“Welcome back to another episode of The Haunting Of. Today we’ll be exploring this haunted asylum, Wildflower Psychiatric Ward, right here in Chicago. Wildflower was built right after The Great Depression. Many people were admitted to this asylum. Most weren’t even mentally ill but just needed a place to live. Unfortunately, in 1961 the asylum caught fire and killed all of the patients and 7 staff members. Many of the victims were never identified to this day. The asylum was soon rebuilt in 1963 but closed again in 1968. It is said that Wildflower is haunted by the spirit of Melissa Carter, a nurse who is said to have started the fire. And tonight, we’ll be finding out the truth. What secrets really haunt Wildflower Psychic Ward?” Stevie Carl said, host of the popular youtube show The Haunting Of. 

     "And cut. That take was great.” Cameraman Andrew Tomilson said. Andrew and Stevie have been very close since they were teenagers. They came up with the idea for The Haunting Of 5 years ago after exploring an abandoned hospital that was said to be haunted. Ever since then, they have been in love with the idea of all things paranormal. 

    And Wildflower is thought to be one of the most haunted places there is. People had been requesting Wildflower's appearance on the show and now it was finally time for it to make its debut. 

     "I get such a weird vibe from this place. You think we can take a break before we actually go in?” Stevie asked. 

    "Yeah sure. I need to get some shots of the building and the area anyways. I'll be back.'' Andrew said as he walked away to go get some videos and pictures. 

     Andrew walked further away to get far pictures of the ward. Graffiti covered the outside of the ward. The building was huge. The building was of course falling apart, but it was hauntingly beautiful. 

   Wildflower is located in the middle of the desolate woods. There aren’t any buildings and streets for miles. It’s just miles and miles of open woods... And who knows what could be lurking in those woods? 

    Andrew began snapping pictures, making sure to get every angle. But something caught his eye. He noticed something in the window of what he counted to be the 3rd floor. He could barely make out what it was, so he used his camera to zoom in and snap a picture. After viewing the picture, his stomach dropped. The picture was a bit blurry, but he could see it was the face of a woman staring dead at him. Andrew immediately ran back to where they were originally filming to find Stevie. But Stevie was gone. 

   Andrew wasn't one to jump to crazy conclusions. But after seeing that picture, he believed something evil may have happened to his friend. He called out for Stevie, but there was no response. He decided to call Stevie on his cell phone. The phone rang but no answer. Andrew began to worry about the fate of his friend. 

   He decided he was going to look for Stevie. Andrew began to walk around the building and search the surrounding woods. As he walked, he heard a russell in the bushes. Andrew was admittedly scared but decided to check out the noise. He made his way to the bush. His heart was beating fast. He pushed the bushes back. He winced. 

    "BOO!” A laughing Stevie yelled. 

    "Stevie, I'm gonna kill you.” Andrew said as he let out a sigh of relief. 

    "Bro, you should've seen your face. You were so scared. I heard you calling for me and I was trying so hard not to laugh.” Stevie said as he got up from the bushes. 

 "Man whatever. I need to show you something.”Andrew said as he looked down at his camera.

 “Go for it,” Stevie said. Andrew pulled up the picture with the face and showed Stevie.

 "Dude, what is that?” Stevie said as he pushed the camera away. 

  "So, I'm not crazy. You see that face?” Andrew said.

  "Yeah. That's weird. Let's finish filming and check it out.” Stevie said. 

  "Let's go then.” Andrew said. They both walked back to the ward and started filming again.

   "Follow me inside to one of Chicago's most haunted buildings. Here, we are on the first floor of Wildflower. This floor was the children's ward... It said you can still hear children laughing.” Stevie said as Andrew panned the camera around.

  A sudden wave of laughter could be heard throughout the entire ward.

   "Come on Andrew, that's not funny.” Stevie said as he sighed.

    "What? You heard that right?" Andrew asked.

    “Yeah, haha so funny. That's the best you could to get back at me?” Stevie asked.

    "Stevie, that wasn't me.” Andrew said. He stumbled over his words.

     "So, if that wasn't you and it wasn't me-"

     "You don't think?” Andrew said as he cut Stevie off.

     "Dude, I honestly don't know.” Stevie said.

    The two were dumbfounded by the laughter. They shrugged it off as just them being overthinking and continued filming. 

     "And this very room was the room of Annie, David, Penny, and Joanne who died in the fire. People say you can hear their agonizing screams.” Stevie said as he walked around the room, exploring it. 

