I knew coming back from the dead was a mistake! It wasn't my fault. Banished by our spiritual guidance counselor, Rainbow Shadows. Boy, she got mad at me for letting out an unwanted Holy Hollow through a Spirit Capsule. Rainbow couldn't tell I was trying to prove a point. The ghosts told me to let them out. They were getting annoyed. Because Rainbow, their lovely, strict spiritual leader, doesn't understand they don't belong in Hollowview anymore.
Because they don't accept themselves as haunted hollows, looking for a way back as Normal Supernaturals. I knew the ground we walked in Hollowview was keeping our spirits at a high energy level. My friend Rainbow and I loved Halloween. This year, it's Rainbow's sweet sixteenth birthday. I wanted to surprise Rainbow with a gift I was dying to give her. But it would have to wait.
In the meantime, we left school that Friday afternoon in the fall of September. Boys and girls hurried out of their classrooms. Pushing and shoving past me and Rainbow out of our biology class. Rainbow clumsily dropped her school books. Trying to pick up her backpack, a hand reached down and kindly handed it back to her.
Blushing, Rainbow and I thanked the teenage boy who seemed to think he's attracted to my best friend. "I'll see you around," he smiled and walked off with his group of friends. Turning back to look at the dude, Rainbow started feeling emotionally flirtatious around me. Thinking a boy liked her. I told her to knock it out and behave herself.
I guided her out of the crowded hallways. She kept glancing over her shoulder to spy on that cute boy that was helping her. I pushed her out of the double doors out of high school and into bright, afternoon sunlight.
It felt like fall. You can feel the cool breeze in the air. The color turned in the planted trees around us. I asked Rainbow what we wanted to do differently for her birthday this year. She didn't respond. We walked over to our parked bicycles in the school parking lot. Unlocking my padlock on my bike handle, Rainbow turned around and let out a scream of surprise.
Because she watched helplessly. The nice young boy helping Rainbow in school was being pushed against a yellow school bus in the parking lot. Three older boys ganged up on him. They looked fierce and angry with this kid. A gathering of children walked over to them chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!" in excited voices.
Rainbow was almost in tears. I told her to stay behind the crowd. And let me deal with this. I made my way through the rough children. And marched up to the boy's mistreating friends. Taking the bully's hand off the boy's shoulders, I whirled the dude around. And slugged him...hard in the face!
The dude cried and his nose was bleeding. "Tell your friends they're not welcomed near this gentleman anymore, hear me?" I said, making him promise. He nodded and pinched his nose to keep from dripping blood and snot. His other two buddies gathered him by the shoulders and they stormed off.
I told everybody else to skedaddle. I turned to look back at the threatened kid. I took out my hand and he grabbed it firmly in his grasp. I pulled him out of danger and he thanked me. Rainbow and I started to walk off, but the dude wanted to stick around more with us.
Smiling, Rainbow and I nodded and agreed he could. We could use his company. "Do you know why everyone is upset around here in this town?" he asked me. We walked alongside our bikes and continued walking by an empty park. Rainbow couldn't look at the boy in his face without blushing. "Brent Andy is my name," he introduced us. Taking out his hand to shake, we politely did. After shaking Rainbow's hand, she realized it was all sweaty. "You feeling okay, huh?" Brent didn't know our names yet either.
Rainbow blurted out her name nervously before I could tell him my name. "Diamond," I said, worrisome looking at my friend. Rainbow just shrugged. We started to walk over to the park bench. We walked by a path that led to it. There was a red and white checkered tablecloth already spread across it. Parking our bikes we sat down at the bench.
Rainbow and I put our backpacks on top of the table in frustration. Taking a look in her backpack, she took out a math notebook. She showed it to us. "You know what I feel like doing with these schoolbooks?" They both frowned and then smiled as an idea formed in my head.
Opening the notebook, I ripped out a page with math problems on it for homework. Looking at a nearby wastebasket, I tossed it easily into it. They smiled more and applauded. Ripping out every page of my math notebook, I tossed the entire school books I had in my backpack into the wastebasket. They pumped up their fists with victory.
Rainbow felt like doing the same thing. We gathered around the wastebasket. Taking out a silver lighter in my coat pocket, they smiled at me even more. I lit the lighter and tossed it into the wastebasket! The trash can easily caught fire and ablaze. We happily danced around the trashcan. Watching gleefully as our schoolbooks and homework were being burned.
And we didn't even care about the consequences…
The ghosts never knew I was alive to begin with in Hollowview. They thought since I could do things no other ordinary human person could do, they knew I had to be stopped. But since the ghosts were letting me have a second chance to live in Hollowview, I knew everything would be okay.
After my friends and I walked home from the park after school yesterday afternoon, I knew I wasn't ready to call it home yet. My parents were arguing, and they heard strange noises coming from the attic all day. And they couldn't explain the eerie of the slamming of doors, coming from my bedroom, down the hall.
It seemed everything was quiet at first, then my Dad's cell phone went off, startling off. "I have to take this, sorry," Dad muttered, waving us away. Mom and I noticed the lights in the house started flickering on and off, too. Suddenly, Dad screamed. And we turned to his attention as he let out a frustrated cry for help. As he got an electrical buzz coming from the other end of his cellphone.
Mom kindly bent down and picked up for him. When suddenly, Dad's cell phone lit up and died on us. Mom and Dad turned to my attention, like I was to blame. "Don't look at me," I was confused. Dad and Mom nodded, feeling uneasy about their situation.
"I've been trying to call the Ghost Reapers all day," Dad admitted. "They don't believe me about the ghost annoying us in our attic. If we can't get it to cross over to the next life, well...we'll just deal with having to live in a haunted duplex right now," Dad frowned. He put his cellphone on the charger and nothing happened. Dad shrugged and turned to hear stomping on our top floor in the attic again. Then, innocent childlike laughing.
Dad put on a stern, serious expression. Like he wanted to give a piece of his mind to the ghost boy himself, for being obnoxious. Mom and I stopped him. All of a sudden, everything got quiet. "I think we scared him away," Dad said, relieved. Suddenly, we heard the pitter patter of small feet stomped across our top floor once again. Making our lights flicker and dim some more. The kid upstairs was screaming like something was after him.
"I pray we'd live like Normal Supernaturals, just this once!" Dad groaned. Mom didn't know how to respond, neither did I. I knew my parents don't accept ghosts into this life or town. Because of our differences, it had a social impact on our daily lives.
"Don't let the ghost know you're scared of him, darling," Mom explained. As Dad started walking up the attic stairs, we heard our bedroom doors slamming again. Making a domestic disturbance to our neighbors. "Why is this ghost boy so troubled?!" Mom screamed, covering her ears, hoping against all hope we could cope with the spirit child in our attic. Who was throwing a tantrum.
Before Dad could open our attic door, the boy behind the door made the door open to the attic by itself. A powerful gust of wind blew us all the way back down the flight of stairs. Hearing some faint child laughter from inside the glowing attic room, I looked at my parents worried the situation just got worse.
Dad turned serious and started marching back up the attic stairs, two at a time. "Who died and made him ruler of this household without my permission?" Dad ordered, trying to go back into the attic room upstairs. When suddenly, the door reappeared before us, and Dad tried opening the doorknob, but it was locked. "He's unreasonable and rude to us," Dad snapped.
I turned my attention to my parent's attention. "I think it's my fault we have a ghost in our attic, Mom and Dad," I confessed. Before I could explain any future, there were some slimy, glowing substances growing on our attic door. "You see, ever since my brother died of the flu last winter, I knew there wasn't a chance he could have another better after life. The Spirit Counsel knew my brother Markus was held against his will by the Diabolical Gift Sighter in the Land of Unnatural Life," I said.
I don't think my parents followed me on the same page, exactly. "Sometimes spirits ask too much for help," I continued. As my Mom and Dad continued listening, we ignored the ghost boy who was my brother Markus stomping over the attic floors. "Anyway, Markus couldn't get better at all during his childhood. He fought over his fears and depression, rejection from his loved ones, and facing deep loneliness. It was something he could never overcome as he got older."
