Chapter Text
"Take one!" Hope presses the record button on the tape. "My name is Hope Mikaelson. Today's date is May 14th, 1969. Today I am joined with my wife Josette Mikaelson, and Larry Johnson. Along with his wife Candie Johnson, who have been experiencing paranormal activity throughout their household with their 3 children... David, Helen, and Kimberley."
Hope spoke clearly, but also very gently so she could capture some sort of noise while recording this tape.
She then moved her eyes to the couple sitting in front of them, "Let's start from the beginning... So tell me, what happened during the first incident?"
The couple took a second to look at each other, saying their next few sentences.
Larry cleared his throat, trying to make sure he sounds as thorough as he could. "Well, the first thing we ever experienced was when all of us were sitting at the dining table. We were starting to clean up and gather the dishes and trash... and as we were Kimberley screamed and pointed at the front corridor."
"Kimberley isn't the type to get scared easily..." His wife, Candie jumps into the conversation. "When she screamed, everyone turned to look at where she was pointing... and as we were Helen and David decided to scream as well."
She continued, "I and Larry didn't see anything, but a very dim light of some sort of darkness or shadow... move from the front door to outside very quickly."
"Yeah, I went outside to go look and investigate... but nothing and no one was there when I did. Kimberley didn't fess up until yesterday. Helen and David won't talk though... but Candie got the kid's to go and draw what they saw earlier on today." Larry turned to his wife.
"That's right, and something odd happened when I did..."
Hope turned to look at Josie, and Josie spoke to say..."Alright, do you mind sharing what happened?... That is if you are comfortable sharing it with Hope and I."
Candie shook her head, "Of course not. As becoming a parent... I found that children do their art quite differently from others. But when they handed their art pieces to me... they all drew the same thing"
Hope nodded her head and hummed a response. "Right... and could you please show us their drawings to see a visual of what we got on our hands here?"
"Of course." Candie responded while getting up to go and get the drawings.
///
Josie looked out of the window... watching from afar at the 3 Johnson's kids playing out on the fields. Josette desperately want's nothing more but to solve this case and go back home to her and Hope's child, Hayley. She had been too busy watching the children to even notice her wife enter the same room.
Hope got on her tippy toes to meet the other girl's height, and wrap her arms around her waist. Josie immediately known's it's Hope, from her warmth and near touch. Hope smiles against Josie's shoulder and presses soft reassuring kisses there.
Josie hum's a response as Hope does that,
"You know how I said that I always wanted to live in the countryside... this is not what I meant." she says, giggling as Hope does with her too.
"Alright. I see what you mean... I think once we're done with work we could build a house on some sort of farmland and get Father Thomas to bless the land every once and a while. Hm, what'd you say about that?" Hope raises her left eyebrow in curiosity, with a smirk attached to her face.
Josie only smile's brighter, "Sound's like a plan to me. But you'll uh- have to ask the boss first.." mentioning young little, Hayley Mikaelson.
"I'll promise her a pony." Hope replies, with a small chuckle.
///
The Johnson's sat on the sofa while Hope and Josie were discussing what they were handling, and not to underestimate the work of the bad energy and spirit contained in the house.
"Well... what the hell is it?" Larry cuts Hope off as she goes on.
With that, Hope look's at him with a stern face. "I was just getting to that, Larry." She clear's her throat as continuing...
"What we have here is the work of an evil spirit. What we know so far, is that the spirit usually disguises itself when children are near. I advise you and your family is to not get in contact with the spirit... seeing as what we know what it could do so far."
"Can't I just take my kids and go up and leave?" Larry asks once more, with Candie nodding beside him.
Hope brings her hands up to her face, rubbing her temples. Josie notices how frustrated her wife looks, taking her hands from her face and moving them to her own. Josie decides to continue for Hope.
"If you leave, the spirit will do what any other demonic being would do, it would follow after you. Seeing as the evil want's something from you and your family. Moving on someplace else is most likely the worst thing that could happen, as you're only providing the spirit more surrounding's in new area's."
Larry is about to say something else, but Candie beat's him to it. "Will the children get hurt...?" such worry and fear build up within her voice.
Josie looks at Hope.
Hope looks at Josie.
Both unsure on how their answer could come out.
"You see... when the spirit reveals itself to children. It would obviously want something to do with them in particular. Therefore, we don't know what it wants yet, but it certainly does want something to do with your kids."
Mrs. Johnson does nothing but shakes her head, "No... you're not answering my question. Will my children get hurt?"
Hope close's her mouth, looking at Josie... signaling for her to take over.
And she does, "Unfortunately, I fear so. Since we know that there is only one spirit though, it would likely mess with one of the kid's... however that's where we get stuck..."
Larry stand's up and throw's his arm's in the air. "Stuck? Aren't you two some sort of expert at this paranormal shit!? Why the fuck would we get stuck?"
Then, Hope can't keep it in her. "Listen, pal, you're damn lucky my wife and I are even here. let this be a warning because I'm sure other people need to see us too. Show my wife and me a little respect when we're trying to save your family."
If the world were to stop at any moment and any moment alone, this would be it.
In the next couple of seconds, Larry walks towards Hope, while both of the wives are trying to pull their partner's back.
///
Josie pulls Hope into the corridor next to the front door.
"What was that? Hope, you can't talk to those people like that..."
