Chapter 1: 4 Friends and a Dream
Aaron ran down the stairs so fast he almost hit the ground; today was the day! He had just left his dads' firm. He had to wait a whole year. A whole year more for Jay to graduate and now it was happening! The trip of a life time with his 3 best friends. He ran to the front desk.
"Janie!" he hit the desk and fell; jumping back up, grabbing for the phone. The middle aged blond stood up.
"Oh my God! I can't believe you guys are going though with this." The worried expression she wore was only broken by the giggle fit she had at Aaron's big grin. He dialed the number of Nick's work.
"Ray Ray's auto an body shop we work for you," the voice of Angie came through the phone.
"Angie! Put Nick on!" he half shouted in to the receiver.
"Ok ok don't bunch your panties up Good Wind." She put the phone down, but Aaron could still hear her shout for her brother within the noises of the auto shop could be heard. About a minute or two later Nick picked up the phone.
"Aaron you still there?" Nick asked, wiping the grease off of his hands.
"Yeah man still here. You're still picking up Billy first right? I need to go home and change. Grab my bags." Aaron says as if he is going over a mental check list.
"Yeah I got another hour of work then we will be there. We got time bro the flight doesn't leave till 6 tonight it's only noon and the Jays thing isn't in till 3 we will be fine."
"Just make sure Billy has all his stuff. Man see you guys soon."
"Alright man see ya soon." Aaron hung up, then replaced the phone back to it spot. He thanked Janie and headed out the door. He called a taxi and was home 25 minutes later. This whole trip was planned years ago when they were in high school. The 4 of them had met in Aaron's sophomore year; that's when he moved from California. The same year Nick and his family moved from Boston. The year they almost got eaten by a werewolf, trying to show off. Had it not been for Billy and Jay they would have been 'wolf chow' as Nick puts it.
It was THE trip. Seven years in the making. All the planning, saved money, all the headaches and heartaches; but all was worth it. Going to some of the most haunted locations. Chasing demons. Looking for answers. But mostly spending fuck it time with his best friends.
Aaron pulled his bags to the side walk at 1:55pm. He looked down at his watch. 5 minutes. Aaron bent down to make sure for the 999,999's time that his passport and the tickets were there. He heard the van before he saw it, loud 70's rock blaring from an black windowless work van. On the passengers side, it said 'Ray Ray's auto an body' and all the contact information in big hot rod red bubble letters. On the other, a huge mural of tiger and a wizard locked in a battle to the death. The side door opened. Nick and Billy hopped out and grabbed Aaron bags. Aaron hopped in the front seat.
"Hay Mr. G. Thanks again for taking us to the air- port." Ray Groff was a dirty looking man. But Aaron always looked up to him. He worked hard and loved more than anyone Aaron had ever met. Ray smiled at the young man next to him.
"You're welcome son. Now boys you know this is really dangerous. Are you sure you guys want to go through with it?"
"More than anything pops!" Nick said, a huge smile on his face. The rest of the ride to the campus was filled with mindless chatter. It was nearly an hour later when they reached their destination. They all got out of the van and made their way to where the ceremony was being held. By the time they got there, it had already started. It was going to be an hour before Jay would even be called. Ray sat and watched as the three young men talked idly about the trip. Ray Groff admired his son and his friends. All had gone to college and graduated, all had remained friends. But he was worried about them. He thought this trip was bad news. They would be gone for way to long and would be too far away but the four boys would not be swayed.
"Jason Wasley." the announcer said. All looked up and clapped. Only 6 people later, it was over. They found Jay at his moms car pulling bags out of the trunk. His mom was crying.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait. Have a graduation party? Oh I wish you boys would rethink this." She said through her tears
"Or at least think it over a little better." Jay's dad said, looking angry.
"We will be fine mom. And yes dad, we have had seven years of planning. We will be okay." he said closing the trunk.
"Oh, just the thought of you boys alone; with the monsters that we share this world with." She began to wail again.
"It not like we would be able to just come get you if something happened." His dad crossed his arms.
"It's okay mom, dad I'll be home before you know it and we will have the party then, okay?" Jay then said his good byes and the four all piled into the back of the van. Aaron gave each person their ticket, then they went over what they needed do before they go to leave. Ray dropped the boys off and asked if they were sure again, then wished them luck. After checking in they sat in front of their gate. Nervous, anxious, and ready.
"Now boarding first-class passengers. Flight 452 to Pairs, France." Aaron jumped up and looked at his friends.
"Let the European ghost adventure trip begin!" He said with a smile.