A couple of day's later, the temperature outside had drastically changed, where on Halloween ; it was slightly warmer then usual. On this Thursday, in the first week of November the weather had settled into a blistery cold, the type that seeped through even the warmest clothing. I was used to the drastic changes in temperature, as it was normal for Western NY, Buffalo residents were quite used to it. Although it had not yet snowed, I could tell it would not be long, in fact the forecast predicted flurries by the end of the week.

I was running late for my Creative writing class, having been up late the night before finishing up the short story that was due. I had some trouble coming up with a topic, I decided to write about my personal paranormal experience but tried to make it sound fictional which had been quite difficult for me as I lived through it.

Derek was in the shower and I was at the small closet, across from the bathroom, looking for my favorite red hoodie. I was frustrated because I knew it was hanging in the closet the night before but now it wasn't. Slightly giving up, I grabbed a dark navy one instead and pulled it over my head, then grabbed my black bubble jacket and pulled it on.

"Babe, you need a ride?" Derek's voice boomed behind me, making me jump slightly, I had thought he was still in the bathroom as I didn't hear the door opening behind me, nor his foot steps.I glanced over my shoulder at him and nodded my head, his tanned skin glistened from his shower and his slightly shaggy brown hair dripped with water.

While he got dressed in a pair of black pants, a short sleeved white button down and a black suit jacket, I ran around the apartment making sure I didn't forget anything for the full day ahead of me. I had 3 classes and then I had to bus it to work, unless I somehow received a ride from one of my classmates. Once sure I had everything, we headed out of the apartment locking the door behind us and outside to Derek's SUV.

Derek and I didn't talk much during our ride to where I attended school, 10 minutes away from my apartment building. Instead we both sipped our coffee's in comfortable silence. "I'll pick you up from work tonight, after dinner with Marc." Derek said, as he turned onto the long road that led to the building my class was in.

"I should reach out to Shelia, How is Marc doing with therapy?" I asked while searching through my purse for my student ID that I had to show to enter each building. "He's doing pretty well, although he gets frustrated sometimes but it's to be expected" Derek replied as I pulled the student id card out of my purse.

Derek pulled to a stop in front of the English building and I leaned over to give him a peck on the lips, before getting out of the car. "Bye, Call me on your lunch" I called through the open door before closing it and heading into the building.

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Derek leaned over his desk and studied the file in front of him, it was of a teenage girl whose body had been discovered a little over a week ago in the downtown district. The pictures were horrific to say the least, the girl who was presumed to be between the ages of 16 and 18, had been badly beaten, then raped before being shot in the head. While he was a damn good Homicide detective who had been working for the department for the last 7 years, he hated this part of his job, the part of finding the bodies of seemingly innocent people.

He quickly made notes in the file on what he already knew on the girl, although her exact age had not yet been determined, she was Caucasian with brown hair and brown eyes, 5'7? and weighed approximately 120 pounds, she had a scar on her lower stomach which suggested surgery of some kind. The autopsy had revealed that she ultimately died from internal bleeding and was dead prior to being shot in the head. After making notes, he picked up the file of local missing persons in the area that fit the description of the teenage girl. Although the missing persons file listed missing persons, it did not list runaways. He scanned the file and noted two teenagers who fit the description, one was 18 from a local suburb and the other 16 from Buffalo.

Now came the hard part doing research on the two missing girls he had discovered in the missing persons file which meant talking to the families of each girl, to see if either one of them was his victim. He stood up and walked over to the coffee maker that sat across from his desk and refilled his cup, then glanced at his watch realizing he had worked right through his lunch and hadn't the time to call Tori who should be on her way to work.

He spent the rest of the day interviewing the families of each girl which led to the discovery that the victim was Avery Wilkins, age 18 from Kenmore,NY. She was reported missing two weeks prior and was thought to be with her much older boyfriend, James Nelson who was 36.

James Nelson was now a suspect in the rape and murder of Avery Wilkins.

