Ben Tennyson came to the Grant Mansion after a long day of work. When he came home, he expected a big welcome like a noogie from Four Arms or a bear hug from Diamondhead, but not a soul in sight. He wandered into the living room and spotted Sasha asleep. But she was suppose to sleeping on the couch. Instead, she was floating above the couch!
"Sasha!" Ben shouted.
With a snort, Sasha woke up and found herself floating! She started to panic until the culprit manifested himself. It was the Phantom holding up Sasha!
"Hello, Sasha!" Phantom greeted.
Sasha laughed. "Hey, Phantom. Come to haunt me again?"
Phantom shook his head. "Not this time, just here for a friendly visit." He gently set Sasha back onto the couch.
Phanty poofed in front of Ben. "BOO!"
"AAAAHH!" Ben jumped, falling onto his behind.
Phanty cackled. "Gotcha!" She helped Ben up. "It's good to see you again, Ben!" She hugged Ben. The boy felt his arm hairs sticking up as the ghost girl hugged him.
"Hey, Phanty." Ben greeted.
Sasha stood up. "Well, I better get some refreshments." She walked off to the kitchen as Ben kept the ghosts company.
"It's so nice to have a human welcome us as guests!" said Phantom. "We're so used to scaring humans away from their homes!"
Ben smiled. "I'll say. Especially since that human is Sasha of all people. I remember when she was terrified of ghosts. In fact, she was terrified of almost everything!"
The ghosts turned to Ben. "Almost?" said Phanty. "I thought Sasha was scared of all things spooky!"
"I thought so too." Ben said. "But it turns out that even Sasha, who was the biggest scaredy-cat I've ever known, wasn't scared of something that everyone feared and hated. I remember it all too well. It was when I just became friends with Rachel and Sasha and I came over to the mansion for a visit..."
Ben was walking down the long stairway to the dark and spooky basement with Sasha holding onto him tightly. Ben groaned in pain. "Do you have to hold onto me so tightly?"
"I can't help it." Sasha said nervously. "I d-don't like the dark."
Shaking his head, Ben sighed. "I still don't get why the light switch is at the bottom of the stairs." He felt the wall to find the switch when Sasha squeezed his arm and began to scream.
"BEN!" Sasha screeched in his ear. "G-G-GHOST!"
Ben hissed in pain. "Nails! Nails! Nails!" he grunted out as Sasha's fingertips dug into his skin.
Sasha loosened her grip. "Sorry!" She huddled closer. "There s-some kind of...ghost vapor!" She pointed a shaky finger to a strange mist coming from a cracked basement door.
Just then, the door swung open. An imposing blue figure was standing in the doorway. His glowing green eyes stared right into Sasha's soul, causing her to scream again.
"Sorry!" Big Chill said in his usual haunting voice. The mist was coming from the cold temperature he was giving off.
"Sasha, relax!" said Ben. "It's just Big Chill!"
Sasha opened her eyes. But she didn't feel any better. Big Chill was just as spooky as a real ghost. She kept herself hidden behind Ben.
Big Chill approached the humans. "What's up?"
"Rachel wanted us to tell you that dinner's done." Ben looked around. "Man, it's like a full on dungeon down here! All that's missing is the torture table!"
"We have that in another room." said Big Chill.
Ben and Sasha gulped. "Y-You do?" asked Ben.
"Of course..." Big Chill raised his hands in a creepy manner. "how else do we trap people so we can..." He grinned a creepy smile. "tickle them!" He swopped in behind Sasha and started ticking her sides.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! BIG CHILL! STOP!" Sasha laughed.
"Coochy, coochy, coo!" Big Chill sang.
Sasha could only drop to the floor as she was being tickled. "STOP! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DON'T! Y-YOUR HANDS ARE COHOHOHOHOLD!"
"I know." Big Chill stopped and helped Sasha hands. "Now, remember, no more getting scared of me or I'll tickle you even worse!" he warned, playfully wiggling his hands.
Sasha squealed. "No! No! Anything but that!"
Big Chill giggled, enjoying himself. "I'll find you and tickle your tickle spot!" He advanced closer as Sasha backed away in fear. "And I know where it is..."
"No way! Don't you dare tickle me there!" Sasha rushed up the stairs with Big Chill following her.
Ben just stared. "This place is going to take some getting used to."
Upstairs, Ben, the Jocklin Sisters, and the other aliens were enjoying dinners. "I still can't believe your that scared of ghosts." Ben said to Sasha. "Ghosts aren't even scary."
"Ben! How can you say something like that?!" Sasha replied. "Ghosts are incredibly scary! In fact, there are lots of scary things out there! Like monsters, snakes, spiders-"
"And clowns?" Ben added.
Sasha paused. "Clowns?"
"Yeah, clowns."
Sasha blinked in confusion. "Ben, clowns aren't scary."
Ben nearly choked on his food. "What?!" he coughed.
"I said, clowns aren't scary." repeated Sasha.
The teen hero was stunned. And so were the rest of the aliens.
"You're not scared of clowns?!" Ghostfreak said in disbelief.
"You, Sasha?! You of all people are NOT scared of clowns at all?!" Blitzwolfer said in disbelief.
Sasha shook her head.
Ben actually stood up. "YOU?! The one who's always terrified of ghosts and monsters and all kinds of scary stuff. But not clowns?!"
Again, Sasha shook her head.
