Future of Darkness

By: WriterGirl01

Chapter 2: The Surprise Party

It is April 20, 2010 in Friendship, Maine. Not much was going on in the town but in the haunted manor called, Whipstaff the inhabitants were getting ready to throw a surprise party for the two youngest in the manor. Kathleen Harvey or as she liked to be called Kat was turning twenty-seven-years-old today. She and her father Doctor James Harvey have been living in Whipstaff for fifteen years since Carrigan Crittenden had allowed them to stay in the old manor to get rid of the ghosts that lived there. But since she had passed away that same year the old manor had gone to Dr. Harvey since she had let them inhabit the manor.

Kat was going to get her Masters in business mgmt from Maine Maritime College that was 38 miles away from Friendship. She was at school taking a test in her math class and would not be home for an hour. That gave the elder inhabitants time to get the party supplies all set up in the kitchen. As for Casper he was out getting dinner for the ghostly trio who had order him to go to France, and London for the food that they wanted. The leader of the ghostly trio and the eldest uncle of Casper, Stretch wanted to make sure that the kid was busy so they could do this "friendly act" for him and Kat without Casper seeing them being nice. The trio had told the Doc not to say that they helped him in anyway. And if the Doc said anything to Kat or Casper he was not going to be happy when their next session came up.

"All right boys I think that will do. I promise that I will not let Casper and Kat know that you helped me. Try to keep Casper out of the kitchen until you see Kat's car." Dr. Harvey looked at them.

The trio rolled their eyes at the doc and was going to go to the living room to wait for Casper to bring their food. "All right Doc we hear yea. Will keep bulbhead busy until Kitty-Kat comes home. Come on boys lets go watch some TV." Stretch said to his younger brothers. They flew out of the kitchen almost knocking over Kat's present. Dr. Harvey shook his head when they left. He knew they met well but sometimes he did not know how he put up with them.

In the living the trio were watching an opera show that Fatso had picked out. "Come on Fatso change the channel this is putting me to sleep." Stinkie said yawning from boredom. Stretch was rubbing his hands into his head. He hated that Fatso picked these stupid shows to watch. He just wanted to watch a movie not get a headache from some guy singing.

"I love this show! It is my turn to pick what we watch. You picked last night Stink. So just deal with it." Fatso said putting his hands to the side of his ghostly body. As they waited for Casper to bring the food Fatso felt something stuck into the sofa. He pulled it out and saw that it had Casper's name on it. "Hey Stretch look at this its the little glow-warms report card." Fatso said handing it over to his eldest brother.

Stretch took it from Fatso and open the report card. He began to turn red from anger. Stinkie looked at Stretch and knew that he was not happy with Casper at the moment. "How bad did short sheet do bro?" Stinkie asked looking over his brother's shoulder. When he saw the grades he understood why Stretch was mad. Bulbhead failed everything.

"Boys to night Casper is coming on our scare raves. He is going to scare a fleshie in front of us or he will not be coming home until he dose. This kid is going to drive me crazy with his friendlies." Stretch said putting the report card back into the sofa. Just then Casper came into the living room with three large bags.

Breathing hard Casper began to talk to the trio. "Hey guys sorry I got your dinner." Casper said to them. Stretch was mad at him but was not going to break his word to the doc about the party that they have been planning since the beginning of April.

"What took you so long short sheet?" Stretch asked him getting a little annoyed that he had to wait so long for the food. He wanted to show him the report card that he lied to him about but he was going to wait until after Casper put the food down. "Just hurry and give us the food Casper." He said to him.

"All right here you guys go. We have a large plate of Jamon Jamon from London, three large Baguette Sandwiches from France, and for dessert large baked apple pie from Mr. Dees bakery down in the town." Casper putting the all the food down in front of the trio. The trio began to eat the food as if they have never eaten before in their afterlife. Casper looked at them waiting for at least one of them to say thanks, but he knew that was not going to happen. Just then he saw a car pull into Whipstaff and know that Kat was home from school. She was really late. She had told Casper that she would be home by 4:00 and she came home at 5:30. He looked at the trio again and saw that his Uncle Stretch was looking at him. Casper knew that he was in trouble for something but he did not know for what. "Is something wrong Uncle Stretch?" Casper asked trying not give it away that he was scared. When his eldest uncle looked at him like that made Casper wish he was alive again.

