Hawes Middle School had gained a bit of notoriety over the past few months, thanks to one of its clubs. The so-called Ghost Club had been resolving mysterious phenomena all throughout town. Only its members knew the true nature of their work. Most people were unable to see the ghosts responsible for the mysterious happenings.
It was a club meeting like any other day. One of the classrooms had been reserved for their club activities after school. This served as a sort of office hour, where anyone could come to them with paranormal trouble. While they waited, the club president was giving a particularly dry presentation about supernatural events around the world. He was a student with glasses almost as large as his face. He wore cargo shorts and a polo shirt, complete with a pocket protector for his pens.
Of the two girls listening to his presentation, one looked immensely bored, slouched over her desk. She was dressed in her Sunday best, a red dress matching her red hair. The other girl had an expression that would be impossible to parse even if her bangs weren't obscuring her eyes. She was dressed for comfort, with slip-on shoes and a sweater that hung past her hands.
It was a club meeting like any other day. One of the classrooms had been reserved for their club activities after school. This served as a sort of office hour, where anyone could come to them with paranormal trouble. While they waited, the club president was giving a particularly dry presentation about supernatural events around the world. He was a student with glasses almost as large as his face. He wore cargo shorts and a polo shirt, complete with a pocket protector for his pens.
Of the two girls listening to his presentation, one looked immensely bored, slouched over her desk. She was dressed in her Sunday best, a red dress matching her red hair. The other girl had an expression that would be impossible to parse even if her bangs weren't obscuring her eyes. She was dressed for comfort, with slip-on shoes and a sweater that hung past her hands.
Ripley studied the closed door. She glanced at the piece of paper in her hand. Yes, this was the right door. This was the right time. Everything was right except for the fact that she was willingly standing here. She'd only been coming to Hawes Middle School for a year now, not even a full year, but even she knew the reputation that followed the so-called "ghost club:" A group of weirdos who thought they were "all that" for supposedly solving a few mysteries. She doubted that. Everyone knew kids solving mysteries was just books for babies. That didn't happen in real life, and mixing with this lot was going to put a serious dent in the reputation she'd been trying so hard to cultivate. Not that she actually cared about reputations, of course... Whatever. She should get out of here before someone saw her here.
She turned to go and stopped short. The blue and black spectral figure floated just above the floor, hands reaching out, grasping toward her. His - its - face contorted in fury, its transparent eyes bloodshot and bulging. She scowled at it as it blocked her path. This stupid thing was so annoying! It was always following her around like a massive butthead! Yet, despite being forced to look at it almost daily for the past three months, the sight of its twisted body still sent her stomach into knots. Life wasn't much fun when you were constantly looking over your shoulder or trying to avoid reflective surfaces.
Squaring her shoulders, she turned, opened the door, and stomped inside. "Hey, who's in charge here?" she blurted angrily before she could change her mind.
She turned to go and stopped short. The blue and black spectral figure floated just above the floor, hands reaching out, grasping toward her. His - its - face contorted in fury, its transparent eyes bloodshot and bulging. She scowled at it as it blocked her path. This stupid thing was so annoying! It was always following her around like a massive butthead! Yet, despite being forced to look at it almost daily for the past three months, the sight of its twisted body still sent her stomach into knots. Life wasn't much fun when you were constantly looking over your shoulder or trying to avoid reflective surfaces.
Squaring her shoulders, she turned, opened the door, and stomped inside. "Hey, who's in charge here?" she blurted angrily before she could change her mind.
The presentation stopped short. Both the presenter and the girl in red had turned to look at their new visitor. However, the other girl was fixated on the wall next to the door. Strangely, she seemed to be looking in the direction where the specter had just been. Ignoring this, the boy collapsed the telescoping pointer he'd been using for his presentation, and placed it carefully in his shirt pocket. He smiled, pushing his oversized glasses up his nose before striding over.
"That would be yours truly!" he said, speaking with the sort of overblown exuberance that nerds used to compensate for their social awkwardness. It wasn't doing any favors for their reputation as weirdos. His hand extended in offer of a handshake. "Frances Murphy, president of Ghost Club, at your service! Pleased to make your acquaintance! How can we be of assistance?"
"That would be yours truly!" he said, speaking with the sort of overblown exuberance that nerds used to compensate for their social awkwardness. It wasn't doing any favors for their reputation as weirdos. His hand extended in offer of a handshake. "Frances Murphy, president of Ghost Club, at your service! Pleased to make your acquaintance! How can we be of assistance?"
