Three Idiots and a Ghost

Because you will get to places (Part 02)

"You're such a liar, Ever."

"You're so fake."

"Is there anything real about you?"

The voices of Ever's school friends echoed around her. She was in the middle of some dark room with a spotlight flashing right above her. She could faintly make out some people in the distance, but they got farther and farther away from her until they completely vanished. Ever collapsed to her knees, feeling utterly alone. That was when she felt a tap on both of her shoulders. She looked up—

"Hey, wake up, Ever," Warrick said, gently shaking her from the passenger seat.

Ever opened her eyes to a new day. The three of them were already back on the road. She hadn't even heard the car starting up. But they must have taken off at the break of dawn because they were now passing the "Welcome to Doveland, Wisconsin" sign.

"Doveland?" Ever groaned in confusion.

"Yeah, we're pretty much all the way there now. You must be hungry. Here." Warrick passed her a bottle of orange juice and a cold burrito they had bought at a 24-hour convenience store earlier.

"Thanks. But I thought Doveland, Wisconsin was just some made-up legend."

"Well, most of Wisconsin is," Walt explained in all seriousness.

Had it been Warrick, Ever might have passed it up as a simple joke. But now, she wasn't so sure. Then again, she had never actually seen anyone from Wisconsin before. No wonder even the twin's grandmother referred to it as "the wonderfully mythical state."

Twenty minutes later, the teens pulled up to a house that was the epitome of mythical. It was the most stereotypical wizard's house Ever had ever seen. It was a small, brick cottage that had a connected tower on one side with a pointed roof. All that was missing was lightning striking the tower as some great wizard cast a magical spell. Well, at least the wizard part would sort of come true soon enough.

The trio got out of the car and walked up the driveway. They stopped in front of the door. Above the doorbell was a sign that read, "Do not press."

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Warrick asked.

"Ring the doorbell, obviously," Walt replied.

"Don't you see that sign? 'Do not press.' I bet that button's going to shock anyone who touches it."

"If you're betting on it, why don't you test it out?"

"No shot! I'm not getting zapped!"

Walt scoffed. "Pussy."

"Hey, I am not—"

"Meooow."

The three teens looked down to see a black cat by Warrick's feet. The pussy tapped the pussy's ankle and then lifted its nose up at the doorbell.

"I think it's asking you to press it," Ever said.

"Seriously?" Warrick pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Meooow."

"We nearly got eaten by cannibals on our way here," Walt reasoned. "Are you really that scared to ring a simple doorbell?"

"Ugh, fine..."

Warrick gulped and slowly brought his finger to the bell. With a deep breath, he pressed it and immediately jerked back, expecting to be shocked. But he was fine. The bell didn't even work. Or at least not in the way it was intended. The group heard a clicking sound, to which the cat walked forward and pushed the door open with its head. It proceeded inside, only to quickly come back out and stare at the visitors.

"Meooow."

"Is it telling us to come in?" Ever asked.

"Well, it's probably the master of the house anyway, as all cats are," Walt said.

"Meow-ow." The cat almost seemed to nod in agreement.

"Alright, then," Ever said. "Let's get this over with."