With learning about the paranormal, comes learning about the setting up and Zak was there to walk me through everything. Now with security gone, the museum seemed a little bit more scarier.
It takes a while to set up a base in the security room, where we keep all the equipment as well as planning out how I am going to work around the museum.
"I want to try that room." I tell him, pointing to one corner of the museum he has purposely avoided.
"El, I don't think that's a good idea."
I kinda like the way the abbreviated version of my name leaves his mouth, but I don't let that distract me from my previous statement.
"Why can't I go over there?"
"That's the dybbuk box chamber." He says looking up from the layout of the museum that he had printed out for me.
So attentive...
"Which means there will be guaranteed evidence, that thing is haunted as heck."
"No. It's dangerous for someone like you." He says making me cock a brow.
"You mean a woman?"
"What? No."
"Someone with epilepsy?" I push because now I've got my back up. I told him my condition will not rule me!
"I mean an amateur. This is your first investigation... I wouldn't let anyone do that. Hell I won't let Aaron do it, and he's been with me from the beginning. It's dangerous and it's dark. I'm sorry but the answer is no."
"Okay, well maybe next time?"
"Let's just see how you get on tonight.." He replies bopping my nose before handing me a digital recorder.
"My first piece of equipment tonight! Let's go find some ghosts."
He laughs softly behind me as I spin on my feet and walk down the corridor holding my camera.
"Maybe we should turn the lights off first and try to go down the right corridor?" He suggests making me spin to face him.
"Yeah that may help." I giggle, coming back to his side.
When he switches off the lights, I can't help but say "Bravo Six, going dark..."
Zak stops instantly, causing me to raise the camera to see his face in the night vision. "Did you just quote Call of Duty?"
"You play?"
"Wait, you play?!" He asks in surprise.
"Who doesn't?"
"We are so playing that at my house one night." He says turning around and walking ahead.
"In the dark." I add.
"Absolutely. Bravo Six.." He repeats with a chuckle.
"Here." Zak says making me turn my camera towards him. He is holding a rosary in his hand, having taken it from the cabinet off the museum wall.
"Why do I need that if I am not going to the dybbuk box chamber?"
"Humour me." He replies, I move the camera out the way, letting him loop the rosary over my head and setting it down on my chest. Pleased, we continue on through his museum.
We begin our investigation in Dr Jack Kevorkian's office, after a few failed attempts at EVPs. We move into the room with Jack's van and begin a new EVP session.
"Try and speak to him." Zak says, turning his camera to record me.
"Okay.." I place the recorder into the van so that I wouldn't contaminate any response from me shuffling.
"Dr Kevorkian... Are you still here, working?" I ask.
Zak had instructed me to wait for a few seconds before asking another question so that the spirit has time to reply.
"Are you here to help people?"
....
"Do you regret your work?"
....
After a few more seconds, I nod to Zak and reach in to grab the recorder when I feel a prick on the back of my hand.
"What happened?" Zak asks seeing me flinch and recoil my hand.
"I just been pricked.. Like pin pricked." I frown trying to see the back of my hand in the night vision camera.
"Or like a needle prick?" He suggests, pulling a torch from his pocket to look at the back of my hand. There is no blood, but a small red mark from where I felt something. "Can I just document this too?"
"Sure." I answer, watching as he pushes the torch into his mouth and pulling out his phone to take a photo, once he has the photo, he puts his phone away.
"Is that still recording?" He asks flashing his torch at the recorder.
"Yeah, I didn't get a chance to turn it off."
"Good.." He replies. "Was that you Jack? Were you trying to drug Elle? Harm her?"
I frown at the idea and wait as Zak grabs the recorder this time, with no problem and stops it.
"Let's review this now." He says, hitting the rewind button, moving a little closer, he lifts the recorder between us so that we can hear it easily.
"Do you regret your work?" My voice asks on the recorder.
"NO!" A voice growls back making me grab Zak.
