For Alexis, even the most basic chores could become an adventure. All she had to do was to turn on her wireless speakers and play the songs by Sleeping Entropy.
Wiping off the dust from all the household items could be an exhausting, boring work - that's why Diane didn't even think about doing it. Anna, obviously, couldn't do that either since she wasn't able to reach higher places. That means that the long shift with a duster was up to Alexis.
Fortunately, she had already done the necessary to make her work more pleasant. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she heard the initial piano solo of the song Immortal. The main point of the lyric was that if you manage to do something great, you'll gain immortality - your name will be remembered even though you leave this world.
It doesn't matter if you change the world or wipe off the dust from the bookshelf, Alexis thought. The fact almost nobody appreciates it doesn't make my effort less valuable.
While listening to the music, she remembered the recent concert of Entropy she attended. Probably the best evening in her life, spent with Anna and her favorite band. She remembered holding Anna around her shoulders while singing all the songs together. Almost spiritual connection between Alexis, her best friend and all members of the band. It was a magical moment and she'll always cherish it in her mind, even though the concert was interrupted by an attack of a deranged shooter.
And for your words, for your deeds,
your legacy will not decease;
You're immortal, immortal...
Alexis was so dragged into the song that she almost stepped on Dante who began to curiously observe her work. "Bork, bork," he said, slightly offended.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Alexis said, grabbed the pup and moved him to his favorite couch. Dante yawned and immediately fell asleep. The girl appreciated his cuteness for a while, then returned to work.
As she expected, Diane entered the room during the second song. "Oh my God, Lex," she lamented. "Who's supposed to listen to this all day long?"
Alexis raised her eyebrows. "Do some cleaning, then. If you do, you can choose your own music."
"I'll rather listen to this nonsense yowling," her sister muttered and left the room. She locked herself in her own room and soon after, Alexis could hear muffled sounds of loud metal music blocked by the door. Fortunately, it wasn't loud enough to drown out Alexis' music.
Even though she was done with cleaning in less than thirty minutes, she let the whole album finish. It was Entropy's second album called Victorious, which was more uplifting and encouraging than the first, more depressing one. And encouragement was something Alexis needed right now.
There was still no news about Kyle and Marlene. She even searched the internet with Anna to find any possible info about their whereabouts, but they weren't successful. Kyle wasn't stupid. He clearly didn't want the people, especially the sisters, to know where he was, so he did his best to not leave any traces.
That could mean only one thing - he was onto something big.
One thing played in their favor - the moment of surprise. Kyle was certain that both girls are arrested for murder. Fortunately, Alyssa Lafayette, a police officer who was also their friend, made the case as discreet as possible, so there weren't any ways he could find out about it.
Unless he had some friend (or a bribed mole) in the Gabriel's Gardens police depot - which was highly probable. She was expecting the unexpected. She was ready for anything that life would throw at her.
She let the last tones of the song Goodnight fade into the silence as the album ended. Alexis was alone with her feelings for a while, she let the afterglow of the music touch her soul. That was one of the reasons she disliked the modern pop music - it was never strong enough to reach her heart or soul.
On the other hand, Matthias Blake's voice was able to break through almost immediately, as if her body was only an imagination. There were only two more things which could make her feel that way - books and Anna's presence. She hoped that she would be able to see Entropy just once more.
That feeling when she heard the familiar melodies playing from giant speakers, seeing the people she looked up to playing just a few meters away from her. That feeling of connection with Anna and basically everyone else at the show. They all came for only one reason - to enjoy the music.
That day, Alexis finally felt truly alive.
Her daydreaming was interrupted by Diane who walked into the room; she probably found the place quiet enough to step in. "News from Lenny," she announced. "That infrasound-emmiting device Roger installed in that racist scum's headquarters worked pretty well. Guess what? They turned themselves in! All of them. They just walked to the police station and confessed about everything they've done. They probably chose jail over residing in a haunted place."
Alexis smiled victoriously. "That's good to hear! Maybe I could tell Roger to install his devices in the prison, too, but that'd be probably too cruel."
"I think that nothing's too cruel regarding them," Diane smirked devilishly.
A wave of relief went through Alexis' body. "So that means Lenny is safe," she said. "Thank God. I think the case of the Morningstarian monster can be finally closed now."
The girls gave each other a high five.
"That means we're free again," Diane sighed. "Bored."
"Well, I'd actually love to have a little holiday," Alexis said. "We still have some of Grayson's money, so we don't need a client that badly. Well, our work has always been exciting, but it was always some kind of haunting we either stopped or debunked. Lately, it's... different. We're fighting for our lives. We've been imprisoned. I lost Marlene. I feel like out of control."
"That's true," Diane admitted. "The things are getting more serious lately. Maybe we should just relax while we have the chance. Things can get pretty messy at any given moment."
>><<
Later that day, after the girls finished the lunch, Alexis realized that their fridge was almost empty. "I'll have to do some shopping," she said to Diane. "Are you going, too?"
"Does it involve Hot Topic and Chinese restaurant?"
"No, just groceries."
"In that case, I'll stay at home," Diane replied.
As soon as Dante saw Alexis getting dressed, he started to bark happily and jump around her, hoping for a walk. "I can't take you out right now, little buddy," Alexis said. "You're not completely welcome where I go. Maybe you should ask Diane!"
The pup looked genuinely sad.
"Dee!" Alexis shouted before she left. "Please, take Dante for a walk!"
She hoped that her sister would be able to do at least this - taking the dog for a walk and playing with him was Diane's favorite chore. After she heard Diane's "Yeah", she left.
Alexis aimed to the supermarket she usually shopped at. She liked it because she could walk there instead of taking the TEx (it was located in the centre of Serenity Square) and because it was usually quiet and peaceful compared to vibrant, crowded malls in The Centre.
She put on her earbuds and got lost in her music again. She already noticed that she was becoming addicted to reading and music, but she didn't mind since those were healthy, harmless obsessions.
She arrived at the mall, grabbed a shopping cart and started to pack items from the list she wrote earlier. It was a calming job and the girl soon started to feel better about everything. Maybe Kyle was gone and wouldn't return. Maybe he decided to give up on Gabriel's Gardens for some reason and relocated.
In that case, they wouldn't have to care about him any longer. The territory of Warren sisters was Gabriel's Gardens. And Marlene? She couldn't be helped anyway.
But aren't these thoughts too selfish?
Suddenly, she noticed a woman walking into a neighbour aisle. There was something familiar about her. The girl decided to go into the aisle with basic household items too, so she could find out where did she see that woman before.
Alexis sneaked into the aisle, hoping her interest wasn't too noticeable. She examined the woman. She was tall, in her thirties, with pale skin and dark red hair, wearing a long sleeveless black dress. Her slightly lined eyes were covered by a layer of sadness.
Suddenly, Alexis realized who it was. How could I be so blind? She was looking at Karen Wilkinson, the violinist and backing vocalist of Sleeping Entropy. It was no doubt about it - the girl even recognized a tattoo on her shoulder, a little angel holding a rose. Alexis knew that Karen got the tattoo after her first husband died of severe pneumonia.
Although the woman was usually happy and lively, especially during concerts, now she seemed concerned, worried. She didn't even notice Alexis looking directly at her.
Alexis cleared her throat. "Karen...?" she said cautiously. "Karen Wilkinson?"
The woman finally noticed her presence. "Oh," she said. "I must've seen you before, right? Let me think... yes! You're one of the Warren sisters who saved our concert in Gabriel's Gardens several weeks ago. It's good to see a fan," she looked at Alexis' Sleeping Entropy T-shirt, "but unfortunately, I have to ask you to leave. Please don't take it personally."
"What happened?" Alexis wondered.
"The band is going through hard times. We'd prefer to stay in anonymity," Karen replied.
"Does it have something to do with that unsuccessful concert in Phoenix?"
The violinist smiled grimly. "That's the problem with hardcore fans. They always know everything and the artists can't hide from them."