"So," I continued. "I knew there was a window out of this world. A safe world where ghosts could all get along and be at peace with themselves. I found this orb of energy in a dresser drawer in our attic room. I learned that if I spill three drops of blood from my fingers, it could send you into the Haunted World. Not anyone can get there. But it's a place for those asking for extra needs and care for their social life," I explained, hoping they'd follow me.
Dad and Mom looked at me with a blank expression on their solemn faces. "You knew about this all along?" Dad cried, grabbing me firmly by shoulders and tightening his grip on them. I winced in pain and didn't flinch too badly. "Do you know how much trouble you could get into with you know...God himself?" Dad asked, angrily. He tossed his hands in the air in frustration and pounded a fist on the glowing, slimy attic door. Not caring if he got oozed, Dad wiped the green ghost blood on his shirt.
I shrugged. Not really caring what the man upstairs knows what I'm doing. "Markus was struggling his whole life, Dad! Mom!" I yelled. Doors downstairs our house continued slamming. We continued hearing Markus howling throughout the house, making it unbearable to stand.
Mom started rubbing Dad's shoulders for comfort. "There, dead. We'll close this window to the Haunted World. And we'll continue living naturally in Hollowview like normal folks would." Mom was getting tensed, too. She was too troubled of hearing Markus's howling like something wanted to hurt him in the attic.
Suddenly, I wanted to tell my folks that I knew how to connect with Markus and make him want to return to us with the living. But it was going to take all night long and their permission and support to make it successful. Before any more ghosts escape from the Spirit Capsule without an explanation tomorrow tonight…
I didn't know how much I could take being undead in Hollowview. It wasn't my fault the Spiritual Leader didn't want me to make contact with mortal life. Mr. Travis, the head counselor, told me they wouldn't accept me the way I was before. They would have trouble coping. And now, I was beginning to think something happened to upset my human spirit from getting restless in Hollowview.
Since the Haunted World got disturbed by a mean-spirited haunter. Who was going to ruin everybody while they dreamed at night? So there's this phantom menace called the Gift Sighter. He was here to not only cause mischief and discomfort, but I couldn't let the spirit control me. Or anybody else might like to make a threat too.
I told my Mom and Dad I was going to sleep in the attic tonight. And see if I can communicate with my brother. I had to make sure everything was alright. Had to find out why he was trapped between the living world and the undead life. As my parents agreed it would be okay, they nodded and handed me a flashlight. I tested it and it nearly blinded me in my face. I turned it off quickly and thanked my folks.
The house started to creak and groan again. As I started to open the door to the attic room upstairs, the door suddenly squeaked open by itself. I gasped and jumped with fright as I heard my brother laugh gleefully, like I walked into his trap. I saw his small shadowy feet run past the door.
A powerful wind slammed the door in my face. I screamed, and felt a powerful force push me down the flight of stairs. I landed hard at the bottom of the steps with a woosh of air as my air and oxygen got knocked out of me. I hit my head hard on the hard, brown wooden basement floor.
I started stirring and couldn't stir myself awake. I could hear my brother Markus laughing innocently from behind the attic room above me. I didn't think this was going to get any worse. Suddenly, I heard moaning from behind me. I slowly sat up and turned around. I saw what looked like Mom and Dad wearing bedsheets and floating above the floor. They wore chains like they're prisoners and carried candles by a handle, pointing at me accusingly.
"Your fault! Your fault," they oohed and aahed at me in ghost speech. They started floating after me. "You wanted our son, Markus to pay for his illness," Mom sobbed, dragging her chains behind her. "So you sent him away from his misery. Through this Spirit Capsule. If you want him to be healthy again, you need to tell us why the spirits are upset with you," Mom asked, angrily.
I started climbing back up the slimy stairs to the attic. When I got there, I whirled around...and both of my parents vanished into thin air before my eyes! I knew I had to get Markus out of my upstairs attic, fast! But I didn't want to scare my parents into thinking I planned on keeping us haunted this way forever. I knew better than to open my Spirit Capsule without paying any attention.
Looking for Mom and Dad, they were nowhere to be seen. Ignoring them, I heard Markus laughing and talking as if someone else were with him in the attic room. Peeping my eyes through the knob peephole, I looked in. I couldn't see anything; except a shaft of light coming from the hot afternoon sun.
At first, I expected my brother to pop out in front of the peephole. But instead, a swirl of sparkling, fairy dust started appearing before the middle of the dusty attic. Then, I heard Markus laughing and running past me in a blurry blur.
I gasped. Jumped back. And started to open the attic door. It wouldn't budge. Hearing my ornery brother's mischievous laughter, I knew something wasn't right with him. I knew he didn't like being trapped as a ghost; unable to free himself from our musty attic storage area. "M-Markus...?" my voice trailed off. I gasped again after hearing something fall and clutter our attic.
Eyes wide with fright, I took another look through the peephole. I couldn't tell what was happening. Because the room was covered in dust, stinging my eyes. I closed them and started coughing and sputtering. I wanted to make sure Markus wouldn't do anything to make him feel disturbed or unwanted with me again. As I tried to open the doorknob, I heard Markus running across the floorboards. Making a powerful wind force the attic door open! Knocking me on my forehead, I grabbed my forehead and winced in pain.
I didn't want to be surprised to see if there was nobody hiding in the attic. But I could hear my little ghost brother breathing and panting heavily somewhere behind a large dressing mirror in the corner of the attic window. There was a white sheet draped over it, covered in dust and cobwebs. At first I didn't notice anything unusual. Then, as I stepped closer, I saw there was a chalk drawing in the center of the dressing mirror next to the window.
And two burnt candles next to the Satanic symbol chalk drawing in front of the dressing mirror. That grabbed my attention. "What's going on, here?" I whispered out loud. Still, there was no response. As I stared closely at my reflection in the mirror, it began to melt before me. I stood back, and almost tripped on a dripping candle next to me.
In the sunset's light next to the attic window, a wind blew in the breeze. Then, the white bedsheet blew off the tall enchanted mirror. And as my eyes focused and glowed, I could see my brother's face hidden in shadow within the dressing mirror. "Diamond…you have to stop them!" My brother's voice echoed through the glass mirror, almost shattering it.
I blinked a couple of times. My eyes adjusted and I could only see my reflection staring back at me. Like it was just my imagination. I didn't realize what kind of invisible force was going to interrupt our family's protective bond with the unwanted spirits getting what they deserve to keep themselves from getting separated from each other.
I continued staring at my feminine reflection in the ghost mirror in our attic a moment later. I took my hand, untangled a lock of my curly long red hair. And realized I'm not a scary person. I wore old fashioned clothes to make me appear more mature and attractive looking. My sneakers were old brown leather material to help me walk without getting sore feet. I knew I came from a different time, but my friendly girlish reflection told me I also came from the present time, too.
"Do you like what you see, my dear?" a calm, soothing older female voice asked from behind my shoulders. I whirled around and didn't see anything. I stepped away from the mirror, and the chalk symbol on the floor. Almost, tipping over a candle near my right foot. "Don't be scared of me, child," the female voice promised, who had a slight accent.
I didn't know where to hide. I kept looking back at the ghost mirror to expect my brother to return with another message. But there was no response. And I kept feeling an icy stare at the back of my neck. Like the ghost lady person was beckoning me to see ghosts all want a purpose when they come to ask them for their help.
Looking around, I saw a glimmer of light from the attic window. And an invisible wind blew the white curtains aside. I looked down and saw a pair of hollow slippers standing behind the ghost mirror. I looked up and expected to see a hideous figure after me. Instead, it was my long, dead grandmother, Mary Jane Love in her lovely blue blouse with a pink scarf around her neck. Her cheeks were painted rosy and cheerful. In the sunlight, my grandmother's blue eyes twinkled with delight. She wore a golden pendant around her neck. And she appeared with a warm, friendly smile. Mary Jane Love continued walking my way. As I backed away toward the closed attic door.
