A Valentine Ghost Story

"We got it," Wayne shouted excitedly as he ran into the room. "We got permission to stay in the house." Alison turned to look at him her expression disbelieving.

"You're kidding," she said. Wayne shook his head waving a piece of paper in his hand.

"Nope I'm serious they've given us permission to spend one weekend there." He handed Alison the paper, she skimmed her eyes down the letter taking in the main points. She looked up at him her eyes wide in amazement. Then they were both jumping up and down laughing and hugging each other. A few seconds later they realised what they were doing and jumped apart embarrassed.

"I..." Wayne stuttered, "I'm sorry didn't mean to..." Not that he minded, as Alison was cute. Even when she had her red hair tied up as she did now and was wearing her tacky glasses. He had been hiding a flame for her since the first time they got together on a project. But there was no way he would ever have said that to her, she would never be interested in him.

"Me neither," Alison said at the same time, but if he had wanted to keep going she would not have minded. While he did look a little geeky she could tell there was the serious potential for a stud if he had someone dress him up properly. She had tried a number of times to get up the courage to talk to him about it but each time her natural shyness had kicked in and stopped her. The best she got was working with him on the projects for their Paranormal Science course at the university. Alison's one problem was that she was too shy; she knew that she should be able to get over it. After all she was 20 so why she could not find her way to tell Wayne how she felt.

To take her mind off Wayne she focused on the news he had just brought. They had applied over a month ago for permission to stay in the house. It was the local haunted house and a perfect project for their Paranormal Sciences course at the University. The house had been first built in the 1920's on what had been farmland before world war one. While it was being built there were rumours of trouble. The builders had a number of setbacks in building that one house. The others in the street were completed months before it was; due to various accidents and hold ups with the construction. Since then the longest anyone had actually lived in the house was three years, the average was measured in months. The house had a list of owners that was twice that of the other houses in the street. Finally, it was recently brought by a housing agency from the previous owners at a substantial loss. Even the agency had been having trouble with the house, no one wanted to rent it and the contractors brought in to modernise the house reportedly suffered a number of unexplained incidents. Rumours abounded about what happened to anyone who spent any length of time in the house. Supposed ghostly happenings, which included reports of objects being moved, bodily harm and even so it was said sexual harassment. The last one Alison doubted having not found many reports to back it up, and it was rare for ghostly visitations to involve any sexual contact. To Alison it was a mystery to be solved. Who was the ghost or ghosts in the house? Why where they there? So far, she had not found anything in the history of the area to explain it. There were no murders or violent deaths reported. But she was still looking into the history of the area, even checking into local legends about the area.

Wayne was thinking about the house as well, he too knew the history of the events surrounding the house. He however, did not want to help the ghost or find out what they wanted; no, he wanted to get definitive proof that there were ghosts in the house. While Alison had a more emotional interest, his was purely scientific. He believed in ghosts and wanted to be able to prove their existence finally and unequivocally. While Alison was thinking about the history and legends to figure out why the ghosts were there he was planning the equipment list he would need. There were various detection apparatus he would need: For electrical increases, heat sources, gaseous releases in the area the list was long and expensive. He hoped the Paranormal Department would sign off on the equipment. From what he knew of their tutor, he would fight hard to let them. He was as interested in the house as they were and had been working hard to allow them the access and support to study the house properly.

"We better begin planning..." They both started to say at the same time and laughed, Alison continued. "We better figure out what we need to take with us. When do they say we can stay?" Wayne checked the letter and smiled.

"In two weeks time."

"Cool gives us time to get things sorted ready. I was worried they were going to give us a few days notice." Wayne nodded.

"Me too, this gives me time to write out a proper application for equipment. I'd better get started now in fact you know how long it takes to fill out one of those application forms."

"And I can figure out what books to take, plus if I'll need anything for readings." Wayne rolled his eyes as she said it. "Hey you have your equipment to do readings I bring mine."

