The House On Turner Street

Chapter 3 - Miss Watson

Miss Watson didn't make them wait long. She evidently subscribed to the school of punctuality as well. It was hard to put an age to her. Her mind was sharp, and her gaze left you feeling like she knew more about you than you did. She was very kind as well. It's an odd mix.

"Hello, you three! Are you ready to investigate the house for me?", She asked in a jovial tone.

"Yes ma'am!" Three voices delivered the same answer. Why were they all so awkward today?

"We really appreciate this, Miss Watson. We've been looking for a big project and this will put our group on the map!" Evan was finally feeling the excitement. He was getting as bad as Stephen.

"Well, just be careful in there. There's something you need to know beforehand. There's a reason I haven't sent anyone into this house in 20 years. I used to have a groundskeeper. He made sure the place stayed within code. One night, I got a call from the local police. They had found him on the side of the road, babbling about demons and how he'd been attacked. After examining him, they said they found traces of some pretty strong drugs in his system. Enough to make him hallucinate. We wrote it off to that, and he was released after a stint in rehab. He still insists that, to this day, he's never used drugs. I decided to start watching the property myself. Dead animals began to show up pretty frequently as if there there was an invisible wall of death around the house. We were plenty scared for a while. I called a pest control guy to check it out. He said the only evidence he found in the house was traced of mice, rats, and roaches. He put out poison, and I believe the problem was resolved. I tell you this not to cause fear, but to prepare you for the right amount of caution you'll need. It IS an old house. Your safety is now more important than your reputation."

Evan took her warning to heart. He could tell that Val had as well. The serious look on her face did not mirror the amused look on Stephen's face.

"We'll be careful," he said almost mockingly. Whether Miss Watson noticed it or not, her face gave nothing away. They had been entrusted with this, and he couldn't let Stephen mess it up.

"Thank you, Miss Watson. We have taken every precaution. We hope to have this all documented for you by the morning." Evan showed sincerity in his eyes. Miss Watson nodded approvingly. He guessed she could tell the difference.

They said their farewells and started to unload their equipment. The EMF and infrared thermometer would be set up in the main room with their internal command center. It would all be transmitted through a lan connection to their van. That's where the main recording would take place. That way, they would have it if they had to leave in a hurry. Each room would have a camera set up. Evan decided to put them as high up as possible so they wouldn't get in the way of anything. Really, he wasn't used to wireless cameras, so tripping over wires wasn't really an issue anymore. He just liked to keep some things the same. No matter how silly they seemed to their peers.