Quick note:
Hey there, reader! Just a quick suggestion of some songs that I listened to while writing that would really fit the mood if you wanna listen to!
~"My Generation" - The Who
~"You're My Best Friend" - Queen
~"Rockin' Robin-Bobby Day" - Various Artists
~"The Seeker" - The Who
I promise they'll different songs. Alright, proceed!
Chapter 1: Welcome to Whipstaff Manor
"Fellas, I can't tell you how much this has helped me out," Dr. James Harvey said setting a large box down on his desk with a large thump. "I've been meaning to clean out my cabinet's for months now." He said cheerfully. "Ever since you boys got the word out, my office hasn't been vacant since!" He clapped his hands together cheerfully.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," a tall, violet eyed apparition said with a wave of his hand, looking through a large book. "Boys look at 'dis one," he said with a large grin pointing to a picture of a girl with full lips, and dark eyes. "Jeannie Ann Hefner…" Stretch said, his eyes wide. The largest ghost howled at the top of his lungs.
"Let me get a piece of that," he hollered.
"She looks like a hot dog kind o' gal to me," the middle one with large buck teeth mused dreamily. James stacked his arms on top of the box and gazed into space.
"Jeannie Ann Hefner," he laughed and shook his head. "We went on a date back in the summer of, what was it…'71?" He smiled.
"Bow-chika-bow-wow, Doc! 'Atta boy, 'atta boy!" Stretch whooped. "Tell me you got to 'da, whata the kids call it," he formed his hand into a bat and Stinkie threw a baseball at him. "Third base?" He and the other two cackled loudly. He swung and the baseball flew out the window making a glass shattering sound. Dr. Harvey blushed furiously and waved his hands.
"No, no, no. Nothing like that." he said. "She lost a bet…" he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly
Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso lost their heads, raging with laughter, Stinkie melting into a puddle of his own tears. Literally.
"'Dem fleshie dames ain't no good anyways, Doc. Too lively for my taste." He looked at his fingernails. "Don't waste ya time on 'em."
"Am I detecting some resentment, there Stretch?" James asked, his voice getting a little serious.
"What da hell is that supposed to mean? I ain't had the least bit of trouble with the ladies," he said, smirking. "Can't say the same for these bozos," He said, elbowing Fatso and punching Stinkie on the shoulder. Stinkie shrugged and smiled innocently.
"One dame get's too close to Stink ova here and she goes a' runnin' for da hills." Stretch laughed.
"For the hills! Screamin'!" Fatso said laughing loudly.
"Who me?" He said putting a finger to his mouth and one behind his back. "Them dames just didn't know a good belch or fart when they hear one," He said putting one finger in the air.
"Now Fatso," Stretch said patting is brother's head, "Fatso ova' 'ere will swallow his goddamn date whole," he laughed, while Stinky pointed and rolled over in the air. Stretch turned a few more pages before gasping and slamming his finger onto one of the pages titled, 'Senior Year Graduates'.
"Oh shit!" Stretch yelled. "I found da mothaload," he ran his finger through the many names, turning a few more pages and laughing at the dramatic pictures of the seniors.
"And look who we got 'ere…" He said holding up the book with a picture of Dr. Harvey in his senior school year. He saw the picture and rushed to get it from Stretch. "Nope, nuh uh." Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso gathered around the picture as James tried to retrieve it from below their tails.
"Oh come on, let us get a good look," Fatso said laughing.
"Yeah, yeah. You was one handsome devil der, Doc." Stretch laughed.
"Wait a minute." Stinkie scrunched up his face in confusion. "Doc, you don't got no red freckles!" Stinkie said.
"Thoze, a' pimples ya dipshit," Stretch banged his brother on the back of the head with one whack with the year book.
"Oh for the love of," James said throwing his hands in the air. "I need to get more boxes anyways," he said. While the ghostly trio snickered at his old, embarrassing high school and college photos, James surveyed the area and eyed the mysterious cubed in the corner of the room covered with cobwebs.
"Perhaps I could store patient files in here," He said wiping away the dust and webs. He opened the two large doors and waved away the mildew smell.
"Good lord," He said holding his nose. "So who's up for a little teamwork building activities?" James said rubbing his hands together.
"Damn!" He heard Stretch yell. "Where can I get my hands on a blossom blossom like that?" The ghosts laughed and high fived. James rolled his eyes and reached for a box on the top shelf. He stood on his tip toes and eventually lost his balance finding him self on the floor papers, books and pictures everywhere.
