Chapter 5
Abby couldn't say where Erin had come from so suddenly since to her knowledge she'd run off with Holtzmann a little while ago. So Erin's sudden appearance was so startling that Abby even pointed her PKE meter at her as she approached her just to be safe. She'd had been poking around the employee break rooms when a ringing sound echoed from the end of the hallway. The PKE meter shuttered strangely and Abby gave it a bit of a shake. She'd had only looked away for a second, just a glance down at the meter when she looked up again, there Erin was.
Just like that.
"God you scared me. Since when can you teleport?" Abby cracked fiddling with the meter again but Erin didn't respond. Something was off.
Erin was bent forward looking at something in front of her, Abby tried to follow her line of sight but there was nothing to look at. She watched Erin reach forward her hand reaching for something, her fingers closing around something. Abby reached forwards and waved her hand in front of Erin's eyes, nothing.
She was staring down at her hands with the look of pure horror. Then Erin seized up and fell into her arms. She felt cold and stiff and she reeked of ozone. And even stranger she seemed to be dusted with a thin layer of frost. Abby shifted and adjusted herself so Erin fell into her slowly guiding her to lay in her lap. Erin's eyes stared upward, wide and brimming with tears.
To Abby, it looked like Erin was stuck in a nightmare and couldn't wake up even though her eyes were wide open. Erin had brought her hands to her chest and gripping tight handfuls of her jumpsuit, her breath coming as harsh wheezes. She was so lost, but the best she could do was patiently wait for Erin to come down from what ever this was. Thankfully It didn't last long, soon Erin's gasps became raspy wheezes and her body relaxed. Erin blinked her eyes finally beginning to gain focus. Abby leaned over her and bent down slightly trying to get in her line of sight.
"You with me?" Erin didn't answer immediately. Finally, her eyes met with Abby's, she smiled down at her. "You alright there?" Erin rubbed her eyes.
"I think so."
Abby had so many questions she wasn't sure which to ask first. Erin grimaced and rolled to her side to push herself up. Abby scooted back and swiped frost off of Erin's shoulder. Inspecting her closely she tried to make sense of it. If she didn't know better it looked like Erin could have been sitting in a freezer for a while.
"Where did you come from?" She blurted out. Yes, the question was abrupt and could have been worded a little better especially since Erin was still trying to collect herself. She gave Abby a curious look. "You just appeared. I thought you were a ghost for a second."
Erin just gave her another blank stare. Abby shifted.
"I don't know," Erin answered looking down at her hands, opening and closing them as they shook with cold.
"What were you looking at?"
"Looking at?"
"Well, you were looking at something. You looked scared." Erin looked away in thought then back down at her hands.
"Corky," Erin whispered recalling a memory. Corky. The name was familiar and knew it was important. But still, she didn't fully understand.
"Where did he go?!" Erin straightened with a strange new wave of energy. Abby scrambled back confused.
"What?! Who?" Erin looked back at her with wide somewhat glazed over eyes. She wasn't all there like Abby thought. "Erin please you have to throw me a bone here."
"Corky! He was here!" She exclaimed excited borderline hysterical. Abby stilled, remembering where she'd heard the name before.
"Corky." She repeated. "Your....your dog Corky?" She knew somewhat about Erin's little dog, she knew the story and was there when she got the news of his passing. Erin had been devastated. It was one of the burdens she knew Erin carried with her.
"He was..." Erin's shoulders dropped and she swayed a little, Abby braced herself to catch her again if she did collapse again. "Here." Her face crumpled. Abby's heart went out to Erin, she knew the memories were painful. "Never mind."
Abby attempted to shift her focus.
"I've been meaning to ask." Pointing at the little green head poking out of Erin's jumpsuit. "Who's your friend?"
"Oh. That's Holtzmann's son apparently." Erin looked down and smiled weakly down at the little green face. "She stuck it there for safe keeping." Abby snorted a little. Shoving anything down Erin's shirt was something that reeked of Holtzmann and Abby found it even funnier that Erin kept it in there even after she'd pointed it out.
"What are you a kangaroo now?"
