"We're here at Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island getting ready to be locked down for twelve straight hours," Zak said to the camera. I floated along beside him, saving my energy for the night ahead. I knew now what I had to do. I had to make contact.
I had a lot of time to formulate a plan while Zak slept last night. The main plan was simple: make contact with Zak and get him to stop my parents from taking me off life support. The harder part was how to possibly explain my situation and get him to actually do it. I had formulated a three step process that I thought might work. One, make him understand that I was attached to him, and not the lockdown location. Two, let him know that I need his help. Three, tell him I'm alive. In order to do any of that I had to save my strength. If I was getting weaker as I thought I was I had to use my energy wisely.
I followed the guys during the tour, trying to ignore the dark energies I felt at the location. I realized there was a potentially disastrous flaw in my plan. People with physical bodies may not be able to hurt me, but I saw no reason why spirits couldn't. What would the maid have done to me at the Fairmont if Zak, Nick and Aaron hadn't shown up? She clearly hadn't wanted me there.
Fort Delaware, according to the tour guide, was supposed to be haunted by criminals, soldiers and even pirates. What would happen if they got to me before I got to Zak? Every lockdown would be an opportunity to put my plan into motion, but they could also be dangerous for me. I just had to hope for the best, and try and communicate as soon as the equipment was up and running.
"Are you guys ready?" the caretaker asked.
"More than ready," Zak said, "Excited to find ourselves some pirates!" I rolled my eyes. Speak for yourself. Once locked down the guys began mapping their X camera locations. I stood vigil, waiting impatiently for them to begin their investigation. If all went according to plan they would get more evidence then they could handle. As the sun dipped below the horizon the tension in the room became almost palpable. Something was coming, and the guys were just starting to pull out equipment, deciding which to try first.
"Hello, gorgeous," a thick, dark voice said from the shadows. I jerked around, trying to see who had spoken.
"Zak, please hurry," I whispered. I stepped towards him til our backs were against each other, trying to soak up his warmth.
"What a treat you'll be," the voice said again, this time from the shadows to my left. It was getting closer.
"Aaron you take one of the cameras," Zak said, "Nick, you and I will grab digital recorders to start with." Hurry. My breathing was shallow and erratic. Whatever it was, was getting closer, and it had fixated on me. I prayed it hadn't realized I was part of its world. My prayers weren't answered as a man, shrouded in darkness, darted up to my right side, his breath hot against my neck.
"They can't hear you," he said in a mocking, sing-song voice.
"Leave me alone," I whispered, looking into his deep, dark eyes. I swore they were tinged with red. He was the most frightening thing I'd ever seen. Darkness flowed around him like a dense fog. His whole being radiated evil.
"Where would be the fun in that?" he asked. His hand snaked out and wrapped around my waist, jerking me away from Zak. He chuckled as his other arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me close, "So much energy for one so dead…" He thinks I'm dead. I have to keep him thinking that. My brain raced wildly. I have to have more energy because I'm still alive. If he finds out that I'm not really dead he could take it all.
"All right, guys, lets get started," Zak said. The guys had finished up their planning. I began to struggle as they started their investigation. I had to make contact!
"Why are you bothering me when there's three live people right there?" I hissed. I'm so sorry, Zak, this is the only way. Please don't hurt him. The dark figure loosened his grip for a moment, studying the guys, debating on what I had said.
"I suppose you're right, little one. Besides-" he stopped suddenly, pressing his face into my neck, breathing deeply, "You beautiful little witch, you almost had me. A live human soul, out of its shell. No protection… no one can even hear you scream."
"Wanna bet?" I asked. Zak was moving away. I had to get his attention. If I didn't do it now this spirit would take all of my energy and I would die for sure. I had one shot to get this right.
I screamed. I screamed Zak's name as loud and as long as I could, using up all the energy I could.
"You fucking bitch," the spirit man said, "Shut up! Your energy is mine!"
"Who called for me?!" Zak asked. He, Aaron and Nick were staring around, looking for me. I braced myself to scream again, but the man covered my mouth.
"Not a chance, little witch," the man said. Before I knew what was happening he was dragging me away, across the compound, away from Zak. He removed his hand from my mouth to get a better grip on me.
"I have a lot of hungry men waiting for someone like you, little witch. You won't get away from us." As he dragged me I felt a familiar sensation, one that brought a smile to my face.
"I'm sorry, but there's something you don't understand," I said, my heart racing.
"What's that?"
"I already belong to a man." The rubber band reached its breaking point, and I felt myself be jerked out of the dark spirit's arms. It was pulling me back to safety, back to Zak. I'd never been so happy to feel it before. Zak was alone in a room, Nick and Aaron down the hall from him when I bashed into him. The force of it brought Zak to his knees. I could feel both of us shaking, him from the energy shock, me from fear.