"Yeah but mine are scientific yours are just for show. Come on, casting runes went out with the dark ages."

"I'm not going to have this argument with you again. You know my opinion and I know yours let's leave it at that." Sometimes he could be so infuriating especially about her use of old fashion techniques to try to contact the spirits. They were tried and tested by generations of wise men and women throughout the ages.

"Fine but don't expect anything from them." Wayne said in reply with a hidden hint of disgust. How in this modern day she could insist on using outdated and unproven techniques to hunt for the ghosts was beyond him. After all, how could runes or séances scientifically prove the existence of ghosts? But there was no arguing with her like all women. Instead, he headed over to the table and fished around in his papers for an equipment application form. He knew he had got one just in case they got permission, their tutor had told him to give it to him to pass on. He just could not find it and began to get frustrated.

"What you looking for?" Alison said from her chair.

"The application form I know I've got one but it's not here." He dropped the papers in his hand in frustration.

"Try the draw over there." He headed to the draw she was pointing to and, on opening it found a neat pile of forms and letters all connected to their projects together. He looked over at her as he pulled out the required form. "I've been putting any important forms or paperwork in those draws for the last year. For someone so careful with his scientific experiments you are so disorganised it amazing. If I didn't do anything about it I'm sure you'd loss half the paperwork needed for our projects." Wayne smiled sheepishly at her knowing what she was saying was true.

"Thanks." He said as he headed back to his desk.

"That's ok," Alison answered with a soft shake of her head. She was already planning her list of needed items for the trip. She knew she had too many books on the area to take them all. She also had to decide which of the various techniques for reading the paranormal waves in the house she would take. Each situation required a different combination to find out what was happening. She sat at her table writing and rewriting her list of items needed.

They spent the next two weeks in preparing for the weekend in the house. Wayne put in his request and to his surprise managed to get all the equipment he asked for. He studied up on the ways to set up and use the equipment for the best results. Alison worked out what items she needed to do her readings on the house, plus what books she thought might be helpful in figuring out what was happening in the house. They spent so much time getting the equipment and study guides to help that they both forgot to pack any clothes until the last moment. Both of them turned up at the university site on the Friday evening with badly packed weekend bags. They each saw the others bag and began to laugh.

"Last minute packing?" They both asked the other. Then laughed softly together. They had worked so closely over the last year that they often said the same things at the same time. They spent the next fifteen minutes packing the van that Wayne had thought of requesting. Then they drove out of the site and headed to the house on the edge of town. Ten minutes later they pulled into the road: Valentine Drive. They drove slowly down the road until they reached the last house on the road number fourteen. An old detached house that showed its age with its appearance. The windows sills were stained dark from years of neglect and the ivy had climbed all over the walls almost hiding the house behind it. Wayne drove the van carefully up the potholed drive to the front door. It was a large black door surrounded by grey stone stained so it looked as if the house was almost screaming aloud at its fate. Alison looked up at the house suddenly nervous.

"Just the look of the place is off putting isn't it?" She asked; Wayne nodded obviously as unnerved as she was. They sat in the van for a few minutes both staring up at the house.

"We better unpack before it gets too dark hadn't we?" Wayne said his voice surprisingly quiet. He opened the door and climbed out, Alison followed him. Wayne went up to the door and lifted the mat. "The key should be under here I was told." He said over his shoulder as he did. He looked down and saw the key lying just where he had been told. He picked it up and held it like a trophy. Then he stood up and opened the front door with it. The door swung open and they both felt a blast of cold air sweep over them. They both shivered at the cold.

"Must not have remembered to switch on the central heating." Wayne said with a laugh. Alison was not so sure it had felt more than just cold from lack of heating. It had chilled her right to her core. She said nothing not wanting to start the weekend off with a possible argument. She had made a promise to herself that if she got chance she would spend time to talk to Wayne about how she felt. They entered the house and Wayne switched on the lights. "Well at least we have electricity for the equipment." He said over his shoulder to her.

