Peeking Interest (A Miracles Fanfic)

A Distressing Stench

*Paul's P.O.V.*

Me and Evey followed Alva into Bunker Hill Community College for an investigation of paranormal activity, we first looked in the main commons area (reception, student files, etc) and saw a black janitor getting out a dust mop from the closet.

"Excuse me sir, my name is Paul Callan, this is Alva Keel and Evelyn Santos, we came to investigate the recent paranormal events here at the college."

"I'm Oscar, nice to meet y'all. I was the first to notice as matter of fact. Lights were flickerin' every which way, I changed em this mornin', they're still flickerin! I was in the library, books were flyin' off the shelves, and uhh...a professor was complaining about an unpleasant smell in the writing classroom on the first floor here."

"Flickering lights, objects flying around, weird smells, sounds like a mischievous poltergeist," Evey said.

Alva gave us an annoyed look.

"Could you describe the smell, you remember it?" He asked.

"It smelled like somethin' rotten...like a dead animal."

"Maybe a mouse got stuck in the vents," I shrugged.

"Unpleasant smells are more common than you think in a place that's haunted," Alva said.

"Or a lot of these kids nowadays have poor hygiene," Evey said.

"Not all of them," Alva said.

"How do you know, you're not a parent?" I asked.

Evey gave me a cold stare.

"He has a daughter...Mia...he told me once, she goes here, never met her."

"You talkin' bout Mia Keel...sweet girl, history major, she was with me in the library when the books were flyin' this mornin'," Oscar said smiling.

"You have a daughter, in college? Gee you're older than I thought," I said.

"Where is she now?" Alva asked.

"Her...I think her general math class is close to bein' done...few more minutes," Oscar looked at his watch and nodded.

"The writing classroom...can we check it out?" I asked

"Yeah, I'll take ya there."

As we followed him, I confronted Alva.

"How come you never talk to us about Mia?"

"I tend to keep my life outside of work private. Yes, I have a teenage daughter who is in her very first year of college."

"She never visited the office?"

"She's been busy."

We walked in the writing classroom, there was a slight smell.

"It smells in this room, not the other rooms with vents, it's damn weird," Oscar said.

Oscar walked to the vent.

"The smell's stronger there, much stronger. Hell I've cleaned up many funky messes in my time."

He opened the vent, got out his flashlight and looked around.

"No dead rodents...hmm. I think its a good idea to open this window."

I helped the middle aged janitor out, as soon as I did, Oscar cried.

"There's a dead girl right down there."

I saw the pale blue corpse of a young girl of Asian descent. Evey wanted to look but Alva stopped her.

"Evey no."

When the ambulance arrived outside, Alva uncovered the white blanket on the gurney.

"She looks Mia's age."

Oscar took a peek.

"Oh Lord, Jia!"

"Jia?"

"A study partner of Mia's. They shared history class. I heard it's been a difficult week, we thought she was absent but here she is."

Oscar was crying a little bit.

The ambulance left, we headed back inside when a young girl ran to Alva.

*Mia's POV*

I ran to Dad in the commons lobby.

"Dad what happened!?"

"A dead body was found, I was originally here for the paranormal entities."

We stared for a few seconds until he pulled me into a hug.

"I'm sorry sweetie."

"What?"

"The dead body...was a...a friend of yours...a young Asian girl...it was suicide...she was having a very difficult time."

My heart dropped, my first college friend was dead. Jia was gone! He hugged me tighter for a moment.

"I'm sorry Mia."

I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder, I let go of Dad, turned around to see his colleague.

"Ms. Santos?"

Then, I saw another guy with them, he was younger than Dad, kinda cute.

"Mia, this is Paul Callan, he's a more recent member of Sodalitas Quaerito."

I gave Paul a small smile a shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you Miss. Keel."

"It's Mia," I replied.

Paul looked back and forth between me and Dad.

"I do see a resemblance."

"Can it Paul," Dad replied.

Paul and Evey laughed. They knew he was joking around. It cheered me up a little.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

He looked at me.

"You think it might be Jia haunting the college?"

"Has this activity happened before she died?"

I shook my head.

"Not that I'm aware. I never experienced it other than the lights flickering and books flying from the shelves of the library today."

"We've investigated all we can today, we'll be here tomorrow. Is this all your classes today?"

"I got one more in a couple hours then I'm done."

"How about some lunch with us, pizza?"

"That would be amazing Dad, let me go to the bathroom first."

He nodded.

I went inside the girl's bathroom. As soon as I started peeing, it immediately got colder in here than usual. I got startled by a knock on the stall door.

"I'm in here."

I looked down and realized there was no visible feet on the bottom.

"Jia?"

I called her name assuming it was her spirit but nothing happened. I got up and flushed the toilet,  I could also hear a loud shout.

"Mia!"

I ran out scared by the disembodied voice.