Even though I should be wary…

Still I venture someplace scary…

Ghostly haunting I turn loose…

Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice.

Lydia once again arrived to a world not known to her; the world of the dead, the Netherworld. She hesitantly stepped through the chamber door, looking for Beetlejuice's house. Once she arrived, she over heard the skeleton man singing in French. Lydia didn't know what to make of him. In fact, she really didn't give him a chance; the last time they met, she screamed in his face.

Lydia peeked in the window, and watched the skeleton man mopping the floor. He appeared to be happy, but she couldn't really tell. There is really no normal face, hardily no skin, no muscle to even form a smile, but the way he is singing, even though she couldn't understand a word of French, still sounded cheerful.

"Hey…" Beetlejuice suddenly whispered, which made Lydia heavily gasp. "Whatcha peeking at ?" then looked in the window to see his boney roommate. He turned back to his new friend with an odd look. "You have a weird choice in stalking men Babes."

Before she could reply.

"You should've peeked in that window…" He pointed over to a smaller window next to the one Lydia stood from. "I was in there ten minutes ago actually taking a shower." then winked. "I would've gave you a show too."

Lydia stopped on his foot.

"Ow…shit!" He yelped in pain.

"That didn't hurt you !" She huffed.

Beetle formed a grin. "No, it made you feel better a little, didn't it ?"

Lydia couldn't help but snicker a little, after all, it was true.

"Want to see something cool ?" He asked with a smile.

Beetle walked Lydia to the garage, and inside stood a dinted green convertible. It appeared to be a fifties classic seen in one of her father's car books.

"The exterior needs work." Beetle quoted as the rear bumper fell off. " but I need a couple of spark plug and a cooler system for it to run."

Lydia awed as she over looked everything, the car has potential. "What are you going to name it ?"

"Name it ?" Beetle raised a confused brow.

"You know, just like giving a ship a title." Lydia smiled. "The Sheriff in Winter Raven names his car Betsy."

Beetle formed a thought. "Well the car before this one, was a hurst. The neighbors called it the Beetlemobile."

"Why ?" She asked.

Beetle grinned. "Because they hated it. It made too much noise, and heavy dark smoke came from the exhaust pipe." chuckling wickedly. "It made others miserable."

Lydia raised a brow. "If you like it so much, why the change ?"

"The transmission is shot to hell, and a new one ain't cheap." Beetle huffed as he looked through the tool box. "Do you see needle nose pliers on the work bench ?"

Lydia looked around, but the tools on the table she's unfamiliar with. "Ummm…"

Then she noticed what seemed to be a rust shaped nose, with a needle on the end. "Is it this one ?" she asked hesitantly.

He floated toward her to get a better look. "It is, but it's so rusted, I need a new one."

She raised a odd brow at the tool. "Why is it made like this ?"

"Some moron made that, I'm getting the goods, Living Realm brand." He proclaimed, then showed her a flier. "We're going there."

The flier has a picture of a ghostly man, wearing thick glasses with bat ears and black cape, standing next to a grey building.

Come one, come all, to Bartholomew Batt's Department store.

Lydia grew with concern. "I'm living Beej, won't we get in trouble if others see me ?"

"Nah…" He waved casually. "There's breathers living here too, they just are sentenced to stay here."

She was taken aback. "What do you mean sentenced ?"

Beetle thought back. "Remember Round boy ?"

Lydia knew he called Otho that. "Yes."

"Well, if he fucked up any further with the Handbook bit they would have dragged him and your family straight down to Netherworld court to serve as permanent citizens, and if Chuck, DD, and Round boy refuse, they get sent to Sandworm Saturn."

"Oh." Lydia gulped. "What about me ?…I'm here illegally."

Beetlejuice grinned. "So am I….remember."

Lydia remembers what Beetle said the day the Maitland's were in trouble. She remembers every detail, it's plays in here head all the time. "I remember." She frowned.

"I'm sorry." She looked at him. "I don't mean to bring up bad memories." then he changed the subject. "C'mon Lyds, go to the store with me." She shook her shoulders. "It's only down the street."

'Sure what the hey.' She thought. "Ok."

************

Batt's Department Store.