"I think I'll just be glad for the lights. There is something about this place that makes my blood run cold." Wayne laughed at her girly comments. But he was careful not to make a comment. He had her to himself for the weekend, maybe if he was lucky. No, she was too attractive to be interested in a plain science geek like him. He went further into the house and turned on the main lights. Then they turned and began to unload the van carefully bringing in the delicate equipment that Wayne had brought. Wayne began to set up the equipment while Alison took a quick tour of the house. Unlike the outside, the inside showed the work done to update it into the twenty-first century. The walls painted in fresh bright but neutral colours. The radiators were brand knew and as Alison expected switched on heating the house. The windows were surprisingly, considering the outside appearance, made from brand new wood and contained modern double-glazing. In fact, it looked as if the work done to update it was very well done. In spite of that, she could feel the age of the house bearing down on it as well as its history almost as if it was being dragged down into the depths by whatever was happening here. She shivered softly feeling the horror caught up in the bricks and mortar of the house. She quickly went downstairs back to Wayne suddenly not wanting to be alone in the house.

"You ok?" Wayne asked her as soon as he looked at her. She nodded but her still came over and gave her a quick hug. "What's wrong? And don't you dare say there isn't anything I've known you to long now."

"It's nothing," she said then saw his face scowling. "Ok something about this house is wrong; there is defiantly something here that shouldn't be." Wayne looked at her but said nothing seeing the sincerity in her face. He knew her well enough by now to know she meant what she said. She had a definite knack for picking up on feeling of people, so he was always surprised that she had never picked up on his feelings for her. He carefully guided her to a seat and gently lowered her down. She sat shivering slight and he went back to setting up his equipment looking over at her worriedly every so often. To his relief she soon looked a bit better as she sat watching him. He felt a little nervous as he often did when she sat and watched him. He felt as if she was reading his mind or trying to. He felt worried in case she saw what he felt for her. If she did, he was scared she might not want to work with him. The two of them worked well together and it was the only chance he would ever have to be close to her.

Alison gave a small smile watching him; he always seemed like a little boy as he opened his equipment. Just like it was Christmas and he had been given his favourite toys as presents. He carefully lifted them out and showed them the tenderness she wished he could show her. Maybe it was the chance she was waiting for; after all, he had just shown her concern not normal for him. She started to open her mouth to speak to him. She stopped; no, he was busy and would not like the interruption. She closed her mouth and simply sat watching him knowing she had just made up an excuse not to talk to him. It took him nearly an hour to set up all his equipment and test it to see it was working properly. She got up and wandered over to him.

"Ok what does this lot do then?" She asked him waving generally at the different items.

"Various things," he said. "This one checks the heat variance in the house to see if we can detect any heat increase or decrease. It is one evidence of ghost activity. This one checks for increases in background electrics another sign of possible ghost activity. I've also got a number of camera units to set up to catch any sign of activity, just need your help in saying where you think I should set them up. I've also got a couple of handheld units to detect gaseous emissions as well as any radiation in the area." Alison raised her hand to stop him.

"Ok I guess you got everything covered then."

"As well as I can, wish we had access to a full kit. They've got so much more than I could ever get from the uni, but for what we want I think this lot will be fine." She gave a little laugh and nodded.

"Well shall we set up these cameras then?" He nodded and grabbed a bag full of portable CCTV units. They wandered round the house setting up the units where they agreed until the house was covered. They left one room free as a bedroom in which they were going to take turns sleeping. Alison was taking first duty in the kitchen but was getting the first sleep as a reward. She pulled out the food they had brought and quickly whipped up a spag-bol for the two of them. After dinner, she sat reading a bit more about the legends of the area while Wayne sat studying his equipment, which had shown no reaction to anything all night. At nine, Alison headed up to the bedroom to sleep leaving Wayne downstairs. She got out of her clothes and into her nightdress then settled down in the makeshift bed they had brought. At first, she could not get to sleep her mind racing about the house and what might happen over the weekend. Finally, tiredness settled in and she began to slip off into sleep.

