Haunted Rivers and Reefs

When I first applied as an aquarium maintenance professional intern at Rivers and Reefs Sanctuary Aquarium, I was immediately warned.

“The aquarium is haunted.” My would-be supervisor disclosed to me.

“What?” I asked. “What do you mean? And why does this matter?”

“Several years ago, we had a dolphin trainer here who was passionate about animal rights. She had attempted to protest that keeping animals in aquariums was wrong by creating a scene from inside an aquarium in front of an audience, but in the process of doing so a complication occurred with her scuba equipment that caused her to drown.”

“Ok?” I asked. “That story doesn't really add up, first of all, but also how is this relevant to my position?”

“Look, I understand you are finding this hard to believe. I am trying my best to be respectful, but the bottom line is, this woman is still in the aquarium, and she haunts it almost every night. I am required now to disclose this to you before you start work because it is such an obvious occurrence that not warning you is a possible safety hazard.”

I guffawed.

“Wow this is interesting.” I got up. “Thank you for your time and I’m assuming I’ve gotten the position then?”

“Yes.” The employer confirmed. “You have.”

“Thank you. And right now, the money and the work experience is all I care about. While I appreciate the thoughtfulness in giving me this disclosure, I don’t think it’ll be an issue for me.” I then walked out, wondering what on earth just happened. She then sent me an email assigning me for the night shift starting the very next evening. I arrived the next evening on time to start my work. My job involves ensuring all sumps and motors and plumbing are working correctly and efficiently for all aquariums to remain clean and clear. I check salinity levels, pH, and carbon dioxide levels as well.

I was double checking the pipes in one of the larger aquariums, the shark habitat. Everything was working correctly; all pipes were clear and saline levels were optimal. I recorded this on my form and moved on to the jellyfish habitat which was right in front of the shark habitat. This aquarium was smaller and cylindrical, making it easy for me to kneel down and open the cabinet underneath. I checked the sump, the filter, and measured pH. All were good, so then, I directed my attention toward the dolphin habitat. The dolphins were playful, seeing me and studying me. I ignored them as I walked past. I made my way to the motor in the very back. I was checking it.

As I worked I heard something to my left, like someone had just gotten out of the aquarium and was walking on the cement floor with wet feet. I didn’t know there was anyone inside the aquarium but myself, and I didn’t think they were allowed to be inside the aquarium this late at night. I took initiative.

“Hey, we’re closed up for the night. I thought all staff went home already?” I had called. I heard nothing in response. Confused, I finished checking the motor and then wiped my hands dry as I walked toward where I had heard the sound. I looked around. It was the set of stairs that led directly to the platform for entrance into the aquarium, where staff such as trainers or aquarium cleaners could enter in safely. There was no one there, and I no longer heard wet footsteps. Taking one last glance around I turned back and headed toward the motor. Just as I was about to get my hands back on the motor to check the piping, the motor suddenly died.

Panicked, I started looking for the source of the power outage. If I didn’t find the solution quickly the aquarium could become stagnant, and oxygen would no longer be flowing. Ergo, death for fish by suffocation. Though they were dolphins, and mostly went up to the surface for air anyway, it wasn’t a good idea for the motor to go out. I checked the outlets, the wires, and the piping. Nothing was wrong with the motor itself. I thought perhaps the power source was turned off. I walked from the motor around the corner to the switchboard controlling the power. Sure, enough one switch had been flipped off. And… the switch itself was wet, as if someone with wet hands had switched it off. I wiped off the water and then flipped it back on. The motor thrust into life. Confused, I called again.

“Hey whoever is in here you’re interfering with my ability to work. And you could’ve killed these creatures. The motor needs to stay on at all times.”

With no response, and feeling frustrated, I finished up my duties and left. When I got home early that morning, 3am to be precise, I planned to call my supervisor when I woke up. When I did, she gave me a chilling response.

“Andrew no one else was there with you. It was only you, and I had mentioned already that the spirit of the woman I told you about haunts the aquarium.”

“But that’s not… the switch was visibly wet, someone physical, not spiritual, flipped that switch off.”

My supervisor was silent. I sighed.

“I would just appreciate it if perhaps a security guard could sweep the area so that next week, I’m not trying to work with some little teenager trying to sabotage me.”

“Alright. I’ll send someone to stand guard with you next week then.” My supervisor said.