I thought I heard my ghost brother laughing as he was running away from somebody in the shadowy ghost mirror reflection. Then, a glow of sunlight moved across the mirror. And the shadows and laughter faded away. I turned to look for my ghost grandmother. But she too, had disappeared from view.
I started to feel like I missed my grandma so much, was I starting to hallucinate her death like she was her with me wanting to tell me something important? I was about to get answers, when there was a swirl of misty white fog coming from inside the ghost mirror! The air in the attic got cold and damp. I looked around the walls, and noticed drips of green slim were forming on the sides.
I jumped aside, as a glob of ghost blood falling from the spiderweb on the ceiling touched my brown leather sneaker. I tried to smudge off the smear of glowing oozing blood, but it was starting to eat like acid tearing at the leather on my shoe.
Undoing my shoelaces, I flung off the sneakers from my feet. And tossed them aside the dresser next to the mirror by the attic window. I looked at my feet and saw my white cotton socks were still on me. Seeing the slime on the walls, it started to make a sick puke aroma. More fog continued coming through the ghost mirror. Like it was going to clog up the attic with a musty fog machine.
"Help! Mom and Dad!" I turned to the attic door, and tried to open the locked door again. Still, it wouldn't budge. Slime started going down the attic door. And some of it nearly touched my skin. I back away from the door. And looked out the window for help next. I looked at the ghost mirror and saw a couple of otherworldly shadows stepping through it.
Grabbing for my other left sneaker next to me, I tossed it roughly at the ghost mirror! It wobbled to its side and toppled over. Shattering the shiny, sharp glass. I saw a twinkle of colorful light escape from the mirror. And everything returned to normal. As if the mirror never meant to be evil.
It stood back standing upright with the white bed sheet over it. Next to the attic window, like it was meant for summoning ghostly visitors from somewhere else. The walls were bare and normal wood again. I heard the click of the attic doorknob turning and squeaking open. Mom and Dad appeared before me. They looked really upset.
"Mom, Dad! I'm so glad to see you!" I said, giving each of them an urgent hug of appreciation. "What is this mirror about doing in our attic?" I asked, looking confused at them. I walked over to the now ordinary mirror. And pulled the white bed sheet off the tall looking glass mirror. Mom and Dad screamed. And tried to back me away from the mirror. I gasped, startled by their rude reaction. "What's the matter?" I asked, looking spooked.
I saw Mom and Dad start to smirk and giggle. Dad turned and pointed to the mirror. To make me look at it. I did, and noticed there was nothing there. I didn't cast a reflection at all! "Diamond, you're so ugly this mirror doesn't want to see your reflection, today!" Dad teased. I didn't understand him. I looked at my ordinary female clothes I wore. And saw I was still barefoot. I wriggled my toes in embarrassment and turned away from the normal mirror.
Mom walked over the bed sheet on the dusty wooden floor. And bent down to pick up the bed sheet. Then, placed it back over the mysterious mirror. "You've got to be careful up here, Diamond," Mom said. "This is a very unique mirror, you see. It reflects what you want to see about you," she continued. I looked at Mom and Dad as they went over to adjust to cover the bed sheet over the mirror. "Your grandmother Mary Jane Love found it at an abandoned antique store. When her spirit was troubled by ghosts in her attic who wanted unfinished business with her special contact with the ghost beings in the Haunted World, Mary Jane Love knew she needed this mirror for protection. From the dangerous spooks who want to make all the young adults in Hollowview not express their true friendly identity to a mirror with a dark soul. To keep the children's friendly identity safe in Hollowview, your grandma placed a curse on this Mirror of Everlasting Hope to cast out unwanted pleasantness. Keeping the young adult from wanting to hurt themselves from becoming who they are meant to be," Mom concluded. She wrapped an arm around Dad's shoulder to comfort him. As they continued examining this strange mirror.
I shuddered at the thought of having someone else looking like me change my personality for the worst. "I think we should get rid of it," I suggested. Mom and Dad stepped back and gasped at me in shock. I didn't want to get involved with the host of dark spirits who wanted to make our true identity disappear into something not recognizable.
Dad gripped the side of the mirror and turned to look at me questionably. "What are you saying, Diamond?" Dad asked. "We need to make sure all the children are okay being themselves in Hollowview. I know you didn't ask to come to this silent community unnoticed by everybody around you. But we have to reflect our opinions on what makes the Normal Supernaturals strong individuals," he said.
My parents looked at me like I was lost. "I saw grandma!" I blurted out, and almost cried. Mom and Dad walked away from the mirror and came over to cope with me. "She wanted to tell me something about my human soul from perishing. Then, she vanished after I heard a commotion coming from inside the Mirror of Everlasting Hope. Like it distracted her from seeing me," I continued, looking away at the mirror to my parents.
Dad turned to look behind the white bed sheet of the mirror. He stared back at himself and his reflection screamed back at him with surprise! Dad closed the bed sheet and turned his grim expression back to Mom and myself. "I think this mirror doesn't like it up here by itself," Dad said, nervously and gulped. "We need to keep it company," Dad said.
I knew Dad wasn't liking the idea of having a haunted mirror with us in our attic house. He was making nervous jokes about wanting us well safe. "You know how I feel about guests disturbing the peace in the middle of the night without permission, dear," Mom said. I didn't know if Mom was trying to be funny or just feeling nervous about our mirror hype.
The Mirror of Everlasting Hope started to rattle and shake, then let out a long, sad, ghost howl. "This shouldn't happen yet!" Dad exclaimed. Mom and Dad and I walked quickly over to the mirror to steady it. What kind of secret was about to be exposed? Walking in front of the ghost mirror, grandma Mary Jane Love appeared in a shadowy reflection. Mom and Dad stepped back with a sudden fright.
Mary Jane Love tossed back her curly black hair and laughed. "How delightful I've been summoned from the Spirit Kingdom to start the ghost capture council meeting!" She laughed some more and bright lightning flashed in the background in the mirror. Before Grandma could explain what kind of surprise party she had planned in mind, Grandma stopped laughing. Pointed an accusing finger at me, and made her eyes turn yellow with fury. "She looks like someone I could get myself into," Mary Jane Love said, laughing some more. And pointed long black painted fingernails at me in the mirror.
I didn't know what to say or think or react. Grandma must not have recognized me. "Grandma….it's me, your granddaughter," I explained. She frowned and folded her arms in disgust. "Why don't you want to be like the other pretty girls, Grandma? My girlish figure doesn't seem to get much attention with the others," I confessed. My Grandma looked at me confused like I didn't belong with her. She turned to look around the edges of the mirror, like she was wanting to get out of it. "We need to break this glass mirror soon…" Grandma insisted, placing her hands around the invisible edges of the Mirror of Everlasting Hope for an escape out of it.
Mom and Dad realized this was their fault for not getting the message that the Normal Supernaturals in Hollowview were asking for too much help for protection. To keep their secret identity from getting exposed to the Holy Hollow ghosts trying to make the young children pay for not accepting themselves.
I didn't want Grandma to be disappointed that we haven't been getting along in Hollowview. Because mean spirits keep getting out of their Spirit Capsules. And ruining our lives by wanting an explanation to keep our identity exposed to society. To show how rude and disrespect we can have on each other whenever the spirit of a Normal Supernatural doesn't always get what they want or need in their lives.
"What do we need to do with the unwanted Holy Hollows getting attracted to the good light-hearted souls of Hollowview for being different or unique?" Dad asked Grandma, as she noticed a shadowy birdlike dragon float above her head in the mirror reflection. We noticed that it was just a shadow, but it was growling and breathing fire over Grandma's shadowy reflection in the bubble mirror.
We heard Grandma scream, and her shadowy reflection in the mirror vanished from it unexpectedly. Mom and Dad and I screamed to check to make sure Grandma was alright. When the mirror returned to its normal reflection of ourselves in our dusty attic, Dad let out a frustrated fit with a stomp on his feet on the wooden brown floors.
