is watch, as the man's
coughing turns into one final release of the tar, in one splat, all across their windshield. Like someone threw a
water balloon, filled with ink.
Tom has had it, this was way too much craziness, and gone on for too long. He worked long and hard to maintain
and keep this limo in tip top shape for the Chamberlain's, and not only had he had now dents to fix on the hood, but
now this black muck, whatever it was, was going to inevitably be cleaned by him. A labor he was not looking forward to.
Tom opens the driver side door. The man backing up, barely in view to Susan, beyond the black gunk now on the windshield.
She can see sure enough the man is backing up a little, still looking infuriated, away from Tom, but only a few feet
at best.
"What is your problem!?" Tom yells, barely audible from inside the sound proof treated limo interior. "You
better get lost, this is the Chamberlain's land, you are on private property!" The main only laughs, spitting every
so often, that black ick, whatever it is.
"This be IT's land, boy." The man grins. "You will know that soon enough."
"I am warning you!" Tom's hand now outstretched, gun pointed straight at the man. "If you do not move, I will
have no choice but to..." As if by ride of wind suddenly the mans head was directly at the end of the barrel of the magnum.
He moved so fast Tom couldn't react, his eyes didn't match up to reality, his trigger finger, presses, in the surprise.
Tom closes his eyes, and hears his hand cannon fire. Expectations of what used to be a man's head, were dissapointed
however, in fact nothing was there, at all, but a puff, of black smoke. No headless body, no man, heard rustling off
through the trees, just, nothing. Tom looks towards Mrs. Chamberlain, who has a shocked look on her face. What a
way to come into the property, but where did the man go?
Tom just stood there a while, puzzled, questioning, even checking his gun, to make sure he even fired. The black
gunk was still all there all over the car and ground, as with the dents, but that was all the evidence that remained.
"He... He... Just, dissapeared..." Susan says, as Tom gets back in the car, mystified himself. "You shot..
and and... he just... poof!" Tom gains some composure. Whatever he or it was, was now gone, and that is what matters.
Starting the windshield wipers, the black tar like substance seems to have a tough time, coming off, but eventually,
a faded, image of the road ahead can be seen out the windshield. The crazed man, nowhere to be seen.
"I don't know what to make of it." Tom says. "Let's go to the property, maybe we can sort all this out with Frank."
"All I know is, is I want to just be far away from here right now, just drive!" Tom didnt argue, and continued
driving down the road, leading to the recently purchased farmland, with a story to tell.

