Page 75 of Squad Ghouls

“Now,” Ryan said.

They grumbled, but their ghostly shapes floated away, detaching themselves.

Seth came to with a gasp, looking around in confusion about why he was standing hunched over. He looked like he was covered in a cold sweat, his face pale as a ghost’s.

“Don’t throw up on the carpet or you’ll have to pay for a new one,” Ryan said.

“W-what just happened? Why am I standing up?”

“You’re asking us?” Ryan said, playing dumb.

“You look a little unwell, Seth. Would you like to retire to your room for the night? I can have dessert sent up.” I said it as diplomatically as possible.

“Don’t bother,” Seth grunted. He always lashed out when he felt vulnerable. “If it’s anything like you used to make, I’m good.”

Ryan moved to stand but I put a hand out. “You can just say no thank you. You don’t have to be rude.”

“The truth hurts, I guess. If I knew it was going to be you running this place I wouldn’t have bothered driving up here.”

And like always, Seth knew the best ways to make it hurt, the softest places to inflict damage. I flinched, my heart sinking to my stomach and a sting coming to my eyes.

It was hard sometimes to show people kindness and have them spit in your face.

“I think we’re done with dinner.” Ryan got to his feet and braced his hands on the table. All of the tableware rattled dangerously. “We’ll clean the plates. See yourself out. Or off the cliff for all I care.”

A bright ping went off in the kitchen, like a bell had just been rung. Popty rushed into the room, his shape remarkably human for once, his ‘hand’ turned into a flat disc of shadow to act as a serving tray to collect the plates like he had been waiting for us to be done so he could be useful. He even had a shadowy bow tie on.

“Popty, no!” I said too late.

His shadowy form reached the table and began collecting, and I saw Seth’s disbelieving stare of shock across the table.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!” he screamed.

It startled Popty into dropping all the plates, and they shattered on the floor as his shadow shrank into itself like an armadillo.

“KILL IT!”

He fled from the room.

“Popty!” I called after him, moving to follow but knowing I needed to stay in the room to try and do damage control. How had this gone so wrong?

“Settle down, Seth. You’re seeing things,” Ryan said calmly.

“Seeing things!?” Seth bellowed. “That was a-a—”

“A what? I didn’t see anything. I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts?”

“What are you talking about? It smashed all the plates!”

“They fell when I banged the table.” Ryan frowned at him. “Are you feeling okay?”

“You can’t gaslight me; I know what I fucking saw!” Seth pointed a shaking finger at him.

“Are you sure?” Ryan said. “You couldn’t even remember standing up from the table. I don’t think you’re feeling too hot right now, mate.”

“I know what I saw,” Seth growled again, sidestepping towards the door. “You’re a bunch of freaks!”

He made a swift exit and thundered up the stairs.