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“Last time I do this,” Gen groaned as he put his car in park. He looked at his passenger seat with the pile of books he had barely gotten to his car from the front desk of the library. All that was left was to bring them inside. Gen just glared at the pile like it had chosen to be difficult. “Alright then,” Gen stepped out his side and to his passenger side to grab the books. It was just up to his front door. Who needed two trips for that?
“Oh Mr. Asagiri!” The sounds of steps following those words made Gen nearly throw his head back in annoyance.
Always the living.
“Ahh Mr. Barkley,” Gen shut the passenger side door. “How can I help you,” Gen tried to adjust his hold on the books.
“Oh excuse the interruption,” The man said while clearly keeping his hands neatly behind his back. “Just wanted to check in about your decorations for this halloween,”
This again?
“Yeahhh I think I’d rather not,” Gen smiled. “You know I already don’t have a lot of free time as it is, Mr. Barkely” Gen tried to insist. His eyes glanced at the books that threatened to take his fingers with them.. “Wouldn’t even know where to start,” Gen tried to laugh but when the other didn’t laugh along, it rolled into an awkward chuckle.
“Oh nonsense,” He playfully pat him on the shoulder. Something Gen wasn’t expecting from a man he barely casually said hello to. “All the kids are excited to see the..,” He wavered. “ghost hunter’s house after all. They can’t stop talking about it either,”
“Actually I’m a med-,” Gen tried to say.
“Oh whatever you young people call it these days. I just know I’ve heard my grandkids go on and on about how excited they are. You even look the part too,” The last part tacked on as Gen glared through his white lashes.. “Now I understand it might be more tricky. You know with bring out all the “ghosts” and all,” Ghost emphasized by his air quotes. “But feel free to do whatever you need to. Me and the others from the HOA will be walking with the kids for halloween so don’t worry about anyone giving you grief,”
“I still don’t think,” Gen tried again.
“Oh would you look at the time,” The older man pretended to look at his watch as he checked her phone. “I got to pick up the kids from school. You know how it is, Darlynn having to pick up a few more shifts at her real job and such,” Obvious malice sprinkled in with his words there. “We’ll see you Halloween then?”
“I’ll definitely see,” Gen gave a noncommittal answer. Anything to get the man off his back and blood back into his fingers.
The man eyed him up and down for a second before turning and heading back down the way she had come. He watched as he got back into her car and rolled down the hill far too casually. Totally missing the undead pedestrians behind him.
Not like it mattered. They’d get waft away only to come back together like it was nothing. Not to say it was totally pointless. Just based on how the spectator reacted could tell a lot about how long they’d even dead.
“Don’t mind him,” Gen called to the ghost who had tried yelling profanities. He had yet to learn their name since he was definitely newer. He’d make a note of that.
Why is it always the living causing me the most issues?
Gen sighed as he walked back into his house. “Oye!” Gen called up, “I’m back,”
The front door creaked as it slowly opened. Living in a haunted house did have its perks.
It didn’t look what one would think of when “haunted house” was brought up. Sure it was the lone house on top of a hill but the modern design made it look more sleek than anything. Probably because the previous owner didn’t spare a thought to whether they should keep up the haunted aesthetic when remodeling.
The design itself was bare and was pretty lacking. But that also meant a lack of walls and a lot of open room… which was useful when ghosts can phase through walls and almost give Gen an early grave from the sudden other person in the room.
“Well he seems nice,” One scoffed.
One of the more notable ghosts Gen had met during his time as a medium. “Ohhh yes. Quiet lovely,” Gen sang the last part through his teeth. “Glad you liked him Senkuu chan, he’s probably going to stop by more now too,” Gen switched to japanese.
He had picked up Senkuu on one of his explorations. A ‘definitely not mad’ scientist trying to crack time travel who had blown himself up in a lab. Being a scientist, he was the kind of “I believe in what I can test” type. Must have been a real shock when he woke up as part of the undead occult.
Must’ve been a bigger shock when he met someone who could actually see him in that state. However, he did not let that shock last. The million follow up questions being too much to ask in just a brisk meeting. So of course the next logical step for Senkuu was just to follow him back.
From time travel to trying to find the occult. It kept life interesting. Plus the fans loved him.
“So you going to do it?” Senkuu floated above Gen.
“Well,” Gen dropped the books on the kitchen counter. “I was hoping to get some editing done for the Halloween special,” Gen pulled up a bar stool “But can’t really do that if a bunch of kids are ringing my doorbell,” Gen twisted his fingers until they popped. Hoping blood flow would rush back in. “But it’s fine. I’ll just work on it tonight,” Gen tried to dismiss his already tight schedule. “Why’d you need all this by the way? You know you can just possess the computer right?”
“Yeah, but a lot have references to these books so might as well get it from the source,” Senkuu explained. The books did look like the kind you’d find in the back of a library or a half price totally untouched. “But you’re changing the subject,”
“As blunt as ever huh?”
