Ghost of the Machine: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective
By S. H. Marpel
()
About this ebook
(also titled: Smart Home Revenge)
The more circuits in any machine, the more it's likely to get "haunted."
When you connect it to the Internet then you can get more than you asked for.
Installing a home system seemed obvious at the time. Having the "Internet of Things" to give you your every whim seemed a dream come true.
When our broadband costs rocketed, we looked to see what usage was happening - too many videos, too many games, was someone parked at the curb outside our house and downloading massive files?
None of these.
Our technician said that the uses were almost tidal - like our home was breathing. Of course, we fired him. But then couldn't hire another.
And then found ourselves locked out of our own home - By the ghosts in our machines.
Excerpt:
"What do you mean we can't get back in to my own house? What about cutting the power?"
"I can't get the power company to send any more people here. They keep getting shocked even before they touch the disconnect."
"At the pole?!?"
"Yes. Their own power pole is shocking them."
"What about cutting off the whole block?"
"Not that simple. There are a lot of lawyers who live in this neighborhood of yours and they already know about your haunted 'smart home'. They've let us know that it will be costly if we try. Besides, the next closest substation takes out dozens of blocks around here. We aren't going to turn everyone off just because you lost the password to your own smart home."
"It's not the password, I tell you..." The owner was fuming by now, fists clenched. "Oh, just never mind."
The windows on the house pulsed red and green. And no, they didn't have Christmas decorations up.
The last technician who was willing to come out and have a look at their house said that it reminded him of breathing. And after we fired him, no other company would agree to take it on - but would schedule us their "next possible opening" - some months from now.
The owner, his wife, and two kids were just standing on their sidewalk. Even their cars were locked inside the garage. All they had been able to take with them were their smartphones, a game controller, and a tablet. But accessing their smart home control panel only gave them a pac-man-era pixelated sad face.
Worse than sad - angry.
Calls to the company who made the programs and installed them went unanswered, or were refused.
At last, one of the neighbor's wives came over and called them a cab on her own phone.
It was close to sunset now. And while all the houses had power, the streetlights on that street and the two nearest ones didn't come on.
Police sent patrol cars to manage traffic in those three streets, but wouldn't come down to that vacant house.
The one that breathed red and green - and looked far more ominous in the dark.
- - - -
"Are you sure? An actual haunted house? OK - what's the address? Yea. OK. No. That's fine. Thanks." I put down the pencil on top of the pad and then shut off my phone again. And I mean shut it off. When I was writing, I didn't want interruptions.
How I even had that phone turned on was an annoyance. And now someone was reporting a haunted house. Oh come on, like we haven't seen that before.
Knowing what I was going to get into, I took time to pull on my work boots and shrug into my chore-coat, then fit my ball-cap on my head.
I then stood up, held the pendant with one hand, closed my eyes - and thought of the Library...
Scroll Up Get Your Copy Now.
S. H. Marpel
Get Your Copy Now Visit https://LiveSensical.com/books for more entertaining, educational, and inspiring stories that you can read over and over, time after time... Investing in your entertainment is better than just spending.
