They investigated my house until almost five o'clock that morning. They had caught more evidence in one night at my house than they'd caught anywhere ever. Good for their paranormal study; bad for my daily living situation.

After I got to Chad's that night/morning, I pulled my shirt off and found big whelps across my chest, letting me know what the fire I'd felt had caused. Susan had ended up with a black eye, which she blamed on a slip in the shower. Yet the guys hadn't had anything happen to them at all. Who or whatever was in my house was a coward, only messing with women or those who were weaker.

It was now Tuesday and I was still staying at Chad's condo. After he woke up Sunday evening, we went back to my house so I could quickly pack a bag with enough stuff to last me a few more days. We hadn't talked about what had happened at my house since we'd left. Chad said that Susan was contacting some people to either do a cleansing and a blessing or a full-blown exorcism and that I shouldn't go back until it was done. I still thought it'd be easier to just take a loss and sell it.

I had dinner with Eric and Kim after work, who about died when I told them all that had happened. Kim just sat there with her mouth hanging open and Eric grilled me about every little detail. I told them as much as I could, surprised at how the fear I'd felt flooded me again. I wondered how long that would last. Even after my house was cleared of the evilness that was there, would I ever feel safe?

They were also surprised that I was camping out at an almost-stranger’s condo. "Well, what else am I supposed to do? I can't stay with you and Phillip. And I have too many germs to stay at Kim's." Kim's mom was not only a little off, but she was a germaphobe, too. "And I don't have money to stay at a hotel, so…."

"Who is this Chad fella, anyway?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Kim chimed in. “What's his last name?”

"First off, he's just a friend. After what happened, he didn't want me staying there alone. And since he works nights and sleeps all day, he said I'd practically have the place to myself until I could go back home. And his last name is Bales. Chad Bales."

"So, what does this Chad Bales look like?" Kim asked.

I shook my head. "You two are impossible."

"We know, but what does he look like?" Eric asked again.

"He's muscular, taller than me, with short, wavy hair that’s kind of darkish, and green eyes... or blue... greenish-bluish, I don't know."

"Age?" Kim asked.

"He looks my age and that's all I know."

Eric continued to quiz me. "Where does he work?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know where he works? He could be a drug dealer or prostitute or something."

I laughed. "If that was the case, you'd have recognized his name," I teased Eric.

"True."

They finally dropped the topic of Chad, only to bring up another touchier one. "So, has Billy called you anymore?" Kim asked. I shook my head, hating the fact that every time I forget about him for a few days that someone would say something to bring him back into my thoughts.

We finished dinner and I headed back to Chad's condo, knowing he had already left for work. I had been sleeping on his couch, since his second bedroom was used as an office and exercise room. It still amazed me at how clean and organized he kept everything, especially since he was… well, a guy. I looked around for signs that a girl had been here—makeup or girly soap or shampoo in the bathroom—but all outward appearances said this was definitely a bachelor pad.

As I got ready for bed and laid down on his couch, I noticed a note on his coffee table.

I don't know if you read, but you can browse my kindle if you want.

It was interesting that he was a reader. I never took time to read, but seeing as how I had time right now, I reached over and opened up his kindle to see what all he had on it. I’m guessing that a person could tell a lot by what someone reads.

I turned the lamp off and pulled the Kindle light out so I could see, snuggling down into my pillow. I clicked on his Books-I’ve-Read file and was amazed at all the books it pulled up. The one that surprised me the most was Harry Potter; he didn't seem like the wizarding type. The ones that didn't surprise me were the ones by Stephen King, which seemed more his speed.

Wanting to keep it as non-scary as possible, I clicked on the first Harry Potter one and started reading. I was several pages in when I heard a noise coming from behind the couch.

No. It can't be….

It sounded like fingernails scraping across the leather, but I tried to ignore it and kept reading, not hearing anything else. But when I reached up to turn the page, the Kindle light shifted ever so slightly, shining on a ghostly face that was mere inches from mine. I dropped the kindle and scrambled up the couch, trying to get away from the thing that was sitting on the floor next to me. I reached for the lamp, and in my haste, knocked it over. As I went to catch it, it fell against the table and broke, slicing my arm open.

The fear of what I'd just seen was replaced by the sheer terror of how much blood that was suddenly everywhere. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed the nearest towel that I saw, wrapping it around my arm. I turned on the light, looking back into the living room, which was now empty. I immediately started to feel light-headed, so I laid down in the kitchen floor, holding my bloody arm up in the air. I knew I would have to go to the hospital and get stitches or I'd bleed to death, but I also felt like I was going to pass out and was afraid to drive.

I slowly stood up, looking to make sure I was still alone, and saw my phone on the coffee table—the same coffee table that I'd just seen that scary-as-hell face next to. I had no choice but to go back in there, so I cut all of the lights on that I saw switches for and grabbed my phone, falling back onto the couch. I called Eric first, but Phillip had his car, so he had no way to come and get me. I called Kim next, but all I kept getting was her voice-mail. There was no way I'd call Chad at work; he was nice enough to let me stay here, but I wasn't about to bother him at his work.

My towel was soaked with blood and I felt like I was about to pass out. Do I call 9-1-1? I could only imagine how much an ambulance ride would be. I scrolled through my contacts again and called Katrina. I didn't want to, but she was the only other person I was close enough to that I didn't mind calling this late at night. But just like Kim, I got her voice-mail.

"Oh, my gosh. Does everyone cut their ringers off at night?"

I knew there was one other person who'd take me; one other person who I could call that would keep me from having to call an ambulance. But would it be worth it? As I broke out in a sweat and started to feel faint, again, I knew I had to do something, or Chad might come home and find me dead on his couch. Wanting anyone besides an ambulance to take me, I scrolled through my call log and found his number.

"Jacynda, what's wrong?" He knew something bad must've happened for me to be calling him.

"Billy." My voice was barely a whisper at this point. "I'm... I'm... I need you to take me to the hospital. I have... there's nobody else." I felt so weak that I thought an ambulance might've been the better option. Money isn't worth risking my life over.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at… I'm….” Where was I? "I'm at those condos downtown. River Trace, maybe... something." I didn't even know what number this one was. "It's the first one." I knew I wasn't making sense, but it was like my mind was shutting down; I didn't like blood. I got up and went to the door, opening it to see what number Chad lived in. "Four fifty-seven."

"River Trace, four fifty-seven?"

"Yeah." I laid back down on the floor near the door, leaving it open so the cool night air would blow in and hopefully keep me from throwing up.

"I'm on my way."