“We have another mission, Kristie” Eric came in with a manila folder in his hand.

“What’s the run down?” She questioned, finishing up some paperwork from the last mission, signing down at the bottom from the mission conclusion she had just typed up earlier.

“It is for our friend….” Eric solemnly replied, her hand stopped, the ink on the page halting mid letter.

“Setsuka?” Kristie questioned, her eyes lifting from the paper as Eric slowly nodded.

“Well it isn’t her… it is over her childhood home, the one in a?” Eric clarified, placing the folder on her desk.

Once the folder hit her desk, she flipped it open, her eyes scanning over the confidential document.

“It states that the people that bought the home after Suka moved out found some paranormal activity. They want us to come and check it out before they board up the home and leave.” Eric rested his hands on the back of her chair as she nodded slowly, her eyes scanning over the pictures of the home and the surrounding area.

“Do you think we should bring along Suka for the ride?” Kristie turned around in her chair as Eric turned and leaned on the edge of her desk.

“Maybe not for the initial inspection, but maybe one of the other times we go and see the place. She might could help us with some of the details if we need.
 Eric leisurely folded his arms over himself as Kristie finished looking over the document.

Rising to her feet, Kristie pulled her jacket from hanging on the back of her chair and pulled her arms through.

“You ready?” She questioned as Eric stood up tall, taking the folder and nodding happily.

The two of them left the office, grabbing the keys to her truck, they both headed outside to her truck. Moving Eric’s bags into her back seat, she turned the key starting the engine before the two of them headed off a few hours to the house.

It was around noon when the two of them pulled off of the two lane highway, the road lined with large trees on either side until a break in the trees came into view. Depressing the brake, Kristie turned her truck onto the dirt driveway. Following the unused driveway, the tires rolled over some growing weeds between the pebbles. Winding back a little further, Kristie pulled her truck onto an overgrown grassy area next to the house.

Eric and Kristie slid from her truck and slowly took in their surroundings. Tall grass, a few weeds, and trees were surrounding the quaint two story home.

“Well… we have seen worse” Kristie tried to remain positive, not really dealing with a paranormal case before.

“A-Are you nervous?” Eric questioned, the two of them walking around the truck and slowly approaching the house, their eyes scaling the two story home.

“A little, but I am sure nothing will happen. The owners even said the being didn’t try and hurt them” Kristie tried to convince herself and Eric.

Eric pushed over the little wooden, paint chipped gate away from the rest of the small fence surrounding the house. Kristie stepped in first, whispering a thank you first. Her eyes wondered over the broken shutters, paint stripped siding, broken windows and metal numbers hanging from rusted screws.

Cautiously climbing the two stairs leading up to the front porch, she carefully looked around. Eric staying close to her while she reached out and wrapped her hand around the metal handle. Pulling the wooden framed screen door open, she carefully stepped inside.

The sunlight cast through the broken windows, the spring breeze blowing through the tattered curtains hanging from the windows. Eric entered after her, his eyes wondered around, seeing books scattered on the bookshelf, the walls torn open in some places while the fireplace held some charred logs from a few nights previous.

“Should we look around?” Kristie questioned, a smile curling onto her lips as she loved looking into these old homes, seeing the history and wondering what all the walls would tell her if they could talk.

“Sure, just make sure you don’t go too far” Eric warned as she nodded before carefully moving into the kitchen.

Eric headed over to the bookshelf, his eyes wondering over the worn bindings and covers wrapped around the books. A few pages turned over as the breeze rushed through the open windows. Walking around a little, he headed into the dining room, seeing a table seating just two chairs, both of the chairs side by side. Taking out his camera, he documented a few things.

Meanwhile, Kristie looked over the kitchen, the original stove and ice box, a farm window over the large sink as some shelves held some dated cans and boxes that haven’t been seen for decades.

The wood floors groaned underneath them, her feet tried to tread lightly as something rushed behind her, feeling the air move, she turned around hoping to see Eric, yet he wasn’t there. Her eyes turned to the window, seeing it sealed tightly, she hummed to herself before checking over her shoulder once more. Brushing off the feeling, she headed into the next room over seeing Eric looking over the China in the glass display case.

“Somehow they managed to break all of the glass in the house, except for these” Eric remarked, his eyes moving over the American Indian spear heads, necklaces, bowls and pottery along with a few letters carved into curved tree bark.

A feeling overwhelmed Kristie, her hand lifted and pressed against her chest, her head starting to spin as she reached out and held onto Eric’s arm for support and balance.

“Are you okay?” Eric questioned, his eyes tearing away from the beautiful blanket and a few other priceless works as his hand rested over hers.

“I don’t know” Kristie whispered, her knees growing weaker and weaker by the minute.

“Let’s go outside for a moment, get some fresh air” Eric wrapped his arm around her waist and slowly helped her walk out the front door.

