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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/TheBatBelfry on 2024-10-07 01:20:21+00:00.

Never in my life did I imagine having such a job as this. Yet here I was.

I found a job listing for a company called BELL: Home Security & Surveillance. With paid training.

Bills were stacking up and I wasn’t getting any replies so I filled out an application. Received an email almost instantly telling me I got the job.

“No interview?” I thought.

A document contract was attached to the email. A DMCA. The email read that I got the job and to keep it, I had to sign the contract and essentially promise not to speak or share details of my training and position.

I was in no position to argue or complain so I signed. Didn’t even read the entire contract which I know I should have.

Come October 1st, it was time for my big first day. I was asked to arrive around 9pm. Seemed like I would have the graveyard shift.

I put the address on my GPS but nothing came up. I searched it up and nothing. As I was about to email the company, my GPS automatically refreshed and started giving directions.

I was puzzled but paid it no mind. Didn’t want to be late on my first day. I started the engine and drove off.

The office building lied far from the city in the outskirts. Deep, and I mean deep into the vast woods.

A road veered off from the highway which I had to take to get there. I drove across this bridge over a small river and finally arrived at my destination.

The building had a weird shape to it unlike anything I seen. Instead of your usual boxy structure, the building was tilted as if about to fall over. No windows or doors were visible. Just white walls without a single speck of dirt or dust.

I left my car at the parking lot before the building and got out. I approached the wall which suddenly slid open. A man in a black tuxedo greeted me, “Mr. James Morgan! Welcome to Bell. We’re happy to have you.”

“I’m happy to be here.” I shook his hand and followed him inside.

We walked down various empty halls with no rooms in site. I remember looking up to see the walls reach for the sky with no ceiling in site.

The man stopped at a corner and pressed his hand against the wall which slid open like the entrance.

Inside was a small office complete with a desk, computer and three chairs. Cabinets and drawers were stacked with papers.

“Please Mr. Morgan take a seat.”

I took the closest seat as he took the one behind the desk.

“Mr. Morgan. Here at BELL: Home Security & Surveillance, we take our job graciously in ensuring safety to our customers from all dangers.”

I just nodded as he went along.

“Dangers come in many forms. Theft. Break-in. But we specifically specialize in a very specific kind of danger.”

“What kind of danger?”

“Tell me Mr. Morgan. Do you believe in ghosts?”

Lost for words, I wasn’t sure how to respond. I mean, how do you respond to such a question in such an out of place scenario.

“I’m an open-minded person. I see what I believe.”

“Do you know why the company’s name and logo is a bell?”

“No.”

“It’s named after the Bell family. A religious family that lived in a church. With a notable bell tower.”

He retrieved an old photo from the cabinet behind him and placed it on the desk.

“They were known for ringing the bell everytime danger appeared. To alert the town not from any invading armies but. From witches.”

Taken aback from his words I glanced down at the photo to find an old family from the 1800s holding pitchforks and torches.

“That’s where it began. And we have continued their legacy ever since.”

“Wait. You’re a home security company that. That warns people about ghosts?!”

“We wait for a sign of paranormal activity. Thoroughly investigate it from here, using the cameras and sensors. If needed, we also use our hidden drones to properly scout the place.”

He returned the photo to the cabinet and continued.

“If a creature or otherworldly entity poses a threat. We immediately send a list of instructions to our client that share just enough details to know what type of entity is in their house and what to do.”

He leaned back on his chair and held his hands together.

“As our friends back here guide the client to safety, a team is dispatched to that location to deal with the entity. They then have three options: capture the entity, neutralize it, or eliminate it.”

“So you’re ghost hunters.”

“We’re no different than any other home security organization. We just take it a little further.”

Unreal I thought. A dream. If not then what.

“Okay. So what am I gonna do exactly?”

“You’ll be part of the team that deals with the entities directly. That’s where the paid training comes into play.”

He stands up and waves me towards the door.

“After you.”

We left his office and headed further into the hallways. Eventually coming across a locker room near a giant garage.

A guy in a black uniform stepped out, “James Morgan I take it?”

