Ryan

I wasn't really sure what I'd expected for today. I mean, it's Halloween. It couldn't be any different from every other busy Halloween. Publicity parties, candy giving, haunted houses. Just what I subjected myself to. I already woke up in a bad mood, and immediately received several phone calls from Sergey, his useless attempt to wake me. I knew exactly what time it was. I knew exactly where I had to be in half an hour. I just didn't really want to go. Sometimes I miss the days when I had my Halloweens to myself and maybe a few friends. Just me, Sergey, and Xander relaxing at home with some scary movies, perhaps a party or two, and end our night uneventfully. But today would be ridiculously unpleasant. Ugh, that ringing again….

"Serg… What…" I couldn't understand why Sergey wasn't home. Normally he'd have bust in and use Xander to wake me up. Speaking of…

"Well, at least you're finally awake. I took Xander for a walk, but we need to leave in 15 minutes. Are you at least dressed?"

"Sure, I'll be out in a minute." I rolled to one side, dropping my phone over the edge. Maybe I'll be able to sleep just a minute more….

"RYAN!" A voice screeched in my ear. "I told you we had to leave in 15 minutes!"

"Serg, I only fell asleep for a second." He shoved my watch in my face and saw that about 10 minutes had passed since out first conversation. That long, really?

"Uhh I was abducted by aliens." He groaned and threw the watch at my cheek, tossing random clothing from my drawer to the desk.

"You better be ready in 5 minutes. I'm starting the car." He stormed out and Xander came running in, his tail a motor.

"Daddy's mad today." I pet his head and stretched until I was ready to get off the bed. I knew I wouldn't have time for a shower, but a man's morning duties exceeded just waking up. But, looking at the clock, I know I won't have time. I'll just have to deal with it.

"Is the little lady done getting dressed!?" Serg shouted up. I groaned and shouted something even I was too tired to understand. Without much care I slipped on the PRS shirt and some sweatpants. I was about to push my hair back and make it presentable when I realized… I don't care. I grabbed my Halloween costume and shoved it in my backpack, heading to the stairs. I took one last look around, checking if I left anything behind. Clear. I could still hear Sergey yelling, so I bounded down the stairs and locked eyes with him as I slid into the car. All the while he glared daggers at me. Easygoing as he was, he wasn't happy when we were late.

To be honest, most of the day passed by a hazy shade, just like last Halloween. Much too much was to be done, and everything had to be on time, on cue, and on tempo. If anything, we were allowed to be 1.2 minutes late. Already today we've had two haunted tours, one interview that managed to take up 2 hours, still not sure how. Not to mention the three parties we've already been to on behalf of publicity for Paranormal State, and now here Josh was springing a PRS hosted party on me.

"Well Josh, I'm so glad for being kept in the loop. It's wonderful that you guys feel SO free to tell me things." I knew I was being a jerk, but I was too tired to deal with anything else, and I just wanted to go to bed and be done with today.

"I'm not too crazy about this either, but they said that since we are PRS, we have to host it. And since you're kind of the start of all this, they want you there." I sighed and rubbed my temples between my hands. I hadn't had much alcohol today, but the stress made me feel as though I were hungover.

"All right, I'll go. Let Sergey know and I'll get ready." Josh left and I, feeling a bit like getting some fun out of today, stripped myself of the classic Dracula costume and replaced it with a black suit, donning the Dracula cape and a fedora from Sergey's room. To complete my makeshift costume, I pulled two small water guns from a storage closet. I saw Sergey coming back upstairs from the car through my bedroom window. It was opportunities like this that made me enjoy living with him. Xander bounced around excitedly for his daddy to come through that door but I shushed him and he fell silent, laying obediently at my feet. After just a few seconds, I could hear him coming up the stairs, nearing my door…

"Hey Serge, like my costume?" Water splashed rather comically in his face, and he did little more than crack a smile and look like he wanted to kill me all at once.

"Uh, sure. What are you?"

"I'll give you a hint. This Halloween has me so annoyed I think I actually created a poltergeist from my stress." I winked cynically at him and he nodded as he wiped away the water, smudging his skeleton makeup just a bit.

"The Shadow. Clever. Now please get in the car, I needed to talk to you about something." He sounded a little nervous.

"What about?" He opened his mouth as if to speak before shutting up and walking back down the stairs. "Sergey?" I shoved my water guns in my pocket and followed him down the stairs. He sat in the car looking agitated, shakily fixing his makeup in the rearview mirror. I reached for Xander's bed and pulled out a tennis ball, throwing it down the hall so he wouldn't run outside. I couldn't help thinking this night would be… interesting. To say the least. To be honest, things never went quite as I planned. I'm starting to think things aren't even going as fate had planned for me.

"Okay Serge, what's going on?" I ducked my head into his car for the 7th time today, my calves and knees screaming at me to just stop moving. He started the car and stared forward, never meeting my eye as he pulled out of the driveway.

"I want you to meet someone at the party tonight." His voice came out a bit awkward.

"I-I don't follow."

"She's interested in joining us on investigations, but she's not really a PRS member yet." I blinked, confused. You can't be promoted in something you're not technically in?

"Well… Was.. Was she at the interviews when we started for interns and stuff?" He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he made a right turn.

"Yes."

"So, she didn't get in why?"

"Because she was too scared." I thought about this for a moment. Was I intimidating or something?

"Scared of me? Of not getting in?"

"No. She just wouldn't talk. A few months after the first season aired, Lorraine Warren called and told me she was working with a woman who came to her after the interviews ended. She wouldn't talk to her, just wrote on paper and sometimes Lorraine could pick up what she wanted to say." I stared at him in disbelief.

"You're asking me to let a girl in to our investigations who can't even talk?" That probably came out harsher than I had intended.

"She can talk perfectly. She's just… I don't know, scared to, I guess. Anyway, no. I'm asking if you would meet her and consider taking her on as a trainee for investigations. She's a well-trained demonologist, not to mention her placidness would do well to settle down any scared clients. Wouldn't it be great to always have a demonologist on tap?" Clearly, Sergey was set on this girl. I only hoped it wasn't because he had some college crush on her. "She comes highly recommended. Insisted, even, by Lorraine." The car came to a stop in front of one of the buildings of Penn State, loud with roused students and fans playing subpar Halloween techno. Great way to kick off the end of a long evening.

"Okay. I'll meet her. But how am I supposed to get to know her and her background if she won't talk to me?"

"You'll figure her out pretty quick." He kicked his door open and shut it, leaving me with nothing to do but climb out and lean against the car, the beginnings of a migraine setting in. It's ridiculous what I've set myself up for.