Stretch put his left hand into the sofa and pulled out the report card and waving it in front of his nephew's face. Casper had gotten whiter then his ghostly body normally was. He was sure he had put his report card somewhere that the trio would never find it. How could he be so stupid to leave it in the living room? He was in for it now. And by the look on his uncle's face he had already came up with something to make him pay for his failing grades. "So Casper when were you going to show us your grades?" Stretch asked taking another bite of his sandwich. He knew the brat was going to try anything to get out of trouble but not this time. He was going to go scaring with them. And that was final. Not his brothers or short sheet was going to change his mind.

Casper was going to say something when Kat called out his name. "Casper! Casper! Come down here quick dad wants to talk to us in the Kitchen." Kat said from her and Casper's room. Casper turned his head to the door happy that Dr. Harvey had saved him from the trio. He looked back at the trio and they gave him a look. "Just go Casper! But when the doc is down talking to you then you are coming with us on our scare rave to night. Do you understand?" Stretch said to him. Casper knew there was no way of getting out of this. He was in for a long night with the trio.

"Yes Uncle Stretch I understand." Casper said with his head down. This was going to be a long night. After gave him a nod and told him to leave. Casper flew out of the room as fast as he could. As he flew he almost went right throw Kat.

"Wow! Casper what is wrong? You look like you seen the grim reaper or something." Kat said walking down the stairs with Casper following behind her with his head lowered. She looked back at him and knew that the trio had said something to him. She had always felt bad for him. Those jerks as she like to call them always made Casper feel like he was not worth anything. "Casper what did your asshole uncles say to you. Come on you can tell me." Kat said trying to put her hand on his right shoulder. But Casper moved away before she could.

"They had found the report card for my grades Kat. I am so stupid I left it in the living room when I was trying to find a hiding spot for it. Now I have to go out scarring with them. I do not want to go but there is nothing I can do. Uncle Stretch had the look that nothing was going to change his mind. I am so done for." Casper said trying not to cry. He hated scarring fleshies he just wanted to make friends with them. Kat went up to him and pulled him into a hug. The hug did not last for too long since Casper was cold to touch, but Kat knew he needed comfort.

"Do not worry about it. Just scare someone and then you can come home. Come on lets go see what dad wants. Oh you better stop crying or dad is going to ask and then he will go to the trio about giving you a break. Then you are going to wish that you were alive when the trio get to you." Kat said walking into the dark kitchen. Casper followed her from behind.

"Why is it so dark in here? Dad! Dad you wanted to see us." Kat called into the kitchen. Casper was about to turn on the light when a hand stops him. Then the other hand turned on the light and jumped out yelling surprised. Kat and Casper jumped back and began to laugh.

"Happy birthday Bucket. Oh happy late birthday Casper. I wanted to throw a party for you both at the same time and Kat's birthday seem like a good idea to do it. Well let's open your gifts." Dr. Harvey said to them. Kat opened her gift and saw that her father had gotten her a portfolio for when she started to look for a job as a manager in a store. Casper opened his gift and saw that Dr. Harvey had gotten him a book that he wanted to read, The Trojan War: A New History by Barry Strauss. He had smiled at the book.

"Thanks Dr. Harvey but you did not have to get me the book." Casper said putting the book down and flying to Dr. Harvey and giving him a big hug.

"Do not worry about it Casper. It is your birthday and I wanted to get you the book. Bucket how do you like your portfolio?" Dr. Harvey asked her. Kat looked at him with so much happiness that she did not know what to say.

"Thanks dad this is going to help me a lot when I look for a job. But how did you get the money? I thought that you were having trouble paying the morgue for Whipstaff." Kat said to her father.

Dr. Harvey looked at Kat with sadden eyes. He did not want her to worry about the bills but Kat had always wanted to know what was going on with the bills. She had even told her father that she take a year off of college and help him with the bills. But the doc would not hear of it. He wanted Kat to get her career and make a life for herself. He did not want her to put her life on hold for him. "We had this talk already Kathleen. I do not want you to put your life on hold because I cannot pay the bills to the manor. Do not worry Bucket we will be fine." He said to her. She tried to smile but she did not believe her father. The bank was calling all the time now demanding that Dr. Harvey not be late on the morgue. They have given them so many chances and now the bank had to put their foot down. Kat had a feeling that her father was not telling her the whole truth of what the bank wants her father to do. But she could not force her father to anything that he did not want to do. Even if that means her taking a break from school and working more hours to help him with the bills. Se was not going to bring it up anymore.

