Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue
"I don't know Sam," Colby frowned. "Seems like a stupid idea..."
"Are you kidding?!" Sam gazed at him in surprise. "You realize how easy money this would be for us?!"
"I know, but...come on, how BASIC of an idea!" Colby pointed out to him. "Staying all night at a haunted house, just ONE night, mind you..."
"Nobody's been recorded to do it yet, Colby!" Sam defended right back at him. "We could be the only ones!"
"Wouldn't it just be ONE of us?" Colby pointed out worriedly. "The contest was real clear...only one player!"
"So, we could have two attempts between the two of us!" Sam added as he thought of more ways to convince his stubborn friend. "Then think about it bro, we could own the place and get the money!"
"What would we want with a dump like that, Sam?" Colby scoffed, shaking his head. "I knew we were running out of content ideas, but are we THIS desperate?"
"We could run tours for one!" Sam pointed out, reminding him of a personal goal they both shared since they started ghost hunting. "And it's not that rundown, but the history of it is SICK brother, the first haunted place in the world they think!"
Colby rolled his eyes at him. "Give me a break, they can't prove that!"
"Historians have," Sam shrugged. "There's books documented with the first appearance dated back to the 1500s bro!" Sam scoffed. "I can't believe you're not sold yet!"
Colby frowned. "Call it a bad feeling, Sam..." He put simply with a shrug. "But if you want to try it, I guess I'm game too..." He sighed. "It could be an easy win for sure, especially for us!" His eyes glimmered in amusement.
"That's the spirit!" Sam grinned. "Pun intended!" He laughed. "So that's it, we're going?!"
"I guess!" Colby nodded his consent. "We're going..."  
"We going to complete the Hurstwood Manor Challenge!"

Chapter 1: Sam
"So that's the manor, Mr. Golbach..." Dr. Newcastle ended the tour of Hurstwood Manor he was required to do before the competition. "What are your thoughts, sir? You've been very quiet!" 
Sam felt Colby nudge is arm to talk. He had been to occupied staring at the stunning.
"Sorry, what?" Sam stammered lamely. 
Colby grinned at him. "Scared already, Sam?" He taunted teasingly. 
"I asked if there were any thoughts or questions sir...." Dr. Newcastle scoffed. 
He was the owner of the manor, not the original owner, but the current one to run the challenge. One night completely alone in the world's first haunted location known to man.
And they were about to enter it officially.
The manor was old, but well kept up and refurbished in an old Victorian style. 
Sam loved it.
"It's great!" Sam shook his head. "What else do we need to do, sir?" He asked politely as Dr. Alfred Newcastle walked them downstairs to the main entrance where the owner pointedly stopped at a podium poised near the entrance.
"Here you'll see the list of previous contestants," Dr. Newcastle acknowledged his question with a small bow. "We'll need signatures from each of you, and of course, fingerprints as well, as you can see!"
"Fingerprints?" Colby echoed curiously, leaning over Sam's shoulder to see for himself. "Isn't that overkill?" He scoffed.
"It is part of the rules sir," Dr. Newcastle frowned at him. "If there's a problem..."
"No sir!" Sam shoved Colby's arm lightly as a warning. "We'll do the fingerprint too if we have to, right Colby?"
Colby rolled his eyes, but he nodded as he shifted closer to the door itself.
"That's another rule," Dr. Newcastle watched Colby more carefully as he wandered by the door. "Only one at a time!"
"We know!" Colby narrowed his eyes at the man. "We're doing one night each alone sir!"
Sam was glad his friend added sir to the end of his comment. He was beginning to worry Dr. Newcastle didn't like him.
"Good!" Dr. Newcastle. "Who is beginning, then?"
"I am," Sam nodded to the older gentleman respectfully. "If that's okay?"
"Certainly, makes no difference to me!" Dr. Newcastle shrugged, adjusting his suit coat more after making it even just the slightest askew. 
Sam wondered if the man had OCD tendencies, judging by the awkwardness and neatness of the manor itself. All done by him, too, Sam remembered curiously. 
He followed Dr. Newcastle to the podium more then as he began the signing up process.
"You will have one night here. Followed by one candle stick, one match, and oh!" Dr. Newcastle pulled on a small case and opened it.
"Woah!" Colby flinched back in surprise. "A freaking weapon?!"
"Pistol, to be precise, Mr. Brock..." Dr. Newcastle narrowed his eyes warningly at him. "Filled with six chambers, just in case, in case you encounter the infamous headless spirit here!"
Sam widened his eyes. "I've never known spirits to die by pistols..." He scoffed at the weapon.
"Normal weapons, maybe..." Dr. Newcastle scoffed at him. "Anyway, by no means do you HAVE to use it sirs," He went on formally. "It is simply for your protection, as you will all be mostly alone out here!" He reminded them. 
Colby exchanged a knowing glance with Sam.
"Oh!" Sam nodded back to him. "Sir, we're experts in ghost hunting, do you mind if we film our night here?" He asked. "Some friends will be waiting from base camp!"
"Base camp?" Dr. Newcastle frowned. 
"Yes sir," Sam nodded. "Set up in that massive garage separate from the building, so they won't be part of it!"
"But they can hear you?" Dr. Newcastle asked. "Talk to you?"
Sam nodded. "To an extent, is that against the rules?" He asked.
"What about the lighting," He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Will you be able to see enough? we do not have wired electricity here!"
"Then cameras are out of the question..." Sam frowned. "But we can use our ghost hunting equipment from this age?" Sam teased him carefully with a grin.
"It really makes no difference to me, I suppose!" He shrugged. "As long as you remain here for the full night was the deal, technically!"
"Great! Thank you sir!" Sam felt realized to still have his friends watching his back. It didn't matter if they could see him or not to him.
As long as he knew they had his back, he felt better about the whole thing. 
"Here is your candle," Dr. Newcastle handed the candlestick over to him gently after he finished his signature with a fingerprint. "Your match, and don't forget!" He added to the case he placed at the podium.
"Yeah, sure..." Sam scoffed at him. "Can my friends come in to set up equipment?"
"Yes sir," Dr. Newcastle nodded. "They have half an hour...that's all!" He warned him sternly.
"Then let the Hurstwood Challenge begin!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Sam
"You ready Sam?" Colby called over his walkie talkie.
"As I'll ever be!" Sam scoffed back to his friend. "We really lucked out that he let us do the challenge this way, for content, too!"
"An added bonus right? Just sucks about no cameras working...even our hand helds! It sucks we won't be able to see that footage or you!" Colby sighed through the radio. "Hey, what about that pistol, that's pretty wild, isn't it?!"
"No shit!" Sam agreed. 
"Just do us a favor and don't shoot up the place there, Sam!" Kris teased him on the other line.
"Yeah! You don't want to go to jail again, do you?!" Celina teased him as he walked the halls alone.
"Ha, ha!" Sam laughed sarcastically back. "You had to bring that one up, didn't you?"
"Sorry!" Celina snickered back on the radio. "Too soon still?"
