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The Third Time's the Charm
Huling Na-update:
2024-04-19 21:00:57The traveling crews came back to Los Angeles for the holidays a couple of days later, and Brandon decided he felt brave enough to host a dinner for all of them at one of the restaurants they used to go to.
It would be like his big comeback to society, leaving behind almost four months of reclusion and darkness. And to mark the occasion, he warned me that Cake had leaked the date and place to a few reporters.
“Meaning my friends will be there?”
“Guess so. The problem is that ban on you. I don’t want them to leave you out of the report. The other way around: I want everybody to know we’re together.”
I looked up at him with a heartfelt sigh. But like it always happened over the last week, meeting his eyes focused on mine made me so happy, I couldn’t refuse. So I called Greta Arbosky, who said she would take care of letting them know about this one exception. I disconnected and faced him, raising my eyebrows.
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Kaugnay na kabanata
Haunter A Hundred Words
A QUICK NOTE BEFORE GETTING THE STORY STARTED: Hey there everybody! Wanna know how this story goes? Well, picture Little Women's Jo March meets Ghost Adventures' Zak Bagans about her haunted house, and then she writes a novel about it. Don't know who the heck I'm talking about? Well, lets say this is the story of a young, independent girl used to dealing with things by herself, who is forced to turn for help to a not-so-young, far-from-humble TV celeb used to having always his way. It's a clash of titans turned love story. A challenge for both of them to learn to give in, to understand, to grow, in order to be together. To meet halfway. Far from a horror thriller, it's more of a coming-of-age journey, with a lot of paranormal stuff thrown in the mix as a catalist to push the plot forward... or twist it? You be the judge of that. DUE WARNINGS: * I'm not one for hasty starts. This is a rollercoaster you gotta climb up before you can dive in head-on. Blame it on an acquired taste
Huling Na-update : 2023-11-27Haunter A Little House in the Prairie
Book 1 The Shadow of the Haunter In the darkness of the nightWaiting for the light to comeWhen the demons in your mindRemind you of the damage done. Always talking, so much to sayLike a haunting ghost from the graveAnd Heaven seems so far away. —Daughtry, Changes Are Coming * * Sometimes, things have a funny way to happen before you can even realize what on earth is going on. Hi, I’m exhibit A. I was twenty-five back in the summer of 2023. I was living in Boston and I’d been waiting tables twelve hours a day for six months already, while trying in vain to find a job that would allow me to make ends meet. I couldn’t afford a rent all by myself, so I shared a tiny apartment in Jamaica Plains with two friends. And by the end of June, ruthless math said that such as I was, my dwindling savings wouldn’t last the summer. That was when the diner manager put on his sad face and told me they had to let me go. Great! Now what? I was wandering around, trying to clear my head and c
Huling Na-update : 2023-11-27Haunter Noises and Rumors
The footsteps sounded like somebody was walking down the second-floor hallway to the stairs, then down to the first floor and away toward one of the parlors.I held my breath, frozen in fear, my heart pounding like a drum. Until I recalled where I was: a wooden house in the middle of nowhere. It was the building settling, not a break-in. I rolled over and went back to sleep.It took me a couple of days to get bored of wandering up and down the Manor, exploring every room, studying every painting and every portrait of the Blotters, roaming the garden and the woods down to the Quabbin. It felt like I never had enough of gazing around and breathing deep, to fill my lungs with that pristine air that smelled of trees.The Manor had its particular smell, too. It smelled old, for sure, but it also smelled like home. At least, somebody’s home. I didn’t know why, but I felt welcomed and relaxed there.Monday through Saturday, Susan and Mike came every morning about nine and moved like stealth
Huling Na-update : 2023-11-27Haunter Words from the Other Side
One morning, I went out for a walk earlier than usual, not feeling like being around while Susan and Mike were at the Manor. Don’t ask me why, the moment I got to the Quabbin, I didn’t feel like sitting to listen to some music and just stare into nothingness, like I used to. I felt I needed to learn more about communicating with ghosts and all that, so I decided to watch some of what Trisha had called the pros.I’d noticed that YouTube ghost hunters talked a lot about one Brandon Price, leader of a team called Haunters, like he was the grandfather of paranormal investigation, even over the Warrens and Hans Holzer. A quick search taught me that even though Haunters hadn’t been among the pioneers of that particular TV niche, they already had nine seasons and counting. And they were considered the best of the best.Before subscribing to the streaming platform that hosted all their seasons, I searched for anything about them on YouTube. Didn’t find any episode for free, but I did find a t
Huling Na-update : 2023-11-27Haunter And the Demon in the Basement
