Chapter 7

Fix it in Post

Spencer took a deep breath. "Get ready dude. What you're about to see might mess you up a little."

Billy was floating right behind him, holding the teen's shoulders and shaking in fear. "H-Hey I'm cool Bronado. Ahaha…" The ghost laughed nervously, still trembling.

"All right, here we go." Spencer slowly pushed open the door to his parents' room. The first thing that got his attention was his mom, who appeared to be hurriedly stuffing one of the large suitcases that they'd brought in the move with clothes. His dad was lying on the bed, sucking his thumb and sniffling. Jessica was sitting silently on the bed next to him, patting her dad on the shoulder and trying to calm him down. This was the first time Spencer had seen her genuinely freaked out before.

"Spencer! Oh thank goodness you're okay!" Jane sighed, stuffing her hair stylist kit in the large suitcase. "We thought that awful ghost might of gotten you."

"Hey!" Billy frowned. "Hurtful."

"Uh yeah, about that." Spencer faked a nervous smile. "Do you remember when I said the house was haunted?"

"Yes and I'm sorry I didn't believe you before honey, but right now we have to get out of here!" Jane began jumping up and down on her suitcase—overstuffed with junk—trying to close it. "The ghost might come back any minute now."

Hugh let out a fearful whimper and began sucking his thumb faster.

"Listen, here's the thing. It wasn't actually a ghost that did all this."

"Huh? Ooph-" Jane finally got the case to close. "What do you mean it wasn't a ghost?"

"Well it wasn't a ghost per-say." Spencer held up his camera. "See, I was making a new movie about us moving in the mansion, but it was a total snooze-fest. So I thought I'd liven it up a little by putting some ghost action in it and making it a haunted house movie. And you guys made a great terrified family. I got some really good scream shots."

"You mean you did all that? For one of your stupid movies?" Jessica asked, losing all the fear that had made her go silent before.

"Sure did."

"But what about all that flying food?" Spencer's mom asked.

"Special effects." He quickly shrugged.

"What about that bowl that nearly took my noggin off?" Hugh asked before resuming his thumb sucking.

"Special effects."

"The table floating in the air and smashing to pieces?" Jessica asked.

"Super special effects." He smiled.

"Provided by the Cobra of course." Billy stretched his jacket in self-satisfaction.

Jane, Hugh, and Jessica all looked at each other. Spencer tried to maintain the innocent look on his face, prayed his empty headed family would buy his story.

Hugh, having snapped out of his crippling fear, got out of his thumb-sucking fetal position. "Well that figures. Kids today are always doing crazy things with their Photomarket and iBooks."

"I can't believe-Oh you are so gonna get it!" Jessica jumped from the bed and pounced toward Spencer.

"Jessica, please!" Jane grabbed the girl before she was able to land her flying aerial kick. "Hitting your brother won't solve anything. Even though he probably deserves it." The mother frowned at the teenager, who had ducked on the floor to avoid being kicked in the face.

Jessica turned around and crossed her arms. "Whatever. I knew it wasn't a ghost." She mumbled, trying to hide her embarrassment from being tricked. "And I wasn't scared either!"

"Uh yeah, m-me neither." Hugh quickly got up from the bed and wiped off his tear soaked, food-smothered shirt. "Hah, ghosts. I told you you were being ridiculous honey."

Jane frowned at him while Spencer and Billy both gave each other silent 'We got this' grins. "So we're all good then, right guys?" Spencer asked, smiling.

The three instantly shot the teen silent—but deathly angry—glares.

"Uh-" Spencer's smile was instantly wiped from his face.

"Hmph!" Jane angrily strutted past Spencer toward the door while making her 'cold shoulder' pout fully visible. Jessica followed behind her, shaking her fist at him threateningly.

Hugh began to leave after the two but stopped beside Spencer. "Spence you know we like to support your movie career, but how about a little warning next time, okay?" The dad then made his way out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Spencer and Billy alone together.

"Oooh, swing and a miss." Billy chuckled.

"Dude, get serious! What am I gonna do now?" Spencer sighed. The teen sat down on his parents' bed and rested his head in his hands.

"What do you mean? You're not moving anymore; mission accomplished dude." Billy laid back and put his feet up in the air.

"Yeah but now my family hates me."

"Aw they'll get over it. I ticked off people all the time when I was performing and they'd always come running back eventually."

"You don't think that may have had something to do with you being super rich and famous?" The teen asked rhetorically.

"Naw, it was probably just my natural charm." The ghost flew over to Spencer and examined the teenager. "Huh, doesn't look like you inherited any though."

"Funny." Spencer fell back on the bed and began trying to think aloud. "Okay think Spencer, think. What's it gonna take for them to forgive you…"

"Dudeski, isn't it obvious? We'll just hit 'em up with your little movie. Problem solved."

"What? Are you kidding? The last thing I'm gonna do is actually use any of that dinner disaster in a film. They'd never talk to me again."

"Ah but now you've got the Cobra as your Chief Brotographer." Billy stretched his arm and grabbed the camera lying beside Spencer. "Just follow my lead and your family'll be all hugs-and-marshmallows faster than it takes one of my songs to reach triple platinum."

"Sure, but what are we gonna- AHH! Hey!" Spencer hadn't even finished his question before Billy grabbed the teen's leg and lifted him into the air. The ghost began floating toward the exit, holding Spencer upside down by his left ankle. "Dude, the blood's rushing to my head! Are you gonna tell me what we're doing before I pass out?"

"Simple dude. We're gonna finish your ghost flick, and add some more super special effects—courtesy of the Cobra."

"I still don't see how that's gonna help." Spencer frowned and winced. Being upside down was beginning to make him feel woozy.

"That's because you lack the Cobra's vision Brostradamus." Billy held up Spencer's camera and set it to record. "Just make sure you have enough venom in you, 'cause we got a long night ahead of us."