"So, where did you guys hear about this?" I asked.

"The internet. It was on Unsolved Mysteries, too," Jeremy replied.

There we were, twelve college students, standing in a graveyard in the middle of the night. I couldn't help but think, even if the spirit of this dead girl wants to communicate with someone, it's unlikely she'll do it with us. There was too much chit-chat, joking, and some where probably drunk and/or high. This girl died horrifically in a fire, I doubt she wants to be around a bunch of obnoxious teenagers.

"Her grave is at the back of the cemetery. It's supposed to glow," Jeremy continued.

To be fair, we were all there for different reasons. Some came along because they were bored and wanted to get off campus. Me? I was there to experience...something. See something. Hear something. Anything. It's often said, be careful what you wish for.

"Tonya. If you're here, can you give us a sign?" Funny. That shut everyone up. I knew it would. "Tonya. If you're here, can you do something to let us know?"

The twelve of us stood there. Silent. Listening. Waiting.

Nothing.

"Who has the camera?" I asked.

"I do," Becky replied. This was one of those Kodak instant cameras you could buy with the film already loaded. The ones that always blinded me with their flash.

I pointed, "Her grave is back there. Snap some photos in that direction."

Becky raised the camera in the direction I was pointing. Everyone was still being quiet. There was a nervous tension building. I could feel it. Becky's finger pressed down on the shutter...

FLASH

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What happened next I still have trouble rationalizing. The instant the flash went off, the silence was pierced with a loud, high-pitched scream. I couldn't pinpoint a direction, it just seemed to fill the air. Everyone else claims to have heard it too. I know some did. Because the instant we heard it we all ran out of that cemetery as fast a we could, which involved climbing over a chain-link fence. I remember expecting a hand to grab my leg as I climbed up and over that fence. It didn't, thank God.

Lessons Learned:

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1. When conducting a paranormal investigation, the size and, more importantly, the attitude of the group is very important.

2. Don't break any laws to conduct your investigation. If you have to climb over a fence to get to your location, you're probably trespassing.

3. Don't run. Seriously. Try to keep your composure. You're probably investigating in the dark, in an unfamiliar location. It could even be a dangerous location. Panicking can result in serious injury.

4. If you don't already, you really should participate in a #freewrite. Thank you @MarianneWest for hosting this awesome challenge every day! Today's prompt: Flash

5. All images and videos are my own.