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Chapter Four - Fine Dining

BARRY UNDERWOOD, is and always was a genius at technology. When it came to cameras, and circuitry, he was
the man. Much of Frank Chamberlain's millions, was due to Barry's technology. Ever since he was a young boy, when
he saw a UFO in the night sky, his desire to capture evidence of the illusive, always remained with him in life.
As a hobby, he found it fun and entertaining to take long retreats and try to find rare species of insects and animals
across the globe, and made a bit of an extra living at it, an extra golden parachute.
Barry, in fact discovered several not well known species within South America, and Mexico, and was growing in
popularity for his photographs and discoveries. No matter where he went, or how much sky he stared, he never did
see another sign of flying saucers aside that of his youth. Although he made a point to always have a camera on hand,
just in case. You just, never know. That one night, might be the night. It was in fact, Barry, who came across the
property, to which needed little convincing for the eccentric Frank Chamberlain to purchase.
Barry had been driving through, (Blacked out), and came across a diner. He wasn't particularly hungry, but in
a way his random drive across country got him a little lost more then usual, and he had been driving for hours. This
diner was just outside (Blacked Out), not far from the property of interest, maybe six or seven miles away, give or take.
Way out here, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Barry expected to see little to no one inside.
So walking into "Jenny's Fine Diner" as it was posted on a busted neon lit sign out front, on a sign. The building
itself, was what seemed like an old cabin, converted to be, a diner. Almost rustic looking, and you wouldn't think it
even be open aside the flashing sign at the front door assuring it was. Barry was fascinated to see that the place had
a good maybe, 14 people inside, all dining, talking, or having good conversation. He could only kinda grin, sitting on
the circular bar stool, looking around for the waitress or cook. Suddenly the appetite that was near nonexistant grew,
looking at all the food people were enjoying, kinda absorbing all the positive energy, it felt good to be inside. Like
an old bar you keep going to, and buying the same overpriced beer, just because of the regulars. Barry was eager, to
consume what smelt like heaven on a plate, something with bacon and syrup, maybe biscuits and gravy, the options, made
his stomach grumble.
"Can I help you love?" A woman asks, as Barry is turned away from the waitress, absorbing the atmosphere. It
kinda startled him a little, to be honest, but he kept his composure, after all, this woman was actually kinda cute.
Gotta remember to tip her good.
"Just passing through..." Barry says as he accepts the water the waitress already had given in front of him now.
What service! "... I wasn't hungry before, but I am now! What do you have?"
"We are used to people coming out of (Blacked out), but not towards it, you must be lost shugah!" The lady says
as her comment seems to lift a few heads amongst the others in the diner. "I can do two things for ya, best breakfast
you ever had and advice."
"Anything with bacon." Barry says, the flavor, beckons.
"Sure thing shoog." She replies, "You on a budget? Can do the special" She was almost flirtatious in her talk.
He liked it, like a diamond in the ruff, an angel among us. You just liked being around her, it was infectious.
"Don' do dat to da boy, Gloria." A man from the back calls out. "My arteries are STILL recovering from your
LAST special." He burps, and whipes a little of the saliva off his beard that came out during. "Scuse me."
"I am scared of no special! Bring it on Gloria!" Barry says, slapping a hundred dollar bill on the counter.
"These heart valves of mine, been taking abuse since my Grandma Beth's Sunday cooking!" He wasn't just jesting, his
Grandma Beth was the definition, of soul food. The man in the back laughs a full hearty laugh, a kind of joyful,
lovely laugh, that maybe would make Santa look jealous. Come to think of it, the man kinda looks like Santa. If he
wore overalls and plaid shirts in his off season.
"It's official, I'm gonna put my Hawt into this one." The waitress says, winking at Barry. He couldn't help
but to blush. So lost in the moment, he didn't notice the man had gotten up and sat himself in the bar stool next
to him.
"So where ya goin?" The old man says, once again, this makes Barry jump for no reason. What was with these
people, they had a habit of just, being RIGHT there, in a flash.
"I just travel around sometimes, see where the wind takes me." Barry says, nursing his water. "For fun."
"The weend be decieving ya boy." The man says ominously. It alerted Barry, to some degree, the man's expression
went from jolly to so serious. "You don' want to continue down to (Blacked out)"
"Why is that?" Barry asks, drinking some more.
"Da Wood, that whole town, tis haunted." He says, with a cough. The hankercheif he spat into, seemed to have
small black spots in it, but Barry didn't question or ponder much further. Lung disease maybe, the man reeked of
dusty old burnt tobacco. "The people, they be, what is the word..."
"Oh Gus," Gloria says coming out, presenting the largest breakfast Barry has ever seen. "Don' be scaring the
poor chap, they just strange, thats all."
"That is what Doug thought." The old man replies. "Then he got mixed up with dem' Dover boys, and he ain't
never been da same, YOU know that." Barry couldn't really believe what he was hearing. A haunted ghost town out here?
Enchanted people? Right up your alley Barry.
"He never shoulda bought that old farmland of Kutcher's, I warned him." She says, her tone and energy, now
lower then it had been in the beginning. It was kinda bumming Barry out. Luckily he had plenty of food in front of
him to drown the mood in.
"Peoples be always attracted to dem damn mysteries, lights in the sky, but never be thinking what causes them."
The old man says in a prophetic noble tone. "My son Kirby won' even go to that gas station no mo, not after wha happn."
Barry's ears were burning. "Lights in the sky?" He asks, almost choking on his food. The man glances at him.
Not threateningly but peculiar just the same.
"Sure, sure, orbs in the sky, ya know, like dem UFO's ya see on the boob tube?" Gus says, again, coughing
into his hanky. "My boy, last time he was there, saw one, experienced one, scared the dickens out of him it did."
He looks straight into Barry's eyes, forcing him to look down as if by shame for some reason, and continue eating.
"I know what yer thinkin, yer thinkin of goin and checkin it oot, I warn you, don't."
"Now Gus," The waitress says as she is cleaning a glass. "Kirby is a good kid and all, but cmon, UFO's?" She
coughs briefly just a moment. "I do gotta say stranger, although I don't believe in those kinds of things, there is
enough strange things going to and from, the stories we hear, the locals and their tales, survivor tales of paranormal
and odd, too many not to take notice." This only increased the anticipation within Barry to see.
"That place Doug got, is ESPECIALLY haunted, wen' out there once to visit him, and I tell ye..." He pauses a
moment, to do an inward burb, and beat his chest, as someone might do when they have heart burn. "There is a darkness
in da Wood you wan' no part of, trust me when I tell ye boy, you don't want to go knockin on dat door, tis the door
to hell, I swear." The old Santa like man was so serious now, and staring off in a distance, as if void of expression.
"Doug and I, we fought in the war together, and he is still alive, we were best friends, but he aint the same no mo,
it aint Doug IN him anymo, I don' know what it is about dat farm, that place, but ever since dem strange things been
happenin, he was doing strange things, do you know what it's like? I am a trained Marine boy, and that place, scares
the bejeezus out of me... scuse me." The man starts coughing and gets up to walk to the bathroom.
"Is all of this true?" Barry asks the waitress. She shrugs at first, glancing the direction of the bathroom.
"It's true to Gus, and I have to admit, ever since Doug was here, ranting about stuff going missing, his live
stock dismembered, or held up in tight spaces, among other things. I never gone myself, but, he seemed like he was
for real, like these things scared him. He would say he would lock up with several chains and locks all of his cattle,
and the next day, his cattle be outside grazing the pasture, chains still locked, stuff like that." She replies.
Who knew a random drive would lead to such a local legend cesspool. He HAD to tell Frank about this place, was the
kinda side project they were after.
"So what happened?" Barry says, managing to woof down yet another bite of the greasy goodness that was Glorias
special.
"No one knows for sure, not even Gus goes out there no more." She sighs. "Don't worry bout' it shuga! Just
local mysticism, but about my advice..."
"Oh right, the other thing you offer aside this awesome breakfast, which I must say, does not undersell, the
best breakfast in the world." Barry pats his stomach, as if to show it was full, which in a way, it was, plate still
remarkably only half eaten. Even if he HAD been starving when entering the joint, he had doubts he woulda been able
to eat it all.
"The advice is, if you have to go that direction, just keep on riding that wind sugar, just keep on goin, if
its one thing the locals say, its you don't want what that place is sellin, just keep drivin." She smiles. "Don't
let that stop ya from comin back now though!" She winks. Suddenly all that unsettling feeling began to feel like as
Barry entered, the mood was lifting, the sounds, the clanks of dishes were now more profoundly noticed, as if he was
lost within the stories and tales. Little did he know, one day, he would live to tell his own.
This was a chance of a lifetime, Barry never heard of (Blacked out) before, and it seemed an untapped hotspot
that would beckon any and all ghost hunters and mediums across the globe to investigate. This sounded like the chance,
the call he has always waited for, finally, a chance to photograph UFO's, maybe, even study them. Who wouldn't want
to atleast try to see something paranormal? The ideas began to swarm, he began to truly and honestly desire, to head
out there. Goosebumps where the intrigue means more then the fear.
Barry could hear a large amount of coughing in the bathroom, at the sudden, to the point he was concerned for
Old Gus.
"Don' worry bout ol' Gus there boy." An old Woman sitting at a table nearbye says. "He has been coughing like
dat for years now, God ain't ready for his old bum yet."
"It has gotten worse though, ever since, well... ya know." Gloria says. "... Just coincidence."
"Ya know, I actually got a call the udder day fom dat Doug's wife, Sheila, tink her name is." The old woman says,
"Says she has had nuff' want's out, ol Doug seems to be selling that there farm up there." This REALLY caught Barry's
ears, they were burning so much they were on fire, well, figuratively.
"Who in god's name would want to buy that place, after all dem stories." Gloria says, as she finishes stacking
some dishes.
"I dunno, but story goes, she kept getting marks on her body, scratches in threes, she was always the kind to
talk about dem ghosts in the woods, I don' doubt her now, nor blame her fer wantin to sell dat place." The old woman
remarks sipping on her coffee.
"Such a shame really." The waitress says as she drifts off a moment, staring at the ceiling. "They were such
a happy couple, all excited to get that there farmland, start a new life, such big dreams they had for that place."
"Ever since that poor tragic accident with their young girl, so sad." Sips more of her coffee. "You would
think dat be nuff grief, but to go through all that and endure all that strangeness..."
"What happened to the little girl?" Barry asks, woofing down a bite of scrambled eggs to die for. "Sometimes
paranormal things happen after a loved one, ya know, dies tragically?" chomp, chomp... chomp. It was kinda clear, he
kinda stepped on toes or something, they just kinda like, stared at him a moment. The sounds of the diner stopped in
that moment too, returning an eerie feeling within him. "I..I...mean if you don't mind me asking."
"Some say it was murder, or sacrifice, or a giant wolf..." The old woman finally says after a gulp. "They
concluded officially that it was an accident in the end though, but da people are always skepitical, always spinning
their stories of da wood. I don' trust them nor the area, not after old Gus and udders tol' me." "That farm far bak
as I reckon, has always been bad luck, first family I knew moved in there the man of the house went crazy and killed
himself and everyone inside, next delightful young couple bought the house, the ones who actually hired workers and
MADE it into a farm, there was so much that happened there, they moved out, some say some of their workers wound up
missing, reporting strange things at night, the list goes on up to Kutcher, dat bastard."
"Wow." Was all Barry could say. This was a bit deeper then he originally pictured. The dream still there,
yet the goosebumps ever reveal themselves to him, hairs standing on end. "Who was Kutcher?"
"I think that is enough talk now about this for now, Darla." The waitress rolls her eyes towards the old
woman. "My mom says the legend goes, whenever you talk about it, it can' be far, we don' want to be summonin old
skeletons, dead and buried."
"Your mother is a wise woman." She says, cheering her coffee mug in tribute to the woman Gloria's direction.
"However if you must know and it will settle your curiousity, boy, dat Kutcher prick came into that place with da
intent, on summoning spirits, tampering in the devil's domain." The lights flickered suddenly, briefly startling
Barry until it shortly returns to its normal lume. "Him and them Dover boys, dat cult, be usin dark magic and voodoo
in those places, bad joo joo been goin on, and if you ask me, they succeeded, day may have summoned the devil hm'self."
"I said thats enough, Darla!" Gloria yells, the lights now flickered violently as if response to her anger,
only to become normal once more, showing they still work and have efficient life. Gus comes out, coughing, and
looking like he was about to puke, but nothing was coming up yet, startling them all. Leaks of black blood seemed
to streak down his cheek down from his mouth. "Oh dear god! Gus!" The waitress yells and runs around the counter to
his side, even the old woman, got up and was now concerned, when she told Barry not to be, 'He's been coughing for a
few years now' the memory of her saying that enters his mind.
"Gus, ya gonna be alright?" The lurching ceased, long enough for him to catch his breath. He nodded, coughing
now, and whiping his mouth with his hanky, now absorbed with the stuff.
"I'll..." He weazes and takes a few deep breaths. "I be fine Dar..." He pulse vomits all over the floor,
what seems like his entire stomachs contents now echoed and splattered like abstract art across the lenolium.
"Jesus gus!" The waitress screams. The man, had a very confused and embarassed look on his face, sat down,
and took some deep breaths in a booth. Panting, streaks of ick down his beard, confused blank stare. Gloria wasted
no time to try to clean up the urk, witnessing this, made Barry almost loose his breakfast, in fact he was surprised
he didn't.
"Don't you worry old Gus, come wit me, Ill drive ya to the doc'" He waved his hands as if to refuse, but
something told Barry and Gus, old Darla wasn't taking no for an answer, and Barry made himself stand up and help
aid the old man, to her car. An old station wagon, probably woulda been a popular model in the 70's. Somehow, he
felt like one of the townsfolk already, helping out the way he has, he was actually quite proud of himself.
"Do you need any help?" Barry offers, she just shakes her head, I mean, what COULD he do to help anyway? He
see's them drive off, Gus still dazed and confused through the windshield. Barry reminded himself then to seriously
cut back on his smoking. This experience would kinda haunt in sweet discord, within him forever. You just don't
forget stuff like that anyway, what was that black stuff? Blood? Who knows what the man ate before, hope it wasn't
the special. His gaze turns towards the Diner, and for a moment, he coulda sworn, just a glimmer, at the corner
of his eye, a figure of a shadow standing there at the entrance. Second glance, focused, nothing there but the door.
When Barry walked back inside, he was stunned at how fast the clean up job by the Waitress had been. She
cooks AND cleans? Marry this one. He shakes the thought. He was into a lot of things, but hooking up with a strange
town waitress, wasn't gonna be one of them. Although, she was cute. After this experience though, on first meeting,
be probably all they'd think about once together anyway. He was no psychologist, but he knew that to be true.
"So um..." Barry says kinda tip toeing around. He takes a moment to regain his thoughts, and it seemed, like
the waitress needed a moment anyway. "... Look, I don't know why, but I feel bad, here is 200 bucks." He stacks
another 100 dollar bill on top of the previous he slapped down earlier on the counter.
"That's rather kind of ya sugar." She says. Kinda just breathing, focusing on breathing normally. "30.68 be
just fine." Normally he might have thought that to be a steep price for a meal, but considering the quantity and how
much we was gonna pay anyway, he decided to feed a compulsion instead. "Tell ya what, we make the bill 200, if you
give me some information." Puzzled, the waitress looks at the cash tempted. Be fair wage for the clean up job she
just had to do.
"What kind of information?" The waitress yoinks the hundreds and stuffing them into her bra. Barry didn't
notice before, but she has a pretty nice rack. Focus Barry, Focus. Moving on...
"What is Doug's address and phone number?" When he asked her that, any potential for romance or a one night
hump and dump was out of the question, her face screamed, HOW DARE YOU. Regardless after some self debate, and had
already stuffed his money down her sweater kittens, she reluctantly handed him a phone book.
"Look up Kutcher, still listed as such." She takes one step toward the kitchen, and turns only her head enough
to peer an eye from behind her back. "I take it back, I hope you never come back, If you call that number, don't you
EVER, come back." Barry felt offended, if not a little scared. Whatever happened around this place was tragic enough,
and fresh enough, its a fresh wound amongst the community. He could feel the extra eyes within the diner now on him,
beyond those he communicated with, as if the whole diner, all eyes, were on him.
Tired of feeling like a fish in a bowl, he gave an appreciative nod, and slipped an extra 20 under his glass,
now half drank of water, that he so wished, he could just go back to sipping, as he had when he entered, and he left.
Number in hand, this was his opportunity, this was his life's dream, but a part of him he felt, will always wonder,
at what, cost.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Five - Here Comes, The Woman in Black.

