Chapter 7: Revisit

Tammy, Duckie, Sammy, Jay, and Dino went outside to get into Boozoo's station wagon as Boozoo himself started it up. "You travel a lot?" asked Sammy. "Not when I first bought this thing," Boozoo replied, "But now I do." He then exited the car as Paco and Ralph left the building themselves. After they left, Boozoo locked up the place with his keys.

"What do we do while you explore?" asked Paco. Jay then rolled down the window, "Go to the playground across the street. It might keep you and Ralph busy." Once Boozoo got back into his vehicle, he slowly drove out of the area. "Should be no longer than a half hour!" Tammy called.

Paco and Ralph then looked at the playground across the street, which was the same one Duckie, Tammy, and their friends had played at multiple times. They made their way towards it. "You really jumped out the 2nd floor window in an attempt to save me?" asked Ralph. "Yeah, and by luck, I somehow jumped on a wagon with a pumpkin that hit Mister Waterman in the head," replied Paco, "But don't forget, Jay was there too, she tried looking for something to stop him with."

Back in Boozoo's car, the 6 were on their way to the old Waterman home as the radio played. "Been some time since we last ran into each other," said Tammy, "What have we missed?" "Had to bail myself out since my son wasn't willing to this time," Boozoo replied, not sounding the most happy about it, "Because of that, I ended up losing my home. So for the past year I've been staying here in my old toy store. Of course though, my business had it's reputation ruined and I saw minimal customers. Fast forward a few weeks from today and I officially lost my license to sell. Bringing an end to my business I had built for years and now I am looking to leave Brighton!"

Tammy and Duckie knew the exact reason why. Boozoo had brought that all upon himself for his fierce temper in the past. It was only a matter of time until it'd get to the point of no return. They didn't mention it to Boozoo, but they knew deep down that his temper played a big role in his own downfall.

"And your son Boozoo Jr, how's he been doing?" asked Duckie, "We haven't seen him and The Showstoppers in 6, maybe 7 months now." "That's because he's on tour with them," replied Boozoo, "Besides, the last conversation we had wasn't the best..."

Flashback

Boozoo Jr was paying Boozoo Sr a visit at his toy store. "These damn kids have ruined my hopes of making my toy store into an everlasting legacy!" Boozoo stated, "Not once, but twice!" "But dad, weren't you the one who brought out a bulldozer to demolish a playground and put a kid in danger for profit?" asked Boozoo Jr. "That's not the point!" Boozoo Sr snapped, "The point is I get all this nonsensical rubbish for what? Mistakes I made?!" "Uhh, yes!" replied Boozoo Jr, "I don't you are aware of just how angry you get! First, you start getting angry to the point of where you lose your employees one by one. Second, some kids annoy you, so you let your anger get the best of you and then I have to bail you out. Third, you put a kid in danger with toys that should have been brought back to the manufacturer and then you find yourself being locked up a second time."

Boozoo Sr then looked at his son with an annoyed expression, "That was because MY son wouldn't bail me out! Then I had to bail myself out which cost me my home, cost me my store's products, and will likely cost me my own store when it's all said and done!" "Dad, I love you, but you put yourself in this spot," Boozoo Jr said, sounding really disappointed, "I don't know what changed you. Maybe when you and mom got a divorce after I graduated and moved out. Maybe a mistake I made by not giving you a helping hand in the company. Or maybe...nevermind."

Boozoo Jr is about to walk out, but his father stopped him. "Ebenezer wait," he said, getting up from the chair he sat in as he approached his son, "Take this." Boozoo Sr had a 20 dollar bill in his hand. Boozoo Jr saw it and then looked back at his father. "Money won't mend a father son relationship that hasn't been present in over 20 years," Boozoo Jr said, as he walked out the door. Boozoo Sr now looked angry, "Well I love you too!" Making a sarcastic remark.

End of flashback

"Uhh, interesting?" said Sammy. "That's quite a way to do everything in your power to not hold yourself accountable," Tammy said. "Just Ebenezer Boozoo Senior being himself," Duckie replied to Tammy, "We naturally expect it." "Ebenezer Boozoo Jr's words, not mine!" Boozoo replied harshly, "You can't believe every word my son says!" Boozoo's telling of it however proved otherwise.

"And we are here!" said Jay, pointing out the old Waterman home. "Here!" Dino added. The gang had just pulled into the residence. "So why did you want me in again?" asked Boozoo. "So in case Lorenzo and Rachel attack, they'll see you and likely not attack us," replied Sammy. They all got out of the car and looked at the old and neglected property. It looked just as creepy during the day time. Not helping was the foggy weather.