As Beetlejuice and Lydia entered the store, the owner is seen shouting announcements with a megaphone….

"The best in Netherworld brands, and…" Bartholomew smiled. "the best in Living realm brands, legal for me to sell, legal for you to buy."

"C'mon Babes…" Beetle caught the attention of Lydia as she stared as ghostly people walked and floated throughout the store.

Lydia gasp as she accidentally bumped into a guy with a rope tightly squeezed around his neck, then noticed. "Children." She whispered to herself, as she grew sad.

Beetle is looking at some Netherworld brand spark plugs. "They want this price, gimme a break." then at some Living Realm brands. "Whoa shit, what a rip-off, it's higher than the Shocking Mall." He looked to his friend. "Hey Babes, what do you think of…." but her attention is to the children. "Lyds ?" He tapped her shoulder, gaining her attention. "What's wrong ?" looking at her expression.

"Nothing." Lydia replied, then looked in Beetle's hand. "Are those the ones you need ?"

"Nah…" Beetle frowned. "I can't afford this shit, I'm going someplace else."

They left the store to walk further down the road, a lot further in fact.

Beetle turned to Lydia with a concerned look. "Babes…" gaining her attention. "Are you sure you're ok ?"

"No I'm not ok, but I don't want to talk about it right now." Lydia replied.

Beetle nodded. "Oh…Ok." He knew better, and most importantly, he knew it wasn't him that caused this sudden sadness in her.

*******************

They arrived to large orange and purple circus tent, and came to a door. Beetle knocked on the door, and a small sliding panel opened, showing a pair of grey blue eyes.

"What's the password ?" A male voice asked from behind the door.

Beetle formed a smart ass look. "Just let me in you idiot."

The eyes squinted in disgust. "Oh, it's you." The guy spat before closing the eye panel, and then opened the door.

Lydia's eyes widened as she gazed upon the place, it was filled with old relics from the year nineteen twenty to the nineteen forties; especially things from World War II.

"Whaddaya want ?"

Lydia turned to a muscular clown with blue grey eyes, bright burgundy hair, and stood a little shorter than Beetle.

"I want the stuff on this list." Beetle replied while giving him a slip of paper.

The Clown read the contents, but an unusual scent caught his nose. "The cotton candy machine ain't suppose to be turned on today, it's Sunday." He muttered, then turned to Beetle with a whiff. "That's you…" pointing to him. "You smell like that."

But before Beetle could reply with his usual smart ass comments.

"Fruity !" The Clown finished off with a smile, then raised a brow. "I now the truth comes out…" He chucked. "even I didn't think you were like that Beetlejerk, but I guessed cha wrong." and continued chuckling.

Beetle sniffed himself….he smells like cotton candy…again. "I'm not fruity." He spat, then held his nose to the air like a rich snob. "I just used the wrong bath soap."

"You…" The Clown chuckled. "Soap…" he chuckled more. "I didn't think those words would ever come out of your mouth."

"You…don't think at all." Beetle spat.

The Clown huffed, then continued reading the list, and then whistled…upon the sound, another clown appeared from out of nowhere, it nearly scared Lydia to death. The other clown is taller and much more muscular than the other.

"Fuzzo…" The shorter clown called. "Get Beetlejerk his spark plugs, and engine belt."

Fuzzo nodded and floated up to the boxes in the high shelf.

The clown then set his attention on someone more interesting. "Hey Beetlejerk.." gaining his attention away from knife collection. "Who's the broad ?"

Before Beetle could respond.

"Hmm…" The clown eyed the girl with profound interest. "a breather type, very expensive." leaned to her. "Hey baby, whatever he's payin' you…" grinned lustfully. "I'll double it."

"I'm not a whore !" Lydia spat.

The Clown held his hands defensively. "Hey baby, no need to lie. I ain't no copper, and I ain't gonna rat on you; corner broads need to make money too."

"Leave her alone Scuzzo." Beetle growled. "She ain't a whore, so back off."

"Ok, ok…" Scuzzo replied with a teasing grin.

Fuzzo floated down with box that has everything on Beetle's list, including Living Realm brand spark plugs, and cooler system.

"That'll be one hundred bucks." Said Scuzzo, holding out his hand.

