章 2: Devil's Playground

"So here are your keycards to your suite." The clerk continued. "My name is Jim if you need anything just let me know! Oh, and breakfast is served in the mornings and check out time is before eleven. Payment is due at check out."

"Thanks Jim, we will call if we need anything." Drew said with a smile as he turned to his friends with the keys in his hand.

"Oh, before I forget!" Jim shouted out. "Are you all here to investigate the devil's playground? That place is super haunted and super evil."

"If that is the ranch out in the middle of nowhere then yes." Drew replied. "What can you tell us about it? We love to get history from the locals."

"That sounds fun, but I am going to head to the room." Terry said with a sigh. "All this stuff isn't going to carry itself you know." He pointed at their overnight bags.

"I get the hint." Sam replied. "I will help you with the bags. You good down here Drew?"

"Yeah, I'll be up after I get the details." Drew replied. "You two go up and make yourselves at home." With that Sam and Terry went to the elevator and left Drew and Jim alone to talk. "So, give me all the details, it will help with our investigation." Normally Drew would find out the local lore in order to produce authentic effects for his show, but this time he was genuinely curious about the story.

"Okay so that land used to be owned by this cult, right?" Jim explained. "They were dedicated to the idea of bringing the afterlife and real life together or something. Well that was over a hundred years ago and they all died in a mass suicide ritual that was supposed to connect us to the afterlife. I do not know if it worked, but ever since then anyone who stays there dies within a week to mysterious circumstances. Most people only last three days. Just visiting it gives you a curse! Everyone I know that has visited has seen some weird shit. They talk about lights flickering, sudden changes in temperature, mysterious cuts on their skin, you know ghost shit. A lot of those people end up committing suicide in a year, and all their notes are always the same. I actually have one! You know because I am a mad fan of the paranormal, so I collect this kind of stuff."

Jim took a paper out of his pocket. "I carry it around with me at all times, reminding me that there are things in this world we don't fully understand." Jim handed the note to Drew. Drew opened the note slowly and read the contents.

[To Whom it may concern,

I am ending this game, this chase, this torment. The sounds of a little girl laughing follows me every waking moment and there is never a moment's peace. If I try to sleep, I feel heavy in my chest and it becomes difficult to breathe. When I awake there is always a small girl sitting on my chest, but she does not have a face. She never has a face. Why did I go to that ranch, whatever this thing is, it followed me? I cannot handle it anymore, she whispers to me, calls to me to join her. I need to join her, no I have to join her. This note will be my last words for I have decided to join her tonight. The thought of joining her brings me happiness, brings me peace. Now that I do not die this night, only that I go to another place.]

Drew stopped reading the letter and looked up at Jim. "You said every note has been the same? How many notes?"

"Well they are all the same, but people use different words." Jim clarified. "The parts that are always the same are the little girl with no face, the laughter, and the peace at the end. As far as how many notes there are, at least fifty. I cannot believe my favorite paranormal investigators are going to check out the devil's playground! Oh, can I be in the episode! I could totally give you the same history that I just did, you know on camera."

"You know we might film a bit with you after the investigation!" Drew said to encourage his super fan. "Thanks for the information, my man, it has been most helpful." Drew said with a smile. "Anything else we need to know? Any local wisdom?"

"Well, you could visit Father James at the local church." Jim added. "He went to the devil's playground a few months ago to try and cleanse it, or as he put it purify the devil's tainted influence. Ever since then he has been making the same complaints about the little girl. You might want to check him out and see if he can teach you anything."

"That's a solid lead!" Drew said. "We will definitely be giving the father a visit in the morning before we head out, thank you."

"One last thing before you go, can you autograph a picture for me?" Jim smiled and pulled out a picture captured from Drew's show. "If you could write for my biggest fan Jim. That would be great."

"Anything for a fan." Drew reached out and took the photo. He then pulled out a black marker from his pocket. He always kept the marker with him, just in case a situation like this came up, or to draw a mustache on Terry's shaved face. After Drew finished signing the photo, he handed it back to Jim. As Jim received the photo his eyes lit up and he hugged it tightly. "Alright I am off to my room now, you have a good night."

With that Drew made his way to the elevator and went to his room's floor. He walked to his room and opened the door. The room was incredible, one that someone would normally pay over four hundred a night for. It contained a full kitchen and a living room as well as three bedrooms each with their own king-sized bed. Drew found Terry and Sam sitting in the living room, they had both changed into their nightwear and had taken their showers. "Guys, this place is going to be amazing!" Drew said with unbridled excitement. "The story I just got from that kid, let us just say every hair on my body is standing up right now. I think this place is the real deal. Get some good sleep tonight because we are going to church first thing in the morning! We need to talk to a father there."

"Aren't you going to tell us the story?" Terry questioned.

"Thought you weren't interested." Drew teased.

"It wasn't that I wasn't interested, I just really had to take a dump." Terry said.

"I can vouch for that; the order was so foul it probably could raise the dead." Sam laughed. She then pointed at an open window. "Had to let some fresh air in or you would have been greeted with a gas cloud of death and two corpses when you got here."

"Oh, come on Sam it wasn't that bad!" Terry shouted to defend himself. "Back to the matter at hand, are you going to tell us the story?"

"Nah, I am going to let the father explain it all in the morning." Drew smiled. "I will let the suspense build."

"Man, whatever!" Terry complained. "I am going to bed now, I am tired as hell, been a long ass day."

"Same." Sam replied. "Goodnight Drew. Oh, and if you try to peep on me while I am sleeping, you won't have any trouble communicating with the dead, because you will be among them."

"Sheesh!" Drew said. "Why do you have to single me out like that? Terry is here too."

"Terry knows better." Sam just glared at Drew.

"Okay that was just one time! And it was just a joke!" Drew shouted back. "I wouldn't try anything on you, you're like my sister after all this time."

"Just remember, I'll kill you." Sam smiled. "Night Terry! Night Drew." Sam waved as she went into her bedroom.

"What did you mean by it was only one time?" Terry crossed his arms and questioned.

"It was in college; I stole her towel while she was showering, and she had to walk back to her room in the buff." Drew sighed. "I regret it now and realize it wasn't funny, but at the time I thought it was hilarious, sadly she has never really forgiven me. That was at least ten years ago too."

"Damn man, wish I could have seen that." Terry smiled. "No wonder she always got her guard up. Anyways, have a goodnight, I can't wait to hear what this father says in the morning." Terry then went into his room and closed the door, leaving Drew alone in the living room.

"Well, I guess I will shower and hit the hay myself." He said to himself as he walked to the bathroom.

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