Dr. Eric Lambert could not believe what he was hearing. To suggest a place where there is possible breaks of physics and reality,
really dove into his curiousity, like a moth to a flame. Sure, his earned PHD was in Behavioral Biology, and work for such a field was low,
aside a dead end teaching job, at (Blacked Out). His true passions lies however, in more theoretical, kinds of studies. Other Dimensions,
the Mendella effect, things like that always just captivated his mind.
When Mr. Chamberlain, offered him the chance, to put his theories to the test, how could he refuse? His hopes were met by his professional
skepticism, of course. A true scientists job is to prove himself wrong, if he cannot, he must be right. Or atleast, that is his approach to
things.
"Sure this ain't like a Loch Ness type situation?" Eric asks at his desk, half a pile of papers still sitting and waiting to be graded.
"Bunch of folks out in the middle of nowhere, looking to make a name for themselves maybe?"

"I would be with you on that normally, but based on the things I heard and seen so far..." A brief pause. Here it comes, the dire truth,
it's all a sham, right? "... You just gotta come see for yourself, It's the real deal this time."
Eric sat back in his comfy desk chair, to which he was proud of having. Every other at the university WISHES they had a chair like this one,
the only one of its kind in the whole university, and DAMN, was it comfortable. Alone in his thoughts was he a few moments, taking it in,
pondering if he should invest himself in this. Teaching may be a low end job for a man of his talents, but it was a living good enough, he didn't
HAVE to do this. Twitch, twitch, a nudge of that curiousity sets in, 'C'mon Eric' the voice inside him says. 'Atleast hear the man out'. He sighs.
"What exactly have you heard or seen?" Eric finally says, breaking the silence. "I mean, it is nearly mid terms, and I got all these papers
already, if your'e putting one over on me..."
"Eric, I know your'e still upset and thinking about that time in Brazil..." Oh yes... the trip to the Amazon, in search of some missing ruins
he was SURE would be there. Turned out to be alot of miserable times, and alot of culture and everything, but nothing hard evident to what they
were seeking. Almost forgot about THAT. Now I definitely just want to sit right here, and not have a repeat of the misery. "Look, I'll make it
worth your while either way, how does half a million sound?" Sipping on his coffee, was met up with an instant spitting of it. Did he just say
half a million?
"You serious?" Dr. Eric Lambert was all ears now. Suddenly the trip was again out of the minds eye, and now focused on the dollar signs.
"Dead serious." he replies. A loud screech is heard that causes a mad ring in Eric's ear. Pulling the reciever away from it, the ring,
just wouldn't seem to cease for a minute. It had stopped, the sound, whatever it was, but the effect was worse. He could barely make out what
the millionaire was saying, except, "DID YOU SEE THAT? TELL ME YOU SAW THAT!" Eric felt disoriented, and a bit bewildered.
"You still there, Chamberlain?" Eric asks, only hearing vague talking to other people in a hightened sense about him. Like he is
excited but scared at the same time.
"Tell me you got that on camera!" He returns to the phone on the other side. "Go check! go check! Now! Do it!"
"What happened?" Anyone would ask that question if you were Eric.
"Oh, right, Eric." Chamberlain, comes back to the realization he was even having a conversation with him. So swept in some moment,
it would seem. "Look, I gotta go, if you want to come down, come, I'll pay you, I need you, I need that brain of yours man." Eric could hear
some vague sounds of what seemed like the Millionaire mumbling to himself, trying to catch a grip on himself, reality. "Gotta make sense of this."
click. That was that.
At first Eric was still in a wide bit of denial, but... It wasn't like it WAS midterms yet. He could take a break out to this 'Wood'
and see what the fuss was about atleast, if in a few days it turned out to be nothing, well atleast it was better then remaining in a musty old
office grading papers the whole time, and/or drinking. Speaking of... Reaches into his desk, pulling out good ol' irish creme. Pours it generously
into what remained of his coffee, filling it back almost to brim. Watching as the swirling patterns of the creme whirl inside his cup almost
mistified by the process. He knows he has a 'problem' but doesn't really care. No one else does.
Single Doctor and Professor, in a teaching position he didn't even want. He rather have been given a grant, a team, to do real study
and deep in the human genome, but never could get the funding. A half a million dollars could change that, give him the start he needs,
to succeed. To do things he wanted to always and couldn't. Frank wasn't ever real giving either. Eric remembers paying for just about
everything his own way through the Amazon before he nearly went broke. The stuff they did find was just old writings no one understood, not
really the long lost ruins they were hoping to find. Things you could find in other places, depicting cycles and calender systems of the
times. Not really groundbreaking, he barely made enough from the study to even out.
This time though, THE Frank Chamberlain, says its the real deal for sure. Dead serious. Memory flashed in like a hurricane of that
strange noise, like a whine you might hear while someone is testing a microphone. Wasn't sure if it was the memory or the fact it actually,
still remained, that ringing after hearing such an annoying noise. It did seem rather strange and ominous. Strange enough for that twitch,
twitch, 'Go! You know you whanna!', "After this drink." He replies to the voice in his head. This still needed SOME thought, couldn't just
bail unannounced like. Or could he? Judging by these papers he has been grading its not exactly like they are prodigy's or the next Einsteins.
To be honest, I mean, some get what he has been selling in lectures, but they really don't have the passion for it. A fact he blames himself
a little for. Takes a big gulp of his irish tainted coffee, that's just the nectar, the ambrosia, that puts him in that state of bliss.
A knock at the door. Startles him a moment. Quickly jamming the bottle of his shame into the drawer in such a hurry, almost
forgetting to return the cap in place first. The door opens, the drawer closes. "Hello Dr. Lambert." An unfamiliar face comes into focus.
"Can I help you? I am rather busy." Eric says to this woman who stands before him. The sooner she was gone, the sooner he can
continue to dwell and bliss on leaving to some promised holy grail of phenomena.
"Actually, it is I, Doctor, that can help you." She replies. "I am Becka Ortega with a special division of the government."
"What, like the FBI or something?" Eric replies. Surely I haven't done anything. "Am I in trouble or something? Look, if its about
the Irish creme, I mean, cmon. Who doesn't take a nip now and then as a teacher?" Stupid stupid. 'Why did you just do that you dolt?' Idiot.
'Idiot!'
She clears her throat, and hides a smile under her cuffed hand. "I am not with the school, or any organization you've heard of
directly." She pauses a moment. 'This chick for real? Who is she? Where is the camera's?' "You are not in any kind of trouble, but you
may be in danger, that is why I am here."
"What is this all about, who do you work for again?" A sudden slight ping of a headache is coming on. Takes another sip of his
coffee, after all, if your'e in danger, may as well be rekt.
"Who I work for and what is rather irrelevant Doctor." Becka seems too serious for this to be a charade. "We have come to
understanding, that the millionare, 'Frank Chamberlain' has uncovered a property in (Blacked out) otherwise known as 'The Wood'."
The tension in the air was eerie. Were they tracking his phone? Why? Who is this woman? What's this gotta do with Frank? How do
they know? Who ARE they? 'Just shut up and listen, besides, she is kinda hot.' Shut up. "We know you are a known associate of his, and it
would seem he is recruiting many to head out to this location. Has he been in contact with you recently?"
"Who Frank?" 'Really? Your'e gonna play the dumb card?' "What would it matter, he's just a man with too much money and time to
go gallavanting and poking around exploring a whole lot of nothings."
"So you have heard from him." She replies.
"I didn't say that." Eric says in a hurry. 'She's unto you bro.'
"Look, normally we would have a whole field team head out there, and do their own investigations and keep things silent. However,
this area isn't a normal site, and many of my higher ups, aren't taking the matter seriously." Becka pauses, takes a student chair, and
sits next to him at eye level. "I had a man on the field, to poke around, a sane man, a good agent." "The things he reported, the things
he said he saw, portals to other realms, creatures of astral dimensions, all kinds of weird nonsense. He even claimed to have gone, and
stepped into, other dimensions, whole other worlds."
"Are you serious?" Eric replies. Looks inside his coffee, near empty. 'and don't say 'dead serious.''
"I don't know what to make of it honestly." She says, leaning back in the chair so that she is balancing on two limbs. "Even
in my line of work, this is considered a bit of an anomaly, it seems odd such a place went unnoticed for so long." "All they classify
it as is a Class 3 containable threat."
"A threat?" Eric says, re opening his drawer. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all." She says with a brief smile. "Every so often, my agency uncovers an area, that is considered dangerous, but not
on a normal scale one would think. Such as the Bermuda Triangle. It doesn't exceed its area, any strangeness or phenomenon, so it is
not considered a Class 1, which has only happened in several classified cases."
"All of this sounds a little odd, but I think I get it." Eric takes another gulp. Oops, pure creme. Oh well. "So what does that
gotta do with me?"
"If Mr. Chamberlain has contacted you, I would like to know what happened to my missing agent, and accompany you." She takes a
brief moment. "It would be far better that I come with someone he knows for a certain sustainable trust and access to the property."
"I have read up on you." She saw his suspicion. "You are a good scientist, and a brilliant Biologist and study of environmental behaviors,
and your thesis on Dimensional substructures was fascinating work doctor." "Please let me accompany you, I may not be, supported by
my peers, but I need to know what exactly is going on there, do you understand?"
"I guess so. It's all going so fast though." 'You mean your head is spinning so fast' Eric hits his head a little with his palm.
"Are you sure you ain't putting something on, like, I don't know, head in as a spy and kill us all in our sleep to quiet us or something?
You with the men in black?" Eric grins with all his questions, god, how drunk he must sound.
"I can explain more on the way if you like." She smiles, offering her hand. "I am only out for the truth, nothing more. I don't
even carry a firearm." "I will be honest with you, I am not a field agent, I am not supposed to be doing this. That man was my fiance."
"One day he said he found some kind of golden decorated orb that allowed him to as he put it, 'Transcend the timespace' and then nothing,
nothing at all, and its been weeks."
"Okay okay." His head hurt. "I didn't say no and he offered, just give me a minute to think."
"I am normally just an operator and a desk jockey, always paperwork, and data." Becka Ortega says as she gets up, squinting
her deep brown eyes out the window shades. "Then one day I am doing intakes, where I am responsible for organizing strange things,
things normal people shouldn't be seeing, for other agents to take with them, to areas of interest, or to store in undisclosed locations."
"My fiance was such an agent. His case file, a very old one from the 1920's when the agency was first developed. Case file 13 'The Wood'"
"This all goes back that far?" Swiveling in the chair, trying to gain some kind of composure, atleast enough to walk efficiently.
He would be fine normally in 20 mins or so, but he wanted to wing it.
"There are many stories dating back even further, diaries of people, who settled close to that land, reporting strange occurances,
they say the Natives warned them, of some ancient spirit, older then the earth spirit itself, dwelled within, they even set up totems,
and other things warning those who would happen to pass nearby hunting." She turns to see Eric on his feet, and next to her, peering
out the same window, at the same courtyard he goes through every single day as he has since he has been teaching. Same thing, day in
day out.
"So why didn't your agency or whatever investigate this before then?" Eric says, actually proud of the cleverness of it. "If
you had a case about it since the 1920's I mean..."
"There are many strange things in the world Mr. Lambert, most of which would shock you, some things are more immediate then
old cold cases." Miss Ortega has a unintended tear down her cheek. Did she really care that much about her job? Her fiance? What
happened to him? "They laughed at us, told us it was too old to even bother, we wanted to show them, solve the unsolved, make a name
within the ranks."
"So here we are." Eric says with a laugh. Couldn't help it. It just blurted out, maybe even accidently spat on the window shades
a little.
"Yeah." She smiles. "Thing is, he swore he found it, wanted to show me something, but something about it all scared the death
out of me." She looks down, smile faded. "He kept saying, that despite all his discoveries, his madness overwhelms his sanity that is
three dimensional knowledge, and that there is an infinite amount of energy and particles within the substructures of reality, found
even a way to tap into it. If you knew him doctor, you would know how unlike him that is."
"What do you mean?" Eric says. "Said yourself, you guys investigate and assess things right? Strange stuff, shouldn't be so odd."
'Here come the men in black' his mind sings.
"Story for another day maybe." She says. "When can we leave?"
"Right now, I guess, hell beckons." a brief chuckle. His body felt different. Like, yeah he was pleasantly buzzed, but there was
something else, couldn't describe it. It was kinda like, his whole body was vibrating from the inside, the shakes, but he doesn't tremble.
'Weird, right?'
"I am driving." She says with a chuckle, assisting him to the door. They both kinda laugh as he replies. "Good idea."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Chapter Six - You shouldn't be here.