Read more from S. H. Marpel
Almost Amy: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShoemaker: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHermione: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIdylls of a Lazurai: Speculative Fiction Modern Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCassie 2.0B: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSmart Home Revenge: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Short Story Reader's Bookshelf: Speculative Fiction Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost Hunters Library 01: Ghost Hunter Mystery Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Autists Anthology: Speculative Fiction Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLast Witch Dance: Mystery-Detective Fantasy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWitch Mystery: Beth: Mystery-Detective Fantasy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost Hunters Canon 03: Ghost Hunter Mystery Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTime Bent: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsElections, Inc.: Speculative Fiction Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn SF/Fantasy Reader: Short Stories From New Voices: Speculative Fiction Parable Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lazurai Emergence: Speculative Fiction Modern Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWitch Mystery: Raven: Mystery-Detective Fantasy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost Hunters Anthology 05: Ghost Hunter Mystery Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Saga of Erotika Jones Anthology: Speculative Fiction Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost Exterminators Inc.: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTime Bent Anthology: Ghost Hunter Mystery Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRiot Wall Anthology: Speculative Fiction Parable Anthology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost Hunters: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWitch Mystery: Ruby: Mystery-Detective Fantasy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Ghost of the Machine
Titles in the series (15)
When Fireballs Collide: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Training: Star: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Training: Tess: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Training: Sylvie: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost of the Machine: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGaia: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Case of Missing Wings: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHarpy Redux: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Faith of Jude: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Training: Mysti: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Harpy Saga: Sister Mine: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHarpy's Desires: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Case of the Sunken Spirit: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Spirit Mountain Mystery: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Return of Walkaway Mary: Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
Smart Home Revenge: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsR. L. Saunders Satire Collection 02: Parody & Satire Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLight It Up Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Feast of Shadows: Feast of Shadows, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSocks, Gods, Cats and Demons Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFamiliar Hijinks: RELUCTANT FAMILIAR MYSTERIES, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTricks or Temptations: Beautiful Beasts, #7 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Tattered Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBloodridge Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Place Where Nothing Is Real Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeguiling Voices (Book Three of the Glass Bottles Series) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGas Mask Kid: Darkhill Scary Stories, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding Grace: Ghost Hunters Mystery Parables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEssence Of Betrayal Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWicked Strange: A Collection of Short Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBury Me Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCharli's Sexy Valentine: Bubble Bath Romance, #2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enchanted: Volume Two Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Twelve Deaths of Christmas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Amerada Affair Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Arcology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow to Leash a Thief: Sleuthin' in Boots, #1 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cue for Quiet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRain Drops: Three Free Samples Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFalling For A Wolf #5 (BBW Werewolf Romance): Falling For A Wolf, #5 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Falling For A Wolf #5: BBW Werewolf Shifter Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTruth to Tell Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsElijah Hael: The Genetic Code Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeep Blue Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crakaw: Frank Jones Adventures, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Amateur Sleuths For You
The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Woman in the Library: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life We Bury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Murderous Affair at Stone Manor: A Completely Gripping Cozy Murder Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5John Grisham: Series Reading Order - 2019 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret, Book & Scone Society Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Word Is Murder: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Night Olivia Fell Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pieces of Her: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Murdery Mystery Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Eight Perfect Murders: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Courting Dragons Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hardy Boys Collection Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Twyford Code: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume One: Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sentence Is Death: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How Lucky: A Mystery Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Marple: Twelve New Mysteries Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Color Me Murder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Line to Kill: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Doing Harm: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fletch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Solve-It-Yourself Mystery MEGAPACK®: 123 Crimes You Can Solve Yourself! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Summer House: A highly addictive psychological thriller from TOP 10 BESTSELLER Keri Beevis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Spellman Files: Document #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories: A Miss Marple Collection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Ghost of the Machine
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Ghost of the Machine - S. H. Marpel
Ghost of the Machine
by S. H. Marpel
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
GHOST OF THE MACHINE
First edition. January 11, 2019.
Copyright © 2019 S. H. Marpel.
ISBN: 978-1386286127
Written by S. H. Marpel.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Ghost of the Machine (Ghost Hunters Mystery-Detective)
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Did You Find the Strange Secret in This Story?
Related Books You May Like
Sign up for S. H. Marpel's Mailing List
Further Reading: Ghost Hunters Anthology 01
Also By S. H. Marpel
About the Publisher
To all our loyal fans:
You are exactly who we find and write these stories for.
(Do get your bonuses at the end of this story...)
When you then connect your home to the Internet then you can get way more than you asked for.
Because the more circuits in any machine, the more it's likely to get haunted.
Especially when you join the Internet of Things
universe. Now a consumer's dream come true – or a nightmare come to life?
When our broadband costs rocketed, we looked to see what usage was happening - too many videos, too many games, was someone parked at the curb outside our house and downloading massive files?
None of these.
Our technician said that the uses were almost tidal - like our home was breathing. Of course, we fired him. But then couldn't hire another.
And then found ourself locked out of our own home - by the ghost in our home machines.
I
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE can't get back in to my own house? What about cutting the power?
I can't get the power company to send any more people here. They keep getting shocked even before they touch the disconnect.
At their own pole?!?
Yes. Their own power pole is shocking them.
What about cutting off the whole block?
"Not that simple. There are a lot of lawyers who live in this neighborhood