"Chasing Ghosts"
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Sky woke with a start, nearly falling out of her chair. Gazing out the window at the rising sun, Sky realized that she must have once again slept in the back corner of her hatchery all night.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Sky traced the sounds to her front door. Wrench remained on his perch, watching her as she got up and shuffled past the dozens of unhatched eggs that lined the hatchery's walls. After undoing the lock, Sky swung open the door. Outside stood a young zombie girl.
"Oh," Sky said, rubbing her eyes, "hi there! I'm guessing you want to come look at all the pretty eggs, am I right? I usually don't open just yet . . . but for a little cutie like you? I'll make an exception!" Sky stepped aside to let her in, but the girl stayed rooted in place.
Sky's smile slowly faded as she noticed the girl's expressionless face. "Um . . . are you—"
"Coffee," the little zombie girl muttered.
"Coffee? You're asking me for coffee?"
The girl nodded slowly.
"I—sure . . . sure, of course!" Sky strolled over to her cupboard. As she opened it, she said, "Good thing I picked some up yester—"
Sky paused when she realized the coffee wasn't where she left it. She scoured every inch of every shelf, spilling an entire bag of birdseed in the process, but found no coffee. "That's so strange," Sky huffed. "I could've sworn I put it here. I'm sorry . . . if you'll give me a moment, I can go check—"
Sky looked back toward the door. The young zombie girl was gone.
Outside, Sky spotted the zombie girl as she rejoined the few dozen other zombies who roamed the street. They knocked on every door in sight, pleading through tired voices that interrupted the eerie silence hovering over Scuttle Town.
"Coffee?"
"Please . . . have you seen any coffee?"
"Could you check again? Please . . ."
Most of the humans kept off the streets, choosing instead to observe the zombies from behind closed windows.
The only human Sky saw outdoors had just emerged from the Bath House with a slight frown on his face.
"Bolo," Sky called out, "what's happening?"
"I got kicked out again . . ." Bolo said, crossing his arms. "Why did Bathroom Lady like me more when she thought I was a statue . . . ?"
"No, Bolo . . . I meant what's happening out here . . . with all the zombies . . . asking for coffee . . ."
"Oh, that? I don't know."
"It doesn't seem strange to you at all?"
"Well . . . now that you mention it, it does seem a little weird. Are they from the Caravan?"
"Yeah . . . yeah, I think they are," Sky said, focusing on the zombie crowd once again. "And if they're from the Caravan, that means—" Sky paused when her eyes landed on a familiar face.
Abner stood in the middle of the street, leering at all the humans in hiding. He didn't notice Sky and Bolo as they approached.
"Hey, Abner," said Bolo.
Abner didn't respond, continuing to stare elsewhere.
"Abner?" Sky said, waving her hand in front of his face.
Still nothing.
"Abner!" Sky shouted, finally grabbing his attention.
"Wh-What?" Abner said, blinking.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Coffee. We can't find no coffee."
"But Wrench and I just dropped off a whole month's supply for the entire Caravan last week. How—"
"Someone took it all. And not just ours. Everyone's. Everywhere."
Sky shook her head. "That—that's impossible . . ."
"We checked the web. Zombies all over Sequin Land saying the same thing. From every house . . . every store . . . gone. Overnight. And no one knows a thing. Not how it happened. Not who's behind it. Nothing."
Sky's hands dropped to her sides. "How long . . . how much longer do you have until . . ."
"Not long," Abner said with eyes closed, "Poe . . . he's already . . . not all there. He couldn't make it into town. Most couldn't."
"Well, don't worry," said Bolo, "me, Sky, and Shantae will find out what's going on!"
Sky examined the crowd. "Where is Shantae, anyway? I thought she was still with all of you . . . ?"
"No, I, um . . ." Abner said, rubbing his forehead, "Shantae . . . she, um . . . she—I know her, right?"
Sky and Bolo exchanged glances. "Yeah," Sky said to Abner, "you know Shantae. Long, purple hair? Half-Genie? Rottytops's friend? She's been with you . . . helping you search for Rotty for almost a month now . . . you've known each other for quite a while. You really can't remember her?"
"I—I don't know . . ."
Bolo's gaze drifted down the street. He tapped Sky on the shoulder. "Do you hear that?"
Sky took a listen. From somewhere nearby, the sound of metal clanging together began to grow louder.
"What is it?" Bolo asked.
Sky's shoulders tightened. "It's the Royal Guard. They're headed this way."
