34 - Witching hour

After James went around the house for a while looking for Jack and not getting any responses he decided to go back to the nerve center and get some other equipment.

When he got to the nerve center Adam was dozing off in a chair that was in front of the stationed camera's monitor.

James saw Adam and wanted to laugh but couldn't considering that Adam was supposed to be watching him to make sure he was okay.

He elected to let him sleep and grabbed the SLS camera and went back to the house.

After James went back inside he saw he started sweeping the house with the SLS.

...

Jack was just sitting on the couch in the living room feeling bored and wondering what his new ability can do.

His ability could just be interpreted literally and it heals spirits but he's never been injured so he doesn't know if it's even possible to be injured.

He also doesn't want to find out any time soon.

As he was deep in thought with his hand on his chin he heard the front door open and close.

He didn't bother even checking who it was and continued staring into the air.

Soon though he didn't have to figure out who it was as James made his way into the living room sweeping it with the SLS.

Jack didn't bother to pay too much attention to him because he was still regenerating his energy.

But what Jack didn't know was that it was 3 a.m.

The witching hour has begun.

The dimensional barrier between the living and the dead thinned and as James swept the couch with the SLS he caught Jack sitting there in thought.

James not expecting to get such a thing suddenly froze and stared in shock at the stick figure that looked like "The Thinker" sculpture sitting on the couch.

James woke up quickly and used the camera he was using to broadcast to record the SLS screen.

"Jack, are you sitting on the couch?" As soon as James asked that the stick figure out his arm down and appeared to be startled.

'He can see me?!?' Jack was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard James's question.

'But how? I'm not using energy.' Jack thought as he checked his energy and saw he wasn't losing any.

"You can see me?" Jack tried talking without spending energy.

Unfortunately, James didn't hear him but unknowingly the recorder in the living room picked up this question but it wasn't as clear and distinct as it would normally be when using energy.

Seeing James not respond he thought furiously about why he can see him using the SLS but not hear him but couldn't come up with anything so he stood up and waved at James.

"Are you waving at me?" James interpreted the moving of the stick figure's hand and asked.

Not hearing any voices and seeing the figure stop waving and just standing there James decided to ask Jack if he could do something specific.

"Can you wave your left hand?"

'I guess I could... any free experience without having to use energy is good with me.' Jack thought snd complied with James.

"That's awesome, thanks so much." James said but not long after the stick figure vanished.

"Did you leave?" James asked.

Jack heard him ask if he left and guessed that he must not be visible anymore since he hadn't moved.

'I wonder why the SLS could see me...' Jack thought as he remembered the effect of the equipment.

'It doesn't have a certain chance for me to appear on it like the thermal...'

"Are you still here Jack?" James continued asking questions and asked Jack to do things.

"Yes."

Jack didn't want to spend energy so he just replied normally and didn't expect much but then James reacted to his voice by jerking his head and looking in his direction.

"Was that you just now?" James asked having heard a faint voice replying to him.

'He even heard my voice?'

'What the hell is going on, how can I interact with the living without spending energy suddenly?' Jack was completely lost.

He thought of all kinds of reasons like his level and energy being higher may be causing him to passively be able to interact sometimes.

Unfortunately, that was wishful thinking, he doesn't know that after 4 a.m. when the witching hour ends and the dimensional barrier thickens again, he won't be able to interact without spending energy.

"Can you say that again, I couldn't make out what you said." James asked Jack to repeat because the voice was so soft it was almost indiscernible.

"Yes." Jack tried again but Janes didn't hear him this time at all.

Not hearing a response James asked a few more questions and Jack tried answering with no success.

Not getting anything more he thought maybe Jack left again so he moved to continue sweeping the house.

Jack was disappointed that he couldn't hear him but he decided to not give up and so he started following James.

As James walked around the house sweeping with the SLS, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him so he swiftly turned and glanced around for the source but didn't see anything with his eyes or the SLS.

Jack saw him react to him following him and decided to continue walking in front of him but didn't get any further reaction.

"Jack are you here?"

"Did you follow me?"

"Where are you?"

After a series of questions that Jack tried to answer without using energy but James didn't hear.

Jack eventually gave up and moved past James to where James was about to enter.

Jack entered the kitchen with James following shortly behind him after he didn't get any other response.

James swept the kitchen with the SLS but didn't see anything, he was about to move on but had an idea to use the infrared camera to look around as well.

So he did a sweep with it and saw a dark mist floating around the kitchen for a few seconds before dissipating.

James didn't overtly react to what he just saw so Jack had no idea but when Jack finally checked his status he found that he had gained a bit of experience.

[

Name: Jack

Race: Ghost (Phantom)

Lvl: 5 (17%)

Energy: 37/90

Regen: 12/h

Abilities: Spirit healing

Haunt location buff:

]