The two newts were soon talking to Darkling. Buck fell asleep on the spot.
"So the odd yellow boy is the one, you say? Well, WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING ON HIM!" roared the Darkling. The newts scrambled away, and up to the earth's surface. "Sorry, sir! We'll go, sir!" The huge beast pinned their tails down using one of his massive claws. "No, I've already used you. Get me Ghastly!"
A dark flame appeared on the floor. It grew, and out stepped Ghastly, a creepy-looking man with two hooks for hands. "Am I the man whom you have chosen, oh, master?"
The Darkling had always sort of liked Ghastly. There was something...ghastly about Ghastly. "Do all you can to get the yellow boy and his friends to sniff out the book for me! The ritual WILL be preformed!"
Ghastly flew back above ground, and saw Edd. "Ah, strange shockheaded one...I will now take possession of the creature." Ghastly plunged one of his huge hooks not into Edd's body, but straight into his soul. The possessed boy walked over to Eddy.
"Eddy..." Edd said slowly, "I think...we should have Ed...preform a ritual...to summon the Darkling..."
"What are you talking about?"
"The kids may...like it...they will pay...big money..."
"Big money? That's better than small money! Okay, let's do it!"
"I do not...know where it...is located...we need Ed...to help us find...and preform it...then, we will get...the money..."
"Hey, lumpy! Get over here and help us out!"
Ed happily hopped up and started searching the room. "Oh, boy! Just like Evil Tim!"
Meanwhile, Calvin and Hobbes were running towards the pool building.
"Hobbes!" panted Calvin. "The ghosts are after us!"
"I know that. It's why we're running."
"Oh. Okay."
They heard a galloping sound behind them and turned around to see the Headless Horseman chasing them.
"I forgot about him," said Hobbes.
They ran into the pool building, and tripped, falling into the pool. Raindancer and Wavemaster, two other sprites, made waves and whirlpools, blowing Calvin and Hobbes around in the water.
"I want to leave the state, just because of the ghosts!" screamed Calvin, trying to stay afloat. Boo and Wendell dove in and out of the water, making huge splashes. Quivers, who never liked getting wet, sat in the corner with a towel. Cojammer stood at the edge of the pool.
"Hey, kid!" he screeched. "Here's something a little...shocking!"
By sticking one of his creepy little fingers in the pool, Cojammer sent a huge bolt of electricity through the water, zapping Calvin and Hobbes. The entire room lit up. When the light vanished, the ghosts were gone as well. Hobbes crawled out of the water.
"'Here's something a little...shocking,'" he said. "Talk about a bad joke, huh? ...Calvin?"
Hobbes turned to see Calvin's body is floating face-down in the water. He was dead.
Well...the story certanly did change its tone...and yes, Calvin IS dead. That's the body. The dead body. Yep.