"Okay," Alexis shrugged. "So I will just... leave. I won't tell anyone. Good luck."
Karen watched the back of the girl. She hesitated for a while, then said: "Wait!"
>><<
Both women returned the goods to aisles - the shopping could be done later. Karen then followed Alexis through the Serenity Square district.
"The whole Entropy fandom was really confused when it happened," Alexis said. "What's up with Matthias? He has never done something like that before."
The whole fanbase of the band had already seen the video from Phoenix. Entropy was in the middle of the song called The End - coincidentally, it was the same song which made Alexis figure out the prophecy of a blind girl and save the lives of many people.
Suddenly, Matthias Blake, the singer, stopped singing in the middle of the sentence. Eventually, the whole band stopped playing, confused by their frontman's action. The crowd of fans under the stage started to mumble, puzzled equally as the band.
After a moment, Matthias simply left. Karen and other band members tried to call him back, but the singer just escaped into the backstage and nobody had a chance to get him back. The band had to cancel the concert and return the entrance fee - something they didn't have to do before.
"That's the problem," Karen shrugged. "We have no idea."
Alexis frowned. "Really? You don't? The man you work with every day just starts to behave strangely and you don't know the reason behind it?"
"It started... right after we left Gabriel's Gardens. The next day, we had a performance in Los Angeles, which is not very far away from here. And everything just went to shit after that. Excuse my language, but there's no better expression. Matthias just refused to talk to anyone, refused to practise with us... he became someone else. We barely managed to perform in Las Vegas. Then, in Phoenix..."
"That's strange," Alexis said.
"Yes, it is. A week ago, Matthias even broke up with James. But he's not depressed because of it - they broke up because of his condition. James couldn't stand it either. They had the worst argument I've ever seen... then they just broke up. Matthias is even worse since then."
"What? He and James? They were so happy together!" Alexis exclaimed.
"I know. Now they're not. I'm actually starting to be afraid. He has no reason to behave like this, at least as far as I know; the band is getting more and more popular, we earn enough to live a comfortable life, he was so happy with James. Also, music was basically his life. You could see the pure joy in his eyes when he was writing lyrics or cooperating with us while recording new songs. He loved our music and our fans more than anything. Now it seems that even music means nothing to him."
"What can we do?" Alexis said. "I don't want Entropy to end!"
"Neither do I," Karen sighed. "But what can we do? We can't continue without Matthias. And we can't find a new singer, not even temporary, because he didn't officially step out from the band. All we can do is to cancel our shows and hope that he'll be in the right mind soon."
"And why are you here?"
"Well, we needed some shelter until the things would settle, so we decided to come back here. Lots of celebrities run away to Gardens because of its partial isolation. Lots of celebrities travel here when they need a break because it's quite easy to maintain anonymity here. And since we're still more of an underground band, our faces aren't widely known. We were perfectly hidden... until one curious girl spotted us."
"I'm sorry," Alexis muttered.
"No, you don't have to. I'm actually glad it was you who found me. Your actions at the Festival of Founding showed us that there's really something about you and your sister. So maybe... you may be able to help Matthias. Or at least try."
Alexis smiled. "Is that a commission?"
>><<
When Alexis and Karen arrived home, Diane gave them a confused look. "Did you buy a woman at the supermarket, Lex?" she asked. "How much did she cost? Was she in sale?"
They both laughed. "This is Karen Wilkinson," Alexis introduced the woman. "She's a violinist of Sleeping Entropy. She needs our help. Without us, the band may end."
She expected her sister to say something like It would be about time, but Diane just nodded. Although Diane was usually a cheeky tomboy, she knew when it's the best time to be tactful and professional. She wasn't always like that (in the past, two clients cancelled their commission because Diane offended them), but Alexis guessed that it's better to learn it late than never.
"Please wait a moment," Alexis said and sent a text message from her phone. Several minutes later, someone unlocked the door and Anna guided her wheelchair through the hall. "So, Alexis?" she said. "Where's the surprise you texted me about? I swear if it's some kind of joke..."
Karen approached the impaired girl and offered her a handshake. "I was told that you know me."
Anna's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Karen Wilkinson!" she exclaimed. "Lex, how did you manage to bring an Entropy member here?!"
"Actually, Karen needs our help," Alexis explained. The violinist briefly summarized the problem.
"Matthias? Grumpy and depressed?" Anna frowned. "That can't be! He's always so positive and supporting... and when we met him at the Festival, he seemed so kind. That just... I can't believe it!"
Karen shrugged. "Well, it's true. We are just as surprised as you are."
"We'll have to visit him," Alexis decided.
"I guess we'll have to, but you have to be prepared. What you'll see isn't nice at all. I hope you won't start to think negatively about the whole band after that."
"Listen up, Karen," Anna said. "Sleeping Entropy has always been here for us, even when we feel miserable and are angry with the whole world. Now there's a rare occasion when a band needs help from fans, so there's no way we'd just chicken out. It'll be our thank for everything Entropy gave us."
"Oh, that's so nice of you," Karen smiled. "This is exactly the reason why are we doing this... and not so long ago, Matthias agreed, too. Do you remember what did he say during an interview about our second album, Victorious? Good old times."
"'If our music saves at least one person from being sad, if it helps at least one person to cope with depression or suicidal thoughts, then we have succeeded,'" Anna recited.
Diane frowned. "You really know every single quote from that guy?"
"No, but this one is the most known," Alexis replied. "Every Dreamer should know it."
"Dreamers is an official name for Entropy's fanbase," Anna explained even further.
"So, what's your plan?" Alexis turned to Karen.
"You will try to talk to him," the woman replied. "Maybe when he'll see his fans who want him to return, something would move inside of him."
"And if it won't work," the girl said, "I'm not ruling out the possibility of something paranormal being behind his condition."
"That's a nonsense, Lex," Anna muttered. "You see ghosts around every corner while forgetting that humans are the worst of all. Matthias just burned out. The pressure connected with the band was just too much for him. Who knows for how long did he keep it locked up inside. Now it finally exploded."
"But the problem is that nobody claims they saw Matthias unhappy!" Karen objected. "Not even James, who was the closest to him. He basically changed overnight."
"Maybe he's a skilled actor," Diane noted.
Alexis didn't want anyone to argue. "I think we can all agree on one thing. Something's fishy here and we won't know much until we speak to Matthias. So I suggest we should do it right now."
>><<
The three girls and the woman entered Karen's car which was parked at the parking lot of the supermarket where Alexis met her. They had to take Dante with them, as there was no one left to take care of him. Alexis held the pup on her lap while sitting on the back seat with Anna, whose wheelchair was tucked into the car's trunk.
"I promise he won't make any mess," Alexis said.
Karen smiled. "Even if he did, he's so tiny that it won't be a big disaster."
"Don't let his look fool you," Diane noted. "He can make a mess disproportionate to his size."
Dante just yowled quietly and licked both Alexis and Anna's face. The girls laughed. The dog got scared a little when the engines of Karen's dark red car, whose color matched her hair, came alive. He calmed down a bit when the car hit the roadway and curiously observed the surroundings through the window.
"Looks like someone's enjoying car rides," Anna smiled.
"Bork," Dante replied.
The journey wasn't long since Serenity Square bordered directly with The Centre. One would say that since both districts belonged to the more luxurious part of Gardens, they would be nearly identical, but that statement was far away from the truth. While Serenity Square was corresponding with its name, neat, quiet and peaceful, The Centre was always chaotic, always flaunting its luxury and spectacularity.
"Next time, we'll accommodate either in Serenity Square or in Icaria," Karen noted.
"Or you can just go to my place!" Anna offered. "It's just me and my brother in my flat - I think that five people can fit there if you coop a little."
Karen laughed. "Thanks for your offer, Anna."
The traffic in The Centre was, as always, terrible. No wonder that people preferred travelling by TEx - central roads were usually crammed and driving even short distances could result in unnerving experience involving an infinite sea of cars and cursing drivers.
