Brave as a Noun [Ghost Gang]

Sam leaned back comfortably. "Hudson's also a good kid. She never seemed really inclined to move out or marry or anything...but the two'a them...probably as close to that for them...well, he's been good for her..." He tried to explain, his expression softened and the air warmed around him slightly as he talked about the woman who was like a daughter to him.

He sat up again slightly at Mido's words, giving him another weird look. "A medium. You mean like one of those bullshit psychics that come on at 3am and want you to pay to call them? Or you more one of those seance kinda guys? Light a bunch of candles, chant some latin bullshit, then thump the table with your knee to make people think you're talking to dead people?" He shook his head a little bit and scoffed, all parlor tricks and games, ways to scam people out of their money.

"Like you're trying to do to me? Boy, I may be old, but do I look fuckin' dead to you?" He shook his head. "Whatever scam you're trying to run...s'not gonna work on me." He wasn't sure what this guy's game was...but he wasn't giving him money or anything for it either.

Mido nodded and gave a soft smile, "you can see it between them, there is without a doubt a kind of love there." It was clear the way they interacted that it went beyond being family or even really good friends, beyond romance, it was sweet to see. He could tell that the man felt the same by the warmth in the air around them, a comforted feeling.

But he had to resist the visible cringe at the man's next words, words he'd heard from more people than he could count, everyone always compared him and his abilities to the fakes on TV, doubted him and the things he went through and felt, it was insulting, and he always had to force himself to be level and calm, especially now, speaking to a dead man, "no, sir, not like any of those." His voice was calm and soft, "though the amount of people who have invalidated me well...I'm not surprised you would as well." He glanced up at him with a deadly serious expression now, "I am no fake. What I do and what I feel is real. I know you can feel that too." There was something tragically comical about being called a fake medium by a ghost.

He looked him dead in the eyes at his next words, "yes. You do look dead. Because you are Sam." He gestured to him, his voice soft, "you suffered a sudden and fatal heart attack, you are stuck in a loop here because of it, you have not realized yet because it wasn't your time." He gestured to the kitchen, "Sarah cannot see you, nor can she hear you, she and Hudson called us because she was worried she was going crazy." He was tense, holding his breath as he waited, sometimes ripping the bandaid off was the only way to do this, but it could also be dangerous.

Sam's immediate reaction was to scoff again.

"Pfft, that heart attack? Was nothing, brushed it off, look at me, better that..." he trailed off suddenly at the realization though.

"...didn't I? I was staring up at the kitchen ceiling...I heard voices and sirens...and she was crying...and god, I've never heard her cry like that..." the pain in his words was palpable in the room. "Everything got real quiet and hazy...but then I was back here..."

He looked up sharply to Mido. "How...how is this even happening? I don't...I don't even believe in any of this!" The confusion and hurt spiked with hot anger now.

He ran a hand through his hair. "What the hell do I even do with this? I'm here...but I'm not here! I can see her, but can't do shit except be the creepy thing that bangs doors in her house and makes the poor kid think she's more crazy? No! Hell with this!"

He slammed a fist down on the side table, it didn't make the table jump but both the radio and the television popped on a top volume, spinning through channels rapidly as things spun through his head, trying to accept this news.

Mido felt the emotion in the room change, the temperature change made it evident that as he began to come to terms, or try to, his reaction was immediate and terrifying anger, "you need to calm down, Sam." He tried to keep the waver out of his voice, but it was always doubly scary dealing with angry ghosts, especially ones as powerful as he was, this spirit had moved a vehicle, there was no telling what he could do to a human, "you died from that heart attack, but it was so sudden, and your connection to this place, to Sarah was so strong it kept you here." He lifted his hands, "but I can help." He was trying to keep his own emotions under control, but he was actually afraid.

He jumped when the volume on the radio spiked loud along with the TV, and he got to his feet to back step slowly to the kitchen, "Charlie, I need you to get Sarah and Hudson out of the house and then join me with your equipment." He looked back at Sam, "I know this is a lot, but it is in your power to stop this. You just need to calm down and accept this. You are dead Sam."