A soft touch on her neck nearly went unnoticed in her sleepy state. A more firm touch did catch her attention, it felt warm and sensuous. It was a kiss against her neck soft and gentle. She murmured softly as the kisses continued, then she felt a hand sliding down her spine the fingers rippling down her skin. Alison shifted as the fingers reached the base of her spine then began to slide forwards along her waist. The kissing grew stronger on her neck; she could feel the lips pressing into her skin. The hand slipped up her stomach gently sliding over her nightdress. As the kissing became even stronger she felt the hand cupping her breast, the fingers pressing into her flesh. She gave a soft moan of pleasure at the feel.

"Wayne," she whispered softly. The hand and kissing suddenly stopped as if it had never been. Alison twisted round; she was alone in the room. Her mind shrunk back from what had just happened in horror. She sat up shivering, the room was freezing her breath coming out as steam. She clambered out of bed and pulled on her jeans suddenly very afraid. Something brushed against her, a soft touch but enough for her to feel it. She ran out the room and charged downstairs, halfway down Wayne appeared charging up the stairs. Alison screamed when she saw him nearly falling down the stairs in shock. He jumped up the bottom few stairs to get to her and grabbed her stopping her from falling.

"You alright?"

"Oh god Wayne." They spoke together, he held her tightly feeling her shaking in his arms.

"My sensors went off the scale," he said to her. "The temp in your room dropped by fifteen degrees; to below freezing in just a minute."

"Something was in there, it... it touched me." She could not bring herself to tell him what had actually happened to her. He hugged her tightly to him.

"It's ok, I'm here, you're alright." She pressed herself into him and in spite of himself he enjoyed the feel of her against him. He guided her downstairs sat her down and quickly got her a drink of water. She drank it obviously very shaken up by what had happened upstairs. Wayne sat next to her his arm around her comforting her. He felt torn by his feelings a mix of worry for her but also wanting to keep the close contact to her. It was the closest he thought he was ever going to get to her and wanted to make the most of it. After a while, she calmed down and he felt her shifting under his touch. With a deep reluctance he slipped his arm from round her. He stood up and went over to his equipment checking the output graphs to see what they might have picked up. He was amazed and delighted by the results. Not only did he pick up the rapid temperature drop there was a definite spike in the background electricity in the house. Whatever it was that had been in that room it had registered on two of his detectors. He turned to Alison barely able to hide his delight.

"We got it on both the temp and on the background electrics." He said to her. "The only down side is it picked a room without a camera in it. From the point of proving anything I mean." He added quickly realising how what he had said could have sounded. Alison smiled her understanding of he meant.

"It's good that we got a record of the variants." Her voice still shook as she spoke. "Do you mind if I stay down her for a bit. I don't think I could go back up yet."

"Of course, if you want to can sleep down here. I'll turn out the light for you." She nodded and he went and turned out the light. She lay down and he placed one of the extra sheets over her. It took her over an hour to go back to sleep and she slept fitfully waking repeatedly fearful of what might be happening to her. Each time she woke up she saw Wayne sat near her protectively. Finally she went to sleep. She woke in the morning and guessed Wayne had let her sleep in as it was light. She should have taken over at midnight. He saw her waking up and smiled at her.

"Feel any better?" He asked her, she nodded. "Want a tea?" Again she nodded; he went into the kitchen and soon came out with two cups of tea. He passed her one and she sat up sipping it gently feeling the hot liquid warming her and waking her up.

"You should have woken me, I missed my watch."

"You needed your sleep more than I did." She opened her mouth to argue but he stopped her with his hand. "If you want I'll get some kip now and you can keep a watch." She nodded and smiled. "Ok wake me in a couple of hours. I want to check the house for any gas or increase in background radiation."