Afterlife Home Agency

3) Operation Senile Senior

So the journey was to begin that Sunday we had a 29 hour drive to make to Sacramento, California. Surprisingly the directions weren't complex it was a near straight shot the first investigation I had managed to arrange was the Dorthea Puente Murder House. How did I manage to schedule that you ask? I told some bogus but not far fetched lie that we were college coeds doing a study on how fear effects the ham mind and body. Yeah, it seemed more made up then it sounded but that wasn't the hard part the hard part was getting the equipment for such a journey. I didn't have much never did I usually travel light because I've been all over Illinois and not just Illinois I had also been to Oklahoma because on occasion for Christmas I still visited our foster parents from our teens.
The day after the discussion about my stupid notion which she began to call it we went to a radio shack store and had a look around in search of a cheap but quality camera. As we're looking around I was the only one who knew technology better than Jane who was more interested in a laptop then the cameras, "Jane, get over here you keep running off like a freaking kid. Yes you may have a better computer in your room but we need something thats I don't know durable, reliable not like the crap I usually own..." As I'm picking up a digital recorder and looking it over a gentlemen must have eyed my sister because he came out of nowhere and approached her, "Hi can I help you two with anything?" He says a bit too cheerful for my liking it's not because it was ten am and I wasn't used to being functional at that hour but because the way he was checking out my sister. It wasn't a jealousy thing not at all but as the brother it was my job to keep her safe and guarded, to be careful, "Yes actually we're looking for a camera for a science project." He nods still giving my sister his undivided attention so I cut in between them, "It's for a study on how plants grow so we need something reasonable but not too cheap." He nods. He takes out a small digital camcorder and hands it to Jane, "This little guy is my favorite. It has 36GB and it can record and take pictures it's fairly reasonable." I turn to look at Jane, "Define reasonable." She says, "Well I mean it's going to cost a fair amount..." He tries to drone on. "Money buddy, give me your estimate." I snap he shakes his head, "$350. But for you two I'll give you a special deal, $250 that's a hundred dollars off because you two are college kids." I nod, "Well take it I guess. We also need a polaroid." Jane says, "Follow me you two crazy kids... This one right here is a pretty decent polaroid for first starting out in photography. It has to be changed on the film by hand every 100 pictures but it is a decent little tool for beginners." He chuckles handing it to me I look it over and and it to Jane who puts it to her eye and takes a photo of the far side of the wall near the door. "Well it doesn't have the film right now in it but it has flash plus which takes excellent photos. We do have the film and filaments if you want this one." I shrug and take the camera from her and hand it back to him, "How much? For the film and this camera?" He laughs and heads to the counter to check us out or should I say check my sister out? "Altogether I'll sell you these for $400 which is a bargain right now and since you're spending over a $150 I can get you a 20% discount off." Now I was lost because I wasn't goo with math me or Jane so we're both standing there with this dumbfounded look, "In other words this is all yours for $300. Which is a steal in my opinion." He smiles at Jane she glances at me, "It's your money bro, not mine. I'm just here for the ambiance..." She walks away browsing at the phones now. I sigh well it sounded like a steal but that's because I was the one being robbed, "Fine, I'll take it." He nods at me satisfied with the final sale.
When we left the store Jane was already in the car smoking a cigarette, "Boy did he get over on me. Your welcome, dumbass." She says taking a drag. I get in the driver's side and with all our stuff already packed up for the week in California I had saved just enough for gas and a place to crash for at least three days... That's how long I had decided we were going to stay because a 29 hour car drive was already in play. As we're going to the main interstate highway I turn on the radio and first song that plays is Soundgarten Super unknown which wasn't far from the truth we were headed out into a whole new place, a new state of mind. We decided to take shifts I would drive eight hours then she would drive eight hours and if we had to stop we would sleep in the car at a rest stop if needed.
After four hours Jane fell asleep because it was getting to be evening and I suppose being in college takes a toll on you especially if you're up all the time in mass study madness, "J? Jane?..." She stirs covering her face with her hoodie, "Jane, are you hungry?" I ask gently she opens her eyes and looks around, "I don't know I guess are you?" I chuckle, "Not really, I'm exhausted do you want to drive for a few?" She rolls her eyes, "That was a ploy to wake me up wasn't it?" I smile at her sweetly, "Oh my God, fine I'll drive till we hit a motel and then we're gonna stop ok?" I shake my head, "Um..." We come to a stop on the edge of a rest stop, "What's um, Kit? What's um?" She demands I neglected to inform her that we were going to be stuck in the car. "You fucking suck, you so owe me on this one. You didn't think about expenses oh wait you don't think over anything!" She rants getting behind the wheel. I shrug leaning back in the passenger seat, "I did bring some pot..." Ten minutes later were parked at a local park that's empty and it's dark out the only light available is the moon. Were smoking a jay just sitting on top of the hood of the car, "What is this trip supposed to prove, Kit?" Jane asks taking a large pull and hands it to me. "It's not going to contact our mom, K... I know trust me." It goes silent for a minute just the both of us staring at the sky, "I'm not saying that's what I want, Jane but I'm saying that you were born with a gift we might as well put some used to it right?" She sits up quickly, "No. That's not how this works, bro... I hate having this so called gift. Do you know what it's like everyday to see and hear shit you can't explain? It's a burden. This isn't going to bring her back, Kit... Nothing can bring her back." She concludes handing me the joint back. With that being said I suddenly don't feel much like talking anymore or getting wasted so I tell her to enjoy the rest of the night alone while I go back in the car and head to sleep. Jane didn't know how much it bothered me when she said things like that; harsh, honest things but I knew that it would always hurt... We were twins that's the forever pain we'll always share.