Mom did her best to comfort her husband, as he looked worried and was rubbing his head like he had a bad headache. "I feel light-heated babe," Dad said. "I need to lie down on the sofa in the living room. Will you get me a glass of cool water, with some ice and a slice of lemon?" Dad asked, looking back at the empty reflections in the Mirror of Everlasting Hope.
Mom nodded and kissed Dad on the forehead. And rubbed his left shoulder to make him feel calm and relaxed. "Yes, I wll, dear," Mom said. She turned to my attention. I looked away and turned to look at the chalk drawing in front of the cursed mirror. "Don't worry about Grandma, Diamond, just go to your room. I need to make sure those disgusting Hollows don't try to scare the life out of their magical protective soul," Mom said.
I nodded. Dad walked over to the side of the mirror and bent down to pick up the white bed sheet. Mom and I helped Dad cover the shiny haunted mirror while we went downstairs to cope with unexplained behavior happening in the Spirit Kingdom.
Mom and Dad walked out of the attic bedroom before me. I started to follow after them, when I heard some crying coming from behind the glass curtained mirror behind me. I looked to see if my parents had noticed or heard the unusual emotion nearby me. But they were already headed downstairs. I slowly grabbed the attic bedroom door and closed it.
Turning to the mirror, I knew I was beginning to imagine things. "Diamond…please, you have to see this," a little boy's voice proclaimed to himself. It belonged to my brother Markus behind the curtained mirror. I didn't know what to expect. I hope I wasn't about to be tricked by a Hollow reject.
I slowly walked toward the mirror. Expecting a bloody reflection of my brother popping out of the mirror behind the blowing white bed sheet, I hesitated to pull back the bed sheet. In desperation to make an attempt to run down the stairs to the living room, Markus made a howling ghost sound that made me stop. My blood was running cold with fear. And as I turned around to face the mirror covered by the white bed sheet, I saw the bed sheet getting moist and damp. And then, I gasped and screamed as it got bloody on the bed sheets…
"Help me, Diamond," Markus's robust voice asked. "It's so cold here. Help me get out of here before they make us into dark souls permanently," Markus sobbed. The lights in the attic began to flicker and dim. I noticed more fog coming out of the corners of the mirror. "I love you so much, Diamond. You've always been there to help me when I was sick. I still have a cold that won't go away. I don't sleep well anymore here. But if you help me out of this glass mirror, we can be together safe in Hollowview," Markus said, his voice hoarse from crying.
I almost bent down to my knees and sobbed. Hearing Markus's sweet, innocent voice asking for my help made my heart leap out of my throat with joy. But I didn't know if it was really the voice belonging to my sick brother. "Can you prove yourself you are Markus, my little brother?" I asked, looking at the mirror with fascination. I didn't want to do anything that would make my brother want to disappear, fearing I may not be his real older sister.
There was a pause on the other side of the mirror. I thought Markus had already vanished. Then, he started laughing. "I can't wait to see you big sister!" I heard Markus laugh playfully some more. "I've experienced so much pain and sadness without you. You don't know what kind of bullies these Hollow souls want to do to us positive free spirits," Markus continued. I could start to tell Markus was hiding something from his fibbing in his weak voice.
I shrugged like he didn't explain who Markus really was to me. "That's nice to know, bro. Prove yourself you are my annoying little brother," I said. I thought I was being harsh on him, but Markus started coughing and sputtering again. Like he was telling the truth he was sick with a terrible sinus infection. "Is something…wrong? Have you been taking your medicine, Markus?" I asked, worriedly. He sounded like something was haunting him.
"I'm so cold, Diamond," Markus complained, shrilly. "Get me out of this ghost life," he continued, sneezing a couple of times. "I don't remember having a normal childhood life with my family with you, Diamond. It's all a blank. I was in bed, sick. Because my head was hurting like it would make me pass out and not ever wake up. That's how I'm feeling now, without a warm meal and comforting hugs to make the unpleasant feeling make my tummy stop feeling like I want to throw up my stomach's lunch or breakfast. What I need is my sister to ward off those mean Hollows before they come back to make us all ill and trapped within a Spirit Capsule. To keep us separated within the haunted Mirrors of Everlasting Hope to make us forget our human past lives," Markus said.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What are these ugly Hollows thinking?" I snarled angrily. "They think they can mess with our strong becoming of immortal souls, they have something coming to them!" I said, angrily grabbing hold of the dirty, white bed sheets. And revealing that there was no reflection of myself staring back at myself!
Instead of seeing myself or my brother's ghost, I saw the grim reaper! His black cloak hood covered his dark face, and he carried a scary-looking scythe in his right hand. And it was pointing directly at me! I stumbled back over one of the candlesticks, and nearly fell onto my back on the hard floor!
When suddenly, I felt somebody grab hold of my fall. And I passed off into a deep, restless sleep…
As I struggled to wake up, I heard the swift move of a cold hand being slapped across my cheeks! Snapping me awake, I realized I was no longer in my parent's attic. I appeared to be sitting upright in my bed in my parent's bedroom later that night.
Mom and Dad stood beside me, looking worried. Mom carried a burning candle by a handle. She put it aside on my bedside table next to me. "I'll call the doctor. Let him know our daughter is awake from her short coma," Mom said. She hurried swiftly out of my bedroom and into the living room. Where we can't, our phone line is plugged on a little coffee table next to the front door. Mom nervously punched in my family doctor's emergency phone number. She waited for it to ring a few times. And then Dad and I heard Mom discussing the situation with my friendly family named Dr. Kare.
Dad sat beside me as I scooted over to my side. He took his right hand and placed it on my forehead to feel if I had a running temperature. I felt embarrassed to have them treat me so immaturely. I just had a fainting spell, because I thought I saw the ghost of the grim reaper in our haunted mirror. Trying to capture my innocent soul into the Ghost World to be imprisoned there with my sick ghost brother.
I turned my head away from my Dad. And wanted to be myself. "You won't believe me about the ghost mirror," I explained, feeling unappreciated. "My brother is being mistreated against his will by a quirky grim reaper there in the Haunted World. And y'all aren't doing nothing about it!" I snapped, gripping the covers in my hands. And sitting upright, looking angrily at my father's eyes with guilt like I was to be blamed for it.
Dad started to comfort me again. When my bedroom door swung open. And a Goth-like priest who was part white and part Hispanic barged into my unexpected, untidy room. He carried a smoking Spirit Capsule in his hand. And Dad and I jumped up next together on my bed with fright.
The fear stricken priest gave us a wry smile. And showed us proof he captured one of the Hollows that existed from the Haunted World ghost mirrors. "This little ornery rascal nearly tried to make the ghost believers in my church suck out their life away almost instantly!" the friendly priest with a slight British accent, named Father Bradley explained. "Good thing I got my bugger of a ghost captured before it started drowning a little girl in a holy water baptism tub full of sparkling bubbles to get them feeling renewed. Thinking it could give her a good baptism," he continued, holding the ghost capture. The little mean ghost boy in the ghost capture was squirming in it uncomfortably. Father Bradley tapped the side of his ghost machine to keep the ornery ghost quiet.
"I noticed there was unusual activity in Holloview on my way here to check upon my client, Diamond," Father Bradley was saying. He kept eyeing his ghost capture machine suspiciously. "A group of kids were trying to get a black cat up a thick apple tree at some apartment to scare away a mean shadowy guard dog. Who was getting on their nerves and wanting to make their children's lives miserable with its howling bark and snapping jaws of life at them all day," the priest continued.
Mom and Dad and I exchanged worried glances. "What do we do about it?" Dad asked, crossing his arms, firmly. And standing close next to his wife for comfort. "It seems these Haunted Hollows want nothing more than to give us a hard time. My wife and daughter and I never can see to catch these Haunted Hollows from actually showing themselves without vanishing into the opposite direction. Some of them I think just want attention. And not to do any harm." Dad said, feeling comfortable talking about the subject.
