Melinda walked into her home and set her things down. She started to walk up her stairs when she heard something. She looked to see water slowly trickle down her steps. Melinda slowly walked up her stairs and the air suddenly felt cooler than normal. The oddest thing was that there was steam covering her floor. She looked down to see that the water was moving faster and growing in volume. She treaded her way towards the bathroom where the water was coming from. She heard the creaking of the door straining from the water. She ever so gently touched the door knob when the water bursted through. She let out a loud gasp as water came pouring onto her. Melinda closed her mouth and shut her eyes really tight as she felt the water wash her to where it wanted her to go. When she opened her eyes, she looked around to see a meadow. She looked around and soon the scratching music sound started. It was a low hum. Melinda started walking around and tried to follow the sound.
"H-hello? Is someone there? I can help you!" She called out. Melinda suddenly felt something warm on the side of her head. When she touched it, she winced. She looked at her hand to see it was blood. The music static became louder and louder with each step she took and it made her head spin.
"Hello?" She called out. Soon the noise became erratic and so loud that it began to hurt. Melinda cried out in pain as she covered her ears. She fell to her knees in pain only hearing the ringing her ears. She opened her eyes to see a pair of feet in front of her. She looked up to see the same teenage boy from her lunch in town earlier today. He looked down at her upset.
"Why didn't you come?!" He demanded.
Melinda gasped and woke up sweating. She shot straight up from her bed and looked around her room. It was dark and empty. She looked at her alarm clock and saw that it was only two thirty in the morning. She looked at the foot of her bed to suddenly see the boy standing there. He was soaked and his face was hidden by the darkness. Melinda took a steady breath and then spoke to him.
"Hello." She said softly. The boy said nothing and stared at her.
"My name is Melinda. Do you remember yours?" She asked gently as she kept eye contact with him.
"Evan." Evan said with his voice crackling.
"Hi Evan. Do you see a light?" She asked.
"No." He said.
"Ok, that's ok. It just means you have something that you need to be done here before you can crossover. Do you remember what happened to you?" Melinda asked softly. Evan looked around her room and then at her bathroom.
"I slipped. The ground... it was wet." He said looking at her. He took a step closer and Melinda saw his face better. He was a handsome young man with blonde hair that was matted with mud. He had blue eyes and on his right temple he had a large and deep gash.
"Where did you fall?" She asked. He looked at her and she saw the anger flash through his eyes.
"I fell waiting for her!" He said angrily. The crackling noise became loud and Melinda looked at him with slight fear. He looked at the flower vase on Melinda's dresser. It shattered into small pieces with the water exploding everywhere. Melinda let out a startled yell and Evan looked at her darkly.
"She never came!" He said as he disappeared. Melinda stared at spot that Evan stood and felt the buzzing sound go away.
"What am I getting myself into this time?" She wondered out loud.
The next morning Rick checked his phone. He saw no new messages. He frowned slightly as he was hoping to hear something from Melinda about yesterday's haunting. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. He knew that she would text him today then if she didn't last night. He quickly got ready for his day as he noted that he slept later than he expected. He hurried out his door and got into his car. The trip to the university was quick for him and he parked his car in the staff parking lot. He smiled as he saw the campus was a buzz with students ranging from the bright eyes of the new freshman to the tired and over it attitude the seniors had. The first semester was officially in motion and Rick was excited. He was going to teach what he liked to learn about and have a better understanding of it due his friend Melinda's insight as he hurried on into his building holding his office.
Rick flipped on his office light and looked around. He saw that his office hadn't changed much from the night. He walked over to his computer. He looked at the screen to see it was dark with no message from the night before. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He then walked around his office and grabbed a few folders filled with papers, his laptop, and two books. He then started making his way towards his lecture he was almost ten minutes fashionably late to. He felt his pocket vibrate and he pulled his phone out. He smiled as he saw Melinda's name appear on his screen. He opened his phone and looked at her message.
Hey sorry I forgot to call last night. What time do you have for me to come and discuss what I saw?
He grinned and texted out a quick response as he hurried down the hall.
I have a lecture now. How about you come when I'm done . It's about an hour and a half. Maybe we can get a bite and talk?
He grinned as her response was almost as instant as his reply to her.
Wouldn't have it any other way :)
Rick smiled and shut his phone off as he entered through the doors of his lecture room and walked down to the front of the podium. He set his laptop down and looked at his group of students. He grinned and clapped his hands together as he spoke.
"Alright people, let's get spooky." He said simply.
Melinda had woken later that day but texted Delilah to take the day off when she did. She quickly got herself dressed for the day and texted Rick. She smiled at his request for lunch like usual and shook her head endearingly. Some things never changed about that man, especially his appetite. Melinda remembered how they would work together on a haunting and somehow food was either mentioned or Rick was eating something. She chuckled as she remembered fondly of how they were before he left. He was crazy yet sweet. He had a strong denial about the afterlife and ghosts in general but Kate changed everything after that. He started to believe more and was very eager to help capture evidence of any haunting for his 'scientific curiosity and knowledge'. It also made Melinda how it made them even closer. They got really close when she died at the candlelight vigil with the children. She died and she could tell how it affected him. He became more protective and cautious about her investigating by herself. He was more eager to help her. She liked how they were and now they were here. Almost back to normal; almost. Something was different on her end. She couldn't tell what it was but maybe it was the distance that made her want to be around him more. How it maybe made him even funnier since he came back. How he looked more... something.
