Salutations readers! I just want to thank you for your support and views and I'd would also like to apologize for not being as active as I should. I think I'll be able to have the next chapter up by the end of the month. As always reviews are appreciated and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Lydia tried to keep her gaze ahead but it was hard to control her wandering eyes. Though these people were 'dead' some of the characters they passed by were more lively than the class clowns in her old school. Well that was a lie, most of the residents of The Neither World looked down right miserable.
"The looking glass." She mumbled to herself without realizing the words left her mouth into the atmosphere.
"Come again?" The Ghost with the Most inquired, Lydia then smiled up at him.
"You know, the looking glass from Alice and Wonderland?" But he still didn't seem to get it which made her sigh. "In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice is transported to a world where everything that isn't is, and what is isn't." She said as she watched a car speed past them. "A land of non sense, but yet it made perfect sense."
"So what? You think this is that place?" He asked, though at this point in the conversation the ghoul lost nearly all interest in it. He only kept up because he liked the sound of his own voice.
"Oh no, of course not. Unless of course you have talking Cheshire cats that can grin from ear to ear and a Red Queen whos favorite pastime is beheading people."
"That's Juno for ya." Beetlejuice scoffed. "But what are you getting at babe?"
"Well. I wanted to come here so badly. Would have off'd myself had it not been for-…" She came to a stop not only in speech but in movement.
"The Maitlands." He muttered rubbing the back of his neck.
"They aren't here. Are they?" She asked with eyes so full of hope, but a voice of dread. The ghoul could only shake his head.
"'Fraid not babe." He muttered. "Word has it they got an early release?" He asked, unsure of the situation, but he hit the nail right on the head.
"They got to pass on because they were able to fulfil their mission in life."
"Uhhh- being?" came the disgruntled voice of her ex 'betrothed'.
"To have a family." Lydia came, now starting to get teary eyed at the memory. "I mean I thought that they would of out stayed me. I only had a year with them and then all the sudden there was that stupid door!" Now the water works were coming. "And Barbra said that they had to go, but they didn't have too, did they?!"
"Christ kid, whent did you become such a drama queen?" he muttered pulling out a hankerchief from his pocket, a spider hanging on it by its own thread, but Lydia was already using her sleeves.
"Sorry." She spat. "What was I thinking, opening up to the guy I was going to marry thinking he would have some pity on me."
"Yea, what were you thinking." He spat back before eyeing the area to ensure no one heard them. "Look I get it, your away from home for the first time, walking around a sketchy area with a dead guy, got things that want to suck out your soul, but this ain't exactly the time nor the place to get all emotional, but if you want to confess your love for me, there is chapel down about a block or two and we can get hitched by Elvis, and I don't mean a Vegas Elvis but you know, the king himself!" He said with a chuckle which got a smirk out of the girl.
"Nah. I think I'll pass." She said with a half hearted laugh, which he expected as much.
"Suit yerself babes, but don't you get all green with envy like Dogo Argentino back at the office." He said with a wink as he took another look around. "Now let's see here. Got you to see Juno, went to the Dumpster Dive Diner, took a lovely stroll along the Dead Sea… Damn, as far as first dates go, I think I did pretty good. Next up would be to drop you off at home, but being that that's not in the cards, looks like you are coming home with me." He said with a grin, but Lydia just laughed.
"Alright, where do you live?" She asked, but in the blink of an eye the two were sitting down on a sofa that clearly had seen better days, before a televion that was literally on it's last leg. His arm wrapped around her shoulder and a cold one poped into his free hand.
"Now I know what you are thinking. How on earth could you leave me at the altar? Cause' I mean come on?! Would you look at that TV? Nothing says success better than how good of a home entertainment system you got." He joked, but Lydia was already off the couch inspecting his 'home'.
Cobwebs in every corner, several layers of dust covered any furniture piece that you couldn't sit on, clothes tossed about the floor and drapped on a chair here, a lone sock on the ceiling fan that shook as though it would come off its hynges at any given moment. The phrase of 'how could anyone live like this' came to mind but the fact of the matter was that this man had not lived for over a hundred years.
Her gaze move down the hall to spot a bed room, though she calculated it would be best to stear clear from that area altogether. Moving back to the couch she sat where she was seated before though now her body faced towards him now inspecting him.
Feeling her eyes praying on him, the ghost shifted his gaze from the television to the dame.
"Uhh.. Can I help you?"
"Did you really live though the black plague?"
"What?"
"You know, the plague. I asked Barbra and Adam about you, being that they spent more time with you, and they said that you told them you lived though the black plague." He couldn't help but chuckle.
"Wanted to know what you missing out then, huh?" He asked setting his beer down and dug into his coat pocket for a pack of cigarettes.
"Can you just answer the question?" she snapped as he lit up the cigarette and took in a drag before releasing a trail of smoke into the air.
"You answer mine, and I'll answer yours." He said tossing his head fully to her.
Eying him suspiciously unsure if he would keep to his word, or more so if it was even worth getting into it with him, but curiosity got the better of her.