Hearing the clank of the captured Haunted Hollow in its Spirit Capsule, we jumped. As it started moving around and laughing excitedly. Like it could break through the trap door at any moment. "This bugger seems very feisty this evening!" Father Bradley said, studying his ghost machine. After banging the Spirit Capule across the side of the bed handle, it let out a squeaky yelp of surprise and settled down.
Father Bradley looked at the machine questionably. Smiled, wryly. And said with satisfaction, "Now, let's go capture some ornery ghosts!" Father Bradley declared, happily. He started to lead the way out of the bedroom, but Mom and Dad stopped him abruptly. The Haunted Hollow jumped in the metal ghost machine, yelping excitedly for attention.
Dad pointed to his eyeballs. Trying to explain to him, we couldn't see these Haunted Hollows polluting our ghost town. Father Bradley, gasped and got the idea. Opening his uniform jacket, the friendly priest held out three pairs of what seemed like ordinary glasses. "These may help y'all!" he said, handing us three pairs of magic glasses. Dad handed me extra black spectacles he had to me.
"I really don't want to see anything scary, Father Bradley," Mom confessed, looking at the ordinary black glasses. She held the lens in the direct light in my bedroom. And made the lens sparkle with the colors of the rainbow. Making her feel less confused about what to do with encountering a Haunted Hollow.
I walked over to my dresser room mirror next to my bed. Looking at my ordinary clothes in the reflection, I then looked at the magic glasses I was given recently. Looking back at my reflection in my dressing room mirror, I slowly put them on my face.
Suddenly, as I looked back up, the lights and everything in my room dimmed and grew very dark. The thick round light bulbs around my dressing room mirror started to flick on and off. And I realized I was totally alone in my dark house! Though it was nearly the middle of the afternoon, the sun was gone. And I could see my objects in my bedroom in a green shadowy glow. That I would not be able to see at night without them on.
I started to walk around the bedroom. When I started to breathe heavily. My breath was going in and out slowly. Like someone was putting their strong arms around my stomach. And squeezing my life out of my body! I began wheezing and coughing uncomfortably. Struggling to break free of the evil ghost's grasp.
Nudging my elbow into the invisible force behind me, I knocked the wind out of its lungs. I broke free hurriedly. And whirled around, half expecting to see some dark evil soul standing behind me. Instead, there was only empty air. I started feeling chills down my neck and spine.
I started feeling myself walking around my messy bedroom. I stepped over my stuffed animal I had scattered on the floor. When I need something soft and friendly to hug and feel comfort at night, when I couldn't get to sleep well. At first, I thought I was dreaming. Because I know when I start to drift off to sleep. The waking world slowly leaves my body. And takes me beyond the imaginative world where my life gets haunted by my past that doesn't seem to want to move forward and get some rest.
As I continued exploring my dark house down the hallway, I knew I wasn't in a weird dream. Because I turned and noticed the walls, I saw my family patriot's eyes start to follow me as I sneaked past them. Even though they don't think I didn't notice them watching me. I pretended I didn't see them watching my every move.
I didn't know where I was going. Except, I wanted to find my Mom and Dad from their mysterious disappearance. I felt lost wandering the dim shadowy halls and into the living room. Where I caught my Dad smoking a pipe and reading the newspaper comics on the sofa, while he didn't seem to notice my silent entrance.
I started to grab my Dad's attention. But he burst out laughing at something funny he was reading in the Sunday morning comic newspaper. "Why are you reading in the dark?" I whispered out loud, in the glow of the spooky night glasses. Suddenly, Dad coughed some smoke from the pipe going down his lungs. And looked up from his newspaper. I gasped and wanted to run back down the hall to my bedroom.
"Diamond, what are you doing out of bed at this hour?" I heard my Dad's angry shouts echo throughout the dark empty halls of my house. Before I could explain myself, I opened an unlocked door in the hallway. And went inside the dark storage closet. Fumbling my hand on the dark walls, searching for the lightswitch, I found it on the side. A little high above my waist. Turning on the light, it flickered and finally turned on.
I waited until I heard heavy breathing and shouting from my dad. After a moment of silence, I heard footsteps outside the storage closet. I held my breath, and it caught in my throat. I slowly started to check to make sure it was locked. When suddenly, the door swung open squeakily. Appearing before me, was not my dad! Instead, my best friend from high school stood in the doorway: Rainbow Shadows!
"Gril, we've been trying to find you!" My best friend, Rainbow, said excitedly. "Cathline Misty, just got the flashlights and buttered popcorn for our slumber party fun tonight! Come on, let's go enjoy ourselves!" Rainbow said, grabbing my hand roughly out of the storage closet.
As my friend Cathline led me out of the storage closet, I noticed my feet moving against some colorful party balloons scattered all around the darkly lit hallway. I heard some female horseplaying as we made our way past the bathroom next to my bedroom down the poorly lit hall.
Cathline opened the bedroom door with speed and accuracy. Eager to join my friends at the slumber party, I walked in my bedroom with a startled scream of surprise! It didn't seem like my group of friends were ordinary looking humans. Not necessarily like angels either. They were fallen ghosts in their comfortable light colored bed sheets over their heads, making them appear to glow. They got left behind in the Haunted World beyond the mirror portal of having unbelievable ghost powers. They try to protect young souls from losing their active ability to get others to appreciate being a helpful Haunted Hollow from turning grim.
"Do you want me to make the ghosts all disappear, Diamond?" Cathline asked with a nervous chuckle. And a toss of her golden yellow braided hair. "They want to expose their unholy souls to the immortal grim reaper. Who wants the Haunted Hollows to disappear like they didn't exist to begin with," Cathine said.
Cathline, my best friend, grabbed me by the hand. One of my other ghost friends handed Cathline a white bed sheet. And handed it to me. 'Here. Wear this for the ghost council initiation," she said. Insisting that I take and wear the bed sheet, I snatched it out of my best friend's reach. And put it over my head, securely.
After placing the bed sheet over my head, it could see through the cut out peep holes in them. What I saw made me realize what a shock I was talking to actual undead girls in my room! Their bodies were no longer solid. And could see through their skeleton bones. One of the blond girls in shorts and t-shirt, grabbed a feathery pillow and smacked it across the back side of Catherine's head.
Laughing, the undead ghost girls on my bed, eased with defense. Then, snatching the feather spilled pillow out of our ghost girl's friend's reach, Catherine joined the playful pillow fight. White puffy feather dust from the pillows filled the bedroom like a fog machine clearing the stage for a band gig.
Finally, I gave up. And forgot once in my life to have fun with my group of undead friends for the night. I didn't know how much time we all left for each other. But we were having a fabulous time playing a friendly game of pillow fight. You never would have guessed my friends and I were undead spirits throwing a wild afterlife celebration with each other.
Finally, what seemed like all night, I was beginning to feel tired of smuggling my friends with a feathery dust pillow. After the room cleared from the clutter of dust feathers from the pillows, my five ghost friends and I collapsed together on my feathery scattered covers on my bed, exhausted.
"That was totally fun!" My ghost friend, Sasha Toy said, moving hair out of her eyes. Looking over to her friends, she grabbed the strap of her near friend Trixi Dust's braw she saw hanging loose out of her pajama sleeve shirt. And gave it a hard tug, pinching her delicate ghost skin! Triki Dust scoffed and swayed Sasha Toy's head to her other side.
Suddenly, I perked up. "When are we gonna talk about boys?" I wondered, a little changing my subject. A girl clinging next to my left side on my bed, let out a frustrated groan of disgust. "I'm sorry, I'm a grown teenager here. With urging hormone desires to learn the fascinating discovery of what goes on during a boy's young adolescent body when he hits puberty!" I said, feeling excited talking about male parts.
I heard Sasha laugh and say something crude. "Boys are so annoying," she said. "When they want something, usually sexually, they just want to explore themselves. With their partner or by themselves. Anytime they are horny. Or just thinking about sex," Sasha explained.