"Nah I'm kidding, I'm over it!" Sam could laugh about the time he was in jail with Colby now, but he still hated the jokes about it. Now with the pistol in possession, he was especially cautious that it might be some kind of trap involved if he used it.
"Find anything bro?" Colby asked him.
"Nothing yet!" Sam reported. "It IS pretty creepy, bro...old....but imagine running this...place..." He railed of thoughtfully as he came to a parlor like area, stopping at a book pointedly placed on the coffee table.   
"Sam?" Colby's voice grew instantly panicked when he stopped replying. 
"Hey yeah, sorry!" Sam replied with a scoff at his friend's nerves. "I found a book!"
Colby laughed. "THAT'S what you stopped to see?"
"It's huge bro!" Sam protested, grinning, even though he knew his friend could barely see him on the cameras now that it was an hour or so past dusk. He set his candlestick, now lit, down beside the book so he could try to read it.
"This is sick, guys!" Sam held the walkie talkie button. "It's the story of the headless ghost here!"
"God, I keep forgetting it's headless!" Colby's voice shook. Sam pictured his friend shuddering, making him smile.
"Yeah, that's I guess a first for us isn't it?" Sam laughed. "Still don't feel like running for the hills yet though guys..." He yawned. "It...it is getting late though..." He rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"We can take a hint!" Colby called back. "Do what you need to bro, we're watching the house out here. You'll be fine!" He insisted. "Win this contest so I don't have to for us, huh?" He teased him warmly. 
"Yeah, win!" Sam scoffed at his friend fondly. "I'll try bro! Goodnight!" He called over the radio, ready for some time to soak in the manor truly alone.
"Good luck Sam," Colby called back to him. "Be careful! Don't do anything stupid!"
Sam laughed, unable to help but to reply back. "You too!" 
He left the radio in his pocket then carefully. 
The house went still, almost a deafening silence then which was unnerving. 
Sam thought about calling his friends quickly but he wanted to genuinely try the contest the way it was meant to be done.
Alone.
He glanced at the book thoughtfully, taking it underhand as he decided to try to get at least a few hours of sleep if he could. It was really boring once he calmed down more, he thought, but he glanced at the pistol thoughtfully on his way towards the stairs.
Sam found himself taking it with him. 
He didn't intend to use it at all, only really firing it once after Dr. Newcastle had to show him how it worked. He wasn't sure he could repeat the actions correctly if his life depended on it, but for some reason it made him feel better to at least have the option.
He shoved it in his back pocket as he slinked upstairs with the book under his arm, and the candlestick in the other, leading the way.
He knew the candlestick was the only option, purposely no flashlight allowed because it added a scare factor. 
It would eventually run out.
Sam went to one of the bedrooms upstairs that he claimed before during setup. He set the candlestick on the nightstand, pausing when he swore he heard something downstairs.
Something like footsteps.
Sam stiffened, but he didn't run. Footsteps were no big deal to them after millions of ghost hunting trips. He knew better than to expect that they belonged to a human.
He stuck his head out the door cautiously anyway.
"Hello?" Sam called politely, but no answer came like he expected.  
Not even their rem pod or music box went off, even though they had them both covering the hallway.  
Still, it went quiet.
Sam sighed, stepping back into his room.
"Well..." He talked to himself out loud. "A good night's rest would definitely make this go faster!" He decided confidently as he took off his shirt, quickly changing into sweatpants and a tee shirt as he got more comfortable. It all seemed less scary to him as he normalized himself. 
Out of boredness, he took out the book once he propped himself up comfortably in bed.  
He cleared his throat, dramatically reading from the first story listed out loud to himself.
At least he tried to read.
A heavier footstep distracted him, one that seemed to be near his very door.
"That....that's enough!" Sam ordered the spirit, admitting to himself that he was loosing his nerve at that a little. "Enough playing, I know you're here...and you know I'm here...it's...it's just for the night, okay?!"
The music box went off almost instantly in reply.  
Sam ran to it, hoping to see some kind of action, but the hall was empty.
Sam rolled his eyes.
"Typical!" He scoffed to himself at how cowardly he was being. 
"You can keep distracting me all you want, you know?!" He called out to the spirits tauntingly. "But whether you like it or not, I'm here, and I'm reading that story!" He declared. 
He suddenly wondered if the spirit was purposely trying to distract him from finding out more about Hurstwood's famed haunted, headless ghost. 
"I am...." Sam was determined then to finish the story of what truly went on at the manor. 
"I'm finishing that story!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Sam
Sam went back to his room after showing down with the spirits. 
He pulled the walkie from his pants pocket first before going back to the story.
"Yo...Colby?" Sam knew who could calm him back down.
A long beat answered him.
"Sam?" Colby's voice sounded like he just woke up. Lowered, too. "Hey bro, you okay?" He grumbled a little. "The girls are asleep too...sorry man, I guess we all drifted off out here!" 
"It's okay," Sam sighed, already relieved to just hear his voice. "Listen, uh some activity has picked up..."
"Shit! You doing okay?" Colby asked him, instantly more alert with concern. 
"Oh fine, fine!" Sam replied dismissively. "I just wanted to let you guys know, you know? I guess I was just getting nervous..." He admitted anxiously. 
He swore he heard the footsteps at the stairs just then. 
"You'll pull through Sam, you're doing great!" Colby encouraged him. "Three hours into the night already bro!" He scoffed in bewilderment. "Man, I didn't realize we slept that long. I'll stay up now for you, okay?"
Sam felt more reassured then, slowly gaining his confidence back through his friend.
"Yeah, yeah..." Sam sighed in relief. "That would be good!"
"Consider it done!" Colby replied loyally. "Only about 6 hours left Sam, give or take...you can do it! Do you need to stop, though?"
"No, no!" Sam refused to quit. "I'll be okay!"
Colby replied something, but the radio started fading in and out. 
"Sam?" Colby asked again, but Sam couldn't understand him.
"No...no...you're cutting in and out brother!" Sam yelled into the radio, but suddenly he wasn't getting any signal from it at all.
It went dead.
Sam swore, turning the power on and off, but no luck. 
His only contact to the outside world was cut off. Phones weren't allowed so he had given it over to Colby as his friend kept watch outside.
Now Sam was truly on his own. 
"Well Sam," He huffed to himself. "I guess it's the perfect time to finish that dang book!"
Sam lifted is chin confidently as he reached over for the big book of stories.  
He looked at his candle, realizing half of it was left now, too. 
"No wonder they called it a challenge..." Sam sighed as the odds were slowly stacking up against him. 
He opened the book finally to the first story.
"Once the house was peaceful..." Sam read aloud dramatically. "The owner, Mr. Charles Hurstwood, created it himself in the 1500's, in hopes of leaving it to his only remaining family one day, his only daughter Julia..." Sam pictured the story in his head, the story taking away from the stressful situation he was in now. 
"Julia invited a girlfriend to stay with her, but they arrived early one night, her Father still away on business. He was returning late that evening, so they agreed to stay at the manor for the night expecting him to be home shortly after..." 
