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In the next instant, Ariel became acutely aware that Mandy was staring directly at her. The medium blinked a couple of times before bursting into laughter, muffled slightly by a well-placed sleeve.

"Kinsley, look at you—"

Ariel straightened her posture and crossed her arms defensively.

"You're one to talk, powder puff."

Zevo, seemingly oblivious to their exchange, knelt beside Mandy with concern etched on his face.

"Miss, are you alright?"

Mandy's laughter ceased abruptly. She looked up at the actor with wide, innocent eyes and replied, feigning a cough behind her crafty sleeve.

"Yes, I think so," she said softly. "Thank you for everything."

The man waved his hand dismissively.

"It was nothing, but I do want to ensure you're really okay. Let me escort you to a doctor—"

Mandy's pale hand emerged from its sleeve to gently silence the actor. She smiled kindly.

"That's really not necessary. If you would just help me up..."

Reluctantly, Zevo complied but persisted.

"But you could be hurt. You should let a doctor examine you," he said with a concerned glance at Ariel.

Having watched the interaction with growing discomfort, Ariel wanted to separate the two as quickly as possible. She stepped forward to join Mandy and offered a supportive arm.

"Thank you, but I think we'll be fine. Our team can help..."

Zevo frowned slightly.

"Well, at least let me walk you to where you need to go—"

"Zevo?"

All three turned their heads toward the voice that had called out the actor's name.

"Zevo, what in the world—is that you, Mandy?"

"Mr. Warner," Zevo responded as the playwright hurried over.

"What is going on here?" Mr. Warner asked urgently, casting a critical eye over Ariel's disheveled appearance.

"There was an accident; the stage collapsed," Ariel explained quickly. But before she could finish her sentence, the playwright clutched Mandy's arm in horror.

"My dear, my dear! Tell me you're not hurt—"

"I’m not hurt."

Mandy’s grip tightened around Ariel’s arm with her uninjured hand, making it clear she wasn’t letting go any time soon.

"Hey- ouch," Ariel protested, attempting to wrench her arm free. But Mandy's hold was unyielding.

"I don’t buy it. Just look at you—you need medical attention immediately."

"Exactly what I’ve been trying to tell her," Zevo chimed in, arms crossed in frustration.

"The only person I’m seeing-" Mandy cut in firmly, "-is Jasper."

Mr. Warner opened his mouth to argue but closed it again when he saw the determination in her eyes. Zevo just stood there, bewildered. Ariel couldn’t help but smile at them both. She understood Mandy’s desperation; after all, she had been trying to see Jasper since the investigation. When she fell through the hole, she hoped he would rescue her—ha! Now she yearned for Jasper’s attention over her fragile state—ha! ha! But a playwright and an actor were telling her no.

Mr. Warner sighed deeply, looking reluctant,

“Well, if you’re sure, my dear—"

"I’m sure."

"Then at least allow me to escort you back to base."

Mandy nodded slightly, still gripping Ariel’s arm tightly. She gave Zevo a grateful wave before turning to leave, dragging Ariel along with her. Behind them, Ariel could hear hurried whispers between Mr. Warner and Zevo, followed by rushed footsteps as the playwright tried to catch up.

"Easy now Mandy, you'll hurt yourself walking that fast!" Warner exclaimed as he protested against their hurried pace.

Mandy ignored him and continued briskly.

"Seriously, you look unsteady. Let me help you," he insisted, grasping Mandy’s injured arm gently.

The medium gasped in pain, startling Mr. Warner,

"My goodness, you are hurt," he said softly, his grip becoming more tender now.

Mandy frowned—whether from pain or irritation was hard to distinguish.

"It’s nothing," she snapped, pulling her injured arm closer to her side.

Now it was Mr. Warner who frowned deeply; he came to a sudden stop, bringing Mandy to a halt as well.

"This is certainly something serious. Please let me assist you," he implored earnestly.

Caught off guard by his concern, Mandy hesitated just long enough for Ariel to free herself from the iron grip and step away to a safe distance.

A heavy silence fell between them before Mandy finally relented with resignation glistening in her eyes and offered her arm again. The playwright looked satisfied as he took it supportively. The rest of their journey unfolded silently through corridor after corridor, with Mr. Warner casting worried glances at the medium every few steps while Ariel watched the scene with mild amusement from behind them.

