Haunted Mansion

[Morgana]

Mary Kate Devlynn

I was tired from the drive from Virginia to upstate NY and I asked Garrett if he would be kind enough to have someone show me to my room and he had one of the maids escort me.

The house was huge and I found myself fascinated with the architecture. I was almost looking forward to exploring tomorrow morning.

My room was absolutely lovely with its rich mahogony walls and floor. It was furnished and decorated in blue, green, and purple--like a peacock's plumage, and the coverlet over my bed had an elaborate peacock design. Intricate, feminine, and beautiful. There was a Queen Anne lady's writing desk in the lefthand corner and I put my paperwork down, yawning and undoing my hair.

I hummed quietly to myself as I unpacked my suitcase. A private bathroom adjoined my bedroom on the right and I decided to treat myself to a bath in the enormous tub before I settled down to read up some more on the house's history. I filled it up with warm water, adding a few blue bath beads from a swan shaped dish on the edge of the tub.

I undressed and sunk leisurely into the water, leaning back and closing my eyes.

 

[BadForm]

Tatunka: How Much Do They Know

Tat retired to his room, finding its solitude tempting after the surprising meeting downstairs. It would give him time to consider what was going on. He did not know who some of the people were, but they were certainly a mixed bag - mystics such as himself, serious researchers of both the believing and skeptical side of the argument, and for some reason a model and her photographer. The problem with pulling people together from so many traditions, several of which conflicted, was that conflict was far more likely than compliment. That, he hoped, could be worked on, but would certainly be a challenge.

Tat took in the opulence of his room, and at once saw beneath the glorious facade to a more worrying aspect. Whoever had put this room together had tailored it towards aspects of his shamanic faith. A powwow drum and beater hung on one wall, painted with the design of a deer, a caretaker and leader down new paths. A shield hung on the opposite wall. A large dreamcatcher Tat recognized as being of sioux design was over the bed, and other items of Native American, particularly Sioux, craftsmanship was incorporated into the elegance of the room. There were many things missing, but some of what was present was just too tailored to his own specific branch of the sioux nation that Tat grew more concerned. How much did the owners of the house know about him, and how had they found out?

 

[Isolde]

OOC: I am going to give everyone a chance to respond and get to thier rooms. Then I will get things hopping. *winks*

 

[Vivid]

Greska

"Room looks great Garret." Dimitri calls over his shoulder. "Oh and, my meals will be vegan right? No animal products?" Garret actually looks shocked that he and his staff would fail to cater to any dietary restrictions. Greska considers ruffling his feathers by asking the man to be sure everything was macrobiotic and organic as well, but decided not to. He thanks Garret and sees him to the door.

He sets the fat folder down on the night stand. It also holds books on film history and most of the popular trade magazines. Greska laughs out loud when he sees the Journal of Parapsychology next to the big, fat, red Sharpie. He has to admire their thoroughness.

His body is still on Hollywood time and he's no where near tired. Good, he has some equipment to switch to recording outside. If what Garret said is true, then no amount of research tomorrow would be more beneficial than what his eletro-magnetic sensors, audio and video recorders, and plain, old-fashioned camera work could uncover.

With digital camcorder in hand he heads to the hallway. He can't help but snicker as he remembers an e-mail he read a while back. "How to survive a B-rated movie." Wasn't one: Never go out alone, the others will be finding bits of you throughout the movie.

Greska starts off down the hallway then stops. Did we come from the other direction? He turns around and starts walking. Maybe they'll have an exit sign somewhere.


OOC: Isolde, If you want him in his room (or hacked into little pieces) let me know.

[Edited by Vivid on 04-04-2001 at 09:44 AM]

 

[Isolde]

OOC: Quite alright..you go ahead and direct him as you wish...you will find that I can do a haunting from anywhere. *weg*

 

[Mistress]

Mercy

Garrett stopped in front of a door and smiled, “This will be your room Ms. Sage, I'm afraid though that, Mr. Landon will be at the end of the hall. If there is a problem with this, I can have Charles move his belongings into your room and inform the owners."

