Dangerous Collaboration

Starting To Wonder

Mark hooks the camera up to the computer so that the group can see the video better. It starts up with Pam and Thomas giving their opinions on whether or not the place was haunted. Mark shoots them a look for being so dramatic. When it gets to the scenes where Thomas is singing about 'Maria', he hits a few buttons on the computer, skipping the video ahead.

"We don't need to watch that part," he says, sheepishly.

He stops fast-forwarding when Kirstie makes her appearance. Just as they begin their song, right before the screaming had started, the video cuts off.

"What?" Pam asks under her breath.

The video cuts back in to everyone running toward the house. The camera is mainly aimed at Pam and Thomas' running feet. Then it cuts out again. Mark and Amy look at the group.

"Okay, there was something!" Pam protests. "I didn't exactly catch it, but-"

"Something definitely happened," Kirstie says. "I can vouch for them."

"It's not that we don't believe you," Mark starts, "but are you sure it wasn't a mind trick?"

"What?" Thomas asks.

"Are you sure it wasn't in your head?" Amy asks.

"We're not crazy!" Kirstie says.

"Well, Pam may be a little," Amy mutters.

"We're not saying you are," Mark says. "But, stress and tensions are high right now, and maybe you just imagined something that wasn't there."

Mat speaks up for the first time, "Maybe all this talk about ghosts and haunting is getting to you and causing your mind to play tricks on you. It happens sometimes."

The three look at each other, but decide not to argue anymore. They go and join the rest of the group. Mark unhooks the camera as the others leave the room as well. Only he and Jack remain.

"Do you think there's something going on?" The Irishman asks.

"No, I think they're overthinking everything," Mark says.

"I mean, it's one thing to mess around and poke fun at stuff, but making up stuff like this?"

"I don't even think they were making it up," Mark defends, "but they need to focus on what's reality and what's not. We only have two weeks to get filming done; we don't have time for this."

"Agreed," Jack says.

The rest of the night goes well. The group has recovered and they're able to get the scenes done. Exhausted, about half of the group decides it's in their best interests to go to bed. The rest sit in the parlor, with a fire roaring in the huge fireplace.

"I think we might have overreacted tonight," Pam says. "We apologize."

"What did you think you saw?" Wade asks.

"They said they heard screaming?" Mark answered for her.

"It could have been a coyote," Robin suggested. "Or a wolf"

"If that was the case, then none of us should be going out after dark," Ken said

Pam sat in silence, barely hearing them. They didn't believe her. She wasn't crazy, but had she really heard what she thought she did? Even she was beginning to doubt herself. And that didn't explain what had happened with the earthquake...
 
 
 
Ethan's eyes flew open and his heart pounded. He checked the clock; 3:00 am. He didn't remember a nightmare. What had woken him up? A thump answered his question almost instantly. He tried to shrug it off and go back to sleep, but the thump sounded again. It seemed like it was directly above him.

Another sound made him jump out of bed. Somebody was knocking at his door. Trying to catch his breath, and appear less afraid, Ethan opened the door, revealing Tyler.

"Did you hear that?" Tyler asked.

"What, the loud thumping?" Ethan asked.

"No, the other noises, Ethan," Tyler said, dryly. "Yes, the thumping!"

"Are you guys thumping around out here?" Felix poked his head out of his room.

"So you heard it too," Ethan said.

"What's going on?" Amy asked. She hurried down the hallway with Mark in tow.

"Did you hear those noises?" Marzia questioned, joining Felix at the door.

"I thought it was you guys," Mark said.

The thumps sounded again, this time, directly above the group. They all looked toward the ceiling, looking for some indication as to what it was.

"Maybe it's a squirrel," Tyler suggested.

"You think a squirrel can make that much noise?!" Ethan asked, voice getting louder and higher pitched.

"Ethan, would you shush?!" Felix said. "Everyone's going to wake up if you keep this up!"

"How would you like me to react?" Ethan hissed. "It's three o'clock in the morning, and something's banging around in the ceiling!"

"Look, it's probably nothing," Amy said, shushing him again. "We can investigate the attic in the morning."

"Good thinking," Mark said. "And I'm not just saying that because I forgot there was an attic."

"Let's just try to go to bed and get some sleep," Marzia suggested. "Whatever it is, it won't kill us to wait until morning to investigate."

Realizing she had a point, the rest of the group went back to their respective rooms, and climbed back into bed. The thump sounded again, but this time, it seemed farther away to Ethan, like it was in another part of the house. As he finally drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder about all the strange things that were happening with this house. Did things like this happen all the time?