Beetle gave Scuzzo the money, and took the box from Fuzzo. "These better work." he looked to the clown.

Scuzzo held a insulted look. "I don't sell shitty stuff Beetlejerk."

Fuzzo opened the door for Beetle and Lydia to exit.


They walked half way down the block.

"Why did you buy from him ?…he acts like a crook." Lydia pouted. "Isn't he your enemy ?"

"That's cause he is one." Beetle replied. "His shit in truth, is better, even if most of it is illegal; besides…enemy is a strong word, Scuzzo is my rival." he smiled to her. "You have a Claire, and I have a Clown, we're in the same boat Babes."

Lydia smiled a little.

As they were walking by, Beetle pointed Lydia to a dark land in the far distance. The area is surrounded by a dark thick fog, thunder roared in in distance, and it appears it is raining. Lydia spotted what seemed to be a tall castle.

"That's my enemy." Beetle pointed to the castle with a sour frown. I hate that guy."

They walked inside the Roadhouse door, the jingle of bones quickly shut behind a door down the hall.

"I don't want to be afraid anymore." Lydia muttered to herself, but Beetlejuice heard.

"You got nothing to be afraid of Lyds." He replied.

"Why are the children down here ?…Why aren't they in heaven ?" Lydia asked.

Beetle sat her by the couch. "Oh that's why you were sad. Well let me explain, some of the kids are born as Netherworld kids, they never had a chance to live in the Living Realm, they are born a dead; and the other kids who had a chance to be born and live where you live, some are here by a fluke shot."

"Oh…" Lydia awed piecing it together, then asked about another noticeable thing. "Why aren't you wearing the ring I gave you ?"

Beetle stood from the couch. "Here, let me show you something." He lead Lydia to his bedroom to a place a large topless painting of a ghostly woman.

"Beetle !" She scolded.

"Give me a chance." Beetle grinned, then lifted the painting to reveal a wall safe. He turned the dial to unlock the secret combination, then opened the safe. Her mother's ring, the friendship ring she gave to him, laid inside a glass case, on top of a red silk pillow.

She turned to him…he smiled as he look upon it.

"I've gotten into alotta trouble, and I'm in trouble now, and since the justice system acts when it wants to, I could be taken in at anytime." Beetle then turned to her. "If and when they catch me, they'll do whatever, but the gift you gave me will always be safe here. Jacques knows the combination, I trust him, and I told him if something happens to me, to make sure you get it back."

Lydia was taken aback. "What do you mean if something happens ? You're a ghost, what more could happen ?"

"Did the Maitland's ever tell you about 'The Lost Souls Room' ?" Beetle asked.

Lydia nodded, she only over heard bits and pieces the Maitland's told her parents.

"Well there are some things worse than death, and I'll leave it at that." He finished off.

"Is Jacques, the guy with the bones ?" She asked.

"He would like to meet you, but he doesn't want to scare you." Beetle replied.

Lydia saddened, she didn't mean to be rude, but seeing a skeleton just walk around was new to her. "I won't scream, I promise. I already met Ginger, I want to meet him too."

Beetle knocked on Jacques bedroom door. He opened it hesitantly, and saw Lydia.

"Hi, my name is Lydia Deetz." She smiled.

Jacques opened the door wider.

"I'm sorry I screamed in your face the last time I saw you." She frowned. It's just that…"

He smiled a little. "It's ok petite, I have had worse greeting than that."

Lydia extended her hand for him to shake.

Jacques's right arm is detached, which was most embarrassing, but he used his left hand to hold his right arm so she could shake his right hand. "I would like to know more of you, Lydia."

Lydia smiled, a great weight has lifted off her shoulders.

**Beep…Beep…Beep** The alarm of one of Beetle's four watches went off. He gazed to a watch, in knowing which one it was. "Time for you to go Lyds."

Beetle walked with her to the chamber door.

Lydia turned to give him a hug. "Thanks Beej." and released him.

"No, Thank you. I'm glad we had a chance to hang out." He smiled. "Next time, let's do something fun."

She giggled. "Ok Beej, it's a deal."

Lydia departed from Netherworld, going back to the other side; It's not just a place she goes to bed, it's not just the Living Realm, it's a dreadful place everyone else calls reality.