Disclaimer: Still don't own any other characters besides Aaliyah and Uncle John. I'm still reasoning with Tim Burton though. By the end of... the 24th century, I shall have Betelgeuse! Until then, enjoy the two chars I already have. Next chapter stars Uncle John and Lydia Deetz, another character owned by the fabulous mind of Tim Burton. All other characters in my story so far, belong to Tim Burton as well. Sigh...
Author Note: All comments are considered valuable to me, and I love to receive them.
Betelgeuse had been holding her close to him as they spun, afraid she would lose consciousness as many first timers did. Even if she didn't, that usually meant they would get sick afterwards. Slowly the spinning stopped and they found themselves outside of a house. His house. The girl beside him hang tightly to his suit as she tried to balance herself. He would have to remember to get her used to that so she got used to it.
Aaliyah breathed deeply and noticed he was laughing at her, with a scowl she asked him what was the matter. "You don't need to breathe babe, your dead, remember?" She thought about this and shook her head, "I hate this whole being dead thing." Again the strange man chuckled, "You'll get used to it. Let me show you where you'll be stayin', and your roommates."
Quirking her brow she allowed herself to be lead up the stairs to the porch and to the big front doors. He shoved on the doors and they opened wide to reveal a dank, and dusty inside. Forcing herself to enter, Aaliyah found the décor to her liking. It was morbid and ancient. Skulls and old shelves cluttered the space and in the center sat a big armchair. Though she wasn't going to be sitting anywhere anytime soon. She began inspecting things until his voice came up behind her. "Don't you think you should see your room first?" The fact that it was so close made her jump.
She turned and squeaked at how he was smirking at her. For one moment she thought of a kitten and a huge wolf. A hungry wolf. Shaking off the thought she stood straight and nodded, then she remembered something. "Where are the other people you mentioned?" He shrugged, "Somewhere, you'll see em eventually." He walked off to the hallway and floated up a flight of stairs. She guessed dead people could float, but couldn't help but stare in awe.
After noticing she wasn't climbing the stairs he looked down at a curious Aaliyah. "What? Oh, the floating, right- I'll teach you that later after you get settled." Sighing she climbed the stairs and found herself in a hallway that seemed to stretch to no end. Each door was numbered and she could see all the way into the hundreds but was sure there were more. He led her to a door with a number six on it. "This is my place, if you get nightmares don't be afraid to come screamin' to me." Afterwards he winked at her. Betegeuse looked at her as though she were fresh meat, and she wasn't crazy about the sensation.
Soon he led her to a room with the number eight on it's door. She was relieved to see her lucky number. Before opening the door he braced himself as if expecting something to leap out at him, but found that nothing had happened. He searched the wall for a light switch before flicking it on. He leaned close to her and whispered, "Every room holds their own surprises. Number seven is one of those rain forests. I haven't taken the time to explore em' all but I'm busy doin' my job and payin' the rent."
Then someone spoke up behind her. Whoever it was, he had a distinctly French accent. "Beateljoose, what I have I told joo about ze guests? None until joo pay joor rent." Aaliyah turned and let loose a shriek that could have broke glass. Betelgeuse would take his pinky and wiggle it in his ear, "Damn, you must have some good lungs there." She had screamed because the person behind them was a skeleton, who was looking very hurt at this moment. She felt a pang of guilt before shyly speaking up, "I'm sorry. I'm just not used to seeing a skeleton, at all. I'm just not used to it, I'm really sorry sir." She looked down and made a slight sniffling noise; luckily the skeleton had instantly forgiven her after she had apologized.
The skeleton patted her shoulder, and was pleased it wasn't one of Betelgeuse's bimbos he usually brought to the house. "It is j'ok little one, I did not mean to frighten joo." Rolling his eyes, the man in the red tuxedo makes a puking sound and disrupts the kind moment. "Ok, I'm getting' sick here. Jacques, meet Aaliyah, and vice versa." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders again, then he finally noticed something. She looked as though she had come out of the 1890's and liked to cross-dress. "When exactly did you die and why are you wearing men's clothes?" He probably hadn't noticed due to the fact she fit so perfectly with the outfit.
