Im sure the small number of viewers found the first chapter entertaining, I do understand that the Pilgrimess seems to be the least interesting of the ghosts but I intent to make a better character out of her better than the film did….

Host Of The Black Zodiac

Chapter 2 - The Glass Maze

I spent the last hour and a half reading through the transport spell and checking every detail was memorised. I couldn't imagine what would happen if it went wrong, ending up in some timeless void or even worse, the Juggernauts cube. I shuddered at the thought of having every bone broken in my body. It was almost like he read my mind as he smiled slightly, I gulped and remembered the stories of the untimely demise of the previous Psychic who was broken by the Juggernaut.

Isabella had knelt down beside me and read the spell with me I told her all about the book and why it told me so much about each ghost, finally after absorbing every last bit of information I snapped the book closed and stood up. "Right Im reading it out and I will free myself from the cube."

The Torn Prince laughed sarcastically as he leaned against his cube. "Want a drum roll?".

I ignored him and began to chant the spell over and over again, my eyes rolled into the back of my head as I was enveloped in a white glow. A blinding flash lit the basement and I snapped my eyes open and cursed as I found myself on the other side of Isabella's cube and smack bang in the cube of the Great Child and the Dire Mother, they looked at me startled and my initial fear was replaced with anger as I held up my hands and began to froth as the mouth.

"Bollocks." I yelled as I smacked my fist into the cube wall. A small crunch was heard by the ghosts as I realised how hard I hit the wall. "Argh! Christ my hand!". The way I yelled it was so comical even Laurel and Hardy might think I was taking it too far.

The only two ghosts that looked worried about my injury were Isabelle and Jean. "Are you ok?" They asked in unison.

I gasped and nursed my aching hand, thinking myself lucky for not breaking any bones. "Im fine thanks, now I need to know what went wrong." I turned my head to see Harold looking at me with a rather annoyed expression. "And fast!".

The Jackal laughed insanely and rolled around his cube at my misfortune. The Hammer shook his head and smirked.

"Taking all bets." Cried the head of The Torso from his cube. "Ten dollars says he transports into my cube, Twenty says he goes back into Isabellas." I rolled my eyes at the former bookie, even getting into massive debt and being hacked to pieces didn't teach him a lesson…..

I began to chant again rather quickly and once again was covered by the white glow and opened my eyes to find to my relief that I had finally been successful with the spell and just in time to get away from The Great Child. I was in the basement corridor, I looked over to the Torso with a smirk and flipped him off. I quickly made my way into the control room and looked carefully at all the symbols being cautious about which was which. I thumbed through the book and found the symbol for Isabella, I pulled the lever for her cube.

The machine began to spin slowly and the Isabella's cube opened, at first she was shocked before I stood in the opening and smiled. "Hello." I said smugly.

Isabella was at a loss for words as she slowly walked out of the cube. "I don't know what to say Clive."

I smiled as I reached for her hand. "Don't worry about words, just come upstairs with me. I have to find some food."

The Jackal then laughed again. "Get a room you two!" He yelled.

I turned with a bored expression. "We are in a room, its just the walls are made glass."

"Don't worry." Cried the madman. "I know I used to love an audience."

I shuddered slightly at the very thought and decided not to argue as I went back upstairs with Isabella.

-The Kitchen-

Isabella watched in fascination as I wolfed down all the food I could find in the cupboards and out of the fridge, I was like an animal when I was hungry and completely forgot I was being watched by someone. By the time I finished and sat down on a comfy chair Isabella was stood in front of my holding back laughter.

"Better?" She asked.

I nodded with satisfaction. "Much better." I said happily as the pain in my gut slowly went away."

Isabella then stepped closer to me as I stood up. "Clive I just wanted to say how grateful I am for freeing me from my shackles." She stepped up to me and kissed my cheek. Suddenly, a couple of images flashed before my eyes the moment she made contact; I saw a young woman, around my age with long blonde hair, fair skin, a black dress and a content smile, after a few seconds of gawking I immediately flashed back into reality.

I gasped. "I saw you." Before you died, you were so pretty and you still are." I said calmly.

Isabella just smiled as she turned around. "You know if there had been someone as caring as you in the new land, I might have stood a chance."

"Im here now Isabella." I said quietly. "I also want to help the others."

She patted me on the shoulder and one more image of her beautiful self flashed before me. "Go and help them, you helped me."

-The Basement-

I stood with the book in front of The Jackal. I held the book open and was reading through his history, all he did was glare at me while I read quietly. "My word…." I said with a great degree of sadness.

"Hahahaha! Go on say it! Im a freak…. SAY IT!" The Jackal screeched as he scratched the glass insanely.

I stood back slightly and let him calm down, I turned towards Isabella who was talking to Jean, I turned back to a now calmer Jackal.

"Listen to me…. Ryan." This made him pause and look at me in shock.

"What did you just call me?" He said in disbelief.

"Ryan Kuhn." I said out loud. "You weren't forced into the asylum, you admitted yourself, looking to be cured."

Ryan spat. "I failed them they said, I was incurable." I felt more quilt rush through me.

"No Ryan…. they failed you, you were a good man, they did nothing more than exacerbate your rage, they turned you into the Jackal, I intend to rectify their mistakes."

Ryan laughed. "How?!" He yelled.

I stood quietly, all the other ghosts looked at me, The Hammer in particular looked at me with fascination. "Ryan, would you like to hear a riddle?".