"Help? How exactly is it you expect to help?" He demanded, clearly suspicious.

When he heard him ask that Sarah leave though the temperature in the room rose suddenly along with another spike of anger. "This is her goddamn house, no one is running her out of it." In life the thing he'd feared after he was gone was what happened to her, where did she go, would people take advantage of her and take her home from her, and in this moment this is what it felt like to him. "Leave them the hell alone." There was a loud crack and a pop, the television screen suddenly exploding outward in a shower of sparks and glass, the smell of melting plastic filling the room.

In the kitchen Sarah jumped and yelped at the sound of the explosion but shook her head when asked to leave, instead rising resolutely and going to the living room doorway, peeking in.

"I'm not afraid." She said even with a slight waver in her voice. "He won't hurt me...but...what is happening? And...and why? "

Mido lifted his hands and tried to speak in a soothing voice, "by showing you that she's okay, Sam." The man's anger was pounding in his head and making it hard to concentrate, the pressure in his head was almost alarming, "she has Hudson, there's no reason for you to stay here stuck in the same loop over and over..."

He gasped when the TV suddenly popped and exploded, letting out a yelp and feeling the prickling burn of the heat in the room as the spirit's temper rose, "no one is trying to drive her out! This is her house, we know that, we're not trying to remove her from it!" He was shaking just a bit now, face to face with a spirit that he might not be able to talk down. He glanced to the side when Sarah poked her head in, followed by Hudson, "he might not hurt you on purpose, but accidents happen." He spoke calmly as he could muster to her, "he thinks we're trying to hurt you, that we're trying to run you out of your home."

Hudson put his shoulder to her's and leaned in close to her ear, speaking softly, "maybe he'll listen to you? I'm right here...Y-you could try and...Talk to him?" He looked up at Mido, "we...Or Sarah...She can try and talk to him...He might listen?" The medium looked uncertain, but gestured for her to try, if she wanted.

Charlie stood near Sarah and Hudson, equipment in hand, not looking happy or comfortable with them still there, and also looking shocked at the equipment again going off the charts, lighting up, sputtering, heating up, he was worried it might melt or be damaged like the television had been. This would be a hell of a lot of stuff to replace if some angry ghost wrecked it all.

Sarah looked between them all wide-eyed, again reaching to gently take Hudson's wrist, seeming to draw courage from the simple action. She took a breath, drawing herself up fully. She didn't know where in the room Sam was, instead she tilted her head up slightly, looking more towards the ceiling.

"Sam?"

Instantly his focus was on her, the tension and heat in the room backing off just a little. It was the first time she had addressed him since this had all started, and something about it seemed to soothe the angry spirit.

"Sam...it's...it's me...and I'm okay...they're not trying to hurt me...they're not making me leave...they're trying to help because...because of everything happening here lately...the...doors...and the lights...and the radio...and the truck..." her voice faltered a little, but with a look at Hudson she continued on.

"And...he's right...about what happened to you. I know...I...watched...I saw it happen..."

The pain in her voice and eyes mirrored the sudden pain in Sam's as he heard this, looking away from them all.

"And...I miss you...so much...but...I want you to be happy...and...I don' tknow if this is really...happy for you..."

The spirit dragged a hand across his eyes, still not looking at any of them. There was a moment, the pressure built up again, then in a pop that was more felt than heard, it burst. The pressure and tension were immediately gone, the temperature returned to normal, the radio turned off. Sam was no longer in the room with them, not gone, Mido could sense that, but he'd left the immediate area.

Sarah couldn't see what happened, but felt the atmosphere in the room change, and looked to Mido with wide eyes for an explanation. Charlie let out a breath as his equipment calmed, no longer at risk of melting or breaking for the moment.