Mercy started to laugh but stifled it, "No that is fine." She glanced back at Dino, he was grinning. "Mr. Landon can have his own room for the time being."

Garret nodded and showed Dino to his room then disappeared down the stairs. Dino chuckled and made his way back to her, "Aww come on baby, you know I can't sleep without you by my side."

Mercy rolled her eyes," Don't make me send you to your room young man!" They laughed and entered her room, stopping to stare. "Wow!" She eyed the room.

The room was beautiful, the bed, a large canopy style bed with shear lavender curtains tied to each post. Tapestries covered the walls, a brilliant chandelier hung from the ceiling, as candles blazed from wall studs. The antique furniture made of dark wood, two sitting chairs, and a desk a small bedside table. The painted portraits of fields of flowers and waterfalls, matching the lavender and yellow floral decorations of the room.

Mercy grinned, and bounced over a set of French doors; opening them she stepped out onto a balcony that over looked the beautiful Gardens. Breathing in the aroma she giggled, ”Damn, I feel like I’m six years old in this place!!!!”

Dino laughed, ”Hey check this out.” He pointed to a large over sized bathtub that sat towards the middle of the room. Made from porcelain with gold design and clawed feet, it was huge, big enough to fit two full sized people in. “That will make some great pictures!”

“You and your damn photos!” she looked back out over the garden, and then turned to look over the rest of the room. “Is a nice bath though, hey look, there’s a bathroom too!”

They walked into the small bathroom, a double sink with, toilet and stand up shower. She smiled and ran leaping onto the huge bed. Dino laughed, taking out is camera and snapping shots of her as she goofed around. “How bout some skin now?”

“Bah!” She giggled and stood back up, “I think I’m gonna like this place.”

"Well we still have some day left, wanna shoot a few more rolls?" Dino asked checking his cameras.

"Sure, besides, there's a Angel in the Garden I haven't turned on yet!" She winked and grabbed her cell phone...

 

[Neale]

Peter Yarow

We followed the others up the stairs, and into the main hallway to our rooms. Garrett opened up a double door for us, and revealed our sleeping quarters... Wow. Makes the suites we get in Vegas look sick! Garret said something to Samantha, but I was too busy drooling over the room to notice. He bowed, and left us to our privacy.

"Sam, honey, this is incredible! Do you think every bit of this is the genuine article?" I asked, referring to the lavishly furnished room, filled with antiques. "Can you imagine the ratings we'd get if my next Yappi special were filmed here? We could call it After-Lifestyles of the Filthy-rich and famous!"

Further exploration revealed a fully stocked bar, so I made us a couple of whiskey sours, and settled onto a very comfortable couch. To my left, there was a nice bookcase, complete with some very old books. Scanning the titles, I saw... "What the hell are those doing here?" I saw Cultes des Goules, Magick of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Petersen's Field Guide to Creatures of the Dreamlands, The Antarktos Cycle, The Azathoth Cycle, The Book of Iod, The Book of Dzyan, The Complete Pegana, The Disciples of Cthulhu, The Nyarlathotep Cycle, Scroll of Thoth, The Xothic Legend Cycle,...

"Sam, there is something very, very wrong here... those books are some of the heavy-duty nasty black magick tomes I'd expect gracing a serious practicioner's shelves. Hell, the only thing missing is the sodding Necronomicon! Just whose room was this, anyway?"

 

[Dea Artia]

Sadira Bowen

Sadira thanked the man who offred her some kind words and stood up. After wiping away a few stray tears with the back of her hand, she realized most of the guest had left the room and were making their way up the main staircase. She figured she might as well find out where she was suppose to sleep. Sadira started walking up the stairs when she felt a hand on her shoulder and a polite "Excuse me" made her turn around. A small woman in a maids uniform stood in front of her.

