Archiebalding the DARK sniper

(Hot & Remnant) "C'moonnnnnnnn why can't we all just get along?

Sure tabby might not be the kindest or the gentlest or even the most tactful but uh... anyway the point is that Tabby's cool and she's staying."

"You like her. We noticed. But does that really mean you need to drag her everywhere?" Kaneeka squints at you.

"Don't worry, after my cousin leaves we can go right back to ignoring each other like God intended."

Stella looks up from her equipment, "Aww, come on, y'all. A lot has changed since high-school. Maybe you two could be friends if you tried."

It like the air sparks literally with tension at her words. It seems Stella is not correct.

You chat a little more, and of course experience a mysterious cold spot. (Book smart) It was just the wind or something, or the layout of the house.

After that you all move up ahead to Rosalina's bedroom.

Well, first of all you don't need to have keen eyes to see the giant bloodstain smack dab in the middle of the room.

"Woah." Stella gasps, which seems to be an inappropriate way to react to what seems to be a giant bloodstain.

Book smart:

"It doesn't need to be blood, it could be rust, or dirt."

Hot:

"No way, that's definitely blood."

"This is where I've seen it. It appears on top of... the stain." explains Oscar.

"Do you y mean this massive blood stain? It stinks to high heaven!" Even Gretchen agrees it is blood.

"Yeesh, that's gotta be tough to scrub out," your cousin comments, "Doesn't the county own this house? Do they know about the damaged carpet?"

"Have you seen your house?" Kaneeka scoffs, which is fair because Tabitha's house is literally falling apart.

"I don't see how that's relevant."

Stella fumbles with one of her devices for a bit.

"Weird, I'm not getting anything... it's not even cold. It's the same temperature as the living room. Nothing on the EMF, either."

"Then your equipment is wrong. The stain is definitely paranormal. I've scrubbed it out too many times to count, and it just keeps coming back."

"It's just a stain, dad. Can't we just cover it back up? I don't mind sleeping in here."

"Maybe we have to scrub it out first?" Avery theorizes, "Could be that the paranormal stuff will activate if we give it a reason to."

(Hot) "I dunno, do we really want to get our hands dirty over the ghost stain?"

"No, no, that's a good idea!" Stella nods frantically.

"I've never heard of a bleach-activated ghost before."

"You don't use bleach to clean a carpet, Tabitha."

"Whatever. How was I supposed to know that? Not everybody gets to learn how to clean things."

Oscar shrugs, "If y'all are offering free carpet cleaning, be my guest."

(Mystic) The stain is a cry for help, like broken cracked hands without arms pushing through the carpet, unable yet begging to be heard.

(Mystic) "Something is crying out for help." you note dryly.

"Huh... you might be onto something. I wonder if the blood spells something out on the floor underneath. Have you tried tearing up the carpet?"

"In a house owned by the government? Nope, I'm not messing with their carpets. I'd rather scrub ghost blood out of it every day than have the government take me to court for destroying their property."

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll just take you to court for neglect instead. Did it not occur to you that there could be a leaky pipe under the floor?" your cousin gives her two cents.

"I hate to agree with Tabitha on anything, but some kind of structural damage does seem likely. Tearing up the carpet doesn't seem like such a bad idea." Kaneeka nods.

"Only one way to be sure!" Stella excitedly starts tugging at the corner of the carpet.

Gretchen trots over to her owner, scrabbling a bit at the carpet and the floor, "Are we digging? Let me help! This is my area of expertise, after all."

"Oh, dear..." You hear Oscar mumble.

"You're doing the government a favor, really." Kaneeka reassures him.

Avery nods, giving him a thumbs up, "We'll cover for you, you don't have to sweat it."

Stella pulls back the carpet, revealing a hatch, the floor around it stained in that same reddish-brown.

"Wh-what if there isn't a ghost after all? What if somebody... lives down there?" says Rosalina's friend.

"Okay... maybe I don't want to sleep in here." the girl stares at the hatch with wide eyes.

You stare at it as well, strangely captivated. People talk around you but..

(Street smart) Okay terrible vibes, that's quite enough, "Are we sure we want to—"

You have a bad feeling about this, but it's too late. Stella pulls open the latch.

… You feel like you've stood up too fast, your world momentarily spinning and your sight disoriented. (Book smart) This would be a plausible explanation, were you not already standing. So what…?

(Mystic) The presence you felt is overwhelming now. It's ringing in your ears, screaming until you regain yourself a few moments later.

You're back in Oscar's living room, with your friends nowhere in sight, the only person you see is Tabitha, leaning over the couch trying to regain her balance.

You feel almost like you've just woken up, have you passed out?

This place.. it's not quite right.