Sam looked up from the book with a jolt, hearing the music box dinging by the stairs. Footsteps creaked on the old floorboards, but he was determined to read on.
"The girls stayed in the master bedroom together, staying up late and talking until one of them heard a noise downstairs..." Sam scoffed. 
"Sounds familiar!" Sam laughed to himself before going on with the tale.
"Julia told her friend Amy to quit messing around. Amy claimed she didn't know what she was talking about, saying Julia was a coward for not checking it herself..." 
Sam laughed again. It sounded just like something him and Colby would go through. He related to Julia, always paranoid about Colby pulling pranks on him here and there. 
"Amy pulled the covers off, leaving downstairs  to see what was going on, if Mr. Hurstwood was home..." Sam shivered, feeling the temperature suddenly drop around him. He closed his eyes a minute, trying to get his mind off the activity, but he then heard the rem pod scream down the hall closer to his room.
He swallowed hard, focusing hard on the story as he tried getting out of his head about the activity.
He had to admit...it was getting harder. 
Sam shook his head, clearing it the best he could between the beeping sounds of their equipment, longing to contact Colby to help, but he knew it was useless. 
He focused on the story again.
"Amy didn't come back. Julia sat alone for what felt like hours, waiting, until she heard the front door open. 'Jules?!' Her father called for her. 'Jules, why are you down here?' He asked the room. 
Julia screamed, realizing what he had found downstairs just when he screamed. He had found Amy, dead with her head severed at the bottom of the stairs..." Sam felt his blood run cold. His arms lined with goosebumps as the night grew cold around him. 
He heard the creak at the bottom of the stairs.
"Dang, what an awful way to go..." Sam murmured sympathetically as he forced himself to focus again. 
"It turned out a murderer had broken in...coming from the old asylum just down the road?!" Sam stared at the book, appalled at the ending. "Oh come on! What a freaking ending!" He scoffed. 
He surprised himself by yawning, taking a cue to finally try to sleep if he could. He placed the book on the nightstand. 
Sam realized by doing so, he accidentally blew out his only candle.
"Shit!" He swore, panic mounting as he wondered how he would get around in the dark alone now. "Well..." He scoffed to himself as he pulled up the covers to himself.
"I guess that means it's bedtime!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Sam
Sam woke with a jolt, grossed out instantly as a layer of cold sweat broke out all over himself, soaking his shirt and hair. 
It was still dark. 
Sam grumbled in frustration, hoping that sleep would have passed the time faster. He squinted, seeing the old fashioned grandfather clock in his room read it was nearing 3am.
"Well," Sam scoffed. "That's timely..." 
Sam smiled, remembering fondly in the old days he used to do 3am challenges alone all the time. 
"I've got this, then!" Sam encouraged himself as the memory fueled his courage.  "Just a few more hours to sunrise, and I'm gone!" 
Sam stiffened, hearing the music box. His mind drifting back to the story. It suddenly energized him, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"A little solo investigation never hurt anyone, right?" He realized he was talking to himself again a lot, but if he was honest, it was helping. 
"Alright, let's do this!" Sam called out sharply. 
He figured with only a few hours left, even if he became scared, there would be less time he had to spend there than when he started.
He sat on the top of the stairs, using nothing but his eyes and ears in the investigation unlike their standard equipment. He pulled out an emf reader, watching it too as he began asking questions.
"Did you die here?" Sam asked the obvious question. 
Silence met him at first. 
"I read the story," Sam shifted more comfortably as he felt his heart race. "I really felt for you Julia, are you here?"
Silence again. 
"Oh come on, I can't be scary to talk to!" Sam scoffed. A thought occurred to him quickly. "Are YOU scared?"
The music box replied as if for a yes.
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Sam apologized. "It's just for the night okay, I'm uh, different than your other guests, I'm sure..." Sam scoffed. "They probably don't talk to you, but I feel for you...I'm sorry Amy, that story...it really did get to me!" Sam added. 
The music box spun loudly in reply. 
"I had a nightmare you know?" Sam opened up more casually than he expected. "I don't remember it much, but I think it was just from being here...it was wild," Sam scoffed. "My friend you see, he uh, can be a bit of a prankster too sometimes...Julia I could relate to how you thought it was a joke!" Sam sympathized with the spirits more. 
"I can't imagine ever loosing him though, like you did..." Sam wanted nothing more than to run to his friend then, but he didn't want to loose. He yawned. "I'm going back to bed now..." He felt a rush of cold air. 
A loud step on the stairs made the whole room change in energy.
"Woah, hey, sorry if I offended you!" Sam scrambled back up again. 
He felt a tug on his elbow, making him feel more violated than he ever felt on a case. 
Sam ran back for his room, for some reason wanting to hide the rest of the night out in it comfortably.
"Just...just stay back, okay?" Sam swallowed nervously. Then another thought occurred to him.
The ghost of the murderer could be trapped there with him too, not just Amy who died. 
"Stay back!" Sam warned more, going to his pants pocket as they hung on the dresser. 
He took the pistol.
He headed back for bed. He found himself shaking, gripping the pistol in his hand even though he knew it was nothing really that he shouldn't already be used to now.
"You don't have permission to touch me, understand?" Sam stated clearly like they would sometimes when activity spiked.
The music box chimed almost mockingly at him.
Sam jumped, the motion setting off the pistol in his hand. 
Luckily he was aimed at the empty door frame.
"Shit!" Sam swore again, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He ran a hand though his blonde hair nervously, slicking it back as it was already completely covered in sweat now.
Sam looked back up at the door, his body completely freezing up in response to shock washing over him at the spirit.
A floating spirit, headless, coming to stand at his bedside.
Sam could see it plainly, edging to the foot of his bed. 
"S-stay there!" Sam yelled, his heart pounding, staring at the spirit in disbelief. He ended up firing a second shot as it moved closer to his bed. 
"I said stay!" He yelled in sheer panic. 
He never saw a spirit so plainly in his life. 
It floated even closer.
Sam fired again at the floor, knowing it was out of panic, but he couldn't help it.  
Seeing it was messing with his mind.  
"Stay....I said stay!" Sam broke into tears of fear, firing a fourth time into the floor. "Stay back!" He fire a fifth time, painfully aware he had one left and it wasn't even working.
The headless spirit turned straight beside his bed, lowering itself a little at the knees as if it was leaning over to check him out.
"NO!" Sam shrieked, running for the door then in a blind panic.
He fired the final shot behind him blindly, dropping the pistol in a fit of fear. 
"NO!" Sam cried as he ran downstairs, pulling his arm away as he felt a tug on him again. "Please....I don't....I don't give you permission to do this..." He sobbed feebly. 
He wanted so badly to quit, running but he planted himself in a closet, feeling he most secure in the one under the stairs. He knew it probably was strange, but he didn't feel safe anywhere else. 
"Two more hours...please...." Sam remembered seeing the clock upstairs reading just past 5 in the morning. 
"Please..." Sam sobbed. "Leave me alone!"
"Leave me alone for just a few more hours!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Colby
Colby paced up and down the manor outside frantically.
He heard the gunshots from outside. 