By the time the sun rose o er the horizon and it got me directly in the face I roll over, "Wake up, Einstein we're almost there." Jane says that's when my stomach growls loudly hers follows suit soon after. "Man, I'm starving did you think this far into the trip or..." I shrug trying to wipe my eyes of the sleep, "Yeah I guess we can stop at a gas station or something we should probably get some gas anyway." I add leaning over to check the gas gauge. We finally pull over at a Kroger's which isn't packed thankfully considering it was six am so we pull into a gas pump and I pay for the gas while Jane pumps it. As I'm standing in line waiting for my turn at the register I glance over and see that they had chips and I grab a coffee for myself and hot chocolate for Jane and go back in line as for breakfast I was strapped on cash it would have to be gas station food. When I get up to the counter and pay for our stuff I realize that Janie is smoking a cigarette while pumping gas which is not only stupid but typical, "You realize that's illegal?" I add handing her her drink and a small muffin. She takes a sip and nearly spits it out at me, "What the hell possessed you into thinking I drink cocoa?! I like coffee, moron! Black coffee, like my soul." She says taking a puff and putting the pump back on the machine. "Well sorry I didn't realize you were grown up enough for that yet." She rolls her eyes, "You know the irony is I am an adult compared to you." She laughs.
About thirty minutes later were in Sacramento and the streets are more or less a suburban layout, kids playing in the streets, people out for a jog until we get to the house... And by house I mean a duplex of an infamous serial killer. Once we stop outside the house we sit there the both of us I'm waiting for her reaction which doesn't take long, "I sense evil on this property." She mumbles glancing around. "Well we're here." I mumble getting out of the car. I stand there a moment taking it all in, I wasn't going to reveal who's place this was but I had a feeling she would know soon enough. As she gets out she practically stands still at the sight of this place, "This house has secrets... Very dark, very crooked secrets. I don't feel safe here." She says coming closer to me. I unload our equipment from the trunk and begin to set things down on the ground. The sum is high by now and the heat of spring coming in quickly; Jane walks around to the front yard and she's fixated on the front window, "I keep seeing a man... A tall, burley man... He keeps whispering nonsense something about murder. Something about she murdered me." Jane says. Suddenly an older lady comes out shes Hispanic and short but very pretty for an older woman, "Hey there, are you two the college kids?" I nod, meanwhile Jane is still walking around to the backyard, "He keeps telling me there are people back here. Like six maybe seven... There's a headless woman back here... She's complete with no head. There are dismembered people back here." Jane says glancing at this one spot in the middle of the yard. We head inside the duplex and see that it's nearly empty but with only a few drawers and a sofa to look at, "Well let's get this thing started." I mumble I myself. Jane steps inside and it's almost as if she was hit with a wall, "There's a woman, an older woman who isn't contacting me as much as the older man. He keeps telling me she's crazy... She's poisoned people. I think I'm getting her name, Dorthea." She says and the woman stops dead in her tracks. "What did you just say?" Jane glances around and heads into a nearby bedroom, "It wreaks in here, smells of death... Like old blood." The woman glances at her wide eyes, "That's true because I smell it too. This was a makeshift morgue at one point. Dorthea Puente lived here, she was a known serial killer in the 1980s, she was recently incarcerated for killing..." "Fifteen people. So who's Bert? Alberto?" Jane asks, "He was one of the tenants here in 1985... He died from an overdose." Before she can finish Jane does, "Dowmain am I correct? She would slip it into their drinks... I'm getting a sick feeling I need to sit down." She says heading to another bedroom she suddenly starts giggling like weird quiet laughter, "Janey whats wrong? Why are you laughing?" She wipes her eyes like that was funniest thing I ever asked her, "She has no soul. She has no soul. She took my life because she loves money." She says slowly.
