Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
#AlaskaLife #GhostHunting #AuroraBorealis #ParanormalExplorer
S ophie stood in the doorway of her room at Kirkham Lodge, taking in every detail with a smile she couldn’t suppress. Whitney had thought of everything, right down to the Diet Pepsi lined up in the mini-fridge like soldiers awaiting deployment. After that disastrous flight where her sodas had exploded all over her equipment, she’d sworn off packing any carbonated drinks. The fact that Whitney had asked about her favorites beforehand made her heart warm.
The late afternoon sun streamed through her window, washing the rustic room in golden light. Dark wood furniture complemented the hand-stitched quilt on the bed, and vintage photographs of gold rush scenes decorated the walls. It was exactly the right mix of comfort and authenticity that she’d hoped to find in Alaska. She ran her fingers over the quilt, appreciating the intricate stitching that spoke of hours of patient work.
A collection of old mining tools mounted on one wall caught her attention. Each piece had been carefully restored and arranged to tell a story of the region’s gold rush history. Sophie had done her research before coming—she always did—and knowing the hardships those early prospectors had faced made these simple tools seem almost sacred. How many hopes and dreams had they represented? How many stories could they tell?
She pulled out her phone and sent Whitney a quick text: “You’re amazing—thank you for all of this!” Then, unable to resist capturing the moment, she started recording. After smoothing her wavy auburn hair, she grinned at the camera.
“Okay, ghost squad, you are not going to believe where your favorite paranormal investigator just landed!” She spun in a slow circle, letting her camera take in the room. “Welcome to the absolutely gorgeous Kirkham Lodge in Skagway, Alaska. And before anyone asks—yes, that is an authentic gold rush era pickaxe on the wall, and no, I will not be using it to dig up any spirits.” She waggled her eyebrows at the camera. “Though I’m sure some of you would love to see that.”
She moved to the window, zooming in on the view. “Look at these mountains! I mean, seriously. If I were a ghost, this is exactly where I’d want to spend eternity.” The familiar motions of creating content centered her, helped ground her in this new place. She kept her movements smooth as she documented the space, careful not to reveal too much of the lodge’s layout. Years of experience had taught her to keep certain details private, both for her hosts’ sake and to maintain that sense of mystery her followers craved.
When she stepped outside, the view nearly took her breath away. The meadow stretched before her, framed by mountains that seemed to touch the clouds. Pine trees stood like sentinels against the vast Alaskan sky, and the air carried a crisp freshness she’d never experienced anywhere else. The scent of wildflowers mingled with pine, and somewhere in the distance, a bird called out in a voice she didn’t recognize.
For all her travels, all the places she’d investigated and documented, something about Alaska felt different. Maybe it was the sheer scale of everything—the mountains dwarfed any she’d seen before, and the wilderness stretched farther than her mind could comprehend. Or maybe it was the quality of the light, the way it painted everything in colors that seemed almost too vivid to be real.
The excitement of being here, of finally starting this adventure, buzzed through her veins like electricity. Tomorrow was September first—perfect timing for the aurora borealis. All her research suggested the northern lights amplified paranormal activity, and she couldn’t wait to test her theories. She’d spent months compiling data, cross-referencing ghost sightings with aurora activity, and while some of her followers thought she was reaching, she knew in her gut there was a connection.
Though right now, as she looked around at the peaceful setting, she had to admit there wasn’t even a hint of anything supernatural. Gary’s ghost story on the flight in had been entertaining, but the lodge itself radiated warmth and welcome rather than spooky vibes. Then again, in her experience, those were often the places that held the most fascinating secrets. Places where joy and tragedy had intertwined over decades, where the veil between past and present wore thin in the most unexpected moments.
The skeptical face of Wyatt Boone flashed through her mind, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The park ranger clearly thought she was some kind of social media airhead, chasing shadows for likes and follows. If he only knew how many hours she spent researching, how carefully she verified every claim before sharing it with her audience. She’d built her following by being authentic, by admitting when investigations turned up nothing, and by always respecting the history and stories of the places she visited.
Back in her room, Sophie did a quick edit of her video, adding her usual playful captions before posting. Within minutes, her phone started buzzing with notifications.
“OMG those mountains!”
“Can’t wait to see what you find there!”
“But like...has anyone mysteriously disappeared in those woods? ??”
She chuckled at the last one. Her followers were almost as dramatic as she was—which was exactly why she loved them. The constant pinging of her phone made her smile even as exhaustion crept over her. Travel always wore her out, but she couldn’t afford to miss anything. She needed to be fresh for dinner, ready to pick up any stories or hints about local paranormal activity. Whitney had mentioned that her husband, Darrow, had some fascinating tales to share, and Sophie intended to hear every one of them—assuming she could stay awake long enough to hear them.
She set her phone to silent and stretched out on the bed, unable to resist watching the play of light and shadow on the mountain peaks through her window. The quilt beneath her was soft with age and use, carrying that indescribable sense of history she loved so much. These mountains had witnessed so much—the desperate rush for gold, countless dreams both realized and broken, lives lived and lost in this beautiful, unforgiving landscape.
Her eyelids grew heavy as she considered her good fortune. Here she was, in one of the most beautiful places she’d ever seen, pursuing her passion, surrounded by people who seemed genuinely kind—well, except for that park ranger with his judgmental attitude about her ghost hunting. But even his skepticism couldn’t dampen her spirits.
As sleep began to claim her, Sophie smiled. She had a feeling that Kirkham Lodge was going to give her exactly what she was looking for—even if it wasn’t quite what she expected.