A middle aged man in a suit with a bow-tie stands at the teacher's board of a lecture hall writing names of places around the world with their known major religion. As he finishes that he begins writing the names of their respective "God(s)" and "Satan(s)", as well as their names of wide-known superstitions respective to each region. Beginning to write the recent names of popular monsters and stories respective to each region, he begins to speak. "As of recent memory, the implication of outer forces has been fueled, by motivation to prove or disprove, by the imagination of famed Author's of Fiction and Non-Fiction around the world. There is also the matter of folklore famous in each and every region of the world from overall harmless observers to outright malicious and beings perceived as evil that stem from the mind's of Man. To say nothing of the extent to which religion as a concept has shaped our world and our history as a member of this particular world of which we are aware are among a number of more than tens of thousands.From this lesson-" *SLAM* A minor shriek of surprise erupts from a young woman who just moments ago was sleeping with her head on her desk in the shared office space.

Rita Carter, a young woman wearing simple but modest clothes looks around bewildered for a moment to see a slightly older man covering his mouth with a chuckle. Looking through loose strands of hair she realizes it's her senior, a long time resident named Jacob Starnes stifling a laugh.

Jacob was a slightly tall man with an easy going demeanor, though he was a bit prone to teasing. Brown uncombed hair dangling just above his brown eyes and a perpetual stubble on his chin made him seem a little disorganized, though his suit and tie was always clean. Despite his seniority his humor as a go-to action for him tended to make people less nervous around him, if a little annoyed though. "Surprise, you gotta stop falling asleep at yur work desk, you'll ruin your back early that way. Ya don't wanna be an old hunched-over crone when yur 40 do you?"

Taking a deep sigh she moved the stray hair back into place as she leaned back while turning the video on the computer off, "Good morning to you too Jacob, I'm just tired from writing I guess, considering things picking up for Parapsychology lately." He nodded emphatically as he held up a folder before holding it out to her, "Speaking of which, since you're the newest intern you get to have fun with a new assignment by order of the Director... guy's getting a bigger nose lately since all this started picking up." She frowned as she took the offered folder, "I'm working for the department as part of my work study for my degree in Parapsychology, I'm NOT, an intern."

She opened the folder to see it was the address, brief overview of personal history, and general data on an older woman. While she skimmed through the information he'd handed her he continued, "A young woman who's job, without any sort of pay, is to do any of the random jobs and menial labor like filing or gopher work and pawn it off as beginner experience..." He scratched his stubble as he grinned, "I suppose you're right, Intern's get to be signed on with pay after a time, and you said you had places to be after your degree, leaving for a master's in Psychology after here if memory serves?"

Looking at him with a frown before going for a neutral look she ignored him and asked, "What does an old woman in the Hills of West Virginia have to do with Parapsychology, sure it says she's a bit odd but that's not really anything to speak of, at least it doesn't say she has a developing... ability, I guess were calling it?" Shrugging he answered, "She's one of those types who keep to themselves, aside from birth records of herself there isn't much to go on, locals in the mountains consider her a medicine women. She ain't exactly a witch though, just kind of keeps to herself, but she'll sometimes wander by to tell people of the bad weather and such, not right every time mind you. There's also the fact that though people don't know who tells her she makes a point of bringing... something, to comfort people every time a loved one's died recently."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The way he paused draws on Rita's curiosity but before she can ask he continues, "Anyway, since she's nearby the Director wants someone to investigate her, but nothing big has gone on so he doesn't want to send someone "official" and waste time going to look for her to see. And since, as you say, you're just a work study..." He had the good graces to look apologetic she crossed her eyebrows at the unfinished words that aggravated her a bit, since she was the newbie, they felt her time was least precious, enough to go hiking on a weekend just to "investigate" an old lady in the woods anyway. With a heavy sigh she conceded, she was new to the area since she just moved her 3 months ago, and looking for a solitary citizen might be the excuse she needs to explore the mountains for a day.

Besides, it gave her the excuse to check out the nearby shops for some equipment she'd need to go hiking for a day, and she liked the outdoors, and since it was October the leaves would be a constant source of enjoyment for her.

"Alright... Is the department giving me anything for the trip?" His blank stare said everything. "Look, I'm new in town living in the dorms and I'm budgeting with the grant money and my low paying job that just barely covers food. College student, remember... can you at least promise me the department can reimburse me for the equipment i'll need to spend a few days out there looking for her?" Her staring him down incredulously made him wince a bit as he thought about what could be done.

"Well... if you bring back results, even if it's just confirmation of a false flag, if you make a big enough fuss after you SHOULD at least get a stipend to cover what you spent on the assignment since it was payed initially with your own cash." She continued to stare him down, "A decent sleeping bag for October in the mountains of West Virginia is going to be at least around 80$, that's not counting the tent, other equipment or supplies if i'll be gone a week." Holding up his hands in surrender he tried to back pedal, "OKAY, okay... I get it... i'll try to make sure you get as much back as you spent."

With that he held up 1 finger as he tilted his head with a quirk of his eyebrow, "But only as long as you bring back your receipts... not rations though, just the equipment will be hard enough to push for." With a big smile she leapt up onto her feet and gave a firm salute, "Consider her found and her story cataloged!" With a returned salute and resigned sigh he turned around to leave and began walking away, "just be careful okay?" He looked back with an evil grin, "Be careful that you have enough picnic food to make Yogi happy if you see him."

Scoffing at his joke about bears as he exited the room, she began turning off the computer and packing her things as she stopped to look closer at the folder with the name "Mary Weatherly". "If i'm going to find you, I guess i'll need to prepare myself then." Taking a deep breath as she straightened out her frame and smoothed out her clothes, she grabbed her things and headed out.

Saying her pleasantries to the guard at the door and the secretary, she made her way to her dorm to come up with a list of things she'd need for the trip. On her way, she would reply to hello's and waves of classmates and other people she knew as she made her way through campus until she finally made her way to her dorm. As she turned the key and entered, a black figure draped in shadow stood before her in the center of the room.