"It's a giraffe." Her cheeks going pink, prodding the little head with her finger." Abby smiled. But the mention of Holtzmann made her worry a little. They were the last two to see each other she wondered if she was alright. The last she'd heard from her before Erin showed up minutes later panicked and covered in ice, was her whining over the radio after being throw into a ball pit.
"Hey, guys." Patty's voice interrupted over the walkie.
"Yeah, what's up?" Abby answered.
"Uh...I have a bit of a situation. You busy?"
On her patrol, Patty had found two rather troubling things. First, she'd found the word "Lament" painted on the wall in the same fashion as the word 'Keen' had been. A little unimpressed, Patty wasn't appreciating the cryptic messages left behind. She'd honestly would prefer the ghost to come directly at them and deal with them head-on.
And the second she'd found Holtzmann, tucked away into a corner staring off into space, her head thudding against the wall with a steady rhythm. Not hard enough to really hurt herself but it was disturbing for Patty to watch. Especially with that look on her face. She hadn't known how long Holtz had been at it but if she kept it up she could really hurt herself.
After she'd called Abby and Erin for backup and carefully approached her knelt down in front of her.
"Holtzy stop. Stop that." Patty spoke to her gently but Holtz couldn't seem to hear or see her. She waved her hand and snapped her fingers in her face but nothing. She called out a little louder still nothing. Holtzmann just sat there continuing to bump her head against the wall. Cautious, Patty took Holtzmann's face in her hands stilling her head, her skin harsh and cold under her fingers. Patty pulled away and waited her hands hovering before Holtz's face.
"Holtzy?" Holtz paused just for a moment then started again a lot harder. "No no no!" Patty said a little more forcefully grabbing her face again. "C'mon now. What are you tryin to accomplish with this?"
"Holy shit Holtzmann." Abby cried out watching Patty try to stop her from hurting herself but despite Patty's grip, the swinging motion of her head continued. Patty glanced over her shoulder flashing Abby and Erin a grimace. "How long has she been this way." Abby hissed in a whispered kneeling next to Patty. Patty shook her head. "Please get her away from the wall at least."
Patty rounded Holtzman's side and physically scooted her a few inches away from the wall, Holtz gave a whine and struggled away trying to get back to her original spot practically clawing her way back over.
"I don't understand she was fine a few minutes ago. That whining, on the radio, was a joke right?" Patty struggled to keep Holtz put. Abby took in her bruised face and wild look in her eyes as she struggled to break free from Patty's grip.
"Lemme try." Abby scooted herself a little closer and got in Holtzmann's face. "Jillian Florence! Stop this or I'll make you start wearing a helmet." Holtz didn't jump to startled angry attention like she'd hoped and Abby deflated a little more. "You know I genuinely thought that was going to work," Abby admitted sitting back on her heels disappointed.
Holtzmann hated her middle name with a passion. Normally the mention of the 'F word' knocked Holtz back to attention so hard it practically made her neck snap. But it was a small relief Holtz stopped trying to smack her head against the wall, instead, she just pressed her back up against it and sagged closing her eyes.
"Florence?" Patty raised an eyebrow.
"I literally guessed it on the first try a couple of years ago as a joke and she looked at me like I was the devil himself," Abby remembered it clearly. 'You'd never guess' Holtz had declared. Abby had remembered seeing an F initial on a document of hers and she'd just said the first name that came to mind. She hadn't seen Holtz look that terrified in a while. "It's a good way to instill the fear of god into her. Though she may slap things out of your hand for a while."
"What's yours? You're middle name." Patty asked out of curiosity.
"Lauren."
"And Erin?"
"René" Erin supplied in a quiet voice finally joining the conversation. She was standing a few feet away staring up at the new message on the wall.
"Erin. You two were the last to see each other. Anything would be helpful." Erin didn't turn around she just stared up at the wall. Abby made a frustrated noise and waved and even more frustrated finger at Erin. "Whatever this is better not be contagious." Because if she or Patty succumbed to either of these episodes too they were in trouble.
"I'm feeling the manager left out some vital information." Patty shifted Holtz back against the back wall, she'd finally began to calm down but she still didn't trust her enough to let her go completely. A bruise already forming on the side of her forehead.
"Maybe they genuinely didn't know. Because I know that if I had a malevolent mirror this dangerous I wouldn't be telling anyone. Employees maybe. That seems fair the more I think about it. That poor kid."
