Ghostbusters: The Return of Gozer (EDITING IN PROCESS)

Chapter Seven

LORI

My eyes fluttered open and I was instantly blinded by the bright sunlight bleeding through the window. "Goddamn," I murmured. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't move. I kicked and tried to move my arms, but discovered that my wrists were bound to the bed by leather straps. "PETER!" I snarled. A few moments later, Peter, Ray, and Egon rushed into the room. "GET THESE DAMN THINGS OFF ME!"

"I thought you wanted to spice up our love life?" Peter teased.

"Sure, we can do that. Unstrap me and we'll start with ME SHOVING MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS!"

"Lori, calm down," Egon argued as he and Ray walked over to me and us trapped me. I quickly sat up and rubbed my raw wrists.

"How do you feel?" Ray asked.

"Like I've been hit with a Mack truck." I looked around the room for a moment. "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?"

"I remember making some coffee—"

"Which burned, by the way," Peter informed, earning glares from Egon, Ray, and I. "Just thought you'd like to know."

"Anyways, I was making some coffee and Janine accidentally scared me, making me drop a mug and break it."

"Yeah, my NYC mug, too."

"Peter!" Egon snapped. "Will you stop messing around?" Peter held up his hands in surrender.

"Whatever you say, boss."

"I asked Janine where the broom was and when she left I cleaned it up," I finished.

"That's all you remember?" Ray asked. I gently nodded. "Lori, we found you on the roof."

"W-What?"

"If I didn't grab you when I did, you would've just walked right off the ledge."

"I-I don't—I don't understand. I-I didn't fall asleep."

"You weren't asleep," Egon explained. "You were possessed by whatever is connected to that necklace. You had it in your hand when we found you."

"I did?"

"Yes, which confuses me, considering that I had it put up." I rested my head in my hands and let out an exasperated sigh.

"All this bullshit over a goddamn necklace." Ray gently sat down on the foot of the bed and placed his hand on my knee.

"It's not your fault," Ray softly smiled. "You didn't know. It could've happened to anyone."

"But why me? I've never hurt anyone in my life."

"I wish I could give you answers, Lori."

"We might be able to," Egon butted in. "We're about to examine the necklace if you'd like to join us."

"Whoa," Peter spoke up. "Is that a good idea? I mean, when she's near it, she turns into that troll thing."

"Gollum was a stoor," Ray and I argued in unison, causing us to exchange amused glances.

"Whatever. Either way, I wanna know if it's worth the risk." Egon looked over at me, silently asking for my opinion.

"I feel fine," I nodded. "If I start feeling uneasy, I'll walk away."

"Besides, she slept like a baby after the roof incident," Ray added.

"I did?"

"We hooked you up to check your brainwaves, you never even entered the REM stage. You were more unconscious than asleep."