Shards of Clear Glass (A Ghost Adventures Story)

Satan's Retreat

Boredom during a long car ride makes people do stupid things. Like look up number meanings.

I stare at my screen, surprised by the results.

Apparently, twenty-seven, the number of scars on my back from people I've watched die, means humanitarian, harmony, spiritual insights, and unconditional love.

This is fun, I think wryly to myself as I type in another number.

Four-hundred-twenty-nine: the numbers of suicide scars on my arms and legs. It means affection.

These just get better and better, I think to myself.

Finally, I look up the one number I haven't thought of yet.

Four-hundred-twenty-seven: the number of suicide scars I used to have before the reappearance of Luke in ghost form.

I almost cackle at the meaning of the number.

It means to be an angelic congradulations for doing God's work.

Aaron glances back at me, then sees my smirk and turns back around. Even the guys don't like to talk to me when I'm smiling at my phone. Probably because they're scared of what I'm writing.

Zak tells us to put our phones away and for everyone to pay attention.

I slip my phone in my pocket, and lean forward in my seat. Aaron and Jay do the same.

"Today we're going to an old location that we've visited before. You guys remember Saint Anne's Retreat, right?" Zak says.

I see Aaron and Jay visibly shudder, and Billy looks uncomfortable. I feel my muscles tightening, my memories flowing forth of the guys telling me about the retreat some time ago, and watching the original episode.

"Well, we got a call asking us to go back there. Apparently, an evil spirit has been attacking the people of the town. It's said to appear in people's dreams, saying to go up to the retreat. All the people that do, however, never come back.

"We all know that a group of teenagers were held hostage there in 1997. But what you guys don't know is that apparently a group of girls went into the retreat, and were found dead on the riverbank three days later."

Zak stops talking, and I can practically smell his anger and sadness. Jay and Aaron make noises of shock, but I stay silent. The deaths of young girls don't affect me as much as the guys.

"These girls' spirits are said to reside at the retreat. They frequently appear as misty forms on the riverbank, which is understandable.

"As well as the girls, people have seen white wolves with red eyes there recently, as well as dark figures in broad daylight. Now, we're on our way to the retreat to interview the new owner and ask him about the new paranormal activity.

"Bill, do you remember the way to the retreat? GPS didn't work last time," Zak says, turning to Billy, who nods.

Zak turns back to look out the front windshield. I sense that our conversation is done, so I lean back in my seat and take out my phone.

Don't you guys call it Satan's Retreat now? I send the text to Zak, who looks down at his phone.

Yes. But some fans might get offended by our use of that name. It was a house for nuns, if you'll remember, Zak sends back.

A nun drowned her baby there. How could I forget that? I text.

I see Zak tense, and can almost see his thoughts go immediately to the baby currently growing inside of me, and the fact that spirits have been convincing people to do things that they don't want to at this location.

Nothing will happen, Zak. You know for sure that I would never allow anything bad happen to her, I text.

How do you know it's a her? It could be a boy, Zak sends back. I roll my eyes, and see Jay and Aaron glance back at me.

"What are you two talking about? Baby names?" Aaron asks. I laugh, and say,"No, we're actually fighting over the baby's gender."

Zak turns around in his seat and says,"I'm not fighting. I'm just stating a fact. How do you know that it could or couldn't be a boy?"

I roll my eyes again, and say,"I'm not saying that I know what gender it is. I'm saying that it's better to call it as a gender instead of 'it'. Don't you think?"

Zak blinks, and says,"Well, okay. But I'm thinking that if you call it one gender for months, then it comes out the opposite gender, it would be kind of weird."

Jay and Aaron flip their heads between us like a tennis match, while Billy tries in vain to keep the smile off his face.

"Why don't we call it a gender neutral name? Like Alex or Sammy?" Zak says, completely ignoring the other three snickering guys in the van.

I pause for a second, thinking, then say,"Fine. Until we know the gender, we'll call it Alex. Or child. Or some other thing. Okay, Zachary Alexander Bagans?"

The other three guys all crack up laughing at my use of Zak's full name. Zak frowns at me, even though his eyes are narrowed in humor.

"I will get you back for that, Saira Collings," he says. I wrinkle my nose at him, and say,"Try me, Zak."

Billy starts cracking up, and Aaron is holding his sides and would be falling out of his seat if not for the seatbelt. Jay simply smiles, his dark eyes alight with humor.

I smile as I lean back into my seat, and stare out the window, thinking about nuns having the nerve to drown unnamed babies.

My thoughts turn even darker as the location comes into focus ahead of us, the walls of Logan Canyon rising up the enclose us in the haunted retreat.