"So what do you think we should do?"
"We get them out of here and come back later better prepared."
"We can't." Erin said in an empty voice, still facing the away. "It's too late."
"You already know she's here." Patty and Abby looked towards Holtz who was now sitting up leaning forwards with her head in her hands. Holtz looked up face calm slightly vacant. "She won't let you leave now."
"Who?" Patty had dared to ask.
"The woman in the mirror." Both she and Holtz said simultaneously, sharing the same vacant look. Something alarming went off in Abby's head.
"Okay. This 'The Shining twins' thing you got going here ain't cute. You two better knock it off."
Dubious Abby leaned forward and peered into Holtz's eyes. She just stared back at her her face smooth, she tilted her head slightly. There was somewhat vacant but something was there and it wasn't Holtzmann.
"Who are you?" Holtz blinked then smiled a sweet gentle smile, it was a child's smile. She leaned and rocked back a little playfully.
"Hannah." Shit, she knew it. Patty swore under her breath and shook her head, giving Abby a worried glance. This was all they needed.
"Okay and her name." She pointed to Erin.
"It's Fiona." At the mention of her name Erin's head turned finally and looked on interested.
"Okay, Hannah." Realizing she was talking to a child Abby adjusted her tone. "Did you write the words on the wall." She nodded.
"Beau made the mess! Beau threw her!" Erin/Fiona interjected defensively, proving that that ghost was definitely a kid. Abby could catch the hint of an accent in her words. "It wasn't us!"
"She teased him. He didn't like that." She explained simply. "He was tryin to scare you away is all. He don't think you can help." Fiona/Erin shuffled over and plopped next to Holtz/Hannah legs crossed and hands in her lap.
"Are there any more of you?" Patty asked.
"Just Beau and Gabby. Don't know the others." Patty nodded catching the faint roll of the 'R' and tried to place the accent. Irish maybe?
"Girls. I need you to give us our friends back now alright?" The two shook their heads and pulled away, huddling in close to each other in fear.
"Shes aint safe." Hannah whispered placing a hand on her chest. "The woman's keenin' to her now. Like the boy. She's good as dead if I leave her now."
"And and she's been seein things this one. They be safer with us now." Fiona added. Patty laid a hand on Abby's shoulder trying to quell her frustration.
"But we need them though. To help fight. Please, girls." Their eyes grew wide.
"Please don't hurt them! Beau didn't mean nothin by what he did, he's just playin."
"And Gabby didn't do nothin at all."
They took each others arms and hooked them together shrinking into each other with pleading looks. It was just all too weird. Even when Rowan had possessed Kevin, hearing Kevin's voice saying such rude things and seeing him float around just felt wrong. This just felt weird.
"Lets us stay, just a little longer? Please?" Fiona pleaded. "Then you can fight the woman in the mirror. Though, don't know how much good you'll do."
"Please. We won't do nothing to them. Promise."
Abby pushed up her glasses rubbing her eyes. Holtzmann and Erin were possessed by two little girls that seemed like they weren't going to let them go any time soon. Patty pulled her aside.
"What do we do? We can't babysit them the whole night. We're gonna need Erin and Holtz eventually. And I really don't feel right slapping a kid let alone Erin or Holtzy."
They glanced back both were now looking each other over and comparing hand sizes, giggling to each other. Abby felt herself cave a little.
"Well at least they aren't malevolent. And maybe they can give us some more information?"
Patty and Abby exchanged a look.
"They're gonna kill us.
"Okay, you can stay for a little longer. Just don't touch any of the equipment okay." Both girls squealed and gripped each other's hands with excitement.
"Ten bucks they braid each other's hair by the end of the night." Patty nudged Abby in the side.
"You're on."
The ghosts had been right, the doors were sealed shut with an unbreakable sheet of ice. They were trapped until this ghost went down, whether it was caught or obliterated.
"Why can't this be like a normal ghost? You know, just barf on Erin and kick our asses directly."
Since this happened, there hadn't been any ghost activity, so Patty and Abby mutually decided taking a break was a good idea. They were still in the children's area that was still a mess of plastic balls and toppled chairs. The two of them had confiscated their proton packs and sat back and just watched the girls wander around the area touching and inspecting things.