"What do y'all think about Nick Bug?" Triki asked, suddenly interested. "The sixth grader in my biology class is so sexy. But he's also very sick. He always teases me every time we pass each other in the school hallways. Thinking he's being cute. Trying to flirt with me. I don't see why boys don't have anything better to do than find a hobby. Boys need to get their mind focused on what matters the most. About respecting their personality behavior. And a healthy attitude towards a better physical lifestyle," Triki said.
It would be so hard not to think about boys all the time. I understand why a serious relationship with someone is important. But it's true. If you're young and attractive, all you really want to think about is sex with yourself or your partner. I just don't have anybody coming into my life that would make this ghost business more complete with someone to share it with.
The harder it would try to communicate with the souls surviving within the Mirror of Everlasting Hope was going to be a challenge. I know my little ornery ghost brother was still having trouble dealing with his undead afterlife choice. But if I can convince the grim reaper to have a change of heart. And give the grim reaper an explanation that it wasn't his fault for his out of body experience unexpectedly. For forgetting to take his anxiety medicine one night after his doctor had to change it kept him from hallucinating Haunted Hollows from exploring school halls of Holloview High at night.
Sasha Toy sighed heavily and grabbed a father dust pillow beside her. And smacked Triki Dust across the side of her head! She closed her eyes and cried out in pain. Triki then playfully elbowed Sasha out of the way. "I have a softball tournament Saturday afternoon with my team," Sasha said. "It's going to be so hot. And all the boys from school wouldn't watch me play for the world. Because I'm such a horrible baseball player!" Sasha snorted with laughter.
"Can I come, Sasha?" I asked, interested. "I like supporting my best friends," I said, honestly. I started to sit upright in bed. To stretch my muscles and clear the feather dust pillows off my bed covers. The lights dimmed and I gasped. I noticed before us my little ghost brother in his white bed sheet appearing before us. His arms outstretched and looked a little spooked. "Markus? What do you want?" I asked in a concerned voice.
"The grim reaper wants to see you all now," Markus said, desperately. "I know I may seem scary. But being a ghost is worth it. I thought I would miss having a physical body to touch and feel something. But the good thing about being undead is, I never age or get sick! It's true. The grim reaper Mr. Holy promises we can all have immortal souls in the Haunted World. If we all accept our true identity," Markus explained.
I wanted to tell the girls it wasn't safe going to Haunted World alone. Not without a Spirit Capsule to capture any unwanted souls from having a bad day. "What's the first thing you do when you come across a Haunted Hollow? Down a dark lonely, moonlight path toward the Mirror of Everlasting Hope?" I asked, giving my friends and brother a lesson.
My group of friends and brother looked around the floor, like they were embarrassed they didn't know how to answer. "You fool them into thinking they are alive again!" I shouted, angrily. Markus frowned and thought my answer sounded unfair. "Then, before the mean Hollows can take your life away with their sucking ability, we corner them with a Spirit Capsule! Now, there's more of us than there are Haunted Hollows roaming the spooky land in Hollowview, girls and brother," I pointed out.
Triki Dust and Sasha Toy, started shaking and feeling afraid. "But they're so evil and strong!" Triki said, grabbing hold of Sasha by her hand for comfort. "A Haunted Hollows' magic can suck out the life of every human being in Hollowview within a few feet apart of them. Their sucking ability can knock down tall buildings in a small city with a single blow, like playing dominos. To block their windy sucks from a Hollow, a young Holy Heart must wear the Brave Soul Shield from a father priest in Holloview. To ward away unwelcome spirits who traveled from Hollowview into the Land of the Unliving to taunt and haunt living mortals forever," Triki said, hoping we were all paying attention.
I could tell we were all trying to take a moment to listen carefully to what Triki was telling us. We realized these mean spirited Hollows were trying to escape from the Mirror of Everlasting Hope. Before my friends or brother could react to each other, about what to do to defend themselves from Haunted Hollows, a loud crashing sounded from our upstairs attic! Like glass had been shattered to the hard floor.
My brother bolted out of my bedroom, to check upon the sudden disturbance from upstairs. Then, my friends and I quickly followed after him. I didn't bother closing my bedroom door, as I was curious about who could be intruding in my house without us knowing it. My heart was racing a mile a minute, as we raced through my dark house. Trying to get upstairs to my attic. There, someone may be in need of help.
Climbing up the creaky, dusty wooden stairs to my attic, my brother stopped at the top of the stairs with a groan. Trying to jiggle the doorknob to get it open, it wouldn't budge open. It was getting cramped and crowded on the upstairs landing where my best friends, little brother and I gathered at the top of it. Struggling to help possibly our Mom and Dad from an unwelcoming Haunted Hollow escaping from the ghost mirror.
"I think they're getting upset in the ghost mirror," I said. "They want out into the real world," I continued. Pushing and shoving past my five girlfriends, I walked over to the front of the attic door. And roughly moved my curious little brother Markus aside. Grabbing a pick from a strand of my blonde hair to unlock the keyhole, my fingers shook and I dropped it beneath the crack of the loose staircase!
We all screamed with frustration, scrambling to grab hold of the fallen pick underneath the staircase. Nowhere to be seen, I worried the pick could be lost in darkness forever. I stood up and looked at my friends apologetically. "Okay, let's think about it, everyone. Where would Mom and Dad put a spare key safe to open the attic door?" I asked my brother and best friends.
Before anybody could explain, we heard the click of the attic door squeaking open. Turning to look at the doorknob, it slowly opened. And Mom's female hand wrapped around the sides above the doorknob. Thrusting the door open, Mom and Dad appeared behind the attic door. Greeting us, they both gave us a startle.
Smiling, Mom and Dad gave me and my brother a strong bear hug! Trying not to feel choked, I made an uneasy wheezing sound through my chests' lungs. "What kind of explanation should we expect, Mom and Dad?" I asked, looking terrified at the ghost mirror. It was glowing and bright electric shocks were coming out of it. Markus got curious and started to feel a magnet pull toward the Mirror of Everlasting Hope portal.
When Dad grabbed his arm from behind. And quickly pulled him away from the cursed ghost mirror. "It's not safe to touch, Markus!" Dad shouted. He turned away when the ghost mirror glowed brightly yellow. And a bony, skeleton hand came through it! Holding its bloody, dirty hand, a glowing crystal ball that seemed to make us all feel an attractive connection with it.
Stepping closer to the mirror, Mom recognized the undead hand belonged to the grim reaper with a visit to our humble home without an invitation needed. "Here, let me help you sir Holy," Mom said with affection. Mr. Holy stumbled on his brown laced sandals as he slipped through the glass mirror's edge. And nearly lost his balance. And tossed the glowing ghost orb ahead of us in the attic.
From behind me, my friend Rainbow Shadows leaped in the air. And barely caught the glowing mystical ghost orb. We gasped as we heard the inside spirit of the orb laughing mischievously at our awkward, unappreciated welcome behavior. The orb tingled in Rainbow's hand and she kindly handed the magic ghost gadget into their reaper's clumsy hands.
"Thank you, my love," Mr. Holy, the grim reaper said. Standing on his feet, he balanced the glowing orb in his hand. "The ghosts aren't being themselves today, I'm afraid," Mr. Holy said. "They want all the Gift Sighters to be on their best behavior as I capture their magic souls into these Orb of Ghost Sacrifice in their eternal slumber," Mr. Holy continued.
It made little sense what would happen if the Gift Sighters could control the unusual activity from chasing away the ghosts out of their portals in Hollowview forever. I wished there was something I could do as a friend to the Hollows from wanting to experience a real supernatural life. To keep from spooking the neighborhood with their ghostly ability to suck away their magical souls from returning to a Normal Supernatural.
Suddenly, we gasped after hearing a cough and sputter coming from the glowing ghost orb. Mr. Holy squealed like a female and nearly dropped the glass ball. He caught it firmly in both hands. A cloud appeared to form in the Orb of Ghost Sacrifice and cleared. She wore a brightly colored turban shell around her head. And wore attractive Fortune Teller style clothes that matched her turban shell. As well as shiny colorful beads around her neck.