Sitting in the living room, it seemed homey enough to Frank Chamberlain. Nice rug, and fireplace, tables and stuff around that
made it feel like one of those old Hallmark cards. He loved it really.
"So why would you want to sell this place so suddenly?" He asks Doug Becket who is nervously sitting in his chair, peering around
the room as he talks.
"If you keep your eyes on things long enough, stay here long enough, you will find out." He replies, looking around. "It is always
somewhere... doing something... and you never know what."
"Do you mind if we record, our conversation, for the record, I'd like to ask you some questions regarding what it is you mean. Your
history, what you know of this place, can you do that for me?" Frank asks as Debbie Cranston hands him the recorder.
"Are you okay, Mr. Becket?" She asks Doug. The guy looked out of his mind. Whatever was going on upstairs in his brain was clearly
effecting him.
"I will be, once I am far from here." Doug says with a faint grin. A slight relief it seems to say. "It will be good to say everything
outloud, so I know, that I am not crazy."
"Lets Begin."

TRANSCRIBED RECORDING that happened on JANUARY 15th 2020 Between FRANK CHAMBERLAIN and DOUG BECKET

FRANK: So, to begin, can you tell me from the beginning, in your words, what kinds of things happened and when they started?

DOUG: I first got this place, from chance, as it was deemed abandoned, and the Dover's had no rights or claim to the land, and was forced
out from the property. It belonged to Craig Kutcher.

*Note: the sound of rattling of picture frames is heard*

FRANK: Whoa. That was kind of weird, there was a weird rattling noise, you hear that?

DOUG: This place is haunted okay? I do not know how, but somehow Craig knew it and so do the Dover's. It is not a joke, or a game. If you
want to study it or whatever, that is your problem, but we really want to leave this place, Sheila is already in the car, okay? Main thing
you should know is three things about this place, and you can record it. One, That Kutcher, was some kind of devil worshipper, and I do not
know what he was doing, or what is out there, but it is real, and I want out.

FRANK: Hang on, what kinds of things happen?

DOUG: One day, okay? I was out checking on my prized bulls. These are thousand dollar bulls. I REMEMBER locking them in the fence with wire.
The wire was gone, the next morning and my bulls had to be rounded up again, which took all day, mmk? I thought, well... maybe I forgot after all,
and I locked em up again, this time with chains. Next morning, I found them missing, I couldn't find them, and the chains were still there. I
looked everywhere for them, until I found them finally, in some sort of trance.

FRANK: Okay, hold up, you say the chains were still locked in the pen? Was there any damage to the pen at all? Broken fencing...

DOUG: No, you don't understand, they were still in the pen, just held up in a small shed we keep there for their feed, you dont get it, it was
JUST large enough, that they all fit inside, not an inch between them, Bulls, NEVER do that, Not ever. The second they were out of their trance
and came to, they panicked, it was like, they suddenly realized they were crammed, and beckoned to come out, and tore their way out of the shed,
out of the pen, and it was a hell of a time, locating them, we even lost two. It really cost us there.

FRANK: How odd... That does sound very strange.

DOUG: Between that and the strange lights out in the skies over the woods and within them, the things moving and going missing at night and even
during the day, the constant rattling and I can't describe it... There is somethere here...

*There is a brief minute and thirty seconds of sound missing at this point of the recording*

FRANK: Did you see that? What was that?

DEBBIE: Oh my god! It was like some kind of shadow just whizzing past the hallway there, did you see that?

DOUG: It's here! I am telling you, are you convinced? I don't want it to take a hold of me again, I won't let it!

FRANK: We gotta go outside, okay, let's just get out for a minute.

*Rumbling and footsteps heard, the door swiftly being open and the sounds of the three leaving, closing it behind them*

Voice thirty seconds later picked up on the recorder translated from ancient greek: Daily Dance to higher realms we sing, I will be the
next Cosmic King.

*There is several minutes of white noise following, then the sound of Debbie rushing in and grabbing the recorder pressing stop*

Debbie runs back outside. Where Doug is already in his car, window down, with Frank continuing to plead with him to continue the
conversation atleast, He didn't know what that was, and it scared him like no tomorrow, but he saw it with his own eyes, paranormal activity!
Finally! He wanted to know everything! His mind is racing, his heart is pounding, like like, WOW!
Debbie isn't as thrilled. She considers herself kind of 'in tune' with sensations beyond the living, and she felt a paranoia about the
experience. She couldn't shake it. "What, the FUCK Frank, WAS that!?"
"I don't know, I don't know." He turns towards Doug, and takes out his check book. "I will add an extra zero to this if you just tell
me the other two things, please!"
"What two things?" Sheila asks Doug, to which he sighs. "Alright. fine." He stops the motor and gets out. Sheila, confused let's out a
loud sigh, signifying she isn't exactly happy. "You need to know, that there is something there, right? That was number one, This Kutcher guy,
was missing, this place was abandoned, some say he still roams these woods, I never did believe them, I even told myself though... Its possible,
that thing you saw, WAS Kutcher, somehow finding a way to be a shadow of darkness, lurking in that house, I wouldn't doubt it.
"Oh wow... are you hearing this Debs?" Frank turns to his colleague, who is still kind of stunned by the situation, nods.
"The second thing you should know is..." Doug Gulps. "There are creatures out there, just like in this book. You will find the one,
in the library, and you can't miss the one I mean." "Gus would tell me, the Natives were the ones to have written it, given it was made with
skin as parchment of Buffalo, and the markings on it, the art, very realistic and defined, not something I'd expect from natives, and at first
I didn't gave it much thought, that is until I saw enough of them to know they too, exist."
"Wait, what kind of creatures are we talking here?" Frank asks, as Debbie has a thought of pressing the recorder again.

DOUG: Do not question it, I have seen enough of them, and you will too if you remain long enough. Damned creatures. Gus claims they come from
what the natives refer as the spirit world, and are very mischevious and untamed, Wolves, ravens, and the bear, oh god, the BEAR. Shadows, darkness,
these are their tools, and do not trust, ever, unnatural light.

FRANK: I don't think I completely understand, and I have added that extra zero here, because I think I can wrap my head around it once I see
that book, so go on and tell me about the third thing, and I'll add another.

DOUG: The third thing... The third thing is, that mirrors, reflections, and those lights, are how they travel from place to place, one can
say this place, somehow has an effect on how access to our plane or whatever you call it is. You will find circles of stones, and totems,
and other ancient looking things not far from here, out in the woods there, amongst the trails. Sometimes, I've seen things come through
them, wisp away somewhere else, and beware, most of all, and this one, save an extra zero.

FRANK: Well what?

*Doug is heard entering his car*

DOUG: Some things can haunt you, take you over, and pray, it never happens, to you.