Hudson moved to clasp his hand around Sarah's, pressing his side to her's to lend her whatever strength he could, he was amazed by her bravery sometimes, facing off this spirit that was clearly angry by the heavy atmosphere, she had more strength than anyone gave her credit for. He was tense alongside her as she spoke, as she pleaded with this spirit that she was okay, it was very much like Sam to listen to her, above anyone else, and for now he kept silent and let her take control of the situation.

When the presence suddenly left, Mido's eyes widened and he put his hands on his head, "ugh..." It felt like a migraine coming on, and left him a little woozy and sick, "he's not gone...But he isn't in here anymore..." He moved to sit down in the nearest chair, rubbing at his pounding head, "I am sorry for this..." He looked up at Sarah with a weak, clearly shaken smile, "are you okay? You were very brave..." He was too sick and pained to really scold her for doing something so dangerous, "may I have a glass of water?" Migraines tended to be common when dealing with spirits like this, and he pulled a bottle of pills out, "I think you got through to him, Sarah." His voice was slightly strained as he spoke.

"Sarah this is a very tricky situation, and in the end this decision is yours and his." He sighed, "Sam did not realize that he was dead. You have opened his eyes. I believe he has left to process this." He smiled weakly, "Sarah...Do you want Sam to move on, or remain? He is here because of you, it is not impossible to live in harmony with a spirit, but not as he is currently." He leaned back in the chair, "it much be mutual, between you both."

Charlie went to get Mido a glass of water. "Man...whatever was going on there...he about cooked all our equipment...got some mad readings too for Sol to look over later." He sat on the edge of the couch himself, looking around at the others.

Sarah meanwhile was biting at her bottom lip, suddenly looking anything but brave. She looked small and sad and afraid. "I don't feel very brave..." She said in a quiet voice.

She looked at Hudson, then down to the floor again, holding on tightly to his hand. This was a lot to take in...this morning she'd thought maybe she was just hearing things, that Hudson was overreacting, that Sam was gone and that was that...and now...she found out he was still here...and not only here, but lost and hurt and angry...she wasn't used to Sam being the lost and confused one, he always seemed to have everything so under control, so strong and together, he was the one who'd always been there for her. But now he was doing this alone and he didn't seem to know what to do...and now what happened to him was entirely in her hands, and she didn't know what to do with it. Unashamed of it, she started to cry, all the feelings she'd slowly started to put behind her broke through to the surface with renewed strength.

"I...I don't know...I don't know..." She shook her head a little. "I just...I want him to be happy...I want him to be okay..." Her eyes flickered to the TV "he must be so upset right now..."

====

The afternoon had taken it's toll on everyone, and they all decided in their own ways to take a little time to themselves before they continued on this evening. Charlie hoped that their guest adventurer for the evening would bring some much needed calm levelheadedness to this trip...her methods seemed quite methodical, very scientifically driven...someone Sol could relate to perhaps. And considering just how much of a hot-tempered spirit they had embedded here...calm and levelheaded just might be enough to defuse the situation. 

It was around dusk when a knock came at the RV door and Charlie got up to go answer it, letting in the well dressed, stern-faced woman waiting outside. 

"Elise Cavenaugh?" He asked, offering a hand to shake. "i'm glad you could make it out, thanks for agreeing to do this with us!" 

Elise took the offered hand, glancing around the space of the RV and those spread around in it with disinterest that bordered on distaste, but managed a flicker of a polite smile for Charlie. 

Honestly, she had originally set out to debunk much of this as irrational nonsense when she started...but then things had happened...and then Sasha had happened...and she was forced to admit at least some of these things were real. She had tried to convince the Russian specter to stay behind, but like a willful cat, he spitefully did what he wanted, when he wanted, she just hoped he wouldn't mess with the investigation or their data gathering too much this evening. 

Solomon had been glad that he decided to stay behind when Charlie and Mido recounted what had happened, he'd never seen the medium so shaken and distressed as he was when he sat down at the table to gather himself. Mido hoped they could find a solution to this, it would depend on Sarah and Sam, and what they wanted to do with this. They'd all needed some time to process and recuperate from all of this. He only hoped that maybe this guest would bring some order into this chaos.

