The Door at the End of the Hall

Second Chapter

Leotie scribbled her name on another sheet of paper, reaching over to pick a colored pen and delicately traced it. She held it up to the light and judged it for a moment, growing unhappy with the outcome. With a groan she balled the paper up and then half twisted in her chair and threw the sheet of paper in the trashcan along with the other abortive turnouts.

“And she scores!” she smiled twirling in her chair and flailing her arms in the air.

“And you sitting right by the bin has nothing to do with you scoring,” Kya asked eyeing her.

“Hey don’t kill my vibe because you’re bored.”

“Killing your vibe is the only thing that I can do to keep me from dying, so I will continue to kill that vibe of yours.” Leotie and Kya continued to stare at each other before soon finding boredom in that activity as well.

“Oh I have an idea, let’s bring out the Ouija Board!” Akira suggested with a wide smile.

“Whoa! No! Last time we played that cursed thing I got possessed!” Kya shouted rising out of her seat and narrowing her eyes at a still smiling Akira.

“That was actually pretty funny,” Leotie admitted, “don’t you agree Omar?” They all looked to the desk where the only male in the group resided. Omar rested there with his head on the desk, quietly slumbering among them. Leotie smiled as she rose and grabbed a black sharpie from her desk, strolling over to Omar.

“Don’t do it Leo, let’s stay professional and mature,” Kya said leaning out of her seat to see the two better.

“Kya, when you’re bored it’s impossible to be mature,” Leotie told uncapping the sharpie and going to work on Omar’s face. Akira leaned back in her seat and just smiled at the scene. Kya on the other hand simply rolled her eyes and focused her attention on the computer that sat on her desk. She eyed the logo that was centered on the computer that represented everything she did. She tended to regularly smile at the logo upon seeing it and this moment was no exemption. She grabbed a pencil and paper and began to write the name, smiling at the finished product.

Shades.  

“Magnifique!” Leotie snickered walking over to her desk and jumping into her rolling chair like a five year old.

“It can’t match Picasso’s work but hey not bad,” Akira complimented and she began to look for something in her drawers, finally coming across a whistle and blowing it as loud as possible. They all watched as Omar’s head shot up and he gazed around in confusion. Kya had to admit that Leotie did a good job drawing the Hitler moustache and the evil beard and of course the unibrow wasn’t so bad either.

“What was that?” Omar asked yawning and stretching causing Akira to bury her head in her arms to silence her laugh.

“It was Akira being Akira,” Leotie told shrugging her shoulders and sitting back casually in her seat, her poker face on. The two girls had to give their friend kudos for her lack of emotion; both of them knew they wouldn’t make it.

“No calls?” Omar asked stretching and giving each girl a look, Kya and Akira both having to shift their gaze while shaking their heads. “Damn what it’s been three days?”

“I thought four but hey three sounds right to,” Leotie told. The group then became inaudible as they seemed to dwell on the fact that there last case was so far ago. On top of that it was also a rather guileless case than the ones they were used to.

 

The group was officially called the Georgia Paranormal Crime Division or GPCD their base being located in Savannah, Georgia known to be one of the most haunted places in America. Originally the group only took calls from the Savannah area but with money they were able to expand that. Yet reasons unknown the group took on the name of Shades and most distinguish them by such. Unlike regular ghost hunting societies the Shades were more closely related to detective or police work. They investigated and solved hostile paranormal activity, meaning anything paranormal that was becoming a threat or was a threat to the lives of others. They were a joke to those who didn’t believe but a relief and hero to those who did.

“Shades you got a call!” the chief told storming out of his office.

“Finally!” Omar shouted jumping out of his seat and fist pumping the air, gathering looks from everyone especially the chief, “what?”

“What is that on your �" nevermind; a lady called the police saying her daughter was murdered by, get this a demon.”

“Whoa you mean we’re dealing with a hostile force and a demon?!” Kya said wide eyed.

“Guess so but we never know, the house is located at 56 Riverside Dr. get on it pronto.” The group all nodded as the chief left back out of the room, allowing them to get ready.

“So what equipment should we take?” Omar asked.

“What we always take. I doubt this woman is lying, you just don’t lie about your daughter being murdered by a demon,” Leotie reminded as she checked the contents in her bag and grabbed her cell phone.

“Yea specially if you want the police to believe you, I can just see them laughing in her face and telling her that they found no traces of someone being there and then asking if she killed her own daughter,” Kya regretfully told. The group nodded in response as they walked to the car happy to finally have a case, one that seemed to be fairly fascinating.

 

“Come on Omar!” Leotie shouted as he leisurely made his way towards the van with his equipment.

“When you carry this much equipment at a fast pace then you can talk to me, until then shut the hell up!” he sneered as he placed the bag in the back and then walked to the driver’s seat of the SUV. Omar was the third edition to the four person team that made up the Shades. He was otherwise known as the Tech Guy thanks to his extensive training in tech and the fact that he was the only one who truly knew how to work it and comprehend it. Omar was of Indian heritage though born in Florida he soon moved to Georgia and joined the group after college. He had a warm olive complexion with dark brown eyes and black short scuffed up hair. To many he didn’t resemble the look of a computer geek yet to his group he had all the traits and signs of one.