"Almost there," the playwright announced as they neared the foyer. Their anticipation palpable, they suddenly saw him. One instant there was only empty space, and the next - a man's figure materialized. Overwhelmed, a cry burst from Ariel's lips while Mandy gasped in shock.

"It's- it's him..." Mr. Warner murmured, his voice trembling.

At the playwright's side, Mandy blinked rapidly, as though struggling to accept the reality before her eyes. Ariel stared at the man, her gaze locked on his visage, unable to avert her eyes despite seeing right through him to the wall behind.

He isn't solid, why isn't he solid..?

Suddenly, the apparition started towards them with purposeful strides. Ariel and Mandy stood their ground, determined to confront this spirit, but in a heartbeat, Mr. Warner moved with unexpected speed and strength, sweeping them out of harm's way and pinning them against the wall just as the ghostly figure swept past and vanished into thin air.

There was a pause filled only with their breathing and blinking, tangled in an awkward half-embrace against the wall. For a disquieting moment, Ariel was reminded of an earlier close encounter with Mr. Warner at base; once had been more than enough for her. After surveying the hall lengthily, Mr. Warner gradually released them.

"He's gone—are you both alright?" he queried.

Ariel stepped back instantly, eager to put some distance between herself and the playwright.

"Yes, just fine," she exhaled sharply through her nose to dispel Mr. Warner’s overpowering cologne scent.

Mandy crossed her arms tightly and offered a curt nod. It wasn't hard for Ariel to sense what troubled Mandy; it mirrored her own feelings about Mr. Warner.

"I'm not so sure—you seem unsettled," Mr. Warner probed further, addressing them as gently as he would Shiloh, misconstruing their reactions as trauma from the encounter.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"I'm fine," Mandy retorted brusquely while brushing off her dusty dress in annoyance.

"There now," Mr. Warner continued soothingly, "no need to put on brave faces; nearly being attacked by a ghost is no small thing. If I hadn't stepped in—"

Mandy cut him off with incredulous eyes that showed her fraying patience that day,

"If you hadn't stepped in? If you hadn’t intervened I would have—"

Mr. Warner looked back at her blankly as though failing to comprehend,

"Mandy please; let's not add any more strain to this ordeal. Let me take you back to base; I'll fix you some coffee."

Mandy's normally pale cheeks flared a vivid red with anger, yet the playwright appeared completely unaware of her agitation as he gently guided them towards a calmer setting.

"Hello," Mr. Warner greeted as he made his way into the base, with Ariel and Mandy trailing behind, visibly brooding.

For a brief moment, silence enveloped the room, but it was soon shattered by a chorus of exclamations from nearly everyone present. Leroy, who had just taken a sip of coffee, began choking on it. John sprang from his chair and approached them swiftly before Ariel could even blink. Taylor dropped the magazine she was engrossed in, Max swiveled around fully in his seat to gape at them, and Jasper, who had been engrossed in reading an important document, discarded it abruptly.

"Please, there's no need for alarm. I've rescued them from the attack—" Mr. Warner started to explain, but no one seemed to be paying him any attention.

"Ariel," Leroy managed to gasp out between fits of coughing, "what on earth are you covered in?"

"Is that... flour?" Taylor questioned, her eyes wide with disbelief as she scrutinized them.

John leaned closer, anxiously examining their faces,

"Are you injured?" he asked with palpable concern.

Mr. Warner nodded quickly,

"Mandy is; her arm—"

"Her arm?" John echoed, his worry intensifying as he looked at Mandy.

"What happened? Where have you been?" Jasper demanded loudly over the chaotic scene.

Ariel's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms defiantly; the cause of their predicament could solely be attributed to Jasper. And this was how he greeted her: where have you been?

"Oh, nowhere special; just spending two hours stuck in a hole," she replied sarcastically.

"A hole?" Leroy repeated, casting a puzzled glance at Ariel.

Jasper's eyes mirrored Ariel's narrowness as he asked,

"So there was some kind of accident?"

"You could say that," Ariel replied sharply. "If you consider falling through a stage an accident."

"You fell through the stage?" Leroy exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yes!" Ariel confirmed. "How did that happen? You still haven't explained," Mr. Warner interjected urgently, fixing his gaze on Ariel.

Ariel blinked rapidly, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the barrage of questions,

"I don't really know—it all happened so fast," she murmured, struggling to focus amidst the tumult.