"So what are you two going to do after the party?" Dr. Harvey asked getting the candles on the take and lighting them up. A lot of people thought that Dr. Harvey was weird for buying the candles. You see Casper is 115-years-old and Kat was 27. So people were trying to figure out why he needed so many candles.

Kat looked at her father and smiled. "Well I am going to take it easy for the night and read a book. Or listen to music but not sure yet dad." Kat said to her father. She had been so busy studying for test that she had not had a relaxing night. So she was going to make up for it.

Casper looked at both of them and put his head down. He was not going to have a relaxing night. On the other hand this was going to be the worst night of his afterlife. "I have to go on a scare rave with the trio. I really do not want to go, but there is no way out of it." Casper said to them. Kat felt bad for him the trio were not that nice to him when it came to him being friendly.

"Casper do not worry about it. You will be fine. Just scare someone and then they will let you come home." Kat said to him. Dr. Harvey looked at him and knew that this was hard for him.

"Casper all you have to do is listen to the boys and do what they want you to do then you will be fine. But next time try to get better grades. You know that they boys worry about your schooling. They just want you to do great in school." The doc said to him. Casper nodded his head and understood that they were trying to cheer him up and to make his uncles happy with him.

"Well here we go with the cake. Happy birthday to yous! Happy birthday to yous! Happy birthday dear Casper and Kat! Happy birthday to yous!" They all sang trying so hard not to laugh. Dr. Harvey cut pieces of the cake and gave one to each of them. They started talking about everything that happen with their days. But the smiles soon left Casper's face as he heard his uncles.

"Lets go Bulbhead! We anti got all day!" Stretch yelled at the main room of the manor. Casper pushed the plate away from him and began to fly out the door.

"Remember Casper do not let them push you around. And try to scare a human I have something to talk to you about ok." Kat said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. He blushed a little and nodded his head yes and went to see his uncles.

He got to where the trio where and waited for them to say something to him. "Do I really have to go you guys?" Casper asked them. Fatso looked at the boy, as he did not understand what Casper was talking about.

"What are you talking about glow-warm?" Fatso asked. Casper looked at Fatso like he was out of this world. He just shook his head at Fatso when Stretch made his head into a hammer and hit Fatso on the head.

"You have got to be kicking me! Fatso the kid is coming with us on the scare rave. He failed in everything in school." Stinkie yelled getting mad that Fatso is so clueless about the whole thing.

Stretch went up to Casper and put his hands on both Casper's shoulders. He went down to his eye level. "You are going Casper McFadden and that is final. We will not come until you scare someone. The faster you scare the easier it will be for you. Do you understand me?" Stretch said to Casper. When any of them put their hands on his shoulders he knew that they were being serious. And Stretch never said his full name unless he was serious. Casper would just have to grin and bear it.

"Yes Uncle Stretch I understand." Casper said looking into his uncles violet eyes. Pleased with his answer they began the scare rave. They had left the house at around 6:40pm. As they left Whipstaff Casper saw someone out of the corner of his eye. Casper began to fly to were he thought he saw someone, but was stopped by Stretch.

"What the heck are you doing Casper?" Stretch asked him.

Casper looked at his uncle then back to the spot that he thought he was someone. "Nothing Uncle Stretch I thought I saw someone behind the tree. Never mind it was nothing." He said going to his uncle right side and they began to fly off.

From behind the tree the two ghostly figures came out wiping away sweat from their faces. "That was a close one Jacob. All we have to do is wait until they come back and take Casper McFadden back to our Lord. I will make him proud of me. And not even a friendly ghost is going to stand in my way. Even if that ghost in question is a cute one." Michael said to loud. Jacob tilled his head to the side not understanding what his brother just said.

"What do you mean a cute one Mike? He's a boy how can he be cute?" Jacob asked him.

Michael wanted to kick himself in the tail. His brother was too young to know what he was talking about. There are sometimes that he wished that he just kept his mouth shut. "Nothing Jacob I was just fooling around. Come lets go sit and wait. They may be gone for awhile." Michael said hoping that his brother would not keep asking him about what he said about the friendly ghost.

Jacob looked at Michael for a moment. "Ok Mike. Can I sleep on your lap that time machine made me really tried." Jacob said trying so hard to stop a yawn. Michael laughed at him and picked up his little brother.

"Ok little brother I will wake you up when they get back." Michael said sitting down near the tree with his little brother in his lap. Jacob put his head right on his brother's chest and fell right to sleep. Michael waited until they will come back. Then he will gain the respect from his Lord.