Susan and Mike didn’t say a word when they found small motion-activated cat balls in every single room, from the first-floor foyer to the third-floor study. I ignored the look they traded and offered no explanation.After a whole month of living in Blotter Manor, I’d learned that even though the Blotters had their own parallel timeline, the space coordinates remained the same. The cat balls helped me keep from disturbing their routines, like walking into the east parlor while Lizzie was home-schooling the twins, or disturbing Joseph or Edward when they were reading in the library. This way, they only needed to move a hand near any of the balls to trigger the lights and let me know I was intruding in some way. At the same time, they used them to let me know if one of them joined me in a given room. Then the app would tell me who it was.It was nice, getting together with them before dinner. By the end of August, I was almost getting used to the TV turning on by itself, whenever the twi
Huling Na-update : 2023-12-21Haunter Too Many Questions
The thuds went on through the night, about every hour, for as long as the sky remained dark. They sounded like distant muffled bangs from my room upstairs, but they woke me up anyway. Every time I jolted awake, the ball on the chest of drawers near the door would flash, to let me know I wasn’t alone and Lizzie was right there, keeping me safe. That was the only reason why I didn’t sleep in my car.Only by sunrise, when the thuds subsided, I was able to get a few hours of good sleep, so the Collins were already in the house by the time I got up. I came across Mike on the first-floor hallway.“Morning, Mike. I need the basement key,” I said, still rubbing my eyes and feeling exhausted.My voice drew Susan out of the kitchen. “Good morning, Miss Garner. Breakfast is…” She trailed off, noticing her husband visibly upset.“The basement key?” he repeated, taken aback. “I can go get you anything you ne
Huling Na-update : 2023-12-21Haunter The Truth About the Shadow
I settled on the couch across the room from the fireplace and the useless TV and set all my stuff on the coffee table. To compensate for the phone app being off, I opened the new text app.“You guys here?” I asked.“All of us.”I showed them how to use it and left it on the table. A moment later, my eyes were like grapefruits, watching the virtual keyboard being tapped, then the speaker icon.“It’s nice to use full sentences,” said the dull electronic female voice.“Yeah!”It amazed me how they displayed more and more skills to manipulate things. I had no idea if it was because they were growing comfortable doing it in front of me or if they were getting the hang of all this technology that didn’t exist when they were alive. I didn’t care, either. All the way around: it helped me feel I wasn’t crazy, talking to empty rooms and dubious apps.&
Huling Na-update : 2023-12-22Haunter The Voice that Conjured Demons
I found the Collins in the kitchen, talking in whispers while Mike tried to sip a tea before his shaky hands spilled it all on his shirt. Speedwell, no doubt. God knew I needed a gallon.“Go home, guys,” I said to them, feeling so overwhelmed I sounded soft. “Take the rest of the day off.”Susan turned to me like I was a serial killer covered in her mother’s blood.“You talk to them!” she cried. “You talk with the ghosts!”Her accusatory tone took me aback. “Well, yeah. Hard to overlook them, being so many all over the place.”“You’re evil like them!”A chair was roughly knocked down behind me. I didn’t even glance at it.“They’re not evil, Susan. Please go home.”Mike grabbed his wife’s hand and pretty much dragged her out the backdoor, that slammed shut behind them.“Thanks,” I murmured, grabbin
Huling Na-update : 2023-12-23
Pinakabagong kabanata
Haunter The Third Time's the Charm
The traveling crews came back to Los Angeles for the holidays a couple of days later, and Brandon decided he felt brave enough to host a dinner for all of them at one of the restaurants they used to go to.It would be like his big comeback to society, leaving behind almost four months of reclusion and darkness. And to mark the occasion, he warned me that Cake had leaked the date and place to a few reporters.“Meaning my friends will be there?”“Guess so. The problem is that ban on you. I don’t want them to leave you out of the report. The other way around: I want everybody to know we’re together.”I looked up at him with a heartfelt sigh. But like it always happened over the last week, meeting his eyes focused on mine made me so happy, I couldn’t refuse. So I called Greta Arbosky, who said she would take care of letting them know about this one exception. I disconnected and faced him, raising my eyebrows.&
Haunter The Hard Way Back
Against all odds, Brandon was the easiest, most complying patient in history. I think the scare of almost losing all his sight gave a whole new meaning to this opportunity to restore his eyes to full health. He never complained about the awful cream he had to apply directly on his eyeballs, he never missed drops or meds time, he slept on his belly, and kept his eye shields on around the clock.The first week was the hardest, of course, while he still wore the dressings. However, his determination to walk the line, no matter how hard, annoying or frustrating, helped us find our way around it faster than I’d ever expected. Just like the doctor had said, Brandon had been so stressed up over the last two or three weeks, he was plain exhausted, so he slept a lot over the first three days.My hovering tendencies kept me always within a few steps from wherever he was. At first, I thought he would soon get sick and tired of my relentless watch over him, but it was actual
Haunter A Brand New Day
I jumped to my feet when I heard Brandon move. His fingers flickered slightly and I covered his hand with mine, my heart hammering my chest. His head tilted a little toward me and his lips parted.“Hey,” I whispered. “Easy there.”He tried to speak and frowned.“It’s okay, Bran. The surgery worked alright.”He frowned deeper, trying to press my fingers. I took his hand to my lips to kiss it.“It worked, Bran,” I repeated, just in case. “You’re gonna be fine.”His shaky sigh told me he’d understood. His other hand came slowly up to brush the dressing covering his eyes.“That’s gonna stay there for a few days.”“Did it?” he mumbled, as his fingers explored the dressing further.“Yes, love. It worked. If we do what the doctor says, you’re gonna be fine in a few months. Maybe even better than before the inf