I was so weak. I had used most of my energy to scream for Zak. I wanted to lay there on the ground and sleep, but I knew I couldn't give up.
"Who is here with me?" Zak asked, not moving from his position on his knees. I pulled myself towards him, curling up in front of him, trying to soak up some of his energy.
"I need your help," I said. It came out as little more than a whisper. I prayed he or the digital recorder could hear it, "Help me, Zak." I felt him jump slightly. He raised his hand up, as if he were cradling my face. But I knew he couldn't see me.
Maybe he could feel me.
"Tell me your name," he whispered.
"A…" Oh no… my energy was depleting quickly. This was my last chance for this lockdown. I had to get it out, "Alexa!" I put as much energy into the name as I could, and used the remainder to send a wave of energy through Zak. Energy full of emotion. Full of pain, fear, and desire. An odd thing happened then. It was as if my energy came back to me with a response. As if by sending Zak my emotions I received his in return. The wave was filled with confusion, and an urge to protect. The wave continued to move as if we were standing on opposite sides of the water. It just kept moving back and forth, him to me, me to him. I sent him my fear, and the affection that had grown inside me for him. He sent me warm comfort. I was so deep under the spell that I didn't notice as Aaron and Nick made their way into the room.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Nick asked. Just like that the connection snapped. Zak and I opened our eyes which had drifted closed at some point during our interaction.
"What?" he asked, slowly coming out of his own stupor.
"You are freaking me out, man," Aaron said, "Why do you look like you're holding someone?" Zak look down to where I was seated in front of him. His arms were, indeed, wrapped around me, though I was nothing more than thin air to him. He dropped his arms, forcing himself to stand up slowly.
"I don't know… that was so weird," Zak said, he rubbed his arms and shook them, trying to brush off the remnants of the energy wave, "It was like someone was trying to send me a message, or tell me something."
"We didn't hear anything from down the hall," Nick said, "Let's check your recorder."
They rewound Zak's recorder to do a quick review of Zak and I's conversation. I hoped my voice had been caught. I stayed where I was on the ground, too weak to make a movement just yet.
"Who is here with me?" I heard Zak say on the recorder. I held my breath, praying that I would hear myself.
"I need your help… Help me, Zak." It was barely more than a whisper, but it was there. I breathed a sigh of relief and laid my head back against the stone floor. I had made contact. At least the night was not a total waste despite the attempts of the evil entities that roamed the halls.
"That is creepy," Aaron said. Zak shushed him, listening.
"Tell me your name," recorded Zak whispered.
"A…Alexa."
"Alexa," the guys repeated. Aaron and Nick looked stunned and excited. Zak still looked unnerved at what had happened between us.
"Alexa?" he asked, looking around, "Alexa, are you still here?" I stared at him sadly. I wished I could answer, but I knew my energy was zapped. Why, why hadn't I responded to him when I was first brought to him? I wasted so much time and energy on anger.
"Knock once for yes, twice for no," he continued, waiting. Might as well try. I raised my hand up, made a fist as tight as I could, and slammed my knuckles into the ground. It came out as a light tap as my hand pushed right through the floor, but a tap would work. The guys gasped.
"Yes!" they said, "One tap for yes."
"I'm not sure how I can help you, Alexa," Zak said, "Did you die on this island?"
I rapped twice. The sound came out fainter. My energy was almost completely gone. Even my body looked lighter than it used to.
"No?" Zak said, "Why are you here then? Did you come for me?"
I slammed my fist down with all my strength. It glided right through the floor silently. I had no energy left to communicate with Zak's world. I was empty.
"Alexa? Are you still here, sweetie?"
I sighed sadly. I've given you all I can right now, Zak. Just please don't forget about me. The guys gave up after a few more questions. They assumed I had gone.
"I don't know why there would be a woman on the island," Nick said as they started making their way out the door to the hall.
"Yeah, the guide didn't say anything about any female spirits," Aaron added.
"I don't know," Zak said, taking one last look at the room, "Maybe she's not supposed to be." I smiled at that. Zak wasn't stupid. I could trust in him. He would figure it out eventually. I just had to keep trying. For now I needed to rest, and prepare for my next opportunity.
I stayed by Zak's side for the rest of the lockdown. They encountered several other spirits, but luckily they paid me no attention. I was a wasted away spirit in their eyes. The living humans standing in front of them, most times provoking them, were much more fascinating. Zak asked several of the spirits about me, but none had any information to give. I was a stranger to them.
Zak was withdrawn as we left the fort. I knew he thought he was leaving behind the spirit that asked for his help. But in reality I was right beside him.
And that was where I intended to stay.