"I don't mean to be rude, Miss. But I overheard what you were saying in there. Is it true you can see the spirits of the dead?"

Sadira smiled, took the womans hands in her own and tried to explain. "Yes, I can. But not it's not like seeing someone like you, or the others. It's more like seeing a memory. Do you understand?"

"I think I do" the woman replied with a shy nod. "My name is Molly, and I'd be happy to show you to your room."

Sadira followed Mooly up the stairs and down a long corridor, passing many closed doors. Just as she thought they'd never get to her room, Molly stoped in front of a door but instead of it opening to a room, like Sadira thought, to her surprised it turned out to be another flight of stairs which lead to a large open space. Sadira followed Molly up and when she reached the top she couldn't help but hold in a breath.

On the wall opposit the door were three floor to ceiling windows, each granting a view on the vast estate. On her left stood an oak armoir, a desk and chair with a reading lamp and a rocking chair in the corner by one of the windows. To Sadira's right was a large bed with a peach colored bedspread and two endtables on either side, each with a lamp. A fuzzy rug with greens,peaches and blues was on the floor and a fan turned slowly overhead. The walls themselves were oak, stained the same dark color as the armoir and the high ceiling still had the unfinished look with the beams showing. Sadira had never seen a more perfect room. She turned to look at Molly.

"Its beautiful" she said.

"We thought you might like it" came the womans reply. "Someone will be up shortly with your dinner" and with a curtsy, Molly returned down the stairs.

Sadira decided to explore the room a bit and she noticed her belongings had already been put away and she found a key on the desk. "Probably for the room" she thought. With a light step, she walked to one of the windows and the view took her mind off of the event that happened earlier, at least for the moment.

 

[Isolde]

Let the Haunting Begin

OOC: Lets get this underway.

IC: As the meeting broke up and everyone went their way, things seemed to settle down. Dinner was brought into the rooms for the guests and those who were away at the time had thier dinners left for them. Dinner consisted of a simple meal of roast, potatoes, fresh cut vegtables, homemade rolls with butter and each person's favorite drink. For those of vegitarian leanings, it consisted of a stir fried vegtable plate, made with very little oil and the fresh rolls and drink.

As Sadira enjoyed the view of her room, she had a feeling she was not alone. Looking around she could not see anyone there but the feeling persisted. She was puzzled because she could usually 'see' something connected to these feelings but it was almost as if someone was insisting on playing hide and seek. As she turned back to the view, she felt someone behind her, pressing up against her back in an almost loving embrace, a hand on her shoulder and the smell of a man's cologne drafting up to her nostrils. Whomever was behind her stood like that for a moment and then the feeling was gone. The scent of the cologne the only sign that it was ever there.


Peter Yarrow did not expect an answer to his question but that is exactly what he got. Mine! came a definate female voice drifting to him from where, he did not know. It seemed to drift in on a breeze and then disappear as if it never existed. Except that the voice was not through yet. Leave! came the second part of the ominous message and a chill gripped him as if an icy blanket had been wrapped around his heart, making it almost impossible to breath. Samantha Yarrow, while in the same room, noticed no change in temperature and no voice. She did, however see a fleeting shadow from the corner of her eye which was gone once she turned to get a better look and was easily dismissed as a blowing curtain except for the fact that the window was shut and there was no breeze.

Before Mercy and Dino could leave to go to the garden and while she was dialing on her cell phone, she passed the vanity mirror. Stopping to look at her image in the glass, she smiled as did her image as it was supposed to. But was her image supposed to be dressed in an colonial gown and cloak? And why was there a red stain covering the white gown? And the fact that the image mouth the words Beware when Mercy's mouth had not moved even though her call had been answered would indicate that this was not her image. As if in slow motion, the face of her image begin to hollow and shrink against the skull, the hair to whiten and fall out, the eyes to sink in leaving only sockets and the flesh to shred from her face, and body leaving a skeleton in a white dress before shimmering and fading...the model's true image replacing it as if it had never been. Dino, who was checking the film in his camera, saw nothing.