Haunter Better Angels
We woke up early the next morning. Brandon couldn’t have breakfast before surgery, but we were both too anxious to even feel any hunger. Cake arrived as we were coming down to the first floor, looking rested and ten years younger than the night before. On the way to the hospital, I took advantage of being alone in the backseat of the car to send a few texts. To Amy, to let her know I’d gotten to LA fine and everything was peachy. To Isaac, to let him know I was already in town, going with Brandon to the hospital, and I’d text him how the surgery had gone as soon as I found out. And finally to Harry, to ask him to remind Hugo to send all his light and all his angels to come lend a hand.“Who are you texting to?” asked the control freak from the passenger’s seat.“The press, obviously. Your NY Barbie and her gossiping friends will be waiting for us at the hospital.”He turned in his seat, frowning at me from behind h
Haunter Hold On Tight
I woke up at about three. Brandon was sound asleep, so much so that I was able to sneak between his arms without him even flinching. Back from the bathroom, I heard noises downstairs. Then I remembered the disaster zone the living area was when I’d come into the house. I got dressed and headed to the first floor, still trying to tie my hair in a ponytail.Guadalupe had arrived while we were upstairs, and her grin when she saw me threw me off. She and Cake had sort of cleaned up the living area, but the place still looked like the guys from A Clockwork Orange had dropped by to say hi. The kitchen was still a mess, with a lot of glass and smashed mugs all over the floor, wine and all kinds of things spilled on the floor. And when I say all kinds of things, I mean even mayonnaise. So I wore an apron, put on rubber gloves and set to clean up disaster zone number two.Guadalupe and Cake materialized in the kitchen, looking spooked. I faced them with
Haunter Shattered
I had a glimpse of the whole living area completely trashed, like a hurricane had blasted through it, but I couldn’t care less. I rushed to the stairs and up to the second floor, to storm into the master bedroom. I froze just past the doorway. My heart, which was about to crack my chest open, suddenly stopped, and everything spun around me.Because Brandon was lying on his bed, unconscious, a bleeding cut on his forehead that had sprayed blood all over him. Cake was right by his side, lifting his limp legs up to the bed.“He tripped in the kitchen and hit his head with the isle,” Cake managed to say, panting after carrying Brandon all the way upstairs.I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move.“Fran! Bring me a wet towel!”His shout made me snap out of my shock. I dropped my bag on the floor and ran around the bed to the bathroom, where I grabbed the first towel I
Haunter The Longest Hours
I sneaked out of the sleeping bag the moment Brandon left his seat.“Gina!” I called, crawling on all fours out of the tent.“What is it, Fran?”“Gina, I’m so sorry, but I can’t stay to come tomorrow night,” I said, wiping my tears away just to make room for more to rain down my face.“It’s okay, Fran. Don’t worry about us.”“Kujo protect,” he said, coming to stick to my side.“You guys sure?”“Yes. Go do what you have to do.”“Okay,” I mumbled, and got back into the tent to grab my phone.The first morning flight from Philadelphia International to LAX was scheduled to live after six AM. Shit. It was hardly past midnight. Whatever. Better late than never. I bought a ticket online, already doing the math. I could check in about five thirty, so I had to leave Pennhurst
Haunter The Redemption
Brandon walked across the Manor garden in the sunset, hands in his pockets, looking around absentmindedly as he spoke.“I had to watch the footage to actually remember what had happened, and her words shocked me. She called me a puppet. She knew what was going on. Back then, I only understood they wouldn’t let me get to her, especially when Isaac turned his back on me. I couldn’t believe it. He’d betrayed me! My best friend! How powerful could this demon be to turn the man who had been my best friend for the last twenty-five years against me? I was trapped, all alone. I might have to fight for my life.” He looked at the camera. “You must be wondering if I stayed. The answer is yes. Why?” He let out a bitter chuckle. “The truth is I have no idea.” He shrugged. “I was so out of my mind that night, I can count at least half a dozen reasons why I stayed. And none of them make any sense.”They cut back to the
Haunter The Demons We Breed
“Here she comes,” Brandon said, his voice reflecting exactly the same as his face. “The little witch comes to protect the demon. Not this time.”I felt Kujo brush his face against mine and realized I was holding my breath, still shaking from head to toe. His warm touch helped me snap out of it.Brandon kept taunting and provoking Kujo until I got there, trying to burn him with his holy water. And then he’d come at me, triggering Kujo’s reaction. After Kujo attacked him, hurting me in the process, I saw him jump back to his feet and try to fight Kujo with his bear fists, punching through him like a madman, almost stomping on me, ‘cause I was pretty much unconscious at his feet. Amy stormed down the stairs as Isaac managed to pull him away from me, and forced the camera into his hands to carry me up the stairs in his arms, while Amy kept Brandon at a safe distance.“Kujo mad.”“But y
