The Past Few Years

[Gabriel Matthews]

Well it's been a few years since I was first thrust into this field and it's been a while since I've spoken to another human being about it but I think I'm ready now... at least I hope so.

So here we are, years after the disappearance of my wife and daughter and I still go to sleep at night wondering if I'll ever see them again. I attribute this to some sort of false hope I'm feeding myself just to make it through another day but don't tell me that.

The other disappearances on the block? Well the cops actually took it somewhat seriously, but after not getting a single lead, and harassing me for a good period of time it became a thing of the past. Something not worth their time. Since then I've had a few run ins with the supernatural (I've finally come to accept the term), a few serious, but mostly small run ins. I've still got my SKS and my handgun but I figured adding a 12 guage to the mix couldn't hurt things.

Anyways, while most of my experiences thus far have been rather mundane (for those in this field) there's one that stands out as it sort of was a turning point for myself. An experience that would forever change my view of the world, and of myself.

So it was about a year after the gorilla from hell incident. While I had gotten my qualifications as a computer technician there were way too many techs in town already leaving me without a job in my field. So I decided that I could do that on the side while I continued my job with the cleaning company as a janitor. Sure the money sucked, but I got the whole building to myself generally, so i could just crank the tunes and relax.

Anyways, so they give me this one site to clean, and of course... it's a huge industrial garage with all of the offices upstairs and such, out in the middle of nowhere. So I get there and I don't even have a chance to get into the door when I start feeling a tightness in my chest. Something just didn't feel right. I figured it was just old memories coming back to haunt me, so I opened the door, punched in the security code and got to work.

The first part of the building wasn't too bad (Of course, it was the only part where my cellphone had any signal). Sure the occassional mess from someone who decided to smear their lunch all over their desks, but other than that, not too frightening. Then came the garage. I open the door from the offices to the garage and every hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Not only is this garage huge, full of equipment and plenty of things to hide behind, but there's only a few lights spaced out so that you actually had to traverse a good 100 or so feet of darkness to the next light.

So after a few minutes standing there trying to gather up the courage I realized that I just couldn't do it. There was just something wrong... with me? I didn't know. I really wasn't in my right state of mind, so I did something I hadn't done in a while. Reaching into my shirt I pulled out the small silver cross necklace that my wife had given to me when we were still dating, and said a little prayer. All of a sudden, it's like all fear just washed away and I was ready to take on the world. With that, I grabbed my mop and began walking across the expanse to the offices on the other side.

I hadn't stepped more than two feet into the dark when something clanged loudly from over by a partially disassembled excavator. Naturally my head snapped over to look in that direction to see if I could see anything, but it was too dark. So I just stood there in silence. Not moving a muscle, listening and watching, trying to get any sort of trace of what was there. I didn't wait long before I heard some chains attached to a garage door begin clinking around against the wall. I waited for what seemed like an eternity to see what would happen next but it had stopped. To my surprise the rest of the night went on without incident, yet whenever I would cross that garage area I couldn't help but wonder what was in there with me?

Anyways, so I went back the next night. Nothing. Other than having a creepy atmosphere it wasn't too bad. So that night came and went.

The day after that though, I'd been informed that they wanted me to clean a different site and I would be training someone else on the routine for the garages. So that night I met up with the kid. Can't remember his name right now, so lets call him Fred. So I start showing Fred the ropes and we get the first office part done. Then it's time to go across the garage area. Well, before I go through that door I make sure to say my little prayer.

We were about half way between lights when something fell over maybe 10 feet away from us by a large tool case. Fred jumped higher than I thought any man could jump. Oddly enough it didn't even startle me at the time. Well after that the signs just escalated. Something definitely was moving around behind the dismantled vehicles and piles of tools.

Finally after Fred barely dodged a wrench flying to his head, I decided to confront it. I simply stood there, and asked it what it was doing. The strangest thing happened. It was like I heard a voice in my head, only it didn't really speak words... but yet it did. I'm sorry, it's really hard to explain. At first I thought it was mumbling out loud something weird but when I asked Fred what it had said he just looked at me like I was crazy. It was then that I realized that only I could hear it.

What followed next was the most eye opening experience of my life. I spoke with it. I asked it what it was doing, and it told me that it was hungry. Now at first this made me nervous (Creepy thing in the dark that's hungry? That just sounds like trouble) Anyways, it turns out that the little bugger was a ghost of some kind. Liked scaring people, or making them laugh or something to that extent. From there I simply asked it to leave. It oddly enough seemed quite happy to comply with my request and left. Needless to say though, after this Fred quit.

The reason why this was such a big deal for me was... I got to see a different dimension of this great big world. There was something there... I could feel it's presence, I could communicate with it. I actually felt like a whole new world had opened up to me. In the number of different encounters I had experienced afterwards I met more of these "ghosts". Some of different varieties. Sometimes I guess they didn't understand me or something, at times they crept right up on me and I didn't even feel them coming... the only thing that's been consistent is that whenever I say that little prayer. When I ask for help... I get the courage I need, or it's like there's an angel telling me somehting's there... or acting as a translator for me. I still haven't figured it all out yet, but after that night... I'm convinced I've got a gift. While this is exciting, I can't help but wonder... why? Is it so that I can tell spooks to stop throwing wrenches? Or is He preparing me for something greater? Either way... I've got these gifts for a reason, and it'd be a sin not to use them. Which brings me to my final point. I feel I've reached a point where I'm ready to not just let these things come to me, I'm ready to go looking for them... either that or these'll be some famous last words.

Thanks for listening. I've kept that to myself for too long.

[Ron Caliburn]

Welcome to the "active phase" of this style of life. Remember to keep your wits about you and to tread carefully when you aren't sure where you're walking.

There are a few folks around here from up Canada way, some of them may even be close abouts to where you are. I'd suggest looking them up if you can, someone to watch your back is always a good thing.

[Holister]

We're in Maine, and that is just a short flight away. If ya' ever need back-up, the Lazo Annex can give it to you.

[Gabriel Matthews]

We're in Maine, and that is just a short flight away. If ya' ever need back-up, the Lazo Annex can give it to you.

Good to hear, a little farther than you might think as I'm up in Northern Ontario and we're really rather secluded up here. Makes each encounter all the more frightening for me. I do get to travel down south often enough though, so I may just get the chance to take you up on that offer

[Holister]

You be sure to do that. Remember that we all were where you are now. Know that you have friends and allies the moment you became a member here. Any time at all you need assistance, just drop us a line.

Remember, we're here to help.

[Eilonwy Solstice]

Thank you for telling us your story, Gabriel. It takes courage to move ahead in life, and I hope that all goes well for you. We’re always available if you need to talk.

Oh, and just out of curiosity, do you have any special attachment to the prayer you spoke? What did you say, exactly?