END

As the recording stops, it was as soon asDoug swiped the check out of the hand of Frank and drove off. It was like he saw something that spooked
him, and that was the final straw, he HAD to go, he had had, enough. Even his wife, looked dead tired, and even looked marked in places,
like cuts and bruises. Frank wondered if Doug may have beaten her or something, but after what he saw, and heard, he was willing, to give
the man a huge benefit of the doubt.

"Well, congratulations Frank!" Debbie yells at him. "What a shit show this is, I mean dear god, you actually bought this place,
for 3 million dollars?"
"Who wouldn't Debs, we are talking about real paranormal stuff, we can document it, study this sorta thing, if the stories are
true we got a real gold mine here of information about well... well... everything!" Frank exclaims, looking at the house in wonder, hands
raised in the air in glory.
"I am glad YOU are excited!" She kinda hisses back in a sharp tone. "Don't you kind of see a certain danger to the things that
man said?" His excitement does kinda spiral to a bit of fear. "The guy is talking about possession, lights in the sky, paranormal activity
beyond our control, and I know exactly what it is you are thinking, like hey, lets bait and it have proof, NO, FRANK, JUST NO!" She gets in
her car, the only car here and out, until his wife arrives in limo. Should be anytime now, unless Tom got them lost somehow.
"Cmon Debbie, Wait!" He yells, as she turns off her car, and gets out.
"I am only going to do this, because, I wan't answers." She turns back into her trunk, pulling out a video camera, super high
quality, records at different spectrums of light at the same time, super sophisticated. "I hate you for this, I want you to know that!" She
slams the trunk. "And I want a raise!" She points her finger at him threateningly.
"I got alot riding on this place Debbie, my one last big shot." He pleads. "We are talking about full fledged documentable proof in
there, and alot to go off on, I mean, stone circles and totems, ruins maybe out there, creatures and lights, portals, its like a phenomena
fanatics nerdgasm here, aren't you atleast curious?"
"What are we dealing with here, Frank?" She says, seeming to give up her threatening tone. "I mean, jesus christ."
"I know right?" Frank replies, with a sigh. "What was that thing?"
"It was like some kind of man, but it was like, a shadow at the same time, right? It was like, darker then dark." She says, putting
the camera on the hood of her car, then taking a pack of smokes out of her coat. Lighting that cancer stick, shaking still. "But what if it
gets bad?"
"Look. If it makes you feel better, I will call upon all the best people I know, hire the best." He says reassuringly. "Barry Underwood,
okay, THE Barry Underwood, recommended this place, and is coming by tomorrow, if not for him, I would have never even heard of this place."
"I guess I see your point." She thinks for a moment, then the lightbulb hits. "Can you get Eric to come?" Frank lets out a loud burst
of laughter for a moment at the thought. Perhaps more inside then outside after all but still, the concept was laughable.
"I guess I can try calling him." He pauses. "Didn't you two used to date?"
"Not really." She blushes. "Eric was always kind of, always observant of everything, but at the same time, he was always also
oblivious to everything." WHACRACK! A loud sudden noise from behind them at the house is heard.
"Get the camera, quick quick quick." He orders as he jogs towards the house. His curiousity outweighs the risk. Evidence to be
captured. She instantly drops her cigarette and grabs the camera with little to no hesitation, and proceeds to follow Frank a short distance behind.

For reference, the following is transcribed as per what is seen on the video itself and heard.

VIDEO RECORDING

Frank rushes into the house as the camera is fixated on the back of his head. The lights of the hallway of the entry are flickering,
and fluttering. A few feet in Frank is just standing still, unmoving.

DEBBIE: Frank? What is it?

He doesn't appear to even respond, until he moves only his hand for her to summon the camera forward, to see what he is.

DEBBIE: Oh my god, who is that? Is that a girl?

Frank turns and puts his index finger to his lips urging her to hush.

The girl on the screen, is hard to see with all the flickering and the static the expensive camera is seeming to have, it shouldn't be happening.
She looks so sad, and oddly pale.

Frank turns to the camera.

FRANK: You know Doug and Sheila had a daughter, right? Said she went out into the woods and was shredded apart. All kinds of local gossip regarding
it, could this be her?

The camera peers in enough to see that the girls eyes are illuminating a bright red. A loud pitch scream comes belting out of her mouth, so loud,
and so dramatic, the camera is dropped, screen cracked. Frank is seen on his knees holding desperately unto his ears, eyes closed, in sheer terror.
With each flicker of light, this little girl moved, zzt, there she was, zzt there she wasnt, zzt there she was closer, and closer, and gone. Just, vanished.
lights returning to normal. Yet there is a distinct whisper of a young girls voice, saying: You shouldn't be here. Then for a few moments atleast, silence.

Frank eventually is seen taking his hands off his ears, looking around, and at Debbie who picks up the camera, and despite it being cracked,
continues to record, just in case. She was scared, you could tell from the footage, by the shaking of it.

FRANK: Think you caught her on camera?

DEBBIE: Yes. Yes I think so.

FRANK: That was scary, huh? First day, and so much activity. Think that was really her? Could she be alive?

DEBBIE: Are you kidding me? The way that thing moved? Those eyes? That thing just wasn't human!

Banging and dropping of pans it sounds like is heard coming from the kitchen, in continuous fashion, Frank is seen shuddering in fear, almost falling
backwards when they start, as it continued, he would draw closer. After a few minutes before they reach the kitchen swing door, to investigate, the noises
stop. The camera reveals an ordinary looking kitchen, in perfect order. No pans on the floor, no mess, and no one around within to have caused the noise.

DEBBIE: Cans outside maybe?

FRANK: Maybe, but those are by the other window by the back door aren't they? Some acoustics.

Camera looks around by Debbie's perspective, checking the cupboards. Not even a rat, in fact, the place is well kept. After about an hour of footage
of them scoping out the house, waiting for something else to happen, nothing did.

DEBBIE: Its been an hour and we are almost out of film, let's finish up outside with a reaction interview, I need some air.

END OF VIDEO

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

'

Chapter Seven - Hold

Not usually much for the side of adventure or interest in the unexplained, or mysterious, or UFO's,
no, TREVOR DENT, author of some books you never heard of probably, never DID make much publicity, but got enough
scratch to get by, and that as a writer, is usually as much as one can hope for.
He wrote about mainly things like detective stories about corrupt politicians, real stuff, and he rode
that horse as it were for quite a while, until he hit a wall. The inspirations weren't hitting, nothing was coming up
on his computer screen with Notepad. The words just weren't coming. His publisher, suggested to try to do more
fantasy style writing. Dive into different roots, and see about doing something new, just for a book or two, atleast,
after all his novels did, 'Okay' for that sort of genre. Trevor decided to take him up on that. He always thought
about it, and tried.
His screen was as blank as any other story he has had these days. No inspiration. Trevor sighs. His eyes
veer to a magazine, has an article about a familiar face from highschool.
"Why if it isn't Dank Frank, all grown up." Laughs. "That stoner becomes a millionaire, and me?" Blows
out another hit of weed from his bong. "Why I the great Trevor Dent live in such luxury!" A cough, a snort, and
that all too familiar combination of doing that plus laughing stoners tend to do, he does. Good Stuff.
They used to be good friends, so it is not like he had anything against the man. They grew up, Frank would
find the Dank weed and share it with him as they get baked out in his mom's shed. 'I swear, I am gonna find that skunk
one day!' He can hear his mom say, whenever she went out to the shed. The memory causes another bout of snorting and
coughing laughter.
Of course, the age old question is, now that is he rich, will he share some? Just kidding. I am too modest.
Although, from the looks of this article...


ECCENTRIC MILLIONAIRE FUNDS EXPEDITION TO UFO'S

Last Year, brilliant investor and technological guru, Frank Chamberlain has set his sights on the stars, as he
vows publicly last week, he will provide evidence for the world, the existence of UFO's or how we as Humans,
can one day go, where no man, has gone before.
While skeptics across the nation do not take him too seriously,
It is safe to assume, that this man has alot of heart and dedi-
cation, to the cause of finding out that age old question, Are
we alone, in the universe. Recently, it is said that he is l-
ooking to purchase land in an undisclosed woodland, that will
promise, a new age of looking at things all phenomena. They in
fact have a video, of a haunted moment they claim, of a young
girl, telling them; "You shouldn't be here" is clearly heard,
after what can only be described as the worst scream you can
ever hear. So bad, in fact, it is pulled off the internet, by
the FCC as a risk to public safety. Frank had little to no more
comment after that event.
By: David B. Anderson
(Blacked out) Magazine