“Thank you.” I replied.

Next week came up faster than I expected, and soon enough I was headed toward the aquarium again, with a security guard waiting for me at the door.

“You’re the one who requested extra security?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not sure how much I’m going to be able to help you.” he replied.

“What do you mean?”

“I can deal with live people, physical and all, but there ain’t much I can do about ghosts.” Was his reply. I rolled my eyes.

“You believe in it too then?”

“Oh, I don’t have to believe in it son.” He said, pushing his glasses up against his eyes to get a good look at me. “I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”

A little disturbed, I headed inside the aquarium, and the security guard stood near me as I traveled from motor to motor, checking pipes upon pipes, and sumps upon sumps. I saved the dolphin habitat for last. As I walked toward it, the security guard spoke again.

“That’s the haunted one.” Said the guard. “She drowned in there.”

“Mr. McCormick,” I replied. “With all due respect, I really don’t believe in spirits. So, if you don’t mind…”

“Sorry.” Said the guard, putting his hands up. He stood, hands on his hips. “I’m guessing you ain’t all that observant aye?”

I had turned off the motor purposefully and was checking each of the pipes, ensuring there were no blockages, that all the pipes fit correctly, and were all running the correct path to the overflow box.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m just guessing on this, but perhaps you don’t believe in ghosts because you haven’t taken the time to notice their presence.” He said. I sighed.

“If you say so.”

“You observe a lot as a security guard.” He went on. “I remember, at at least four previous jobs, I’ve had paranormal encounters. At a museum, saw the ghost of a mummified queen walking around. Then, at a library, I saw a soldier standing outside his very own memorial saluting strangers…”

“Uh huh.” I said not really listening.

“I’ve tried telling people about my experiences in the past but of course none of them take me seriously. I’m just a nutty old man you know.”

“Mmmm.” I replied.

“You done with that yet? It’s getting close to 3am, and I don’t want to be here when she starts up.”

“When who starts up.”

“Gracie.”

“Whose Gracie?” I asked.

“The girl who drowned. Aren’t you listening boy?”

“Sir I’ve already explained to you that I don’t believe in spirits. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more things to do and then we can be on our way.” I replied sharply. He grunted.

“Alright. You’re asking for it… can’t help ya now.” he grumbled. I continued to ignore him. I finished my duties and was satisfied with my work. Just as I was closing up the motor room, suddenly, the lights inside the aquarium started flickering. I paused, wondering if I had missed a leak and it was causing some of the power to short. I re-opened the motor room and inspected the motor. Nothing.

“I don’t understand. There shouldn’t be any issues, I checked everything!”

“It’s just Gracie pulling your leg.” Said the security guard. I sighed frustratedly.

“Right. Let’s go then.” I said, closing up the motor room. Turning out the lights and we left.

I fell asleep and had the most awful dream. I dreamt that I went back to the dolphin motor room, checking the motor. In the above platform, I saw a woman with beautiful long auburn hair screaming at the top of her lungs to free the animals in the aquarium. She was shouting about pervasive abuse of the aquarium animals and that the public has the right to know about it to a large man in a dark blue shirt. Suddenly the man grew so angry that he shot her square in between the eyes, with no one around to see what happened. Her body fell back and landed in the aquarium water, dolphins encircling her as she slowly drifted downward. Her blood seeped into the water. The aquarium was freakishly quiet, as she floated down. Down. There was a different logo on her uniform, a different logo, and a different aquarium name.

The scene changed, and the entire aquarium was empty. Closed down. I was walking toward the aquarium from the street. Its sign had been covered in tarp. The name Sydney’s Magical Marine World was being changed to something different. I went inside checking the motors, pulling out the pipes. I checked inside some of the pipes and it shocked me that… there were clumps of human remains and hair inside.

I shot up out of my bed, disgusted and nauseated. The dream was so intense, so real. I stood up to go wash my face and calm down. This ghost story was really getting to me. I wasn’t sure why either, considering I didn’t believe in it. But the following week, when I went to the dolphin habitat to work on the motor, and while the same security guard was standing there, I saw her. Just a glimpse. The woman I saw in my dreams in her uniform, the different logo, the gunshot in her skull. She stared at me with bloodshot eyes and was dripping wet. Like she had just gotten out of the aquarium she had drowned in. She cocked her head at me.