"I just wanted to know what I was about to get myself into." She confessed.
"What did they say?" He countered but Lydia folded her arms.
"Oh now, I answered your question already, you don't get an answer until I do." She warned whisch cracked a smile from the dead man's lips as he took in another drag.
"..Yea. I lived though it. Saw all of Bill Shakespeare's plays, and was even offered the role of Hamlet by Bill himself."
"You met William Shakespeare? But wait, the plague ended nearly two hundred years before-"
"Not necessarily. The plague kept at it for a while longer than your books teach. Death just wasn't as constant in later years, but it was still around, and yes I met William, but he really wasn't all that grand. Yea he could write plays in his sleep, but the guy was a dick."
"And you aren't?" She mocked arching a brow. She had him there.
"Touche'. But now you owe me three answers if we are still playing by your rules." Lydia gave a gruff sigh laying back against the arm rest.
"Alright, ask your three questions." He grinned at her annoyance. This game of hers was now in his favor.
"What did the 'honorable Maitland's have to say about me again?"
"Not much other than you were a no good pervert, and the only thing worse than your hygenie were your jokes."
"OW! Babe, below the belt much?" He yelped going into a defensive position in case of another assault of his pride.
"I'm only answering what they said, so that makes two. One more before I can ask again." He cursed softy at the realization of a wasted question.
"Has to be a good one.." He mused taking in a third and final drag from the cigarette before flicking the remainder across the room. "Let's me think now." His eyes roaming the ceiling for the perfect question before the girl got hold of the reins again.
"What." He paused wondering if that was the question he should go with.
"No. Who, wait, how about- let me see let me see." His right hand moving to scratch the back of his head.
"Vampires or Werewolves?!" He shouted hoping to catch her off guard to win himself another question.
"Vampires." She said without so much of a bat of an eye causing the ghost to moan in defeat.
"I knew it. Should have asked you if you preferred Fantasy or Science Fiction." He muttered which earned him a giggle from the pale, frail and beau-ti-fal gal. Closing his eyes, he waited for Lydia to serve up the next question.
"Were you married before? Because that ring you gave me, you said-"
"Nah. Was just a joke." He quickly interjected before she could finish. "But don't worry. Even though I don't have experience in being wed, I do have it in bed." He said with a toothy grin which made Lydia's stomach churn.
"Gross." She muttered shaking her head.
"Have you had your cherry popped?"
"You can't be serious." She muttered.
"Oh but I am. That's my question for you. Did you lose your virginity yet?"
"If I say yes, does that mean the wedding's off?" She asked, her voice thick with sarcasum.
"Oh no, I'd still marry the hell out of ya babes. I'm in it for the benefits, you being a hottie is just a bonus. Also, I get another question." His eyes still shut tight.
"…. No. I've failed as a young prievlaged white girl to give up my virginity in the back of some jock's shit Subaru." She muttered, expecting Beetlejuice to be eyeing her like a slab of meat once more but to her surprise he remained still with his eyes shut.
"Have you done oral at least?"
"For the love of-! No, No I have not preformed any sexual act of any sort on anyone."
"Not even on yourself?"
"No, and it's my turn now." She spat.
"Fire away babes." He muttered unphased, though he was somewhat disappointed by the less than juicy answers she gave.
She was silent for what seemed like hours to the ghost. Days even. He was nearly convinced he had pissed her off enough for her to forfit this game of their when her voice rang out again.
"How did you die?"
His eyes shot open and immeadiatly went to hers. He should of expected this question to come up but he couldn't believe she'd bring it up, at least not so soon. His gaze moved from her doe eyes to the ceiling fan and the sock that clung to one of the blades.
"Let's just say that even when I was alive, people didn't take too kindly to me." He muttered though he knew that it wasn't a suitable answer. He just pryed the girl on her sex life and here he was getting sqimish on the end of his.
"So you didn't kill yourself?" She asked gently then nodded as she got to her feet.
"… No. I didn't kill myself." He muttered looking away.
"It's your turn." She reminded but he paid her no mind. "I'm going to guess that it's game over for the night?"
"Yea. Game over kid." He spat to which she could only nod.
"It couldn't of been worse that what I have, could it?" She got him once again. What this girl had on her tail was worse than a death sentence, and she didn't even do anything to deserve it.
"…. No. No I suppose it wasn't." He said looking her in the eye again, she nodded in response before looking down the hall to the bedroom. She might of sworn off his room, but the events of the day were finally catching up with her.
"You can rest easy tonight. I hardly ever go in there anyway." He muttered reaching for the beer he had compeltly forgotten about, the can breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Are you sure? Because I could-"
"I'm sure kid. Just go get your beauty sleep, but be ready to out the window or under the bed come morning."
"Why's that?" Lydia asked confused.
"You heard D'Angelo before. Him and his posse' have been looking everywhere for me, and though for most people home is the first place one would look, in my case, home is the last place they'd look." He warned taking a sip of the beer. "The fuck already has it in for me. And if he sees Audrey Dean all cozied up in my bed, well, then he is just going to get me on the next trip to Saturn."
