Author's Note: Still plugging away at this, promise. I want to finish it the story seems to take on a like of it's own. Thank you for all of those who stick with me on this. I think it will be worth it in the end. I hope at least. For now enjoy the next installment.
Deadman Walking
Chapter 10 - A wise man once asked me what good a gun can do against a ghost
Across town just as Duo was getting into his shower, the crew and cast of Moonshine where rumbling in the old van to the outskirts of town. Liam had barely slept the night before; he was psyched to get something today. Wanting to get out early to get some good shots. Julia was riding shotgun with him her long blonde hair blowing in the breeze from the open window. The wind was warm, and fragrant with the approaching summer's day it would be a hot one, a hot week and a hot investigation. Her long tanned legs crossed, her small shorts riding up a little higher by design. Her blue eyes glancing to the solid, muscled man beside her, Liam was all kinds of hot, soft, beautiful brown eyes. Shaggy dark brown hair almost black. He was gorgeous and Julia was well aware she was gorgeous. So why had he never made a move? Silly thoughts, on a warm morning heading for their first day of filming the investigation.
Behind them in a black SUV the team rolled on. Max and Josh ridding in the front while Susan and Mary where mediating in the backseat, 'centering their power' they called it before an investigation. A ritual that was just as much superstition, as was necessary. They turned onto the overgrown gravel path, where yesterday Heero Yuy had stopped to drop off his hitchhiker. Slowly, bumping along the long misused trail, the trees seemed to blot out the sun as the moved further in. "This place is spooky," Josh remarked glancing out, commenting moments before they rounded a blind corner and the hospital hove into view. Mary, eyes wide sucked in a breath, a sudden unaccountable chill running down her spine, and not at all pleasant.
The others where in similar states of shock, the large, gleaming building sat a top a hill, probably once an imposing sight, now a foreboding one. They dipped down before cresting a smaller hill and entering rusted, crumbling gates. Signs hung off the wire proclaiming, 'No Trespassing' and 'Keep out Danger'. They ignored these warnings, secretly thrilled, this would make excellent footage. There was a large horseshoe that had probably once been for drop off of patients now choked with weeds. They drew towards the front doors, following as the van stopped turned off the engine and then simply sat inside the vehicle looking out at the large, chained doors.
No one was sure who moved first but someone had, possibly Liam, excited to get moving, or perhaps Mary, desperate to get going; her career on the line. Soon they where all outside, a flurry of activity as Max the tech expert pulled his equipment, and Liam was trailed by Julia taking stock footage outside. All but skipping in enthusiasm. Mary stood before the closed doors, wind lifting her curly, red hair and long flowing skirt. She always wore skirts, and a red shawl that was her signature. The shawl was decorated with bells, and charms, protection trinkets she always explained. It paid to have a gimmick.
Liam panned the camera around to take footage of her, standing there, it was good. This place had a vibe, a vibe that all but screamed horror movie. Mary moved forward then striding up the stairs and under the overhang, long fingers reaching for the doors. She gasped dramatically, "He's here…" she hissed, "The doctor…evil…" she breathed stepping back. Susan gasped, Max pulling out his recorder. Josh had his EMF reader. "This place, is evil, yet the souls of the trapped." She shuddered again, before stealing her self and opening the door wide. Almost smiling as it banged, echoing nicely, it was too good. Couldn't have been any better if she had rigged it herself.
As the group shuffled in something a floor above them moved, something that had been long waiting suddenly rose once more. The click of shoes across tiles, and the figure disappeared.
The first group was entering just as the second group of ghost hunters was setting out. With much less equipment, more of a intuition hunters. They had opted to take Trowa's SUV, as Duo and Quatre argued over the last of the plans Trowa was shrugging into his shoulder holster, tucking the badge into back pocket. Heero following suit, chuckling, "What's funny?" Heero grinned, "A wise man once asked me what good a gun can do against a ghost." Duo hearing that turned and headed towards them, "And he said, 'Nothing but it makes me feel better'," Trowa laughed and Heero kissed his lover. "Still does." Shrugging into their respective hoodies concealing the weapons they head out.
Trowa driving as Heero navigated them to the overgrown gravel drive. Like the other before them they where stuck by the sudden rolling appearance of the once distinguished building, now hulking and menacing in the in morning light. They guided the shiny black machine onto an offshoot instead of heading up to the front doors. Duo's plan of attack had them entering the building through the back to have access to the staff areas to see if they could garner further information. They never saw the two vehicles parked in the turnaround.