She shook that thought out of her mind and started to make it towards the university. The drive was the simple platt but parking during the day was awful. She always had to park on the street. As she was starting to parallel park her radio started to make a static noise. She looked up and around the campus. She didn't see Evan but she did see someone somewhat familiar. As she got out of her car she recognized the blonde girl. It was Rick's new teaching assistant. Her name was blanking Melinda's mind but she watched as the girl started walking away the noise disappeared. Melinda noticed how the girl was entering the same building Rick was teaching in and followed her. The was close to see her but far enough away to make it not seem like she was following her intentionally. The noise came back and Melinda felt it grow louder and heavier with each step she took. Her lack of sleep and prior experience with the noise was making her dizzy.
"Evan," She whispered. She looked wearily around saw how the girl had stopped to talk to a classmate and then she saw him. Evan had a mixture of sadness, anger, and longing on his face. He then looked at her.
"She didn't come." He said as Melinda felt her eyes close and her body become too heavy to hold up on her feet.
Payne was walking towards his office when noticed a crowd of students hovering over someone. As a staff member it was his obligation to see what the commotion was. Lucky for him, he was just a nosey person as well. As he walked closer to the group he heard the hushed whispers better.
"Is she ok?" A girl whispered.
"I don't know! I just found her lying here." A boy said. Rick assumed a student must of fell and hurt themselves. He got closer and saw it was Melinda on the floor. He grew concerned instantly and hurried.
"Move! Move out of the way!" He demanded getting through the crowd of students. He knelt down and gathered the woman into his arms.
"Melinda? Melinda, can you hear me?" He asked as she held her close to him. Rick placed his hand on her cheek and Melinda groaned. Her eyes fluttered open and he sighed with relief. Melinda looked around confused and then met his eyes. Worry and concern were swimming across his handsome features.
"Are you ok? What happened?" He asked. Melinda looked around to see many eyes looking at her. She looked back at Rick and swallowed.
"I uh, I got dizzy." She admitted. Rick knew she was telling half of the truth. He knew a ghost had been in contact with her and it made her faint. He helped her up off the floor and he looked at the group of students. They all were staring at the two adults and Rick frowned.
"Head to your classes! Nothing to see here!" He said as he held Melinda gently. The crowd of people slowly dispersed and Rick started to walk with Melinda. Melinda looked at Rick as they walked and he brought his mouth to her ear.
"Are you ok?" He asked softly. She flushed at how close he was and how she was eager to lean into his touch.
"I'm fine but something else happened last night when I was sleeping." She murmured back to him. Rick hummed and that's when Melinda noticed the stares and whispers among the students. The way Rick was holding her and how she didn't shy away from him made it seem as if they were together. Rick to notice how she was looking at other people around them and he gave her waist a light squeeze.
"Just ignore them." He said. They made it to his office and Melinda felt saddened as Rick moved away from her.
"Ok, start to finish, what happened?" He asked as he walked to his desk. Melinda walked over to a chair and sat.
"My ghost is a young college boy. His name is Evan and he is very hurt by someone. He said that he died while waiting for a girl. He also has this very loud radio static that surrounds him when he gets upset. That's what made me faint." She explained. Rick nodded.
"Ok has he told you how he died? What school he went to? Maybe the girl?" He asked.
"Last night my vision showed me that he slipped and fell on something that made him hit his head. He was knocked unconscious too close to either a river or stream cause he drowned. He told me that. For a school I don't know but the girl, I think she's your teaching assistant." She explained. Rick looked at her surprised.
"What makes you think he's fixated on Emma?" He asked.
"Cause I saw him again and he followed her. I followed just to make sure he soundly hurt her." Melinda explained.
"Come to think of it, I didn't see her in class or the hallway when I found you." Rick said. Melinda sighed.
"I feel like I know so much but at the same time I know nothing at all. I don't even know where to start!" She said exasperated as she stood up and started to pace around his office. Rick frowned and stood up.
"Mel, listen to me." He said grabbing her arm gently. Melinda stopped and looked at him.
"Look, we will figure this out. We just need to do this one step at a time. How about you look up obituaries from the past few a to start and I'll talk to Emma and see if she knew an Evan. That sounds good?" He offered as he held her hand gently. Melinda smiled and sighed in relief.
"That would help a lot. Thank you Rick." She murmured. He grinned at her and gave her a flirty wink.
"Anything for you. Now I'm starved and I think you owe me noodles." He teased. She rolled her eyes amused and shook her head.
"You really haven't changed, have you?" She teased back. He gave her his lopsided grin.
"Nope." He said. Melinda laughed and he grinned widely.
"C'mon professor, let's go eat." She said walking towards the door.
"Right behind you!" Rick said eagerly.