"Congratulations on your first spirit interaction." He chuckles as I look between him and the recorder, worried at what else it will say. After a quick skip through of mine and Zak's conversation, we both prepare for Zak's question.
"Was that you Jack? Were you trying to drug Elle? Harm her?"
"Help. Her."
"Did that say help her? He was trying to help me?" I ask Zak who rewinds the recorder and closes his eyes to listen a little harder.
He pulls it away and looks at me "Yeah, it says help her. He was trying to help you or thought he was helping you.."
I take the recorder back and hit record. "Dr Kevorkian, I am here for help, but not that kind. I want to know, what happens when we die?"
....
I stop the recorder and look towards Zak. "Let's check this back."
"Dr Kevorkian, I am here for help, but not that kind.. I want to know, what happens when we die?"
Both myself and Zak listen but there is no response.
"And he is gone.." Zak says stopping the recorder and passing it back.
"Now what?"
"Now we move on, we can always come back. It's weird that he chose that moment to leave. Especially for a man who sent people to their deaths.."
"He thought he was helping, maybe he was? Being seriously ill and suffering doesn't sound like a walk in the park. He was just offering them the last bit of control before their lives were stolen from them..."
There's a moment of silence between us, before Zak says "I know, it's just a shame that the rest of the world doesn't see it from your perspective."
We move on from Dr Kevorkians room and head down to the puppet room, one of the rooms I had hoped to avoid.
"You like this room, huh?" Zak laughs seeing my face.
"This whole room disturbs me."
"I'm not a fan of them either."
"I beg to differ, your collection is.... Extensive."
"Call it, facing my fears.."
"I'm definitely facing mine." I tell him turning the camera to the puppets hanging off the ceiling. "If one moves, falls, anything, I am running."
I hide my smile when I hear Zak mutter "Me too."
****
Patience.
Patience is key when doing paranormal investigating, I had thought the spirits would be happy interact with the living, having been in silence for so long, but apparently not.
With countless attempts at communicating, spirit box, EVP and using the SLS, we had nothing and things were silent at the museum.
"What do you do when it is like this?" I ask him, sitting in the security room looking at all the monitors.
"Usually, I provoke."
I look over at him but he shuts me down instantly "And you are not provoking. No good comes of it, you ramp them up and you could get hurt."
With a heavy sigh, I turn back to the monitors. "Wheres the fuel packs for them? Perhaps we should set them out?"
"I've already put them out, hoping it will stir up something.. Things are too quiet for my liking." He says standing up to look closer at the top row cameras.
"Are you sure I can't provoke?"
"Absolutely not."
"Spoilsport."
I'm looking all over the monitors when I see the basement. "Can we go to the basement then?"
Zak looks down at me. "The basement. Where they use to do satanic rituals?"
"Yeah."
"I don't think-"
"Let's go." I jump up and grab the SLS. I'm tired of sitting around wasting time, if I couldn't provoke, I could perhaps, badger them into reacting, right?
"Fuck.." He sighs quietly as I open the security office door.
I'm halfway down the steps to the basement, when Zak grabs my shoulder making me jump half a mile and stumble back on the step.
"Mother Mary! Are you trying to kill me?!" I ask.
"Sorry, sorry. Let me go first."
"Why?"
"Because I need to make sure it's safe down there for you." He tells me, trying to move past. But my butt gets in the way and I block his path.
"It doesn't need to be safe, it needs to be active."
"Are you intending to get hurt tonight?"
"Will it get me evidence?" I ask in hope.
"If this is the plan, then I'm pulling the plug." He tells me with determination in his voice.
"Oh chill your beans. I want to get Casper on tape, not be thrown across the room."
"Good-"
"So I'll go first." I interupt and skip down the last few steps before opening the basement door.
"Elle, we will be having serious words later.." He says as he approaches.
"Is that a promise?" I tease, making a smile curl his lips before he pushes the camera out the way.
