Reunion

By John G. Hartness

You can go home again, but sometimes you really, really shouldn't. 

Jessica Bates is a successful paranormal investigator with a new network TV deal, a boyfriend she loves, and no idea of the trouble she's about to find herself right smack in the middle of. 

Nobody told her the location of their latest episode and investigation site. Because they knew she'd never come with them if they did. Twenty years ago, Jessica's high school burned to the ground, killing all her friends while she watched. Now there are reports of strange noises and odd activity in the abandoned school, and the town has hired Jess's crew to figure out what is causing the disturbances. 

What they find is worse than they ever imagined. 

Reunion is a ghost-themed horror short story for fans of old-school paranormal thrillers. From the mind of the award-winning Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter and Black Knight Chronicles series comes a new tale of supernatural terror.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John G. Hartness
• Release date: Sep 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536561197

Book preview

Reunion

A Ghost Story

John G. Hartness

Falstaff Books

Charlotte, NC

2016

If you enjoy this book, or just enjoy getting stuff for free,

Click Here

To get another free ebook!

Reunion

By John G. Hartness

Oh, hell no! Jessica Bates said as she looked at the plane ticket in her hand.

Come on, Jess, it’ll be fun. Her boyfriend, business partner, travel arranger and the current target of her ire Michael Sutton said. You haven’t been back since you graduated high school. It’s time to show everybody how awesome you are now.

One, I was awesome then. Two, those fuckers didn’t deserve my awesome twenty years ago. And three, they certainly haven’t done anything to earn it now. I’m not going back there. I hated that place when I was in school, and I made myself a promise that if I lived through high school I was going to get the hell out of Dodge and never look back. I’ve spent twenty years keeping that promise, and I don’t intend to break it now.

What’s the big deal, Jess? It’s just a gig, like all the others. Except this one is in your hometown, and we’re getting paid double. Sam Chima, their tech wizard said from where she knelt arranging her bags and cases of equipment for the flight.

The big deal is you guys springing this on me at the goddamn airport, because you knew it was the only way you could get me to go! You knew if I had any idea this shoot was in Jackson that I’d veto it. Jess grabbed her bags from the sidewalk and turned to put them back in the van, but the minivan they’d hired to get the four of them to the airport was already gone. I guess this was why you insisted on taking a cab this morning, too? She looked at Billy Colgood, their chief camera guy and editor.

"Yep. We knew you’d pitch a fit, so we took a cab. We knew you’d be a pain in the ass about it, so we didn’t tell you until now. We knew you’d eventually come around when Mike explained exactly how much money your old hometown is paying us to do this investigation of the school and you realized that it’ll pay for both new cameras we want plus my new Macbook Pro with Final Cut Pro. So suck it up, grab your gear, and get on the plane." Billy hefted a camera bag onto his shoulder and shouldered his way past the sputtering Jessica into the airport.

Jess turned back to Mike, who stood there with a wry look on his face. I should slap those glasses right off your smug little face. She said. Bring it in, Jess, you’re making a scene, and not the kind you want. Since their show had gotten picked up by the ParaNetwork last spring, they had to be careful of paparazzi, almost like they were real celebrities instead of paranormal investigators.

But you won’t, Mike said, giving her that little cockeyed grin that made the dimples pop out on his cheeks. He knew she couldn’t resist the dimples, so he deployed them mercilessly when she was pissed, like now. He even let a little brown curl fall down over one eye, making him look even more mop-headed and absent-mindedly adorable than normal. Jessica knew every bit of it was for effect, hell, she’d taught him the trick with the curl, saying it made him irresistible to the camera. Too bad it still worked on her, too.

You’re lucky I love you, you bastard. She said, giving him a light slap on one cheek.

That’s true on so many levels, my dear. Mike leaned in to give her a kiss, to retching noises from Sam.

Gross! Straight people sex makes me want to vomit. The avowed lesbian electronics tech said, but it was with a smile.

But you’re carrying my bags, asshole. Jess said, following Billy into the airport. She found him chatting