"Well that..." He squints, to see if what he is reading is right, looking at the face of his old highschool
chum funding paranormal research into little green men and flying saucers? "... Is interesting." He picks up the phone.
After a quick check on the number dials the extention and number for Mr. Anderson at the Magazine. Looks at his bong.
'Maybe he finally smoked his brains loose after getting lucky.' Puts it down. "Hello, David?"
"Yes, I am David Anderson. Can I help you?" The voice on the other end replies.
"I am Trevor Dent, perhaps you heard of me by chance? I am a writer and, I was looking for inspiration, going
through the old year books and, well..."
"I gotta stop you right there Trevor, hold on, I am expecting an important call, and one is coming in now..." Elevator
style music is heard, some lyricless song to drive you nuts as you wait for basic human contact. Being placed on hold can be
so annoying. Bubbles up the bong again, why not, and searches his old highschool chum on the internet. Turns out the man made
quite a living for himself, in fact, scored a hawtie of a wife. Trevor whistles appreciatevely, seeing some of her, more
provacative photos of dresses worn in public with Frank at big wig gatherings. "Must be nice..."
"Excuse me, what must be nice?" Voice on the other end comes on, unnoticing that the music had been halted, and David
has returned to the phone.
"Oh nothing." Trevor replies. "So anyway, I was calling, because I was going through a yearbook and remembered my old
friend from highschool, Frank Chamberlain? You did an interview with him a month back, wonderin if writer to writer you could
do me a solid and get me back in touch"
"Oh." Brief pause. "I am sorry, who is this?"
"Trevor? Trevor Dent?" No response.
"Hang on." That blasted music returns.
"Damn it..." Takes another hit to calm down, putting the phone inbetween his elbow and ear. 'This is stupid. He isn't
going to give me his number or anything, dude is a millionaire, wants his privacy.'
After a few moments, Trevor got bored and turned on the television, some, documentary on the Chupacabra or something
is on. How odd to think cattle can lose their blood, sucked right out of their bodies into walking little vampires. Cattle
Mutilations... He shivers at the thought.
"I am sorry, Mr. Bent, was it?" David asks as he returns to him from placing him on hold for a good twenty minutes,
well, maybe only five or so, strange with pot how time kinda bends.
"Dent." Trevor replies smoothly. "Trevor Dent"
"Right." He says and then an awkward silence. "What was it you wanted?"
"Well, I am a writer, and I was going through old times and memories and remembered my old buddy, Frank Chamberlain,
your article really jogged my memory, was hoping you could get me in touch with him."
"What about?" David says, his voice kinda has an urgency to it, as if to say, move along, time is money. "Mr. Chamberlain
is a millionaire and as far as I know, out to purchase some property in the middle of nowhere, I don't even know if the cell number
he gave me still works or ever did."
"I ain't out for money or a fanatic, I didn't even KNOW he was a millionaire until I saw the article, to be honest, I thought
this would be the cure for my writers block, you know how that is, right?" Trevor says. It was pretty honest, though he wondered how
well after all this time, his old highschool stoner buddy of a few kids, he remembered him anyway. Was like gosh, 18 years ago.
"...I guess I will do you one better Mr. Dent." He says. "Why don't you come down with me to where he is at, as a secondary
writer, I could use a counter exclusive or a secondary opinion."
Trevor watches as on the screen there is a cow that was mutilated shown, and the men are all talking about the precision
cuts that are on the corpses. "You can't make that kinda cut but with lazers, but look, no burn marks!"
"You say, you can take me to Frank? How? When?" Trevor asks, intrigued but, David was in LA, he was in Montana, I mean
quite the distance away.
"Give me your information and I will afford you a ticket, for some reason, I don't want to do this alone and no one here
at the newsreel wants in on this, you want to see Mr. Chamberlain, I can make it happen."
And so, Trevor Dent, flew out to the State where the Wood resides, to meet up with the Magazine writer. Whom just talked
to Frank, urging David to come for credibility. Something was happening there, and the story must be told. Who can say why Trevor
called or David just offered out of nowhere the opportunity, but one thing for sure was, people were being drawn to this place. Seed
planted, awaiting to sprout.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eight: Meet, the Peterson's


"Shoot!" SHAUN PETERSON remarks, tugging his wife's hand, following a train about to leave. "We are late!"
"Hold your horses a sec," PATTY PETERSON pants, "It is not so easy to run in these heels, you know!" Click click
click trot, her ankle bends slightly just right to hurt. She wants to stop but he keeps tugging her arm, forcing her onward,
click click trot click click click trot trot, SNAP* "Ahhh!" She falls forward. falling underneath the train. She can hear the squeel
as if the train is about to move. She can hear her husband yelling for the train to wait. With a single turn of its wheels,
it did, by gods grace. It stops just before a bar hanging low underneath would have taken her head off, if one more wheel turn
transpired... It all happened so fast. "Oh my god, Oh my god! Help, Help! Someone get me out of here!!! Shaun!?"
"I am here sweety," He says. "I am here with the security guy, youre gonna be fine, take my hand." After being pulled
out from underneath she felt a cross between the panic she felt, and the feeling she almost died and embarassment, for being drug out in
front of all these people from underneath the train. The feeling of vulnerability was enough to faint. "Oh my god sweety, I
am so so sorry..."
"I am okay, Shaun, for fucksake, let's just get on the train, can we do that now? Jesus." She remarks, as the security
guard helps her to first class, an upgrade coach that was available.
The coach seating was nice and private, they were offered whatever food or beverage they had to offer aboard the train,
but they were refused by Shaun. He wasn't sure what kind of mood she was in, and was more worried about her, then anything else,
at this point. Suddenly, she becomes aware she is being stared at, as the whistle blows and the engine rolls.
"What, Shaun!?" She stares at him blankly but angrily. He looks at her still a little, innervingly, trying to shake off
need of reply. She loved him and everything, but honestly, if he wasn't such in a damn hurry, dragging her along, she wouldn't have
fell under a train and nearly die. She just needed some air, some time to think, be alone in her thoughts, and his stares were like
added thoughts in her already racing mind.
"You nearly died, for fuck sakes, Patty, don't you atleast want to talk about it?" Shaun eventually has the nerve to say,
a few miles down the way. After a brief pause of looking at the window, and back at her, then couldn't help but to stare.
"I am alive, so whatever, Shaun." She sighs. "What a way to start this little venture, hmm? Going out to find ghosts,
and spirits, and almost join em."
"Think it is a sign or something?" Shaun says with a slight grin. "We don't have to..." A slight bump along the tracks
causes him to hop a little.
"All or nothing right?" She says with a deep and terrifying glare, that almost made him scared enough to wish the train
did take her. That there was Patty's look of death, he called it. The glare she'd give, just before she would hurl a pot or pan,
pencil, ashtray, whatever was around at him. He knew why too. That was the line he used to convince her not only, to join him
out on this venture, but to rekindle a dead and almost divorcing marriage. 'All or nothing, right?' Only when HE said it, it
wasn't used as a glare phrase weapon of an atomic bomb.
He sighed. "I love you, Patty, you know that don't you still?"
"Yeah yeah, love you too." She waves him away with her hand, and stares out the window, curdling up to it, just watching
the clouds, and the mountains as they go by. The pines, the trees, the rivers and lakes, along the way, along the way to THE WOOD.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Nine - Curiousity and the Cat