Hope doesn't look at Josie, instead, she looks at the front door. Josie doesn't notice at first, but as she continues repeating Hopes name... she finally catches where Hopes eye's focus.
They both have a clear sight of a dark figure in dark shadows moving throughout the front door making its way upstairs. The dark moves through Josie, and when Josie feels what the dark makes her feel... she is completely at loss. Chill's run throughout her body, making her shiver.
"Hon, what is it? Josie?" Hope look's at her, too concerned about what her face shows.
Josie only looks up at her wife and then walks into the living room where the other couple is. Before they could say anything, Josie is already talking..."May I go down into the cellar?"
The couple look's at her and look's back at each other before confirming that it's alright. And with that, Josette is up and gone.
It really doesn't take long for Hope to follow after her. "Josie, can you please tell me what's going on?"
When walking down the steps, Hope has a clear view of how everything looks. She notices how everything is dark, and covered with cobwebs, and reek's of utter filth.
"Josie, can you tell me what's going on?"
Josie goes all the way down with her flashlight, and spins and looks everywhere.
"Hope."
The red-headed girl looks at her wife... "What is it, Jo? You can tell me, please?"
Josie look's at her, straight in the eye. She brings her free hand to her head and runs it through her hair.
"There's something bad here, Hope. I really can't tell, but something that took place here... it was awful. I-" Josie gets cut off by Hope, who takes her in her arms.
She holds Josie close, with so much affection and warmth. Hope knows that Josie has the ability to see... things.
Thing's out of the ordinary. Vision's, as Josie, likes to call them. But when Josie has her visions... they take a big toll on her.
"It's okay Jo... we'll get through it. Right? like we always do. It's you and me, always." Hope assures her wife.
Josie finishes for her, with a sad smile, "And forever..."
///
As the couple walks back up the stairs, screaming was heard in the kitchen. Hope and Josie ran across the house to see the commotion. When they do enter the kitchen, the window and cupboard doors close... slammed shut.
Mrs. Johnson gets tugged by her shoulder's and eventually moves to the floor, wincing and screaming... calling out for Larry.
"Larry! Hold her down." Hope demands, Mr. Johnson does what he is told.
When he does, the grip on Candie stop's and the dark shadow moves to out the window. Causing it to break, with glass shattered all over the sink.
"No... Larry- The kids!" Candie screams while groaning in pain.
Hope runs to the door and tries to get through it, the broken window is small so she isn't sure she could fit through that. Josie screams their names, expecting a response... but nothing came back.
That's when everyone started to panic...
Mr. Johnson got off the floor with his wife, who Josie then proceeded to help up. Larry banged and lunged forward into the door, causing it to break.
As Hope and Larry ran out the front door, they saw Helen.
"Helen!" Larry called out.
Helen turned around and waved. As they made their way to her... she informed them that David and Kimberley went down to the fields to go run around.
"Okay, Helen listens to me... get back inside the house to mommy and Mrs. Mikaelson. Now!" Larry's voice was gentle, though it was also very stern.
She did what she was told, with a worried expression on her face... while Hope and Larry were running through the fields.
"David, Kimberley!" Hope called out, a muffled scream was heard on Hope's left side.
"You go right, I go left! Go!" Larry looked as if he wanted to protest, but obeyed anyway.
///
"Kimberley! David! Where are you?!"
Hope searched for a continuous 5 min later... when she saw a sleeping Kimberley laying across the field. She then picked her up, feeling relieved when she heard her heartbeat.
Hope then found Larry and told him to take her back with him as she could go search for David.
Although... That's when Hope found him sitting by a nearby tree with a swing attached to a branch.
"David!" She called out yet again. He turned his head and smiled, which was unusual. He got up, smoothed his shorts, and walked back home without another word.
Hope didn't really suspect much out of it... but as she was turning back. She then noticed a pile of clear dark red liquid with light chunk's across the grass...
"Are you coming?" The boy was now in front of her, hand's placed in his pockets of the shorts, still smiling.
Hope knew exactly what was happening. "Yeah."
"Come on then, slowpoke!" he ran and giggled on the way.
///
When the night came, everything was much scarier than before. Hearing the wind across the windows. Loud unknown bugs chirping and buzzing. Hope really couldn't focus on anything other than the pile of red gush next to David.
"Are you alright, dear?" Josie asked, book in her hand.
They were sleeping in single beds, so everything felt a bit more different.
Hope look's at Josie, who is now yawning and rubbing her eyes. Hope smile's fondly and find's her wife adorable when she does that, "Fine. You look tired... try to get some sleep tonight."
Josie shakes her head, as getting up to move to Hope. The beds aren't the comfiest... but they'll have to do for now. Josie wraps her arms around Hope's neck and sit's on her lap while taking off her locket of their daughter's picture.
"I miss her so much." Josie adds quietly, now resting her head on Hope's shoulder.
Hope does the same while bringing a hand to rest on Josie's back. "Me too."
They stay like that for 3 minutes, after Josie takes her head off and presses a kiss to Hope's lips.
"I love you." Josie whispers, resting her forehead on Hope's.
At this point Hope forgets about her worries, "I love you too, Jo. It's you and me, always?"
Josie's smile's so bright and nods her head. "And forever."
///
It was quiet.
Josie was in bed.
Hope was in bed.
Josie was sleeping.
Hope wasn't sleeping.
Hope was in her head too much.
Maybe too much to even notice a scream coming from Kimberley and Helen's room.
Whoop's.