As if on cue, there was a knock and everyone looked up, calling greetings as the well dressed woman walked in.

The presence that followed her set Mido instantly on edge, and he sat up a little, feeling his emotions spike, "hello." He glanced to a spot behind her, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, anyone who was close enough to pay attention would pick up the more intense smell of wet dog that was coming off the man.

Sasha looked unimpressed as he followed Elise into the RV, immediately drifting through the assembled boys with a scathing eye, "they look about as intelligent as room of toddlers." He snickered, to which Mido's temper rose, "Elise. Who is this...Prescence...That you have brought with you?" They didn't need something foul and evil making this situation worse.

Charlie looked curiously between Mido and Elise as a whole new level of things seemed to be going on between them...more stuff he couldn't see, he supposed.

When Mido spoke about Sasha, there was just a flicker of a moment where she seemed almost...surprised...that someone else could see him. She glanced over to the other spirit.

"His name is Sasha. He occasionally...accompanies me places." She said bluntly, shooting the spirit another glance. "He will not be involved in this investigation, and he will not cause any issues or problems." Of course, the spirit would do as he wanted...he always did. But she still did occasionally try to assert some level of authority over him.

"So tell me...what is the situation here? I read the emails, I know you have been here for a little while, did you get teh chance to do a walk-through or anything else of the sort?"

Elise's words did little to calm Mido, who was still sitting tense and uncomfortable at her presence, "yes....Of course." Her explanation didn't make him feel any less put on edge by this spirit, clearly malicious and ill meaning, he glanced at Charlie, "I hope your...accomplice...Will not cause us problems, Elise." His hands were tense against the table as the hairs on his neck stood on end.

Sasha was amused by his reaction, "ooooh I have riled this one up good." He cooed this softly as he stretched himself over Charlie's lap, running a hand along his face, the young man wouldn't feel him there in the literal sense, but his presence would absolutely be felt, "this one is handsome." He snickered, glancing towards Elise, "I won't be involved, eh? Well. We will see, hm?" He laughed cruelly.

Harley felt a shudder as he glanced to the side at Ian from where they were, "that is a spirit who has done horrific things, Ian. Watch the girl he is with." It wasn't that he suspected her to be something foul, but spirits attached to people for a reason, and anyone who'd attracted a presence like THAT, was someone he wanted to keep an eye on.

Mido tried to calm himself, but couldn't shake the anxious feelings, "We began a walk through, or intended to, this is a spirit who did not know that he'd passed on. He is powerful, moved a truck based on the account given by Sarah, the home owner." He tapped his chin, "I spoke to the spirit, tried to ease him into the fact that he had passes. He did not take this well." He glanced up at her, "he blew the screen out of the TV, nearly fried out equipment. Sam is a powerful entity. We need to be careful."

Elise gave Sasha an unamused look. "No. You will not be doing things. You will be staying out of this situation." She told him, before rolling his eyes as he fawned over the young man who looked a little sick. She quickly turned her attention back to Mido. "So what is your plan to do with this Sam? If he is not coping well with this situation...did you have a plan? Are we going to intercede? Or perhaps just observe, and than let him be, not disturb him?" She asked, professionally curious.

Charlie meanwhile suddenly felt a bit of a chill go over him, not the usual short that came with spirits, but the sort that came over him when he had a fever, a sick, clammy sort of chill that settled into his stomach and made him regret his lunch. He shivered, looking a little green around the edges. "I...hey, I think I'm gonna...get some air..." He said a little thickly, standing up and quickly stepping outside.

Ian meanwhile could not see the spirit in question but noticed both Harley and Mido's reaction. There was also something about the woman that was...wrong...as well. She was...cold. Strange. "There is something...off...about her." He agreed quietly to Harley. "She's...I don't want to say dangerous...but...she's...I don't think she's a good person..."