Just as Damitra was wondering the hallway, he saw a figure down the hallway. Thinking it might be one of the maids he walked forward until he realized his mistake. It was a small girl in and old fashioned dress, standing and looking at him with the sadest brown eyes he had ever seen. When the girl realized that he saw her, a huge grin broke out on her face and she waived to him. The waive turned into a 'come here' gesture and she broke into a run down the corridor and around the corner. Following, Damitra was led down and around many twists and turns of the old mansion, never running into anyone else on the way. It also seemed that all noise had stopped as there was not even the normal outside sounds from the open windows but the girl pressed on...stopping and waiving to him when he lagged. Finally she dissapeared around one last corner
and, when he went to follow, he ran right into a door that lay just inside a small hallway. There was no sign of the little girl and, when he tried the door, it was locked tight with no key in sight. Looking back, he realized that there was no way the little girl could have left the small hallway without him seeing and there was no other way out of the corridor but past him as the main corridor ended just before this hallway and door. As he was puzzling about it, he heard someone behind him, clearing their throat. Whirling around, he saw Garrett looking at him. "It would seem that you have become lost. It is a common occurance in this house. If you would allow me? I can show you back to your room or wherever you would like to be right now."

As Tat looked about his room in wonder, he seemed to hear a strange, yet familiar sound. In the background, a booming sound begin to resonate through him, almost in tune with his heartbeat. It seemed to grow louder and louder, surrounding him and closing him in. It was a steady beat, never tiring and never changing and soon he understood what it was. It was a powwow drum, just like the one that was in his room. Looking over at where the drum lay, he saw that there was no one to play it but that did not surprise him. It did not seem to come from that direction anyway but from everywhere at once but nowhere at the same time. Looking up at the paintings that were hanging on the walls, they seemed to come alive with the sounding of the drum. The antelopes and bison begin to move on the prarie and the wolf raised it's muzzle in a silent howl at the moon. The dreamcatcher begin to move as if caught up in an unseen wind and it begin to move faster and faster as the drum beat quickened. The pictures begin to move in a fury and the booming became almost too much to bear as if the drums were placed right at Tat's ear. Suddenly the booming stopped and with it the moving of the pictures and dreamcatcher.

As Mary Kate relaxed in her bath, she noticed that the air around her bath became chilly. In fact, the water itself seemed ice cold all of a sudden. She then felt a presence in the room with her and, looking up she sees a startling sight. Standing in the doorway and staring directly at her is a man dressed in leggings and a white shirt that is open in the front so that his chest is plainly visible. His hair is dark and his features quite hansome in a rugged sort of way. The eyes that glared down at her...for glare was the only way to describe it....were grey and hard with a fury burning behind them. He stared at her, seeming to stare through her to chill her very soul and she felt like a butterfly captured in a net. It seemed like an eternity that he stood there just looking at her but then she noticed that he seemed to be disolving from the feet up. Slowly he dissappeared, the parts of his body fazing into nothingness until there were only the eyes left to stare at her until they, too, disappeared.

When Proffesor Hawkins opened the door, there was no one there. Shrugging and closing the door, he was about to pick up the syringe again from where he placed it on the desk and found that it was no longer there. Puzzled, he looked about but could not find it. Going to search the drawers again, though he knew he had placed it on the desk, he was startled when he felt something whiz by his head and smash to the floor. Whirling around, he could not see anyone in the room besides himself and when he turned back around he saw his needle and syringe lying at his feet. Fortuately he had been using a plastic syringe so there was no breakage but, as he leaned down to pick it up, he saw the contents bubbling as if heated and, when he touched it, it felt hot and he had to drop it again.