"Terrible," Karen muttered. "Just terrible."
After a deadening hour, they finally managed to reach the hotel where Entropy was accommodated. It wasn't one of the splendid five-star hotels The Centre was known for, but this one offered more privacy. It was located far away from the Angel Square, almost near the border with Blue Street district.
The woman parked the car in the lot reserved for the hotel's clients.
"Finally here," she said and opened the main door. The sisters already knew that the most luxurious hotels had robots of various shapes who greet the newcomers or giant aquariums instead of walls. This hotel didn't offer such conveniences, but it was still clean and ritzy.
"Oh, it's Mrs. Wayland," the girl behind the reception desk winked at Karen; it was obvious that Entropy accommodated under fake names. The receptionist probably knew, but she respected the privacy of the VIP guests. And maybe she got a few extra dollars for this service. "Welcome back!"
"Greetings, Emma," Karen said and discreetely put a 50-dollar banknote on the desk. "Let's say you didn't see that puppy my friend is carrying, okay?"
The hotel employee smiled and grabbed the banknote. "What puppy?"
Karen nodded and returned to the girls. Dante was now sitting on Anna's lap, partially covered by her hands. Fortunately, the hotel was fully wheelchair accessible, so Anna didn't have any problems with reaching the 3rd floor where Entropy's members temporarily lived.
"It's strange," Anna said with a tease in her voice. "Entropy sings about unimportance of material wealth. In a song The Mastermind, you directly denounce money and their influence of modern society. But I've just seen you bribe a receptionist!"
Karen shrugged. "Well, no matter how much do you dislike money, you have to use it. And when you have enough of them, it's not a crime to let them help you from time to time, right?"
"Well, I guess not," Anna replied.
"The rooms 16 to 20 are ours," the woman explained. "We're usually in just one, number 16, and go to our own rooms just to sleep. Except for Matthias, of course. He's locked in number 20 and we only go to him a few times a day to check... his condition. I always try to reach him somehow, but he doesn't listen."
"Okay, it's our time to try," Alexis said. "Let's consult the band."
>><<
Karen used a keycard to unlock room 16, a typical bright, well-furnished hotel room. As she said before, the whole band was there. Alexis and Anna couldn't hide their excitemet - at the festival, they were able to meet Matthias for a moment, but now the whole gang was here. Well, except the singer.
The first one to greet them was Carter Ying, the youngest member of the band with Chinese roots. His thin figure, glasses and slight overbite made him look like a typical Asian nerd, but he was skilled at playing all kinds of guitars which was crucial for Enthropy and their multi-genre music style.
The remaining two members were the Reeves brothers, Peter and Paul. They were both tall, with short fair hair and hazel eyes, but Peter, the older brother and the band's drummer, was a little bit chubby while his brother maintained a slim figure and grew a stubble.
"You brought some guests over, Karen?" Paul said and gave Diane a bright smile; Diane grinned and waved at him. Paul was a good-looking man and caught Diane's attention right after they entered.
"I hope that they'll be able to help Matthias," Karen said and sat next to Ying.
"Wait. I think I know you," the Chinese man said. "You are those two girls who saved the day at the Festival of Founding. You managed to track down and kill that terrorist guy who wanted to ruin our show."
"I didn't kill him!" Diane exclaimed. "It was an accident. I wanted to bring him to justice, but his death was unintentional. I'm not a murderer."
"We all know you aren't," Karen calmed her down. "Ying just uses wrong words sometimes."
"Back to the topic," Peter said. "I know they're some kind of paranormal investigators, but I doubt they can help Matthias in any way. He's not... possessed by a demon or stuff like that. He's just depressed, probably suffering a burn-out syndrome. This calls for psychologists, not ghost hunters."
"Our range is pretty wide," Alexis noted. "Give us a chance at least."
"And some autographs, while we're at it," Anna added.
Paul shrugged. "I guess we don't have much other options. The fans are waiting for their shows and those vague announcements that Matthias is 'sick' also aren't gonna last forever."
Carter Ying seemed to be interested in the girls. "So you're real ghosthunters?" he said. "Do you work like in Ghostbusters? I mean, do you have some cool suits and energy weapons?"
"Not really," Diane smirked. "Paranormal investigation is somehow the most exciting and the most boring thing at once. You have to investigate the haunted places, check the anomalies in the electric field, take photos and videos, record voices. Usually, we either find nothing or find a natural explanation for the occurrences. But the real fun begins when we actually catch something."
"Some of our cases were pretty intense," Alexis said. "But no, we don't fight with energy beams and stuff like that. I usually manage to talk the entity into leaving our world. They usually aren't evil, just confused. But when we encounter some malevolent being, Bible verses and prayers work good against them."
"And when everything else fails, I can punch the hell out of them," Diane smirked. "It usually doesn't work, but it's always worth to give it a try."
"In other words, the movies and other stories about ghost hunters are nonsense," Ying said.
"That's right," Alexis nodded. "They usually portray paranormal experts like some kind of superheroes, which is far from truth. All it takes is to study theory, knowing how to apply it and have an open mind in case something goes wrong."
Ying smiled. "I think I'll leave the band and become a ghost hunter!"
"No!" both Anna and Karen shouted at once. The man started to laugh. "I'm just joking. I'm actually a chicken. What about that wheelchair girl, does she help you anyhow?"
Anna decided to ignore the remark which sounded rude in a certain context.
"This is our background support," Alexis explained. "She's amazing with computers, so when we need to analyze something or find info, Annie is always here for us."
"So, now we know a lot about each other," Peter said. "You should visit Matthias and see what happens."
>><<
Karen looked nervous while knocking at the door of room 20.
"At least he always opens," she said. "So far, there wasn't a case where he just locked himself in...fortunately. I'd have no idea what to do in that case."
Soon after, Matthias opened. Alexis and Anna had to gasp at the sight of their favorite singer. He was usually clean and well-groomed, now he resembled a Morningstarian hobo with unkept hair, messy stubble, droopy face and expressionless eyes. "What do you want?" he asked. His voice didn't sound angry or annoyed. In fact, there wasn't a trace of any emotion in it.
"I've brought you a visit," Karen said.
"Greetings," Alexis nervously smiled at him. "We met at the Festival of Founding about two weeks ago. Do you remember us?"
"I meet so many fans that their faces blend together." The girls were shocked even more - a rude remark about fans was something Matthias would never do. "If you don't have something particular on mind, please leave. I prefer thinking alone."
"We just want to talk to you," Alexis said.
"About what?"
"Why are you like this."
Matthias sighed and invited them in with a hand gesture. His room's blinds were closed, causing the room to drown in a dark gloom. "I really don't like repeating myself," he said.
"But do it, just for this once," Alexis pleaded.
"After all those years I've been in Entropy," Matthias begun, "I realized that what we're doing is pointless. We're going to die anyway, so why should we waste our time and energy to create something that'll probably die with us? In fact, everything we do is just a distraction from the death that awaits us."
"Don't talk like that!" Anna lashed out. "Wasn't it you who wrote the song Immortal? Remember its lyrics? When you achieve something great, you'll live forever!"
Matthias gave a sad, tired smile. "That was so naive. After we die, we no longer care about this world or anything. We stop existing. Why should my non-existent self care about my heritage in this world?"
"But you're religious, aren't you?" Alexis objected. "You should believe in afterlife."
"I do, but there are no unquestionable evidences about it. What if there's nothing? Just infinite emptiness. You no longer have consciousness to appreciate what you did."
"I can't stand all this nonsense you're talking about," Diane hissed. "I don't know what made you like this, but you sound like some philosophe-wannabe on drugs. Of course the things you've done do count! Of course there is an afterlife! Think about it. It makes no sense. Everything we are and what we've done will just go to shit after eighty years and we spend rest of the eternity in darkness? Look, I'm not some kind of spiritual being feeding on sunlight, but the idea of death being final is ridiculous."