“Just efficient. Show them a few ghosts and they’ll be happy,” Senkuu shrugged. “Seems easy,”
“Heh, what people like Mr. Barkley are expecting dummies on a complex fishing wire set up floating around. I don’t have time to rig that,” Gen leaned his face on his hand.
“I didn’t say anything about dummies,” Senkuu pointed out.
Gen raised a brow. “You mean possession?”
“Something like that, and I mean why not. It’s something ghosts can do right?” Senkuu replied. “Like make people fly and force them do a dance or something,”
Gen tried to stifle his laugh. “I think you’re thinking of movies Senkuu chan,”
“So I can’t?” Senkuu continued to ask.
“W- Well it’s not as simple. You have to be totally concentrated to juggle many items at once. Not to mention probably having to think of multiple things simultaneously as well. I’ve had some describe it as like trying to play a 3-D game of chess…,” Gen realized what he was saying and just who he was saying it to. “I’m just convincing you more huh?”
“Pretty much,” Senkuu cracked his neck like he still had bones. “Just need a speaker,” Senkuu got the devilish glint in his eyes and Gen was more than ready to dig up any spare speakers he had laying around.
“Just make sure not to drop anyone,” Gen couldn’t help and grin too.
“Fine, but make sure you have your camera ready,” Senkuu replied.
.
.
.
Gen had to rush into town and grab one of the last east costumes he could find. A simple vampire cloak and fake plastic teeth he’d intermediately take out.
His yard was bare and sported no kind of decorations but it was more than enough. The only thing was the eerie music coming from the speaker behind him.
“They’re on their way deary,” Mrs. Edith reported as she floated overhead.
“Thank you Edith!” Gen waved up.
Gen could barely hold his excitement. Running on 3 hours of sleep had nothing on him. As he heard the autumn leaves get crunched he noticed the light from the flashlights come up the hill.
“Now kids make sure you’re respectful,” One of the members reminded as the troop came closer.
Gen noticed how the kids were looking around his yard for some kind of display or ‘ghost’. Well kids and one grumpy old man who was clearly fuming and leading the pack. Gen just held his bowl of candy out as Mr. Barkley stepped up to him.
“What are you playing at Asagiri?!” He spat.
Gen kept his face even. “Happy halloween Mr. Abrkely,” Gen held up the bowl as if to offer candy to the man.
“Is this all you have? Some creepy music and some cheap costumes!?” He ignored the bowl even though it felt like it was the only thing putting space between the two.
“Oh did you not want any treats?” Gen asked.
“No I told you what I-,”
He was cut off by a sudden change in the music.
Cue the trumpets.
Shake, shake, shake, Señora, shake your body line
“What?” The old man stammered.
Shake, shake, shake, Señora, shake it all the time
“How about a trick then?” Gen stepped back to get a better view.
Work, work, work, Señora, work your body line
Work, work, work, Señora, work it all the time
The man looked like he was ready to burn Gen with his glare but his gare shifted as he noticed his gravity shift. Or rather as gravity’s effect no longer had a hold on him.
“What in the hell!?”
My girl's name is Señora
I tell you friends, I adore her
And when she dances, oh brother
She's a hurricane in all kinds of weather
The kid’s jaws dropped as the older man was being elevated. “Looks like you’re having fun up there!” He called.
“Let me go!”
“Sorry can’t. Seems the ghost has a mind of their own,” Gen shrugged, grin ear to ear. “Just have fun with it,”
(Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Okay, I believe you
“I'm not-!” The man tried to call but his arms started to move in a circle in turn with the music.
A cheer of “ohhh” and “wows” exploded from the kids. “You guys want treats then?” Gen asked once again, holding out the bowl.
“No!” The kids answered for the HOA, clearly too stunned to talk.
(Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Okay, I believe you
(Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Okay, I believe you
Everyone got raised up maybe 3 feet in the air. Just enough for the tripod and certain leek in the attic to see.
“Jump in the line, rock your body in time!” The kids sang as the rhythm took hold.
Mr. Barkley and the rest of the HOA’s dance seemed a bit like the moves of a mad scientist but who was Gen to say it was.
“GENNNN!!” Mr. Barkley shouted as Gen unwrapped a candy bar to eat as he got to watch the spectacle.
“Ya?”
“Tell them to stop!!”
“Can’t remember? I'm just a ghost hunter,” Gen mugged the very air quotes that got Mr. Barkley in this situation. “Don’t know what’s going on,”
Shake, shake, shake, Señora, shake your body line (Whoa)
Shake, shake, shake, Señora, shake it all the time
Work, work, work, Señora, work your body line
Work, work, work, Señora, work it all the time
This was going to be the weirdest police investigation he had to deal with yet.
(Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Okay, I believe you