Agent Mitchell Garret was the last one in the library and, as he watched everyone leave, he noticed a movement out in the garden. Going to the french windows and looking out, he could see a woman in the garden and, at first glance, it seemed to be the actress that he had met at the meeting. He had to do a double take though when he realized that the woman in the garden was wearing a colonial style dress and seemed to be acting furtive. The woman dissapeared into the arbor area and Mitchell was just about to turn from the windows when a loud explosion as if from a gun pierced the still air. Strangly, no one else in the household seemed to hear the sound.

Lorna reached her room and was surprised to see that it was very comfortable and even downright luxurious. She also noticed that her clothes and belongings seemed to have been put away by a very efficient maid. Satisfied that all was in order, she sat down on the four poster bed and begin to undress in preparation for a bath. She felt the need to relax her tired muscles and a long soak seemed to be just the thing. As she begin undressing, she stopped and tried to catch her breath. It seemed as if an icy hand had reached into her chest and wrapped around her heart. Then she felt something else. Hatred....pure hatred directed right at her from some unseen force. She could not tell who or why nor could she move as the hand seemed intent on stilling her heart permenatly. She coughed and choked and tried to take a breath but in vain. Lorna was just about to give up hope of being released when another feeling took hold of her. This one was warm and comforting like a warm blanket on a cold winter evening and the iciness around her heart loosened and was soon gone. Finally she could breath and she sat on the bed taking in huge gulps of air and shaking in the after effects.

 

[Vivid]

Greska

Dimitri stared at Garret, awestruck. "There was... little girl..." he said panting from the chase. The old servant made to speak but Greska held up a finger, "Wait, my camcorder." He hit Rewind.

In his pursuit of the girl he couldn't focus it on her but maybe there was something.....

He angled the viewfinder so both of them could see. The image was wrought with static. Very few times had this machine ever failed to capture picture perfect. They could make out the outline of the corriders Greska had come through. The picture jostled as Greska followed the slippery girl. He heard his voice calling for her to wait. The silence of it was ominous. Only his footsteps came across the multidirectional microphone. The he heard it. He hit Stop, rewound it several seconds, and turned the volume up to maximum. His recorded footsteps resounded in the little hallway. Then there, clear as a whistle. A little, hollow, playful, giggle.

 

[Neale]

Peter Yarrow

"C'mon, Sam... you had to have heard that! We are in deep kimchee here!"

 

[Isolde]

Garrett

Garrett looked at the videotape and then at Greska. "I assure you, sir," He said in a firm tone of voice,"There are no children present in the house. There are only myself, the servants I told you about and the other members of the party."

Smiling politely, he added,"Now, where can I direct you to, sir?"

 

[Mistress]

Mercy

The phone dropped out of her hands, screaming she stared at the mirror, though it was her own image now, she could not move her eyes. Dino almost dropped his camera as he hurried over to her. Mercy did not even register him as she screamed over and over. Her bright eyes wide in fear, skin even more pale then normal.

"Mercy.."He shouted trying to get her attention,"Mercy?"

She continued to scream, the image that had been there burned into her mind, the woman who was her but at the same time was not....
The screaming turned to sobs and then finally she went limp as Dino grabbed her into his arms. Picking her up he laid her on the bed craddling her head confused and scared. Wondering what was gong on, and if she was ok...

 

[Isolde]

Lorna

Lorna bolted from the bed, her body shaking and her breath coming in gasps. Her mind was spinning and she desperatly tried to calm herself down. Her first thought was to bolt out the door but she managed to remember she was only half dressed and stopped herself from a very embarassing moment.

As her breath calmed she was able to think a bit more clearly. There had to be several explanations for what had happened. It could have been an allergic reaction to something she ate. Though she had not eaten any of the dinner that had been brought to her room it could have easily been something from the plane. "Except that if that were the case there would have been a reaction long before this. Not to mention you have never been allergic to anything in your life." God, she was talking to herself. She had find a place to gather her thoughts.

Thoughts of the garden sprang to mind and she hurriedly pulled on a blouse and jeans and exit the room, her steps just a bit quicker than usual.