Fiona had scampered off to the prize counter and just touched things gently with her fingertips. Probably just grateful to be able to actually touch things. While Hannah was busy inspecting herself, or well at Holtzmann in one of the unshattered mirrored pillars frowning and prodding at her bruised face.
"This is weird. This is weird isn't it?" Abby asked eventually. Patty shrugged with a side grin. "It's weird and we're letting it happen."
"Not one of the weirdest things that's happened. But yeah it's plenty weird." Patty motioned towards Hannah. "That one seems to be enjoying herself." Abby turned to look just as Hannah had already begun pulling the pins out of Holtz's hair and shaking out her curls. Smiling, pleased with the outcome. She'd rarely seen Holtz without her hair pinned back. Claiming that it had a will of its own and must be shown who's boss. "Holtzy's not gonna like that."
Indeed she wouldn't. She could already hear her now. Griping about how no one messes with the do and whining about how they did nothing to stop such a crime. The thought actually made her a little sad.
"I'm going to check on Red over there, you hang with the princess." Abby watched Patty walk over towards the prize counter, where Fiona excitedly pointed out things to Patty with innocence and joy.
With her eyes back on Hotlz she watched her carefully. With her hair loose and someone else's mannerism, she almost was a completely different person. Dainty and sweet very unHoltzman. It was eerie. Her friend was in there somewhere, not gone forever but still not here. Same with Erin, it made her almost feel lonely.
"Do you have blonde hair?" Abby asked Hannah looked over her shoulder and smiled.
"Mhm. Fiona's got red too. It's lots longer than that though and curly too."
"And did you know each other before you..." Died? Hannah didn't seem to mind the question though.
"Don't remember." She shrugged. A shrug so unHoltzmanlike it almost hurt.
"I'm asking a lot of questions. Is that okay?" Hannah nodded curls bouncing around her face. "How old are you? Do you remember?" Hannah looked up in thought and began counting on her fingers.
"Twelve."
"And the rest of you?"
"Fiona's twelve too."
"I'm thirteen," Fiona said dignified, Hannah scoffed.
"Beau is nine. Gabby is eight." Abby toyed with the idea of actually asking how they died but was that too traumatic to ask a kid? Even if they have been dead for probably decades. Instead, she asked them more questions about themselves, if they remembered where they lived before this if they were all friends before.
The more Hannah talked the more her accent began to come through, sounding like Holtzmann doing a very good Irish accent impression. It worried her she had to admit what if these ghosts got too comfortable. The idea of having to remove the ghosts by force made her squirm.
"This woman in the mirror. Do you know who she is?"
"It's best not to talk about her too loud. She's listenin." Said Fiona inspecting with the pockets on her jumpsuit with curiosity. "She listens and learns. Then tricks you. Traps you in and drains the life from you."
"Sometimes she just drives you crazy with her song, whichever she likes at the time." Is that what happened to you? Before Abby could get in another question Hannah turned away. "What funny clothes. Never worn trousers before. I like em." She grinned
"Yeah! Me too." Fiona giggled. Hannah skipped over and took Fiona by the hands and they broke out into a messy playful waltz together.
"It's just its kind of sad though. They're so young. They never got to be adults." Patty mused watching them.
"We can't get too attached to the Patty. They're going to have to go eventually."
"Yeah, I know. Poor things." Poor things indeed. But they were already dead and their friends that they were possessing were still very much alive. Abby couldn't afford to bond with these girls, she wanted her friends back. She needed her coworkers back, to finish this job and to go home with after. And she couldn't help but speculate why only Erin and Holtz had been affected and not Patty or herself. Yes, Holtz may have angered the mirror on her own with her antics but Erin? It almost seemed unfair, not that Holtz deserved any of it either.
Abby bit her thumbnail with apprehension as she watched her two friends frolic with each other, actually frolic while singing some kind of folk song she didn't recognize. It was weird but still, it was kind of fun to watch though. Maybe she could pretend they were just drunk or something.
"Admit it though, they are being kinda cute right now." Patty paused. "How's that snapchat thing work?" Abby laughed and pulled out her phone.
"I got it." Abby pointed and began recording their little song and dance. "Ha blackmail."