Trowa idled the engine a moment before shutting down he machine, four sets of eyes on the building before them. It was here, finally here. All the planning, yet here they sat hesitant to begin something they felt was going to be more then a simple ghost story. Quatre opened his hand held camera shooting through the glass of the back seat window. "Anything yet Heero?" he spoke softly swiveling the camera back and forth, the big man chuckled. "No, there not hanging around outside." As if galvanized then they exited, Quatre filming the other three getting the cases out from the car. Gravel crunched and echoed as the walked towards the doors, a rusted 'Staff Entrance' hung off the once red door now faded and pealing. Heero looked upwards unsure what he expected to see. "Ready?" Duo asked hand reaching for the door; the others held their peace as the door opened a gaping maw in the bright day. Drawing a breath they entered.
Above the four intrepid hunters the team of Moonshine where in a large open room that still sported the odd busted wheel chair. "There are so many here," Mary was saying, turning this way and that. "Souls of the damned that are doomed to stay here," she breathed. Beside her in the large room Max was setting up his monitors, running cord, and generally getting the standard equipment running. Susan was doing her own medium ship, frustrated she was getting nothing. Susan leaned into Liam, "Anything yet?" He shook his head camera turning this way and that in an effort to spot something, anything.
" Empty," Heero mumbled slamming the drawer on the dented and busted filing cabinet. Duo sighed dejected, "I had sort of hoped, it could be great to get some primary documents." They where in the backroom, just off reception where at one time no doubt they would have kept locked patient files here. The place was dark, gloomy, and very dirty. Dust motes danced in the little light slanting in through broken barred windows. The blonde was out in front of the large wooden desk shooting footage keeping up a running commentary about what he was finding. Heero shivered suddenly as a cold wind caught him, he glanced up quickly. Duo looked at him sharply, deep blue eyes tracked to where Quatre stood in the middle of the wide area, as he watched several figures suddenly appeared. A nurse in a pressed white uniform, he face unnaturally pale, vomit staining the front of her smock, and spittle running from a swollen looking mouth. The next was a man in an ill fitting canvas clothing, his hair slicked and fluffed, old school. He grinned at Heero pressing a finger to his lips grinning widely, his neck distorted and pulled; hanging victim. The final one was there for an instant, so quick and gone that Heero wasn't sure what he was seeing, it looked like a man with a straight jacket….but his mouth…something was wrong with his mouth.
"Heero?" Duo was standing beside him, gasping when he felt the chill as well. "Where?" he breathed, Heero still staring watched the women give them a stern look before moving to stand behind her counter. As she had maybe once did in life, checking in the patients and visiting families. The convict, 001903, was moving away now cackling as he canvas shoes made no noise. "Behind the counter, and moving to Q's left there." Gasping he swing the camera to the counter, yelling in surprise when he actually got something, "Oh my god, Duo look! I'm actually!" he could barely formulate words he was so happy, he had something a ghostly outline, apparition. Defiantly a women, Duo shouted in amazement as well, Heero skirting the desk came to look at the screen eyes darting back and forth, from the almost solid looking dead nurse to the barely there apparition. "Pretty good," he mumbled, looked like this place was going to prove fruitful.
The woman was fading now, a glare, and she was gone. "Wow," Quatre breathed, "Yes!" Duo said and they where shouting again in happiness. Trowa coming to stand beside Heero rolled his eyes, "They keep this up and they will wake up the dead."
It wasn't just the dead that heard them, as they shouted a floor above five others paused. The cries of happiness distorted and changed in the large echoing place, turning them to what seemed like cries of pain or distress. They froze, Liam just as stunned as Julia…. They glanced at one another before hurrying to the stairs, they had something. A real something. The others hot on their heals, Mary surprised as any of them though she concealed it well. They hurried down the stairs their heavy foot falls echoing as well.
The four men paused hearing the flurry of movement, surprised they turned to investigate as well. Heero and Trowa both laying a hand on their concealed weapons, they maybe no good against ghosts, but the living… as they approached the stairs they could hear talking, shouting, and running. The solider and the detective pulled their guns pointing the guns ahead of them, they waved the other two behind them respective lovers doing just that. Holding the backs of their shirts. Quatre kept rolling. They rounded the corner to the stair just as the others where reaching the bottom.