As we continue to keep walking around I decided I was going to stay in that one bedroom for the night because even though it felt unhomely it did feel like a more relaxed place than the makeshift morgue. As I'm laying there glancing around at the wall I feel a shift in the room for some odd reason... Almost as if the temperature dropped ten or twelve degrees, "Jane... Jane... Jane." I hear my name being called from the hallway I get up and follow what sounds like a woman an old woman, "Murder, murder, what are you doing in my house? What are you doing in my house?" She keeps asking the more I follow her and suddenly she's right beside me with a smile on her face but her eyes are black and hollow, "Murder. Murder, MURDER." She says rushing toward me which scared me so bad I'm hiding in the bathroom, I close my ears and eyes in hopes that she would stop talking to me but she had known I saw her... "She was a killer wasn't she? She had no soul, he says... She has no soul..." I continue to say to myself hearing every word of what the third ld man was ranting about, "Fifteen... Fifteen bodies... Backyard look." He says I open my eyes slowly to be greeted by a woman's lower half of her body with no torso. I ran out of the bathroom so fast pushing Kit out of my way to the door. "Where are you going, Jane? Whats wrong?" He's yelling as I head to the car and lock the door. Kit follows after me and tries to open the door but to no avail, "Are you alright, Jane? Ive seen you scared but never that afraid. What happened?" I shrug and glance to the house at the window where I see the older, burley gentleman who kept talking to me. "This place has tragedy, this place is evil and I don't want to go back in there. If you need to experiment, take your stupid photos I'm staying out here tonight... Bert was right this house has no soul." I say turning on the radio taking out a cigarette.
I try to talk her into coming back inside the house but she wouldn't budge; I had never seen her that freaked out before... Not since we were kids. I went back inside the house to finish my questions with Raina which was the old wand name that now owned the place. "Is she alright? I have had people run away before none of them stayed the night to tell the tale. Well you can sleep in whatever bedrooms you want, are you sure she's going to be ok?" She asks looking concerned, "Yeah... She's intuitive so sometimes when she sees things it can be overwhelming she may end up in the car tonight. I can't convince her to come back in so I'll probably be on my own." She nods, "Well the phone works so if you need anything give me a call. You two have a safe night." I nod as she closed the door behind her. That's when I realized what she said, she didn't say have a good night she said have a safe night... What the hell did that mean? Was this really a vicious killers house of the 80s or was this really a partial gate to hell? I set my camera down a second and tried to get the camcorder hooked up so I could watch this room later that's when I start to feel like I'm not alone in the house. As if something or someone was watching me, "Jane? J?" I call out slightly worried, no answer so I call out again, "Jane, is that you?" A plate hits the ground sending glass all over the kitchen floor now I was officially freaked out. "Stop trying to freak me out, J it's not going to work." I continue to say walking around the glass on the floor to the first bedroom which is the morgue, "Who's in here?" I demand that's when a large shadow runs by me startling the shit out of me. I jump back and land straight on my butt, "This isn't funny, whatever the fuck you are I command you to reveal yourself! I command you to show yourself, do you hear me?" I'm yelling that's when i feel a cold, icy cold touch on my shoulder do I dare turn around? As I was about to look up and take a chance at being terrified once more what I'm met with I couldn't move, couldn't talk I could only watch as she stared right back at me; this evil, twisted grin on her face and specks of blood on her long white dress. I suddenly hear the door open and it's Jane yelling, "Leve my brother alone, you bitch! You have no power over us! I'm not scared of you, now back off Kit." She yells and as fast as I had seen Dorthea she was gone. It was like a blink she just vanished into thin air once Jane confronted her, "I thought... I thoug... I don't know what to say. It was her, it was really fucking her. She had like white hair and black eyes and she just had this grin but she didn't look happy to see me..." I'm blubbering trying to compose myself, "You think the camera caught that?" Jane rolls her eyes holding a hand out fore to get up, "Do you still want to stay here tonight or are you going to agree with me for once?" I chuckle, "I don't know what the fuck that was but that was fucking scary... She just like came at me outta nowhere." As we're walking about each of us filming or taking pictures but only one of us was afraid of getting hurt than being scared. "Kit, I know it's daytime but that doesn't make me any more creeped out. I wished you would have just left me at the damn college if I'd have known you were going to bring me here." Jane says as we walk around she stops in the kitchen in an empty area, "I don't think this was here." She laughs, "What do you mean, J? Like do you feel he's here right now?" I ask she touched the floor and slowly rises up, "There was a wall here because I don't think this space was here. I feel like he's trying to enter me but I keep telling him to back off but he's very adamant." She laughs, "Why don't you go sit down and we can finally go to sleep for a few hours in an actual bed." I say Jane shrugs, "I have a request: I don't want to sleep in that room by myself." Jane adds quickly before going to the bedroom she was in earlier, "We can just sleep in here considering were both scared like a couple of fucking babies." We both chuckle and decided that an hour nap would do me some good and her considering we spent over a day in a car, "Well I'll set an alarm for ten and if you don't respond we can do the oujia board tonight or something." She laughs at me, "You're bullshitting me right? You brought a fucking speaking board?! God, you're so stupid! Why the hell would you fucking bring that in here?!" I don't say anything because I knew how she felt about these things... "Hey it's my money, it's my vehicle and I got you something to do for spring break instead of fucking getting high all the time. So we are going to the interview and the seance and your just gonna have to deal with it." Jane goes to the bathroom and slams the door leaving me to set up all this tech on my own. I was used to Jane not going along with my ideas mainly because not only were my ideas stupid they were risky just like the seance is. I'll admit I've never done one before but because Jane has this clairvoyant ability if I could pay her the right price I could get her to say anything she wants. That's when the stupidest and probably most risky idea I ever had came to mind, "Hey, Janie..." I say going to the bathroom door.