He lifts my chin up to face him. "Just be cautious. Don't think this is a game.."
"I don't." I tell him honestly.
"It is starting to feel like you're mocking them. Don't stir it up. Please."
Seeing the worry in his eyes, I nod. "I promise.."
"Good girl." He replies sliding past me and putting himself first. This time, I don't argue and follow after him.
As soon as we turn the corner, I feel a change in the air and find myself moving closer to Zak. The air is like ice and for some reason, it feels darker than ever.
"Why does it feel so different down here?" I ask him quietly.
"I have no idea. Just be careful, stay close to me."
"Right behind you."
The pentagram takes up the whole of the floor, meaning their is no way to escape it if you step into the main room of the basement. So I stick myself to the wall of the basement, less than 2 inches away from it.
"I'll put the low lights on." Zak says moving away from me. As he said, I stay close to him, when the red lights flick on, I find myself stood in the middle of the pentagram.
"Are you kidding me?" I ask backing off the pentagram and back to my previous position.
"Keep over there, try and do a spirit box session."
Setting the camera down, I start up the speaker and spirit box, letting it scan the frequencies rapidly. I nod my head to Zak, letting him know that he can start, with it being his museum, he may get more of a response.
"Who is down here?"
"Zak."
I gasp as his head whips in my direction. "Yeah? I'm here. Tell me your name?"
"Bagans."
The static continues for a while as Zak takes on board that something is here in this room with us. I see his eyes look at the pentagram a couple of times before he shakes his head and walks over it.
As soon as he is back by me, he picks up my camera from the floor and scans the room. I feel a little relief now we are near the exit of the basement and edge my way into his side, realising that I'm there, he puts his arm around me. I look up quickly giving him a smile before looking back at the spirit box.
"What happened down here?" I ask feeling more confident.
The stations keep flipping before we get a response saying "Sacrifice."
"Does it want one? Or is it telling me what happened down here?" I ask Zak.
"Well they aren't getting one off us." He says pulling me back against him some more. "Something is off down here, I don't like it."
I know I should be worried, if he is worried, but I don't want to leave this place whilst we are getting some responses. The night was beginning to feel like a wash out, that was until we came down here.
"What state are we in?" I ask, feeling like it was a simple enough question, but I don't get any response, it's then Zak's turn.
"Who is this woman beside me?"
I shoot him a glare, not wanting whatever was down here to say my name. Thankfully, it doesn't.
"What lives down here?" I ask.
"Elle." Zak growls obviously unimpressed by my question, much like I was with his.
"The Devil."
The sound of the voice followed by a blood curling scream that comes through has both me and Zak shouting in terror and flying out the main basement and into the stone archway.
"Did you hear that?!" I shout at Zak who is panicking and trying to shut the box off as I push it towards him.
He turns the box off and is about to speak when a loud hiss and bang is heard, making us both scream. Zak flies towards me, grabs my hand and pulls me out the basement not hanging around for a single second.
We don't stop to take a breath until we are back up in the museum. I'm physically shaking because the scream that came through shook me to my core, not to mention the loud bang.
"The Devil?!" Zak asks me.
"What the hell is that doing down there?! You go down there for alone time! You're not alone at all!"
"Did you hear the hiss?!"
"The bang and scream!" I add before running my hands over my face. "Oh my god."
"Are you okay?"
I nod. "You?"
"A little shook up. That scream chilled my blood."
"Tell me about it."
"Let's just calm down before we head anywhere else." Zak suggests and for once, I am happy to do just that.
***
I know I shouldn't say it, but I kinda miss not being in the basement, where the activity is. The whole museum seems quiet, only picking up the odd voice through the spirit box before it goes dead.
We continue on around the museum, going from room to room until finally, something strikes me.
"Wow.."
"What?" Zak asks turning the camera to me instantly.
"Deja vu." I tell him.
"Explain."
I look at him through my camera. "Okay, so it sounds weird but I feel like I've done this before.."
