div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: #2a2a2a;"
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"strongA/N:/strong I loved WolfjawsWriter's little animation on this topic so much, that I made a little fic about it! They have an account here and on Tumblr, so I highly recommend you go check them out! Anyways, enjoy!/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: center;"span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"-/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Lockwood and I were in the library. It had been a rather quiet night; Lockwood, George, and I had just returned from a job, a type-one in Richmond. Hardly took us three hours. Things had been rather difficult the past few weeks - at least in terms of jobs we got. Dull and tedious. I could tell from the way Lockwood fidgeted silently with the edges of his usual gossip magazines, sitting in his favorite armchair, that he was frustrated, impatient for a real challenge./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I let out a sigh, letting my head fall onto my own chair back. Despite the ease with which we had dealt with tonight's haunting, I'm tired, and could really use some hot tea right about now. Where is George with that tea, anyways...?/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Neither me, nor Lockwood were expecting the blood-curdling scream that shattered the silence. George! My stomach dropped to my feet, and I launched myself, nearly a quickly as Lockwood, from the chair. The two of us sprinted to the kitchen, where we heard another noise - a loud crash this time, and skidded to a halt./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""George?" Lockwood shouted, his face deathly pale./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I've never heard George scream like that. Not even faced with a specter, or a wraith, or one of those especially hairy spirits that he hates so much. What could have possibly scared him so badly...?/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"We hurdle into the kitchen to find George, crouched upon the countertop, a mug in hand and another one lying shattered on the floor./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Wha-?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"My confusion only intensified when a yelp, this time from Lockwood, interrupted me. As he stared at the floor, Lockwood's expression went from pure terror to... pure terror? I followed his gaze to a spot under the kitchen table, where a cockroach is lying still, beside a wooden leg./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh..." I grimaced, staring at the insect with revulsion. Then, from my spot in the doorway, slightly in front of Lockwood, I peered at George, whose eyes were wide behind his round glasses. "Is that it? Lockwood and I thought you'd died or something..."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Sure, it was gross, but it wasn't especially large nor was it scurrying about./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"George spluttered, mug still held threateningly above his head. "It surprised me!"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Sure..." I said dubiously, my gaze going back to the little bug. "It's tiny, though."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Do you want to take care of it, then?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I arched an eyebrow at George, then looked over my shoulder at Lockwood. To my surprise, his startled expression hadn't changed at all, either./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I take it you're not going to volunteer either?" I asked slowly./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Lockwood blinked, seeming to compose himself again, and flashed me one of his brightest smiles. "Oh, I wouldn't take this moment from you, Luce. I believe in you."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"With a groan, I rolled my eyes to the heavens. Of course he wasn't. Sending a sharp look to each of them in turn, I inched closer to the roach- only for it to scurry towards the cabinets between George and me. George shrieked again, and another smashing noise followed. Lockwood made an odd squawking noise, like a chicken being smothered with a blanket, and I stumbled backwards, catching myself on the table. The thing stopped between the doorway and where George was still perched miraculously./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"With a huff, I grumbled, "this is ridiculous." It was just a bug! Keeping an eye on the roach, I searched my immediate vicinity. On the table, jam jars, a few colored pens, a dirty plate, right next to a little bag of iron filings... and a murky, silver-glass ghost jar. From inside of it, an ugly, spectral face grinned out at me with amusement./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What are you looking at?" I snapped, almost forgetting about the other little problem still invading our house./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""The world's funniest sitcom,"/span the Skull replied brightly, span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""This episode is all about three idiots who are too scared to squash one little pest."/span/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I gritted my teeth, my eyes darting momentarily to make sure the roach still hadn't moved. No need. I would have heard it (Lockwood and George, more like it) if it had. "You're a pest. How about I squash you?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The Skull only cackled as I heard Lockwood dance/stumble/scramble away from wherever the cockroach had gone now./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Then, a thought occurred to me. I don't know why it did. Maybe it was my frustration at the Skull, or my lack of nearby, hefty objects. Either way, I seized the jar, ignoring the confused protests from the spirit trapped inside, and lunged forward, smashing it down directly on the bug, with a war cry that would have scared the pants off the bravest, burliest relic man./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Eyes wide, I tentatively lifted up the jar again, as the Skull glared at me vehemently. The roach twitched./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"George screamed. Lockwood screamed. I screamed, and brought the bottom of the jar down repeatedly on the seemingly undead insect./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Finally, my chest heaving, I set the ghost jar down right beside the pureed remains of the cockroach. The Skull made a violent retching noise. From the kitchen counter, George ventured, "is it dead?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Very dead," Lockwood replied, then added, "I can already see the death glow."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Yeah, you didn't exactly need a death glow to know the thing was dead. With a heavy sigh, I stared at the carnage on our kitchen floor; broken mugs, cockroach innards, and the usual dusty mess./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You're our hero, Lucy. Really," Lockwood said, practically beaming at me./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I wished we'd spent more time on the case./p
/div