I shaked his hand, “Pleasure to meet you.”

“The name’s Michael. Michael Waters. And the pleasure is all mine.”

A little bell was pinned to his shirt along with a name tag, “Let’s get you into one of these shall we.”

I nodded my head and turned to find the previous man now gone. Didn’t recall hearing his footsteps either.

In the locker room, I was handed a black t-shirt and pants. A belt with a few pouches for storing stuff, and a little bell and nametag.

“Nervous?” Michael asked.

“Are we really ghost hunters or was that man just messing with me?”

“What man?”

“The man. The guy in the tuxedo that walked me over here. He was standing right next to me.”

“Oh I see. Don’t worry. Nobody could see the woman that hired me either.”

Michael began loading equipment onto a black van with a satellite on top. A giant yellow bell on its’ side, “Really pushes the little theory me and my folks got going on.”

“And what’s that?”

“The company is run by ghosts.”

“Good ghosts hunting bad ghosts?”

“Or something else and probably much worse. Yeah we help people. But I think it’s all theatrics.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Ghosts or not. You need money to get your resources. So they pose as a home security company. Help people on the side who then talk about the great, wonderful customer service we provide. Refer their friends and families.”

“Pretend to be the good guys so people pay them to do what they only care about?”

“Yes. Not everytime though. Some of my folks were told to purposefully leave customers in danger and fend for themselves. Can’t sell home security if all homes are safe, y’know.”

It was a lot to take in. I was ready to just leave and pretend this was just a bad dream but I guess Michael took notice, “I wouldn’t leave. It’s too late now.”

“Too late?”

“I don’t know what happens when you leave. I do know that everyone that quits or walks out is never seen from again.”

I froze in place. Did Michael just threaten me?

“Had a good friend. He applied for this job despite my disagreement. You see, they find us losers who are stuck in debt. People that can’t find a job. Promise us a huge paycheck. They do pay us.”

He placed a container into the van and shut the doors, “But when my friend decided he had enough. He walked out and couldn’t find him anywhere. Never went home. Nobody’s seen him.”

Michael takes the keys from the wall and heads towards the front of the van. I reluctantly stepped into the passenger seat as he took the driver’s.

“We’re in this together now, James. I got your back if you got mines.”

I sighed, accepting my fate. Michael started the van and we drove off.

We were driving along the highway when a female voice came over the radio, “Agents Waters and Morgan. Possible Level 4 Entity detected.”

“Level 4 Entity?”

“An entity that can be dealt with or handled.”

“What about the other levels?”

“A Level 5 Entity can be left alone. A Level 4 Entity can only be left alone under surveillance. Level 3 is an entity that must be dealt with right away. Level 2 is an entity that has a very specific way of dealing with. Level 1 is an entity that is out of our control.”

“What levels are more frequent?”

“Level 4 is the most common. I haven’t been called to deal with any entities above them.”

We finally arrived at the address the female voice sent us and parked the van upfront. Michael got out of the car and walked up to the house. I followed behind.

He handed me an earpiece as he placed another in his ear. “It’s so Sharon can communicate with us.”

“Sharon?”

“The lady in the radio.”

“Oh.”

Michael was about to knock on the door when we heard Sharon again. “The client has vacated the premises. Proceed to enter.”

He carefully pushed the door open and stepped inside. I walked in after him and looked around the dark living room.

I was ready to try the switch but Michael stopped me. “Even something as simple as the light turning on could upset or trigger these things. Best to leave it alone for now.”

He pulled out a tablet from the bag he was carrying and switched it on. It glowed a blue hue, bright enough to see the screen and nothing else.

“What are you doing?”

“Just getting ready to gather some information.”

I glanced around and waited to see any sort of sign that a ghost was present. Nothing.

“Sharon, can you tell us what you got?”

“Affirmative. Level 4 Entity detected at 22:41 hours. Subject has the appearance of a female, 11 years in age. Subject is currently upstairs on the first bedroom to the right.”

“Well do.”

I followed Michael upstairs to the mentioned room. When we entered, we did indeed find the girl Sharon talked about. …

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