Lydia knew this was a con, but recited the poem with his name out of curiosity. She hoped whatever the result, it wouldn't led to the destruction of Winter Raven, but maybe if it came to it, just her own demise. The living room became surrounded in total darkness as Beetlejuice's devilish laugh echoed in the distance…then she just plummeted out of nowhere.
"AHHH !!…."
Falling through darkness…falling through an olive green filled sky, and yellowish clouds.
"AHHH !!…"
Falling until her pace slowed…she panted heavily, looking around, tying to catch her bearings, and noticed that she's still in mid-air but not falling, but floating.
Beetlejuice floated a few inches below, facing her. "Hi Lyds."
"Beetlejuice !…"
He covered her mouth. "If you say it two more times, I will disappear, and you will fall…" then held a grin. "and we don't want that."
Being afraid of heights, Lydia reached out to grab the chest of his trench coat. She pulled herself closer to him, and tightly closed her eyes.
Beetlejuice chuckled, then sighed lovingly "I like these close encounters."
Lydia dared to look as they flew. "I can't see anything, the clouds are so thick…" said in a panicked tone. "there could be buildings up here."
"Buildings ?…" He raised a brow. "at this height, no way…" then held a thought. "might see some airplanes though."
Her eyes widened. "Airplanes ?!" pulling herself closer to him "please get us down."
Beetlejuice used a voice of a female flight attendant. "Please buckle yourself in, you may experience some turbulence."
Lydia tighten her grip on his trench coat and shut her eyes.
He held her close as he soared through the skies…then they landed; but Lydia didn't notice, she remained tightly attached to his trench coat, with her eyes shut. He cleared his throat, gaining her attention, and continued to the voice of a female flight attendant. "Thanks for flying BJ air."
Lydia released herself from Beetlejuice's trench coat and looked around…the surrounding were grim, filled with an olive green mist. The houses were built in a abstract manner; some had a twisted construction, some looked incomplete, and some have normal construction of a normal house, but have the makings of a haunted house. Then she turned around to view the house behind Beetlejuice. It's a dark blue building with the word's 'BJ's Roadhouse' highlighted in florescent yellow letters.
"Like it ?" Beetlejuice asked.
She turned to him. "Where am I ?!"
He grinned with his arms held outward of pride. "Welcome to the land of the dead, the Netherworld."
Lydia showed a frown.
"What…whaat ?!"
She didn't say anything, just continued to frown.
"C'mon Lyds, you had a hard day…" waving her to follow him inside the house. "I'll fix you a snack or something."
Lydia inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly. She didn't know what to think, and her being at the mercy of this ghost was her fault, so there's nothing to say, and lord only knows what would happen if she said his name three times now. She sighed and followed him inside the Roadhouse.
Beetlejuice led her to a dim lit sitting area. "Make yourself comfy, I'll be back." and headed toward the kitchen.
Lydia looks around the room and noticed a fire place with different ornaments displayed on the mantel; two skulls, one on each corner of the mantel, has small dim lit glass balls held in their mouths, they appeared to be candle holders….then she looked over to the purple colored couch set, the throw pillows have a design that caught her interest, white laced design of a spider web….then looked to a dusty dark green recliner with cigarette burns all over it, and instantly knew it's Beetlejuice's chair. Then she noticed a cherry wood old fashioned radio and record player, and a book self; Lydia's love for story books drew her look at what sort of books were on the self, as she scanned through the titles, she heard a different voice yell from the kitchen.
"Beetle !"
Lydia couldn't see who it was, but knew it's a man speaking with a French accent.
"Beetle…" He yelled, then continued shouting in French.
She continued scanning the different book titles, then glanced over to see Beetlejuice standing in the sitting area doorway. He rolled his eyes as the other guy continued to yell, and gave her a can of soda; then as he turned around, heading back toward the kitchen, he yelled back, speaking in French.
Lydia turned from the bookshelf with widened shocked eyes, toward Beetlejuice's direction. "He can speak French ?" then looked at the soda can he gave her…it's a picture of a black bat with a cherry next to it. She opened the can and sniffed the contents…it's smells like normal soda; then took a small sip….it tasted normal, but couldn't quite tell; now taking the chance to drink it…"This taste just like cherry coke." holding a smile.
Beetlejuice and the other man continued arguing in French inside the kitchen. He came walked back to the sitting area.
"BJ…what's going on ?"
He frowned looking toward the door that leads to the hallway where the e kitchen is. "You sit tight so I can Bones his rent money…I'll be right back."
"But your name's on the house, why do you owe him rent ?"
Beetlejuice smiled, waving a casual hand. "Oh I put that sigh on there as a gag." then chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders "I just haven't removed it." and left the room.
She became nervous, but returned her attention to the bookshelf.
"Ooo la la…" called the French mans voice. "who is this ?"
