11. Chapter 11
Zoe screwed up another sheet of paper, and tossed it into the trash. She glanced at the overflowing pile of paper balls that lay behind her, and groaned in defeat. That must have been her three-hundredth hare-brained idea to access the center of the maze. And yet, she was still at square one.
With a sinking heart, Zoe reflected on the crumpled ideas she’d rejected. There was her idea to tunnel underneath the maze, and drill her way to the center, like a mole. Then there was her idea to carve a path through the maze with a giant pair of hedge trimmers. Not to mention her idea of trampolining her way over the gate. She glanced outside the window, where Spooks merrily soared through the sky in a trail of blue smoke, before an idea formed. She eagerly wrote down her idea, only to shake her head in despair. Something told her she’d raise Shadow’s suspicion if she tried to skydive her way into the center.
“I don’t suppose you have any bright ideas?” She turned to the glowing light in the fish tank, who buzzed from its tank. “I’ll take that as a no.”
With a sigh of defeat, she scrunched the final idea into a paper ball and tossed it over her shoulder, only to hear a yelp of surprise.
“Ouch! Mind where you’re throwing that thing, fleshie!” Spooks rubbed his head, before he drifted from the floorboards. “That passed straight through my brain! At least, I’m fairly certain I still have a brain, despite what the master might say…”
“Sorry, Spooks. Work isn’t going as smoothly as I’d hoped, and right now, I’m on a bit of a deadline…” Zoe groaned as the Phantom Fiestadores’ music reached a crescendo outside. “And it would be a lot easier to concentrate if I didn’t have this racket outside my window. Do you have to do this every night?”
Zoe peered at the motel porch, where the mariachi band and the motel spirits gathered. The trumpets blared with an off-key zeal, the violins screeched like nails on a chalkboard, and the warbling cries of the singers were out of sync. And yet, despite the cacophony of terrible sounds, Misty danced with sheer abandon, practically swooning over the ghosts with every strum of their badly tuned guitarrón.
“I’m afraid the boys need their practice before the Spectral Soirée. Speaking of which…” Spooks turned to Zoe with an excited grin. “You will be coming, won’t you?”
“I don’t have time for parties, Spooks…”
“Oh, lighten up, fleshie!” Spooks’ head emerged through Zoe’s files, breaking her concentration. “Perhaps some time apart from that fleshie typewriter machine will do you some good. And this time, I won’t take no for an answer. All aboard the Spooks Express!”
“No, really, I…”
With a click of Spooks’ fingers, the windows burst open. Zoe yelped as the poltergeist took her hand, and pulled her through the window into the cool night air.
“Passengers are advised to strap themselves in for a bumpy landing!”
Zoe’s screams pierced through the night sky as she plummeted to the ground. She cried out in surprise as a pair of arms caught her, breaking her fall. As Spooks’ blue smoke faded, she drew a startled breath as a pair of dark eyes gazed into hers.
“Do you have a habit of falling to your death?”
“Only when scatter-brained poltergeists are involved.”
Shadow’s eyes gleamed in the starlight as he held Zoe in his arms. She glanced at the bulge in his biceps from carrying her weight, at the slight strain in his lithe muscles. But despite the sensation in her heart, when it came to the sensation of his touch, she could feel nothing. Not the feeling of his hands as he held her body. Not the sensation of his touch. Just a cold chill that swept across her skin like a winter’s breeze.
Zoe’s feet gratefully touched solid ground as Shadow lowered her to the floor, until she took in the surrounding sights. She watched Misty and Cerberus as they danced under the stars, until an obnoxious tooting pierced through the air as Spooks accompanied the Phantom Fiestadores’ wailing melodies with an out-of-time honking.
“I didn’t expect this would be your kind of scene.” Zoe watched as Misty swayed before the wailing mariachi band, before she returned her gaze to Shadow. “You don’t necessarily strike me as the partying type.”
“He’s not. Usually, the master is far too busy sulking in his room to join us.” Spooks appeared between the pair in a puff of blue smoke, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “But when he heard you might join us tonight, he couldn’t keep himself away.”
Shadow spluttered in surprise, before his eyes narrowed into a deadly scowl. “Spooks, that’s not–”
“Oh, there’s no point denying it.” Spooks chuckled merrily. “Who would have known matchmaking is so much fun?”
Zoe’s eyes widened. “Matchmaking?”
“That’s right! The Great Spooks strikes again! All it took was my mastermind planning, a few gentle words to sow the right seeds, and throwing the fleshie out of the window.” But Spooks’ laughter faded as he saw Shadow’s murderous scowl. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. This was all Misty’s idea. I’m just the messenger! Now quit your sulking and come join us. The main event is about to begin!”
Spooks sped away as fast as he could, leaving Zoe, Shadow, and a rather large elephant in the room sat between them. They glanced at each other awkwardly, both wanting to fill the uncomfortable silence that settled, but unable to find the words to say. As the sound of Spooks’ tooting filled the air, Shadow sighed in relief, and pointed to where the ghosts gathered.
“Spooks might be a meddling poltergeist, but he’s right about one thing.” Shadow glanced at the sky, where currents of wind whipped through the air. “You won’t want to miss this.”
