For a moment, only static. Then, a voice—raspy, ancient, and impossibly close to his ear—breathed a single word:
He followed the signal into the kitchen. The sink tap began to turn, seemingly on its own, a slow drip-drip-drip echoing against the tile. He reached for his spirit box, clicking the receiver to life. The static was a harsh, rhythmic roar. "Is there anyone here?" he asked the empty room.
When the van’s siren finally wailed, signaling the end of the hunt, Elias stumbled out into the rain. He hadn't found the bone or captured a perfect photo, but he had learned the most important lesson for any ghost hunter:
"I’ve got something," Elias called out, his voice shaking. "Level two. Maybe three."
"Stay close," Sarah whispered, her breath visible in the freezing October air. "The client reported strange noises in the nursery. If the temperature drops, we move fast."