Finding Home (Zak Bagans Daughter)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

I had no idea who was shining a flashlight down at me, but I yelled the first name I hoped it was—and I was right.

"Charlie? Holy shit are you okay? How- how did you get down there? Wait, don't answer that okay? We are going to get you out of this first" He took the flashlight off of me for a mere second, causing me to panic and push myself further into the wall in fear.

"Don't take the light off me!" I screeched, and as soon as I finished yelling the light was back on me.

"Charlie, I need the light to find something to pull you up" I heard him mumble a few words then he spoke up again. "Here take my phone and use the flashlight. Here hold your hands out. I'm gonna try to drop my phone in your hands"

I did what he said and seconds later an IPhone in a black case fell into my hands. I immediately turned it on and flipped the flashlight on—illuminating the entire cell before me.

As Zak looked for something to pull me out of the cell, I looked at the lock screen he had saved on his phone. It was a photo of him and me with Gracie in the backyard. I remembered that day as if it were yesterday, but it was in fact three months ago.

As I replayed the memory in my head I forgot where I was for a mere second. But then I soon remembered that I was trapped in an underground cell in an abandoned prison, so far out in the Arizona desert that there was no cell service.

"Watch out" Zak called. I looked up to see a very sketchy looking rope dangling from above. I wrapped my hand around the rope and pulled, making sure it didn't snap from just a simple tug.

"It was the only thing I could find" He called from above. I didn't care, if I had to hold onto a 25ft long snake in order to get back up I would've done it without a thought.

I looked up to see the metal bars were no longer there and Zak's hopeful eyes looking down at me. I wrapped and tied the rope around and my waist and gave Zak a thumbs up before he started pulling me up.

It took him barely any time to pull me up from the bottom of the cell to the top, and when I reached the top he wasn't even out of breath. Once I out of the cell the first thing I did was jump into my father's arms.

"Charlie, you're freezing" he wrapped his warms arms around me as I sunk into him.

"I know" I mumbled.

"C'mon we have to get back to the base room" he mumbled.

I nodded my head into his chest and released from the hug. "How far is it?"

"The base room?"

I nodded.

"I have no idea, but I'm sure anywhere away from this place is better than staying here and waiting for someone else to find us"

I agreed.

*****************

Two hours later and we were out of the prison. As soon as Amy came to unlock the chains that confined us in Blackwater Prison, we were out.

So far, I refused to tell Zak anything I encountered and that included Nora.

At the moment, I sat on the bus covered in a blanket and a bottle of water in my hand and watched the guys quickly pack all their gear into their proper boxes. After listening in on their conversations through the open window, they got all the evidence they needed while searching for me in the prison for an episode of their show.

Glad I could help

As I recounted all the events in the prison from the beginning to the end, I realized I never got the chance to thank Nora for helping Zak find his way to me in the dark cell. I couldn't just leave her behind, she was stuck there and I had the ability to help her move on.

As quickly as I could, I took off the blanket that rested over my shoulders and put the half drank water bottle on one of the many tables in the bus. I jumped off the bus and somehow managed to find my way back at the main entrance of the prison doors.

I took a deep breath, and took a moment to process my thoughts.

In and out. That's all you have to do. Just find Nora, help her, then leave.

I took another deep breath and walked into the prison.

Find Nora, help Nora, then leave.

With every step I took I recited what I was going to do.

Find Nora, help Nora, then leave.

As I peacefully made my way into the prison, I realized the prison was much less daunting when daylight was present.

"Nora!" I called. My voice echoed through the prison, causing me to regret calling out. Nora wasn't the only spirit in here.

Thankfully, within seconds a familiar figure appeared before me.

"Nora" I smiled. I was definitely glad she was the only spirit to answer my calls.

I never got a full idea of what she looked like. But with the daylight illuminating the prison, I finally was able to see her full appearance. Her long black hair was let loose over her shoulder; she wore a grey t-shirt with cursive writing spelling the word rebel across the chest, and regular denim jeans.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked, plain brown eyes filled of worry.

I gave a small smile. "I'm here to let you move on. You don't have to be stuck here anymore"

Her pale features softened and she looked over her shoulder to look at the prison, and then back at me. "You can get me out of here? I don't have to be stuck her anymore?"

I shook my head, my small smile still present. "No Nora, you don't have to be stuck here anymore"

She gave me a relieved look. "What do I have to do?"

Without saying anything, I stuck my arm out. "Give me your hand"

She raised an eyebrow, probably remembering the last time I told her to grab my arm.

But without a second thought she followed my request and as soon as she touched my hand, a small portion of the decaying prison wall beside us turned into a doorway of light, just as it did for Alice way back at the prison in Vegas.

Nora looked at me when she saw the doorway light up, and as soon as it did the familiar look of life spread through her body, turning her plain brown eyes and pale skin into gleaming orbs and a sun kissed complexion.

She didn't say a word, but I knew what she was thinking. Just before she walked into the doorway, she gave a simple, but heartfelt nod, letting me know just how thankful she was.

Then she was gone, and so was the doorway of light.

Once she was gone, I let out of heavy breath. The prison felt no different than it did a few minutes ago.

I stuck my hands in the pockets of my jacket, spun around on my heels and made my way to the front door of the prison—only to find Zak staring at me with big, wide, eyes.

The second I saw him standing there, completely flabbergasted, I lost all ability to speak. My mouth opened and closed, most likely making me look like a fish.

Believe it or not, but I was the first one to speak.

I pointed to the empty space behind me, "That- that was not what it looked like"

Zak pinched his nose. "Charlie. I have been up for 24 hours, and for the last half of those 24 hours I spent running through an abandoned prison, chasing evil spirits and looking for my daughter, who I found locked in a cell that was hidden underground. So, I'm just going to forget what I saw, and I'm going to forget the fact that you went in here without permission, again. So please, for the love of God get back on that damn bus, before I ground you for the rest of your life"

Without a second thought I ran past Zak, out of the prison and onto the bus.

Holy motherfucking shit, how am I going to explain to Zak what he just saw?