Matthias said nothing.
"Please," Alexis grabbed his hand; it was dry and cold. "Entropy needs you. We need you. Maybe you're going through something bad right now, but it'll get better. I'm certain that even James will be willing to accept you back. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for us."
The man seemed to think about her words and there was a small hope that Alexis' words broke through, but Matthias shook his head. "I'm sorry. You can't force me to do something that's pointless."
"You're letting down your four best friends and millions of fans, do you realize it?" Anna asked.
He nodded. "I do, but... I just can't. Now, please, leave me alone. I don't want you to feel what I'm feeling right now and I have no idea how contagious it is."
The four women left the room. "So now you see what I'm talking about," Karen sighed. "It's like he resigned on life. Maybe it'd be easier if he was angry and yelled at everyone. But this scares me so much. I'm starting to be afraid... about his life."
"We can solve it together," Alexis said firmly, even though her belief wasn't as strong.
>><<
"I still believe that the cause of his behavior is not natural," Alexis insisted. "I doubt it's possible for a human being to do a 180-degree turn from kind-hearted, happy man to the depressed wreck we saw earlier. That just makes no sense!"
"Maybe he has been diagnosed with some terminal disease and doesn't want to tell us," Paul guessed.
"That's a good idea, but Matthias didn't go to visit the doctor lately. And besides that, I think that he would tell us. He's not a secretive person."
"Once again," Alexis said. "Can you recall the exact day when did Matthias start to behave weirdly?"
Karen nodded. "Right after our Los Angeles show."
"That's strange," the girl muttered. "Maybe something happened to him there."
"No offense to you, girl," Paul said, "but we are not dealing with paranormal stuff. I understand that your job is to see ghosts everywhere possible, but I think it's disrespectful to Matthias and his condition when you run around him with your nonsense paranormal theories."
"You're probably right," Alexis said. "I'm sorry."
Karen put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's okay, Alexis. We understand that it's your natural instinct. Anyway, if you had any idea how to help him, you're always welcome here. Only a few fans are so dedicated that they care about their favorite band on a personal level."
Alexis smiled. "Thank you."
The girls left the hotel with more questions than answers.
As soon as they stepped outside, Alexis tapped on the insignia engraved in her hand. "This thing never lies."
"What do you mean?" Anna wondered. Dante was still sitting on her lap and decided to fall asleep.
"This thing can sense some things, as you probably know," the fair-haired girl explained. "And when I was around Matthias, it was tingling like crazy. That's why I refused to give up my theory, even though Matthias' descend into depression is the less complicated option."
"Over all these years, I've learned one thing," Diane said. "Trust your instincts."
"So you're trying to imply you're almost certain that Matthias is possessed by something?" Anna asked.
Alexis shrugged. "I may be wrong. Maybe I'm holding on to this option because I can't cope with the fact that Matthias, the voice that followed me during all my teen years and was always there for me, became someone else. Maybe I want to believe that some magic ritual can fix it."
"I'm with you," Anna said. "It's the only way we can help Matthias and I'm willing to try it."
"Thank you, Annie. What would I do without you?"
"Hey hey, I can't leave you two alone," Diane joined the talk. "Just tell me what are you planning to do and I'll join ya. I can't say I care about the band or its music, but its members look like nice people."
"Especially Paul, right?" Anna teased her. "You think I didn't see those awkward looks between you?"
Diane blushed. "You have to admit he's pretty cool."
Alexis rolled her eyes. "You asked about my plan, right? So here it is. Karen said that the problems began immediately after they left L.A. Something had to happen there. I want to go there and track their footsteps. Maybe there was something in the hotel they stayed in."
"Do you know which one it was?"
"Karen told me," Alexis nodded.
"So you are willing to just pack and leave Gardens for L.A.?" Diane frowned. "Even though it may be an absolutely useless trip?"
"It's not that far away," Anna noted. "We can just drive there, spend a night in the hotel to investigate it, and return the next day. I think it's worth a shot. Besides that, Diane, we need you. You're the only one with a driving license among us."
"Okay," Diane sighed. "I'll take you there. Under one condition - you'll let me visit any store I want."
Alexis smiled. "Of course. We already kinda expected it."
>><<
They decided to not wait and hit the road the very next day. The sisters went to inform their adoptive father, Reverend Warren. The old man wasn't hysterical about them leaving the city. He fully trusted them.
"May God watch over your journeys," he smiled. "I'll be with you in your mind."
"Maybe we'll need it," Diane noted.
"I gave Karen your number, if you don't mind," Alexis said. "If something significant happens and we won't be available, she'll be able to call you."
Warren nodded. "You did good, Alexis. I'm always ready to help that tormented soul."
"Looks like helping tormented souls is our family business," Diane smirked.
"But you already do it better than me," Warren replied. "Safe travels, my girls."
Because the girls didn't have their own car, they had to borrow one using the money from Gray Forrestal (the reserves were gradually becoming thinner). Since they needed no special features except for enough space for Anna's wheelchair, they chose the cheapest car aviable, a worn down blue Ford.
"So, girls, are you ready for a ride?" Diane announced.
"Hell yes we are!" Alexis and Anna said in unison.
"Bork!" Dante added. He had to go with them since Reverend Warren was allergic to dogs; that's why he kept reptiles as pets when he was younger. They tried to phone Alyssa Lafayette, but the woman apologized that she had too much work to look after a pup.
There was no other option - the dog had to go with them.
Diane turned on the radio. After some complaining about the quality of modern music, she finally managed to tune a station playing mostly rock and alternative music. Diane nodded in satisfaction and finally headed north to the Blue Street district.
After songs by Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and a long block of ads, the station started to play Head in the Clouds, the lead single from Sleeping Entropy's new album. Alexis and Anna would be usually overjoyed to hear Entropy in the radio, but this time, they listened with mixed feelings. This song was lively and positive and Matthias' voice heavily collided with his current conditon.
"Among all the depressing stuff we usually play, it's sometimes good to raise up our mood with something positive," the DJ announced. "This was 'Head in the Clouds' by Sleeping Entropy, who had to cancel their tour dates at the moment because their singer Matthias Blake is ill. Well, get well soon, Matthias!"
The girls smiled grimly. Only they knew the real reason behind Matthias' sickness.
A band called Starset started to play as they reached the Blue Street district which contained the border with California. The district got its name because some of the roads and streets were painted blue; these led straight to the borders and this fact was indicated also by big white letters on the road: TO CA, USA.
Diane turned to one of these blue streets where they had to slow down; there was a long line of cars ahead of them. Although Gardens formally belonged under United States, its partial autonomy highly encouraged smuggling various goods from the city. There were no customs inspections, but every car had to stop in a blue garage where they were scanned and sniffed by well-trained dogs to see if they were not smuggling anything.
After long waiting (which wasn't, though, as bad as the traffic jams in The Centre), Diane finally drove into one of the blue boxes. Both entrance and exit closed for a moment as the car was scanned by high-performance devices. Two officers came with a German shepherd on a leash. The dogs sniffed the car and then stopped for a brief moment. One of the officers raised his eyebrows. Anna smiled at him and showed him Dante, the source of the dog's reaction. The man nodded and let them continue.
"It's actually a good idea to utilize dogs," Alexis complimented the system. "They can be trained to smell alcohol, drugs and other stuff that might interest the authorities."
"Maybe we'll make Dante a police dog, too," Diane smiled.
"Oh no," Alexis opposed. "I have different plans with him. Animals have strong connection with the paranormal. I'll make him a ghost hunter dog."
"Bork!" Dante agreed as they passed a splendid sign: YOU'RE LEAVING GABRIEL'S GARDENS.
>><<
The journey eventually turned into a nice road trip which all three girls enjoyed. They spent the day in LA, visiting the interesting places the city had to offer and shopping for goods unavailable in Gardens. But even though the atmosphere was friendly, Alexis couldn't stop thinking about the task that awaited them.
