Day 3 in Columbus, Indiana began with a heavy sense of exhaustion for Travis Montgomery and Michael Cooper Williams. After the strange knocking sounds that had plagued their second night in the house, neither had slept well. The oppressive feeling in their new home still lingered, wrapping itself around them like a suffocating blanket. The house had taken on a strange presence, one that seemed more alive with every passing hour.
But after the long, unsettling night, they decided to step out and explore the town. The quaint charm of Columbus, Indiana, was worlds away from the chaos of Seattle, and they hoped that a day outside, among other people, would clear their heads and offer a reprieve from whatever was haunting them back at the house.
As they walked down the tree-lined streets, hand in hand, the familiar smells of small-town eateries and coffee shops floated through the air, calming some of their anxiety. The sun was high, and the warm breeze carried a sense of normalcy that had been absent since they arrived.
They stopped at a local restaurant and tried the famous Hoosier Tenderloin sandwich—a fried pork tenderloin that was almost comically large, hanging over the edges of the bun. They sat in a booth, the restaurant filled with the chatter of locals, and for the first time in days, they felt like they could breathe.
"You know," Michael said, biting into his sandwich, "this kind of reminds me of our weekends off back in Seattle. Except, you know, without the hauntings."
Travis chuckled, though it was a tired laugh. "Yeah. Things were a lot simpler when we were just dealing with fires and station drama."
Michael nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "I miss that. The chaos of it all. It was tough, but at least it made sense, you know? Now, we're in a house that's… I don't know, haunted, and it feels like nothing makes sense anymore."
Travis glanced out the window, watching the people passing by, unaware of the strange experiences he and Michael had been living through. "Do you ever regret leaving Seattle? Leaving the station?"
Michael took a deep breath, his hand resting on top of Travis's. "No. I don't regret it. We needed a fresh start. But I guess I didn't expect the fresh start to include a haunted house."
Travis smiled softly, his fingers intertwining with Michael's. "Yeah, that wasn't part of the plan."
They ate in companionable silence for a while, the hustle and bustle of the restaurant offering a much-needed distraction. After finishing their sandwiches, they decided to indulge in some ice cream from Zaharako's, a historic ice cream parlor in town. The vintage decor and the old-fashioned soda fountain made the place feel like they had stepped back in time, and for a brief moment, everything felt normal again.
As they enjoyed their ice cream—Michael with a chocolate cone and Travis with vanilla—they reminisced about their time as firefighters in Seattle.
"You know," Michael said between bites of ice cream, "back at Station 54, there was this one time where we got called to put out a fire at a cat shelter. It was absolute chaos. Cats everywhere, firefighters slipping on the floor because of the foam from the extinguishers. I swear I'll never forget that day."
Travis laughed, shaking his head. "That sounds like a nightmare."
"It was," Michael replied, chuckling. "But honestly, I miss it sometimes. The adrenaline, the camaraderie… it was tough, but it was also predictable. There were rules. You knew what you were dealing with, even in the craziest situations."
Travis nodded, thinking about his own experiences at Station 19. "Yeah. Fires made sense. Even when they didn't, we could rely on each other to get through it. But now, in this house… I don't know what we're dealing with. It feels like we're fighting something we can't see."
Michael looked at him, his expression softening. "Whatever it is, we'll get through it. We always do."
Travis smiled, though the knot in his stomach never fully went away. "Yeah. Together."
After spending the day exploring the town, they returned to the house, the sun beginning to set behind them. As they approached, that familiar sense of dread began to creep back in. The house loomed in the distance, its aged stone exterior now casting long shadows across the yard. Despite the warmth of the day, the house itself seemed cold, as if it existed in a different reality.
They walked through the front door, the air inside immediately feeling heavier, and it didn't take long for the strange, unsettling energy to settle back over them.
As they unpacked some of the remaining boxes, they decided it was time to reach out to someone who might understand what they were going through. Travis pulled out his phone and dialed the number for Andy Herrera, captain of Station 19, and one of his closest friends. Andy had always been there for him, through thick and thin, and if anyone could offer some advice—or at least help them feel grounded—it would be her.
The phone rang a few times before Andy's familiar voice came through. "Travis! Hey, how's it going?"
Travis forced a smile, though his voice betrayed his exhaustion. "Hey, Andy. It's… well, it's been a lot."
Michael, sitting next to Travis on the couch, raised an eyebrow, listening intently as Travis began to explain.
"Moving out here has been… weird," Travis continued. "The house we're in—there's something off about it. We've had all these strange things happen since we got here. Like, faucets turning on by themselves, knocking sounds in the middle of the night… it's been intense."
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and when Andy spoke again, her voice was tinged with concern. "Wait, what? Like, paranormal stuff?"
"Yeah," Travis replied, glancing at Michael. "We don't know what to make of it. We thought maybe we were just stressed from the move, but it feels like more than that. Michael's been feeling really… off, too. It's like the house has this energy, and it's affecting us both."
Andy was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "That's wild, Travis. You know, I don't usually buy into that kind of thing, but… if you're feeling this strongly about it, maybe there's something going on. Have you guys thought about getting someone to check it out? Like, a paranormal investigator?"
Travis sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We haven't gotten that far yet. Honestly, we're still trying to wrap our heads around what's happening. We just wanted to talk to someone, to make sure we're not losing it."
"You're not losing it," Andy said firmly. "You've always been one of the most level-headed people I know. If you feel like something's wrong, then trust that instinct. You've been through a lot, but you're not crazy. I'd say maybe start with the history of the house—see if there's anything strange in its past."
Michael nodded in agreement, having overheard the suggestion. "That's not a bad idea," he whispered to Travis.
"Yeah," Travis said, his voice a little steadier. "We'll look into it. Thanks, Andy. I really needed to hear that."
"Anytime, Travis," Andy replied, her voice warm and reassuring. "Keep me posted, okay? If you need anything, even if it's just to talk, I'm here."
"I will," Travis promised. "Take care."
After hanging up the phone, Travis leaned back against the couch, letting out a long breath.
"She's right," Michael said, giving him a small smile. "We're not crazy. Something's happening in this house, and we need to figure out what it is."
Travis nodded, though the weight of the situation still sat heavily on his shoulders. "Yeah. I guess the first step is finding out what we're dealing with."