Jenny's Diner was pretty quiet. A few locals sure, reading their morning papers and jibber jabber amongst,
themselves, drinking their coffee. Not many are ordering actual food, and Gloria, the waitress, was bored. Days
like this, were welcome, all things considered. Nothing much going on, meant nothing bad was going on.
If it wasn't one thing, it was another. First, old Gus urks everywhere on the floor a few weeks ago, black
tar like stuff, that was quite hard to clean. Still don't quite know what all that was he spat up, but it wasn't her
cooking. Some stranger happens by and wants Doug's number of all people.
Why anyone would want to go out to that dreaded place, let alone BUY it, is beyond her. Nothing good,
ever came out of that place. She can remember when she was only twelve, she saw something out in that property,
she still to this day couldn't tell what, for sure. Her mother and father as realters were asked by the bank to
check out the Kutcher farm, to her dismay, Gloria had to go along.
"Excuse me..." A man seems to suddenly be in front of her commands her attention, awakening her from old
haunting memories. "...Are you okay?" Her eyes refocus, mind coming back to reality.
"Yes, yes, sure thing shug, I be okay..." She replies, gaining back her usual energy. "...What can I do ya'll
for?" Noticing its not just one men, but a whole group of people who just walked in. She kind of eyes around at them
a little bit as three or four of them are sitting down.
"I am Mick Jones, with Ghost Catchers, maybe you have seen our show on TV?" The man says, offering his
hand. "You wouldn't know anything about hauntings, or paranormal stuff going on in the next town over, this, (Blacked
out) ?" Recent memories of a few weeks ago, made her dangerously tiresome of stories of the strange and paranormal.
"I don' know what yer talking about shug, can I get ya'll somethin to eat?" Gloria says, trying to dodge
the conversation and discussions all over again, especially if they were some TV show people. "I got the best
breakfast you ever had, that I can cook up for sure, its the special, you wont regret it." She tries to entice them,
she really WAS proud of her cooking, her specials. The locals seemed to like to fill up on them.
"Sure! Five specials, one for each of us, why not?" The man named Mick shows a grin. To Gloria, he just
seemed creepy. Dark, slicked back hair, teeth way too white, and that grin, for some reason it made her shiver.
As she turns away to prepare their heart clogger breakfast, the man says. "Barry Underwood said that he came here
on his way to town here, and that it was the place to get a low down on some of the local legend."
"That Man is not welcome in my diner." She stops for a moment. "If you are in association with him or wish,
to continue this conversation sugar, I suggest you keep on truckin, and don' let the door hit ye ass on the way out."
"Dear gawd, Gloria!" Darla speaks from across the counter, sitting on her usual stool. "Don' be so hard on
them folk, they jus' curious."
"Know what happened to the cat, considering curiousity?" Gloria barks back. "Only this time, these fools are
the cat."
"Well then let's hope we walk away satisfied huh?" Mick intervenes, trying to break the ice. "After all,
that's what brought the cat back."
"You're an idiot." Gloria replies and walks back into the kitchen, the sounds of her angrily preparing food
and banging pots and slamming cupboards is a sign to Mick, that it was a touchy subject.
"Did I say something wrong?" Mick turns to Darla. "Do I smell or something, remind her of an old boyfriend
or something?" He didn't intend on offending anyone. Seemed odd.
"That man you spoke of, Barry, last he was here..." Darla sips her coffee a moment. She seemed she didn't
need coffee to Mick, her eyes, seemed sunk in, like she hadn't slept for days. "... Was the last time, ol Gus, was
alive."
"I am... Sorry to hear that." Mick replies. "I didn't mean to..."
"It's alright." Darla says in a warm tone. "The man was nice enough to help us to my car."
"We honestly, were just hired by Frank Chamberlain, to head out to where he is at, the Becket farm." Mick
says, deciding to push it. He can hear another pan banging on a counter in the kitchen. Gloria eaves are dropping.
"For a living we seek out the paranormal and unexplained, and try to capture footage and evidence of it, in fact,
for five years we have been doing this, all we wanted really was some local insight on the place and..."
"Gonna stop you right there shug..." Gloria comes storming out. "... Get out!"
"But..."
"Now, all of you, just get out, and if there is more of you coming, this Diner is off limits, you hear!?"
Those sitting at the table, make careful haste outside to their bus, ~Ghost Catchers~ in letters painted on the
sides.
"Can you atleast tell me what I did wrong, what I said, I am sorry?" Mick pleads at the glass door. "We
normally don't get this sort of reaction from people inquiring about these kinds of things, I didn't know, okay?"
Darla gets up and urges him outside with her, waving goodbye to Gloria, who is now flipping them off as
they leave. In the parking lot, Mick was just going to continue walking to the bus and go when a hand catches him
by the arm.
"There is one thing Gus, would always say be important, to tell all who would dare venture to that nightmare
of a place." She says. Mick in all his years of doing this, has never felt such intensity before. "It is haunted,
the people who go there are chanted' and if you ever stay long enough, you will never leave or be the same again."
"So there is a legend." Mick says, pulling out his notebook. "How is it haunted, and you say people there
get enchanted somehow?"
"Put that thing down and listen to me a second." Darla says urgently, shedding a brief tear. "That man Gus
I told you about, the man who died..." Mick nods in recollection. "...Him and Doug Becket were like brothers,
marines together, and that place both changed Doug, and scared the shit, out of Gus." "Can you imagine?" "A marine
scared of a little ghost stories, right?"
"Doug is at the property now, finalizing the sale of the property, I think, you say he is enchanted?" Mick
inquires. That would be interesting, wonder what a chanted' person does that is so different.
"There is something out there in that wood, and if you seek to find hauntings and ghosts, you will find
it, but beware, what you wish for." Darla says, unlocks her car door. "If Doug and Shiela leave, I pray, that
they are not too late to escape it."
The sounds of a car speeling its tires and losing control can be heard from the main road, Mick and Darla
were barely able to avoid it as the vehicle slams her car forward 15 feet, they can only watch, as the car
swirves, and crashes finally to a stop in the corner of the diner.
"Oh my god! That's, Doug's car!" Darla exclaims in shock. Mick running towards the accident, it was an
old instinct within him, he HAD to make sure every one was okay. Safety was his big concern.
"Julie, call 911!" Mick yells towards the bus, where Julie and two others were seen standing outside of it
still, only David, was inside. She pulls for her cell phone, turns it on, shakes it, holds it in the air. She yells
for Mick. "There's no signal, Mick!" She wasn't sure he could hear him.
Mick looks inside the car windows. Sure enough, he can see Doug Becket in there, looks like he banged his
head on the steering column pretty hard, but is moving, and coming to. The passenger, Shiela, Darla said her name
was, wasn't visibly so lucky, she looks as those her head shattered the window glass and fragments of it, lay
buried in her skull, and lifeless body, only held up, by the seatbelt. Mick wastes no time, and somehow manages
to pull the drivers side door open, and undo the seatbelt of Doug, pulling him out.
A large amount of swearing and gasps are heard from behind him during his rescues as Gloria comes to find
herself in another horrifying situation that any waitress should ever have to endure. First Gus, now a car accident
right outside, this was terrible, and majorly inconvenient.
"Jesus Fuck, its Becket!" Gloria yells, as the man lay on the ground, coughing, barely holding on to life.
Mick tries the passenger door for Shiela, jammed. heads back around, tries to unbuckle her, also jammed. It was at
that moment, at the corner of his eye, he saw a spark, emit a small flame toward the engine. Pulls out a pocket knife
and franticly works at the woman's seat belt. The notion that she might already be dead and he should leave isn't even
appearing in his mind, he was gonna get her out, one way or another, if ONLY, this darn seat belt, would give a little.
saw, pull, saw, pull, watch as the flame grows.
"Get out of there, its gonna explode!" Darla yells. Mick can feel it. He supposed it is how bomb defusers must
feel, knowing, without even looking at the timer, that there was that impending immediate doom, and you only have mere
precious moments, to live. Finally! The seatbelt gives and Mick is now able to drag the woman's body past where he
dropped and left Doug. Strange, he is no longer there. Looks around. Nowhere... Oh well.
Mick lays the woman on the ground. She isn't breathing. CPR time. Julie is now at her head, trying to get the
woman's airway open. At timing with the first chest compression, did the car indeed, explode. 2, 3, checks, no heartbeat.
Julie can only watch as the car is now in flames, shards of what it used to contains fall down around them. She felt
that one.
"Julie! Pay attention!" Mick yells, still trying, to revive this poor woman. Each pump from his hands, has
GOT to be the one that does it, the one that gives that tha thump sound. "Did you call 911?"
"She is dead Mick." Julie says concerned. Mick, tears in his eyes, like a mad doctor, refusing to give up on
a corpse, continues. "I tried calling 911, but there is no signal, I can't get a ring out."
"Damnit Julie!" Mick says, finally giving up, backing up enough to lean back with his hands on the ground.
"You act its like its my fault there's no signal, you can be such a dick, Mick." Julies barks back and goes
to the bus, full intent of just sitting in there, and wanting to just leave. How could they? It was going to be a
while, Mick knew it. Where was this woman's husband anyway? Looks around. I don't see him anywhere, shouldn't he be
wondering about his wife, or too injured to move anywhere?
"I got the Sherrif on the local horn here, the landline." Gloria says to the small group surrounding things.
"Help is on it's way."
"Good." Mick says, standing to his feet, still looking around, to try to find the man he saved. "Did you see
where that guy went?" He asks the crowd. Suddenly, they too are involved in the confusion, and searching around with
their eyes, Doug Becket, nowhere to be seen. Mick spots a faint blood trail, heading towards the main road, but, it
fades after several feet, as if he crawled off a little bit, and just... vanished.
"Doug? Where are you!?" Darla cries out, trying to see if he went inside the diner, not in there...
"Doug Becket! If you are out there you better hope I don' find you, if your alive, you will pay for my wall
and I will kill you myself!" It was going to take weeks, to get the diner back open. Jenny was going to throw a
major fit. She looks down at poor Shiela. Could be worse. Could be you.
"I'll find him." Jake the snake, a local wildlife hunter proclaims as he fires up his big rig. "If he walkin'
long this here road, ill find em." "How that chanted son of a bitch could walk away after somethin like that is beyond
me." The man may be known as "The snake" in town, but he had a point.
To Mick all he could do is just kind of stand there and take in everything, it didn't make much sense, but
it was plausible, somehow he wandered off, but he couldn't have made it far. He was barely conscious when I saved him.
Weird.
"So uh..." Devon says to Mick from behind, almost scaring him. "Should we wait around for the cops, or, I mean..."
"I guess I should, I did try to revive the woman, saved the driver." he replies.
"Where is that guy anyway?" Devon says scratching his head. "How come he ain't ya know, right there beside this
poor soul?" Points to Shiela's body.
"I wish I knew..." Mick says, taking off his shirt and cleaning off his hands with it. Luckily he had an extra
underneath. Such a fad to wear longsleeves under short ones. "... Been puzzlin' over that one for the last few minutes."
"Well..." Devon turns towards the bus. "Julie is pretty flipped." Gives out a brief chuckle for a moment. Julie
flipping out? What's new? This time though, it was pretty understandable.
"Yeah." Was all Mick could reply at first. So many thoughts racing past, none holding. So much happened, and
with this Doug Becket guy missing, the very guy he himself saved, and who's boss bought land from, is missing, when
he should be close to death's door. He shouldn't be in any kind of shape to be able to just, trot on out of here.
"What a way to start things out, seek out the strange and the stories, and become a part of something strange, with
a story to tell later, that's for sure."
Sirens can now be heard at a great distance, finally, they show. Still, thirty minutes and all these people
searching, still no sign of Doug. Shiela's status, unfortunately, unchanged. He didn't know her, but something
about her just kinda made Mick feel like, he coulda, or would have liked her.
"She was the nicest young mother, so tragic." Darla says as they lift her corpse into the ambulance.
"Perhaps now, she can alas, find some much deserved peace."
"You say she was a mother?" Mick turns towards the car, still burning, despite the arrival of the one firetruck of
the town. He hoped to god a child wasn't in there when it burst into flames, he couldn't forgive himself.
"She had a daughter that died, poor thing wasn't the same after that." Darla says, stomping out a cig, blowing
out the carbonous air, thick and white while continuing to say, "Perhaps now they are together, that's what I choose
to believe, what I want to." She pauses. "I don't dare to think, where my mind wanders, of what happens to those who die
whilst chanted, Shiela WAS such a dear nice woman."
"You keep speaking of enchantment, do I dare ask?" Mick was in no more mood for stepping on toes. Or much of
anything, wasn't even sure he wanted to continue on, though the others would pressure and talk him into going anyway.
I mean cmon, a millionaire asks your shows staff to check out what could be the most haunted place on the planet, by
explanation.
"Some say, its like possession, or whatever, but it's deeper then that." Darla pats him on the shoulder.
"It is like, it plants a seed in you, and keeps haunting you, laughing at you, watching it grow, until finally, you
can't take anymore and it keeps going, and going, to the point you no longer care." "At least, that is what Shiela
said just a month or so ago, she wanted out, but feared what that could mean, like... What if that seed, spreads?"
"You don't really believe all that do you ma'am?" Devon asks. "I mean, possession, seeds in people, it's the
stuff of movies, conjurations of a woman who lost her daughter and the ravings of a man with sudden cabin fever."
"Devon!" Mick barks. "This is not the time for your theories."
"Gus believed it was true." Darla says. "That is enough for me to believe it too, that man has seen all kinds
of things, things he said he cant believe he saw." "Oh how I miss him."
"Don't you see what this all is?" He whispers to Mick. "It's like the loch ness story, one person tells the
story of a sighting and soon you got hundreds, local folk legend."
"Be polite, and who knows, I did witness a man just vanish." Mick says.
"Did you say vanish?" A loud burly voice from behind asks. Turns to see it is a rather large and husky black
man, wearing a police uniform. This must be the sherrif. Who would want to do crime in a town with him as the main law,
I mean dear god, he stands what, seven feet plus? Biceps the size of my head, Mick thinks to himself.
"Oh, officer, um..." Mick thinks to how he should begin.
"Gloria tells me you pulled the Becket's out of their vehicle, after he reportedly smashes into Darla's car here,and
slam's on the side of Jenny's Diner, is that correct?" Sherrif Woods asks. Sunglasses revealing no eyes, darkened and reflective.
"That is correct." Mick responds.
"Did you happen to see where Mr. Becket took off to, after you saved him?" Woods looks around a moment, then draws
back full attention to Mick and Devon.
"Must have taken off somehow, or was carried out of here, while I was trying to save his wife, but I don't know."
Mick says. "I really don't see how he could have taken off after that."
"Likely..." Woods says, examining the bus, then with an inquisitive raise of an eyebrow continues. "... the man
in question didn't want to be found, and is evading responsibility, we have to cover all angles..." A voice barely audible
to him comes over the radio at his side, and watches Woods turn around and respond something.
"So um, we were on our way out to the old Becket property, can we go now?" Devon asks the officer.
"You say you are going out to the farm the driver owns?" The sherrif pauses. "Why on god's green earth, would
you want to be doing something like that, boy?" "Don't you know them woods are haunted?" Peers over to the bus again.
"Well, I suppose that is the point, isn't it?" The sherrif sighs.
"We are hired by Frank Chamberlain sir, he should have actually just bought the place, if you just call and talk
to him..." Mick tries to explain. They werent just some ghost chasers trespassing, they were invited there, after all.
"Alright. Alright." He sighs again. "You may go, I know where to find you, if I got any more questions, we will find him."
"Thankyou officer!" Devon says enthusiastically, perhaps too much so, given the situation. For some reason, they
felt like they were on thin ice, despite doing nothing wrong. Who wouldn't though, with a giant sherrif towering over you
asking questions. His mere voice sounded like that of some holy being from the heavens, it just, ya know, boomed.
"Alright, let's go." Mick says.
The Sheriff turns a moment, and catches one good look at them, shook his head and continued on. He didn't remember very many cars in the
lot though that could have taken Becket or remembered anyone driving off, but his mind settles with that answer, someone had to
have somehow taken Becket somewhere, and in a hurry, watch the roads, scan the woods, will find him, solving the mystery. Case solved.
Yet that nagging mystery remains still, like a small shock of an electric fence's remnant energy. Something was a miss.
It did seem strange to him, and awfully coincidental, the man who just sold his property should crash, into a Diner, in
front of company of the new owner, only to be saved from his exploding vehicle and just vanish himself when near dead. Made his
head hurt.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Ten