"Oh Sam...God, please be okay..." He prayed worriedly as he felt helpless. 
Kris and Celina watched him sympathetically.
"Sam's tough, Colby..." Celina tried to console him when the final gunshot rang out. 
They fell silent, waiting hours as Colby noticed the sky tuning the first hints of gray before dawn.
He looked at his watch.
Sam only had a half hour left.
The deal was only for the night. Dr. Newcastle would be back soon.
Colby felt a surge of pride for his friend, realizing he had a chance to win it.
If he was still alive!
Colby paced frantically outside the front door again.
His watch finally set off the alarm, telling him five minutes left of the challenge. 
Colby rushed for the door, waiting for the lock system to open itself like Dr. Newcastle told them it would when it was over.
"He'll be alright Colby," Kris tried reassuring him. "Celina's right, and you guys do this stuff all the time!"
Colby grunted in reply, only able to think of getting his friend out of there.
The lock system activated, beeping at them frantically until Colby punched in his code he was given to enter.
He rushed in, but the place looked deserted, empty.
"SAM?!" Colby cried out. "Yo Sam! It's over brother! You did it! You fucking did it!" He swore out of shock.
"Leave me alone!" A frantic voice sounded down the hall somewhere. "Can't be...can't be real...leave me alone!"
Colby followed the voice the best he could but it was so muffled he couldn't tell where it was coming from.
"Colby!" Kris gasped, being the one to find him, but she stood in front of a hall closet just under the stairwell. "I...I think he's in this...Sam!" Kris stiffened in surprise.
"NO!" Sam yelled back in shock. "No! leave me alone!"
Colby widened his eyes at his friend's dramatic reaction.
"D-Don't touch me!" He continued yelling. "Get away!"
Colby tensed, motioning for Kris to step back so he could try helping their friend more. 
"Sam?" Colby swallowed nervously, seeing his friend just barely tucked in the farthest corner of the small closet. "Sam, it's okay, hey...do you want to leave now?"
"Leave me alone!" Sam flailed at him when Colby reached a hand to help him up.
Colby pulled it back in surprise. "Oh Sam..." Colby sighed in sympathy, wondering how they were going to get him out at all. 
"Get away...get away..." Sam mumbled repeatedly in reply now, pulling himself in to the farthest position he could away from.
Dr. Newcastle knocked on the door.
"Oh! You're ALL still here!" He pulled off a fedora as he entered. "What's wrong?" He frowned as he saw all three of them hovering around the closet.
"Sam sir," Colby gazed at him mournfully. "I can't get him out, sir...please..." He gazed at him. "What do I do? He won't let me near him!"
"Oh dear," Dr. Newcastle frowned. "I was worried of this..." He sighed. "That's why I have you folks sign everything..." He added protectively. Dr. Newcastle approached slowly. "Sam? Sir? You've won, kid, you can leave!"
Sam tuned oddly at his voice, lunging at him suddenly in a violent attack.
"SAM! STOP!" Celina shrieked in protest as she barely got out of the way, pulling Kris aside too in time as Sam threw a fist their direction.
"No! No....no..." Sam sobbed, fighting Dr. Newcastle as the older man managed to somehow put him in a protective hold to keep him still. "No...No..."
Colby felt his heart break, wondering if his friend was ever going to be the same again.
"Colby there's a number on my phone for the mental hospital that reopened down the way..." Dr. Newcastle struggled to hold Sam as Sam still tried to fight him back. 
"MENTAL hospital?!" Colby gaped at the man.
Dr. Newcastle grabbed Sam's arm quickly when he broke free for a moment.
"They can help, sir," He looked at Colby sternly. "This man will not be safe in society just yet!"
Colby looked back towards Kris and Celina helplessly. 
"Do it Colby," Kris put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "This...this may make or break Sam, we need to help him anyway we can!"
Colby lowered his head, hating that Sam's experience there affected him so badly. 
"This is all your fault!" Colby yelled at Dr. Newcastle first before snatching his phone before calling the asylum.
"You're the one who broke my best friend!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Colby
Dr. Newcastle was finally arrested.
Colby pumped a fist triumphantly in the air as they left the court room, gaining some inner peace after the incident when he saw them haul the challenger off to jail.  
Kris patted him on the shoulder encouragingly before pulling him into a hug.
"Sam would be proud of you," She murmured gently before pulling away. "What are you planning to do next?" She asked him curiously.
Colby ducked sheepishly from her. "Uh, well Sam's still under treatment..." He reminded his friends as Celina drove them back the manor. 
"Yeah, but the Hurstwood Manor is yours now, isn't it?" Celina asked him curiously.
Colby nodded with a smirk. "We got the place, but...but I'm not sure if we'll be running it like we wanted...I don't know if that's best for Sam..."
"You could be right!" Kris shrugged. "Or Sam will come out, just like Sam before and want to run it again! You're gonna wait to make that call, aren't you?"
Colby nodded. "It's only fair," Colby agreed. "Plus this windfall of cash from the settlement will help...I bought the guest house next to it, so we can at least stay there instead of the property itself!"
"Good idea," Celina nodded. "It's getting late...is that where I'm taking you now?"
"If you don't mind?" Colby nodded back to her from the passenger seat. "It'd be too late to tell Sam the good news anyway, if he'd remember..." He sighed.
"It's not that bad," Kris encouraged him. "You'll see! Maybe Sam's getting better!"
Colby couldn't see how. He simply nodded to her, gazing out the window the rest of the way. 
"Either way," Celina gazed at him before he got out. "She's right Colby, it's not that bad...why don't you start with renovations and we can get the place ready before Sam gets out? Then it's ready!"
"That's true..." Colby gazed at her hopefully. "I need something to keep me busy...waiting for him is the hardest damn thing..." He choked up, looking away as he got out of the car.
"We know Colby," Kris gazed at him warmly. "It sucks they won't let us even visit, but you did the right thing, you know?" 
Colby nodded once. "Thanks ladies," He smirked. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sounds good! Bye Colby!" Celina smiled, waiting for him to get to the guest house door before taking off. 
Colby noticed Kris watching him from the backseat. He waved, finding himself staring back even though they were out of sight.
He shook his head, focusing on what he needed to do to get his new haunted location running.
OUR new location running! Colby corrected himself to be less selfish. 
Sam was still coming back! He thought stubbornly.
His phone rang just as he had drifted off after sitting on the couch awhile. He hadn't realized how tired he had been after the trial ended.
"H-Hello?" Colby answered gruffly as he cleared his throat. 
"Mr. Brock, hello...this is Rolling Springs mental illness care facility..." A receptionist explained. 
"Oh, hi!" Colby replied more eagerly, his heart racing with joy as he wondered if this was the call he had been waiting for weeks.
"Yes, hi..." She scoffed. "Uh, it's an unusual situation sir, but we have reason to believe that you might be in danger!"
Colby blinked, wondering if he heard her right. "Danger? Me?"
"Yes," She sighed. "I'm sorry but there has been a break out attempt, a successful one this afternoon and we believe Mr. Golbach was the ring leader..."