"You took a tour and have been in the museum before?"
"No.. It is different." I frown looking around me.
"Okay."
I get a sudden surge of annoyance that he doesn't believe me. "The alarm is going to go off." I tell him.
"The alarm won't go off if we are insi-"
Before he can finish, the alarm starts screaming making me wince and clunch my ears.
"How the fuck?"
"Shut it off." I tell him as he moves past me, still looking weirded out.
"What else happens?"
"The door, this door, it closes." I tell him as he stops and looks at the fire door.
"Stand here, I'll go shut off the alarm."
He positions me in front of the door and runs down the corridor to the main alarm panel to shut it off.
"Psst."
I whip around with the camera, looking to see if something else or someone else was here with me. When I fail to see anything, I go to turn back around when I hear a thump and a small ball appears on the floor. Recognising it from being upstairs in the Fun house, I walk over and reach down to pick it up when I hear the slam.
"Fuck." I mutter, turning to see the door I was suppose to keep open, now shut.
"Elle?!" I hear Zak call through the door.
I walk back to it and stuff the ball under my arm to try the handle, but its locked... Just like I knew it would.
Unease washes over me. "I-I'm here. The door, its locked."
"What?"
"It's locked." I tell him, trying the handle.
"It can't be. The door doesn't lock."
"What?! How does that work?!"
"It's a fire door, there is a magnet to keep it open on the floor... It's electronically charged, if the fire alarm goes off, it drops it and the doors close. But they shouldn't lock, they can't lock there is no lock there!"
"Well I can't get out!"
"Don't panic! Just.. Just don't panic! What happened? Why did you move?!"
"A ball fell on the floor! From the fun house!"
"That's upstairs?!"
"I know!"
Zak's out of words as we both try to get our heads around that idea. I wait, looking around the room with the camera, wondering how on earth I am going to get out of this.
"Okay... Okay Elle. Listen." Zak says making me press my ear against the door. "You there?"
"I'm here..."
"Fuck.. I don't want to do this."
"Do what? Kick the door in?"
"No... On the left hand side of the wall, there is a panel. It's a secret passage. Can you see it?"
I look around and find the panel. "I see it."
"Push on that and follow the passageway down."
"Where does it take me?"
"The dybbuk chamber. But I'm going to be there. Stay in the passage until I am in the chamber okay?"
"Okay. Okay.."
"After three. You move, okay? And you do not come out the passageway until I get you."
"Got it."
"One, two... Three!" He shouts.
I move across the room and push against the panel until it shifts, letting me inside the passageway. As soon as I am inside, I want to get back out feeling claustrophobic.
Knowing he would be rushing across the museum, I make my way down the passage, trying not to think about the walls coming in or air cutting off.
It's not long before my brain begins thinking up stupid scenerios and reminds me of a horror film where there are dead bodies within the walls.
"Shut up. Shut up!" I shout at myself hurrying a little faster. My shoulder jars against the wall making me bounce off the corner and hiss in pain, but I carry on quickly until I get to the end.
"Zak?!" I call out, hoping he has got to the dybbuk chamber. I put my hand against the door and wait.
I'm leaning against the door, hoping for a bit of sound from within the room to let me know that he is there, when I hear a growl from the passageway behind me.
You're not alone in here, Elle.
My subconscious has even turned on me as I look down the dark passageway wondering if it's telling me the truth.
"No, no, no. Come on Zak!" I whisper looking between the passageway and back at the door.
The air suddendly feels like it is being sucked out and the walls seem to shift in closer, making me push against them.
Breathe Elle. Just in and out. In and out.
Tingling in my arms begins as well as a rising feeling in my stomach. A putrid smell taints the remaining air until I realise what is about to happen.
This wasn't some paranormal experience about to happen.
I wasn't having a panic attack and I wasn't living through some dream state deja vu.
I was having the warning signs of a seizure..
"Zak! Hurry up!"