Page 11 of See Through

“What about your camera?” The building starts to spin.

“I’ll come back for it. You’re my first priority.”

He’s not joking. In fact, he has the most serious expression on his face I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t falter, doesn’t struggle at all as he carries me down the stairs and out of the hospital. As soon as he sets me in the back of his truck bed, I feel better.

“I’m fine, Dean. No need to panic.”

“No need?” he heaves. “You were enticing that thing in there, and look where that got you!”

“I’m okay,” I reiterate, still a little fuzzy. “We got some good content, though.”

“I don’t care about the content,” he whispers. “Two scratches. Red. Hot to the touch. You were about to pass out if I hadn’t gotten you out of there.”

I almost can’t believe what he’s saying. “So you believe now, huh?”

His panicked persona breaks, and out comes the laugh I know so well. “In you being insane? Yes, I believe in that. In ghosts? The jury's still out on that one.”

“How do you explain the scratches then?” He shrugs. “I knew I’d get you one day. I just didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“Drink this and stay here. I’ll pack up.” He opens the water bottle and watches me take a sip.

“I can help.”

“You’re helping me by staying put. I’ll be back in a bit. Get hydrated, and if you want to do something, organize the cords.”

I can only roll my eyes as I watch him disappear into the hospital, the light from his flashlight the only thing I see as he moves around the emergency room, bringing out our equipment one by one before he heads back up to the floor he just dragged me down from.

CHAPTER SIX

All I’m focused on is getting the fuck out of here after what just happened to Aubrey, so I’m working a little quicker than usual. My flashlight hangs out of my mouth as I wrap the cords for one of the cameras up, quickly setting it at the end of the hallway before I head for the last one.

I don’t know what she was thinking earlier. She had never done something like that before, and as soon as I saw her swaying, I knew something was wrong. I have no explanation for those scratches, and I’m really glad I got her out of here.

I officially found something on one of these investigations that can’t be explained.

I head into the operating room, goosebumps erupting all over my skin as I head for the camera and the small recorder we set on top of it. I grab the scalpel still sitting on the bed and tuck it in my bag, knowing Aubs would kill me if I left it here, but why the hell would she bring this? Where did she get this from?

I’m about to tuck the recorder into my bag as well—except I hear it muffling, as if it’s still turned on. I swear I switched it off, so I double check it, putting it up to my ear as I watch it quiet down.

“I’ve got to get the fuck out of here,” I whisper to myself.

“Stay.”

I whip around, making sure I’m still alone in the room, which I am.

“Aubrey? If you’re joking around with me, it’s not funny. I told you to stay outside.” She’s done this before—scared the crap out of me after an investigation. She thinks it’s funny, and I would too, in any other scenario, but not after what’s happened tonight.

She doesn’t respond, and I don’t hear anything else as I roll the cord up, grabbing the camera and heading out the door when I hear something else.

“Listen.”

I turn the recorder on again, rewinding it to when we were in here. I doubt I’ll hear anything, because I feel like I’m going crazy, but it’s worth a shot. I’m only listening to this so the voice in my head, whatever it may be, quiets down. I know I need to get out of here, but something, whether it be myself or my intuition, is keeping me in here.

I get to the part right before she got scratched, and as she’s baiting whatever is in here, I swear I hear something muffled. I hear her react to it, but she keeps going.

Three bangs come through the recorder, and right after that, I hear something. I can’t quite make out what it is, so I rewind it. Aubrey is going to wish she saw me up here, confused as I try to wrap my mind around whatever happened here tonight. I can almost hear her voice when she realizes it took me so long because I was listening to the recordings and hearing things I can’t explain.

I play it through one more time before I feel myself get a little light-headed, and I’m reaching for the water in my bag as everything goes dark.