"Why?"
"Us," Abner said. "They're here for us."
A group of Royal Guards, fully armored, marched up the street. As they drew near, the zombies huddled close together, watching the guards anxiously from behind Abner, Bolo, and Sky.
The guards stopped, keeping a twenty-foot gap between them and the zombie people. One guard took a step further, holding up a piece of parchment. "By order of the Sultanna," he shouted, "all zombies in this region must report to Scarecrow Fields immediately."
"What's in Scarecrow Fields?" Sky asked.
"This really isn't any of your concern, citizen. But, if you must know, we have set up a camp there for the zombies to stay—temporarily, of course—until the coffee dilemma has been resolved. It's for the safety and comfort of all Sequin Land citizens . . . . Now . . . will all zombies please come with us?"
Sky and Bolo looked to Abner.
Without saying a word, Abner hung his head and began walking toward the guards. The other zombies followed.
Sky and Bolo watched in silence as the guards escorted the zombies out of Scuttle Town.
"We have to help them," Bolo said. "We just have to . . ."
Sky breathed in deep. "Right. Why don't you get a search party together? There's bound to be coffee or clues somewhere. I'll start reaching out to my contacts . . . maybe find out where Shantae is while I'm at it."
Bolo nodded. "We can figure this out. I know we can!"
Thirty-six hours later . . .
Sky paced back and forth, glancing every so often at the large map of Sequin Land she hung on the wall of her hatchery.
A messenger bird flew in through the open doorway and landed gently on Sky's shoulder.
"Tell me you have something for me . . . anything . . ." Sky said as she grabbed the small piece of parchment from the bird. It flew off as Sky unfolded the paper and quickly read it over. When she finished reading, she crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it on the floor where it joined the pile of others just like it. Sky picked up her pen from her desk and drew an X over Cape Crustacean on the map. Red Xs now covered every inch of the mainland and its surrounding islands.
Sky's eyes gravitated to a list of names she pinned next to the map. All the names had been crossed off except for two: Risky Boots and Ammo Baron.
Hearing the familiar flap of Wrench's wings, Sky instinctively held out her arm. Wrench landed on her falconer's glove. When Sky looked at Wrench, he bowed his head. Sky closed her eyes and sighed before crossing out Ammo Baron's name. Her eyes narrowed onto the only name that remained.
"Still no sign of her? Or Shantae?"
Wrench kept his head bowed.
"And where's Mimic? Where does he keep running off to?" Sky tossed her pen to the floor in frustration. She rubbed her free hand across her face. "What is going on?"
Wrench lifted his head and spread his wings.
"No, no," Sky said to him, "you've done more than enough for today. You really should get some sleep, Wrench."
Wrench lowered his wings but wouldn't move from her hand.
"Okay . . . I won't make you." Sky gave Wrench a quick peck on the top of his head. "You're too stubborn, you know that?"
"I guess we both are," she said as she glared at the map once more. "I think it's time for us to take another walk . . ."
As soon as Sky stepped foot beyond the Scuttle Town walls, she saw the Royal Guard still blocking the way to Scarecrow Fields. They lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, encircling the location of the zombie camp.
One of the guards stepped forward to meet her. "Didn't I tell you the last time that I was done giving out warnings?" he said.
"Look . . . you don't understand—"
"Oh, I understand. And, honestly, if I had a say, I'd let you past . . . just so I could see the look on your face when the freaks turn, and suddenly those 'friends' of yours see you as their next meal."
With each word that passed the guard's lips, the heat flowing through Sky's body grew hotter.
"But unfortunately," he continued, "I have orders. And those orders are to keep the scum in there and pests like you out." The guard stepped closer. "So . . . allow me to say this one last time: You are not getting through us. Now get lost before I find an excuse to toss you behind bars."
Sky didn't budge. A grin slowly curled across her face. "Okay . . . I guess I won't go through you." She glanced at Wrench. Wrench lifted off into the air and let out a sharp "caw!" In a puff of white smoke, Wrench transformed. By the time he landed, Wrench stood twice the height of the guard.
The guard stumbled backward and fell. Trembling, he watched, speechless, as Sky hopped on Wrench's back. "But you see," she said to the guard, "I don't need to go through you."
They took to the skies, flying over the wall of guards and toward the zombie camp.