John placed a reassuring hand on Mandy's shoulder and suggested with genuine concern,

"Maybe both of you should sit down for a moment?"

Ariel nodded, feeling grateful that someone was looking out for her well-being. In the next moment, she found herself being gently helped to her seat by Leroy. Just behind them, Mandy was being assisted by John and Mr. Warner as if she had barely escaped a major disaster rather than experiencing a minor fall. Despite all this flattering attention, the medium's gaze remained fixed solely on Jasper.

"She needs an ice pack," Mr. Warner declared as he carefully guided the medium to her seat beside Ariel.

John left Mandy's side to fetch an ice pack from Max, who handed another one to Leroy.

"Here, you must have gotten some bumps falling through the stage," Leroy said kindly, offering the ice pack to Ariel.

Ariel accepted it gratefully but didn't immediately apply it anywhere on her body. Taylor rose from her seat and knelt in front of Ariel.

"So you fell through the stage," Taylor repeated softly, taking Ariel's face gently in her hands and turning it from side to side.

Ariel attempted to nod but found herself unable to in Taylor's firm yet gentle grasp. Instead, she replied,

"Yes, it gave way under us-"

"But I don't see how that could happen!" Mr. Warner interjected urgently, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "The stage was restored just three months ago!"

Ariel frowned, shifting her eyes towards Mr. Warner while the priestess still held her head firmly.

"Well, that didn't stop it from happening," she pointed out matter-of-factly.

"All the same, it's perplexing," Mr. Warner persisted, offering Mandy a cup of coffee which she declined politely. "What was going on at that precise moment?"

"We were just standing there," the medium interrupted calmly, holding an ice pack against her left wrist.

Mr. Warner stared thoughtfully into the steaming cup of coffee in his hands.

"That hardly makes sense... unless-" he suddenly looked up with a speculative gleam in his eye, "it was something paranormal."

"Was it paranormal?" Jasper's voice sliced through the air sharply.

In that instant, Ariel made a clumsy grab for the cup of coffee Leroy was trying to hand her, accidentally spilling some onto his shirt.

"Oy—Ariel!" Leroy exclaimed in mild annoyance.

Gathering herself quickly, Ariel blinked and accepted the cup properly this time.

"I'm sorry, Leroy," she mumbled apologetically.

Jasper was now staring intensely in Ariel's direction and Mandy beside him echoed his curiosity.

"Well?" Jasper pressed on impatiently, disregarding any pretense of including the medium in his inquiry.

Ariel pressed her lips together defiantly, shooting daggers with her eyes.

"What is this, an interrogation?" she demanded.

Jasper thinks he can get answers out of me? He's got another thing coming...

"There was nothing paranormal about it," Mandy interjected, shifting her gaze between Ariel and Jasper. "It was an accident."

Ariel broke her intense stare at Jasper to glance at Mandy in disbelief.

Is she being serious? Does she really believe there's nothing paranormal happening here?

"An accident?" Jasper echoed, hesitantly directing his attention to the medium as well.

"Yes," Mandy affirmed with conviction, her eyes locked on Jasper's as she relished having his focus again.

"Are- are you certain, my dear? Just think about our last encounter!" Mr. Warner protested, his gaze swinging between the medium and Ariel for support.

"What encounter?" Leroy inquired, his curiosity piqued as he glanced toward Ariel.

Mandy raised a hand and opened her mouth to respond, but the playwright wouldn't allow any interruptions to his narrative,

"The encounter," he insisted, leaning forward in his seat with intensity, "with Mr. Marlowe himself!"

Leroy's eyebrows shot up in astonishment while Jasper's knitted together in skepticism.

"You saw the ghost of Mr. Marlowe?" Leroy asked, looking between Ariel and Mandy for confirmation.

"We didn't just see him, we were attacked!" Mr. Warner declared, almost sliding off his seat in his eagerness. "The girls were naturally terrified. If it wasn't for my quick thinking-"

"You were attacked?"

"Mr. Marlowe's ghost?"

"Terrified?"

"Enough."

A sudden hush fell over the room. Jasper left the desk he had been standing near to start pacing,

"Where did this happen, Mr. Warner?" he questioned, his dark eyes scrutinizing the playwright intently.

Ariel swallowed hard and stared down into her coffee as his gaze swept over her.

"In the hall near the foyer," Mr. Warner replied reluctantly, annoyed that his elaborate story was being boiled down to bare facts.

