They Know Me

FOCUS

Alone in the open, I willed myself not to react to the shrill alarm, or resulting echo, of the Rem Pods as I moved past them to stand within the center of the square to wait for Sonny and his mother, and whichever of the other entities that might follow.

From where she was, Zaamee softly called out a warning. "Remain diligent. I can sense the boy and his mother approaching, but it's unclear if the others are with them."

Even if I'd wanted to, it was too late to turn back. Intentionally blocking out any crippling thoughts that might hinder our attempt at saving Sonny and Chelsea, I went into ghost hunter mode. Straining to see into the darkness of the seemingly abandoned, but deceptively inhabited, warehouse, I held out my EMF detector and called out, "Sonny, I'm here with friends. Please don't be afraid."

The EMF alarm didn't sound, but its lights briefly flickered and then went out. I glanced at the Rem Pods surrounding me on the floor. They were on, yet none had signaled. Still, it was significant. Something supernatural was close, but not near enough to trigger a response. I watched as the same two EMF lights flashed again, and stayed on a moment longer before they died out. Trying to project a confidence I didn't feel, I asked, "Are you Chelsea, Sonny – or one of the others?"

None of the devices reacted. I played back both of the recorders – no disembodied voice had been captured.

I looked back out into the darkness. It was disarming that I couldn't see Zil, Zaamee, or Rhys. "Sonny, if that's you, let's play a game. I'll ask a question. If the answer is yes, use your energy to light up two lights on this EMF detector." I held it up higher. "But if the answer is no, don't light any. Okay?"

Two lights flashed.

"Are you Sonny?"

No lights.

Trying for the next best possibility, I asked, "Are you Chelsea?"

Again, no response. I wasn't thrilled with the two remaining choices I had left.

I started to call out again when all of the EMF lights came alive – and then, just as abruptly, shut off. As they did, the two Rem Pods before me began to signal, and then immediately quit. Whatever, or whoever, it was had moved closer, and in the hush, it was hard to ignore a disquieting feeling of expectancy had descended, making it difficult for me to concentrate.

From further in, strange noises began. Faint at first, they gradually grew louder, making me wonder if whatever it was, poltergeist or Shadow Person, was approaching. All at once, each of the EMF lights blazed on at full capacity and its signal rang out at an ear-splitting pitch.

I searched the darkness for movement. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

The EMF alarm quit but its echo, along with my own, trailed deeper into the building.

"Oh ... my ... God! What the hell was that?" I heard Rhys sputter.

My forced calm broke. "What?"

I didn't know if Rhys answered me because the same noises from moments before started up again, along with other sounds, possibly voices, although it was hard to tell. Then, from the same location as before, deep within the warehouse, the mysterious light shone. The EMF light panel immediately responded and I watched as it began to copy, and then match, the same impossibly frantic pattern as the other. Then, both shut off and there was only stillness and silence –

Slowly, the air became cold and I could see my breath.

A breeze started. From my left, it swept past me, and with it, following the same direction, the Rem Pods came on ... gradually lessened ... and then shot back on. The frigid current died away, but only momentarily. Then, it started again in the opposite direction, as if the entity was pacing back and forth –and there wasn't enough time to wonder if it was, because each of the four Rem Pod devices simultaneously came on, lights flashing and alarms blaring!