“Can’t ignore me now, can you.” she said from inside the motor room. Shocked and stunned, I panicked, and I scrambled out of the motor room before I even finished checking the entire system. I slammed the door shut. The security guard came running.

“What happened! What happened son?! Are you alright?”

I couldn’t speak. All I could do was open and close my mouth and point at the motor room. He looked at me.

“You’re damn white as a ghost.” He replied.

“This isn’t real this isn’t real this isn’t real…” I started mumbling. The security guard helped me up onto my feet, walked me out of the building and helped me get home. He then told me he’d tell my supervisor what happened and to just relax this week. I sat in bed, rocking back and forth, arms wrapped around my legs. I didn’t sleep that night and called a mental health professional in the morning. I got an appointment scheduled and was examined for early signs of schizophrenia. But to my further terror and despair… I was told I didn’t have it. And when I got a second opinion, they said the same. I was prescribed anxiety medications and sent home.

So, I went home, took the anxiety meds, and felt a little better about an hour later. And then my supervisor called.

“Jim told me you had a panic attack last night?” she asked.

“… yes.” I replied.

“What caused it?”

I thought back to her face, and the bullet wound in her head. I shivered.

“Just a hallucination…” I replied. “It’s the anxiety meds I’m taking.”

“I see…” she said. “Well, if you ever want to talk about this ‘hallucination’, we can always discuss it at my office.”

“… alright…” I said. I took her up on her offer. If it wasn’t schizophrenia… or any other severe mental illness that could potentially cause hallucinations… I had to figure out what it really was.

I was sitting in her office across from her, explaining what I had experienced, including the dream, and she had a very concerned look on her face.

“Hm…” she said. “I wonder if that’s why he did it…” she muttered.

“What?” I asked.

“The founder of this aquarium, Jason Hanson, had suddenly changed the name of the aquarium, fired all his staff and employees, and hired on all new staff opening up the aquarium under a different name.” she said. “He did this suddenly within the span of a few months… and I always wondered why and I’m wondering now if you’re dream has just revealed the reason…”

“I don’t understand.”

“You know how ghosts communicate with you through your dreams?” she asked. I looked at her like she had lost her mind.

“Uh… no…”

“Well, they do. And it seems like Gracie might’ve been communicating with you.” she said. I glanced around, wondering if I should leave. I didn’t feel like I was being taken seriously. She continued though. “One of the things about Jason Hanson is that some of our employees in the cleaning crew talk about some of his anger issues… including sometimes violent outbursts, throwing chairs and things. So, I wonder if this dream reveals that perhaps he lost control, murdered this girl, changed the name of the aquarium and perhaps even his own name to cover it up, and when the hauntings started happening he disclosed it as an 'accident' years ago…” she said.

“That’s a whole range of assumptions that have no basis anywhere…” I spoke.

“No…,” said my supervisor. “But if something shady did happen here, and Jason did a damn good job of covering it up… the only person who’d know about it is Jason and Gracie… wouldn’t it? And I imagine if it truly did happen that way, that Gracie won’t be able to rest until justice is served…”

I walked out of my supervisor’s office even more confused than when I went inside. As I exited the building, I suddenly saw the man from my dream. The man who had shot the woman I saw. The man was in the same dark blue colored shirt, and his eyes were cold. Emotionless. But he smiled when he saw me. The juxtaposition was creepy…

“Hi! Are you Andrew?” he asked. I nodded.

“Welcome to Rivers and Reefs Aquarium! Glad to have you on our team my name is Jason Hanson I founded this whole place...” he said. The rest of the conversation was a blur because I was too focused on the fact that this was the man I had seen in my dream. And when he stepped to the side I saw the girl from my dream in a picture, smiling next to a dolphin, holding its chin. She looked happy. No bullet hole in her head. My eyes were so focused on her that Jason noticed and turned around.

“Ah that’s Gracie. Unfortunately, she’s no longer with us. You might’ve heard about her accident… such a shame, she just had to push it. Well bye now! Off to work I go!” he turned and headed down the hall. I watched him disappear and then looked back at Gracie. "She just had to push it..." he had said.... what a strange thing to say. I wondered why he chose to say that instead of "rest in peace" or "bless her soul". I wasn't sure about all that but I did know these things.

That was for sure the girl I saw in my dream and in the motor room, and Jason was for sure the man I saw shoot her.