    A high-pitched scream pierced through the duo's ears making them jump. “Play.”

   "Stevie. I'm not crazy right?” Andrew asked.

    "I heard it, man. I heard it. Not even gonna lie, I'm creeped out.” Stevie admitted. 

     "Come play with us, come play with us.” An eerie voice whispered that turned into a laugh that carried throughout the room.

     Andrew jumped so high he almost dropped his camera. "Let's get out of this room.” He said. 

     "Yeah man let’s go.” Stevie agreed.  The door to the room that was previously opened slammed shut. They looked at each other. 

     “Andrew come on. If this is a prank for you to get back at me, you’re doing too much. Stop playing around.” Stevie said as he rolled his eyes.

   “How would I even be able to make a freaking door close? Huh, Stevie? Explain that to me.” Andrew said with clear irritation in his voice. Before Stevie could even answer, the door slowly creaked open.

   “She’s waiting for you up there.” A creepy voice whispered. The pair slowly turned to the door. 

   “W-who’s waiting for us?” Stevie stuttered on his words.

   “GET OUT NOW.” The voice screamed. They ran out of the room and almost fell as the door slammed shut behind them. 

   “Andrew, what the fu-“ Stevie said. 

   “I know. W-we never, uh, never experienced something like that.” Andrew said. “Maybe we should leave.” He continued 

   “Wait what? Leave? You wanna leave? We can’t! We need to go check out the floor where you saw the face in the picture. That’s gonna make this episode even better.” Stevie said.

    “But Stevie, I think this place is really haunted. Like something evil.” Andrew said. You could hear the fear in his voice.

    “Andrew, this is my show. And I’m saying we’re going to finish it. Let’s go.” Stevie said as he rolled his eyes. 

   “Your show?” Andrew questioned.

   “I’m not arguing with you. Let’s go now. What floor did you see the face on?” Stevie asked.

  Andrew just sighed. “3rd.” He mumbled. 

  Without saying anything, Stevie walked to the stairs that would lead them to the next floors. “Come on.” He said to Andrew. Andrew followed suit.

  They walked up the creaky stairs. Some stairs were altogether missing, so they had to be extra careful. As they walked, Andrew suddenly stopped. 

    “Why’d you stop?” Stevie asked.

     “I-I can't move.” Andrew said as he gulped.

     “What do you mean? Just move bro.” Stevie said with clear irritation. 

   “If I could-AHHHHHH.” Andrew screamed as a pair of hands reached through the cracks in the stairs and grabbed his ankles and yanked him.

  “Andrew, Andrew!” Stevie yelled after his friend as he was being dragged up the stairs. Stevie ran after his friend but could barely keep up.

   “Stevie. Stevie, please help me.” His friend pleaded. 

     “Andrew, I’m coming.” Stevie said to his friend. 

   Before they knew it, they were on the 3rd floor. Andrew’s legs fell to the ground and Stevie ran to his friend.

   “Andrew, Andrew. Are you okay?” Stevie asked as he helped his friend up.

   “Ahh f***, my ankle. Can you look at it?” Andrew asked as he winced in pain.

   “Have a nurse look at it.” A voice whispered. It sounded like a woman.

   “I swear to God man. I hate this.” Andrew said.

   Suddenly, the floor’s temperature began to rise. Not just a normal heat wave, but hot like it was on fire.

   “It’s so hot.” Stevie said as he began to fan himself. Andrew fell to the ground and rubbed his ankle.

    “God it hurts so bad. You smell that though? It smells like something is burning.” Andrew said as he wrinkled his nose up at the smell.

   “Burning bodies. Such a good smell.” The woman’s voice said. A figure began to appear from the shadows. It was the figure of a lady. She had on an old nursing outfit that was ripped and almost completely burned. The lady herself had long brown hair and eyes that melted into her face. Her skin was blackened and covered in burns.

   “Melissa.” The two said in unison.

    “Yes, it is I. The best nurse this place has ever seen.” Melissa laughed evilly. The two sat there in shock. They’d never seen a real ghost before. 

    “W-w-why? Why are you here? Why did you burn this place?” Stevie asked as he stumbled over his words.