She turned to gaze upon a tall man. He's extremely thin with melted burned fleshly skin…he looks almost like a skeleton. "AHHH !!" screaming in his face, fluttered her eyes, and fainted.
Fifteen minutes later…
Lydia found herself laying on a bed of silky ruby sheets and a plush purple cover. She rose up to look around the room….she spotted a silver chrome vanity with a ruby cushion stool, then looked over, and saw red and black feathered boa, draped across a sparkling red dress, and a pair of tap shoes on the floor. She walked over to examine the dress.
"Do you think I should wear black gloves or red gloves with the dress ?" asked a woman's voice from behind her.
Lydia turned around, gazing to the woman…she's short with a light green tint on her skin, long black hair, and a fully made face of make-up, but still normal; wearing a dress that's somewhat similar to Jessica Rabbit, only shorter, and tap shoes.
"The name's Ginger…what's yours ?"
She swallowed a lump in her throat and tried to answer, but couldn't.
"What's the matter…cat got your tongue ?"
She shook her head, then answered in a whisper. "I'm Lydia." and dared by curiosity to ask "Are you from New York ?" trying to identify Ginger's accent.
"I'm was from Brooklyn."
Lydia covered her mouth, remembering she's now in the land of the dead, and who she's talking to is now a dead person. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend…"
"Nah…" Ginger interrupted. "It happened back in the '20's'…it is, what it is." then smiled "What's a breather kid doin' down here ?"
She sighed heavily with a worried look.
Ginger knew by the look on her face that this had to be none other than… "Beetle." and left the room.
Lydia followed behind Ginger, going down the crooked hallway until she noticed a door with Beetlejuice's name posted on it. She went inside and there he was modeling in front of a cracked mirror, wearing his trademark black and white horizontal suit.
"BJ…" she called, gaining his attention. "I…I know why you took me here…" he raised a brow as she removed a small white paper bag from her dress pocket, and give it to him.
Beetlejuice smiled, holding the bag. "Oh boy…" lightly shaking the bag "you got me a present…" smiling in thought "I wonder what it could be…" shaking the bag more "sounds pret-ty small…" looking over to her with a playful grin "Is it candy ?"
Lydia looked away and sighed heavily…she knew what was in the bag, and would've normally thrown it away.
Beetlejuice saw Lydia's right hand move across her body the same way a catholic would before praying, formed a confused look, and looked inside the bag….chuckled, and closed the bag. "Lyds…"
She held a victimized look.
"Don't look at me like that…" He reached inside the bag, pulling out a condom. " I didn't bring you here for this…"
Lydia was taken aback. "But…but you're a pervert."
Beetlejuice held a devilish grin. "Yes I am…" then formed a serious look as he floated around the room. "I may whistle a wolf call…yes, say sexual innuendo's…yes, look up a dress or down a low cut blouse…yes, and I may even cop a feel…yes, but there's one thing I will never ever do….and that's force myself on a woman."
"You kissed Mrs. Maitland." She pointed out.
"Kissin's different."
Lydia held a skeptical frown.
"Look…you stay locked in the can for years on end, and see how you would act." then Beetlejuice gave her a hug. "I'm not going to hurt you." she looked into his eyes…they were the only thing about him that looked alive. "Trust me."
She returned his hug, breathing a sigh of relief.
"I figure you being here would be hitting a two birds with one stone kind of deal."
Lydia looked at him, showing a grin.
"You asked me a few months back to take you to the other side, and now…here you are."
Lydia was taken aback. "That's only one bird, what the other ?"
Beetlejuice grinned. 'Sharp kid.' he thought, and continued explaining. "I would like you to actually see why I think you understand me." then draped his arm over her shoulders. By you seeing my would, as I see yours, we can get to know each other a little more, become closer, and get to be real pals…know what I'm sayin ?"
Lydia nodded.
He escorted Lydia toward his bedroom window.
She gazed upon the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.
"Those are the twin moons of the Netherworld."
Lydia sighed lovingly. "It's beautiful."
Then Beetlejuice pointed toward a door distance…a door that stood alone with no walls, no boarder, just nothing. "That's your ticket home." and gazed at all four of his wrist watches. "We better get going."
They walked to the door, and he opened it for her.
"Aren't you coming ?"
He shook his head. "I'll come back, but first…" forming a frown "I have this thing with Juno."
Lydia sighed, then gave him a hug.
"When you step inside, it looks like a chamber…climb the steps, enter that door, and you'll arrive in your bedroom…if I'm right, you may notice it's your closet door…just close it, then re-open it, and it'll be a regular closet."
She smiled as she entered the door.
"Lyds…" he called gaining her attention. "Do you think you would ever come back ?"
She held his hand "I would…" then smirked in remembrance of how she arrived "but I wouldn't recommend BJ air."
Beetlejuice chuckled.
Lydia left, closing the door behind.
Stay tuned for chapter 7