Merrill ran off chasing whatever he spotted. I chased after him along with April and Mike, but my friend ran so fast we lost sight of him. I frantically searched throughout the store. How could he move so fast? I shook my head. Obviously, it was thanks to his legs having the horsepower. The guy ran so fast we couldn't keep up.

"This is bad! This is really, REALLY bad!" Mikey shook, clutching his vacuum, "the Gumbus took Merrill! And he's coming back for Leo!"

"This is Merrill we're talking about", I said, doubtful, "he's just being an asshole, and I'm not being targeted!"

"…this doesn't make any sense…" April said, tapping her chin, "Merrill believes in the ghosts. Why did he vanish? Did the Gumbus got him? Is Leo's dark knight going to be sacrifice?"

I rolled my eyes. "Again. This is Merrill we're talking about. He's probably hiding around the corner ready to jump scare us. Well, he's not winning this bet!"

"Forget the bet what about us!" my little brother cried.

I sighed heavily as I walked backwards. "Mikey, I'll say this one last time: The Gumbus – or any ghosts – aren't real." My back collided against a wall. I rubbed behind me feeling hard abs underneath fabric. I jumped away. I looked up to see my emo friend. Merrill's top half blended in the shadows. "Merrill, there you are! See guys, what did I tell ya. Geez. Don't run out on us, man. It makes me wonder you like scaring us to death…" I stepped closer to my friend who kept standing there in the dark. "What's the matter? Turtle got your tongue?" he still said nothing. I waved my hand in Merrill's view. "Hello. New York to Goth Boy. Come in, Goth Boy." Something's not right. As much as he was used to the nickname, Merrill would've responded by now.

'…run…' I blinked at the sudden request. My eyes widened seeing Merrill lift a kitchen knife. I slowly stepped back with him following my path. His face came to full view. His eyes weren't blue… they were violet and red mix together.

"Merrill…?" he dashed at me swinging the knife. I barely dodged the swing. My back collided with a shelf. Merrill threw the knife. It hit next to my head. I felt a trickle of liquid sliding down my cheek. I touched it. I saw blood on my fingers. I looked back at my possessed friend. His eyes never left my figure. He had two more knives out. His focus was on my only. Alright, Merrill, you want to play? Let's play.

"April… I need you to take Mikey and finish that stack", I said, pulling the knife beside my head.

"What? Are you crazy?! You're gonna get killed! He beat you and your bros that first time! Remember."

"I know", I twirled the knife, "but he's focus on me. This will give you enough time to finish the deed."

"What are you going to do?" I heard my brother say.

"I'm gonna bring my friend back. Now go!" They ran off. I was alone with my possessed friend. "Merrill… I know you're in there… and I know you don't want to hurt me and likewise with me… so, let's put away the knives and talk like civilized people." The emo didn't respond. He dashed at me with raised knives. His left knife clashed against my knife. Followed by his right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Left. Right. Right. His movements were too quick for me to catch up. He managed to niche my left shoulder. The cut was shallow, but I could feel the blood seeping out. I barely parried the next strike. His speed was increasing. It was becoming a blur.

I played a risqué move. I gotten close to his space and disarmed one of his knives by twirling my wrist around his. Unfortunately, his other knife discarded my weapon; he kicked my plastron. I landed on my shell. He jumped on me with his raised knife. I held the arms back. It was getting harder to keep the knife away from my face. I stared into Merrill's red eyes. Come on, man, you're not gonna let a ghost beat you, right?

'I can't… can't control myself… get… away… he's in… my head…'

I'm not leaving you here!

'For my sake, Lee… please…'

I wanted to decline and say it's gonna be alright, but what is there to do? I don't know how to break this curse or possession or whatever he's in! I'm just a turtle!

My vision was clouded by a bright light.

My surrounding changed. I was in the same cherry blossom garden with the red bridge as before. I saw the man, Oroku, hunched over the rail clutching his head in pain. The woman, Misa, ran up to him in her ninja outfit.

"Roku! There you are! What happened back there? You had your opponent by the rope, yet you ran off. You would've won", she said.

"I couldn't beat him. Believe it or not, I'm not as strong as I look, Misa", he said, he still held his head.

