But as we neared the dilapidated building, I could detect the flicker of candlelight through a downstairs window. A half dozen cars were pulled up onto the property, parked in haphazard fashion on the mostly dirt lawn, as if their drivers had been too rushed to consider parking in neat rows. I wasn’t even sure all of the cars were functional; some may have belonged to the previous owners of the building and been left to rust as a grim reflection of the aging structure. Brenda found a vacant area away from the other vehicles and shut off the engine. She lowered her head for a moment, as if in prayer, then looked at me. “Are you ready?” she whispered. “Yes, but why are you whispering?” “Lucas likes us to spend some quiet time before we come in. If we’re peaceful and quiet, our souls will be open to the spirits around us. He says loud noise discourages them.” As we and others exited our vehicles, the thuds of car doors being closed filled the night, and I wondered if we were chasing away the spirits before we even started.
