Page 55 of Squad Ghouls

“Sorry,” I said, turning back to face them. “We’re doing some remodelling and I was trying to hide the state I’m in. Be presentable.”

“I love a good house project!” Adriana said. “And that colour is a bold choice.”

“Yeah, we do like to go…experimentally eerie here when we can,” I said, handing her the key. “Here you go.”

Adriana reached for it when her phone pinged and she pulled it out of her dress pocket. “Your dress has pockets!” I said excitedly, and she wiggled her hand inside it a little bit, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“IT DOES!” she said. “I didn’t even realise when I bought it and it was the best surprise.”

“Totally!” I agreed and she held her phone up, turning it to show the screen to Benjamin.

“Oh, he made it,” Benjamin said.

I tried not to lean closer in interest, but I guess I wasn’t subtle.

“Our friend wasn’t sure if he’d manage to get the time off, but he just texted to tell us he’s on his way.” He gave me a pleading look. “You wouldn’t happen to have another free room?”

Another guest!

“I’m sure we can sort something out.” I nodded, hopefully nonchalantly. I was glad they couldn’t see my feet, which were kicking like crazy. “Would you like to get settled in or wait for him?”

“We can drop our bags off and come back down,” Adriana said. “He’ll be another fifteen minutes.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “I’ll show you the way.”

I walked from behind the desk and passed the guests to lead them upstairs when another pie materialised directly in front of me, a tiny glop of whipped cream smearing on my nose.

“Blimey,” I said, reaching out to take it.

“Another pie?” I whipped my head around to find Adriana peeking around me and eyeing the pie with interest.

“As…yes, yes!” I said. “One can never have enough pie, I always say.”

“Where did it come from?” Benjamin asked with that frown still on his face.

“Kitchen!” I said. “That is where we keep our chef…oven. I mean our oven. In the kitchen.”

“But—”

“Anyway.” I set the pie down on the first flat surface I could find. “Let’s get you settled in before your friend arrives.”

I made my way upstairs, keeping my eyes open and scanning the space in front of me. I could see the door to their room in front of me and hoped we’d get there with no incidents, but then a head popped through the floor right in front of me.

“Are those the guests?” Larri asked, clearly struggling to hold someone beneath the surface. His face was a picture of pure elation.

“Yes, these are the guests,” I hissed at him, trying to get him to go away before Adriana and Benjamin saw him.

“What?” Adriana asked.

“Rooms!” I said. “These…are the guests’ rooms.”

I made a dramatic sweeping motion with my hand, showcasing the dark hallway with a row of scuffed doors lining each side of it.

“And here is where you’ll be staying!” I walked to the door of room four and unlocked it, pushing the door open and letting myself in first.

I gasped when I saw Bronwyn bustling about, straightening bedding and dusting invisible dust.

“Hide!” I told her before the couple could walk in after me, and she scurried left and right, momentarily forgetting she was a ghost and jumping behind a curtain. She came to her senses just a moment later, casually slipping through the floor to the room below.