"That is a load of bullshit! You were able to hold your ground against me and my brothers without a sweat and yet you were defeated by a mediocre swordsman? That's not the Roku I know."

The man let out a hollow laugh. "There's more to me than you know, Mi Mi." He hissed and groaned.

Misa noticed his struggle. "Roku…?"

"Get back!" he yelled, staying as far away from her as possible, "I don't want to hurt you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I can hear them. The whispers. Many whispers. Some good. Many bad. The bad voices want me to do their dark deeds. They wanted me to kill that swordsman. I almost obliged, but I ran. You're lucky. Lucky you don't to hear the shadows. Any moment now… I'll be the dark beast and prey on anyone and anything in my sight. Misa… stay as far away from me… if I lose control… I want you to end my life…"

Oroku was possessed… just like Merrill… was she willing to kill him?

The woman was silent, until "…how long have you kept this burden?"

"…a few days after I unlocked my ninpo…" Misa walked toward him. "What are you doing? I told you to stay away!"

"Shut up!" the man tightly closed his mouth. "I cannot believe you hid this from me! We were supposed to be friends!" she was close in his personal bubble. "As friends, we are to share our burdens to lift them off our shoulders."

"Misa… how can you hold my burden when it's too big for you to carry?" the woman simply stroked his hair and started to hum. It took a few minutes, but Roku was slowly calming down. "How…?"

"I'm not known as the clan medic for nothing. Not to mention, this isn't my first time calming negative emotions. Now, you listen to me. You are in charge. You control your power, not the other way around. Nothing controls your power but you, do I make myself clear?"

He smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

The vision faded back to Merrill's red eyes. I blinked. That was random, but it did give me something to work with.

"So… you're letting the Gumbus control you?" I taunted, "doesn't suit your style, Merry Bear."

'What the fuck are you doing?!'

Getting a reaction.

"You're pathetic letting a ghost tell you what to do. The Merrill I know does what he wants and say what he wants. Being an obedient dog isn't his thing. Then again, he does have these weird kinks even I don't know about…" I noticed his eyes switching color. Yes, he's gaining control. "I guess you're not as strong as I thought you were. It makes me wonder if you let your metal limbs do all the heavy lifting." He lifted a clenched fist. "You're pathetic! Weak! A poor excuse of a fighter!" Merrill's fists came crashing… across his own face! The impact got him off me and laid on the floor. I shot up. "Merrill!"

"…I'm good… I'm back… I'm just gonna… lie here for a few minutes…" I sighed in relief. Good. He's okay. I wanted to make sure he's okay, but I also wanted to check on Mike and April. "Go… I'll be fine…" I nodded and rushed to find them.

I was rushing past the canned foods when two shelves blocked my path. I turned around to see a giant ghost with a milk carton for a head and chains swirled around him.

It was the Gumbus.

"Nonbeliever", the ghost said, pointing his finger at me.

My anger erupting like a volcano. He was going to pay for possessing my dear friend; someone who I care about deeply.

I saw a broom next to me. I grabbed it before dashing to the ghost. The Gumbus threw chains at me. I evaded them. I dodged and leaped over every chain. My focus lied with the Gumbus. I leaped up. My broom hit his face. He was shocked to have smacked by a turtle let alone a broom.

He got angry and grabbed me.

The Gumbus pinned me down. I stared into his soulless eyes. I guess they were right… I was going to be a sacrifice… and there's nothing I can do… I thought I was doing something right…

…No! Not this time! I could feel a surge of energy in my arms. I pulled my arm back and punched the Gumbus so hard it slammed against the ceiling. I rolled away the moment it fell back down. I sat up to look at the damage I caused. I stared at my hands. First, I can heal. Now, I have super strength. What the hell is going on? I looked at the Gumbus. He was on the floor trying to stand. I noticed his movements weren't as flawless as it was before; he looked like he was… twitching?

"You motha fucka! I'm gonna kill you!" I looked over to see my friend back to his regular self. Anger was written in his face. No, it wasn't anger. He was furious. He was determined to create Hell. April and Mikey were behind him.

I immediately ran to him hugging him tight. "You're back! Mikey, you did it!"

