Notes: I watched the CSI episode Grave Danger Parts 1 and 2. It was the scariest show I've seen in a while. I was thoroughly disturbed and enjoyed it, and then I "borrowed" some of the plot. I don't own Psych or CSI.
Chapter 1: Places Where You Shouldn't Hide
Flashback: Santa Barbara 1989
Nine year-old Shawn Spencer ran to the front of the house. He needed a place to hide and fast. Gus knew all his usual hiding places, he wanted to stump Gus. He spied the old refrigerator beside his next door neighbor, Mr. Keller's driveway. "Perfect," he thought, "Gus will never find me in there." He remembered his dad's rule of only playing hide and seek on their property. "Close enough," he told himself. Just as he was about to climb in he had second thoughts. Something about being in that small dark, space didn't sound like fun. "I'll just keep the door open a crack," he thought. He climbed in and pulled the door toward him. He must have pulled it too hard and the door closed completely with a loud clicking sound. He pushed and couldn't get the door open again. What he didn't realize that this was an old refrigerator with a mechanical locking mechanism, instead of the newer magnetic seals. Mr. Keller finally decided to get rid of the ancient refrigerator from 1958 that was sitting in his basement. Shawn sat in the dark and panicked. He started yelling and pounding against the door. He hoped that someone would hear him.
Gus sat on the steps of the Spencer home when Henry pulled into the driveway in his patrol car. He looked over at the refrigerator by the Keller's driveway. He immediately got angry. After he changed, he would go remind Keller that the door on old refrigerators should be taken off to prevent kids getting trapped inside and suffocating. Henry closed the car door and walked up the path to the house carrying his lunchbox. "Hey Gus," he greeted his son's friend, "Where's Shawn?"
"I don't know. We're playing hide and seek. It was his turn to hide. I can't find him inside or outside. I've been looking for like twenty minutes," Gus told him as he looked up at Henry. Henry was suddenly hit by a feeling of dread and glanced over his shoulder at the refrigerator.
"He wouldn't," he thought to himself. "Oh no," he said out loud, dropping his empty lunchbox and running toward the deathtrap in his neighbor's yard. Mr. Keller had just come outside to water his lawn, when he saw Henry running toward his driveway with Gus following after him.
"Henry, what on Earth are you doing?" he asked when he saw Henry open the refrigerator and a young boy tumble toward him. "Oh Lord," Keller said and ran into the house to call for an ambulance.
Henry laid his son down gently on the ground. Shawn was unconscious. Henry listened near Shawn nose and heard Shawn wasn't breathing. He felt for his son's pulse and it was strong. He knew he needed to start rescue breathing. He pinched Shawn's nose and placed his mouth over Shawn's. Breathing slowly, he watched as Shawn's chest rose and he pause to watch it fall. He checked for a pulse and started again. After the third time, Shawn started coughing and was breathing on his own. Henry almost passed out in relief. He didn't even realize that Keller was behind him. "I called an ambulance, Henry," Keller told him. Then Shawn started sobbing and shaking. Henry gathered his son up in his arms and hugged him close to his chest.
"What are you doing hiding in there, Shawn? I told you not to go off our property to hide without permission. We could have lost you," Henry scolded. He didn't think Shawn heard a word. The kid was a mess, crying and shaking. "Hey, buddy. Calm down, you're out. You need to relax or you'll hyperventilate."
"It was dark, hot and stuffy. I couldn't breathe. No one heard me. No one helped me. Did you find me?" Shawn sobbed. Henry hugged him close.
"Yeah, I found you kiddo."