Chapter Twent-Two

22

~Ghost Stories~

The Thunder rolled...and the lightning striked-

followed by an endless count of crackling claps that came with a storm. Connar and her friends couped themselves in the cafeteria, entertaining themselves with a deck of cards and various ghost stories. Some of which Connar found more amusing than others.

"Hahahaha, dirty swamp water!?" she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Yeah...I guess you're right." Syrus sighed,"I suppose it was pretty lame..."

"Meh, not too bad." Jaden said," Mid level scares for a mid level card. Your turn Connie~!" he smirked.

Connar soon stopped laughing and gulped down a lump in her throat. She wasn't very comfortable in the art of ghost stories. Scary movies still gave her nightmares sometimes- and the thunder outside still scared her even now.

"Well...I guess them's the rules..." she sighed and drew a card from the deck.

"A level 3?" Syrus blinked,"Thank goodness you don't have to scare us too bad."

"Yeah, maybe in your story you can add a monster in the dirty swamp water." Chumley teased taking a playful hit on his room mate, Syrus who didn't take it too well.

"Haha well...I'm not sure about swamp monsters." Connar chuckled lightly, "But...I might have a story that could do the trick."

She closed her eyes in thought, taking in slow and deep breaths as she spoke.

"There once was a little girl, some time ago..." she began, "Who had the power to enforce a special bond with the spirits of her duelist's deck." she blinked,"However, she was a simple child, who had no idea that this was an ability she held." She chuckled, "As typical children do when they aren't entertained, she caused a little mayhem for her father and her uncle...and always ran away from her babysitter." she giggled, "She used to hide away in a friendly keeper's cardshop. He got so used to the child's company, that eventually even he started playing along with her whims and shooing her pursuiters away for an hour or so." she smiled leaning back in her chair,"The Shop keeper was kind to her, and played with her often. And when he wasn't busy, he would even give her lessons and teach her things about the game she loved so much."

"What game?" Syrus blinked curiously.

"Duel Monsters." she giggled.

"This story's pretty cute so far." Chumley chuckled, "But...aren't these supposed to be spooky stories?"

"I'm getting to that, Chumley, be patient!" she giggled. Jaden however remained silent, and held his gaze on the pink haired girl, listening intently.

"One day, as the shop keeper went off to gather a snack for the child before preparing for their next lesson, a distant siren's call whispered in her ear." she lowered her voice softly and leaned in close,"' Come to me' it said...'Can you hear me? Join me...in the spirit world~!' The voice was soft and gentle, beckoning the little girl with playful gestures and promises of treats and never ending fun and play~ but she knew not where it came from. She searched around the empty room, for the source of the distant call...until finally she felt a warmth in her hands as a light came from the deck she held, and the distant voice continued its whispers of sweet nothings. 'Okay'! said the little girl,'I'm coming now~!' suddenly the girl's consciousness fell hazy, her eyes dazed over in a blank escape and then...her body fell limp, and dropped to the cold, hard floor... she was comatose~...into a world unknown."

"A-And then what happened?" Chumley asked, trembling softly when she whispered.

"Y-yeah..." said Syrus,"Did she ever wake up again? Where did she go?"

"No one knows." Connar shrugged, "And...No one ever will~"

"Man..." Syrus huffed as he shook away the heeba jeebas,"That was creepy!"

Not bad, not bad!" Jaden chuckled, "Now it's my turn...I hope I get a high level!"

Much to his disappointment, Jaden only drew a level 1. The rest of the gang seemed rather relieved. Including Connar.

"Ah well..." he sighed softly," I think I have just the story to do the trick." he blinked. Everyone gathered close as Jaden went back to a memory of hearing the voices of spirits from his cards.

I see...

Connar thought to herself as she listened to his story.

So he...was just like me...

"The crazy thing is..." Jaden stated softly as he finished his story and sent a sideways glance in Connar's direction, "Lately...I've started hearing them again..."

Connar gasped softly as she caught that Jaden was hinting his message to her and blushed shyly when he gave her a wink.

"And what's going on here, children?" The headmaster Professor Banner chimed in on the spook fest.

"Just entertaining ourselves with a little doom and gloom to match the weather." Connar giggled.

"HaHa, so I see." he chuckled warmly softly stroking the cat in his arms.

"Would you like to give it a try, Professor?" asked Syrus,"The higher the level monster you draw, the scarier your story has to be!"

"HaHaHa, well...why not?" he grinned placing Pharaoh gently down on his paws before taking a card from the deck.

"Woah, that's a level 10 monster!" said Jaden

"O-On second thought, you know what?" said Chumley, "I think I'm just gonna go to bed!"

"Y-Yeah, good idea!" said Syrus.

"Awww what's the matter children?" Professor Banner chuckled, "Don't you want to know about the abandoned dorm?'

"Abandoned Dorm?" The four students blinked and exchanged glances with each other.

"Yes, that's right." said Professor Banner, "For on the far side of the island stands a lone dorm, abandoned and no longer used...said to be the cause of missing students."

They all four twitched and shivered slightly at the thought.

"Yes...I suppose it is best to stay away from that place." he chuckled, "Come now children, it is getting late. Best you head off to bed" as the head master walked out, the four friends stayed behind a while longer.

"Wow...an abandoned dorm." Jaden snickered, "Sounds sweet~ I think we should check it out!"

"What!?" Syrus sighed, "Have you no respect for authority? The head master told us to stay away from there!"

"Well, if you're scared, Sy...you can stay here if you want."

"I-it's not that I'm scared!"

"Yeah, careful you don't drown in your dity swamp water~" Chumley teased, though, he was trembling during that story Syrus told.

"Says the guy who's too afraid to take a shower!" Syrus stated back.

"Well...you'll go with me, won't you Connie?" Jaden blinked playfully nudging his pink haired friend.

"Wh-What!? Me!?" She groaned unappeasingly.

But then...He did come with me to the well...

She thought to herself and sighed.

I suppose I owe him one...

"See that!?" Jaden beamed,"If the girl's going you gotta step up now!" he teased.

"Thanks a lot Connie..." Syrus mumbled, "You traitor..."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you do better against him..." she muttered and let out a sigh.

"Then it's settled!" laughed Jaden,"We set out tomorrow night!"

Connar sighed in defeat as she rested her cheek in her hand.

It's just some old building, right?

She thought to herself.

How bad can it be?

Surely no students really disappeared...right?

To Be Continued...