Okay, I can feel something.... I can feel a presence... it's down this hallway.  What is down there?" Andrew asks.

 

     "The master bedroom, my son's room, the bathroom, that's about it," Barbara responds to the psychic.

 

     "Hmm… I wonder if it comes from the bedroom... let's go."

 

     Andrew leads the way through the long, blackened hallway, lit up by the soft yellow glow of the candle he carries.  Barbara, the owner of the old house, follows behind, carrying a flashlight as a precaution.

 

     "So when did the problem start, again?" Andrew asks the frightened woman trailing him.

 

     "Uh, about two months ago.  At first it was regular banging noises.... I thought it was an animal on our room.  Then one night Michael runs into my bedroom saying he saw a ghost.  I mean, you know kids.  They always think they see the boogeyman or-"

 

     "-monster in the closet.  I've heard it all before.  I know what you're talking about."

 

     "Yeah, so, like any other parent I brush it off, right?  Then about several weeks ago I walk down this hallway and I start to hear voices.  I thought I left my T.V. on in my bedroom.  But then I hear a scream, then footsteps from behind me... running... then the bedroom door slams shut... followed by what sounded like a girl crying.  I was so scared.  Before I called you, every so often I would hear those voices at night."

 

     Andrew stops for a moment to turn to Barbara.  "Has any objects in the house been moved or did the voices sound threatening?"

 

     "No, not that I know of."

 

     "Hmm… Well, it doesn't sound like a poltergeist or something violent.  Maybe it still thinks it's just another resident of this home."  Andrew proceeds down the hallway.  Barbara hesitates for a moment.

 

     "Well, whatever it is, I want it out, 'cause-"

 

     Andrew suddenly stops in his tracks.  His body language is acting as something has just entered him.  For a second he closes his eyes and then opens them.

 

     "I feel something"

 

     "What!  What is it?" Barbara asks.

 

     "Mary... Groller"

 

     "What?"

 

     His expression changes from a look of hurt to a look of disturbance.  They were both standing next to the bathroom.

 

     "Did you leave the tap running by any chance?"

 

     "I don't think so," Barbara replies.

 

     Andrew opens the door to the bathroom.  They both feel the humidity as it leaks through the crack, turning the cold, flat air they are breathing to a warm, uliginous air.  As Andrew and Barbara slowly enter the bathroom, Andrew holds the yellow candle light towards the other end of the room.  The glowing light points to the bathtub.

 

     As the bathtub fills up, a woman lies in it.  Her skin burning from the scalding hot water, her wrists slashed, her dead eyes stare back.

 

     Andrew and Barbara scream in terror.  Andrew drops the candle, causing it to blow out.  The yellow glow fades to black.  Barbara quickly turns on the flashlight and points it at the bathtub.

 

     Nothing.  Gone.

 

     Andrew grabs the flashlight rushes over to turn off the tap.  Barbara screams.  Andrew turns around to find her staring at the left side of the bathroom.  A figure is standing there.  Andrew points the light in that direction, only to find nothing there, but what they see frightens them much more.  The mirror above the sink, fogged from the heat, has been written on.

 

     HELP ME

 

     Barbara, trembling from the visuals, turns the bathroom light on.  The writing on the mirror remains.  Barbara begins to cry.

 

Andrew rushes over to mitigate her.  "It's okay, it's over.  I'm here.  My company will get you and your family out of this house and into a hotel while we take care of this problem.  Don't worry, okay?"

 

     Barbara nods, not changing her frightened expression.  Andrew sits her down at the toilet seat, and then pulls out a mini tape recorder.  He presses record and begins to speak.

 

     "Psychic Purification log, February twenty sixth, the Webster residence, did encounter ghost.  It was not violent but there is a possibility that it could be.  The encounter occurred in the upper level bathroom.  A name that appeared in my mind was… Mary Groller, look into it.  The spirit certainly made its presence felt… it did leave a message on the bathroom mirror, saying 'Help me'."  Andrew pauses for a minute, staring at the message on the mirror.  "I think it's trying to tell us something."

 

     He stops the tape, rewinds it, and plays it back to hear if it recorded properly.  Barbara, much calmer now, also listens to the playback.

 

     "Did you hear that?" Barbara asks.

 

     "Hear what?"

 

     "Play back that message again."  Andrew rewinds the tape and plays it again, both listening closer to it.  "Sounds like.... crying," Barbara says.  Andrew turns up the volume.

 

 

     “… occurred in the upper sob level bathroom.  A help me appeared in my mind was… Mary sob Groller, look into it please certainly made its presence someone help me a message on the bathroom sob… oh god…"