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"strongA/N:/strong I loved WolfjawsWriter's little animation on this topic so much, that I made a little fic about it! They have an account here and on Tumblr, so I highly recommend you go check them out! Anyways, enjoy!/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: center;"span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', 'lucida sans unicode', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"-/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Lockwood and I were in the library. It had been a rather quiet night; Lockwood, George, and I had just returned from a job, a type-one in Richmond. Hardly took us three hours. Things had been rather difficult the past few weeks - at least in terms of jobs we got. Dull and tedious. I could tell from the way Lockwood fidgeted silently with the edges of his usual gossip magazines, sitting in his favorite armchair, that he was frustrated, impatient for a real challenge./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I let out a sigh, letting my head fall onto my own chair back. Despite the ease with which we had dealt with tonight's haunting, I'm tired, and could really use some hot tea right about now. Where is George with that tea, anyways...?/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Neither me, nor Lockwood were expecting the blood-curdling scream that shattered the silence. George! My stomach dropped to my feet, and I launched myself, nearly a quickly as Lockwood, from the chair. The two of us sprinted to the kitchen, where we heard another noise - a loud crash this time, and skidded to a halt./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""George?" Lockwood shouted, his face deathly pale./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I've never heard George scream like that. Not even faced with a specter, or a wraith, or one of those especially hairy spirits that he hates so much. What could have possibly scared him so badly...?/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"We hurdle into the kitchen to find George, crouched upon the countertop, a mug in hand and another one lying shattered on the floor./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Wha-?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"My confusion only intensified when a yelp, this time from Lockwood, interrupted me. As he stared at the floor, Lockwood's expression went from pure terror to... pure terror? I followed his gaze to a spot under the kitchen table, where a cockroach is lying still, beside a wooden leg./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Oh..." I grimaced, staring at the insect with revulsion. Then, from my spot in the doorway, slightly in front of Lockwood, I peered at George, whose eyes were wide behind his round glasses. "Is that it? Lockwood and I thought you'd died or something..."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Sure, it was gross, but it wasn't especially large nor was it scurrying about./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"George spluttered, mug still held threateningly above his head. "It surprised me!"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Sure..." I said dubiously, my gaze going back to the little bug. "It's tiny, though."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Do you want to take care of it, then?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I arched an eyebrow at George, then looked over my shoulder at Lockwood. To my surprise, his startled expression hadn't changed at all, either./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""I take it you're not going to volunteer either?" I asked slowly./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Lockwood blinked, seeming to compose himself again, and flashed me one of his brightest smiles. "Oh, I wouldn't take this moment from you, Luce. I believe in you."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"With a groan, I rolled my eyes to the heavens. Of course he wasn't. Sending a sharp look to each of them in turn, I inched closer to the roach- only for it to scurry towards the cabinets between George and me. George shrieked again, and another smashing noise followed. Lockwood made an odd squawking noise, like a chicken being smothered with a blanket, and I stumbled backwards, catching myself on the table. The thing stopped between the doorway and where George was still perched miraculously./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"With a huff, I grumbled, "this is ridiculous." It was just a bug! Keeping an eye on the roach, I searched my immediate vicinity. On the table, jam jars, a few colored pens, a dirty plate, right next to a little bag of iron filings... and a murky, silver-glass ghost jar. From inside of it, an ugly, spectral face grinned out at me with amusement./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""What are you looking at?" I snapped, almost forgetting about the other little problem still invading our house./p
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div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""The world's funniest sitcom,"/span the Skull replied brightly, span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""This episode is all about three idiots who are too scared to squash one little pest."/span/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I gritted my teeth, my eyes darting momentarily to make sure the roach still hadn't moved. No need. I would have heard it (Lockwood and George, more like it) if it had. "You're a pest. How about I squash you?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The Skull only cackled as I heard Lockwood dance/stumble/scramble away from wherever the cockroach had gone now./p
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div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Then, a thought occurred to me. I don't know why it did. Maybe it was my frustration at the Skull, or my lack of nearby, hefty objects. Either way, I seized the jar, ignoring the confused protests from the spirit trapped inside, and lunged forward, smashing it down directly on the bug, with a war cry that would have scared the pants off the bravest, burliest relic man./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Eyes wide, I tentatively lifted up the jar again, as the Skull glared at me vehemently. The roach twitched./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"George screamed. Lockwood screamed. I screamed, and brought the bottom of the jar down repeatedly on the seemingly undead insect./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Finally, my chest heaving, I set the ghost jar down right beside the pureed remains of the cockroach. The Skull made a violent retching noise. From the kitchen counter, George ventured, "is it dead?"/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Very dead," Lockwood replied, then added, "I can already see the death glow."/p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Yeah, you didn't exactly need a death glow to know the thing was dead. With a heavy sigh, I stared at the carnage on our kitchen floor; broken mugs, cockroach innards, and the usual dusty mess./p
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div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You're our hero, Lucy. Really," Lockwood said, practically beaming at me./p
/div
div class="k31gt" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"I wished we'd spent more time on the case./p
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