"Happy twenty-first birthday Melanie!"
"You guys I am not going to drink my first beer this early in the morning!" Melanie stated. "Besides you all know I have to pick up Danny for summer break with me."
"Yeah! A new member to torment!" Ryan exclaimed as he high-fived David.
"You guys be nice. You know the parentals are going through their divorce this summer and he's having a hard time. Remember this." Melanie said grabbing her hat and keys from her hook. "Besides I know you all secretly DO want him on the team one day." She said winking at her male co-workers and she left it at that.
As she walked over to her car she put on her hat and starting singing under her breath. She had almost made halfway to her car before Professor Grim came busting out of the door and making a mad dash towards her. Professor Grim was in charge of Ghost Geeks and assigned them investigations to go on and knowing him Melanie had a feeling he was about to give her one.
"Ah Melanie! Perfect timing! I have an investigation for you and Danny. It's not too far from where he lives. Ever heard of Thunder Mesa?" Professor Grim asked sliding his falling glasses up his nose.
"Ahhh sounds familiar Professor. But look I've got to hit the road now if I'm going to pick Danny up on time." Melanie said looking at her watch.
"Just take this packet, don't worry it has the directions to Thunder Mesa, and get Danny and go. Good-bye Melanie." Professor Grim said turning a sharp heel and started walking back towards the building.
"Weird, weirder than he normally is. Hey wait-! Professor! You never say-"Melanie glanced up only to find the old man gone back inside. "Goodbye? What the hell?" Melanie grumbled as she got into the driver's side of her car. She revved it to life and then was on her way.
The roads of Arizona are dusty and dry, especially if you're driving in the desert area, which is where Melanie was currently traveling. She had the AC blasting on cold and her favorite rock-n-roll music on high. It was only a forty-five minute drive to Golden County. Besides having to pass a little old man driving with a hat the trip there wasn't that bad. She pulled up to her brother Danny's school with ten minutes to spare. She eyeballed the manila envelope that lay on the passenger seat. She picked it up and opened it.
"Case File: The Phantom Manor? Why does this sound hauntingly familiar?" Melanie stated under her breath. "Ha, hauntingly, I have got to stop with the paranormal puns."
Case File: Phantom Manor
Location: Thunder Mesa, Boot Hill
Bio: Home of the once great Henry Ravenswood and wife Martha Ravenswood and their daughter Melanie Ravenswood. Henry Ravenswood struck big in Thunder Mesa when he discovered a gold mine. As the years continued though, the gold began to run dry and Henry was forced to mine deeper into Thunder Mountain, home of the Thunder Bird, a spirit that natives believe resides. As miners went deeper into the mountain the Thunder Bird became angry and brought about a terrible earthquake that killed hundreds of people, including Henry and Martha Ravenswood, found deceased together in each other's arms. Their daughter Melanie grieved as much as she could but she was in the process of getting married to her beloved fiancé, a train engineer who had wanted to take her away from the small mining town. Her father was against their marriage though, but since he was dead they could continue on with their lives as they wished. On the day of the wedding in the beautiful manor, an evil settled amongst the household. Melanie's groom went missing and though the search parties' results were fruitless and everyone declared the groom a runaway, Melanie never gave up hope. She waited in her white gown for her love to return to her. She wandered the house room to room singing softly, songs to entice her sweet lover back. People began to feel a strong negative energy take over the house hold. Many of the staff left Melanie and the dreadful manor except for a few faithful servants. Even though it's been over a hundred years people believe Melanie is still there.
A shiver went down Melanie's spine and she jumped at the tapping sound on her car window, it was Danny, her little brother. Danny was only twelve and he was short and skinny and wore wire rimmed glasses that hid his brilliant green eyes. His hair was a gentle light red and was spiked and messy. He wore khaki colored cargo pants and a white shirt with a Hawaiian button down shirt open. Over his shoulder was a backpack bulging with summer homework and books full of interesting information to keep Danny busy on his down time. He was a very intelligent kid for his age and his very favorite subject was the supernatural. Melanie unlocked the passenger side door and Danny dumped his bag on the floor of the car and buckled himself in.
"Hey Sis! Whatcha got there?" Danny asked pointed toward the packet of information Melanie was reading.
"Oh well, it's my new case." Melanie said still a little freaked out by the Melanie in her case file. What was going on? First the goodbye now this, Melanie Ravenswood?
"Oh please Sis? Can't I go?" Danny pleaded his glasses slightly fogging up from the outside heat to the cold inside of her car.
"Now Danny, You know-"
"Yeah, yeah. Mom and Dad doesn't like ghost and stuff. But please, I promise I won't tell!" Danny pleaded again.
Melanie had remembered what Professor Grim had said, "Grab Danny and go."
"Well Professor Grim did give me very strict instructions to bring you along." Melanie said teasingly. "But before we can go on this adventure we must succeed in another before it."
"No, please, anything but them. I don't need clothes! We can just go right now and never come back." Danny whined.
"Danny they aren't that bad. They're just going through a tough time." Melanie said as she revved up her car again and made her way to their parents' house.