Ashley was kinda stunned to see where her mom was pulling into.
"What are we doing here?" She asked. Ruth looked worried and puzzled. Yet, there was a
spirit inside that kept persisting to go through with things, all or nothing.
"For one, I don't know what to do." Ruth was being dreadfully honest, more then she perhaps
intended. It was the look in those 'Dover Boys' eyes. She could not shake the memory of them. Dead,
devoid of life, yet they moved. 'Chanted' the clerk guy said, who hasn't seen a bath in a week atleast
from the way he had looked. They slammed her car hood, without warning. Enchanted or not, there was
something wrong with them, and she had to do something...
"What are you gonna tell em, mom?" Her daughter asks annoyingly. "Some strange guys were out
front of a store and the clerk scared them off?" She could see the tears forming in her mom's eyes,
felt her pain, and immediately, started to form her own. Her mom, now hiding in her hands. "Look, mom,
I didn't mean it, I am sorry..."
"No..." Sniffles. "You're right..." Ruth whipes tears, trying to gain herself, one eye at a
time, yet a little waterworks, still proceed. "...You weren't out there though, or really saw them."
She turns and she could see her mom's fear. "One second they were just standing there, next to our
car, blank stares off to nowhere, and the next, after I got my purse, they are near me, threatening
me, violent!" She shudders, and clutches her chest tightly as a knock on the glass of her car is
tapped loudly three times. "Can I help you?" A muffled voice beyond the glass next to her is heard.
She almost forgot where she was, back at that moment.
"Atleast roll down the window mom..." Ashley says, as Ruth looks at her daughter, losing a
few seconds to blank nothing. She turns, to see a rather young looking, well groomed officer standing
there. The kind she would expect to see in some different kind of place like a major city. She rolls
down the window.
"Hi there, Ma'am." He says, taking off his hat revealing slicked back dark hair. My god, is
he handsome. I don't see a wedding band either, cmon, Ruth, Focus. "I noticed you were out here a
few minutes and uh, Is everything okay?" For some reason she was just snap, back to reality, just
how it goes, wipes what remains of tears from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Well... I was attacked, and everyone is alright, and no one got injured, just, these two
men..." As she began she saw him look down and nod. He knew. KNEW, what she was talking about.
"...Well look at my Car!"
"I did notice that, you say the Dover boys caused this?" Observes the hood more closely,
was quite the dents all over the car. "Got a call, bout oh, 10 to 20 minutes ago from a clerk at
a gas station, Sherrif is kinda busy, was about to head there right now as we speak, been surprisingly
busy last few days."
"Can't imagine much happens way out here." Ruth says with a smile. This officer, smiling
just right back.
"I can file here a report, but I am afraid it be some time before we can get to them,
not far from here there was an accident up at a Diner, quite a mess. Where ya headed uh, Missss..."
There was the cue.
"Rainer, Miss, *cough* Ruth Rainer." She fluffs her hair a little. He just smiles as he has from the
beginning, not really showing much else. She felt comfortable around him though, he was just
warm, pleasant, to be around. "We were actually on our way because a friend of ours just bought a
place nearby, out at the Fendrick farm, I guess some know it better as the Kutcher/Becket place?"
His smile seems to fade, yet it remains, its his eyes, it just seems like, his demeanor
changed, but it hasn't. "So you're one of those people up there, who bought Doug's place?"
"That is right, just a day or so ago, Frank Chamberlain? Maybe you heard of him? He invited us up
to that place." Ruth says. Ashley just quiet, in and out of the conversation taking place. She could
tell that her mom was using her flirtatious tone earlier and was toning out.
"Are you aware Ma'am that Doug Becket has been missing the last few days?" He asks. Worth a shot,
and a shot in the dark, he felt he had to ask. Truth was. He was new. Only been here three months,
most part, things had been decently quiet for a change, big change, from the big city.
"I did not know that." Ruth replies. It was true. She really didn't. All she knew was Frank was
finalizing a deal about the property with this Doug Becket guy, she did a little research, which
wasn't much to backtrack all the way to the Fendrick's, but it's not as if she knew him, she drove
when she was called, he sounded enthusiastic.
"If you do see him, will you give me a call?" Hands her a card through the window slit she
left to talk through. She nods. "That accident I told you about? Well, seem's Mr. Becket was responsible,
his wife, dead at the scene, so we are looking for him." "I too, will put the word out on them Dover
boys for you, if your'e out there in that farm, be careful out there, and I will get in touch with you.
Been here a few months and atleast thirty calls been out to that place."
"I am still hungry mom..." Ashley interrupts. Which was true to an extent, but she just didn't want
to daddle, she was just kind of... Ill content, wanted to get out already and see where she will be
stuck for a long time while her mom watches the skies endlessly out in the woods for months, hoping
to find E.T.
"I guess I should go." Ruth says rolling her eyes. "This one is hungry, and I guess you know
where to reach me, huh?" She giggles a little. Suddenly the familiar feeling about him returns,
and he smiles.
"Yes." Officer Phillips replies. "I do." Waves, and returns to the small police building.
Ruth just kinda watches him as he enters, but not before waving again at the entrance.
"Gawd mom, you are such a horn ball." Ashley says. "You barely told him about how you felt
about the situation you were in, this was serious to you a minute ago."
"I know, Ashley." Ruth says with a sigh. The officer was cute, and honestly she was a bit
lonely, but if anything, her daughter was brutally honest. Raised her that way, she supposed.
"Just, I guess, I needed to get some things off my chest to someone sides my daughter for a minute,
okay?" She turns to see her daughter kinda pouting look on her face, staring forward, arms crossed.
"Besides, something about them men, in uniforms eh?" She pokes at her daughter, getting her to smile.
"OH MY GAWD MOM" She starts to laugh a little.

A short time later, and in a brighter mood than they set out. To be fair, the drive was very
beautiful. Long winding dirt roads, surrounded by tree's, and flowers. All kinds of plants,
witnessing a deer here and there, it's actually quite pleasant.