Summer Ghoul: Tales From Lovecraft Middle School #5

Chapter 5

Robert and Glenn didn't have cell phones. Mrs. Arthur thought Robert was too young. And Mrs. Torkell didn't have money to buy one for Glenn.  

Robert waited until his mom came home tired from work and went to bed. He waited by their landline phone. It rang, and Robert picked up before the first ring was over.

"Dude," said Glenn. "My mother and this guy spent the whole evening gabbing. She finally went to bed. He went for a walk on the beach."

"At night?" 

"Weird, right? He just got out of the hospital and supposedly doesn't remember anything, but he's well enough for a long solo walk at night? 

"Do you get a creepy vibe from him?"

"To be honest, I don't. But I just want him to go back to wherever he lives."

"Any clues?"

"Do you remember when I told you my grandfather was a sailor, and all he talked about was the sea? This guy talks like him. He's a lot younger but he knows as much as my grandfather. Maybe more."

"Did he mention anything specific?"

"Not really. Just general stuff about the tides, the currents, constellations, creatures that wash up.  He also said 'you never know what the tide may bring in.' I told him 'yeah, that's true. The tide brought in a smelly moocher bum.' And that's when my mom sent me to my room."

Robert clapped a hand to his forehead. He knew Glenn was impulsive, but this was bad. Robert really felt an urge to speak to Karina. He needed her advice. 

Last February, Robert, Glenn, Robert's mom, and maintenance man "Mad Max." were snowed in Lovecraft Middle School by a blizzard.  After the boys and Max defeated an undead librarian, Crawford Tillinghast appeared and approached Robert. 

To Robert's surprise, Crawford didn't threaten or harm him. Instead, Crawford offered to make Karina alive again: in exchange for maintenance man Max's soul. Robert wouldn't have to murder anyone.  All Robert had to do, according to the evil mansion owner, was direct Max into the hall that would lead to the portal to the mansion, and certain doom. 

This was an offer Robert didn't have a chance to refuse because Max literally ran right into the portal by accident! But Robert felt guilty, because for a moment, he had seriously considered it. Bringing Katrina back to life, giving her freedom? Such a gift would have topped the cheesy Garfield Valentine he was going to give her. 

Before they left the school, Robert had poured his heart out to his mom in an all or nothing gambit. He told her everything about the evil school, starting at the beginning. But he got nothing from her except a blank stare. His mom declared his wild imagination was due to stress and hunger. "We all struggled to stay warm, honey, and Glenn almost died in the snow!" 

Oh well, at least Karina was human! But when it came time to leave the school, Katrina learned the truth about Max's death. "It wasn't a death, Robert. It was murder! I want to be human, but not at that price!" Karina had reverted back into a ghost, and made herself scarce. He hardly saw her the rest of the semester. There had been no more minions, and no more appearances by Crawford Tillinghast.

Glenn spoke and interrupted Robert's flashback. "I wish I had a container of itching powder to put on the couch, so he'd leave and go somewhere else."

"But then you couldn't sit on the couch."

Glenn was quiet. "Dang." 

"I have an idea. Can you try to get his fingerprints?"

"But the police already ran his prints. They wouldn't have let him go if he was in the system."

"I know but I have a feeling we should get them."

"Okay. He's coming back; gotta go." Glenn hung up.

TO BE CONTINUED

* - see Tales From Lovecraft Middle School Vol 4: Substitute Creature