"And he just appeared? There were no signs? Ariel—" Jasper turned back to focus on her again, "what did the thermometer read?"

Ariel, hastily gulping her coffee in anticipation of any unexpected questions, suddenly began choking.

"Oy, Ariel!" Leroy exclaimed, rushing to her side and delivering several firm pats on her back.

Mandy gave Ariel a sidelong glance, her expression unreadable.

"Ariel has no idea what the temperature was," the medium began, "since she can't find the thermometer."

Ariel, having somewhat recovered from her coughing fit, shot a fierce glare at Mandy, but Mandy's gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

"Where is the thermometer?" Jasper inquired with his eyes boring into Ariel, though she refused to meet his gaze and instead pressed an ice pack to her face.

"Oh right, totally my fault it's missing. I just adore falling into black holes and losing pricey equipment," Ariel retorted sarcastically, her voice muffled by the ice pack moments before it was snatched away.

"You're doing it all wrong," Taylor insisted, wrapping the ice pack in a cloth before pressing it gently to Ariel's forehead.

"It's okay Ariel; we know it was an accident," Leroy said reassuringly, patting her on the shoulder and exchanging a significant look with Jasper.

"So we're attributing everything to an accident?" Mr. Warner interjected, his eyes scanning each face pleadingly.

"Obviously Ariel didn't just toss Jasper's thermometer into a hole without reason," Leroy responded, directing his words toward the playwright.

"But what about the stage collapse?" Mr. Warner pressed on, visibly flustered.

"I don't think it was anything paranormal," Mandy asserted calmly, ignoring the playwright's dramatic demeanor.

"But we just had renovations done!"

"Weren't you there this morning, Taylor?" Leroy asked suddenly.

A tense silence fell as all eyes turned to Taylor. She glowered at Leroy,

"Yeah, so..?"

"It seems like you didn't do a thorough job..."

"Excuse me?"

"Mills," Jasper cut in authoritatively, steering the conversation back on track. "Did you notice anything unusual during your earlier visit?"

Taylor, his face flushed with anger and still glaring daggers at Leroy, responded to Jasper with a terse, “No, I finished my work and left.”

“I didn’t notice anything unusual while I was working either,” Mandy chimed in, handing an ice pack to John in a somewhat distracted manner.

A thick, contemplative silence settled over the room as Jasper pondered their statements. Beside him, Mr. Warner sat frowning deeply; he was staunchly convinced that something paranormal had occurred.

“Ariel,” Jasper eventually said, directing his intense gaze toward her, “what did you feel?”

Ariel slowly lowered the ice pack from her head, buying herself precious seconds before she needed to fabricate a believable lie. Mr. Warner leaned forward eagerly in his seat, hoping she might support his perspective.

Mimicking the determined expression she’d observed on Mandy’s face moments earlier, Ariel replayed the vivid memory of her rescuer in her mind and looked Jasper directly in the eyes.

“I felt nothing.”

“See,” Mandy interjected triumphantly, “even she admits it—there’s nothing here.”

Ariel cast a resentful glance at her rival,

That infuriating Mandy.

With a weary sigh, Mr. Warner leaned back into his chair,

“So what do you call our earlier encounter then? Just a figment of our imaginations?”

The medium appeared deep in thought before she opened her mouth to respond. However, the playwright interrupted by raising his hand,

“Forgive me, my dear; I overlooked your state of mind at that time. Perhaps it’s best for you to consider it merely a product of imaginative thinking,” he insisted, exchanging significant glances with both Jasper and Leroy.

Mandy’s eyes darkened with suspicion, but surprisingly it was John who spoke up first,

“Are you insinuating that Mandy—a seasoned professional medium—couldn’t handle the situation?” His tone remained gentle yet was poignant enough to draw Ariel’s attention to the priest.

Mr. Warner blinked in surprise at John's unexpected defense but quickly regained his composure and smiled,

“I’m not accusing anyone of incompetence; rest assured her reputation remains untarnished.”

Reputation?

Ariel looked back at Jasper to gauge his reaction and was startled to find him intensely focused on her. It became startlingly clear that he hadn’t been paying attention to Mr. Warner, Mandy, or John at all; he had been unwaveringly fixated on her since she had spoken—since she had lied. His piercing look conveyed three undeniable words: this isn’t over.