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We took the hallway to the back and were about to ascend the stairs to the third floor when I heard something.
“Did you hear that?” I asked Sky.
She had already turned in the direction I had. “I did,” she said.
“It sounded like . . . knocking, right?
“Or footsteps.” She looked up at the ceiling, just as Myst was doing. “Nobody’s upstairs, right?”
“Nope. I don’t even think anybody’s on the second floor but us.”
The sound came again, a trio of thumps, and we looked at each other, my camera taking in her raised eyebrow.
“Okay, we have activity. I can almost guarantee the camera picked that up.” I moved closer to Sky, and just as I was about to say that we should head on up, the sound of an exhale and a growl came from nowhere, yet was somehow somewhere in the space between us.
“What the fuck?” Sky exclaimed and jumped back. She looked at me and then Myst, who hadn’t moved, but the hair down the center of the dog’s back stood at attention. I could relate. The hairs on my neck and arms were doing the same. “That was a growl, right?”
“I heard what sounded like a growl and a breath. Whatever it was, I think Myst heard it, too. And I don’t think it was her.”
“I heard it also,” James said as he walked up the stairs behind us, the big camera perched on his shoulder.
“Hey, man,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here. We could use some more footage, especially since we only have the one Handycam.”
He nodded. “Yeah, Dakota didn’t need me and had her mini-VR so Dev sent me up here with you guys. Looks like I picked the perfect time to show.”
Sky nodded and then looked down at Mystique before crouching and putting a hand on the dog’s neck. Myst whined a little, but otherwise seemed okay.
Sky stood again, readjusted her pack slung across her chest, and looked at me, her dark eyes and hair glowing brightly in the night vision of my camera.
“After you,” I said and motioned for her to go down the hall first. I readjusted the bag over my shoulder and followed, Myst walking between us, and James bringing up the rear.
When we got to the door at the end of the hall that opened to the third-floor stairwell, my stomach churned. I wasn’t sure why, but something wasn’t quite right. Just as I had the thought, Myst sat and growled at the door. Sky turned around to look at the pit bull and then turned her gaze to James and me.
“I’d say that’s a sign.”
“Yep,” I agreed.
“Do you think we should bust out the JumpBox here and get some EMF readings before even going up the stairs, and give the new device a try for the camera?”
“Given Myst’s reaction,” I said, “it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.” I set my bag down and rummaged in Sky’s for the JumpBox and the K2 meter. I handed the meter to her and then fired up the super twins’ invention, letting it boot up.
“EMF is kinda high here,” she said. “We’re pretty steady at over one-point-five.” She walked a bit to the right and then skirted me and walked to the left. “It’s not consistent, though. Same as it was in the bedroom the other day.” She looked around the area with her mini-flashlight. “I don’t see anything environmental that could be contributing to a spike like that, but we can look into it some more tomorrow when it’s light out.”
The device came online and emitted a soft chime. Myst barked, and I looked at her. “It’s okay, girl. That was just me.” I paused. “Ifyou were barking at that.” I looked at Sky, and she shrugged. I handed her the device as soon as she put the K2 meter on the floor, propped up on its stand.
“Okay,” I said and focused the Handycam on Sky and the JumpBox. “Is there anybody here with us?” I asked, looking around the space and panning my camera to catch anything that might happen. Just as I was almost back to Sky, a feminine-sounding voice from the device spoke up.
“Yes.”
I moved a little closer and peeked at the tablet integrated into the JumpBox, seeing that the wordYeswas on the screen, and the blinking cursor was now on the line below it.
“Okay,” Sky said. “This is really freaking cool.” She smiled, and I grinned in return. It really was.
“Who are we speaking to?” I asked.
“—ko,” came that same feminine voice from the machine.
“What did that register as on the screen?” I asked Sky.
