Chapter 1

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The abandoned hospital looked like something out of a horror movie

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

The abandoned hospital looked like something out of a horror movie.

Nestled in the Cascade mountains, Essondale Sanitarium had once been a retreat for those who believed the clean, fresh mountain air would save them from the ravages of tuberculosis. A century ago, you would've found a sprawling retreat, something more akin to a luxury hotel, surrounded by the lush temperate rainforest and glorious mountain views. Now, in the years since, the forest had moved in, overtaking the sprawling lawns and buildings.

For Penelope Haywood, it didn't get any better than this.

She stood in Essondale's shadow, admiring the moss-covered building as the sun sank out of sight, its red light bleeding out over everything. What was left of the main building's gabled roof stood stark against the flaming sky—

A hand dropped down on her shoulder, and Penelope let out a sharp scream. She whirled around, her freshly-dyed teal hair fanning out as she spun, and raised her fists, ready to fight.

"It's just me! It's just me!" said Daevon as he hopped back from her with his own hands up to protect himself. His eyebrows shot up into his shaggy bleached-blond bangs. "Who else would it be? What, did you think I was a ghost or something?"

"Maybe," Penelope muttered, dropping her fighting stance. She narrowed her eyes at him, but the corner of her mouth quirked up into a smile. "That's why we're here, isn't it? We are ghost hunters after all."

Daevon chuckled and leaned in again, looping his arm around her waist. "Sure, but what were you going to do if it was a ghost?" he said with a louder laugh, pulling her close. "Punch it?"

"You're just lucky I didn't punch you," Penelope said, lightly socking him in the shoulder. "Maybe don't sneak up on people in creepy remote locations."

"You're right, you're right," Daevon conceded with a smirk. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just came to check on you and see if you were ready to start the shoot."

"I was," Penelope grumbled, pressing her hand to her chest. Her heart was still racing. "But now I gotta take a minute to calm down and refocus."

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