After-life /Colby Brock/

14.

We walked slowly through the ruins of broken equipment and broken floors, which made the steps difficult, especially with the camera in my hand. Meanwhile, I felt a certain shiver all over me, because I knew that Melody was there with me. It was incredible that she took care of me and revealed herself only to me. Whatever she said, only I could hear, whenever she revealed herself, only I could see. I didn't know how she did it, since we were all in the same place and heard the same thing. I didn't know how Melody could control only one person hearing or seeing her, but it happened.

- Check this out! - Sam pointed to one of the walls where long ago a lot of religious fresco were painted, now graffities were all over.

I guided the camera through the wall, paying attention to capture everything. Satanic signs, numbers, swastika, dark and sinister signs all over. Only our flashlights were giving some kind of light that made the situation even more full of adrenaline, we never knew what would get into the cross of the lights.

- Colby - I heard a whispering voice in my ear, the camera trembeled in my hands but I fixed it quickly befoe it fell off. - Go out of this room.

- What happened here? - I asked out loud and everybody looked at me.

I swallowed and turned the camera to the walls as I was talking about that. Sam took his phone out because he took notes of everything about places we went to.

- The sanctum - He murmurred while he was looking for the page of the informations. - They say the first owner died here.

- Colby, leave! - Melody urged me, I just swallowed hard and I became nervous. 

- Let's go guys! - I spoke up on my most calmed voice I could possibly force out and I already turned around.

- This place gives me chills - Nate said and came after me.

- Just go - Melody's voice in my ears and the next second she apeared in the light of my flashlight.

I stopped suddenly and felt my heart jump out of place in fright at her sudden appearance. By the time I realized that it was only her, the others had almost bumped in me, but luckily they didn't ask anything, they just stepped more carefully, because I think they thought I stopped because there was something in front of me. I kept my eyes firmly on the girl, who was barely visible in the dim light, yet she caught my eye.

- Everything's alright? - Sam asked then tapped my shoulder. - Shall I take it?

- Yeah - I nodded and I handed over the camera, it started to feel really heavy. - Let's go upstairs, see what is there!

My gaze locked into the dark irises of Melody, who stood there for a moment, then nodded and turned into mist. I felt that it would be much better there than down here, if she also nodded, so I made my way up the broken, dangerous staircase to the second floor with somewhat more springy, energetic steps.

*Melody POV*

Because of my otherness, I could perfectly perceive, see and hear those spirits, souls and darker entities that the boys could not perceive. I wasn't worried about the smaller entities stuck there, or the ghosts who were just stuck here, but they have no bad motives. What worried me more was the kind of demonic figure that even us mortals abhor. He was standing at the end of the room and even though he couldn't have physically abused any of the guys, I wasn't sure he wouldn't get inside their heads and latch onto one of them to make their lives miserable.

I watched them walk up the stairs, where I let Colby go, since I didn't feel any pressure from there before and this dark figure could only be found in that room. Looking ahead, I took a few steps up next to Colby, then looked at him when I saw out of the corner of my eye that he was giving me a wary look until his friends noticed him walking ahead. I smiled, and he also flashed a half-curve, while he sighed. I don't know why I liked him so much. Maybe it's the long time in the afterlife, maybe it's the long-forgotten feelings, in any case, I liked this easy, friendly attitude, despite the fact that I scared the hell out of him at the beginning.