Ripley studied the hand suspiciously for a moment before gingerly accepting it in a handshake. She didn't believe in cooties anymore, but if cooties existed, this guy would totally be the one to have them. Was it possible for him to look any more nerdy? It was like he was actually trying to be some sort of nerd outcast. Still, this was her last hope. Her therapist hadn't exactly been a shining beacon of helpfulness, her parents were essentially non-entities in this, and her brothers... well, they believed her, but what good was the belief of a pair of six-year-olds? So, here she was. Here they were, she thought, catching a tiny glimpse of the spectre behind her in the reflection of the window.
"Yeah," she said grudgingly, "I'm looking for someone to help me with a ghost problem. Quietly, if you know what I mean. Completely on the down low." She looked around at the two girls sitting in the school desks. One looked like she was attending Sunday School, and the other looked like she was getting into the teen goth scene early. "You can do quiet, right?"
"Yeah," she said grudgingly, "I'm looking for someone to help me with a ghost problem. Quietly, if you know what I mean. Completely on the down low." She looked around at the two girls sitting in the school desks. One looked like she was attending Sunday School, and the other looked like she was getting into the teen goth scene early. "You can do quiet, right?"
At the mention of quiet, Frances took on a stage whisper that was only slightly softer than his normal speaking voice. "Of course! We will handle it with the utmost discretion. No need to worry." Luckily, this didn't last long. When he moved over to introduce the other girls, he returned to his usual tone. "Allow me to introduce my associates. This is-"
"I am Livia Prudence." the girl in red interrupted, standing from her seat. "You may have heard of my father, Pastor Prudence? He's the priest at Hawthorne Baptist Church." She smirked, clearly proud of this fact. "Be not afraid, for whatever brought you here, God will be your refuge." Frances glared at her, irritated that he'd been interrupted. But he chose to move on to the other girl.
"...and this is Visia Cygnus." Despite being introduced, she didn't look away from the wall. In the awkward silence that followed, he blinked, following her line of sight. "Visia? What seems to be amiss?"
"There's something out there." she said with no emotion, pointing to the wall. Her voice was raspy, as though she'd been screaming for years. Immediately, the atmosphere in the room changed. The other two members tensed up, Frances pulling out a flashlight, and Livia clutching at the cross around her neck.
"T-t-there is?" he stammered.
"I am Livia Prudence." the girl in red interrupted, standing from her seat. "You may have heard of my father, Pastor Prudence? He's the priest at Hawthorne Baptist Church." She smirked, clearly proud of this fact. "Be not afraid, for whatever brought you here, God will be your refuge." Frances glared at her, irritated that he'd been interrupted. But he chose to move on to the other girl.
"...and this is Visia Cygnus." Despite being introduced, she didn't look away from the wall. In the awkward silence that followed, he blinked, following her line of sight. "Visia? What seems to be amiss?"
"There's something out there." she said with no emotion, pointing to the wall. Her voice was raspy, as though she'd been screaming for years. Immediately, the atmosphere in the room changed. The other two members tensed up, Frances pulling out a flashlight, and Livia clutching at the cross around her neck.
"T-t-there is?" he stammered.
Ripley stared at Livia, wondering if this kid was actually from the days of Pilgrims when they only wore black with funny hats. She didn't have long to rudely stare, though, as the next girl was introduced. This one was doing a creepy stare instead of a rude one and looking at the wall. Ripley didn't bother following their gaze. She knew what the girl was talking about, and she almost laughed at the over-the-top reactions from the other kids. Wow. She still wasn't totally convinced they were the real deal, but they were definitely committed to the bit.
"Duh," she said. "That's why I'm here. I want you to get rid of him. I'm not, like, scared of him- It or anything," she boasted, "but it's getting really old seeing it in the mirror and stuff. I mean, seriously, the only time it leaves me alone is when I'm in the shower, and dreams? Ha!" She rubbed her eyes. "I don't think I've had a good night's sleep in like a million years."
"Duh," she said. "That's why I'm here. I want you to get rid of him. I'm not, like, scared of him- It or anything," she boasted, "but it's getting really old seeing it in the mirror and stuff. I mean, seriously, the only time it leaves me alone is when I'm in the shower, and dreams? Ha!" She rubbed her eyes. "I don't think I've had a good night's sleep in like a million years."
