wanted to temporarily acquire psychic abilities,
so she could meet the ghost.
Iris greeted Mitchell’s main concern with a punch to his
arm. He was worried the spirit might not be able to locate the Camden
residence. “Isn’t there some kind of telepathic guidance system for displaced
entities?” he asked.
Iris countered, “Isn’t there some kind of land-based
punishment system for smart-ass UFO hunters?”
Ultimately, DJ did
not fail to notice that Iris had been uncharacteristically quiet. Despite the
ghost’s claims, their acquisition of the dial and partial explanation of the
“time slip,” DJ feared Iris was dismissing the whole experience as one huge
hoax. DJ was certain this would be a mistake. The problem was she didn’t know
why.
Chapter Eight
E VAN RETURNED with drinks and food to
everyone’s delight, but his willingness to join the team disturbed Iris. She
was certain he had no doubt aliens existed. He had probably come to this
conclusion long before DJ made her connection with the ghost. Evan was a friend
of Mitchell’s, a devout believer, and she couldn’t conceive of Mitchell
befriending a skeptic. The lead investigator of the ghost hunters was well
aware DJ could read these feelings. She realized her continued doubt about an
alien presence might not only widen the existing rift between the teams, but
with DJ as well. She had, after all, coaxed DJ into aiding the effort to
confirm an extraterrestrial presence. Her younger sister had, and now Iris
still refused to believe it. Was it a good idea to fancy a relationship with
Mitchell who would probably never accept her skepticism about aliens?
Furthermore, was it a good idea to combine two investigative teams with such
varying views on the paranormal? Some believed in ghosts. Some believed in
aliens. Yet how many would believe in both?
Iris lifted her focus off Evan for a moment. She
perceived a wave of anger from DJ; it lingered long enough for her to ascertain
its root. It was ungratefulness. No surprise. She would have felt the same in
DJ’s position. She allowed a brief second of eye contact with her sister and
then let her eyes drop to the floor. What was she doing? Her father had warned
her about investigating aliens, but she’d fooled herself into believing DJ’s
return to the team would patch up emotional wounds. She now felt as if her
sister’s involvement might actually worsen relations in the family, if
possible. And to top it off, DJ was aiding Mitchell. She could see the renewed
energy in his eyes. He had probably been hoping for such a confirmation for years.
But for Iris, her younger sister’s conversation with a supposed alien ghost did
little to change her own stance. It just might be a human ghost out for
mischief. Still, it seemed like fact to Mitchell. He was ready to believe.
Evan shuffled drinks onto the kitchen table. Kassidy
spied a bottle of soda. “Oh good, you got Coke. It can keep my vodka company.”
Mitchell reached for a can but was reprimanded by Evan.
“Mitchell, how about some nice green tea?”
Mitchell cocked his head at Evan, doglike. Iris stifled a
laugh. Despite her anger and doubt, she wanted to get closer to this UFO
chaser. Just maybe she could change his mind, in time.
“So, Evan” Iris asked, “do you always take such interest
in your friend’s welfare?”
“Okay, you got me,” Evan answered. “I do have an
ulterior motive. I’ll be right back. I just need to get something else from my
car.” Iris just stared at him as he left the house.
Gavin interjected a comment, nonplussed by the awkward
moment. His eyes perused the screen of his laptop. “I’m looking at a site that
confirms a metallic ball was recently found in Africa. Maybe this isn’t the
first artifact to fall to the earth.”
“Have we established our object is really
extraterrestrial?” Rachel asked. She raised her thumb to her mouth as if tempted
to bite her nail.
“Good question,” Iris said.
DJ
so she could meet the ghost.
Iris greeted Mitchell’s main concern with a punch to his
arm. He was worried the spirit might not be able to locate the Camden
residence. “Isn’t there some kind of telepathic guidance system for displaced
entities?” he asked.
Iris countered, “Isn’t there some kind of land-based
punishment system for smart-ass UFO hunters?”
Ultimately, DJ did
not fail to notice that Iris had been uncharacteristically quiet. Despite the
ghost’s claims, their acquisition of the dial and partial explanation of the
“time slip,” DJ feared Iris was dismissing the whole experience as one huge
hoax. DJ was certain this would be a mistake. The problem was she didn’t know
why.
Chapter Eight
E VAN RETURNED with drinks and food to
everyone’s delight, but his willingness to join the team disturbed Iris. She
was certain he had no doubt aliens existed. He had probably come to this
conclusion long before DJ made her connection with the ghost. Evan was a friend
of Mitchell’s, a devout believer, and she couldn’t conceive of Mitchell
befriending a skeptic. The lead investigator of the ghost hunters was well
aware DJ could read these feelings. She realized her continued doubt about an
alien presence might not only widen the existing rift between the teams, but
with DJ as well. She had, after all, coaxed DJ into aiding the effort to
confirm an extraterrestrial presence. Her younger sister had, and now Iris
still refused to believe it. Was it a good idea to fancy a relationship with
Mitchell who would probably never accept her skepticism about aliens?
Furthermore, was it a good idea to combine two investigative teams with such
varying views on the paranormal? Some believed in ghosts. Some believed in
aliens. Yet how many would believe in both?
Iris lifted her focus off Evan for a moment. She
perceived a wave of anger from DJ; it lingered long enough for her to ascertain
its root. It was ungratefulness. No surprise. She would have felt the same in
DJ’s position. She allowed a brief second of eye contact with her sister and
then let her eyes drop to the floor. What was she doing? Her father had warned
her about investigating aliens, but she’d fooled herself into believing DJ’s
return to the team would patch up emotional wounds. She now felt as if her
sister’s involvement might actually worsen relations in the family, if
possible. And to top it off, DJ was aiding Mitchell. She could see the renewed
energy in his eyes. He had probably been hoping for such a confirmation for years.
But for Iris, her younger sister’s conversation with a supposed alien ghost did
little to change her own stance. It just might be a human ghost out for
mischief. Still, it seemed like fact to Mitchell. He was ready to believe.
Evan shuffled drinks onto the kitchen table. Kassidy
spied a bottle of soda. “Oh good, you got Coke. It can keep my vodka company.”
Mitchell reached for a can but was reprimanded by Evan.
“Mitchell, how about some nice green tea?”
Mitchell cocked his head at Evan, doglike. Iris stifled a
laugh. Despite her anger and doubt, she wanted to get closer to this UFO
chaser. Just maybe she could change his mind, in time.
“So, Evan” Iris asked, “do you always take such interest
in your friend’s welfare?”
“Okay, you got me,” Evan answered. “I do have an
ulterior motive. I’ll be right back. I just need to get something else from my
car.” Iris just stared at him as he left the house.
Gavin interjected a comment, nonplussed by the awkward
moment. His eyes perused the screen of his laptop. “I’m looking at a site that
confirms a metallic ball was recently found in Africa. Maybe this isn’t the
first artifact to fall to the earth.”
“Have we established our object is really
extraterrestrial?” Rachel asked. She raised her thumb to her mouth as if tempted
to bite her nail.
“Good question,” Iris said.
DJ
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