Colby suppressed a laugh of shock and brief amusement at the news.
"I'm sorry, what?" Colby rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus. "Sam broke out?!"
"Yes sir," She agreed. "And we have reason to believe he will find his way back to you...and your friends!" She warned him. "Sir, he has been out of control recently..."
"Sam?!" Colby had a hard time believing that about his friend. Sam had been the most mild mannered person he ever knew. 
"Yes sir," She huffed impatiently. "If you find him, will you call us?"
Colby flinched as a loud clap of thunder suddenly sounded overhead.
"Yeah, yeah I will!" Colby promised.
"Jeez Sam..." He murmured after hanging up the phone.
"What have you gotten yourself into now?!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Colby 
"Sorry to call so late Celina," Colby apologized. "But we need to meet at the manor, as soon as you guys can!" He added earnestly.
"Colby?" Celina yawned. "What happened? Is everything okay?"
"No, no..." Colby repeated himself nervously. "No it's not," He scoffed. "Just meet me down there and I'll explain everything, okay?"
"Sure, Colby!" Celina replied. "It'll take a half hour though, is that okay? We aren't as close as you!"
"Perfect," Colby replied hastily as he shoved random clothes and supplies in a quick getaway bag. "We'll be staying there awhile, so pack something okay? Listen...Sam...." He sighed as he couldn't believe what he was about to say.
"Sam's escaped!" Colby forced himself to report to them.
"ESCAPED?!" Celina exclaimed. "Sam?"
"Apparently they think he lead some kind of crusade to escape the asylum...multiple patients are missing, him included!" Colby warned them as he zipped up his bag.
"Oh my gosh Colby, could he be dangerous?!" Celina gasped in shock as if she just realized where he was going with the news.
"I don't know," Colby lied, not wanting to scare them. "He might be trying to find me, and I want to help, you know?"
"So you want to meet at the manor..." Celina gathered anxiously.
Colby started having second thoughts. "You girls don't have to, you know that right?" He didn't want to drag them into anything but he worried for their safety too. Sam had nearly clocked Kris in the nose before, after all.
"If you think for one second we're not coming Colby, think again!" Celina gushed. "I'm getting Kris up now, okay?" She told him quickly.   
"Thanks Celina," Colby sighed in relief. "Really, I don't know where I'd be without either of you now!"
"We'll always help you guys, Colby..." Celina promised him warmly. "You've become good friends..." She admitted. "We're headed over, okay?"
"You too," Colby closed his eyes as he gathered himself again. He slung his bag over his shoulder. "See you there!" He hung up after she told him goodbye.
"We're coming, Sam..." Colby promised his friend in a silent prayer. "I knew we should have never come here..." He scoffed as he realized he had been right to trust how wrong the whole thing felt in the beginning.
"I knew we never should've attempted the Hurstwood Challenge!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Colby
Colby arrived at the Hurstwood Manor before the girls.
He sat in his car, listening to the rain pound on the hood as the storm rolled through.
"Couldn't get any creepier, could it...?" He asked to himself with a shudder.
He debated going in himself, but something pulled him back. 
This time he listened to his gut, deciding to wait on the girls getting there first so he wouldn't leave them to go inside alone, too.
"We've tried going alone, haven't we Sam?" He murmured as he talked to his friend like he was there with him, his way of coping with his friend being gone, but he knew Sam wasn't really with him. It just helped him get through the loss. "Now it's time to try helping you together!"  
He peered behind him, shielding his eyes as bright headlights came into view.
Colby slid cautiously from his car, taking his bag and shielding his hair with a hat quickly.
Kris got out of the passenger side quickly with Celina as they all ran inside.
Colby punched in the code quickly as he held the door for them before it latched.
He sighed in relief.
"Couldn't have chosen a nice, calm evening for a mission, Colby?" Kris teased him as she squeezed water from her soaked hair.
"Sorry!" Colby gazed at her warmly, finding himself staring  little too long as she dried off. He shook his head again as he tried to focus. 
"Any sign of Sam?" Celina asked curiously as they settled inside the parlor.
Colby built a fire in the fireplace, being the main source of light they would have inside besides a lantern he brought along.  
"Nothing, but I was only sitting out there a few more minutes than you all did!" Colby brushed his hands off after throwing another log inside the fireplace. "I haven't really heard anything inside, either..." He frowned.
"He'll find us," Kris murmured thoughtfully. "And I'm sorry to put it this way, but do we really want him to?" She shifted uncomfortably as she settled in another old wingback chair as he sat across from her.  
Colby frowned but he understood her worry. Especially since she had been in the line of fire when Sam melted down last time.
"I know," Colby let out a long sigh. "But if anyone, I think he'll come for me...you two should be okay!"
"What even set him off?" Celina pondered as she stared off into the fire. "Do we know?"
Colby shook his head thoughtfully. "I'll go look upstairs...Don't wander too much on your own guys?" He asked of his friends protectively.
"Want any help?" Kris offered him curiously.
"I can stay watch down here..." Celina didn't look too keen on exploring upstairs with him. "Just in case he comes back?" She offered.
"Sure, thanks Celina, just yell..be careful!" Colby added as he gestured for Kris to come with him. He grabbed the lantern on their way up.
"Think it started from up here?" Kris asked him curiously as they explored.
"I really don't know Kris," He admitted. "We found him in that closet, remember?"
Kris nodded with a grimace. "How could I forget? He nearly took off my nose!"
Colby scoffed a little at her expense. "Sorry, I just-"
"You have to laugh at it a little, I understand..." Kris smiled, shrugging off his weird sense of humor easily. "It's just wild to me, to think Sam would crack like that...over a ghost?!"
"He had to have seen something," Colby guessed as much the first night. "But I know, even in our most intense investigations, I've NEVER seen him so..."
"Gone?" Kris filled in for him gently as they explored a room that still had it's door open.
Colby nodded grimly. "Thank god that pistol was only filled with blanks!" He whistled lowly as he saw how damaged the floor had been where Sam must have shot something he thought he was seeing.  
"No shit!" Kris widened her eyes. 
It was the first time they were exploring the room since it all went down, Colby realized. They had never taken the time to put everything together since he became focused on getting Dr. Newcastle in jail first for what he did to them. He never put anything in the waiver about using a pistol, about possibility of insanity, or potential harm to themselves. 
That's what got him put in prison! Colby recalled triumphantly.
"Colby, look at this..." Kris widened her eyes as she wandered more near the bed. 
It was totally unmade, the covers thrown back, making Colby wonder if the scene started there. He remembered Sam mentioning to try and go to bed, but then their walkies went dead.
"It's a mess!" Colby commented, coming to stand beside her as he wondered if that's what she meant.
"No, not that!" She scoffed. "That!" Kris pointed to a book on the floor near the side of the bed opposite of the gunfire marks. 
"The book!" Colby recognized the huge book instantly. "Sam was reading it?" He realized as they picked it up and set it up on the bed.
The book was opened to the end. 
He was definitely reading the story.
"Should WE read it?" Kris asked nervously.