 

[Imoen]

Samantha Yarrow

“Who cares whose room it was, it’s ours now.” I laugh as I sink onto the couch next to Peter. Curling up beside him, I take the drink sipping gratefully. “It truly is a glorious room! Why, the furnishings themselves must be worth a small fortune, more suited for a museum than actually functional furnishings. I can’t imagine that they allow guests to actually use this room.”

The movement of a shadow in my periphery attracted my attention. I glanced over my shoulder to the window, shrugging the movement aside as just a breeze upon the curtain.

"C'mon, Sam... you had to have heard that! We are in deep kimchee here!"

“Hear what? I didn’t hear anything.” I say casually as I turn my attention back to my husband. My gaze widened as I took in his sudden pallor. “Darling! What’s wrong? You look awful. Are you not feeling well?”

 

[Vivid]

Greska

"And you'd know if someone had a daughter or niece visiting?" Dimitri looked to Garrett. "Never mind, of course you would."

Greska looked to him appraisingly, The Green Hornet had Kato, Batman had Alfred; of course the trusted manservant would be in on it. The sceptic just smiled.

"Well,: He said with a tone of resignation, "I had set up some equipment around the perimeter and garden earlier today, assuming it's still in working order I should set it to record." Dimitri followed a step behind Garrett as he lead the way outside.

 

[Isolde]

Garrett

Garrett lead Greska down the hallway, his sure steps silenced by the carpeting that covered the hardwood floors. As they went, Damitri began to recognize where they were. Soon they were at the head of the main staircase that led to the front hall and door.

Standing aside, Garrett motioned to the stairs. "I believe you can find the gardens quite easily from here, Sir," He said expressionlessly,"Now, if you will excuse me, I have the other guests to attend to."

 

[Isolde]

Lorna

As I stepped into the garden, I begin to feel better. I scolded myself for getting so worked up over nothing. I was letting all that nonsense that Garrett had been spewing get to me. I didnt doubt that there had been a murder and even other deaths in and around the house. It was an old house and many of the older houses had questionable histories. But the curse was a bit much.

I walked the paths of the garden, the incident in my bedroom fading as the fading lights of early evening bathed me in their rays. I had let what the manservant had told us get to me-that was all. For heavens sake I used to write the kinds of garbage he had dumped on us. I didnt know exactly why we were here but I was certain that it wasnt to dispel any ghosts. I was determined to hit the records and do some heavy research in the morning.

 

[Vivid]

Greska

Dimitri pulls his fleece tighter against his throat. "Damn. Didn't know I'd need a parka. New York nights are brutal." He says to the cutting wind and damp air.

He reaches the first of his recorders and flips the power switch. It's battery should take it til midday tomorrow, he can change them then.

The wind dies somewhat and Dimitri picks up a rustling from the garden. He holds his camcorder steady as he approaches it's source. Maybe he can catch one of the maids setting up the wires or projectors or something.

Rounding the hedge maze his viewfinder shows the slightly startled face of the writer from inside. He smiles and lowers the camera.

"Hi." he says warmly. "Thought you might of been one of the ghosts we're here to 'dispell'." he laughs sarcastically. "My name's Dimitri Greska." He offers his hand to her.

 

[Dea Artia]

Sadira Bowen

Sadira sat on her bed for a moment, and tried to collect her thoughts. She had felt someone with her, even though she had not seen them. She had sensed passion, longing and a wanting desire she had not felt in a long time, from both human and spirit. With her eyes cast down on the rug, she didn't see Molly enter the room to collect her tray.

"Miss" she said quietly, afraid to disturb Sadira.

Sadira looked up with a start, and nodded yes when Molly asked her if she was finished.

"If there is anything you need, please, let me know." Molly left the room and began to close the door when she opened it again, and poked in her head. "I'm sorry, but, if there is any possible way... no, no. I'm sorry."

"What is it?" Sadira asked, getting up and stoping Molly from closing the door again.

