Excerpt: Paranormal Inc.

“Could you please knock to acknowledge?” she asked, and knocked the floor several times as a demonstration. “Maybe move a sheet, or some other indication that you’re here.”

“Dora.”

“Yeah, Tessa?” she asked. Her red headed friend was so far across the attic, Dora was surprised she had heard her speak so clearly.

“What is it?” Tessa called, moving so that she could get at least get a glimpse of her silhouette. “Did you find something?”

“Not yet. I was just wondering what you wanted.”

Tessa further extracted herself from the junk and started towards where Dora was sitting cross-legged on the floor. “What do you mean?” she asked. “What I wanted?”

“I was sitting here and you said my name. You didn’t want anything?”

Brown eyes stared back at her, confused. “I didn’t say your name, Dora.”

“You did,” she insisted. “I was sitting here and I heard my name and then-” She stopped herself and they both looked towards the recording equipment.

A look of delight spread across Tessa’s features. “Did you catch something?” she asked. “You swear to God you heard your name?”

Dora stared at her friend, suddenly afraid. “Like you were standing right next to me.”

“God, I hope you caught that on tape.” She picked up the talkie and buzzed Collin. “Hey, we might have something. Did you by any chance hear anybody just whisper your name?”

The device crackled. “That’s a negative. I’ve got nothing down here. Not even the whisper of a magnetic field.”