𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 01
3𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐯
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— JASPER SHUFFLED IN HIS SEAT ANXIOUSLY, he eyed the clock on his desk, tick-tock, time passed by far too slowly. He breathed shakily before he shook his head. Why was he so nervous?
His mind drifted before a noise from his PC snapped him out of it, he accepted the call as he stuffed his earbuds in his ears.
The three passed awkward greetings before one of the duo spoke up, beginning the real topic of conversation, "So, do you believe in the paranormal?" Sam Golbach asked Jasper Jett, a YouTuber who was known for various content, none of which included the paranormal.
Jasper has a complicated relationship with the paranormal. He grew up hearing stories from his grandma of the ghosts that haunted the small town of Briar Woods, Kansas, he heard the whispers of those who haunted their house, he saw the shadows hiding behind furniture, and the cold that always seemed to surround him and his grandma even on the hottest of days. Yet, he refused to believe in it all, for believing would give it power.
Despite his refusal, he knew better than to deny the existence of something paranormal altogether. It was something he simply couldn't do. Which is why he found himself struggling to find the words to answer Sam's question.
"I guess it depends on the place." He finally responded, "My grandma, she's a medium, and I saw spirits as a child around her house-" he didn't mention the ones that followed him too, he couldn't, "but I've never really communicated with anything." That it in itself was true enough. He hadn't properly communicated. He'd heard whispers around the house, and sometimes shouting in his ears when he was falling asleep, but he had never spoken to a spirit properly... well aside from... they didn't need to know about him.
The duo seemed surprised, which he should've expected really, he never spoke of the paranormal on social media, aside from perhaps the horror movies he enjoyed, always finding himself drawn to the paranormal horror movies.
"So you have some experience then." Colby commented, and for the first time, Jasper found himself taking in the man on camera. His striking blue eyes stood out with his dark hair, he dressed the way Jasper always wanted to and looked ten times better than he could. However, this was not what Jasper found himself drawn to, no that was the strange way Colby was familiar to him beyond a screen.
"I wouldn't say that." Jasper responded, tearing his eyes away and clearing his throat, "More like a... past with the paranormal." He continued, noting the odd looks they shared, "So, where exactly are we headed for the video?"
"Well, there's a few options." Colby said, going into a more professional mode, "I can send you the links to a few of the places, we haven't decided yet so maybe you could help." Jasper nodded in confirmation and had already begun to look through the links when Sam continued.
"Are you willing to travel?" Sam asked curiously.
Jasper smiled, "Honestly, right now, I'd love to get away for a bit." He admitted, his smile faltering as he read the dark histories of the haunted places. He expected nothing less than darkness, after all what kind of YouTubers would go to a happy haunted house?
"Well if you see one that interests you more, let us know."
Jasper hummed and continued reading through the links, he paused on one of the last ones. For some reason, he found himself drawn to it. Something was different about this one, he could feel it.
"What about this one," he began, realizing embarrassedly that they couldn't see his screen, "Yorktown Memorial Hospital? Seems interesting."
There was typing on their end before Colby hummed in agreement, "I thought it was interesting too. It's a little less known than... Driskill hotel, but the stories..."
"It's like a classic haunted hospital with its own dark twist." Jasper agreed, Sam and Colby both nodding in agreement.
"It'll take a bit to set it up, and do research but it has more availability than other places so we might be able to do it... within the month." Sam looked up, presumably at Jasper for confirmation.
He nodded, "I'm on break for a bit from social media so my schedule is wide open." He chuckled without humor.
"We don't want to interrupt your break." Sam protested.
"You're not. I agreed when I knew about the break." Jasper shook his head, "It's a break from online, not from life."
Life carries on whether it's shown online or not, that's one of the first things he learned after becoming a content creator. Some wanted to share every moment online, others didn't. Either way, they lived.
The trio had small talk for a while, both about the video and other things. Meanwhile, Jasper was doing his best to avoid looking at Colby. He seemed so familiar yet he couldn't put his finger on it.
The call came to an end after an hour had passed with promises of updates on the project. Jasper sunk into his chair as his screen turned black. His mind drifted to the Yorktown Hospital, the haunted place that he found himself drawn to, and then what, or rather who drew him in even more.
Colby Brock.
He sat forward and pulled up Google, where he typed in the YouTuber's name. Maybe he could figure out where he recognized him from.
His finger scrolled down the screen until he came across something that him breathe in deeply.
Kansas.
A coincidence surely, he thought, shaking it off despite his heart beating noticeably faster than before.
Yeah, just a coincidence...
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A week later, Jasper was packing for the trip to Texas. Not exactly his dream vacation, but it was far away from Los Angeles and maybe that would be enough.
"That Colby guy," he hummed, his phone pressed to his ear as his friend, Wesley, continued, "he's pretty cute."
He groaned even as Audrey cackled on the phone, "Seriously?"
"What? You're single now, live a little." Wesley told him casually.
Jasper huffed, "It hasn't even been a month." He pointed out.
"Hasn't stopped Ethan." Audrey mumbled making Jasper pause. He'd heard the rumors just like everyone else, barely a week after they broke up and Ethan was seen with someone new.
"I'm sorry, Jay." Audrey apologized.
He shook his head, putting them on speaker so he could pack his bag, "It's fine, Audrey. I just want to get out of this city for a bit."
"I wouldn't mind getting away with Colby either." Jasper huffed a laugh at Wesley's teasing comment, he went to make a remark when his doorbell rang.
"Hang on, someone's at my door." He told them, turning the call on mute before going to answer the door.
His hand wrapped around the doorknob, a familiar anxiety filling him. He hated answering the door, but he couldn't exactly get anyone else to do it when he didn't have a roommate.
He huffed at his anxiety and opened the door only to freeze in place, "Ethan." The name escaped his mouth like a curse and a prayer all at once.
"Hey, Jay." Ethan smiled which quickly turned to a frown when he looked over Jasper's shoulder and spotted the suitcase, "what, you running away now, Jay? That's not like you."
Jasper huffed a breath of air, suddenly reminded why his friends all congratulated him when they told him they'd broken up. "I'm not running, Ethan. I'm going on a trip, not that it's any of your business." He crossed his arms and strengthened his stance to make himself taller. It was no use with Ethan being several inches taller, something he used to like. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
"Well, mission accomplished. You can leave now." Jasper said sternly, his eyes narrowed in barely subdued rage.
"Don't be like that." Ethan chided.
"Leave, Ethan. Before I call Jade."
Jade, Jasper's favorite of the Montgomery siblings, who told him long before they broke up that she would beat her brother's ass for him. Luckily, they're still friends.
Ethan scowled but raised his hands in a sign of defeat, "Fine, I'll leave. Have fun on your trip." He emphasizes the word like it's a game, one that Jasper rolls his eyes at.
Closing the door in his ex's face left him with a strange satisfaction that he carried with him when he recounted the story to his awaiting friends who cheered for him while simultaneously threatening Ethan, or in Wesley's case saying he should forget Ethan with Colby, which he rolled his eyes at though he had to admit...Forgetting Ethan sounded perfect, and maybe this trip would help him do just that.
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1,476 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
First chapter on the first day of Hellweek! Hope yall enjoyed!
- Yorktown Memorial Hospital is a real haunted location in Texas! I plan to use the actual history of the location and add in some things