Chapter 8: Get Me Out!
Just then, they hear footsteps walking into the room.
Followed by a familiar voice, "Gentlemen, you should probably be more careful."
"Grk!" The two men reply, startled.
They turn to see Azul, Tanzanite, and two other students walking over.
The first man asks, "Uh, who're you? A Night Raven College student?"
"That's right. I also happen to be the one in charge here. The tank houses a merman who has… a bit of a sordid history, let's say. I suggest you look, and don't touch," Azul says. "And whatever you do, don't agitate him if you don't want to get crushed."
"What do you mean, a 'sordid history'?" The first man asks.
"Well…" Azul says.
Tanzanite walks away and turns off the lights. Then turn on the spotlight to shine on Azul.
With that, Azul explains, "Did you know that once upon a time, mummified merfolk were highly valued? Mending broken bones instantly, erasing scars, breaking fevers, making stomachs go away… Humans believed that they were the perfect source for panaceas to cure anything that ailed them. All absolute poppycock, of course. Understandably, the merfolk that humans mummified held a powerful grudge against them. They turned into dreadful ghosts bent on vengeance. The humans were powerless to stop them. Ultimately, the humans realized the error of their ways. They sealed the mer-ghosts in this magical tank at great personal risk. And the tank has been safeguarded at the school ever since, in order to ensure that it never, ever gets damaged. We have gone to great - one might even say PAINSTAKING - effort to ensure that nobody so much as smudges it with a fingerprint."
Then Tanzanite turns on the lights.
Then gives them a smile, "It's a responsibility we take QUITE seriously."
The second man asks, nervously, "Uh… huh! C-cool story, bro."
"So, uh, just curious…" The first man speaks. up nervously, "What would happen if someone DID damage the tank?"
"Why, it would break the sealing enchantment cast upon the tank," Azul answers.
Then Tanzanite says, "Yes. The spirits may be subdued for now, but ghosts carry powerful grudges. Even now, the mermen wait for their chance at revenge."
Then Azul says, "their aim is to suck the vitality out of humans and use it to revive themselves in our world. In the event that the tank were to get damaged and the seal came undone… Everyone here would have their life force drained away, leaving them an empty, mummified shell."
The first man tries to laugh it off, "Haha! G-good one. You're a real joker, buddy!"
Then softly asks, "You… ARE joking, right?"
Then the second man says, "You know… It is Halloween. Maybe there's a chance this is legit. Plus, don't you see the way he's looking straight at us? That's not something a liar would do, right?"
"I noticed you two are looking rather pale. Are you well?" Azul questions.
Then Tanzanite asks, "Are you okay?"
"Uhhh…" The two men reply, a little nervous.
Azul smiles, "Worry not! As long a the tank remains undamaged the mer-ghost will never come back to -"
Suddenly, looking at the tank, Tanzanite panics, "Uh sir, I think you think you need to see this."
Azul looks at the tank and exclaims in shock, "Wha… What in the world?!"
He sees the crack on the tank, and Azul is clearly upset, "There's a crack in the tank! How could this be?!"
The two Magicam Monsters try to speak up, "Well, uh.." however, they have trouble answering.
Azul turns to the two, "Did you two do this?"
The first man panics, "N-no! Our selfie stick moved on its own and kind of, uh, collided with the tank…."
One of the students says, "Say what?! Come on, can't you come up with something a little less farfetched?"
Another student says, "Selfie sticks aren't allowed here anyway. How are you gonna pay for this, huh?"
Then Azul says, "Oh, dear. I'm afraid those mummies are at life's door now…"
Unknown to them, Floyd has woken up and begins to move.
Soon, the Magicam Monsters and the students begin to notice.
The first man panics, "Whoa! Did he just move?!"
"I-it really is a mermaid! Does that mean that whole story was for real?!" the second man freaks out.
"I'm afraid it is," Tanzanite answers.
As the mermaid, Floyd shouts, "Get me out of here! I know you can hear me! Get me out! Get me out!"
Then begins shaking the tank, "Get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out get me out! Get me out…"
It then begins to push the case as hard as he can as Floyd screams, "GET! ME! OOOOUUUUT!"
The two men hug each other and scream, "AAAH! Make it stop!"
"Stay calm. We need to restore the tank before -" Azul says.
But suddenly, the power goes out.
The second man panics, "Gaaah! What's going on?! Did the power just go out?!"
Soon, the lights turn on, and notices that Floyd is no longer in the tank.