"Okay, let's check here one more time," said Bolo, approaching the fountain that sat at the center of the small district of Scuttle Town that he knew so well. Mimic's Workshop, the Bath House, Sky's Hatchery, the Item Shop, and the Art Gallery formed a half-circle around the fountain.
The Item Shop Guy, the only remaining member of Bolo's search party, shifted in place. "Bolo," he said, "we've checked here five times already. I think it's time I . . . um . . . took a break . . ."
"A break? Yeah . . . okay—but wait . . . that's what all the others said before they left, and they never came back!"
"What? That's . . . that's—I'd never do that, Bolo! I—I'm just . . . um . . . going to head to the item shop across town really quickly . . ."
"But you own an item shop. That one . . . right there. We're standing right next to it. And you're the Item Shop Guy. It's in your name!"
"My name isn't Item Shop Guy. It's—"
"I don't care," said Bolo, "just . . . fine. Whatever. I'll find all the coffee all on my own! I don't need help from you or your stupid face!"
"You think my face is stupid?"
"I know your face is stupid."
As the Item Shop Guy lumbered away, Bolo took a seat on the edge of the fountain and rested his chin on his hands. "Come on," he said to himself. "Think! If I were a coffee bean, where would I go . . . ? Hmm . . . well . . . I'd definitely stay away from people because they'd want to grind me up, blend me with steaming hot water, and drink me. Man . . . being a coffee bean doesn't sound very fun. No wonder they all ran away. I'd run away too if I—wait—if I'm trying to catch them . . . am I the bad guy?" Bolo shook his head. "Okay, this is getting weird. I need to stop thinking . . . and start doing!"
Bolo stood up and surveyed the places he already inspected five different times. He sighed. "Unless what I'm doing is just wasting more time . . ."
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Bolo caught a flash of bright light. The light seemed to have come from the Art Gallery.
Bolo peered around the gallery door. With nothing in sight, he crept inside. He started walking down the hallway, peeking into each of the ten rooms that housed the gallery's art.
"I can't figure this place out," he whispered to himself, "I mean, why are there so many pictures of my friends? And why aren't there more of me?"
After checking the tenth and final door, Bolo noticed that the hallway continued on. "This is new . . . how did I miss this the other five times I checked in here?" He entered the new hallway, surveying its silver walls filled with engravings of plants, animals, and monsters of all kinds. "Where's all the color and stuff? Everything's grey and boring." Bolo shrugged. "Maybe I just don't understand art."
He turned a corner and stopped. The hallway continued on and on, stretching so far that he couldn't see where it ended.
Then Bolo caught another glimpse of the bright light. It came from behind him. So, he worked his way back, searching for what could be creating the light. Instead, Bolo found himself staring at a wall that now stood where he first crossed into the silver hallway. "Okay . . . now I really don't understand art!"
Bolo pushed and prodded the wall, hoping to open a way back to the Art Gallery. Just as Bolo was about to kick the wall in frustration, he froze.
He heard breathing.
Breathing from something right behind him.
Bolo grimaced. "Uh-oh."
Sky kept herself and Wrench—now back to his normal size—hidden in one of the zombie wagons as a couple of guards marched by. Once they were out of sight, Sky, staying low to the ground, made her way into the heart of the zombie camp with Wrench perched on her falconer's glove.
The zombies, all sitting on the grass, looked vacant. The only sound Sky heard came from a woman sobbing as she cradled her young daughter in her arms. No one seemed to notice Sky as she passed by.
Before long, Sky spotted Abner sitting amongst the others. Poe sat next to him, hugging his knees. Approaching gently, Sky knelt down in front of them.
"Abner? Poe? It's me . . . Sky. Can you . . . hear me?"
Neither looked at her, staring off into the distance without expression.
"Please . . . I need to know where Shantae is. Do you remember—"
Sky paused when she realized Poe had turned toward her.
"Do you hear her voice?" he asked.
"Voice? Shantae's voice?"
"No, no, no. Her voice."
Sky went silent as she listened but heard nothing. "Poe, I don't hear anyone."
Sky's words snapped Poe out of his trance. "Abner was right," he said, letting out a long sigh, "it's really just been all in my head . . . the whole time. The pumpkin patch . . . all of it."
"I-I'm sorry, Poe. I don't understand—"
Poe didn't seem to hear Sky. Tears began welling up in his eyes. "And I-I blamed her! I told Abner that she was the one—that she was the one who took it all!"
Sky's head perked up. "Wait. Say that again?"
"How could I say that about her?"
"Poe . . ."
"How could I?"