"Madam Magick Anything's Possible!" Mr. Holy greeted the Fortune Teller who appeared confused at where was at the moment. "Welcome to the fun loving, carefree home of The Unholy!" Mr. Holy, the grim reaper said with enthusiasm. Trying not to sound like nothing is wrong. Showing Madam Magick Anything's Possible around our dusty, slimed cobwebbed attic, she frowned and picked at her nose. And flicked a little burger away from her running nostrils. She ignored our icy stares like we may suspect she may not be feeling well.
"It's nothing, I'll be fine everyone," Madam Magick Anything's Possible said, her voice soft and reassuring. "Wow, this is where I've been getting unexplained activity at this particular house at night," she continued. "It's nice. I can see why the Haunted Hollows want this family's house under their dark power," she sneezed. And ignored her hoarse weak voice from having a slight cold.
I didn't want to scare my friends, but I was excited to have somebody on our side to kick an unholy ghost tail! "I want to let those Haunted Hollows know we're going to destroy their lives for good here in Holloview, y'all!" I exclaimed, with pride in my voice. I looked at Madam Magick for an explanation on what we were up against. But she looked at me like I needed to take a vacation.
Eyeing me suspiciously, Madam Magick Anything's Possible said, "You need to take a seat and chill, girlfriend!" Mr. Holy thought she was being funny. The grim reaper's belly shook and he nervously almost dropped the Orb of Ghost Sacrafrice again. Mr. Holy quickly caught his balance again and caught the magic glass ball with Madam Magick squirming in it, like a snow globe blowing snow to make her disappear in it.
Screaming, Madam Magick said, "Watch it, you fool! You nearly shattered me again!" The Fortune Teller's reflection in the glass marble appeared again. And she sneezed and grabbed hold of her turban shell from falling off her head. "You're almost as bad as those Haunted Hollows, Mr. Holy!" Madam Magick Anything's Possible continued, angrily. It seemed to us they aren't getting along right now.
I wanted to tell the ghost seers we need to focus on what's happening to us in Hollowview. Before they get suspicious and want to escape and break from all the Mirrors of Everlasting Hope in town. And suck all the souls from the Gift Sighters before we get to see that they really do exist. And they fear Normal Supernaturals in town from ever getting a chance to shine or make something out of themselves from getting worse again.
We stopped and paused to stare at the Fortune Teller who saw something come around the corner of her eyes! She screamed, and Mr. Holy's bony hand shook, making the crystal ball fog up and she disappeared from it. "Madam Magick! What's up?" Mr. Holy demanded, trying to bring the Fortune Teller's reflection back in the crystal ball.
When she didn't return from the magic crystal ball, we all got quiet and worried she may not be back. Then, we turned to look at the ghost mirror, glowing. A black swirl of clouds covered the mirror. We heard the sound of wind being blown. Making the black clouds clear the glass mirror. Revealing the town of Hollowview as a giant shadowy Haunted Hollow fire breathing dragon rested on a dark storm cloud above the town.
Covered in shiny, glittery, hard shells, the sleeping dragon on the storm cloud above the town in Holloview, snoored lazily. We gasped and realized as we stepped closer to view the ghost mirror, the dragon was guarding a shiny baby egg under its closed, pointed wing on its side. It puffed in and out smoke as he inhaled the chilly night air.
"I don't believe it!" I heard my best friend Rainbow Shadows shout next to me. She pointed at the green sleeping dragon's baby eggshell as it started to crack and hatch open. "Why didn't we know about this winged creature causing our town to want to be on their side?" Rainbow asked, looking at the egg, trying to crack open still.
Mr. Holy wanted to feel brave and protect us from the dragon who was busy hatching its young. To make more Haunted Hollows cause everyone to forget they belong in Holloview after discovering they were made into this life knowing they are really unnoticed by our true former selves.
I turned and grabbed Rainbow by her misty hand. It was cold. And I knew she was crying inside, while trying to fight off the feeling of an evil dragon watching over our town to make us all feel miserable about being Gift Sighters without a chance of survival.
"We have to believe this magical beast doesn't exist, Rainbow," I explained. She didn't take her eyes off the Mirror of Everlasting Hope at the sleeping dragon's hatching egg. Startled, we jumped back at the sight of a baby little gargoyle's blue beak poking the eggshell! This excited the Dragon Dumb Ass from staying fast asleep.
We gasped and stepped away from the ghost portal and watched with horrified discovery of a newborn gargoyle young hatch before our eyes! Looking back at the attic door, it burst open! And Madam Magick Anything's Possible the good-luck Fortune Teller barged into the attic room with a slingshot swinging at her hands!
Letting out a warrior-like screech, Madam Magick pushed us aside and fluck a bright green stone through the glass ghost mirror! The glowing green stone knocked baby gargoyle's hatching eggshell off the dark storm clouds hanging above our town, and started to fall from the sky.
I couldn't bear to watch the newborn fall to its doom. But before my eyes could pry across the ghost portal, a safety net had flung across the edge of the mirror's side. And caught the falling bird from its death!
Turning to look who saved the damaged gargoyle from the dark storm cloud, a giant flying pirate ship floated in the air beside the Dragon Dumb Ass's home cloud in the sky. A ruthless space pirate with a scraggly beard and straw hat captured the wounded gargoyle young onto the flying pirate ship in the sky.
The angry shouting cries from the space pirates turned to cheers of celebrated victory! As they caught a rare mythical species from being exterminated. The fascinated and interested space pirate named Sup, examined the drowsy bird's flappy wings. Sup noticed a broken claw on the edge of the young bird's wounded wing. And slowly started to snap it off!
When suddenly, another space pirate snatched the fallen gargoyle from Sup the curious space pirate from stealing his prize from a healing dragon who overtook the town in Holloview. "Give that back! I need to take a blood sample!" Sup shouted angrily. The other space pirate who quickly saw an opportunity to use the magical beast against his opponent, was more of a challenge than he'd hoped for.
The gray bearded space pirate next to him, looked at him like he wasn't considerate to his fellow team. "You believe you need all of it's everlasting healing blood for yourself, don't you, Mr. Sup?" the strong, mean pirate named Freckles asked worriedly. "Captain Charles Guy in Charge will see to it you get to walk the plank!" Freckles laughed at his corny joke. As the other group of rude and obnoxious space men joined their fellow co-pirate.
It wasn't like they could all share a little of the young bird's blood sample. But it seems the pirates don't like to play fair and square. A nearby skinny space pirate next to Freckles offered to put the wounded gargoyle in a little birdcage for safekeeping. Agreeing it would be for the best, Freckles tossed the half-stirring awake animal into its birdcage. And sealed the top of it with a loud, noisy clang. Making all the space pirates want to jump up and cheer for celebration!
Before their victory parade could go on, they turned in the other direction at the sound of a fire breathing dragon, headed their way! It was the sleeping mother Dragon Dumb Ass after it's captured young again! One of the space pirates saw a nearby cannon and fired a net at the oncoming flying dragon roaring animal.
He missed hitting the Dragon Dumb Ass, as the creature continued soaring after their spaceship in the sky. Nearly hitting a tall looming clock tower in the sky above the clouds, Freckles turned the steering wheel in front of the ship, nearly chipping the top corner of the clock tower that made a gone as they passed it.
Feeling like they weren't going to outrun a ten foot, snapping dragon at their tail gate, a beam of purple laser struck from someone's house in Hollowview with an enchanted weapon of destruction. Causing the winged Dragon Dumb Ass to howl in defeat, almost smacking its snakelike neck in the center of it.
Whirling its head to the side of the enemy from down below, the Dragon Dumb Ass warmed up its throat and started to breath in a warm fiery breath at the police officer's station. Where they were attacking the magical beast from there.