Colby shrugged. "I don't see what difference it would make for us now, what if-" 
He was cut off by a shriek from downstairs. 
"Celina!" Kris threw the book aside and started for downstairs.
"Wait," Colby pulled her back. "Stay here okay? I...I'll check it out first?" He posed to her protectively. "I promise, I won't let him get to you!"
"Colby, wait!" Kris frowned at the idea but she listened, hovering near the door. "Be careful!" She gazed at him differently now, warmer than before, he realized.
Her stare caught him off guard, nodding to her.
"I promise," He gazed at her earnestly.
"I won't let anything happen to you!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Sam
"Not...another...sound!" Sam ordered her as he held Celina back, cupping a hand over her mouth after she shrieked on him the first time. "I'm not here to hurt you!"
Sam was after Dr. Newcastle. 
He was the one who lured him in with the contest. The contest that ruined his life. That made his mind feel like a constant whirlwind of anxiety after what he witnessed there. 
"Sam," Celina murmured bravely, even though he still kept a hold of her with an arm firmly holding both her hands behind her back, and the other now gripping her shoulder tightly so she could still breathe. "He's...he's not the one who hurt you..."
"I know who hurt me!" Sam snapped back at her wildly, tightening his grip a little too hard he knew, but he couldn't control any of his feelings, of his anger at the whole incident.
Celina swallowed nervously, tensing when he made them move into the kitchen area after Sam heard Colby's footsteps and voice echo down the stairs.
"I won't let anything happen to you!" His friend's voice echoed down to him.
Sam paused, thinking furiously how Colby had been another one who turned him into the asylum too. 
He decided he made his list too.
"Come on!" Sam ordered Celina sternly as he ordered her to move with him out the back, showing his pocket knife he stole off one of the other patients who escaped with him that night. 
Celina widened her eyes, betrayal and fear lacing through her as she complied for awhile.
Once they were outside, she kneed him hard in the chest, making him double over before kicking his side again and tearing off towards the manor.
"COLBY!" Celina called for him desperately as she ran inside.
Colby was already in the kitchen, Sam could tell through gasps as the lantern light bobbed through the dark manor. 
Sam coughed, struggling to run back somewhere else so they wouldn't find him. 
"What the hell...SAM?!" Colby roared angrily, storming out in the rain fiercely. 
Sam thought about running away again, but he was too winded by the force of her kick. 
He got to his knees at least, coughing hard. 
Colby grabbed his neck to his surprise, shoving him against the nearest fence post in fury.
"What the HELL were you going to do to her Sam?! Huh?!" Colby roared furiously, even scaring him. "That's what I'd like to know?!"
Sam never saw his friend so angry, so protective.
Sam blinked in confusion, wondering what he did, then he looked around, realizing he wasn't sure where he even was now.
"Colby?" Sam shrank back in fear. His mind feeling blank again, the last thing he remembered was going to dinner at the asylum. "Colby what...how are you here?" He choked out after Colby pinned him by the shoulders.
"How am I here?!" Colby stared back at him furiously.
"Colby," Celina put a hand on Colby's shoulder gently, making him flinch. "Look at him," She murmured quietly, looking at Sam the way the doctor and nurses would when he just had an episode. "He doesn't know what he's doing, Colby..." She gazed at Sam more sympathetically. 
Sam blinked in confusion, lowering his head in shame.
"Oh..." Sam sighed miserably. "Oh it happened again...what did I do Colby?" He rasped in confusion. "What the hell did I do?"
Colby widened his eyes in realization, a deep sadness setting in them as he let out a sigh, as he let him down. He still kept a firm grip on Sam's arm though, the one still with his medical band around his wrist. 
"Nothing that can't be undone Sam," Celina promised gently, although Sam couldn't help notice her fear. Colby still looked at him with such hostility Sam couldn't help but think he did something worse. "Let's go inside okay? Get warmed up, maybe some real clothes? Your gown's soaked!"
Sam gazed at her appreciatively. "That would be nice..." He looked down again awkwardly as he realized he was still in the patient's gowns they had to wear.
"Celina..." Colby warned her sternly. "He just tried to-"
"It doesn't matter Colby, I know he didn't mean it!" Celina snapped at him in a harsh whisper. "He doesn't know what he's doing, what's happening, look at him! He's lost!" She exchanged an awkward glance with Sam. "I think we had this all wrong. Sam needs his friends, that's what's gonna help him in the long run!" She insisted to Sam's surprise.
"Sam just needs to know his friends have his back!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Sam
Sam huddled by the fire, grateful to be in a pair of sweats Colby let him borrow as he finally began feeling warm in the manor again.  He laced his fingers around a mug of tea, sitting in front the fireplace contentedly as Colby came up, making him flinch.
"Sorry bro," Colby cleared his throat awkwardly. "Just brought you a blanket..."   
"Oh uh, thanks..." Sam took it with his left hand, realizing he had left his patient band on still in embarrassment. 
Colby nodded, sitting with him on the floor while the girls fixed something in the kitchen. Sam could smell it wafting through to them, his stomach growling eagerly.
Colby let out a hard sigh.
"Sam," He started awkwardly after a long beat. "You know I'm going to have to take you back there sometime, right?" He asked in dread.
"Do you?" Sam scoffed, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, yeah...yeah I know..."
"So you're with me now?" Colby asked him more bluntly. "This is the real Sam?"
"More or less," Sam scoffed. "I'm...I'm really not sure who that is anymore..." He admitted sadly. He stuck out his arm with the bracelet to his friend. "This is what's been wrong with me, though..."
Colby flinched at his movement, but then he realized Sam was letting him read the label.
"Dissociative disorder?" Colby widened his eyes as the girls came in with mugs of soup. Celina set a couple down by them. 
Sam gazed at her gratefully. He nodded.
"They, they call it that, but aren't for sure..." Sam shrugged awkwardly. "I apparently go into episodes, unknowingly of course, and come out of with no trace of memory of what happened..."
"Well," Celina huffed as they gathered around on the furniture now. "That explains last night, Sam!"
Sam nodded. "I guess," He scoffed. "I'm sorry for whatever happened...I, I truly don't remember. I only remember going to dinner at the asylum, actually..." He confessed.
Colby gazed at him sadly. "Aren't the treatments helping you at all?"
"They were starting to," Sam struggled to remember really if they had or not. "Clearly something is, I realized I had just come out of the episode!" He pointed out with a shrug. 
It felt good to be back with his friends again, talking with them, instead of strangers that would go into fits sometimes as he tried to talk to them at the asylum.
"Still," Colby frowned. "Sam, you realize you were ready to kill Celina?" 
"What?!" Kris gaped at him when Celina shoved her. "That's what was going on?!"
Sam grimaced, looking down at his soup in shame. 
"We don't know that!" Celina glared at Colby for the theory. 
"It was obvious enough!" Colby looked angry all over again. "Sam, you're...you're a threat brother, I'm sorry, I have to call you back in..." 
Sam looked down dejectedly.
"Can't I just stay for the night?" Sam asked him. "Please? Seeing you guys all now...well, now in my uh, normal frame of mind...it really is helping!"
