Dirty Little Secret

Shadows and Signals

Billie tapped her fingers on her steering wheel as she pulled up to the meeting spot. It was April 4th, and she was about to embark on round two of ghost hunting with Sam and Colby. She'd never admit it, but her excitement had been building ever since she sent them the dates. She hadn't done anything like this since their first hunt, and there was a strange thrill in knowing that they'd be waiting with the cameras, the gear, and maybe even a new challenge up their sleeves.

As she parked, she spotted Sam and Colby by the entrance of an old, ivy-covered building. It looked like a place people would tell ghost stories about—abandoned and overgrown, the kind of location that had "haunted" written all over it. Colby waved, grinning as she approached, while Sam looked her up and down, his eyes playful.

"You ready for round two?" Sam asked with a smirk.

"Oh, I've been ready," Billie shot back, hands on her hips. "But I better not be spending the night in another freezing basement."

"No promises," Colby said, laughing. "Tonight's spot is rumored to be haunted from the attic down to the cellar."

The three of them exchanged glances, and Billie rolled her eyes, fighting back a smile. "Fine, lead the way, fearless ghost hunters."

They slipped inside the building, and Sam gave a quick introduction for the video. "Tonight, we're back with Billie Eilish for our second ghost-hunting video together. Last time, Billie proved she's tougher than she looks, so let's see how she handles tonight's challenge."

Billie smirked, glancing at the camera. "Oh, I'm tougher than you two, that's for sure."

Once inside, they set up their equipment in the main hall, where dust hung heavy in the air and every sound echoed off the cracked walls. The floor creaked beneath their feet, and Billie shivered as she adjusted to the building's eerie silence.

"So, what's first on the ghost-hunting menu?" Billie asked, glancing at the assortment of gear they'd spread out.

"Ever used a REM pod before?" Sam asked, picking up the small device with a mischievous grin.

"Nope," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "That the one that lights up when spirits are close?"

Sam nodded, holding the device out to her. "Why don't you give it a try?"

She shrugged and took it from him, walking toward a shadowy hallway at the far end of the room. As soon as she set it down, Sam dimmed the lights, and they watched as the device flickered to life. Billie couldn't help but laugh as the lights blinked red.

"Alright, ghosties," she called, her voice echoing down the hall. "If you're here, let us know."

The REM pod stayed silent, and Colby grinned. "Maybe they're shy. Or maybe you just scared them off."

Billie shot him a look. "I'm not the one who screamed in the basement last time, was I?"

The guys laughed, and she felt her nerves ease a little. But then, just as she turned to retrieve the REM pod, the lights started flashing again—first green, then red.

She froze, glancing over her shoulder at Sam and Colby. "Okay, did one of you rig this thing, or...?"

Sam held up his hands, looking genuinely surprised. "Don't look at me. That's all ghostly interference."

Billie took a step back from the REM pod, glancing nervously at the guys. "Maybe we need something stronger to get these ghosts talking."

They moved on to another room, where Colby pulled out the Spirit Box. He set it to scan channels, the static hissing softly as they watched in silence. Billie held her breath, wondering if they'd actually hear anything this time.

"Alright, we're giving you another chance," Sam said, speaking toward the room. "What do you want to tell us?"

A flicker of static, and then the faintest hint of a word came through. It sounded like a name, but the voice was too garbled to make out. Billie felt a chill, but she kept her expression neutral, glancing over at Sam.

"Did that sound like a name to you?" she whispered.

He nodded, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Maybe... wanna ask it something?"

She thought for a moment, then leaned forward, her voice steady. "Who are you?"

Silence. Then, more static. And then, clear as day, the Spirit Box crackled, "Stay."

Billie's eyes widened as she took a step back. "Alright, that's... weirdly specific."

Sam looked at her, his expression serious. "Guess the ghosts want you to stick around, Billie."

She rolled her eyes, trying to hide her nervous laughter. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure they're huge fans."

Colby snorted, but then his expression softened. "You're handling this better than most people. First time we did this, I nearly jumped out a window."

"Second time, you did jump," Sam added, nudging him.

Billie laughed, feeling her nerves melt away as they all fell into an easy rhythm, moving from room to room and testing different equipment. She hadn't had this much fun in a while, and as they paused in a dusty old bedroom, she couldn't resist a challenge.

"Alright, since I'm the brave one here, I'll give the Estes Method another go," she declared, plopping down on the bed.

Sam's eyes lit up, his smile crooked. "You sure? Not a lot of people volunteer for that."

"Oh, I'm not like most people," she shot back, and he grinned, setting up the headphones and blindfold.

With a wink, she put on the headphones and blindfold, sinking into the static noise. Sam asked a few questions, his voice muffled through the headset, but she couldn't make out any clear words. She was about to call it when something strange happened—the static turned into a low hum, and for a split second, she thought she heard someone say, "Welcome back."

She pulled off the headphones, shivering. "Alright, that was... definitely creepy."

The boys exchanged a glance, both of them looking surprised. "You okay?" Sam asked, moving closer.

She shrugged, playing it off. "Yeah, fine. Ghosts just really know how to make a girl feel welcome, I guess."

As they packed up their gear, Sam turned to her with a grin. "So... think you'll come out with us again sometime?"

She hesitated, then smiled, hands on her hips. "I dunno. If this video's a hit, maybe I'll think about it. But I can't let you guys hog all the haunted fame."

"Sounds like a deal," Sam said, chuckling. "Just don't ghost us before the next round."

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "No promises."

They walked out of the building together, Billie still buzzing from the thrill of the night. This second adventure had brought her even closer to Sam and Colby, and she couldn't help but feel a strange excitement bubbling up as they said their goodbyes. It was a different kind of thrill, something she couldn't quite shake as she watched them walk back to their car, already texting each other about tonight's finds. And for a moment, she let herself think that maybe, just maybe, there was more to look forward to than just ghost hunting.