After a nice dinner in a Chinese restaurant, the girls entered the car again and Diane navigated them to the hotel where Entropy slept earlier. On the first glance, it was similar to luxurious hotels in Gardens - lots of white, perfect shapes, the feeling of royalty. It was located near the Echo Park, with a skyline of majestic skyscrapers in the background. "This looks like something from CSI: Miami," Diane noted.
"Only except we're Horatio Caine now," Alexis added.
The sun was already setting as they walked into the hotel. "Greetings," Alexis approached the receptionist. "May I please speak with the manager?"
"Yes, you're lucky that he's here," said the tanned, middle-aged man serving as the receptionist. He picked up a phone and mumbled a few short sentences; moments later, a chubby bald man in a suit walked in. "I'm Spencer Stan, the manager," he said. "How can I help you?"
The girls were actually surprised that the manager is willing to speak with them. Alexis took the chance. "We are the reporters of a magazine about mysteries," she said; it was one of her favorite cover stories. "We investigate interesting places and record anything weird that happens. Oh yes, I almost forgot to introduce! I'm Helen. This is Deedee and this is Aline."
The manager frowned. "Why would you like to do such things in my hotel? Wouldn't it give this place a negative publicity if you actually find something?"
"It's exactly the opposite!" Alexis replied. "If we manage to capture something paranormal, there'll be a surge of both amateur and professional ghost hunters wanting to spend the night here and increase your profits!"
"And you won't lose your usual clients," Diane added. "They usually don't read magazines like ours."
Stan still didn't look convinced. "And may I ask what gave you the impression that something may be happening here? I presume you didn't come here randomly."
"A few anonymous contributors on our website reported strange sightings and noises in this hotel," Alexis continued her fabrications. "Look, it's a win-win situation for you. If we manage to debunk the haunting, your visitors won't be afraid to visit your business. If we confirm something, it'll gain popularity - numerous people already confirmed that a ghost is the best form of marketing!"
Stan began to sweat and his face gave away that he knowed something he was not willing to admit. After a while, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to politely reject you. I'm sure our hotel doesn't want any kind of similar publicity. I apologize."
Alexis' hopes started to sink. "Are you sure? It'd be a right move."
"Yes, I am completely sure," the man's voice became bitter. "This is a luxurious hotel and many celebrities already went through those doors. Only second-class village motels need to gain popularity through these questionable ways. Now, if you don't want to accommodate, please leave."
The man himself dragged his overweight body out of the hotel. The girls were left alone with the receptionist. Alexis sighed: "Well, looks like we've hit the dead end."
"Hey, girls," the receptionist said. "I wanna help you." When he dragged their attention, he continued: "It's true that something weird happens here. I've experienced lots of this stuff already. Some people say that some guy committed suicide here and Stan managed to hush it up; there have been some signs of haunting since then. Maybe you can finally make that clear."
The girls exchanged excited looks. A guy commited suicide. This sounded like the right way to go.
"It'd be great if you managed to sneak us in," Alexis said. "It won't take long."
The man nodded. "Alright. Be there around three at night. Boss will be gone at that time and the guests should be all sleeping."
>><<
"Are you sure that the guy doesn't just want to lure us here and... violate us?" Anna said, slightly worried. It was a few minutes to three and the hotel was dark and silent. All parties already ended and now it was easier to believe that the luxurious building might be haunted.
"He seemed genuine to me," Alexis said. "And if he tries to pull something on us, we have Diane."
The girl cracked her knuckles. "Touch my sis or my friend and I'll have to intimately introduce his face to my fist," she smirked. "It'd be a love at the first sight."
The receptionist showed up as promised. Diane was ready to strike, but it seemed that he really didn't have any malicious intentions - he introduced himself as Raymond and showed them the back entrance. He used the keycard to open it. "What about the dog?" he asked. "If he starts barking, he'll alert the people."
"He's too tired," Anna gently stroke Dante sleeping on her lap. The soft buzzing sound of the wheelchair turned out to be a perfect lullaby for the pup. "Besides that, I'll stay down here and make a background support. My wheelchair would be too noisy and troublesome."
"I'll stay here with you," Raymond said and Anna thanked him with a nod.
Alexis and Diane disappeared into the hotel while keeping in touch with Anna through a radio transmitter. They were making sure that they didn't make any noises which could wake up the sleepers in the hotel rooms. Alexis was constantly watching the electric field indicator, which sometimes oscillated due to an electric device being turned on nearby.
"It's scary, but nothing particularly scary," Diane noted. "Do you sense something?"
"Yes... no... I don't know," Alexis said. "It's hard to describe. Something lingers here, but it's not as intense as other paranormal sightings we've had." She took out her voice recorder and whispered: "Is anyone here able to communicate with us? Please, give us a sign of your presence."
A second later, Anna's voice sounded in the radio. "Lex? Raymond showed me the security cameras on his laptop. Suddenly, one of them went off. It was the camera in the second floor. Right before it happened, I think I saw something moving in the room 207. It can be a guest, but Ray told me that 207 is free at the moment."
"We're on it," Alexis said and ran upstairs alongside Diane.
"Do you realize that those security cameras see us?" Diane said. "I hope there are some hot security guys, because we're most likely to be caught."
"Don't be so negative," Alexis replied. "We can play two young movie stars on a night walk. You know very well how to play a celebrity - remember when you got into The Beatflyers' dressing room when we were solving the cause of the cursed song?"
Diane laughed. "Yeah. It was fun."
The hallway in the second floor looked identical as the floor under it - a hall with a carpet and doors leading to the hotel rooms. All of them were closed, some had the Do not disturb sign on the handle. Only one door was slightly opened - the room 207.
Alexis' hands were slightly shaking as she raised the recorder again. "If you want to tell us something, please do it now," she said. Then both girls jumped back as the door opened a little more.
"What the hell is this place?" Diane muttered.
"It could be just a draught," Alexis replied, but didn't sound convinced. She put her hand on the door.
"You ain't going inside, right?" Diane seemed nervous.
"I have to." The sister with glasses opened the door. The appartment was big and fancy, just like you expected from a hotel focused on VIP clients. She turned on her flashlight and scanned the inside. "The windows are closed," she stated. "It couldn't be a draught."
"This room is weird as heck," Diane said. "Shouldn't it be locked when it's not inhabited?"
Alexis turned on her pocket camera and took a few shots of the interior. She didn't use photoflash, afraid that sudden bursts of light might drag unwanted attention. "Okay, now we should leave," she said. "We'll examine the recordings and photos and see if we manage to find something."
Diane had no quarrel with it. Alexis closed the 207's door and quietly took the stairway leading downstairs. They found Anna and Raymond exactly where they left them. Weird thing: Dante was nervous. He was standing on Anna's lap, shivering and yowling quietly.
"He's been behaving strangely," Anna said. "Just like the cameras," he pointed at Raymond's computer. The camera scanning the second floor was working again. Alexis examined the picture. "Oh god," she muttered; the door of the room 207 was open ajar again.
>><<
After a short sleep in a much cheaper hotel, the girls drove home. The atmosphere was now a bit more tense since the girls still had in mind what happened in the hotel.
"I can't wait to examine the recordings," Alexis said. "There was something weird in that room. I sensed it. No wonder that the manager didn't want us to do a research there - he was aware of that haunted room. He knew that we might find something."
"We found a way anyway," Anna shrugged. "I just hope Raymond won't have problems because of us. We stayed out of the sight of security cameras, but still."
The journey back seemed shorter to the girls, even though the time was roughly identical. They saw the giant banner above the borders, this time from the other side.
WELCOME TO GABRIEL'S GARDENS
They had to go through the checkpoint again; fortunately, none of the things they carried was illegal. The blue box opened again and let them drive into the Blue Street district.
First of all, they returned the borrowed car and went for a lunch; the girls hadn't eaten anything for long hours and the hunger already started to kick in. The omnipresent anxiety they felt in the hotel, especially near the room 207, slowly began to fade away.