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A classmate in my creative writing class, Detra Perkins, who I was somewhat close to, offered to drive me to work so I wouldn't have to stand in the cold waiting for a bus. I accepted the offer, but only after making sure she wasn't going out of her way. "How did you do on the short story assignment?" She asked as she pulled her car out of the parking lot and started to drive towards the exit of the campus, I sighed thinking of what the professor had said about the assignment after the class.

The professor liked my short story so much, she wanted me to read it next week at the Creative writing workshop she hosts every year and although I said I would do it, I was terrified of public speaking.

"Professor Adams, Loved it, she wants me to read it at the Creative writing workshop next week" I replied to her question, while staring out the window unsure of what I had gotten myself into.

"Tori, That is awesome, I think you should do it" Detra exclaimed excitedly, before I could respond with my thoughts, she forged ahead "I know your major is interior design but have you given any thought to minoring in something to do with English?" She questioned. I shook my head, I really didn't think my writing was good enough to be recognized as anything other then a hobby at this point, my downfall was that I was my biggest critic.

"Tori, your stuff is good, exceptionally good in fact. You deserve to be recognized for your skill" she said as she pulled into Walmart's parking lot, which is where I worked. "Yeah" I agreed, while opening the door and preparing to exit her car, she placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"Can I be your plus one at the workshop?" she questioned, I thought about it of course I wanted Derek to be there but maybe I should take Detra, she was my biggest fan when it came to my writing. "I'll think about it, Derek might want to go" I answered, "I have to go, I'll call you later", she nodded before I hurried into work.

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"Tori you look tired, are you sleeping okay?" Jessica questioned as she stocked the shelves in the entertainment section besides me, She studied me carefully. I stifled a yawn as I shook my head, "Classes are killing me this semester, but I am okay". She still looked like she didn't quite believe me, "You aren't Pregnant, are you?" she questioned loudly, so loud in fact several customers who were browsing the section, turned their heads our way. "WHAT! Jessica, No" I hissed, quite upset she was speaking so loudly. "Okay Okay" she muttered then continued her work, I was silent as I worked along side her, noticing that customers were still looking at me, I moved to the book section and stocked what was left in the box.

"You should talk to Pat and go home early" she pleaded, "You look exhausted". "I only have another hour, I'll be fine" "Tori, Pat will let you go home, come on" she said as she dragged me into Pat's office, Pat was my boss and I technically was Jessica's. Still I let her lead me into Pat's office, I was tired, so tired in fact I was practically falling asleep on my feet so I knew it had to show on my face.

In the office, Pat sat behind her desk going over paperwork, presumably our checks as we got paid weekly every Friday. She looked up expectantly at us as we came in, "Pat, Tori is not feeling well, she threw up in the bathroom a minute ago" Jessica lied easily, Pat studied me for a moment and I wondered if she could tell Jessica was lying on my behalf. "Tori, go ahead and clock out, If you are not feeling better in the morning, call in sick before your shift tomorrow" she ordered, "Jessica, your shift is over so can you drive Tori home?". Jessica nodded, "I can call Derek" I interjected. "It's okay, I'll take you", I groaned inwardly, but nodded my head.

As I followed Jessica to her beat up jeep, I text Derek and informed him I had a ride home and I had gotten off of work early withholding the reason why. Jessica pulled out of the parking lot and absentmindedly asked where I lived, as I told her, I noticed her eyes grow wide. "What?" I questioned carefully, suddenly curious as I had never gotten that reaction before after telling people I lived in Waterfront Manor.

She hesitated slightly before answering, "Well it's just that I heard that place was haunted and it used to be a hotel, but it was closed down due to quite a few mysterious deaths". My eyes bugged, Were the two spirits in my apartment murdered I wondered silently, Jessica didn't know my secret and there was no need for her to know, she was quite the gossip.

"Mysterious deaths?" I questioned, "Well yeah...why are you so interested?" she asked suddenly guarded although I didn't understand why, "I am interested in the paranormal" I lied. That couldn't have been furthest from the truth, The truth was I was terrified of anything related to the paranormal, especially given the fact that I could see ghosts.

"My cousin has lived in the building for years, I can introduce her to you, if you'd like. She knows much more about the history then I do."

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