Ryan thought for a moment before looking to me suspiciously. "Yes." He said in his screechy, underused voice.

I cleared my throat. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" I asked.

Ryan went wild eyed. "What?! What kind of riddle is that?".

I looked up. "Can you answer it or not?".

He span a couple of times and scratched a wall. "A moment….IF YOU WILL!" He bellowed.

I held my hand in a welcoming motion. "By all means."

While he went over the possible answers I went over to Jean and Isabella. "Dear Jean how are you?"

Jean smiled from her cube. "I am fine dear, but you mustn't tease Ryan like that." She scolded.

I smiled, she reminded me of my own mum. "Im not teasing its a simple test of how truly mad he is." I smiled to Isabella, who smiled right back… she was really beginning to grow on me.

I then walked over to The Angry Princess, or Dana Newman as the book stated. "Erm Miss Newman? Or would you prefer Dana?". She just looked at me and sneered.

"Why do you care? I mean nothing to you! I mean nothing to anyone!" She nearly shouted making me jump slightly, I composed myself and stood closer once again she growled.

"Why aren't you running and screaming like all the others?!" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"Well I have been down here for a long time, I was over the initial fear after the first few hours of being trapped here." All she did was turn her back to me and ignore me. "Its ok, you talk to me when you feel like it."

"Why are you doing this?" I heard a deep voice coming from The Hammer, now his story bought me to tears once I got to the tragic fate of his wife and two daughters.

I stood in front of his cube and shrugged. "Did you wonder why I was trying to free you? It was because even though you have troubled pasts, you deserve more than being trapped in this house to be used as puppets, and George?".

The former blacksmiths face went from angry to sad instantly, I spoke up again. "Im so sorry about your darling wife and daughters."

George Immediately went down to his knees and began sobbing. "They had no right to take my family!" He sobbed. "They didn't no nothing!"

I decided to leave him to greave for the time being and moved to the neighbouring cell that belonged to The Juggernaut or Horace Mahoney as the book called him. "Mr Mahoney." I said formally.

The lumbering giant of a man just stepped forward and nodded, I cleared my throat and began to speak but Horace got there first. "Are you really serious about letting us out?" He asked sincerely.

I nodded. "Of course Horace but I want you to leave as peaceful spirits… no more of this mindless killing, I know people cast you out as a child Horace. I know because the same thing happened to me too, but you're better than what Warren made you out to be; a crazed, maniacal body breaker, I know that there is still a decent person in that mind of yours, in the rest of you too." I motioned to all of the ghosts.

Jean decided to give me a small round of applause, she truly was lovely. Horace then slumped slightly before straightening up. "Thats the first time anyone has ever spoken to me like an actual human being." He said slowly in his drawl american accent.

I nodded and walked down to the cell of Susan LeGrow, The Bound Woman. "You." I pointed at the bound and strangled ghost. "Will be difficult, girls like you are the reason my self esteem issues around girls went down to an all time low, I'll deal with you last." I got no reply.

Now I believe I have found an unorthodox way to brighten up this dark basement, I was given confused looks from everyone. I took out an ipod and a speaker. "Time for some music." Jean laughed as I flicked through my songs. "You are mad." She said while laughing.

I looked at her with a mad smile. "I know." I winked at Isabella who blushed. "Oh don't I know."

I went a little mad and ironically picked Thriller by Michael Jackson. The ghosts from the more recent time period knew what they were hearing and I got a little carried away what with knowing the entire dance routine. As the song played I began to get more into the groove. Isabella and Jean looked amazed with my dancing as did the others.

Its close to midnight

And something evils lurking in the dark

Under the moonlight

You see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream

But terror takes the sound before you make it

You start to freeze

As hour looks you right between the eyes

You're paralysed

I could tell how impressive my display was because Jimmy Gambino, The Torso was holding up his head to get a better look. Ryan didn't notice much, he was busy still trying to figure out the riddle.

Cause this is thriller, thriller night

And no ones gonna save you from the beast about to strike

You know its thriller, thriller night

You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight

When the song hit finish I pulled the final pose, I got complete silent for two seconds before Jean and Isabella gave me some cheers. I then heard Royce Clayton, The Torn Prince say. "You madman, you make Ryan look normal, but you've got some moves."

I bowed as low as I could. George asked Horace what I did and Horace began expelling what I just did and what the Thriller was. The look on George's face was priceless.

"Right I am very tired after all that, I think I'll retire to bed." I started to walk but Isabella grabbed my arm.

"Can I come too?" She asked innocently. Ryan, Clayton, Jimmy all went 'OOoooooo' I scoffed.

"What is this a 1960's sitcom?" I laughed as I stretched my legs.

"WAIT!" Ryan screeched as me and Isabella began to leave. "I give up." He said with embarrassment. "What is the answer to the riddle?".

I walked slowly up to Ryan's cube. shrugged my shoulders and said. "I haven't the slightest idea bud." I laughed with a degree of madness, poor Ryan just slunk to the back of his cell, trying to piece together what had just happened. Had someone just out-crazed him?

This was madness….

Let me know what you think, if theres anything you think is wrong tell me and I will work on fixing it but for now read and review please a review will give me an idea of where this story will go in the future. oh and I will get around to referencing all of the ghosts and giving them time with Clive and goodnight now :).