Deer in the headlights (Zak Bagans story)

Coming to terms

Georgia -

I had no idea what came over me just then. But I wasn't going to let him think I was bothered. I'd made my way to the porch to find Nick and Aaron discussing something discretely. "You boys sleep alright?" I asked

"Well not really. Last night I heard-"

"Shut up, Aaron!" Nick said through gritted teeth whilst jabbing Aaron in the side. "You heard what?" My interest grew along with the panic. "Oh nothing. We thought we heard cats fighting was all" I knew Nick was hiding something. Going along with 'the story', I nodded and walked over to the front door. As much as I wanted to believe they heard 'nothing' I found myself questioning the possibilities. 'Did they hear Zak walking over to mine? Did I make some sort of noise that sounded like a cat?' The confusion was unsettling. Today was lockdown day and I really needed to get my shit together.

"Okay Billy and Jay are here to set up base. The cameras set?" I heard a voice ask in the distance. My eyes rolled, I knew who this was. "Yeah! We're good to go." Nick almost sang in response. Admittedly I felt sick from the nerves that had appeared all of a sudden. The guys then switched into a professional status; joking was put aside, for the time being. "...killed with claw hammers. They're bodies left to rot on the very same floorboards that are here today." I could faintly here a voice telling the story I told daily. The version I was hearing, this time, had so much enthusiasm and emotion. "...and this is why we're here." Zak was standing a foot away when I noticed him preparing his interview, with me. "Okay Aaron, if you want to stand here and shoot from my angle. We wanna get a clear shot of Georg-"

"Wait! What?" I had just clicked on to what he was about to do. "Zak I don't wanna be on camera!" I started edging backwards. He gently grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me closer to him, leaning towards me as he did it. "Please don't back out now." He whispered behind me. Something managed to persuade me. "Fine. Okay" I grumbled.

"Good. Now I'm going to ask questions you already know the answers to." He said comfortably, as if it was a script. He looked down at me and smiled "just breathe, okay. It's nothing" I couldn't reassure him that I was fine because I was too shaken up to speak. "Okay guys, let's just stop a sec. I don't think Georgia's ready" he waved his hands in front of him. Again, leaning in towards me, he whispered "how about that personal tour you offered earlier?". I still couldn't project a sound so I nodded.

Thank God. No, thanks to Zak I was given a second chance and avoided near death from fear. He clung his arm around my shoulder as we walked on, stroking my arm to soothe me. " Th-ank you...Zak" my voice broke slightly. He didn't respond, he just kept stroking. Perhaps he had something on his mind. We'd already passed the scene of one crime before I realised. "Zak, we've gone pass-" a began telling him.

"Georgia, tell me about yourself. Have you ever wanted to do crazy things or...?" He asked intriguingly.

"Well I always wanted to finish college"

"Oh what like school?" He said.

"No its kind of different to highschool, you know... the American one" no matter how long I spent explaining to him, he kept calling it school. "Well did you finish it?" He had been the only one to ask. "Officially, yes. I don't feel like I have because I was never congratulated or rewarded for my achievement. And I know that it wasn't something 'crazy' but I'd always wanted it" it felt strange having someone there to listen intently.

"What about you?" I asked. But before he could say a word, Nick called. "C'mon Zak. We've little time left!" The two of us stopped in our tracks and headed back. It was time to get my shit together and grow up. "I'm here with the owner of the Hunt lake farm, Georgia." Zak had already began. Before I knew it, interviews had ended and we were finishing the tour. "...and some claim the young child has passed them in this exact hallway" I felt the relief absorb into my skin as Zak finished describing recent experiences. "Right! Let's not waste anymore time. Georgia we'll see you at 10 tonight to lock us down in Britain's most haunted building"