Alexis handed Anna two small memory cards containing the photos and audiofiles recorded at the hotel. "I'm counting on you, Annie," she said. "If someone can dig something interesting out of these files, it's you."
"I'll try my best," Anna said.
While the girl on a wheelchair went home to examine the files the sisters recorded. Alexis and Diane took one more trip to West Haven to see their father. Reverend Warren was happy to see them.
"Did you find something, my dear girls?" he asked.
"I think we did," Alexis said. "We have no proof that it's directly connected to Matthias' depression, but it's too much to be a coincidence."
"Or maybe the haunting didn't happen at all," Diane noted. "The atmosphere could be so thick it made us believe that there was some entity present. Remember? We didn't see or hear anything. All we noticed was a malfunction of the camera and opened door to a room. Maybe the lock was broken - that's why the room wasn't inhabited. It was creepy, yes, but we need evidence."
"There's also that tale about a guy commiting suicide Raymond told us," Alexis reminded.
"Oh, the poor souls of those who took their own life," Reverend Warren said. "In some cases, God may forgive them... those whose torment is so strong that the embrace of Death seems like the only reasonable escape. But then, there are the others. Their souls are bound to the place where they committed the sin. If the rumors were true, it's probable that you really encountered a soul endlessly roaming this world."
"Thank you for your input, Father," Alexis said.
"Maybe we'll need to dig deeper into the hotel's past," Diane suggested. "Find some former employees and ask them about the rumor and the haunting. Man, this sounds more like a detective work, but if Annie won't find anything useful, it may be necessary."
"Or we should put some pressure on the manager," Alexis said. "He seemed to be familiar with the case. Did you notice how nervous he was? I take that as a confirmation."
"You'll see," Warren said. "Now you should go and visit Sleeping Entropy again. Karen didn't call me so everything should be the same as you left it... but you know, they're expecting your return and eagerly waiting for the news you bring."
"We will, Father."
>><<
The girls went to the visit after sunset. They waited the whole day because they expected Anna to have the results, but unfortunately, she had to update her software which took a while. Anna started the actual research in the evening and told them that the thing would be done tomorrow if she'll sacrifice some sleep.
They headed to the hotel where Entropy resided. This one at least wasn't haunted. Alexis knocked at the door and Karen came to open.
After some greetings, Alexis came to the point. "We were in the hotel in LA where the band was accommodated before the concert," she said. "Let me guess. Matthias received the room 207."
Karen frowned in surprise. "How did you know?"
The girls told them everything about their night in the hotel. The band members listened closely. "That sounds really creepy," Carter Ying shivered. "I can't wait to sleep at home again. Hotels are starting to creep me out, especially those in old buildings."
"So there may be something paranormal about Matthias' condition," Paul Reeves admitted. "Sorry that I was sceptical. You seem to be doing a solid job."
"What is you plan for now, then?" Karen asked.
"We have to find more about the haunting," Alexis said. "Discover who it was, how he died, how we can help him... if we help him, we'll be probably able to help Matthias, too."
"Good luck," Karen nodded in encouragement.
Suddenly, Alexis screamed and firmly grasped her hand with the insignia. Diane jumped, horrified. "What's up?!" she exclaimed. "Are you okay, sis?"
"It hurts," Alexis muttered through clenched lips. "Something's here... something... incredibly strong. Matthias! Go to him! Quickly!"
The whole band plus Diane rushed to the Matthias' room. Alexis joined them as soon as the agonizing pain ceased a little. "It's evil," she said. "Not even the ghost of Henry Rudger caused a reaction so strong."
Karen banged at the door with her fist. "Matthias!" she shouted. "Open the door! Now!"
There was no response. Diane put her ear on the door and amplified her senses using her insignia; she heard some noises, but she wasn't capable of identifying them. She shook her head.
"Paul! Kick out the door!" Alexis shouted. The man hesitated, but when Alexis screamed "DO IT!", he began his job. Loud thumps resonated through the hotel halls as Paul Reeves kicked the door again and again. The hinges finally gave up and allowed the audience to look into the room where a shocking and disturbing scene awaited them.
Matthias was standing on a chair with his hands on a noose already hanging from the ceiling. He was right about to put his head into the loop when he was interrupted. There was an expression of anger and disbelief in his face. Ready to finish what he started, he continued his awful job.
Peter Reeves dashed forward, grabbed Matthias' waist and tackled him to the floor. Matthias gasped and the chair hit the floor with a loud bang. The noose was dangling slowly; the piece of rope almost looked sad that it couldn't finish its job and assist Matthias with his voluntary escape.
"Let me go!" Matthias groaned. "This is none of your business!"
Peter, mumbling something about a goddamn idiot, was stronger. He incapacitated Matthias and tied the ends of his sleeves together, giving him an improvised straitjacket. The man was safe. For now.
"Lex?" Diane whispered. "Look at this."
Alexis looked in the direction her sister hinted and gasped.
The light from the hallway dimly illuminated the room. It was casting the shadow of the noose on the opposite wall of the room, but the shadow didn't follow reality at all. A shadow of a human figure could clearly be seen, with its head, jerked to the side, stuck in the noose. They could see its lifeless limbs as the figure dangled slowly, copying the movements of the actual noose which was empty.
"Jesus Christ," Alexis peeped. The shadow of the hanged man was one of the scariest things she had encountered during her life. It disappeared once the hotel security stormed the room.
>><<
Alexis was sitting on the floor, crying. Matthias was secured by the hotel security and taken to the psychiatrist. He didn't struggle and didn't talk, except for one sentence:
"You can't look after me forever. And there are countless ways how to do it."
Karen seemed to enter the state of a strong shock, blankly staring at the wall where the shadow of a hanged man projected. It was no doubt she saw it too. Ying fled to the toilet; it seemed that the horrific scene was too much for his stomach to handle. The Reeves brothers were cursing quietly.
Diane tried to console her sister by hugging her, but she also did it for herself - the disturbing image of the phantom still lingered in her mind. All doubts about the paranormal origin of Matthias' condition were gone.
"I... excuse me," Alexis said through tears. "It was just... too terrifying for me. Seeing Matthias like this... if we arrived a moment later, he would..." She bursted into tears again.
"You saved his life," Peter said. "Your instinct warned us and allowed us to stop him. Thank you."
"We'll take care of Karen and Ying," Paul added. "Go home. We'll meet again tomorrow... I hope the things will settle a bit. We'll make sure that Matthias will be under constant vigilance."
Alexis nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. I hope... we'll find something and end this for good."
The girls left the hotel and took a TEx home. They only spoke a few words as they took a shower and aimed straight to bed. Both of them, however, slept only a little. They kept seeing the eerie hanged shadow in their dreams along with Matthias, who, unlike in reality, managed to complete the deed. They woke up tired, suffering from a headache. "I thought that nothing can surprise us anymore," Diane smiled grimly. "And again, we experienced some bizarre shit that proved us wrong."
Alexis didn't even bother to correct her language. They both skipped breakfast since they couldn't even think about food without getting nauseous and aimed straight to Anna's flat. Her brother, Augustus, came to open the door. He raised his eyebrows upon seeing them.
"Annie was awake to the early morning hours and didn't sleep well," he said like a caring mother. "I'm guessing that you're the reason for that, aren't you?"
"I think we can't deny it," Diane said while moving to Anna's room. Alexis' mood brightened at least a little upon seeing her friend's face, but even Anna looked tired and disturbed.
"I guess we both have some news, right?" she said after seeing Alexis and Diane's faces.
Alexis began to tell the story about Matthias' failed suicide. It was hard for her to tell Anna about the hanged shadow on the wall. Anna nodded, like she wasn't surprised at all. "Look at this," she said. She opened a file on her computer - it was a photo of the room 207's interior. "Notice something?" she asked.
"Here," Diane pointed at the screen. There seemed to be something on the wall next to the window. Anna nodded. "That's what I noticed, too. I added some brightness, contrast and saturation. Look." She opened another file - the room was now brighter and the colors richer.
