Unwritten // Julie and the Phantoms (Reggie Peters)

16

[Edge of Great]

Carlos wandered through the kitchen, iPad in hand. He'd downloaded a new ghost detecting app called Ghost Hunt. His iPad beeped as he watched a screen that said 'SEARCHING...'

"You can't hide forever, ghosties," Carlos said as the screen told him 'GHOST ACQUIRED'. "Gotcha!"

His aunt turned on the lights and said, "For the last time, mijo. Ghosts are not real!"

"Typical adult," Reggie and Odette muttered, sharing an amused look.

"Do you remember when we were kids, and they never believed what we said?" Reggie asked.

"Yeah," Alex said. "I'm pretty sure that's just a "you" thing. I was always pretty trustworthy."

Odette smiled sweetly. "I was always trustworthy, too."

Luke frowned. "Shouldn't we be more worried about Julie? Her dad just busted her, okay? He's probably making her quit the band."

"Well, there's not much we can do about that now, but we can still help Carlos," Reggie replied, looking at Carlos and his aunt. "Adults not believing children ends tonight."

Odette nodded as she pointed to Reggie. "Yes. Yes!"

Alex rolled his eyes at Reggie and Odette's immaturity.

"Showtime," Reggie said as he turned off a lamp.

Carlos and his aunt gasped and Carlos glanced to his aunt before saying, "Ghosts aren't real, huh? How do you explain that?"

"Lightbulbs burn out all the time, Carlos," his aunt replied.

"Ooh, wrong answer, tia," Reggie and Odette commented.

"Explain this," Reggie and Odette said as the two started playing with the blinds, opening and closing them. Carlos' aunt gasped.

"Maybe it's my mom!" Carlos cried as his eyes widened. "She knows I haven't been replacing the toilet paper!"

"Your mama would never scare us," Carlos' aunt said. "This is the work of a demon!"

Reggie and Odette stopped with a frown. "Hey, words hurt."

"Wait. I gotta get it on video!" Carlos cried.

"Yeah, you do!" Reggie agreed as he picked up a sheet. "Time for an old classic." He pulled Odette next to him and the two shared an excited smile.

Reggie and Odette went under the sheet and shook, causing Carlos and his aunt to scream.

"Dang, it was on selfie mode!" Carlos complained as the camera turned off. His aunt yelled as she pulled him away.

"Whew!" Reggie breathed as he plopped onto a chair.

Odette fell onto the floor dramatically and laughed. "That was so fun!"

Alex glared at them. "Do you two have any idea what you've both done?"

"Yeah, we do," Reggie replied. "Etty and I defended kids who've never been believed. Some might say we're superheroes. Right, Etty?"

Odette nodded. "Yeah! Real life, or, uh, dead superheroes. You know, we should probably hide before Julie finds out what we did."

Reggie nodded. "She's right."

Reggie and Odette ran off. Luke and Alex exchanged a look regarding their bandmates' idiocy and followed after them.

---

"Julie, we need to talk," Ray said as they stood in front of the house. "So, after skipping school, missing a test, you decided to sneak out even though I told you to go to your room and study?"