"Whoa! Leo, what did you do?" April asked, amazed.

I looked back at the ghost and shrugged. "I punched a ghost. I'll scratch that off my bucket list."

Merrill gently shoved me aside. "That's great and all, but I want to snap this fucker's tiny legs like a twig!" he walked over to the injured ghost.

"Wait! Let me capture him first!" my brother insisted, "he needs to be purified before returning him to the afterlife." He was turning on the vacuum.

"That won't be necessary, Mike."

"Why?"

"Because Leo was right. The Gumbus isn't real."

"Uh, Goth Boy says what now!" April said, "but he's laying right there!"

"Before I was controlled, I did quick research on Jeremiah Gumbus. He ain't dead. He was in an accident after his legs were crushed by the delivery truck. He survived after that ordeal, unfortunately, his legs had to be amputated causing him to go on a medical leave. He did work here ten years ago."

So, the Gumbus was a real person. He's alive.

"Wait… you said you were controlled…" I stated, relaying what my friend told me.

"Yeah, he was possessed", April stated.

I shook my head. "No. Merrill would've said he was possessed, not controlled. He believes in the paranormal…"

"Keep going Lee you're on a roll", Merrill softly encouraged.

"…which means… someone… controlled your body." Realization hit me.

April and Mikey shared a glance. "I don't get it", Mikey said.

"It's simple, Mike", Merrill described, "Besides my prosthetics, I have wires entwined with my veins. My eyes are cameras linked to my brain. In other words, I'm like a walking computer with legs."

"Back up. You're saying someone hacked you?" April asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Let me show you who's behind this." He was already over the Gumbus and pulled the sheets to reveal a robot. He punched the robot's chest and tossed the chest plate aside. He pulled something else too. He was holding Stockboii by his shirt's collar.

Mikey gasped. "Stockboii! It was you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously, he's the on person we met in this supermarket.

"But why?" my girlfriend asked.

Stockboii clenched his tiny fists. "Why? WHY?! Because of people like you who don't subscribe and donate!" he yelled, pointing at us with an accusing finger, "I had to do it! My channel was failing as it is. And the hauntings are the trends."

Merrill snatched the boy's cell pone before dropping him. "And the icing on the cake is that he's been recording us this whole time."

"Ooo~ let me at him! I'm going to give this brat a good whoopin'!" April was ready to pounce on the small boy.

"He's not worth it, Apes", I told her, "And Merrill, don't even think about punching him."

"Aw, el hijo de puta deserves it", my best friend whined, "Fine. I'll just keep his phone instead. I don't want him thinking he can wirelessly control me like his damn puppet. I had enough of that in my life."

"No! You won't get away with this!" Stockboii cried, "You'll rue the day you mess with Baxter Stockboy!"

We all blinked at his name. "Wait, your name is Stockboy and you're a stockboy?" April said. Then, we all started to laugh at his name.

"Laugh it up, you jerks! I'll have my revenge!"

"Baxter! You're past curfew! Why are you here?" an adult woman said looking at the boy.

Stockboy looked at her in fear. "Oh no, it's my mom! You guys must help me!" he looked over at us, but we were already crawling up the ventilation shaft.

"Have fun being grounded, punk!" Merrill said, giving Baxter his middle finger. His arm circled around my waist.

"Upload your grounding on your next vid", I said, sticking out my tongue. We both climbed in the shaft. Baxter's mother's angry scolding was behind us. We managed to leave the supermarket. Merrill was walking to his parked bike. I followed behind him. "Some night, huh?" I said trying to start a conversation. Merrill didn't say a word. His helmet was in his hands as he stared at his reflection on the dark surface.

"So… who won?" April appeared between us with Mikey. I had my mouth opened, but Merrill cut me off.

"Lee won. He won fair and square." I was shocked to him say that. He admitted defeat. I felt discouraged and guilt. These were my friend's emotions. I wanted to say something to him, but he had his helmet on. "I'll call you as soon as I'm ready." He got on his bike and rode off.

Mikey and April were praising me on my victory.

My focus was on the fleeting motorcycle going smaller by the minute.

I laid my hand my chest, over my heart. His emotions were still raw.