Double Down Demons (A Ghost Adventures/Zak Bagans Story)

Chapter 10: Revelations and invitations

Despite Zak's fear of heights we decided to make the most of the sweeping view and sit out on the balcony, after Zak had moved the seats a little further back from the edge of course. I pour us each a generous glass of wine, sit back and sigh.

"What's with the sigh miss?" Zak quizzed.

I wasn't actually aware I had sighed out loud but couldn't deny that a melancholy feeling had touched me as we made ourselves comfortable but I wasn't really sure why. Normally I would keep my feelings to myself but with Zak it felt strangely natural to open up to him.

"Umm I don't entirely know," I admit with a sad smile, " I was fine and then all of a sudden this wave of sadness kind of over came me.It's not overwhelming or anything,  just a little... I don't know. Do you even know what I'm blabbering about?" I ask as I shrug my shoulders. Zak frowned briefly but quickly took control of what ever it was that prompted that reaction.

"Oh I understand completely," He assures me. "You know you've had a massive couple of days, you're probably just having a bit of a comedown from all the excitement and the run through." He dismisses it, almost daring me to disagree even though I had no reason to.

"Yeah that's probably it, its been a long time since I've had so much excitement!" I joked and Zak smiled seemingly satisfied that I was going to be ok.

"So tell me how you came to be living in Australia?" Zak enquired not so subtly changing the subject. I explained how I had met my ex while spending an extended holiday with my sister. I had taken voluntary redundancy from my dull civil service job as I was in need of a change and boy did I get it! So I met my ex and decided to stay, I was lucky enough to set up my home craft business and make it a success. Things were good to begin with, we were in Airlie Beach in the tropics, the Great Barrier reef was at our doorstep. It was an idyllic lifestyle. But then we moved to Melbourne as the work for him had dried up in the North and Melbourne was his home town. He found work and reconnected with his old friends and things changed. He drank a lot and kept me isolated as much as he could. I tried to salvage the relationship but the arguments were escalating and I was worried where they might go next so I left. It wasn't pretty, it was even kind of scary a couple of times but thankfully he didn't pursue it...me for long. That was about a year ago, I was happy to put it all behind me and stay here in Melbourne, its a beautiful place to live. I paused.

"Go on," Zak prompted gently next to me.

"Yeah I love it here and all but the isolation never really went away." I explained. "I've considered going back to England and I'd love to do it but I've not yet had the ways or means." I sighed again. "I considered going back to Airlie too but my friends there had mostly moved on or are still connected to my ex, so here I am. I'm just trying to make the best of it with Rufus and Spooks, visiting my sister and my crazy nephews over the other side of town when I can. But I can't deny that I'm finding it a lonely existence right now." I finish almost in a whisper.

I had been picking at the wine bottle label the whole time I spoke and had been resolutely avoiding eye contact with Zak even though he had been listening intensely. It wasn't until he scooches forwards and gently wipes the tear from my cheek that I realise that I had begun to cry softly.

"Sorry!" I exclaim pulling my sleeve over my hand to wipe my eyes, "I know that was probably not the interesting and happy story you had anticipated." I simultaneously laugh, sob and hiccup.

Zak smiles at me sadly as he moves to crouch down in front of me gently wiping away another escaped tear before drawing me in to the biggest,strongest hug I had ever felt. I melt into him as a few more tears slide silently down my cheeks and drop on to his shoulder.

"Shhh," He hushes me gently, stroking my hair as he holds me. "For the next 4 weeks you'll never be lonely." He promises. "Actually  you'll probably be screaming for some space before you know it." He jokes. He gently pushes away from me but holds onto my shoulders and makes sure I meet his intense gaze. 'And Tracy, seriously, even after we leave you can always contact me whenever you want to, I'm sure the other guys will say the same, you've got a friend for life here now, don't ever forget it." I give him a watery smile and whisper a thank you and give him another massive squeeze. As I let him go I reach past him, grab my drink and drain it.

"Phew!"I huff, "Sorry for losing it." I cringe, "I don't usually overshare like that, I'm not sure what came over me." I fanned my face with my hand knowing full well that part of it was this strange intense connection I felt with Zak.

"Hey,no problem, I'm happy that you felt you could share with me." He smiled, "And as I said before, you've had a big couple of days." I nodded and poured more wine.

"You seem to know a lot about me now how about you tell me a bit more about you?" I laugh and nudge him playfully.

He obliged and told me a little about his past in DC, Illinois and Michigan. I asked him about his move to Vegas and how he got Ghost Adventures up and running, surreptitiously avoiding Nick's name. We chatted a little more and eventually I asked about the spirits that he thought he had following him. I really wanted to ask what effect they had on his relationships but i'm glad I didn't as his face clouds over and he shuts down a little.

"I'd rather we didn't talk about that now Tracy, sorry." He says firmly.

"Oh no! That's no problem, I shouldn't have asked." I quickly apologise giving myself a mental face palm.

"No, its ok, its just that I'm enjoying being mostly away from it, being able to enjoy someone's company without worrying,' He says cryptically. "It seems that most of them haven't joined me on the other side of the world." He ponders, I just nod and finish my drink not wanting to push him any further.

We chatted a little longer about not much at all, still very much comfortable in each others company. It didn't feel like we had been there all that long but when I checked the time I was shocked to find it was nearly 3am.

"Shit!"I exclaim, "I better get going and let you get some sleep." Zak checked the time too.

"Nuh huh, no way are you going anywhere alone at this time of night,especially after earlier. You'll be staying here with me." He demands.

"I can't intrude like that I insist as I pull on a boot. Zak lowers his eyes and I'm sure I see a hint of a blush in his cheeks as I turn to look at him when he lays his hand on my shoulder.

"Its not an intrusion at all, honestly you would be doing me a favour."He explains softly and goes on, "Its been a long tome since I slept as well as I did last night when I was with you, I was hoping you wouldn't mind keeping me company again." He confesses in obvious embarrassment.
"You too huh?" He looks at me quizzically, "I can't remember the last time I slept that well." I explained. "I'd love to stay." I said sincerely as Zak pulls me into another quick hug as I stand up and kick off my boot.

"Thank you." He whispers into my hair as if I'm doing him a huge favour when in fact I would have done anything to stay with him that night.

Thanks for reading this far, new updates coming very soon. Let me know what you think, i hope i'm not dragging things out too much. *GM*