“Alright did we get a location on the address?” Omar asked turning in his seat and gazing at Kya and Akira who lowered their heads at the sight of him, trying their hardest to suppress the laugh that no longer wanted to be hidden.

“What?” he asked looking between the two.

“Don’t worry about them, I got a location. It’s near the Cliffside Center, I’ll give you directions after you get there,” Leotie told and Omar nodded as he started the car and drove off. Leotie turned and gave both girls a warning glance; they were all surprised that the facial joke of Leotie was still ongoing. The ride didn’t take long as the group had visited the Cliffside Center more than once thanks to the delectable restaurants that occupied the center. Leotie began to call out the specific directions, soon being able to cease the job thanks to the distant police cars in front of a house.

“Why are we always last to the party?” Omar growled stopping the truck and eyeing the cop cars and the cops scattered around the premises.

“Cause we’re just that cool,” Leotie smiled hopping out of the car and getting her bag, waiting on her team and once ready they walked towards the house.

 

“Ma’am I’m sorry but there’s nothing more we can do,” one of the cops told the woman.

“Of course there’s nothing more you can do, this isn’t exactly your field of expertise,” Leotie told sweetly smiling at the cop who returned her grin with a grimace.

“And you are?” he asked, beholding the group.

“The Shades, detective force that investigate hostile paranormal activity.” The lady seemed hopeful once she heard of their forte but the officer did nothing more than laugh.

“You’re kidding right?” he asked.

“No I’m afraid not. Now if you don’t mind wrapping your things up cause you and your boys are out of jurisdiction.” The two went into a stare off as the cop refused to believe the words he was just told.

“You can’t be serious!”

“We are!” Omar told growing tired of his constant disbelief. The cop’s mouth dropped at Omar and his eyes widened in even more skepticism as he gazed at the other members. Kya and Akira shook their heads and covered their face with their hands while Leotie retained the triumphant smirk on her face.

“I can’t see how you take even yourselves serious,” he told before motioning for his members to wrap everything up to leave. With that the group turned their attention to the woman who was still standing there. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days or been comfortable in a while, her dark brown hair was thrown into a very messy bun and the dark bags under her eyes contrasted deeply with her pale skin.

“Hi I’m Leotie, that’s Kya and Akira, and he’s Omar,” Leotie introduced as the woman shook her hand and introduced herself as Nicole, “can you give us a general idea of what happened?”

“A demon killed my baby girl,” she told and Leotie could immediately see the emotion coming in.

“Well that was general,” she mumbled, “can you show us the room this all happened in?” She nodded and motioned for the group to follow her as they walked into the quiet house. There seemed to be something hovering over the house, as if a great weight had just came and sat itself on their shoulders. They didn’t have long to look around though for the woman was already up the stairs and pointing down the hall at a closed door.

“I’m not going any closer,” she told and shuddered at the mere thought of doing such thing. Leotie nodded as she turned to her team, “Omar your with me, Kya I want you to walk around and see what kind of energy your picking up from this place, Akira I want you to talk to her and try and appeal to her better nature to give us more information.” They all nodded as Kya went downstairs, Akira motioned for Nicole to come and talk, and Omar and Leotie walked to the closed door at the end of the hall.

Omar took flank behind Leotie as they prepared to go in, never once questioning the leadership of her. Leotie was the second edition to the Shades and after one year proved to be the unchallenged leader. Her energy and skill mixed with her will to get things done and natural leadership ability all attributed to her unquestioned leadership rise. Leotie graduated at the top of her criminal class and was recruited by the GPCD thanks to her voodoo lineage where she also had knowledge and skill with. Leotie is of Louisiana Cajun heritage born in Louisiana before her career moved her to Georgia. She was a soft light brown complexion with dark brown eyes and long black hair.

Leotie glanced back to look at Omar before opening the door and being hit by a vulgar scent. Both were shocked to see the state of the room, untouched since the day it all happened.

“This makes me want to question Nicole myself,” Omar commented closing the door, getting a view of the markings on it. He held up the camera that was hanging around his neck and took clear shots of them. “Hey Leo come here real quick.” Once Leotie was by his side he pointed to the door, “these are two different marks.” Leotie took a closer look at the door, meeting the door with her nails and sliding them down, they fit the pattern.

“That’s human nail while that is something else.”

“Demon evidence number one,” Omar told snapping another picture. They both rose to their feet and Leotie walked ahead as Omar snapped pictures of the blood splattered carpet and walls. She eyed the bed carefully, taking in the foot of the bed where a large indention laid. The scene began to play out in Leo’s mind as she began to match everything together.

“He attacked her on the bed, she jumped off and landed here,” Leotie told pointing to small splattered blood near the bed, “and then she rushed to the door, that’s all I got.” She was stumped about the claw marks and exactly why they were there as well as the other blood stains on the floor and the one’s on the wall.

“Well then guess we can do nothing more than put everything together back at headquarters,” Omar told taking his last picture before they both walked out. They weren’t surprised to see Kya and Akira already packed up and ready to go back to the quarters. Though the group needed to go over their evidence they agreed to get some sleep and start fresh, while each did a little investigation of their own alone.