The Haunting of Sunshine Girl

Chapter 41

It's the day after the whole Nolan's-grandma-isn't-actually-his-grandma fiasco and Sunshine's received another letter in the mail. Tom Waters still wants her to come visit him in Portland about the Black-Eyed Kids, so Uncle Tommy and Kat are going to figure out exactly what to do.

Sunshine sits across from them, smiling as she holds her camera. Uncle Tommy glances at her, paper in hand, and exchanges a glance with Kat.

"I just think he wants her to come visit," her mother huffs. "I think that's what's goin' on, Tom."

Sunshine rolls her eyes. "How about you just read the..?"

Uncle Tommy blinks. "You want me to read it?"

"Yeah."

'Dear Ms. Sunshine,

In light of your most recent video I implore you to follow the advice of my original letter and come to Portland, Oregon and visit me. Get the answers you seek on this subject. Not only am I a wealth of information on the subject, but I have personal experience with Black-Eyed People.'

Kat raises a brow and glances at her daughter.

'I'm sure it did not go unnoticed in your most recent encounter with the spirit of Nolan that he had black eyes, not unlike the accounts of the Black-Eyed Kids. There's a reason for this, as well as a reason for your fascination with the phenomenon. It is clear that you did not pick this subject, but just like all the paranormal phenomenon, you deal with it. It picked you.'

Kat breathes out and shakes her head. Sunshine really wants to know who this guy is and why he cares so much.

'If you look deep enough into this subject, the subject of Black-Eyed kids, I believe you will not only find answers to the questions you seek about the BEKs, but also answers you seek about yourself and the whereabouts of Nolan. There is no one more suited for this journey than you, but you already know that.

Sincerely, Tom Waters.

PS. Do not always trust those around you. There are some who are not what they seem.'

Silence.

"All right," Sunshine says, "that was a.. thanks."

Uncle Tommy looks at Kat and starts to laugh. "Is that what you meant about it following you guys around?"

Kat sighs. "No, I just— I mean, she gets weird letters all the time, that's... pretty normal. But.."

"Just like all paranormal phenomenon it picked you?" Uncle Tommy reads skeptically.

Her mother takes the paper out of Uncle Tommy's hands. "I don't know, is that something that is always true? I don't know."

Uncle Tommy raises his hand. "I don't know anything about this stuff."

"I don't know. I mean, he seems to really want to help, but she gets so many weird letters."

Yeah, that's true.

Maybe this one actually means something, though.
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It's later that night, and the lights flicker out above Sunshine's head. Her heart jumps, her fingers twitch, and she jumps up for her camera. Sunshine runs down the stairs and stumbles when a horrible, demonic roar thunders in her ears. "Mom?" she yells, hardly able to hear over the noise. "Mom!"

"What's that noise?!" Uncle Tommy yells, guiding Sunshine into the living room. Sunshine waves the camera on her mother, whose hands are clenched over her ears.

Uncle Tommy tries to turn a lamp on, but to no avail. "What is that?!" Kat exclaims. "It hurts!"

"It's so loud," Sunshine says, nearly doubling down.