12

No one spoke when he listened, and though the sounds he heard were muted, Winston recognized them as an unstable proton stream whipping back and forth. He waited, eyes large, holding his breath. Had he just been butt-dialed, or had Spengler meant to contact him? As he listened, he detected the tell-sign sound of the device losing power. Were they battling something so large or so numerous that it was actually draining their weapons so fast? The sound ceased and he yelled, "Egon! Egon!" uncertain if he could be heard or not.

"Z! Can't talk now. Big trouble! If you can hear me, we need you now!"

Swallowing, the large guy ended the call and leaped up, his laptop crashing to the floor. He looked at Amanda. "I've got to get to Egon!"

Darkness overcame him and he heard a cry of terror before blinding light surged at him. A silhouette eclipsed it, and just past its shoulder he could see Dr. Spengler cowering in astonishment, mouth agape. Amanda took two steps nearer the proton thrower and reached to turn it off. Egon's glasses fogged. He remained crouched, breathing hard, unable to believe what he had just seen. Uncertain his brain had fully processed what he'd just witnessed, Winston stepped closer and bent over her shoulder to say, "You called?"

"You were how did she get here did you see that, Winston?!"

"I don't know," said Z, turning to find they were on the lowest level of a fire escape. He rested his hands on the safety rail and looked out across layers of charred bodies and collapsing ones. "What's going on?"

"Re-animated corpses," Egon gasped, clawing his way along the bricks behind him until he could stand upright again. "I can't understand what just happened-"

"Me, either…but I can guess," Winston said, resting a hand on the teen's shoulder.

Corpses dropped like dominos, beginning within the alley and making their way outward. The girl shuddered.

"What is your hypothesis?"

"My what?"

"About what happened?" pressed the pale man polishing his glasses with a micro fiber cloth.

"Just now?"

"Just now."

"I was sitting in a chair back at the fire hall and then I was here. Wait…I think I actually said something like Egon needs me, or I've got to get to Egon. Did I use up one of my wishes?"

"I think it's only a wish if you mention the word wish or say it like a command."

Winston shook his head as he looked at the sleeves of the jumpsuit he now wore. "I had no idea this would get me here. Or, it did. It wasn't intentional."

"And?"

"And…I take it they're not here filming another Night Of The Living Dead movie?"

"But, the positronic stream…."

Winston looked at his co-worker worriedly. "Yeah. You almost baked her."

Egon said, "I was. I did. She was right in its path and it either had absolutely no effect on her…or she absorbed it."

"It probably had no effect," Winston decided.

"That would be the easiest explanation to swallow."

"Where's the rest of the party?"

Egon pointed. "Ray's over there and Peter's over there somewhere."

It was dark. Winston squinted. "Where?"

"Under piles of zombies."

"Zombies? Haitian or New Orleans style?"

Egon coughed as the bitter dry stench of charred flesh wafted their way. "Extra crispy."

From the distance they suddenly heard a slightly muffled, "I'm okay!" they both recognized as Raymond's voice.

"That's one," said Winston. "How do we get down from here?"

"We…jump…." Egon said, looking down at the remains he stood in. He lifted his gaze to the walls of the brick box canyon, turned to see the fire escape just above and behind them.

"Was that another wish?" Asked Z.

Egon rested a hand on the girl's shoulder. "We need to find Peter, make certain he's all right."

"GAH!" yelped Venkman, falling backward into a pile of rotting debris. "EEYAH!" he floundered a moment until he realized he was on solid ground and no one was attacking him. Rising unsteadily, he beat at his befouled jumpsuit in disgust. "Don't they ever clean this place?"

Winston laughed and even Egon chuckled with relief and delight. "Ray?" called Egon expectantly.

"Here!" called Stantz, picking his way into the mouth of the alley. "Jeeze, what a mess! Boy is Sanitation gonna be unhappy in the morning!"

Peter asked them "Where did you guys come from?"

"I didn't," said Egon. "You did."

"I did what?"

"And him, too," Spengler added, gesturing toward Winston.

"What?"

"Winston?" called Ray as he drew nearer. "When did you get here?"

"Literally like two seconds ago."

"A hundred and forty-three seconds ago," corrected Spengler.

Dr. Stantz looked down at the girl. "I bet…she's why they stopped attacking." His skin was covered with scrapes and filth, his uniform streaked and stained. "Do you hear that?"

Winston could hear distant sirens. "Police? Fire trucks?"

"All the shop alarms are off. C'mon, guys!" He hopped and kicked his way through the remains of former citizens, the other three following suit, unaware that their newest companion had levitated over the pileup and was floating along in their wake.

Out on the street they could see that streetlights were back on and storefronts were dark and quiet. The pretty light show overhead had vanished, and for the most part everything seemed back to normal. From the distance they heard occasional shouts that sounded like questions and some that sounded like replies. The air temperature returned to normal and stars could be seen glistening above them.

"Y'know, this isn't such a bad little place," mentioned Ray.

Peter staggered by, trying to kick free a length of something rotted that clung to his boot.

Spengler swept the area with his PKE meter. It conked out when it neared Amanda. He sighed. "I think she sucks energy."

"She what?" Pete asked.

"I think she attracts energy…like a black hole. Different kinds of energy."

"Spirit energy," whispered Ray.

"Black hole?" asked Pete.

"Do you think she can reach critical overload?" Winston queried.

Egon knelt to take hold of her arms and look her in the eye. "Do you store energy like a battery, or do you send it elsewhere like a portal?"

Peter asked, "What are you talking about, Egon?"

Spengler stood and powered up his proton pack. The others moved to stop him, but turned away at the last second when he struck her full-force with everything he had.

Amanda gazed down at the stream of rippling light and glowing energy, her face awash in vivid color. She calmly reached toward the beam with a forefinger and it seemed attracted to the digit, allowing her to trace designs in the air while Egon remained still. He finally powered it down and stood watching the teen turn around, seeking the light she'd been playing with.

"Ray?"

"Me?" asked Ray, stepping forward. "I've got nothing."

"Peter?"

"We're gonna be rich!"

Egon merely cut his eyes Winston's way and the man shrugged in return.