   “Let me tell you a little story. I started working here in 1950 as a nurse in training. I loved my job. I loved helping people. I felt it was my calling. They were so many crazy people in the world that needed my help. So many people were suffering. So I did what any nurse in training who cares about people would do. I killed them. Those who were suffering the most, I’d slip a little bit of poison in their morning coffee. Or a slip of the hand when doing a lobotomy. It was the right thing to do. I was a nurse in training for 10 whole years. I gave my life to that job. I just wanted to be a real nurse. The head nurse. But the doctors didn’t have any faith in me. They said too many patients had been dying under my watch. Which was true, but all for a good cause of course. They fired me. They said I wasn’t benefiting the asylum any longer. And boy oh boy, did that set something off in me. I spoke with my good friend, nurse Ratched. She told me I couldn’t just be fired like that. I had to do something. So I did. I walked right onto this floor, into the head doctor’s office. I begged for my job back. Practically got on my knees. But he said no. He told me if I ever came back, he’d call the police. That made me laugh. Matter of fact, it sent me into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. I left, went into my car, and got my gas tank. I walked right back up to that 3rd floor and poured gas all over the floor. I lit a match and set it aflame. The whole floor went up in flames. The flames reached through the entire building, down to the first floor where the children were. I didn’t want to hurt them but after 10 years, something just snaps. You know the feeling, Andrew.” She finished her story staring at Andrew. 

    The two just stood there in shock and stared at each other. “I know the feeling.” Andrew agreed. “Working for someone all that time and not getting the respect you deserve. It drives you nuts.” 

   “What are you talking about Andrew?” Stevie asked as he moved farther from his friend.

    “Stevie, you’re always in the limelight. You’re the star of the show and I’m just the cameraman. You never let me do the talking. It’s just Stevie and his cameraman. I’m tired of being just the cameraman.” Andrew said as he stood up straight. The pain from his ankle felt relieved all of a sudden.

    “Well, Andrew. Let’s handle that problem.” Melissa said as he jumped out at Stevie, grabbing him by the hair. 

    Melissa held a grip on Stevie. “Follow me.” Melissa said.

   “Andrew, you gotta help me.” Stevie winced. 

    Andrew just stayed quiet, blocking out the sound of his friend’s plea. He followed Melissa into a room, it looked like an operating room and threw Stevie on the table. 

   “Tie him down.” Melissa said. Andrew immediately strapped him to the table. 

    “Andrew, what are you doing? Please.” Stevie cried.

    “Finally taking charge.” Andrew said. “I’m done.”

    “Oh, Stevie. Don’t cry. You’re just getting a simple procedure done.” Melissa said. In front of their very eyes, she morphed into a beautiful young nurse. The old operating room they were in turned into a bright white room with medical equipment all around. 

  “How’d you do that?” Andrew asked.

   “When you’re a ghost you can do anything.” Melissa said as she laughed. “Now, pass me that ice pick. I think your friend Stevie here needs a lobotomy.”

  Stevie’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he heard that. “WHAT? A LO-WHAT? Andrew, please, you’re my best friend. How are you going to take the side of a GHOST?” Stevie pleaded. Tears were running down his cheeks. 

  “Because she knows. She knows what it’s like to not be appreciated for all your hard work. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into editing this show. Now it’s my time to be the star.” Andrew said as he handed Melissa the icepick. 

   “Thank you. Now, Stevie, this won’t hurt one bit.” Melissa said as he placed the icepick in Stevie’s eye. 

   “Actually, Andrew. Will you do the honors?” She asked. 

   “I would love to.” Andrew said he took hold of the icepick. 

   “Just squish it around a bit, and mash it down.” Melissa said as she showed Andrew what to do. 

   Andrew took the icepick and mashed it into his friend’s eye, striking his frontal lobe. A horrid scream left Stevie’s mouth. 

  “Gosh, that felt good.” Andrew said as his friend screamed. 

   “He’s not dead, but he won’t be able to speak.” Melissa said. 

   “It’s fine with me.” Andrew said as he stared at his former friend. Stevie laid on the bed, unable to speak. He could only make incoherent noises. 

   “I’m glad I could be of service to you Andrew. But I must go now. There is always someone in Hell who needs a nurse.” Melissa said as she morphed back into her burned ghostly state. “Goodbye.”

   Andrew was left alone with Stevie in the operating room. He picked up his camera and started filming. 

    “Hi, everyone. This is a special edition episode of The Haunting Of. Our good friend Stevie is out, so I’ll be taking over.” Andrew said with a sinister smile. The only thing that could be heard in the background was Stevie’s horrendous screams. 

   “Oh, shut it. It’s my time, Stevie. My time.” Andrew said he placed the camera up. “And today, I’ll be showing you all how to kill your best friend in an haunted asylum. I hope you all enjoy this episode.”