Azul is shocked, "Ah! The merman sealed in the tank is gone!"
"No way… He was just floating there a second ago!" The first man panics.
Azul says, "It's too late…"
The first student says, "He must've gotten away. He's gotta be lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike!"
"I think we'd better get out of here before all of us wind up mummified," Azul says.
Suddenly, they hear a voice, "Urgh… Uuurgh…"
"What was that?!" The second man asks, frightened.
"It sounded like… moaning," The first man says, scared.
Soon, the lights turn off again.
Suddenly, Azul and Tanzanite scream, "AAAH!"
Suddenly, the lights turn on to see Azul and Tanzanite are gone.
The two students panic, "H-Housewarden!"
"And the little guy that's with him is gone too!" The first man says scared.
Then one of the students panics, "The housewarden and Tanzanite are gonna be mummified! Quick, someone call a teacher! Or another housewarden! We need help! This is too much for us to handle!"
The first man panics, "What?! Huh?! Hey, just let us out of here!"
Suddenly, they hear a voice, "It… hURts… neEd… watER…"
Then the lights turn off suddenly, again.
One student screams, "EEEK! Noo, I don't wanna be a mummy!"
The other student screams, "Help meeee!"
Then they hear glass breaking.
The first man panics, "The power went out again! Dude, I can't see anything! What's going on?!"
The second man panics, "This is crazy! We wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't use that stupid selfie stick!"
"You're the one who said it was cool as long as we were careful! Don't go pinning this on me! The first man argues.
Soon, the lights turn on to reveal that no one but the Magicam Monsters are around.
Suddenly, they hear a ghastly voice, "Humans… I see you, humans…"
Just then, Azul, Jade, and Tanzanite appear dressed as mummies, and approach the two Magicam Monsters.
"I'll make you feel my thirst… and my SUFFERING! Jade says.
The first man screams, "GYAAAAH!"
"I-it's a mummy! A real one!"
Azul moans, "Ugh… Urgh…"
"Ugh…" Tanznatie moans.
The second man yelps, "Eek! It's the guys from earlier! They've been mummified!"
"Wait, hold up. That means the guy to the side is…" The first man speaks up.
"Ahhh… Jade replies, and calmly smiles, "Allow me to extend my personal gratitude for releasing the seal that was binding me."
The first man says, shaking in fear, "He looks the same as the merman that vanished from the tank! Does that mean this is an evil mer-ghost?!"
He then screams in fear, "S-someone! Help us! Hey, you! Let us out of here!"
However, Azul and Tanzanite, "Urgh… Urgh…" in reply.
Then Jade says, "I'm afraid that won't do you any good. They're my puppets now. They answer only to my command. Isn't that right?"
"Uuurgh…" Azul replies.
Then Taznantie replies, "Uurgh…"
"Cross your arms," Jade commands.
Azul and Tanzanite do what they are told, "Urgh."
"Now sing," Jade says.
Then Azul and Tanzanite sing, "Laaa!"
"Now dance for me," Jade says.
Soon, Azul and Tanzanite begin dancing.
"Well? They're rather adept, wouldn't you say?" Jade replies.
The first man panics, "Dude… they really dancing without any music! This is beyond creepy. I'm getting freaked out!"
"And those moves are so perfect… He's gotta be under the mummy's control," The second man panics.
Then Jade chuckles, "Heh heh heh. The suffering inflicted on me was far worse. I was dragged onto dry land, wrapped in cloth bandages, and forced to watch helplessly as my body became more of a dried-out husk by the day…
"Uuurgh… UUURGH!" Azul replies.
"I too cried out, just so. But nobody ever came to save me. It was quite unpleasant indeed. I swore to myself that even if I died and passed on, I would have my revenge someday. You've really done me a kindness by releasing me" Jade says.
"S-so, uh, does that mean you'll let us go…?" The man asks.
Then Jade says, "Actually, I'd much rather thank you in more… tangible way."
"Wh-what does that mean?" The second man asks, getting scared.
Jade smiles and says, "As a token of my gratitude… I'll let you both join us!"
Then shouts, "BOO!"
The first man screams, "GYAAAH!"
Soon enough, something begins to wrap them up.
The first man panics, "I can't see anything in front of me! What's going on?!" Soon feels something wrapping around his body, "I'm getting wrapped in bandages!"
Then Azul and Tanzanite shout, "BOO!"
And the bandages wrapped around the second man.
The second man screams, "Let me goooo!"
