Summer Ghoul: Tales From Lovecraft Middle School #5

Chapter19

art by Lizalot on Deviant Art

While driving, Mo looked back at the two boys, the man, and the ghost girl crammed in the back. Arthur was slumped half on the seat, half on the floor. He didn't have an ounce of strength left in him.

"What's wrong with Ken?" asked Mo.

The boys stared at him blankly. He sighed in frustration.

"You know - Ken. Barbie and Ken? Nothing? Wow ... you guys are just killing me."

"He'll be okay," said Glenn. Glen sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Mo.

"He got into a fight with a ... dog," said Katrina.

"Must have been a hell of a dog," said Mo.

Robert couldn't help smiling a little. A "hell" of a dog was the perfect way to describe the creature.

"I'm so happy you were driving by just when we needed you," said Karina.

The ghost catcher nodded. "It was indeed a fortuitous coincidence."

"Please take us to the hotel on Highway One."

"That's kind of a long drive," grumbled Mo. "You better help me with some gas money."

Robert thought that Mo didn't seem as helpful as he used to be.

"My mom can give you some gas money when we get there."

"Sure. And you'll fill me more about what's going on when we get there?"

Glenn was supporting Arthur, holding the man's head up so he wouldn't fall onto the dirty floor of the van. Karina hovered. Robert could tell his girlfriend felt helpless.

That reminded Robert. He hadn't checked Arthur for broken bones. Starting with his neck, Robert felt from his neck and shoulders all the way down to his feet. Aside from a few deep scratches and some ugly surface bruises, Arthur wasn't seriously hurt.

Robert looked up to say something, when he noticed that Mo had not gone towards the highway, instead pulling off to the side of the street. They were in a yard, a dark and quiet one. Mo had basically only circled around the block.

As the kids watched, Mo got out of the driver's seat and opened the side door in the van. He grabbed Arthur's arms and pulled.

"Come on. Get him out of my van."

"No!" The two boys grabbed Arthur's feet as Mo pulled at his hands.

"Let go!" cried Karina. "You'll hurt Arthur even more!"

Robert and Glenn reluctantly let go. Mo hauled Arthur's unconscious body out of the van, dragging him to the yard and leaving him there in the grass.

Robert knew that they were in serious trouble. His blood turned to ice when Moe brought out a ghost trap and put it on the ground.

He pointed at Karina, and then pointed at the trap. "Get in."

"I thought you were our friend, Mo." said Glenn. I thought you were helping us!"

"I was. But I realized, you must have seen the boxes in the back of the van. I was so excited to see a real ghost that I must have got careless."

Karina said, "The boxes with stuff you stole from places around town."

Robert and Glenn looked at each other. They hadn't even noticed.

Mo pulled out a small gun. "Get in, Karina."

"You can't shoot a ghost, you airhead," she said.

"Not you, your boyfriend. I'll just toss the gun right over there next to Ken and I'll be on my way. So what's it going to be."

Robert's heart was pounding as fast as a runaway train. He took a look at the trap, which looked completely different than the ones that Mo had used previously to hold Karina. He knew that if Karina went in, she wasn't getting out.

Karina gave Robert a long, sad look. He looked back. He tried to convey his feelings, that he was sorry he couldn't protect her, that he loved her.

Karina went to the trap. Mo stepped on the pedal and the flaps opened. A beam of light shot out, different than the other ones. It was more powerful. Karina got caught in it. Her form stretched, pulled.

As horrifying as it was, Robert couldn't tear his eyes away. He heard Glenn screaming.

BOOOSH!!

A twisted arm shot out of the darkness and grabbed Mo. He shouted and fired his gun into the air.

SPLOOOSH!!

He was yanked back into the pool.

Almost dead – but not yet - the monster was stirred to action by the light from the ghost trap and Glenn's screaming. It used the last of its strength to get a final meal.

Just as Mo was pulled into the swampy morass of the pool, he fired his gun into the air.

Glenn kicked the trap away from Karina and she flew away safely.

Lights began to come on in the houses around them.

Robert was stunned. Mo had driven exactly once around the block, and dropped them in Florence's yard where he had picked them up.

"Come on, we have to get out of here."

They each took Arthur's arms and legs and with gritted teeth and much effort, put him back in the van.

Glenn looked at Robert.

Robert looked at Glenn.

"Do you know how to drive?"

"I'm a fast learner," said Glenn. "I knew playing Grand Turismo would pay off someday."

He pressed the gas pedal just as sirens sounded in the distance.

By the time five squad cars pulled up, they were gone.