I hear the clicking sound as I press the button on my tape recorder and begin speaking, “It’s been 2 hours of hiking and still no sign of the light house, I’m going to give it 30 minutes and if I don’t find it, I think it’ll be time to call it a day. No further notes.”I click the button again, this time to stop the recording.

The path I’m walking near is barely visible anymore, covered in twigs, overgrown grass and fallen trees. It hasn’t been used in around 50 years when this used to be a popular camp ground. It was near a cliff by the ocean with a light house surrounded by nature. Who wouldn’t want to be out here?

The camping crowds began to thin out after the tragic “accident” in the lighthouse. A young girl named Kaitlyn Crawford died suddenly one night. Her family owned the light house and after she died they went missing.

They thought it might not have been so accidental, but the case ran cold. They say the killer is still out here, in the woods. Families that went camping out here would come back sooner than expected with horrific tales of a tall man that seemed as though he could fit the bill of a murderer.

Some believed, some didn’t, some assumed it was probably a lumber Jack. But not too long after, the area was off limits due to ongoing investigations. Because of this no one ever wanted to go back. Not even after the police tape and fences were taken down.

As I trudge through the moss and thick air up the steepest incline I think I’ve ever climbed, I see it. The top of the light house. My adrenaline kicked in almost immediately and my heart began pounding in my chest as I thrusted myself up the hill. I stood at the top taking in the view.

Not as pretty as it used to be but still beautiful! The faded paint chipping away from the lighthouse against the gray, cloudy skies. The whole thing was a masterpiece! I shivered a little. Not just because of my pure excitement but the February breeze coming in off the bay was pretty chilly.

A branch snapped behind me and I quickly whipped my head around. My heart began to pound against my chest, ringing filled my ears. I grabbed the largest branch I could find and screamed, “Who’s there?!” I yelled it with more confidence than fear, doing my best to not seem afraid.

“Easy girl,” I see a man slowly come into view and I hold the branch like a bat, tightening my grip as he gets closer.

“What are you doing out here?” I clench my jaw to keep my teeth from chattering.

“I could ask you the same thing,”

“I’m a journalist. I’m here to find out what really happened here 47 years ago. Now you’re turn, what are you doing here?” I say still holding the branch.

He stretches his arms out in front of him like you would do for a dog you’re trying to calm. “I’m doing almost the same thing as you, but I don’t think what happened out here was.. normal.” His voice is steady and calm. I have no reason to not believe him.

I lower the branch a little bit, “What do you mean, ‘not normal’?”

“I’m a paranormal investigator. I think that pretty much explains everything.”

I set the branch on the ground and toss my head back in laughter. “You’re telling me-“ I laugh a little more, “you believe all that crap?!” My laugh turns in to a cackle and then I start wheezing.

“You’re telling me you don’t?” He looks at me so plainly that I feel awkward for laughing so I stop and clear my throat.

“I mean, I haven’t ever had a reason to.”

“Hmm. Alright.” He nods, pats my shoulder and begins walking toward the lighthouse. I sprint to catch up to him.

“I was here first you know.”

“And that means I care because..?”

“You should care because I’ve been doing research for the past four years in order to get the degree I needed to-“

“I’m gonna stop you right there blue eyes,” he pauses to take a deep breath. “I haven’t got the time for backstories, okay. I don’t need to know where you grew up, or your first pet’s name nor do I need to know what effort you put in to be here today. And I certainly don’t give a crap that you ‘got here first’”

I frown. “First of all my eyes are blue GRAY, second why would I tell you that and third, you need a permit to get into that building without it being considered trespassing and it just so happens I already have one.” I say, already proudly waving the paper in his face.

He rolls his eyes. “Well then this changes everything” he says in a mocking tone before pulling a paper out of his pocket. “This ain’t my first rodeo Sally.”

“It’s Makayla.”

“ Gesundheit”

“Well if we’re going to be stuck with each other for the next little while can I at least know your name?”

“Grayson.”

I nod and walk inside while he’s still standing there.

I click the button. “The control panel is on the base floor. It’s covered in dust and cobwebs, 13 spiders on it that I’ve counted so far. No further notes.” I click it again when he finally walks in.

He immediately walks past me and heads up to the top. I follow closely behind, intrigued by whatever he may be doing. He walks up the stairs, that felt like forever, and once he’s in the top room he holds a hand out to help me up. “Thank you,” I smile.

“Mhm,” he nods.

When I looked at him as he admired the crashing waves against the sand and stone I.. well.. noticed him. Not like.. weird or crushy or something just his dark messy hair and his emerald green eyes, and his tight jaw. Then it hit me how small I am.

“How exactly does this.. paranormal thingy work?” I pray this breaks the silence, just can’t handle the silence.

“Well we can start by acknowledging the fact that we aren’t the only ones in this room right now.”

My eyes grew wide and I felt a shiver run up my spine. My eyes flickered between every inch of the room. I saw nothing but still didn’t feel comforted.

“Don’t worry, she’s not harmful,” he rests his hand on my shoulder and I flinch a little at the movement.

“She?” I ask.

“Yeah, she’s only 8. Poor girl.” Before he continues on I press the button in my coat pocket and begin recording without him knowing. “She was abused by her alcoholic father, her mother only cared for her older brother, and he only cares about the girls at the beach. She was alone a majority of the time. Right here. In this room.”

“What happened to her?” I say molding some sort of curious expression on my face to cover up my fear.

“Well, that’s where the story gets a little.. lost. Some would say she killed herself, some would say she was murdered, others say possessed. But only one is right. The night that she died. She wrote this note, which is what pointed people toward suicide.” He hands me a crumpled piece of paper.

‘Dear mom and dad,

I’m so sorry I that I Never did what I was told. I triEd my bEst. But I neeD love still too. Maybe I’m not Happy like jerEmy. But you never Loved me at all. Watching me Play while you’re doing Puzzels, isn’t pLaying with mE. I Am sorry it came to thiS. But this is the End for me. It just Hurts too much. I’m sorry thIs is how I’M saying goodbye. But, Kiss marley for me. ThIs is the Last of the Letter I will write. Goodbye.’

I got chills. “Wait! Look at all the capitalized letters. It makes no sense that she would write it like this randomly,”

“She’s only 8 Makayla.”

“Okay but hear me out, I N E E D H E L P P L E A S E H I M K I L L.” I dropped my pencil on the ground as my hands began to shake, my eyes widened and filled with tears. I mourned for this 8 year old girl

Who tired to warn her family something was wrong, but they were unable to figure it out.

“Hey. Hey, are you okay.” He places both hands on my shoulders and rubs my arms up and down. “What’s going on? What is it?”

“I need help please, him kill.”

“What?” He leaves his hands on my shoulders but doesn’t understand.

“That’s what the note said, what the capitals all spelled.”

The door down stairs slams opened with a bang. My breath shakes and he covers my mouth with his hand and pulls me into the corner of the room. He sits with me in between each of his long legs, holding me still hoping the silence would make whoever it was leave.

The footsteps receded and the door shut again.

“That was probably the worst idea you’ve ever had… and yet it still worked.” I say slightly astonished, still shaking.

“We’re not out of the woods yet, there’s no other way out, and they clearly know we’re here.”

TO BE CONTINUED!!😱😱😱