“Yo, man, every great idea has to start somewhere.” He floated off toward a vibrant rainbow swirling in the far corner of the room.
Meredith’s laughter carried from the hall as she helped Marge and Cliff complete the last-minute fixes to this year’s Haunted House. The sound machine made an odd noise he didn’t recognize, and he wondered what changes his parents had made to his setup.
Slate glanced at the spirits spreading a riot of color around the ballroom with approval. Ghosts drifted and twirled. When they laughed, it sounded like music. Even the chandeliers shimmered with a muted gold light instead of their usual white.
He had to admit, Meredith knew her stuff. Not only did redecorating the hall keep the spirits too busy to make mischief, but it also gave them a purpose and a sense of ownership. They didn’t have to use what the living put out, or worry about the living rearranging things when they noticed the changes. This was theirs, and they embraced it with gusto.
An elderly woman wrapped in an earth-toned shawl glided through the far wall. She glanced around and then made straight for Gary.
“Welcome back, Mrs. Schemanski,” Gary said. “Do you want to make changes to your area?”
“There’s trouble,” she said. Her voice cut through the crowd, ending the cheerful sounds coming from the decorators. “I’ve never seen them before, but they’re dark and have no joy.”
Slate stood rooted in place, and Gary’s perpetual grin faltered as an uneasy silence fell over the room.
“Dark and joyless?” Gary looked at Slate. “They’re not with me, dudes. I wouldn’t invite any bad vibes to my party.”
“Did you see them arrive?” Dash asked.
“They came from the woods,” she answered, wringing her translucent hands. “I was admiring some of the carved pumpkins when I felt something cold and hollow. At the edge of the woods, they were just looking at me and the town. They don’t wish us well.”
Cain floated closer, expression uncharacteristically serious. “Did they say anything to you?”
“No.” Mrs. Schemanski shook her head. “They stared ahead with empty eyes. I asked if I could help them. They didn’t answer. Just kept watching until they turned and left.”
Slate had heard nothing to suggest they were a danger. “Why do you think they’re trouble?”
“It was the eyes,” she said, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “They were empty. I’ve seen that type before. Nothing good comes from spirits that dark.”
He couldn’t decide whether Mrs. Schemanski was overly dramatic or if this was an actual threat. Probably the former, but with one day until Halloween, he had to assume the latter. “We should go check it out,” he said to Dash. “We don’t need problems.”
“Agreed,” Dash said. “Should we do it now?”
Slate would rather not do it at all, but if there was trouble, better to end it before it got in full swing. “Yes. Let’s check before anyone hears about it and starts talking.”
“Dude, I’m not one to panic,” Gary said, glancing at the other ghosts. “But, uh, if we’re voting, I say maybe don’t go to the creepy woods at night.”
“It’s still daylight,” Dash pointed out.
“Barely,” Gary said.
Slate hadn’t been worried, but Gary’s reaction gave him pause. “It’ll be fine. We’ll just go to check things out and find out why they’re here.”
“I’ll come,” Cain volunteered. “Can’t be scarier than artillery exploding, or people shooting at you.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be scary at all,” Dash said. “We’re not going to fight them, just talk.”
That seemed to settle the ghosts, though Gary still muttered something about bad karma and unfinished playlists.
Mrs. Schemanski hovered near the far wall, her expression softening. “They were still in the woods when I came to find Gary. I doubt they left.”
“Thanks for the information,” Dash said. “You should stay here if you’re worried. We’ll turn on the ballroom’s wards.”
“Thank you, but I’ll be going back to where I normally stay.” She vanished through the plaster as gently as she’d appeared.
The room remained silent for several seconds after she disappeared. For a moment, Slate wondered if the woman had made it up.
“That’s not good,” Gary said, his voice shattering the quiet. “We can’t have those two scaring all my friends away.”