This way, the horror was now clearly visible. Alexis gasped. The strange shadow on the photo was the same hanged man they'd seen yesterday, only from a side view. It wasn't very sharp, yet there were cleary visible feet a few inches above the floor, the rope ascending to the ceiling. His head was collapsed on his chest; the hints of nose and chin could be seen.
"It's him," Diane said.
"And now the best thing." Anna opened an audio file. Alexis was asking: If you want to tell us something, please do it now. Her question was followed by a barely audible sound, like a human voice pronouncing a single word. "This EVP record was successful," Anna said. "I've isolated the voice and cleaned it a bit. Trust me, this is really scary. I kept hearing that in my dreams."
She opened another audio file. "Please do it now", Alexis said, followed by a hoarse male voice aggresively screaming one word: SUFFERING!
"Wow... this ghost doesn't seem very friendly," Diane noted. "If he just said PONIES, it'd be better."
>><<
They listened to the recording over and over again. "There's something in the background," Diane said after a while. Anna increased the volume even further and played the recording. Diane was right, the word SUFFERING was accompanied by a strange buzzing sound.
"It's an electric guitar," Anna stated after thinking about it for a while. "This is, if I'm right, not a ghost shouting some nonsense. It's a snippet of a song, some kind of metal."
"In that case, it's possible that someone was just listening to music," Alexis said.
"I don't know, sis. Wouldn't there be more of the song, then? Besides that, the building was dead quiet. We'd have to hear it too, it seems loud enough."
"Maybe I remember a person who can help us," Alexis said and told the girls about her plan. Then she and Diane left Anna's flat and took a TEx to North Haven.
"I wonder if they still remember us," Alexis smiled.
They knocked at the door of a flat near the centre of the district and soon after, smiling, middle-aged woman opened. "Alexis! Diane!" Sandra Kent cheered once she saw them. Another figure rushed into the hallway; it was Kevin, a young boy who was recently haunted by his dead father. "Oh look, it's Lex and Dee!" the boy said. Then pointed at Diane. "I beat your score at Pac-Man!"
"We'll have a rematch," the girl smirked.
Sandra's flat looked like a home of a 90's geek. She seemed to know everything about the popculture, so she seemed like a nice place to start. While Diane was playing Pac-Man with Kevin on a game arcade Sandra owned, Alexis described their problem.
"I'll do what I can," the woman said. Then she sent Kevin to play with Legos to his room - she didn't want him to get involved in another paranormal case. Alexis then showed her the recording.
"I think I recognize that word," Sandra said, frowning in focus. "Please play it once more."
SUFFERING! the voice on the recording screamed and Sandra nodded. She reached for her laptop and started explaining: "There's no doubt about that, it's Final Thoughts. That band was alive several years ago, but wasn't particularly famous or successful." She searched for a video and fast-forwarded it to approximately one third. Its title said Final Thoughts - Reasonable Solution (Official Video).
As the girls predicted, it was a metal band consisting of three musicians in tattered black clothing playing in dim, dusty room with ancient, broken furniture and various occult symbols painted there using red paint which was intended to resemble blood.
The singer was a thin man with an army haircut and angry, wrinkly face. He clenched the microphone as if he was trying to destroy it and devour its soul while screaming close-up to the camera:
My world's no longer painted in pink;
Everything narrowed to that one thing;
A reasonable way to END MY SUFFERING!
Yes, it was definitely the voice from the EVP recording. The video kept playing, but even Diane, who loved metal music, seemed disgusted. The sound was distorted and unmelodical. Unbearably heavy. Besides, the video started to get more and more disturbing. Alexis hit the spacebar to pause the video. "Tell us more about them."
"Well," Sandra said, "they released two albums which were so-so accepted. But they were just another black metal band with zero originality. They weren't able to break through, to make a name. After that, they went on a hiatus to return two years later with a new album. They hoped this one would finally make them famous. Well, it did... but not as they imagined.
Final Thoughts' last album was bashed by the critics as the worst record of the year. It's almost impossible to listen to the whole thing because it's so violent, depressing and hateful. Most of their lyrics are about suicide, much like this one. They were even accused of causing several teen suicides."
Alexis looked at the singer's face. It was deformed by anger and hate. Some musicians like Marylin Manson used this pose to make themselves more interesting, but it can be easily said that they're acting it out. This man, however, seemed genuinely deranged.
"After the debacle with the last album," Sandra continued, "Guy Searer, the singer, overdosed himself on drugs several times and not so long after, he commited suicide. He hung himself, but nobody knows where."
The puzzle pieces came together in Alexis' mind. "But now we know," she said.
>><<
"Let me guess," Diane said. "Searer killed himself in that LA hotel, in the room 207. Right?"
Alexis nodded. "And now he seems to take revenge on more successful musicians by injecting depression and suicidal thoughts into them."
"It's highly probable," Sandra said. "Searer was proud about his band's music and wasn't able to take criticism well. He was even arrested for a short time after he attacked a journalist who bashed their album, and spat into his face. It was only a matter of time before he did something stupid after the third album received a bunch of one-star ratings."
"Okay, now we know the root of our problem," Alexis said. "We'll have to persuade that Searer guy to leave Matthias alone... or else, I'll force him." They thanked Sandra and went towards the main door.
"Leaving so early?" Kevin yowled. "I thought I'll show Lex my new Bionicles."
The girl smiled. "We'll visit you again soon, okay?" she said. "And I'll bring our little puppy."
"Okay!" the boy brightened up. "Maybe auntie will finally allow me to get a dog!"
Another TEx ride, this time into The Centre. The girls knocked at the hotel room's door and Karen opened. "Is Matthias here?" Alexis asked.
"Yes, he's with us," the woman said; it seemed that she was able to recover from yesterday's horrors. "Someone guards him continuously. He talks even less than before; if he does, he keeps repeating you can't guard me forever. He'll try it again once we look away, I'm certain."
Alexis explained the problem's source.
"Oh, I see," Karen said. "Final Thoughts... we met them once on a festival. We were still new, it was only a few months before Searer killed himself. That Searer... he was an awful man. Constantly mocking us just because we were new. No wonder that he wants to take Matthias away."
"Let's go and settle this once for all," Alexis said firmly.
They entered Matthias' dark, gloomy room. Peter Reeves was watching over him as Matthias himself was sitting on a chair, blankly staring at the floor.
"Matthias, we know how to cure you, but you'll need to cooperate with us," Alexis approached the man.
"There's nothing to cure," Matthias muttered. "You managed to stop me once. Next time you won't."
Karen closed the door. Rest of the band watched while keeping safe distance.
"Searer!" Alexis shouted. "Remove your thoughts plaguing Matthias' mind. And do it NOW."
Matthias looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Game over, Searer," Alexis repeated. "Show yourself." Her insignia started to glow, radiating divine energy. She tried to touch Matthias. The man flinched and shouted.
Then, the stereo sound system in the room suddenly came alive. It turned on by itself and emited a sentence which wasn't spoken normally, but composed of words ripped from various songs. The hoarse voice and distorted guitars in the background gave away that the songs were by Final Thoughts.
"Your... TRYING!... is futile!" the speakers played. It was clear that it was Searer, communicating through his own songs. Matthias started to groan in pain.
"Didn't you hear me?" Alexis said. "Leave Matthias alone."
"It's not... ME!... Anymooore," Searer replied, using three more song snippets. "I was just... CATALYST... it was in... his... OWN MIIIIND!"
"I think he's trying to hint that those thoughts were always in Matthias' head, he just helped them," Alexis guessed. "I don't believe this. You just plagued him mind until you forced him to commit the sin!"
"Life is meaningless," Searer said. This time he didn't have to use two or three different songs as this sentence was present in one of them as whole. "Now he.... knows... TOO! I... offer... reasonable solution. He... TOOK!... it. His... Own decision."