Frances' gaze darted between the door and Ripley. His hands shook as they gripped the flashlight like some kind of self defense tool. He swallowed hard. They might be professionals, (or the closest thing they knew of,) but ghosts were still scary. No amount of experience could change that.
"A-affirmative." he forced out. "W-well, we'd better proceed and attempt to establish c-contact..." Inch by inch, he made his way towards the door. Visia's expression was emotionless, so if she was afraid, she didn't show it. But still, she chose to follow behind their "leader." His hand still shook as it reached for the doorknob, and slowly turned it. Stepping out into the hallway, he flinched as he found himself face to face with the specter.
"S-s-salutations sir! Uh, it is s-sir, correct? C-c-can you p-please inform us of y-your name?"
"A-affirmative." he forced out. "W-well, we'd better proceed and attempt to establish c-contact..." Inch by inch, he made his way towards the door. Visia's expression was emotionless, so if she was afraid, she didn't show it. But still, she chose to follow behind their "leader." His hand still shook as it reached for the doorknob, and slowly turned it. Stepping out into the hallway, he flinched as he found himself face to face with the specter.
"S-s-salutations sir! Uh, it is s-sir, correct? C-c-can you p-please inform us of y-your name?"
Ripley watched the nervous response of the other kids and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Wow. I am feeling super confident right now," she drawled as if her own stomach wasn't quivering at the idea of actually talking to a ghost. "If it were that easy, just walking up and talking to it, don't you think I'd have done that already?" She plunked down on a chair and pretended to try to untangle her hair, doing her best to look cool and unbothered.
It was true that Ripley could not hear the ghost, but that was not true of everyone. Although with how stressed, frustrated, and angry the ghost was, there was not a lot to really be heard. It was like trying to make out one single conversation through a bunch of static while other people talked around you.
Jered Gun... Kids? Why kids? This ... stupid! ... thing.
It was true that Ripley could not hear the ghost, but that was not true of everyone. Although with how stressed, frustrated, and angry the ghost was, there was not a lot to really be heard. It was like trying to make out one single conversation through a bunch of static while other people talked around you.
Jered Gun... Kids? Why kids? This ... stupid! ... thing.
Frances squinted, trying to make out the words. "Jered! Capital. Thank you." He couldn't make out the last name, nor any of the other words. "I m-must apologize, it's difficult to understand you. P-please try to calm yourself."
"Are you crazy!?" Livia hissed. "You're going to make him more mad!"
"It will reduce the interference if he does!" he hissed back. Hands still shaking, he put his flashlight away. In its place, he pulled out what appeared to be a small radio. When he clicked it on, it seemed to play intermittent static of its own. "Um, so, m-may I ask why you're f-following this girl?"
"Are you crazy!?" Livia hissed. "You're going to make him more mad!"
"It will reduce the interference if he does!" he hissed back. Hands still shaking, he put his flashlight away. In its place, he pulled out what appeared to be a small radio. When he clicked it on, it seemed to play intermittent static of its own. "Um, so, m-may I ask why you're f-following this girl?"
Wait? Their nonsense was actually working? Ripley shifted in her chair so that she could watch the group out of the corner of her eye without being obvious about it.
The ghost grew fuzzier around the edges, and from the distorted expression on its blueish-black face, it seemed to be screaming, but the voice that came out was barely a whisper. Calm? Calm? ... a ghost ... moron... like! It paused for a moment and raised an arm to point at Ripley. She has me. I ... stuck. There ... hole under ... wishes.
The ghost grew fuzzier around the edges, and from the distorted expression on its blueish-black face, it seemed to be screaming, but the voice that came out was barely a whisper. Calm? Calm? ... a ghost ... moron... like! It paused for a moment and raised an arm to point at Ripley. She has me. I ... stuck. There ... hole under ... wishes.
Some of the ghost's words came through Frances' device, so Ripley would be able to hear them even if she couldn't hear the ghost. Unfortunately, they didn't sound much more clear than the ghost himself. Still, it wasn't hard to tell that he was angry.
"I told you!" Livia chided.
Frances wasn't listening to her. He was focused on what the ghost said. She has me. That stuck out among the garbled words. Offhand, he didn't have any idea what it could mean, and it didn't seem like they were going to get very far asking him. He swallowed hard.