"Poe!" Sky finally shouted, grabbing him by his shoulders.
Poe froze again, but this time he gave Sky his full attention.
"I need you to stay here with me, okay? I-I can't imagine what you're going through right now. But I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?"
Poe nodded slightly.
"Okay . . . good. That's really good. Now Poe, you said that someone took 'it all.' Did you mean the coffee?"
"No, no, no, no. That's what I thought. But it didn't really happen! It didn't really happen . . ."
"Okay . . . then can you tell me what you thought happened?"
"In my head? From the beginning?"
"Yeah . . . from the beginning . . . that'd be perfect . . ."
"Well . . . the only time I saw her was—was when I talked to her . . . in the pumpkin patch. She didn't say exactly . . . but what she was talking about . . . how she talked about it . . . she—she wanted to do something . . . to make sure none of us could—could have our coffee . . . a-and I think she—she stopped. Drinking coffee. S-Stopped a long while ago. Since she went missing . . . maybe."
"Missing?" Sky's eyes grew wide. "You—you're talking about Rottytops . . ."
"B-But Abner was right. It doesn't make any sense. He said—do you know what he said? This is what he said: 'If all that was true, if she really stopped drinking coffee, she'd be gone. She'd be nothing more than a stumbling, mumbling, brain-dead freakshow. She wouldn't be able to talk all normal. She wouldn't be able to say nothing. Not a word. Oh, but somehow she was talking to you just fine.' That—that's what he said."
Sky paused, trying to process all she was hearing. "Did you see anyone else there? In the pumpkin patch?"
"N-No . . . but—" Poe stopped himself.
"'But' what?"
"B-But I felt something . . . around her . . . around us . . ."
"Something like . . . ?"
"Like . . . eyes. Everywhere. Watching us."
Sky felt a chill run down her spine. "Whose eyes?"
"I don't know . . . but there were a lot of them . . ."
"These—these eyes . . . do you think they wanted the coffee gone, too?"
Poe nodded slowly. "She wanted what they wanted. They wanted what she wanted."
Sky glanced at Abner, who continued to stare off, before returning her attention to Poe. "Poe . . . do you know where Shantae is?"
Poe shook his head. "No . . . no . . . she left before—before all this . . ."
Sky looked down. "Okay. Thank you, Poe. Hang in there, all right? We . . . we're bound to find some coffee soon. I-I just have a feeling . . ." Sky got up from the grass, but before she turned to leave, she heard another voice.
"Sh-Shantae?" said Abner, "I-I know her. I do know her."
Eyes wide, Sky leaned in closer. "Abner? Abner . . . do you know where she is? Where Shantae is?"
"Somewhere . . . only we know . . . not here . . . not the mainland . . ."
"Not the—what? But why? Why would she leave the mainland?"
"Sis . . . to find sis . . ." Abner said.
"But . . . Rottytops went missing here. She was last seen here, on the mainland . . . so, where else but here would Shantae go to look for Rottytops?"
Shantae stopped before a narrow clearing. The walls were painted in the same toxic mud that consumed so much of the island. Patiently, she waited—her glare darting from one wall to the other and back again. Finally, figures began to take form from the mud. They morphed into humanoid creatures with glowing yellow eyes and sharp, spindling claws. Sensing Shantae's presence, the mud creatures twisted to face her. They opened their mouths and let out a collective, ear-piercing screech.
Yet, Shantae stayed focused on another sound.
She closed her eyes, letting the rhythm of her heart take control. With elbows out and palms pressed together, Shantae swung her hips to the left and then to the right. A white light enveloped her. From the light, an elephant bounded into the air before slamming to the ground with a force that tore each mud monster from the safety of their walls. The monsters never had the chance to react. Charging straight through the creatures, the elephant left nothing behind but puddles scattered across the ground.
Shantae came out the other end of the clearing, half-human once again. Before her lied a familiar sight—a gate carved out of the stone wall in the shape of a monstrous face. Its jaws remained open as an entrance leading into darkness. Next to the gate stood Hexer locked in a birdcage-like prison. Seemingly resigned to his state of helplessness, he simply watched Shantae approach with mild curiosity.
"You," said Hexer, ". . . hhhhhhhh . . . you've come here before . . . seeking asylum from suffering . . . only to leave it . . . hhhhhhhh . . . behind. So, why? Why return to the Village of Lost Souls?"
Keeping her eyes forward, Shantae furrowed her brow.
"To find a friend."