Colby frowned. "I still have to tell the place you're here," He shook his head stubbornly on the idea. "We'll see what they say, okay?" He huffed, storming away to make the call.
Sam had the split second idea to rush him, to stop him, but he fought back the urge this time. 
He didn't want to ruin his chances to stay with his friends.
"Have some more soup Sam, it'll help...you look like you haven't eaten in days!" Kris gazed at him sympathetically as she poured some in his mug again from a thermos.
Sam shrugged. "I didn't notice," He scoffed. "This...this disease or whatever the hell is like one major mind fog..." He struggled to explain it. He gazed at Celina earnestly. "I'm really sorry Celina, I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Celina gazed at him warmly. "I don't blame you for any of it Sam," She reassured him. "I think I hurt you more!"
Sam smiled and shrugged. "I can take a hit!" He laughed, pausing as he heard Colby come back who was mid conversation with someone.
"Uh huh, yeah Dr. Phillips," Colby glanced at Sam thoughtfully. "So that IS improvement then? that he came out of it?"
Sam looked at him hopefully.
"I see...." Colby murmured. He pushed the speaker phone and held it so they could all hear.
"Sam?" Dr. Phillips requested him sternly.
"Y-Yes sir..." Sam stammered awkwardly, knowing he screwed up by breaking out. 
"Listen Sam," The doctor huffed. "You and I both know you're in serious trouble for what you did...we have the other patients back too though..." He huffed again. "And let's face it, I know you would just attempt to break out again to get to your friends..."
Sam smirked a little quietly to himself.
"I'll take the silence as a yes!" Dr. Phillips laughed. "Listen Sam, I'll let you stay with your friends for now, okay? Colby said he was okay with watching the situation. Call him your probation officer if you must!" He scoffed. "But listen to me, TAKE YOUR MEDS, do you understand me?"
"Yes sir!" Sam agreed in astonishment. "Thank you! I will..."
"Colby is authorized to pick them up and distribute them in this special case..." He scoffed. "You have a real friend there Sam, really...if I didn't think so, you wouldn't be able to stay!" 
"I know sir," Sam gazed at Colby warmly, making his friend smile finally the first time since they reunited. "They're the best!"
"In the meantime, might I suggest what we talked about before?" Dr. Phillips continued. "I know what happened at the manor is the counterpoint of what caused your illness, but if you let yourself relive it calmly, you may be able to break the cycle!" He added.
Colby looked at him hopefully.
"You really think he can?" Colby asked then curiously. 
"With all of you to help Sam through this," Dr. Phillips agreed earnestly.
"I KNOW Sam can do anything!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Sam
Sam creeped up the stairs to the rooms hesitantly, unsure he wanted to even try Dr. Phillip's idea. 
He didn't want to remember that night at all. Let alone trying to live through it without panicking like he had before. 
"You okay Sam?" Colby asked him curiously. "We don't have to go through with this right away you know?"
Sam nodded to him appreciatively. "I...I just want to walk through it for now?" He suggested. "I can...I can at least tell you what happened, I suppose..."
Colby nodded eagerly. "That dose must have been strong," He teased lightly. "You're about to fall asleep on your feet!" He caught Sam's arm as he stumbled up the stairs.
Sam blinked. "Hm? Oh..." He scoffed, having to admit his mind was a little clearer, but sometimes the medicine made him groggy. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to it I guess..." He got to the stairs, stopping this time more purposely. 
Colby followed his gaze. "You don't have to stay in there brother," Colby promise him. "We have a little guest house, why don't we stay there?"
"It happened there, you know?" Sam barely heard him, shaking his head as he caught himself drifting. "I was reading that book!" he remembered too.
"Oh yeah," Colby nodded. "It's downstairs, Kris and I were going to read it!"
"It was a story, a sad story..." Sam nodded to him. "The girl was murdered here bro!"
"I heard," Colby nodded again. "It's okay though Sam, that was ancient history, right?"
Sam nodded back. "I got too involved in the story...too lost," He sighed. "It's like he set the trap on purpose!" He scoffed.
"He DID Sam," Colby revealed to him. "You haven't been around to know..." He sighed, leading him back downstairs where they sat together. "Sam, Dr. Newcastle is in prison now, for life!"
Sam gaped at him in shock. 
Colby grinned. "I went against him in court bro, actually freaking COURT!" He laughed. "I wish you could've been there..." He caught himself saying sheepishly as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. "But uh, yeah he's done for after what he did! We're set for life now bro, too...I bought us a guest house, and this place can be ours too if you want!"
"Ours?" Sam rose an eye at that curiously.
"You wanted to run tours once, remember?" Colby gushed, is eyes lit in inspiration. "Haunted tours Sam, just like we dreamed...and...and now this place would be more meaningful to us, too!"
"Would it?" Sam scoffed at the notion. "I don't know..." Sam yawned.  "I....I need to get my head straight first, I think..." He smirked at his friend.
"Looks straight to me!" Colby nudged him teasingly. "Come on, I'll show you the guest house, okay? The girls are already back there!"
Sam shrugged, following him eagerly.
"Thank you brother," Sam gazed at him as he got in his friend's car passenger side. "Really...I know you were pissed about it at first..."
"I was only pissed because I thought you were going to kill our friend," Colby corrected him sharply. "Don't misunderstand me Sam, I'm coming around to letting you stay with us, but if you EVER, EVER hurt one of them I swear..." Colby looked fumed just thinking out loud.
Sam rose his hands defensively. 
"I promise brother," He rose one of the solemnly. "You have my permission to stop me too, should something go wrong..." He sighed as he knew they had to keep it in mind. "But I promise, the real me...I wouldn't do anything to hurt them!"
Colby looked at him seriously, nodding finally in acknowledgement.
"I think you're healing already brother," Colby gazed at him confidently as he pulled up to a house already just down the road from the Hurstwood Manor. "One good night's rest and you'll be ready, I bet!" He smiled finally warmly at him. 
"You'll be ready to get back to work to follow our dream!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Sam
"You sure you're ready for this brother?" Colby asked him once more that next afternoon. 
Sam nodded firmly, feeling the best he had in months since they started everything with Hurstwood Manor.
"We'll be with you Sam," Kris squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "All of us!" 
Celina nodded too as they approached the manor door as they waited for Colby to punch in his code.
"Starting with upstairs Sam?" Colby glanced at him eagerly.
"Yes," Sam replied quietly with a nod. "It started upstairs..." He agreed as he pushed back the fear to tell them what happened. To live through it again with a chance for a better ending. 
He was already halfway up the stairs before he knew it. His friends following him loyally as he narrated the worst night of his life.
"I read the story, I was hearing stuff all night...the equipment constantly answering my questions..." Sam scoffed, recoiling a little at the memory.
"Slow Sam," Colby insisted carefully.  "Remember?"
"Right..." Sam huffed as he kept focused on the fact it had all happened already. That he wasn't really going though it again, simply retracing his steps to face what had happened before again in a new light. 
So he could think about it without spiraling. 
