Sweeties

Riley looked up at the quaint bakery ahead of them. The building was Pepto-Bismol pink with pastel green trimmings. A plump woman with her gray hair in a loose bun was sitting on a white rocking chair on the porch. "That must be Ms. Norton, the owner of this place." Jackie guessed. Riley parked the car and everyone piled out and grabbed their gear.

"Hello, there and welcome to Sweeties!" Ms. Norton said walking towards them. She smiled, her wrinkles becoming more defined. Riley shook her hand. "Would you like to know a little bit of the history of Sweeties?"

"Uh, yeah that'd be cool." Sam replied.

"Okay, Mr. Jason Norville Grey built this house for his young wife, Cathrine, in 1849, after he struck it rich in the California Gold Rush. They eventually had three kids. Their oldest child, Helen, died at the age of twenty. She fell down the main flight of stairs."

"Wow," KC muttered.

"After Jason passed away, his oldest surviving son, Timothy, took ownership of the home. Timothy had a terrible gambling problem and was in deep debt. He unfortunately, lost the house and the property. It had multiple owners including Abigail Dale; she was the last owner and died in 1931. The house lay abandoned until 1958. When my mother opened Sweeties."

"Wow, this place has got a great history. So what's going on in there now?" Riley asked.

"Well, all through the building I've heard footsteps, I've seen the faucet in the kitchen turn on by itself, I've had my hair pulled on and been touched and pinched, and I have seen an apparition that I believe to be Abigail."

"Amazing, well we should probably get started." Riley explained. As Ms. Norton left, Riley began to tell the team the plans for tonight. "Okay, so I want to put our first camera in the kitchen, make sure you catch the sink in the frame, so that we can see if it turns on or off. Second camera on the bottom of the stairs to hopefully catch the apparition of Abigail Dale. The third camera in the east hallway, another place people have seen Abigail. And lastly, in the dining room. Okay, guys lets go set up base camp and these cameras and then we get to investigate!"

"Okay, I think since this place is pretty small we should only have one team in at a time." Riley instructed.
"Cool, I really want to go check out the kitchen." Sam said.

"Can I join you?" Jackie asked.

"Sure!" Jackie and Sam headed off to the kitchen. "Okay, I was just thinking that we could kinda just sit here and listen for a bit."

"Sounds good." They duo sat down on the ground and just looked around for a little while. After about ten minutes...

"Jackie, did you see that."

"No, what?"

"In that corner, right there, it was like a shadow or something."

"Weird, did a car pass by?"

"I'll radio into base camp… Hey, Sam for base camp."

"Go for base," Riley came through the walkie-talkie.

"I was just wandering if anyone walked past the window by the kitchen or if there was a car."

"Nope, there haven't been any cars and no one has left base camp."

"Okay, thanks."

"Sam! I just saw it! But by the stove." Jackie exclaimed.

"It's getting closer."

"Call and response?"

"Yeah," Sam took out the voice recorder. "Hey, Jackie can you take out the thermal imager, too."

"Yep,"

"Sam and Jackie, in the bakery of Sweeties. Call and response starting now. Are you Helen Grey?"

"How did you fall?"

"Was it an accident?"

"Did someone kill you?"

"How was your sweep?" KC asked as Sam and Jackie walk back into base camp.

"Great! I really hope we caught something." Jackie responded.

"Awesome! KC, do you want to come to the dining room with me?" Riley asked. KC smiled.

"Sure," As they walked in through the doorway of the dining room, chills suddenly overcame them. "Riley, do you..."

"Yeah, and its freezing in here."

"I don't like it here, Riley."

"Chill, excuse the pun."

"I'm not laughing." Athaliah would have. Riley silently thought.

"Okay, let's just do some call and response."

"Fine,"

"Guys did you see that?" Zack asked back at base camp. Sam and Jackie shook their heads. "I thought I saw something on the stairs."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna see if Riley and KC are anywhere near there."

"No need. We're right here." KC said.

"Oh, did you guys go anywhere near the staircase?"

"Nope," Riley answered.

"I saw like a flash of light there, so I think I'll go investigate it."

"I'll come with you," Sam said.

"I think we should do a few tests first, like flashlights and stuff." Zack suggested as they came to the stairs. After about ten minutes of testing theories, Zack said, "Sam, I don't think it was a flash light."

"Yeah, I think you're right. Zack, dude! Did you hear that?"

I am back! Awesome right? Sort of a cliffhanger. Next chapter will be out soon. Believe me this time… so not gonna go away for months again! Bye!