Burn My Paranoia One Last Time

37. Dead Yet Alive

"So let me get this straight... We only have until 7:06 PM tomorrow night exactly to find out who murdered Rain or else Hayden dies?" Carmen summarized from the backseat of Amber's retro Ford Mustang.

"Yes! We're already running out of time!" Amber's heart raced as the rows of suburban houses and foggy street lights rushed past her window.

Shelby, who was sitting in the back next to Carmen, passed her a concerned glance while rubbing her drooping eyes. "Amber..."

"I swear if you tell me to take a chill pill..." Amber glanced up at the rearview mirror suspiciously.

Shelby shot her hands up in defense. "I'm not! That's not what I was going to say— It's just, it's almost 2 in the morning. You're not actually thinking about going to school tomorrow, are you? 'Cause if you are, we should just skip school altogether."

"UHM, it's practically tomorrow already. Also, are you kidding?" Amber said with annoyance as she pulled up to the graveyard and parked. "Of course I'm going. I'm not going to miss the first day back after suspension. That's just asking for another suspension if not expulsion."

"Besides," Carmen added as they got out of the car and closed the doors in unison. "The witching hour waits for no one," she said in a determined voice while glancing at Amber.

Amber smiled gently and placed her hand on her friend's arm. "Thank you, Carmen. Are you sure you want to do this?"

There was genuine empathy in the softness of her voice, and concern in her eyes. Carmen could sense that Amber wasn't just saying this to say it— she meant it.

Carmen smiled back and nodded. "I'm sure. It's not like I have a choice anyway, Hayden needs our help."

Shelby threw her arms over her friends' shoulders and grinned. "Let's go find our killer, ladies!"

The girls made their way to the familiar gated entrance. The moon above was hidden by clouds, and a solitary street light illuminated the rusted iron gate and its sharp ends that separated them from the final resting place of the dead.

Carmen tossed a bundle of rope over the stone wall that connected to the fence and gripped the lowest ledge as her friends offered their hands to hoist her up. Carmen stepped onto their makeshift platform as they helped Carmen raise herself over the stone wall.

A small gust of wind flipped through Carmen's curly ponytail as she jumped down, landing steadily on her feet on the other side of the wall. Carmen threw one end of the rope to the other side as she backed up. Amber gripped one end and started to climb up as Carmen helped by pulling the rope. Once Amber made it over, she tossed the rope over for Shelby.

Shelby slipped Carmen her dad's Sony camcorder through the openings in the gate before making her way up the wall.

"Make way, I'm coming down!" Shelby announced before swinging her legs over the stone wall and hoisting herself off the ledge. Her chunky sneakers slid on the damp grass as soon as she landed, causing her to slip down and stain the entire back of her trousers. "Ugh, are you for real? This is so lame!"

Amber snickered a bit before lending her a hand. "I'm sorry, girl. Are you ok?"

Shelby let her friend pull her up before sighing and nodding behind her. "Yeah I'm good, I'm just glad I gave you guys the camera instead of carrying it in this backpack."

"That was a close call," Carmen agreed. "Shall we start videotaping?"

"I think we should, in case we encounter anything paranormal on the way there," Shelby said.

"Let's start." Amber nodded.

Carmen turned on the camcorder and opened the viewing screen. She set it on night vision and began recording, with the camera aiming at Amber.

"Welcome back to the graveyard," Amber opened her arms theatrically. "This is Paranormal Researcher Amber Wright with Paranormal Researchers Carmen Fuentes and Shelby Thatcher. We're here to bring you the 411 on Rain Wilson's mysterious death."

Carmen followed Amber and Shelby as the three walked up the hill. The incline gradually got steeper. All around them were gravestones floating in thick blankets of fog.

"We have less than twenty-four hours to find Rain's killer or else one of our friends will die," Amber continued, her voice shaking slightly with each carefully balanced step. "Carmen here has been having visions of Rain's life. The witching hour is now. Tonight, Carmen will use her clairvoyance to see Rain's deepest, hidden memories, and hopefully see her killer in one of them."

"We are walking up to the gazebo, where the paranormal energy should be highest," Shelby added.

"Last time we came here, we encountered Rain's spirit," Carmen said from behind the camera. "She became violent with us, and Amber awoke with scratches on her throat."

The gazebo where it all started came into focus. The twisted branches on the old tree next to it swayed ominously.

"We are aware that what we're doing is dangerous, but... we have to save our friend," Amber admitted, recalling the haunting sight of a comatose Hayden. "Rain's message was clear to me that night, when she gave me the vision of the future. It's now or never."

The girls finally made their way up to the gazebo. Shelby quickly unpacked her backpack. She took out a salt container and sprinkled it around Carmen in the center of the gazebo as Amber filmed. Next, she passed Carmen six candles to place around herself within the salt circle. Carmen lit each candle with a lighter Shelby had handed her.

"How are you feeling, Carmen?" Amber asked. At this point, she turned off the night vision.

Carmen's apprehensive face was illuminated by the soft orange glow from the candles below her. She knelt down and stared at the camera wide-eyed before breathing in deep and sighing. "I'm not going to lie, I'm feeling a lot of pressure right now. Someone's life is depending on me. Rain's spirit is becoming more aggressive over time. Not only that, but the visions have been getting blurrier, so I don't know if she'll let me see these buried memories."

"Whoa, guys..." Shelby called their attention while glancing down at her EMF meter. The device buzzed and whirled between different colors, flashing red, green, and yellow, indicating the presence of spiritual energy. The branches on the tree next to the gazebo swayed menacingly as a chill wind swept over the top of the hill.

"Rain," Carmen said softly. "If you can hear me, I want you to know that I'm here with you. You don't have to open these memories alone. I know you're scared," Carmen gulped nervously, "scared to know what REALLY happened to you that night. But we're ALL here for you, no matter what. Rain Wilson, I'm ready. Please let me in."

A heavier gust of wind swept past them, causing the old tree to ache and groan. The EMF blared loudly and flashed an array of colors.

Carmen waited patiently, with eyes closed. Suddenly, her head and eyes rolled back and she began to convulse.

"Carmen!" Shelby gasped, almost stepping into the salt circle.

Amber kept the camera aimed at Carmen. "No. Wait," she directed, using one hand to hold Shelby back. "Just wait..." she whispered.

About five more agonizing seconds passed before Carmen's head shot forward, resuming its normal position. Her eyes became glazed and distant as she entered a trancelike state.

"Carmen? Can you hear us?" Amber asked gently.

There was no response.

"She's having a vision," Amber narrated to the camera. "Now, we wait."