"We all stick together on this one," said Tammy, "We are not spliting up like last time." Duckie, Jay, Dino, Sammy, and Boozoo nodded to this as the front door was open. Everything looked much of the same. However, the pumpkin was missing this time. The atmosphere wasn't as bad as it was before, as it was a little brighter inside during the day.

"Good grief," said Boozoo, "I take it that the Nash-Lake house market didn't want to bring it back for sale." "With the reputation that couple had, I don't blame them," said Sammy. "Should've seen it at night," said Jay, "It was even scarier." "Scarier!" added Dino.

They all went upstairs to the guest bedroom and all searched around. "Just clowns, clowns, and more clowns," said Duckie, noticing all the clown stuff in the bedroom. "Had a feeling nothing of interest was going to be here," said Tammy.

As they all went downstairs again, the tv turned and the same old broadcast with Amazing Grace played. Tammy, Duckie, Jay, Dino, Sammy, and Boozoo took a peal through the doorway. Nobody was sitting in the chair and it seemed like the tv had turned on by itself. They then went over to turn it off and looked around. "Feels like old times," Boozoo said, with a bit of regret in his voice. Soon enough though, they left once again.

The gang checked the kitchen, but it was quick since there was very limited things that could be of interest. Boozoo opened the fridge and ended up coughing in disgust. There was a lot of expired food and drinks in there that had been sitting in the fridge for God knows how long.

They then went into the basement. The record was still playing that old song on repeat like it had been since the kids showed up the night before. The looked around in each of the rooms, but just like before, there was nothing. Only thing of interest was the picture in the 2nd room of the basement. The picture however was still too distorted to make out, so they didn't take it.

Finally, they went into the backyard. All the pumpkins were still there, but something was missing. The scarecrow with Detective Raglan's clothes and missing picture were now gone. "Huh?" said Tammy, "Where did it go?" "Where did what go?" asked Sammy. "Ralph saw a second scarecrow with Detective Raglan's clothes and missing picture on it," said Duckie, "But it's not here now." "They must've known we were coming back," said Jay. "Back!" added Dino.

Suddenly, they all hear a child laugh and see the same child Ralph had seen through the pumpkin patches, before it faded away like before. "What?!" exclaimed Boozoo, now breathing frantically, "What does this mean?!" He was already nervous from the start, but now he was terrified. Even Sammy looked freaked out by this. The situation had clearly made everyone's blood run cold. Despite this, Tammy was still determined to explore around in an attempt to find something. She then looked at the shed that hadn't been explored yet.

"We haven't checked in that shed yet," Tammy said, as she and the gang carefully stepped through the pumpkin patch. One of them being the same one Ralph had got his foot caught in. "You think there's spirits back here?" asked Sammy. "I sure hope not!" Boozoo replied, "That is the last thing I need to see!" "For once I can agree with you on something," said Duckie.

The 6 made it to the shed door. Tammy took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing." She then opens the door and everyone gets a whiff something awful smelling. It's bad enough that everyone coughed and maybe even gagged over it. Everyone had to cover their noses due to how bad the smell had gotten. "Smells like a sewer in there!" said Duckie. "What the hell is in there?!" Boozoo exclaimed. Tammy looked inside, but there was nothing but tools and gardening stuff. "Just tools and what you would need to make a garden," said Tammy, "Lots of pumpkin seeds."

Everyone went in, still covering their noses. However, much like every other spot they searched in, there was nothing of interest. However, something was undoubtedly in the shed prior to their arrival. Nobody knew what it could've been, but stunk to high hell. Inevitably, they left the shed, shutting the door and finally unblocking their noses. "Finally, I can breathe again!" said Duckie. "Tell me about it," added Tammy. "Worst smell ever!" said Jay. "Ever!" added Dino.

The group then hear laugher again, this time coming from within the woods beyond the backyard. Instead of just one kid laughing, it sounded like multiple. "I am not liking this anymore," Sammy admitted. "Perhaps we should leave," Boozoo suggested. Suddenly, Tammy ran towards where the laughter was coming from. "Hey! Where are you going?" asked Duckie as he and the others followed Tammy.

Tammy, with the others following her from behind, followed the sound. This went on for about a full minute until Tammy made it to where the sound had come from. She stopped and so did the others as they all looked on at were the laughter had been coming from. What they had heard had been coming from a large number of kids playing a soccer game at a park that wasn't far from the old Waterman residence.

All 6 sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness," said Boozoo. "Just some kids playing a game," said Tammy. "But wait," said Duckie, "None of them look like the kid we saw back there." "Maybe it was a spirit we saw," said Sammy. "I think we've seen enough," said Jay, "Let's meet back up with our friends." "Friends!" said Dino.

To be continued in the next chapter...

(Chapter 7 published 2/1/25)