"Anyway, I got really roped into their story...how similar it could have been to us..." Sam pointed to Colby. "I sympathized with the spirits, the nice ones anyway..." Sam scoffed. "During the investigation alone, one kept pulling my elbow...it freaked me out, but I went back to my room. I finished the story, then things got worse..."
Sam took a long breath to slow himself down like Colby told him. 
"I don't remember exactly when, but my candle went out. After I finished the story, but then it started appearing, closer and closer..." Sam swallowed hard as he stood at the foot of the bed to show them. "Just like this..." He added dramatically. "Right here...then here...so I..." Sam swallowed hard nervously.
"You shot at it?" Celina filled in gently.
Sam nodded. "Stupid, I know..." Sam laughed. 
"I would've done the same thing brother!" Colby stared at him in astonishment at the story. "No wonder you were scared shitless, Sam!"
"A full bodied apparition," Sam nodded to his friend as he sat on the side of the bed as he finished the story.  "I saw a freaking full bodied spirit, well...headless spirit..." He scoffed.
"Even scarier!" Kris nudged him sympathetically as she sat by him comfortingly. "Is that when you ran?" She asked him gently.
Sam nodded. "I wanted them to stop touching me, messing with me...nothing would!" He shook his head. "And there was still hours left, and I couldn't even talk to Colby..." He felt his voice break sadly.  
Colby sat on his other side. "You really did need us all along, didn't you?" He realized guiltily. 
"Well, maybe in the beginning I did..." Sam gazed at him warmly. "Towards the end...I...I know you did the right thing, I wasn't myself at all...I couldn't be after that!"
"I'm proud of you brother," Colby engulfed him in a hug. "With time you'll heal even more...I see more of you coming back everyday, and now that you've told us what happened, we can move on!" He gazed at him hopefully.
Sam nodded eagerly. "Maybe you're right..." He agreed. "This place is pretty cool...you mean run tours, don't you?"
"Not right away," Colby patted his shoulder reassuringly. "When you're ready!" He nodded. 
Sam looked between them all thoughtfully. "I think I am brother!" He felt inspired by telling the stories of the ghosts he found there. He felt a pull to tell Julia and Amy's story in particular. 
"Let's get you cleared first okay?" Colby looked at him in surprise. "One more exit evaluation with Dr. Phillips, okay?" He smirked. "I can't afford to have you go off and attack our guests you know?"
Sam grinned. "I guess that's only fair..." He snickered. "Wow..." He breathed a sigh of relief. "I really didn't think doing something like this would help so much..." He felt like a load was lifted from his shoulders.
Colby smiled. "I'm calling Dr. Phillips...now!" He declared to Sam's surprise.
"It's time to start following our dreams, Sam, after everything we've been through...we're ready!" He held the phone up as he dialed. "YOU'RE ready!" He corrected himself.
"I'm ready," Sam agreed earnestly as he was ready to push past what happened to him and grow from the experience, instead of running away from it all. 
With his friends he was able to get over it. 
He knew that was the only way he had accomplished moving on.
"I can do anything as long as I'm with my friends!"

Epilogue: Colby
"A full night of tours ahead of us!" Colby scoffed in disbelief as Kris passed him the list of guests from the front office they created for the Hurstwood Manor.
They installed her and Celina as Manager and Assistant Manager, in charge of scheduling the tours and the harder work he and Sam were clueless about. 
He was grateful for their willingness to stay on with the business booming now.
"Hope you two are ready!" Kris grinned at him. "Is Sam doing okay?" She asked edgily. "It's day one, isn't it?"
"Oh," Colby shifted awkwardly as he realized she meant Sam being completely med free for the first time after he showed so much improvement. "Yeah, I guess you're right!"
"I'm sure he'll be great!" Celina interrupted them gently. "It's almost dusk, Colby...are you leading the first tour?" 
Colby glanced at Sam as his friend came down confidently. Sam nodded to him.
"You can have the honor bro!" Sam nodded to him.  
Colby shook his head. "I couldn't brother, you first!" He insisted. "This was all because of what you worked for Sam, go for it really!"
Sam rose his eyes in surprise, but shrugged as he nodded to them to grab the first tour.
Colby watched him lead it, pride for his friend getting over an illness so quickly.
"That was sweet!" Kris nudged him as she caught him watch Sam lead the first group. "The next one isn't far behind," She warned him. "Are YOU ready?" 
"I was born ready!" Colby pumped a fist in the air eagerly. He couldn't believe they finally got to run their own business together finally. 
They lead tours all hours of the night. 
Colby fought to stay awake as he lead his last group out, noticing it was still dark, but nearing five that morning.
He closed the front door.
"Thank goodness," Colby huffed in exhaustion. "Is everyone out?" He asked Kris, anxious to get some sleep before the next night if it was going to be that steady all the time.
"Sam was still up there with a group of three," Kris shrugged. "It really sucks not having electricity here...we could use some extra security!"
"Ma'am?! Mr. Colby? Hey, uh...." A guest rushed downstairs suddenly interrupting them. 
"Yeah kid?" Colby realized he was probably barley 18, but they had let him in with his family. 
"Mr. Sam..." He rubbed his neck anxiously. "He's acting uh, strange...we wanted to come find you instead!"
Colby stiffened. "Strange?"
"He won't quit looking out all the windows...like all of them!" The kid explained.
"Kris, make sure everything's locked up!" Colby ordered her urgently. "I'm ending the tour, get the doctor on the line?" His mind went straight for survival mode.
"Yeah Colby!" Kris agreed without question. "On it!"
Colby ran upstairs.
"Everyone, please exit through the front please? Check out with Kris downstairs?" He asked the three of the people left on tour.
The grumbled but all left respectfully to his relief.
"Sam?" Colby saw his friend desperately staring out of the window.
"Impossible..." Sam shook his head, murmuring fearfully as he went to the other window by the bed. "It's impossible..."
"Come on Sam, talk to me, what happened?" Colby urged gently.
"I saw him!" Sam gazed at him wildly. "HIM! How?!"
"WHO Sam?" Colby pressed impatiently.
"Doctor..." Sam trembled with fear. "Doctor..."
"Phillips?" Colby wondered, but he didn't see how it was possible or that Sam would be so scared of him. 
"NO!" Sam shook his head frantically, even pulling some of his hair with his hands fearfully. "Dr...Dr. Newcastle!"
Colby felt his blood run cold. "There's no way brother!" He stared at Sam.
"Uh, Colby?" Kris knocked gently on the door, beckoning him to come quickly. 
"What?!" He asked in a huff as confusion clouded his patience.
Kris narrowed her eyes at him ungratefully.
"Don't shoot the messenger," Kris scoffed at his behavior. "But we got a message...from...from jail..."
"Jail?!" Colby echoed. "Who do we know in...jail..." He faltered as he began to realize Sam might not be totally crazy, maybe even alerting them to a very real danger to themselves. 
"The chief of security wanted to warn us," Kris nodded grimly as she broke the news to him. "He escaped, Colby..." Her voice trembled with fear.
"Dr. Newcastle has escaped!"