I do not own Ghost Hunt

Chapter 4 ~ Children

After I woke up from my nap I went straight to base to see what everyone was up to. Naru, Drake, and Riley were actually discussing different theories about the case. I sat myself on the futon and they acted as if I never was there. "I believe Mickey's true identity is the spirit that haunts this house." Riley said. "Do you think she could've been one of the children that died here?" he asked.

"There's a good chance." Drake agreed. "The spirits were probably lonely by themselves and tried to befriend the children that inhabited this house. Then the children became side bound spirits as well."

"But why is it just the children?" Naru considered. "If they were lonely why don't they choose someone like Natalie or Marti, someone who can act as a substitute mother? Instead, Mickey was trying to eliminate them, so, why do that?" he contemplated. "Drake, I would like you to try to cleanse the house again."

"You sure?"

Naru acquiesced in agreement. He walked over to his laptop and typed up something. "The one to first move here was Anthony Smith. Part of his family was Buddhist, so that should make it easier for you." Naru handed him a notebook. "The death date is below the name." Drake looked at it.

"You sure did your research." he said in surprise. "Over seventy years old too."

"It wasn't that hard, actually." Naru strolled over to Finn whispering something into his ear before leaving to tell Natalie to go stay at a hotel for a while despite what he said about the spirits following them, he gave them a silver cross from Riley to protect them. Mimi wanted me to come but I had to stay here, to watch over the house with everybody else. He sent Susan and Riley with them for a while, but soon they would come back.

Finn, Naru and I were at base watching Drake over the screen in Mimi's room.

"Are you ready, Monk?" Naru asked through the microphone.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." he said back. He started his Buddhist prayer. Unnerved and anxious, Naru stared intently at the screen.

"The temperature around the bed is dropping." Finn informed. "Down two degrees in the last minute."

"The audio?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." They let Drake continue until the rapping noises came. "I'm picking up some knocking sounds. Nothing unusual." I was about to fall asleep on the futon when I noticed the living room. I tapped on Naru's shoulder and pointed at the living room screen. A white wispy fog started surrounding the living room.

"Finn, give me the temperature in the living room." he demanded.

"It's currently at negative two degrees."

Naru pressed the speaker to speak to Drake. "Drake we've got you in the wrong room. All the activity is coming from the living room."

"What?"

"Naru!" I yelled. I looked at the living room screen, I could see children figures dancing around in circles chanting 'Ring Around the Rosie.' They were laughing and giggling.

Ring around the Rosie pocket full of posy ashes ashes we all fall down!

"I'm kind of busy in here." Drake yelled back. I looked at his screen and it seemed to me harsh winds were whipping around in circles. He stood up, continuing to pray as he left for the living room. I closed my eyes then realized there was a dark adult figure in the far corner of the living room. I could tell that the look on Naru's face that he could see it too. Drake entered still murmuring his prayer.

"I'm picking up something from the living room." Finn said as he turned up the volume.

"Children." It whispered. "Come my children."

I could here the kids sing again and when they sang the line 'We all fall down' everything stopped dead silence.

The dark figure didn't disappear though, neither did the fog in the living room didn't clear up only the kids did. "Drake, look behind you." Naru yelled into the microphone.

He did. "Nothings there."

"Damn it." Naru said through his teeth. "He can't see it." I couldn't stop myself, my legs wouldn't listen to me. I guess I panicked as I ran out towards the living room. Naru called after me but I ignored him. I reached it, opening the door, and I said, "Monk look out!" Wind splashed against my face.

"Go!" he shouted back. I paid him no mind. I stared at the corner where we saw the woman standing. Nothing or no one was there.

"But we can see it on camera." I said to myself.

"Marti, go." he repeated in an angry tone.

I refused to listen. "You're in danger." I stepped in the room, frightened to death. A shiver went down my spine and that voice came back again.

"No interferes with me." It felt like it was whispered into my ear. Something freezing cold wrapped around my neck and squeezed it. The woman started choking me. "Marti!" Drake screamed. He said a prayer and the woman let go. I fell on my knees as Drake caught me. "We have to get out of here." He carried me out in a bridal way. Out of the blue a hammering distorting sound came from the floor. It was like somebody taking a hammer and hammering the floor down until something broke into the floor. Drake and I looked back to see a hole in the floor. Inside the hole was a deep well.