"Alright, l-listen, I understand that t-this is a d-d-distressing predicament to tolerate, b-but I promise we will ascertain what befell you." That was what most ghosts wanted. Some kind of closure. Someone to understand the pain they went through. Maybe Ripley would get some momentary peace while they investigated, and hopefully, that would become permanent once they solved the mystery.
"I told you!" Livia chided.
Frances wasn't listening to her. He was focused on what the ghost said. She has me. That stuck out among the garbled words. Offhand, he didn't have any idea what it could mean, and it didn't seem like they were going to get very far asking him. He swallowed hard.
"Alright, l-listen, I understand that t-this is a d-d-distressing predicament to tolerate, b-but I promise we will ascertain what befell you." That was what most ghosts wanted. Some kind of closure. Someone to understand the pain they went through. Maybe Ripley would get some momentary peace while they investigated, and hopefully, that would become permanent once they solved the mystery.
Children fix this? Children fix this? The ghost wavered as the static and garble growing louder, the color darkening a bit as he grew more agitated. Then the color lessened back toward blue, and the static calmed. It seemed he was trying to bring himself down. Following around this girl for the last couple of months had not been helpful so far. These children were, well, children, but at least they were taking this seriously. Help. Please.
"This is so weird," Ripley whispered without thinking as she watched the staticky radio thing. This was more serious than just seeing glimpses in the mirror or watching a dark shadow chase her around. These weirdos had at least gotten more info than she'd managed to get. Maybe they could fix this? Yeah, she'd believe that when she saw it!
"This is so weird," Ripley whispered without thinking as she watched the staticky radio thing. This was more serious than just seeing glimpses in the mirror or watching a dark shadow chase her around. These weirdos had at least gotten more info than she'd managed to get. Maybe they could fix this? Yeah, she'd believe that when she saw it!
Frances yelped and flinched back as the ghost grew more agitated. But when he saw him calm down, there was a confidence that emerged. This ghost- no, this person needed their help. This was why the club existed, not just to help the living, but the dead as well.
"We will." he promised. With that, he turned the device off, and returned to the room. He breathed a sigh of relief. Any interaction with a ghost was intense, even with one that wasn't malevolent. Pulling out a small notebook, he wrote down what seemed to be the most important detail: She has me. Ready to take more notes, he approached Ripley.
"Okay, now...fiddlesticks, I neglected to even ask your name. Can you tell me when these phenomena started?"
"We will." he promised. With that, he turned the device off, and returned to the room. He breathed a sigh of relief. Any interaction with a ghost was intense, even with one that wasn't malevolent. Pulling out a small notebook, he wrote down what seemed to be the most important detail: She has me. Ready to take more notes, he approached Ripley.
"Okay, now...fiddlesticks, I neglected to even ask your name. Can you tell me when these phenomena started?"
That was weird. What was even weirder was the fact that it looked like it had worked. How was that possible? Maybe she should just accept that the world did not make sense anymore. It barely did to begin with. When kids had a fight, they were forced to make-up and say sorry and then told to "go play nice." When adults had a fight, they were allowed to "try it apart" for a "while." Adults were dumb. Fellow kids were a different kind of dumb, but this seemed to be getting somewhere, at least, and didn't try to explain it away like the therapist had.
"Ripley," she told the kid with confidence. There was no way he knew her real name. "It started, like... I don't know. Two months ago, I think? There were cold spots and shivers at first, and then I started seeing shadows in the corner of my eye, and then the mirror, and now I see him everywhere. He's a real perv, you know, a grown dude following around a little kid."
"Ripley," she told the kid with confidence. There was no way he knew her real name. "It started, like... I don't know. Two months ago, I think? There were cold spots and shivers at first, and then I started seeing shadows in the corner of my eye, and then the mirror, and now I see him everywhere. He's a real perv, you know, a grown dude following around a little kid."
Indeed, Frances had no way of knowing her real name. So he didn't bat an eye, simply nodding and continuing to listen. As she gave details, he energetically wrote them down in his notebook. He was thoughtfully chewing on his pencil when Visia suddenly spoke up.
"What's a perv?" she asked. Frances nearly dropped his pencil in shock. Similarly, Livia tensed up, looking distinctly uncomfortable. This wasn't a topic her religious family would want her discussing, nor would they want her to hang around kids who did. But then again, her family likely wouldn't want her hunting ghosts in the first place.
