Cheat Lake

I've been neglecting my blog with all of the end-of-term assignments and upcoming finals. I've also regrettably been neglecting MAPI. It's frustrating that I don't have enough time for what I'd rather be doing, but I suppose in order to continue what I love, I should make sure my grades a decent enough so I can return to Morgantown next year. 

I've grown rather fond of the other members. While they all have their little quirks (Alcyone seems to talk to herself at times, Peter has his phone glued to his fingers) I couldn't have imagined my freshman year without them. 

God, this is so sappy. It sounds like I'm leaving them forever. 

Whatever. 

So, we've arranged an investigation, one to sort of bring us back to the beginning. This weekend, instead of studying, which is something I should be doing, I'll be camping out in Cheat Lake with the MAPI group. Cassie mentioned that we may have more of a chance for a ghostly encounter since she's had luck there before. Plus, other than her encounter in Cheat Lake being the thing that brought us together, we haven't really investigated it. 

I've never really been fond of camping. I think it's because one of Liz's suitors, Bill, lived in a camper without electricity or running water. He was a strange, strange man. He was loaded, but thought that the 'simple life' gave him perspective. 

Yeah... 

I probably won't be updating until after the camping trip. 

Feeling Bitter

Liz's book has really been taking off. B&W Publishing seem to want to get this book off the ground as soon as possible, which, as suspected, makes Liz extremely happy.
So happy, that I wake up to handy little pictures of her promotion tour.

Like a picture of the 'Welcome to Ohio' sign. Because, having lived in Ohio, I've never noticed that sign before.

Or a picture of a sign, because I care. 

And finally, the bookstore set up for her very first book signing. So exciting. 

I should be happy for her success. After all, it's taken her my entire childhood to get a publisher interested in a book. It's just that it took my childhood to get them interested. That's what bothers me. 

Liz's book, the truth, and the red rocking chair

I've been doing a lot of thinking since Liz announced B&W Publishing agreed to publish her book. I couldn't push it out of my mind, as much as I tried.
Liz, my mother, was going to be famous from writing a true haunting that happened to her own daughter.
It happened in the house that I lived in my senior year of high school. And it happened almost immediately.
Liz and I arrived the night before the moving truck did, so we settled into the living room for the night. The sleeping bags and lack of running water and electricity made me feel like a homeless person. I kept hearing scuttling which I attributed to mice at the time so I dismissed it.
The next morning, when the moving trucks arrived, I was carrying some of Liz's boxes into the spare room. The door knob was stuck, so it took me a few shoves to get the door open, but I was immediately struck with an all too familiar eerie tingle down my spine. I rolled my eyes, of course it was another haunted house.
I remember taking the boxes to the furthest corner of the room, knowing that there was more to be brought up. I also remember the door creaking shut and I attributed it a worn hinge. But when I turned to leave, the door wasn't there.
Immediately a panicked feeling bubbled up into my throat. I tried to remain calm, but it was nearly impossible as I did a full 360 scanning for the door.
I remember closing my eyes to count to five. But I only got to three before I heard the same scuttling sound I heard the night before, except with it being much closer, it reminded me more of a rocking chair than mice in the walls.
I could feel my heart beating erratically, my palms were shaking, and was taking a few steadied breaths.
When I opened my eyes, I moved my attention to the center of the room, where there was a tiny red rocking chair and a small boy with a malicious grin on his face.
I screamed, pounding on the walls begging for Liz to find me. I've experienced presences in houses before, but I've never experienced a full body apparition until then.
After that, I steered clear of that room. Even though my room was a paper thin wall away, the boy seemed to be confined to that room. And with my music loud enough I could drown out the sound of rocking.

early mornings, publishing, and Liz

I woke up to this text from Liz:

I'm bitter. I should have had at least two more hours of sleep. 

I guess I'm evil, huh?

I think Alcyone's parents have been trolling my blog...

And I don't much care for it.

A Surprise Visit

A Surprise Visit pt. 2

I'll apologize, as my lack of posts directly correlate with my having lived in the library for the past week. I've been regrettably slacking in my classes this semester, so its been a lot of make-up and cramming for tests. I'm not entirely pleased with myself for neglecting my schooling, but hey, it's Morgantown.
I was going to make a quick post on Friday before I went out to Vice with Michele and her friend Paul, but before I'd even finished classes I received this text from Liz:


Liz wasn't much of a spontaneous person, but when she doesn't hear from me in over two weeks, she gets a little antsy.
So I embarked on a five hour trip to somewhere, Ohio...
Where we didn't have internet...
And the cell tower was down...
#firstworldproblems