"Well, its just. I want to show you something. If you have time that is? Maybe, in about an hour. I finish my work then."

"Sure" replied Sadira. "I'll meet you in the front hall, ok?"

Molly nodded, and left. Sadira walked over to the desk and tooka quick glance out the window. She saw the man who had caused her to break down in front of the guests earlier, and a woman whom she had yet to meet. They were talking, about what she didn't know. At times she wished she was a mind reader instead of a psychic medium. Sadira giggled to herself, then sat at the desk and began writing down what had happened so far in her journal.

 

[BadForm]

Tatunka: Earthbeat

Tat took a deep breath as the noise and motion stopped. That was no mere drumming. It felt like a drumming circle, one which was highly in tune with both its own members and the Earth Mother herself. The circle went beyond drumming, beyond heartbeat, into the Earthbeat. The powerful sound of the heartbeat which underlies all life: animal folk, tree brothers, standing people. All moved to the beat to the Earth. Drumming such as that was power which could shatter mountains, water the deserts and make life dance to a whole new beat. It was very rare for any circle to reach that level of power.

Tat stared at the drum on the wall, his eyes seeming to bore into its skin. Something was wrong here. He could feel it like a shepherd can feel the wolf. The drum was made with a Sioux design, but this was Iroquois country. He had presumed the drum had been brought here as decoration for him, but now he was no longer sure. What if the drumming had been a Sioux, stranded far from home? If so, it was someone powerful. Tat had never seen one person raise enough power for the earthbeat he had just felt. Slowly he took down the drum and paddle, and sat down, placing it on his lap as he said a prayer to the great spirits.

 

[Isolde]

Lorna

I took the proffered hand and shook it. "Lorna Barrington," I said, again avoiding mention of my pen name. "I remember. A fellow skeptic and someone not too fond of Mr. TV by the looks of it."

I, myself, was very weary of 'psychics' and those who flaunted their 'talents' in the media earned my scorn as well as my distrust. I had recognized Peter Yarrow from the first, I had just chosen to ignore him. A decision I was happy for after his raunchy display in the library.

Looking at the equiptment in the man's hands, I could guess at what he was doing. "Trying to catch our 'ghosts' red handed?," I said pointing to the equiptment.

 

[Vivid]

Dimitri

On impulse he brings Lorna's hand to his lips. "Any member of the anti-Yuppi fan club is a friend of mine," he says smiling, seeing the lack of respect for Yarrow on her face.

"Yes," he brandishes his camera. "Many tricks that fool the naked eye can be scrutinized on video." He brings his free hand up and, at the flick of his wrist, a flower appears. He hands her the rose and brings his camcorder up. He plays the last few seconds at half speed; the camera clearly shows him retreiving the bud from his sleeve.

"I expect the tricks that our hosts will play will be much more elaborate. They've already pulled the disappearing girl trick on me in the hallway." He nods to her astonished look.

 

[Isolde]

I smiled and accepted the flower and then looked on in astonished amusement as he played back the tape. I had seen many programs which had exposed would be psychics and haunted places. I had even been present at some of them.

"Disappearing girl?," I said with raised eyebrows,"Did you catch any of it on tape?" I was wondering if I should tell him about what I had felt in my room but decided against it. There was no way you could record a feeling so there was no need. Besides, I had pretty much put it down to nerves.

 

[Vivid]

Greska

Shaking his head, he scowls. "I tried," he rewound the tape further. He showed her the static-filled chase. He noted the chilling giggle at the end.

"I figure she must've been behind a wall with the hollow quality of the giggle. This old place is probably full of secret passageways."

Dimitri confirmed that all of the recording devices were active and shuddered against the night wind. "I seem to be unprepared for New York's welcome and probably have a meal waiting for me. Have you dined yet? I was going to go over the file on land surveys Garrett gave me. I don't think they'll say anything useful but I want to see if I can spot any falsification. An extra pair of eyes would help."