Beetlejuice96

Ooky Spooky

"My own safety?" Evie echoed before the warning Mrs. Renolds told her repeated in her head about the man. "You mean the man Partway was with that night. What do you know about him? Has he done anything like this before?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She couldn't help it, it was a dangling carrot before a hungry horse.

"Please, all I want is clarity of what happened that night for myself and Mrs. Renolds." She pleaded.

Ooky Spooky

"Mrs. Renolds mentioned his name to me as a lead. I thought I'd try contacting him here, but you said there's no one by that name who works here." Evie replied as she sat down, grabbing her recording device.

"Do you mind, or would you rather remain anonymous for the article?" She asked, respecting whichever he chose. She just wanted a few answers and a possible better lead than just a name.

Ooky Spooky

Evie had gotten up early to arrive at the church, filing in with a few other early birds. The building was beautiful; wooden benches, breathtaking stained glass windows, wonderful architecture. Evie was impressed but didn't let it get in the way of her real mission. She looked around for one of the priests, hoping someone would answer her questions.

Spotting black robes, she made her way over to them. "Excuse me, Father Walters? Evangeline Williams, we talked on the phone yesterday." She said, holding her hand out towards the man in greeting.

Ooky Spooky

Shit. Evie cursed to herself, knowing he was either too afraid to speak or trying to ignore what happened that day. But why cover up the fact a boy died during an alleged exorcism as well as the people involved? It didn't make any sense.

Upon hearing the invitation to join the mass tomorrow, Evie agreed and thanked him before hanging up. "Curiouser and curiouser." She whispered, quoting one of her favorite lines from Alice. She looked over the written articles, pictures, and current still frame of the first tape of the shadow. It looked human but things were off.

She sighed softly before ordering take out, deciding to let her mind rest for a moment.

Ooky Spooky

"Oh." Evie said, surprised and a little disappointed. "Well do you know his personal number or an address perhaps? I'd like to ask him a few questions about what happened a year ago at the Renolds residence." She couldn't let the lead grow cold now, not while she had something.

"Or maybe you know something about the gentleman who was with him that night? His name, any relatives he might have, something." She added, grasping for something for him to say.

Ooky Spooky

"Oh my God." Evie said softly after looking over the videos a few days later. Carlos had been pale when he dropped them off, muttering something about demons and praying constantly. Now she understood why Barbara was so terrified of what happened with her son's behavior. She replayed the first tape, trying to decipher something she could understand.

"Come on, give me something. A clear voice, a language, anything." She whispered as she listened. Nothing. She sighed softly before listening again to the third tape, again trying to hear something amongst the croaks. She finally admitted defeat before looking over at the notes she had scribbled down. Issac Partway...that name sounded familiar to her but she couldn't place it. A memory that was trying to form.

She grab her phone before calling the church he was supposedly with. She just hoped it wasn't a dead end. "Hi, I'm Evangeline Williams with the Beacon Press. I was wondering if I could speak to Issac Partway."

Ooky Spooky

Welcome. Sorry to do that to you

Ooky Spooky

Changed it

Ooky Spooky

Sorry, I don't mean to do that to you. I can add more to the post if you want.

Ooky Spooky

"Thank you, Mrs. Renolds. I'll do my best to bring the man into the light and hopefully bring you some peace." Evie said as she took the box. She silently prayed the tapes wouldn't be damaged after sitting in dust for a while. Hopefully Carlos could help salvage them for her. Of course, he wasn't going to do it for free. She stood and started heading to the door, giving the woman one last glance.

"Josh wouldn't want you to keep mourning him, he'd want you to remember him and keep living your life." She said, giving her a little smile before leaving.

___

Almost an hour later, Evie knocked on the door to Carlos' apartment. "Carlos! Come on, buddy, I got something for you to work with!" She exclaimed. That and she wanted to be inside where it was safer. Carlos lived in the bad side of town where drug dealers, hookers, and gangs roamed freely. A woman like herself was an easy target. "Carlos!" She shouted, banging on the door.

"Alright!" Carlos exclaimed as he opened the door, staring blankly before groaning. "No. No. No, no, no, no. I'm not doing any more favors." He said as he walked away, clearly just done.

"Oh, come on, Carlos, you're the only guy I know who can salvage these tapes!" Evie begged as she followed him.

"No! The last time I did, it turned out to be a copy of Guys Gone Wild! Do you know how hard it was to explain to Mama when she walked in on that?" He asked, pointing at her.

"How was I supposed to know?" Evie shot back, placing the tapes down before folding her arms. "Please, Carlos, just this once. I'll even give you credit in the article!"

Carlos glared at her for what felt like hours. "Fine. Fine. But this is the last time I'm helping you, entendido?" He said.

Evie smiled widely before hugging him. "You're the best, Carlos." She said before leaving him to get started.

"Yeah, yeah yeah." He muttered before looking over at the tapes.