Alexis turned to Matthias. "Do you mind if you explain?"
>><<
"When we left LA, I kept hearing that voice in my head," Matthias' voice was barely stronger than a whisper. "I thought it was mine. Telling me all those things about death and meaningless life. I think... I'm sorry. It's too late. The thoughts are too hard-wired and nobody can save me now."
"Just kill yourself!" Searer groaned and again used the whole sentence.
Alexis grabbed the singer's hand. "There's so much to live for, Matthias," she said. "I can sit here for days and list thousands of reasons why the life is great until that thing which inhabits you now finally gives up. Let me say it once again: we need you. Entropy needs you. You need yourself."
"Fame is... SHIT!" Searer replied through the speakers. "You die... everything GONE! Death is the solution. LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING!"
"What he's saying... it makes so much sense," Matthias said. "Please, let me do it. It will be better for us all. I can't live like this anymore. I'm sorry."
"We have to break Searer's influence," Alexis said and turned to the band. "I need your help. Start singing the most positive Entropy song aviable... I think Remember will work well. Send some happy thoughts towards Matthias. If we break the miasma of depression, I think I'll be able to reach him."
The remaining band members started to quietly chant the said song.
Remember, you're loved, no matter what happens;
Remember, you're loved, no matter what resides in your mind;
If you're sometimes feeling down, come and give me your hand;
Sometimes a little smile is everything needed to make the sadness end...
Diane was a bit ashamed that she didn't know the lyrics, so she just stood aside and watched what happened. Alexis was also singing and her sister noticed that she had actually a beautiful singing voice. She then raised Matthias' chin and smiled at him, with her eyes filled with tears.
"Please," she whispered.
And Matthias smiled back.
Searer didn't give up. He raised the volume of the stereo almost to the fullest and began playing the most disturbing and gruesome lyrics Final Thoughts had ever written. But five quiet voices singing a song about love and hope were somehow enough to drown out the evil metal tones.
"That's it," Matthias muttered. "I've had enough."
The man approached the stereo system, then grabbed one of the speakers and smashed it to the ground. They knew that the poor device was only used by Searer to communicate, but Matthias needed something which he could associate with the voice which has been plaguing him for the last weeks.
Slit your wrists and let the blood pour... Death is beautiful... The noose is calling, can't you hear it? HAPPINESS IS JUST A LIE! Give up, I know you want to... Searer's voice still tried to seduce Matthias, but it seemed that he already made his mind. As Alexis stated, they only needed to crack Searer's influence and let Matthias to think independently again.
"Shut up... SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!" Matthias screamed as he smashed the last speaker and ripped out its wires. Then he fell to his knees and screamed in pain, clenching his head. "Is he still there?" Alexis asked. Matthias nodded; their fight wasn't won yet.
The girl activated her insignia and put her palm on Matthias' forehead. "Keep him at bay!" she commanded. "I'll try to send him back to Hell!"
She began to chant a prayer in Latin. The man's screaming was gradually becoming louder and more painful; it seemed that Searer wouldn't give up easily. Fortunately, Diane joined the fight by putting her own hand on Matthias' head and chanting the prayer alongside Alexis.
Finally, the man groaned in relief and fainted.
>><<
Several days later, the girls, including Anna, came to visit Matthias in the Everglow hospital. He was diagnosed with something the girls didn't understand and had to stay there for a few days. The man was laying in a bed wearing a hospital gown with drip-feeds inserted in his veins.
"Matthias," Alexis smiled at him. "How do you feel?"
"It's alright, I guess," he said with a faint voice and returned the smile. "Searer is gone, although I still hear his words. I still have to think about them, but it's getting better. Let's say I'm learning to be happy again. James was already here and we got back together. And I'm returning to Entropy as soon as I get healthy."
"That's so good to hear!" Anna cheered. "Actually... I have something for you." She handed him a roll of paper. Matthias unwrapped it and saw a masterpiece-level, highly detailed pencil drawing of the whole band All five members were there, drawn with love and passion. Matthias, Karen, Ying, the Reeves brothers.
"I drew it some tome ago..." Anna blushed. "It took me a while and I was kidna... proud of it. Now I think that it's time to move on and... give it to you... if you want it, of course."
"It's beautiful, Annie," Matthias said. "The guys will love it, I'm certain." The look in his eyes gave away that he's being honest. He leaned out of the bed, hugged Anna with one arm and kissed her on a cheek; the girl emmited a squeaky noise and her face went even more red, even though it seemed impossible.
"Thank you. This will be an important part of my recovery. Every time Searer's thoughts return, I'll look at the drawing and realize that there's someone that loves me and the guys so much that she was willing to spend hours drawing this. It'll remind me that after all, the life may have sense. Thank you once again, Anna. You have no idea what does it mean to me."
The girls nodded in agreement. This was Matthias they knew and loved.
After I leave this place, the tour will continue," the man said. "And I'll make sure you'll get free transport and VIP tickets, probably to the show in San Francisco. I wish I could do more for you. Who knows where I'd be if there wasn't you. You saved me."
"No," Alexis objected. "You saved yourself."
"But you banished Searer and everything..."
"You made the decision to fight him in the first place. If you just gave up to him, if you didn't smile at me, we'd never be able to save you. You fought that spirit. We only dealt the fatal blow."
"I suddenly realized many things," Matthias admitted. "Here I can think about them in peace. Thank you anyway, girls. And I'd love to see you at the show."
"Even me?" Anna asked shyly. "Basically, I didn't do anything..."
"Oh, be quiet!" Matthias laughed. "You gave me the drawing. And I already realized that you and Alexis are an inseparable duo, so I'd have to invite you both even if I didn't want to. Besides, my busy bisexual life has taught me many things and maybe I know something about you that even you don't know yet," he winked at the girls. "See you soon, girls. I owe you my life."
"Get well soon!" Alexis said as they left the room.
"What was he trying to hint?" Anna frowned.
"I bet it was nothing," Alexis blushed and changed the subject. "I told you that he'll love your drawing. He was overjoyed. And besides that... we're going to a concert!" she cheered.
Diane raised her eyebrows. "Free transport and VIP tickets, Well, maybe I'll start liking their music after all." The girls laughed and the thick atmosphere of the past days quickly faded away.
>><<
As many of you already realized, this story was dedicated to the memory of Chester Bennington who wasn't as lucky as Matthias and didn't have any paranormal investigators who'd help him fight his inner demons. He committed suicide on July 20, 2017.
Chester, with the help of Linkin Park, could save millions of lives with his music, but not his. That doesn't mean he was weak, though. We can't imagine what he was going through. When we were living our careless teen lives with only insignificant problems, Chester already faced molestation, abuse, bullying, addiction and many other things. Despite all this, he managed to rise from the ashes and put all his emotion and experience into his voice which defined Linkin Park's music.
But the trauma, the demons remained. We don't know how frequently he had to deal with unimaginable depressions and suicidal thoughts which plagued him since his early adulthood. It was only a matter of time before the depression took control and forced him to escape. The horrible things he went through can't simply disappear, he could only keep them locked up inside with a risk that they can escape anytime, all at once. And unfortunately, it happened just now.
While most people tend to hide these traumas inside and pretend everything's okay, Chester was always able to openly talk about them through his music. And his experiences weaved into the melodies inspired countless people. He told us to never give up and keep fighting, no matter what happens. He taught us to be strong and bold and his voice motivated us to keep going and strive for greatness, because it's not our past which defines us.
For everything mentioned, I'm not afraid to call Chester a hero. Some may disagree, but my mind won't be changed. Even though he left us earlier than we expected, he already did his chunk of beautiful work, saving countless people with his music and another countless people through his and Linkin Park's charity work.
This story is my thank to Chester. For the fact that he was there when only a few people were. For hours of exceptional music. For the concert in Prague I had the chance to see. I hope you finally found peace and your demons, traumas and depressions don't plague you where you are now.
I hope you found something you wanted all along.