Right before crossing the threshold, Halia looks back at Ashlyn and frowns, noticing Ashlyn looks a little stiffer than usual. She knows that Ashlyn sometimes hears things that aren't there, but decides against mentioning it in front of the rest of the group and settles with, "Ashlyn? You coming?"
Ashlyn nods before following Halia inside as the tour begins. Relatively early in the tour, however, the guide's phone rings, and she leaves, saying she has to take it since it's her emergency phone and tells them they can keep looking around as long as they don't touch anything.
Halia snorts. "Some tour guide."
"Well, that's super professional," Tyler agrees.
"I–I don't think that's professional..." Logan mumbles, completely missing the point.
"I was being sarcastic."
"Oh."
Taylor just shrugs it off and convinces the rest of the group that they'll have more fun without the tour guide there.
Halia senses that something is off, and the thoughts persist ever more as she stays in the back of the group with Ashlyn while they enter the basement.
"Is it the phantom noises?" Halia whispers when Ashlyn takes an earplug out.
Ashlyn nods, putting a hand over her ear.
"Why is she wearing ear plugs?" Tyler asks.
"Ah! I thought they were wireless earbuds?!" Aiden practically shouts.
Halia immediately moves in front of Ashlyn and puts supporting hands on her arms as she hisses to Aiden, "Be quiet!"
"They're earplugs. I wear them because of my sensitivity to..." Ashlyn trails off, making Halia raise a brow in concern. "...Sounds."
Halia looks at Aiden, pleased to see that he looks at least somewhat guilty, but then looks at a shadow past him when he says, "Oops. My bad. I thought they were for music."
Suddenly the shadow takes on a more solid form and grins creepily at the girls, and they both shiver under its glowing white gaze.
Halia looks back at Ashlyn. "Did you see that?"
"...You saw it too?"
Halia slowly nods before shaking her head slightly. "It's probably just a ghost or something," she reasons, taking her hands off of Ashlyn's arms and backing up a few steps to give her friend space.
Halia hears Taylor behind her ask, "You alright Ashlyn? You look pale."
Ashlyn breathes out and puts her earplug back in. "I'm fine."
Halia can tell Ashlyn's still shaken up and just stands there and watches her for a moment before turning back to the group and sees them all looking at them and narrows her eyes when she notices that they all look irked by something except for Aiden with his ever-present smile.
"A-Ashlyn..." Logan stammers out.
Halia looks back at Ashlyn and freezes when she sees the same shadowed figure right behind her best friend.
"...Behind you," Logan finishes.
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