"Just a small amount," Finn said."For research."
"The smallest possible sample," Beau agreed.
"Practically scientific," Chet added.
Without further discussion, each ghost positioned himself close to one of the kegs.Finn hooked up a hose to the spout, popped open the lever and began to inhale the vaporous draught.The effect was immediate and astonishing—one moment he was translucent and the next he was solid and very much alive-feeling.Chet and Beau followed suit.
Finn looked down at his hands in amazement, flexing fingers that he could actually feel."By all that's holy," he whispered.
Chet stomped his feet experimentally on the icehouse floor, grinning at the solid thump they made."This is incredible!"
Beau reached out and touched the stone wall, his eyes wide with wonder."I can feel the texture!The cold!Everything!"
The sensation of physical form was overwhelming.Every nerve ending seemed to sing with renewed life, every touch brought wonder, every breath felt like a miracle of sensation they'd forgotten was possible.
The three friends stared at each other in absolute delight, their ghostly forms now solid and real, ready for the kind of adventure that only corporeal beings could truly enjoy.
That's when they discovered something wonderful—Murphy kept a selection of his finest ales aging in the cold storage alongside the Cauldron Falls ice blocks.And now that they could actually taste again...
"This is incredible!"Finn exclaimed, raising a bottle of Murphy's Reserve Ale with hands that could actually grip it."I'd forgotten how beautiful a proper brew could be!"
"The hops!"Chet declared, savoring his own bottle."I can actually taste the hops!And the malt!And that bitter finish!"
"Gentlemen," Beau said with the dignity of someone already three ales in, "I propose we make the most of this miraculous evening.When was the last time any of us went dancing?Met some lovely ladies?Lived like we were alive?"
"Too long," Finn agreed, though his solid form suddenly flickered, becoming translucent for a moment before solidifying again."Though I think we might need a bit more of that Draught vapor."
Without hesitation, the three friends inhaled another round of the Ghost Draught vapor, their forms stabilizing back to full solidity.Unfortunately, the combination of vapor and actual alcohol was having some interesting effects on their coordination.
"Right then," Finn said, swaying slightly as they prepared to leave the icehouse."Time to paint the town red!"
"Good thing we can unlock the door."Finn jiggled the lock, and finally the doorknob turned."Better lock up."
Chapter 7
Decorating Under The Influence
The trio stumbled out into the night air.Each with and arm full of bottles of ales and just in time to hear the sounds of The Boozy Cauldron winding down for the evening.Voices drifted from the front of the pub as patrons called out their goodnights, followed by the distinctive sound of Murphy and Uma locking up.
"Pub's closed," Chet observed with the careful pronunciation of someone trying not to sound drunk.
"Guess we'll have to find some fun elsewhere," Beau declared, straightening his coat with exaggerated dignity.
That's when Finn's eyes lit up with the particular gleam that had gotten him and Murphy into so much trouble during their school days.
"Lads," he said with a grin, "when was the last time we had a proper prank?"
The three friends looked at each other, and suddenly they were moving with the focused purpose of intoxicated spirits on a mission.
Their first target was the town square, where they discovered an impressive supply of decorative autumn items scattered around various porches and storefronts.With the efficiency that only comes from being both drunk and temporarily solid, they began collecting pumpkins, corn stalks, scarecrows, and festive wreaths.
The work was harder than expected—physical labor required actual effort when you had corporeal form.They could still float, which did make it somewhat better.But the novelty of being able to lift and carry real objects made every pumpkin feel like a treasure, every cornstalk a precious artifact of the physical world they'd lost.
"This one's heavy!"Chet announced as he hefted a particularly large decorative gourd.
"That's because you can actually feel weight now," Beau pointed out, struggling with an armload of cornstalks."Fascinating how corporeal form affects one's perception of—" He hiccupped."—of physics."
Soon they had created what looked like an impromptu seasonal yard sale in the center of the town square, with harvest decorations arranged in neat, if somewhat wobbly, rows around the base of the ancient ginkgo trees.