All the noises died down a few minutes later once the well was opened up. Once Susan and Riley arrived back, we all gathered in the living room to discuss the hole that was made in the floor. And of course as always, Drake has his opinion first.

"Well," he started. "to make it obvious, the house was built over a well. Obviously. This house must be pretty old."

Kaitlyn covered her mouth in disgust. "There's a spirit lurking down there, calling to the children, pretending to be their mother." She looked at us, each an every one in the eye as she continued slowly. "The children only want to return home. They're lost and can't find a way out of this horror."

"Is Mickey down there?" I asked.

"Yes. Her real name is Lauren Smith acting as ring leader of the children. But in reality, she is in so much pain and sadness. She just wants all of this to stop." I looked down the well, it was deep and dark down there. "The well is built deep inside the Earth, and that is where all the spirits dwell."

"Do you know who the woman is?" Marti asked.

Kaitlyn sat on the sofa holding her head. "Ms. Cynthia Maltias. She has been in this house for years in searching for her daughter, Emily. She's gathering the children because she's trying to look for hers."

Naru's eyes narrowed. "Now were getting somewhere." he walked away from the well out the living room.

"I'll be going somewhere. I'll be back." He left like a gust of wind.

"Naru." I called after him. I sighed in frustration. "Ugh, why does he do this every time, it's really starting to get old."

Drake chuckled a bit. "He does it so often, it would be something you would expect from him." He clapped his hands together rubbing them. "Well, while he is out we'll just have to do this ourselves."

I laughed. "You're right." We turned to Riley and Susan who were looking down the well. "Okay, guys, who wants to go." They looked up at us

"So, which one of you is up for the challenge." Drake offered. "I'm telling you, it's pretty intense in there." Riley gave Susan a 'I'm-out-so-you-can-do-it-' look. It was pretty funny, because Susan looked really peeved about it.

"Fine." she finally said. "I'll do it. But if I do it, one of you brave men have to go to the hotel and watch Mimi for me." She emphasized the word 'brave.'

Drake said he'll do it, so there was no problem there. Thank god none of us had to argue, but maybe I spoke to soon. Susan wouldn't admit it but she was scared to do her exorcism alone in the living room. So, by sunset, Susan dragged me into the living room with her so she wouldn't be alone.

And she calls herself a spiritualist. I thought.

The room was dark with only two candles lit on the table and the camera placed behind the well, facing Susan and me. Susan flicked holy water in the well. She positioned herself all the way at the end of the room, far away from the well as possible. I sat behind her crossed legged listening to her speech.

"May the heart of this house be cleansed as I enter them dwelling," Once she started I felt an origin chill down the nape of my neck like someone breathing down it. The same gaseous wispy fog started coming out the well. Susan ignored it continuing. "I beseech the gods and ask as my humble plea-" a loud rapping noise came from the ceiling, cutting Susan off. Footsteps came from above. I could see my breath as the air grew colder and my breathing became harder.

"What did you stop for?" My voice was shaking.

"Chill." she said holding a hand out. She gasped as she took a step back.

"What?" I asked.

"I just felt something touch me."

"You need to stay focused." I assured her. "Just contin-" I felt something seize my ankle. Susan noticed my discomfort.

"Marti, what's wrong?" she asked.

My body was shaking not because of the cold but because of the hand on my ankle. "I-I fee-feel a hand on m-my ank-" I was cut off with my own scream as I was being heaved down toward the well. I tried to grip the floor with all my strength but even though the spirit was stronger, I still held on even though my foot was dangling in the well.

"Help me!"

"Marti!" Susan screamed frantically after me. Finn rushed in running toward me.

"Help me!" I was being dragged inside the well by force.

"Marti." Finn leaned forward, reaching a hand out to me. I couldn't grab it because if I let go I would fall into the well either way. The eerie hand pulled even harder and I swore I heard some bones crack in my ankle. I cried out in pain. Finn leaned in more, stretching out his hand. Right when our hands touched a force pulled me inside deeper causing my waist to be inside the well.

"Help!" I screeched again. Something pulled again but more violently causing my chest to go in. I grasped the floor boards the rough edges cut into my hands. At this moment I felt so helpless.

"Marti!"

Suddenly, the force pulled me backwards with one more tug and I was falling through the opening into the dark abyss. I screamed and screamed until everything went black.