"Sorry, Ben. But clowns don't scare us." said Rachel. "When we were little, our uncles Balan and Lance would dress up as clowns when they babysat us."
Sasha smiled. "Uncle Lance felt embarrassed, but he and Uncle Balan always made us laugh!"
Hearing all this made Ben completely aghast. "You have got to be kidding! Clowns are not funny! Everybody hates clowns!"
"Why would you say that?" Then Sasha grinned with realization. "Are you scared of clowns?"
"No, I'm not!" Ben retorted quickly.
"Anyway!" Rachel spoke up before things esclated. "Make sure you all save room for dessert! We're having cheesecake!"
Sasha squealed. "What kind?!"
"Chocolate."
As Sasha squealed again, Ben was still in shock. How can someone NOT be afraid of clowns?! Maybe she was bluffing. She had to be bluffing. The wheels in Ben's head started to turn as he began formulating a plan.
But first, he needed to pause his wheels so he can have some chocolate cheesecake.
Two weeks later, Ben set his plan into action. He persuaded Rachel if he can say the night and she agreed. As Ben settled into his bedroom. He looked around in case anyone was spying. Despite seeing no one in sight, Ben still wanted to play it safe. He walked into the bathroom with his pajamas and toothbrush. Once in the bathroom, he unfolded his pajamas, revealing the horrific clown mask he bought.
It had ghost white colored skin, a bulging bald head with blood red hair, and enormous sunken eyes that were an eerie yellow. It's nose was red and round. And it's dark-lipped mouth grinned a wide smile, which reveals hideous green teeth.
Ben was too scared to even look at the awful mask directly. He had to find the most terrifying mask he could find. "If this doesn't scare Sasha, I don't know what will." He was determined to prove to Sasha that clowns are scary and needed to be feared.
That night, as Rachel and all the aliens were tucked in and fast asleep, Ben made his move. He got up and took out his clown mask. The teen carefully snuck out of his bedroom and started to look for Sasha.
As he approached the sisters' bedroom, Ben flinched when he heard noise coming from downstairs. Curious, he put his plan on hold and went to investigate. There was light coming from the living room. Ben peered into the room and saw Sasha wrapped in a blanket on the couch watching T.V.
And she looked terrified. Ben could see Sasha visibly shaking wth her eyes wide with fear. From what Ben could see, Sasha was watching...a horror movie?! Ben threw down his clown mask and walked into the living room. "Sasha?"
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Sasha screeched with ear-splitting horror. She curled herself within her blanket. "GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!" she wailed.
'What am I doing?' Ben thought. 'I shouldn't try to scare Sasha. She's got enough problems.'
Ben cleared his throat and sat beside Sasha. "Sash, it's me."
Sasha poked her head out of the covers. "Oh! Ben! Sorry..." She picked up he remote control and turned the T.V. off.
"Why are you watching a horror movie?" asked Ben.
Sasha sighed. "I was trying to toughen myself up by watching a scary movie. Because, well, I'm not brave and cool like you and the rest of the aliens."
Ben shook his head. "No, I'm scared of some things too. Like-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Ben screamed when he saw his clown mask floating in mid-air. He kept screaming as he held onto Sasha, who hardly flinched. She just stared blankly at the floating mask.
Ghostfreak suddenly became visible. He was the one holding the mask. "Guys, what's with this cockamamie thing I found on the floor?" he asked.
Sasha reached out and took the mask. "I don't know. But it's pretty cool." She smiled as she got a better look at it. "Nice attention to detail." Sasha noticed something else. "Well, whoever owns this forgot to take off the price tag."
Ben said nothing.
Ghostfreak took back the mask and tore the tag off. "Finders keepers. It's mine now!"
"What are you going to do with that mask?" Ben asked nervously.
The alien ghost shrugged. "What else? Scare people with it!" He promply put on the mask. "If anyone needs me, I'll be on the wrong side of town!" He cackled as he flew away.
All Ben could do was sit back and sigh. "Well, one man's trash is another's man's scare tactic."
"You want to watch a movie?" asked Sasha. "Maybe a cartoon?"
Ben smiled. "I've got nothing else on my schedule."
As Sasha selected a movie, Ben couldn't help but feel good. Because this was a very rare outcome where he was actually happy to admit defeat and learn from his mistake. Despite being easily spooked, Sasha was not scared of clowns, so she was capable of being brave. Ben didn't have to prove anything by scaring Sasha. And best of all, Ben will never have to see that horrid clown mask ever again.
"Wow! That's some story!" said Phantom as Sasha came in with cups of apple cider.
"What I don't understand is why humans think clowns are scary!" said Phanty. "It just doesn't make sense."
"I think it has something to do with that fear of a creature that looks human, but not quite." Sasha theorized. She sat next to Ben and took a sip of cider.
Phantom scoffed. "Well, don't expect us to rely on such tawdry methods to frighten people. It's an insult to us real ghosts and real monsters."
Ben looked surprised. "Really? You don't plan on using clowns in your haunt routines?"
"Of course not, Ben. Any human can masquerade as a clown and terrify other humans. But haunting people the ghostly way is a challenge as well as an art form that must be kept alive." Phantom explained. "Metaphorically speaking, that is."
Ben just sat there with a thoughtful look. 'Whoa. Either Sasha put something extra in this cider. Or that statement made perfect sense to me...' he thought in amazement.