"Uhhhh, moving on!" Frances said. Really, he didn't know any of the explicit details about what it meant, just what adults had warned him about not trusting strangers. Regardless, he certainly didn't want to dwell on it. "Two months ago, what sort of activities were you engaging in?"
"What's a perv?" she asked. Frances nearly dropped his pencil in shock. Similarly, Livia tensed up, looking distinctly uncomfortable. This wasn't a topic her religious family would want her discussing, nor would they want her to hang around kids who did. But then again, her family likely wouldn't want her hunting ghosts in the first place.
"Uhhhh, moving on!" Frances said. Really, he didn't know any of the explicit details about what it meant, just what adults had warned him about not trusting strangers. Regardless, he certainly didn't want to dwell on it. "Two months ago, what sort of activities were you engaging in?"
"A perv is an adult jerk, usually a dude, who bugs you when you want to be left alone," Ripley told her with full, complete confidence. And, dude, 'activities I was engaging in?'" She used her hands to make massive air quotes. "Really? That's what you're going with? Fine. The 'activities I was engaging in' were the usual. I went on a bunch of walks, checked out the area, collected some mushrooms, found some cool bugs... you know. The usual." She shrugged. "I've been doing stuff like that for years and years, and I've never brought home a ghost before."
That explanation seemed to satisfy Visia, so she nodded and didn't ask any further.
"He always uses big words for no reason." Livia groaned.
"There's nothing wrong with having a circumambient mastery of the English language." Frances claimed. Finishing up his notes for the moment, he nodded, putting the notebook away. His hands went to his hips, showing he was ready to get to work. "Okay! I believe our subsequent course of action should be to investigate the area you explored. Would you be willing to retrace your steps for us? We may discover something related to our specter."
"He always uses big words for no reason." Livia groaned.
"There's nothing wrong with having a circumambient mastery of the English language." Frances claimed. Finishing up his notes for the moment, he nodded, putting the notebook away. His hands went to his hips, showing he was ready to get to work. "Okay! I believe our subsequent course of action should be to investigate the area you explored. Would you be willing to retrace your steps for us? We may discover something related to our specter."
Ripley looked from the prim church girl to the quiet goth-y girl to the absolute giant nerd. "Yeah, sure, I guess, but I really doubt you guys can keep up," she said with a slight snort. "It's a lot of ground to cover, and I don't know if I remember exactly where I went that long ago. I guess I can give it a try, though." She stood and pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "Ready to go now? Or do you need to go get your encyclopedia?"
"Not to worry, this isn't our first paranormal excursion." Frances boasted. The encyclopedia comment caused Livia to snicker. Finally, someone else to make fun of their club president. But he chose to let it slide. "I have all my equipment already." He pat the sides of his pants. It seemed those painfully nerdy cargo shorts served a functional purpose. Every pocket appeared to have some kind of item in it.
"I can't go tonight, my mom wants me to help prepare for the bake sale on Sunday." Livia said. "I'll be praying for your success though. God bless." With that, she left the club room.
"How far out is it?" Frances asked. "Visia and I normally travel on my bicycle. I wasn't certain if you had a means of transportation."
"I can't go tonight, my mom wants me to help prepare for the bake sale on Sunday." Livia said. "I'll be praying for your success though. God bless." With that, she left the club room.
"How far out is it?" Frances asked. "Visia and I normally travel on my bicycle. I wasn't certain if you had a means of transportation."
Ripley shrugged. "Well, it could be anywhere between here and my house, which is out by Skuller's Road. I have a bicycle, but I do a lot of walking, too. I usually take my bike along until it feels right, and then I stash it and go on a hike. I've gotten as far as Pine Lane Bridge before. That was pretty cool. It all depends on how far you want to take this." She stood and started walking toward the door. "If you're serious, come on. I say we get started."
She didn't really expect them to come along. Not many people were fine with, "Bike to random spot and then start walking." Among her friend group, it was split about 60/40 on whether that was really cool, or kind of dumb and boring. It worked for her, though. Lots of quiet time with no one to bug her. Until recently.
She didn't really expect them to come along. Not many people were fine with, "Bike to random spot and then start walking." Among her friend group, it was split about 60/40 on whether that was really cool, or kind of dumb and boring. It worked for her, though. Lots of quiet time with no one to bug her. Until recently.
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