Aaliyah had short jagged locks of sandy blonde locks that barely brushed against her shoulders. Large, dark, emerald eyes gave her a very innocent appearance. Her figure wasn't too developed for a seventeen year old, but one could easily tell her gender. The other thing about her was that she was slim, and short. Only coming up to Betelgeuse's shoulder. This all seemed to fit into place as though she should have been wearing it. Aaliyah also liked this look, for she had always been a bit of a tomboy and hated the usual girly styles.
Sticking out her tongue, she quickly retorted, "This coming from the man who looked like he just came back from a wedding. I died 2007, car crash. I came from a play where I played one of the leading roles." Betelgeuse looked down at himself, "Oh, right." With a snap of his fingers his body spun and sparked, Aaliyah pushed herself against the wall until it was over. Now he was in a black and white, pinstripe suit.
He turned and chuckled seeing her so surprised and shocked. Pfft… noobies. He then turned to his skeletal friend, "Hey, you mind if she stays here? Juno said I had to watch over her, and you know what Juno is like when she's pissed. Right?" Shuddering Jacques nodded, "Jez I have, but she will have to be only mad at joo. I cannot take anymore guests until I have ze rent!" Betelgeuse scowled, but then a vicious grin slid onto his lips, "What if I showed your mother these pictures of you?" Opening his jacket, he slid out two photographs but had them turned so only the two guys could see them. Jacques gasped, "Sacre bleu! Pleaze don't! Fine, she can stay, az long az she does not wreck anyzing."
Betelgeuse scoffed, "Her, break anything? She's sweet as sugar, right babes?" Politely, Aaliyah nodded before glaring up at him. "Why do you keep calling me babes?" He answered truthfully for once, "I haven't figured out a nickname for you yet." Then he began pulling her inside the room she was to stay in. It was empty, the walls were made out of wood, the wood was dark and smooth against her hands as she slid her hands along the wall. The floor was also made of wood. She looked through the entire room and found it was more like the inside of house. It even had a modern kitchen.
Betelgeuse whistled as he looked around, "Around here, whoever has the gull to open any of these rooms can keep the room until either they move or someone else needs a room. Your lucky you got one so big, of course that doesn't mean it might not have a couple of unwanted surprises. Hmm… it's pretty empty, were gonna have to buy some stuff to fill it with. I'm pretty sure the shocking mall has some furniture stores. I'll pay for it." He made sure Jacques didn't hear that last part, he still had to pay the rent.
The skeleton left, muttering something about how he didn't care anymore and was off to go train. Automatically Betelgeuse grasped Aaliyah's arm and began guiding her back downstairs. She shut the door behind her as he led her away from her room. Down the stairs, through the living room, and through the two front doors. He continued to drag her around the front of the house, and she didn't have the nerve to protest. Finally they came to a car, and this made the girl a little uneasy, "How well do you drive anyway? Do you have license for that matter?"
Shaking his head he watched as Aaliyah took on a look of horror. "Don't worry, I don't need one. Doomie can drive himself, can't cha' Doomie?" With a flicker of headlights it beeped as if in response. Aaliyah's eyes grew and she almost leapt a few feet away, "It- It's alive?!" Betelgeuse rolled his eyes and sighed, "Duh, cars have souls too. They have more control in the afterlife. You see, if there is enough love near an object at all times, that gives them a soul. Same for if you hate something enough. Human emotions are just that strong. Now hop in and we'll go on a shopping spree."
Slowly she walked over to it as if it were going to eat her. This included gluing herself to the wall and sliding down the side of the wall until she was beside the car. Slowly she reached out to grab onto the door's handle, but it was opening by itself. She shrieked and jumped just high enough to hit the shelf of plants above her. Instead of hitting it, her head went through it! When she fell to the ground she expected her head to be throbbing with pain. The only pain she had was on her butt from landing so hard.
"Well there's one thing I don't have to teach ya', now get in the car!" Aaliyah slid into the front seat beside Betelgeuse, and with that the door slammed. Soon the engine was roaring like a beast from Hades, and they were off. The car sped down the long roads where cars were dotting the lanes. Slowly they pulled into the parking lot of a large mall with an equally large sign. It said in bold letters Shocking Mall, the best prices and biggest selection in the Afterlife was written in small print.