"And he sticks the landing!"
"Whoop, whoop, whoop!" They all sang in unison.
"Cabinet one, Doc, zero!" Stinkie cried out with fists in the all said in unison with their hands in the air.
"A little help?" James said from under the heap. The trio lifted him up from under and set him on the ground. James dusted himself off and bent down to collect the pictures scattered across the floor.
He lifted the box and blew a thick layer of dust off the top. The side read, 'Photographs' in a thin black hand.
"I wonder," He slowly lifted the top and pulled out a large, faded photo. He held it up and squinted, adjusting his glasses. It was brown, old and almost whitened, but he could make out three young men arm in arm smiling stupidly. James's eyes widened and he held the picture up to the three brothers that stood in front of him. In the photo, the largest of the three brothers resting his eight on one foot, was wearing a white button down with slacks and his hair was short but very disheveled. His eyes were large and happy, and his smile genuine.
"Whatcha lookin' at der, Doc?" Stinkie asked tilting his head. James was standing in an odd position examining a photo in awe. He didn't answer Stinkie.
"Amazing…" He said breathlessly. He examined the other two.
On the right was a thinner looking figure with spiky, light brown hair and light brown eyes. His figure was slumped over but his face was bright and young. The one in the middle though, was the most familiar. He had striking violet eyes, contrasting with jet black, messy hair. They seemed to sparkle, with years of mischief behind them almost daring the photographer to move closer. His smile was charming, cunning if you will. He was almost six feet high from the looks of the photograph and a nearby fire hydrant that looked like a measly mouse compared to his long figure.
"What the hell, Doc." Stretch spoke interrupting James's deep thought almost making him drop the picture. "You's givin' me da creeps…" he said eyeing him with a squint.
"Fellas…" James said. "Do you know who these young men are?" He asked. They all swopped over and squinted pushing each other out of the way here and there.
"Damn!" Stinkie exclaimed. "Who ah 'dose handsome devils?" He said.
"I don't know, but the one on the left looks like he could eat a horse." Fatso said. Stretch took the photo and looked more closely. His eyes widened as he realized who just was standing arm in arm and just where they were.
"Holy Mother Teresa. Boys," he said with an unreadable look plastered on his face. "Dis was us, when we was fleshies, air breathers, bone bags. Look der —" Stretch pointed. "It's Wipstaff for god's sake!"
"Move it, Stink," Fatso butt bumped Stinkie out of the way and snatched the picture form Stretch's hands. He took one look at the other "fatso" in the photo and looked at his brothers. "Holy shit, you're right." Fatso said. "I remember,"
"I'm as handsome as I remember," Stretch said smoothing his bald head.
"I'm as fat as I remember," Fatso said.
"Look what's done been written on da back," Stinkie said. Stretch cocked his head back and shook his head.
"'June 1st, 1893 — Joseph "Joey", Theodore "Theo" and Vincent "Vinnie…"
"Gosh," Stinkie said. "Fellas, it's slowly comin' back." He said. Stinkie ran his slim fingers across the faded cursive writing.
"Dat day was our Auntie Julia's wedding, see," Stinkie said to James, who was still completely bewildered.
"That crazy old hag, I'd never guessed she'd hitch the wagon in a million years!" Fatso said making them all laugh.
"Member how she used to make us shine all her damn silverware?" Stretch said. He shaped into a very disturbing version of what they had seen their Auntie Julia like. White bun, bright red lipstick and a corset. Stretch spoke in a high pitched tone. "Now boys," He said mockingly. "If I see one more spot on those spoons I'll throw myself out the kitchen window!" They all laughed and huddled together over this shared memory.
James had never seen them be so genuinely happy…Then again, he didn't even know they could remember their past life, let alone a memory so vivid.
"Fellas do you realize what this means?" James cried out his hands in the air.
"No more spoon shinin'?" Stinkie's head popped into vision.
"Uncle Fred threw himself out the kitchen window?" Fatso appeared next to Stinkie. Stretch shot up between them.
"Our Auntie Julia was a bitch?" Stretch asked shrugging.
James furrowed his brow and lowered his arms when he realized they didn't share the same excitement.
"It means," He said exasperated. "If we can get you to remember your past lives, maybe we can figure out why you have yet to cross over to the other side!" He said, smiling widely. "Your unfinished business!" He said hands on his hips. The trio just looked at each other in awe.
Now they really wished Doc hadn't found that old photo.