Ghost Hunter: CyberNerf (Alternative Draft)

Chapter 6

Jessie blinked at what she was seeing. She took another step forward to make sure. She blinked again. Ned looked up and kept twisting and turning the mop handle as if working an oar. Slop water gushed from the mop as Ned lifted it out of the pail and smacked it on the floor. The squelch as he drew it in a wide arc across a dry area of the floor made her realize she was wide awake watching Ned doing a chore.

"Hey, Ned, you alright?" she said.

"Yeah, why?" Ned concentrated on the way he was gripping the handle, instead of looking at her. He saw a magic lance between his fingers etching out a secret map over the floor.

"This is unbelievable, I mean..." she only stood there one arm akimbo and waving the other hand through air in puzzlement. "But, it's awesome too!" she quickly put in.

Ned stopped turning the mop over the floor and looked at her. One corner of his mouth curled in a brief smile then he resumed mopping. "I thought about what dad said several times. Even Dan."

Jessie pulled up a chair, staying clear of the area Ned's mop was ranging over, and waited. Ned looked back at her and saw she wanted him to continue telling her. "Well, you know, they're always telling me I'm too involved with my own world, as they call it, inside my room. I need to connect with the family, help around. So, I thought, maybe it was time I started listening." Ned did not notice Jessie's brows jerk and mouth pucker with admiration.

Just then, mom walked in and her jaw dropped when she saw her son carefully cleaning the floor. "Oh my God, Ned's mopping?!" She wrung her hand then covered her mouth with it. She looked at Jessie, her eyes joyously inquiring.

Jessie simply shook her head and held her hands in the air in an I-have-no-idea gesture. Ned looked at mom. "You think it's done right, mom?" He splashed the mop into the pail. "I'm sure I could do better next time, but I hope it was helpful."

"Ned, you saved me the trouble of doing this part of the house. Thank you so much, darling." Mom made as if to walk up to Ned but the wet floor between them stopped her.

"No problem mom, I'm glad I can be of help." Hearing her son being so courteous she glanced over at her sixteen-year-old daughter again. Her daughter only hunched her shoulders and grinned back.

"I can't wait for your father to get back so I may tell him you helped around the house," mom said. "I'm going to give him a call just to tell him." She walked away into another part of the house.

"See you around, Jess," Ned said to his older sister and almost slipped on the floor hurrying to the stairway.

"Hey, watch out. Pail and mop still lying in the middle of the room here, hello?" Jessie called after him.

"I'll be down again." Ned disappeared around the top of the stairs. He barged into his room and began typing on the screen.

I've coated the floor with ghost repellant. Mission #1 complete. Awaiting next task.

He waited for an answer. The words Fellowship Member Typing appeared.

That's great, Ned. We're proud of you. Your next mission will require a little more pluck. Are you sure you won't flinch from performing it?

Ned thought for a minute then typed:

Go ahead and say it.

He waited several seconds before he read the reply on the screen and his heartbeat sharpened.