A pair of eyes followed their movements as Kristie and Eric made their way outside. The groaning hinges signaled their exit as the pair of eyes moved to a new location.

The sun hit their skin, Eric walked Kristie over to her truck, setting down the tailgate, he lifted her up so that she could sit down before sitting next to her. Her head gently rested on his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, trying to keep her steady.

“Is that better?” Eric questioned as she slightly nodded her head against his shoulder.

“I think there is someone in there” She whispered, still trying to catch her breath.

“What are your reasons?” Eric tried to be logical

“Someone moved past me when I was in the kitchen and the sinking feeling in my stomach” Her hand pressed against her abdomen as Eric looked over at the house.

“Your mind could just be playing games” Eric reasoned, his eyes moving over the exterior of the home, lifting his eyes to the second level, his eyes fell upon a shadow, lighted eyes standing in one of the window frames. Squinting his eyes to get a better look, he blinked for a moment and just like that, the room was lighter and the curtains blew against the inside the window.

“Is something wrong?” Kristie questioned feeling his body tense under her head.

“Nothing, you should rest” Eric turned back to her, however a pulling feeling seemed to come from his gut as his eyes looked back over at the house. His sixth sense kicking in.

Help me…. please

A vaguely familiar voice came to his mind as Eric tried scanning the windows for the shadow again.

“You said that this was Suka’s house right?” Eric whispered as Kristie nodded gently.

“That is what the file said” Kristie replied

“Do you know when Suka moved out of this house?” Eric questioned, trying to figure this out.

“I believe she was around twenty years old or around that when she moved” Kristie sat up, her head feeling better as her breath was almost back fully. “Do you have a hunch?”

“Just a feeling” Eric moved his hands into his lap, his eyes peering down at the ring wrapped around his thumb, Letters engraved on the ring spelling Angel.
Kristie looked at where his eyes were, seeing his ring, she rested her hand over his arm.

“Don’t fight it, it can help us” She whispered, knowing that Eric’s special power began when he was six, a medical procedure gone wrong when his heart stopped on the operating table, spending a half an hour in heaven was all it took for his power to stay with him forever. When his spirit matched back with his body, his heart beat once more, the doctors relieved, they wheeled him back to his room where several angels and deceased beings moved about, letting him have his first experiences with the people on the other side of the veil.

“I think I know who is inside” Eric sighed, not knowing if she was ready to hear this or not.

“I think I have an idea too” Kristie whispered, her hand rubbing his arm to let him know it was okay for him to tell her.

“I think it is Kai, Suka’s true love” Eric whispered, his eyes lifting to meet hers, nodding her head, she nodded gently.

“That is who I thought too” She whispered, her eyes dropping to her other hand resting on her jeans. “Has he said anything?”

Eric sighed, leaning back a little against the sides of her bed. “Just for help…”

“What kind of help?” She probed, her hand sliding down into his, wanting to show him that she believed him and supported him.

What kind of help do you need? Eric tried to commune with the spirit, seeing if they could help him in anyway.

With no answer given dark clouds began to roll in overhead, the gentle spring breezes turned into gusts then a whirlwind.

“Take cover” Eric called as the two of them retreated inside Kristie’s truck. Locking the doors and making sure the windows were rolled up tightly, the two of them watched the rain start to fall, sprinkling first and then eventually the storm was dropping buckets of water by the minute.

The two of them crawled in the back, knowing that it would stay for the night. Pulling a blanket out from under her seat, they laid it over the two of them as they spent the rest of the night falling in and out of sleep.

Tell her I love her

Eric’s eyes shot open, his heart beat rapid as he looked around, seeing the sky still dark, yet the rain stopped leaving a fresh scent around them. Getting a grip on his surroundings, he looked over to see Kristie curled against him.

“Wake up, it’s morning Kristie” He whispered, shaking her awake.

“Morning” She rubbed her eyes cutely before she looked up and out the windows, seeing puddles in the tall grass, mud down the driveway and the water rolling off of the roof and into the dead flower beds below.

“You okay?” She questioned as her eyes found their way back to Eric.

“Hrmmm?” Eric hummed softly, not hearing you.

“You look like something came to you” Kristie rephrased her question as he nodded gently.

“It did” Eric nodded, leaning forward, he unlocked the doors and pushed them open. “We have to go inside, check out the upstairs and we will see what else we can find.”

Not questioning him anymore, Kristie slipped from the backseat and followed Eric up the front path, through the cracked open door then he walked around, finding the staircase. Climbing the stairs, Kristie followed him closely, watching their backs as Eric moved like he was on a mission.

Reaching the top of the cracking stairs, Eric looked left then right, seeing doors lining the hallway that stretched both directions.

“I can go right if you want to go left” Kristie suggested as he nodded.

“Just be careful” Eric patted her shoulder before they went their separate ways.