Going into town, the space pirates went after the Dragon Dumb Ass who took advantage, seeing it had a chance to seek its revenge on the police academy in battle mode. "It's coming back!" the police officer in charge of his troop explained. The police officer named Mr. Mighty led his officers away from the parking lot. Where they all gathered with laser guns firing at the mysterious winged dragon, throwing fireballs at their men protecting the good citizens of their haunted community.
One of the menacing officers didn't take his eye off his target, where he was trying to aim for his open gaped mouth, a fireball disintegrated the officer! He burst into flames and danced on top of the police car in agony while burning to death!
The other police academy friends couldn't do anything to save their good team member from harm. They finally heard him stop screaming and watched pitifully as the fire kept him burning in flames on the ground next to them.
Nothing was going to stop the Haunted Hollow dragon getting his revenge for kidnapping and destroying her young. It flew into the streets of Holloview, to overlook the shocked pedestrians who were walking their own child. Or taking photographs with their cameras strapped around their neck, catching the Dragon Dumb Ass off guard with its bright blue flashes. As it smacked the camera out of the male photographer's reach with her wing.
The male photographer yelped in response, leaping back and nearly falling off the sidewalk into a mud puddle in the street. Looking back, the Dragon Dumb Ass snickered and flared its nostrils approvingly of her rambunctious behavior. The annoyed and angry shouting male photographer shook his fists in the air and called after the back for vengeance.
I couldn't see what our eyes were watching in the ghost mirror! A poor, defenseless dragon mother was protecting her young from pirate poachers! It was upsetting the mother dragon monster so much, it was disturbing everybody in Holloview. I wasn't watching some movie on a TV video screen for viewing pleasure. This was really happening! I didn't know what to do about it.
I turned to Rainbow, our friend and Spiritual Leader for luck. "There's enough of us young Gift Sifters to see Dragon Dumb Ass's isn't real," I said, grabbing hold of Rainbow's shoulders. "You know we can pretend how fake Dumb Ass is by getting its wounded young off the space pirate's ship. And giving it back to the mother dragon to share how much we care not to let it escape our Haunted World from ever having it come alive," I said.
Nodding, Rainbow was beginning to understand me. "It makes sense. How do we get to force the magical animal to know we need to get its attention?" she asked, turning to look back at the mirror. We looked at the Mirror of Everlasting Hope for answers. We didn't see anything unusual yet in our town of Hollowview.
When we heard the low hum of the motor of the flying space pirate ship coming into view in front of the mirror over the neighborhood. We watched it hide behind a giant public library. The space pirates started hurrying to catch the wounded flying baby gargoyle who escaped from its birdcage earlier. And started hopping up and down, trying to escape from the grabby hands of the space pirates.
"Don't touch it!" Hearing their captain's angry shouts from the cabin, they halted immediately in their tracks. Turning to watch Captain Charles Guy in Charge come onto the dock from his hidden cabin below, he took a smoking pipe from his coat pocket and lit it with a silver match lighter. They didn't hear the gargoyle flap its hurt wings from behind them. And fly clumsily in the air around the side of the ship. And perched its scaly feet on his captain's shoulder. Like he wanted to be there with his best companion.
The space pirates looked embarrassed as they took off their scraggly looking hats off their messy heads to show their respects. Walking limply on his pegleg, Captain Charles Guy in Charge looked from one guilty looking pirate to another. "Who thought it would be a good idea to mess with Dude, my trusty little winged companion?" Captain Charles Guy in Charge asked, taking a puff of smoke from his long pipe.
"We just thought we were he–'' one of the space pirates in the back started to say. But he was cut off when they heard a gunshot being fired from Captain Charles Guy in Charge. Then, looking at his wound at his hairy chest, the space pirate said, "Nevermind," and collapsed on the ground with a hard thud.
They turned to the sound of the baby gargoyle on Captain Charles's right shoulder and let out a little scratchy, high laugh. Then they watch it hiccup and a puff of fiery smoke shot out from its tiny nostrils. Taking a soft, white cloth from his coat pocket, Captain Charles Guy in Charge dabbed the golden yellow snot coming down his companion's wet nose.
"Don't let Dragon Dumb Ass get away making us all see those Haunted Hollows sucking out our life before we get to slay it for money in front of a crowd fund-raiser!" Captain Charles Guy in Charge snapped, petting the side of Dude's crippled right wing. Raising their fists in the air, the captain's space pirates cheered with satisfaction.
Suddenly, they heard the motor cough and sputter. Turning to look back at the engine behind the cabin, Captain Charles Guy in Charge and Sup, the space pirate friend, went to check out the source of the problem. It seemed their engine in the back of their space boat was smoking and caught on fire.
Shouting and cursing angrily, the Captain Charles Guy in Charge walked to the side down into his cabin. And grabbed a silver pail bucket. And filled it with water at the kitchen sink. Grabbing a ranch tool next to the kitchen sink, Captain Charles Guy in Charge walked to the back of the ship and put out the fire with the bucket of water on the smoking engine.
"Sup, gather everybody in my cabin's office for a meeting!" Captain Charles Guy in Charge shouted to his space pirate friend next to him. Nodding, he rounded up the troop down into the stairs that led into the rocketing cabin below.
When Captain Charles Guy in Charge started to follow, he heard Dude, his companion squawk with anxiety. As they both gasped when they saw a large, dark shadow appear behind the back of their space boat. The scaly snake head of Dragon Dumb Ass appeared before them with an angry scowl of its face.
The mother dragon's eyes flashed eerily yellow. And smoke billowed through her mouth. Seeing Captain Charles Guy in Charge was a threat to her young, the baby gargoyle chippered excitedly. And flapped his wings in the air, that magically healed once Dragon Dumb Ass saw her young being happy and taken care of.
The mother dragon smirked and let Dude, the captain's companion flap its wings toward to greet his mother's worried affection. Settling on his mother's wing, Dragon Dumb Ass suddenly turned mean and serious.at the space pirates. Flaring its nostrils, and snapping its jaws at the space pirates, they all ran for cover in the safety of the cabin below the stairs.
Taking the floating steering wheel away from the public school library, the horrified space pirates sailed into the starry night sky. The pissed off mother dragon snapping its teeth at the floating space pirates boat sailing over the sparkling giant blue and white full moon hovering in the sky over Holloview.
The image of the flying boat over the glowing full moon disappeared in a trail of smoke from the Mirror of Everlasting Hope. As if it were all a viewing pleasure journey to conclude what was to become of the Haunted Hollows taken care of the last existenting space pirate chase parade.
I realized I was looking at my own real reflection in the Mirror of Everlasting Hope at myself as a young, teenage girl! I was no longer wearing a ghostly bed sheet over my body. Like this was how it was meant to be. I turned excitedly to my friends and Father Bradley who joined my happy celebration.
We all become Normal Supernaturals again in Holloview! The ghost mirror proved to those Haunted Hollows that everyone deserves to be themselves. Mr. Holy the grim reaper gasped when he turned to look at the Orb of Ghost Sacrifice in his trembling hands. He steadied the glowing orb. The reflection in it of Madam Magick's Anything Possible returned, while smiling and clapping her hands.
"You did it, Gift Sighters!" the Fortune Teller said, smiling. And wiping a happy tear from falling down her cheeks. "Now, you're back, you should learn that magic comes from within your true heart. That everybody deserves to be noticed and respected with their own identity!" Madam Magick's Anything Possible started to flicker and disappear from the glowing ghost orb. "Oh, dear, I feel a little strange," she complained, grabbing hold of her toppling turban shell from falling off her head.
And then, a blinding white blink of the Orb of Ghost Sacrifice, and Madam Magick's Anything Possible disappeared. Worried, we let out startled screams. Then, her reflection returned to the glowing ghost orb. Only, her once beautiful youthful face had started to sprout green warts all over her face, scaring us. And her eyes turned red and she started floating above Mr. Holy's bony hands.
And she went smashing through the Mirror of Everlasting Hope. Letting out Haunted Hollows from the ghost portal into our attic. Fleeing in horror, we could not escape their serious horseplaying from making us all fear what we wanted to become of ourselves in Hollowview forever…
The End?