TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 141

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 141
warning...adult content



~
"I'm real hot, Steve," Ghost said, as he held on to the porch railing. He was blinking the stinging sweat from his eyes.

"What did you do in there?" Steve asked.

"I drank a courage potion, that's all...now, I'm hot." He swayed a little, and tried to focus on Steve's face.

"You're drunk, is what it looks like. What was in it...whiskey?...and how much?" Steve asked, after smelling Ghost's breath.

Ghost held up his hand with the finger and thumb about three inches apart. "That's all, and you know what...it did kinda taste like whiskey," he giggled.

"Shit, Ghost, you can't go over there like that...all stumbling around and whiskey breath. What makes you sober up real fast?"

"Another potion?" Ghost slurred, "Go look."

"What would it say on the bottle...antidote for drunkenness?" Steve asked, giving him a look.

"Prolly would, or maybe, sober-up?" Ghost laughed, and almost fell down.

Steve gritted his teeth, but went inside to look in the back room. Pawing around through the shelves, he found all kinds of herbs, potions, pills, and powders. They all had weird names he couldn't pronounce. "This is impossible," he said.

Then he had an idea. He'd call Miz Caitlin; she'd have a suggestion, he was sure. So, he called her, and when she answered, he said, "Miz Caitlin, this is Steve, Ghost's friend, and I need your help, real quick."

"Steve, how are you, dear?" Miz Caitlin said. "How's Ghost? I haven't had a visit from you two in awhile." She went on, but Steve apologized, and interrupted her.

"Miz Caitlin, I need an antidote for...well, for being drunk...to sober up real quick. We got somewhere to go, and it's important, and Ghost drank a potion," he explained. "It was a little, blue bottle, and said courage on the label. Oh, it smelled like whiskey or something, and now Ghost is drunk...can't even stand up." Steve stopped a second to take a breath. "We gotta go meet some people, like right now...so what do I do, and what do I give him? Please say there's something."

"Oh, Steve, that sounds like what it was. Ghost isn't a whiskey drinker, so it must have hit him hard. Let's see...let's see, now..." she took a moment to think.

"I have a bunch of stuff here," Steve said, "but, I don't know what they are." He read off some of the names of the potions.

"Ok, you have what you need, then," she said. "You'll have to mix a few of them together, then make him drink it. It'll work like a miracle." She told him which ones to mix.

Steve set out the potions she'd mentioned, pouring them into a coffee cup, as she instructed him. "Ok, now what? Just pour it down him?"

"Yes, all of it. He'll be fine in about ten minutes," she said. "Don't worry, Steve. Give my love to that Ghost child, and y'all come visit me, real soon, ok?"

"Ok, Miz Caitlin, we will...and thanks." He hung up the phone, and went back outside. He couldn't see Ghost anywhere.

"Ghost, where are you?" he hollered. He looked all around the front yard, and he wasn't in the car either. He checked the back yard, but he wasn't there. As he came back to the front, he heard his own name being called. It was coming from down the long, dirt road, past the driveway. Then, he saw Ghost, staggering among the trees, off the road.

As fast as he could manage, with the cup in one hand, and his one crutch under his arm, Steve went to fetch Ghost. "Ghost, stand still, I'm coming to get you," he shouted.

Ghost finally saw Steve, and made his way toward him, but ran into a tree, and fell down. "Where were you, Steve? I thought you went and left me here. I was gonna walk over there."

His eyes were unfocused, as he peered up at Steve. "Why did ya leave me?"

"I didn't, I was in the house," Steve said. "Don't get up, just stay still, Ghost."

"Why?"

"Just do it. Now drink this, all of it...now." Steve held the cup of liquid up to Ghost's mouth.

He made a face. "It don't smell good...what's in it?" Ghost asked.

"It's the cure for being drunk on that potion you had. It'll make you feel better. Now, drink it."

"Ok, ok," Ghost drank it all, gagged, then hiccupped. "Thass nasty, Steve," he shuddered.

"Whatever...now just sit here, and you'll be back to normal...whatever that is..." Steve said. So Ghost sat, and Steve watched to see what would happen.

"Steve, I feel weird."

Steve rolled his eyes, "Just go with it, it's supposed to sober you up fast."

After a few more minutes, Steve could see Ghost's eyes were focusing, again. "How ya feel, now? Stand up, and see if you can walk."

Ghost did, and seemed to be able to walk around, ok. "Hey, I think I'm back. I'm not dizzy anymore."

"Good, now get in the car, we're leaving, now. You should be good as new by the time we get there."

They walked back to the yard, and after Steve had gotten his keys and Ghost's backpack, he drove out to the highway. "Maybe those potions really do work, after all. At least this one did, or maybe it's just the power of suggestion."

"Oh, they work," Ghost said. "How did you find the right one?"

"I called Miz Caitlin."

"You did?" Ghost was surprised.

"Yep, I told her you were drunk on your ass, and she had me mix up a couple of liquid...I don't know whats, and said you should drink it. And, I did, and you did, and now you're fine." Steve smiled.

"Crap...you told her I was drunk?" Ghost whined. "Why'd ya do that?"

"Because you were, dude."

"Humpf," Ghost pouted.

"What...she's smart...she knows you drink wine and beer and all. It's no secret," Steve said.

"I know, but I'll get a lecture, anyway."

Steve sighed, "Well, did the potion give you any courage, like it said on the bottle, at least?"

"Maybe...but, mostly it just made me hot."

"And drunk," Steve laughed.

~

They arrived at Trevor's house, and drove up the long driveway, to see the others waiting.

"About time," Kinsey said, when they'd gotton out of the car. "You told me an hour, but it's been more like two," he looked at his watch.

"Sorry," said Steve. "We had a situation, but it's fine now."

"Yeah, I was drunk," Ghost giggled, "But, not anymore." He spun around, but bumped into Terry, who held on to him, keeping him from falling down.

"Dude, are you sure about that?" Terry asked.

"Yep, I drank a potion, then another one, and I'm ok, now."

Trevor and Zach were speechless. They were thinking, what had they gotten themselves into, letting a crazy person go into their haunted house, to do battle with demons. They gave each other a look, then burst out laughing, that they'd both been thinking the same thing.

Kinsey brought them all back to reality. In a loud and deep voice, he announced..."I'm here to...to...be the monitor...to keep this from getting out of hand. And, Terry is my back up."

Steve stifled a laugh he could feel building.

"Now," Kinsey continued, "let's go over the steps, out here, then we're going in."

They all agreed, and this took about an hour to do, what with all the interruptions, and side conversations. By the time they were ready, it was full on dark out, and there was no moon. They each had a flashlight, and so, all traipsed around to the back door. Trevor took out his machete-like knife, hacking through the thick vines covering the door.

The six of them entered the murder house, one by one.

~
Next part coming soon!




Peace, Love, & Writing