Zoe followed him, grateful for the darkness of the night sky to hide her blushing cheeks. With each step, she glanced at Shadow self-consciously, while Spooks’ words lingered in her mind. Had the pestering poltergeist really been trying his hand at matchmaking? Her heart stirred at the thought, while her mind drifted back to the feeling of being in Shadow’s arms. But as her hand passed through his, with no more sensation than a cold breeze, she sighed and shook her head. They were from two very different worlds. Worlds that had no chance of being together.
“Looks like it’s about to begin! Look up at the sky, fleshie!”
Zoe was pulled from her thoughts as she followed the spirit’s gaze. The night sky came alive before her, with great gusts of desert winds carrying shimmering stardust that sparkled in magical hues. It was as if the heavens themselves had opened, and provided a glimpse of the wonders they contained.
“What is this?”
“It’s the main event, of course! Mortals call it the Northern Lights. But we know it for what it truly is… the Spectral Speedway!” Spooks grinned as he watched the powerful winds race through the sky. “A loop-de-looping, helter-skelter flight across the best sights of the Underworld. There’s nothing like it in the world!”
“So this is what you do every night? You race each other for sport?”
“It’s not just any race. The winner gets to be the King of the Underworld for an entire day!” Spooks floated upside-down before he fixed Shadow with a grin. “One of these days, I’ll beat you across the finish line. And when I do, finally I’ll get to set the rules! There’ll be jelly parties with the Titans in Tartarus, and mandatory custard showers for all!”
Shadow’s eyes narrowed. Something told Zoe that he didn’t share the poltergeist’s vision for jelly parties and… custard showers.
“It doesn’t matter how many times we race, or how many times you cheat. You’ll never beat me to the finish line, Spooks.”
“We’ll see about that. I have plenty of surprises left up my sleeves.” Spooks cackled, before he glanced at the currents of wind in the sky. “Speaking of which, we should take our places. The race is about to begin!”
Zoe watched as the ghosts assembled by the motel gates. Misty hitched up her voluminous skirts to aid her movement, while the Phantom Fiestadores mounted ghostly steeds and raucously cheered as they stood in line. Even Cerberus took his place alongside the line-up, scrambling up into the air until he floated beside the spirits. But despite the magic of the flying specters, Zoe sighed, knowing this was one part of the Underworld she couldn’t experience for herself.
“Hey, what are you doing standing down there, fleshie?”
“Not all of us can fly, remember?”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that. I have the perfect solution!” A mischievous smile flickered across Spooks’ lips as he drifted towards Shadow and Zoe. “A way for you to enter the race. Together.”
Zoe yelped as a pair of handcuffs appeared on her and Shadow’s wrists. With a click of Spooks’ fingers, they locked firmly into place, refusing to budge, no matter how much they struggled.
“Behold my new invention. The Spirit Shackles!” Spooks giggled with delight, despite Zoe’s look of horror. “Powerful enough to keep a Titan chained to Tartarus for eternity. There’s no way anyone will wiggle themselves free of their grip unless I say so!”
Shadow shot the poltergeist with a formidable scowl. “This is just another cheap trick of yours to win the race.”
“Me? Cheat? Never!“ Spooks let loose a peal of laughter, before taking his place on the starting line. “Besides, this could be the perfect date.”
“But my work!”
“You’ve worked hard enough! It’s time for you to see the fun in life, fleshie.” The chime of the motel clocks rang through the night sky, striking midnight. “Ooh, it looks like the witching hour is upon us. Which means the race is about to begin!”
As Spooks performed his best imitation of a revving engine, Shadow and Zoe turned to each other in horror. Shadow tried to yank his wrist free from the device, only to curse as the handcuffs became tighter.
“As King of the Underworld, I command you to release me!”
“Sorry, boss. If you want to be freed, then you’ll have to beat me, fair and square.” Spooks laughed joyfully once more as the chime of the clocks reverberated through the landscape. “Ready, set… see ya, losers!”
With an explosion of smoke, Spooks sped forwards and launched himself into the powerful currents of wind. The Phantom Fiestadores galloped after him, while Misty and Cerberus followed close behind, until the sky filled with the ghost’s cries of excitement. But despite the joyful scene before them, Shadow and Zoe turned to each other in abject horror.
Shadow glanced at the handcuffs, then back to the race. With a disgruntled curse, he launched himself forwards, only for Zoe to yelp in objection.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”
“I have to stop Spooks, before it’s too late.” Shadow’s eyes narrowed at Zoe. “Unless you think a custard shower is a good idea?”
“I… Well, quite honestly, I don’t even know what that is.” Zoe inspected the handcuffs once more. “There must be some way to open these.”
Shadow held her gaze solemnly. “There’s only one way.”
“But I can’t fly!”
“Luckily, I can.” Shadow held Zoe’s gaze pleadingly. “I swore I would defend the Underworld, Zoe. And that includes protecting it from meddling poltergeists. Please, I need your help.”
Zoe glanced back at the bedroom window, where the desk lamp illuminated her pile of work for the evening. But despite her brain pleading with her to keep her feet on solid ground, she returned her gaze to Shadow. Buried within the darkness of his eyes, a golden light gently flickered with hope. And as the sight of it stirred something deep within her heart, she realized she was powerless to fight against it.
“Fine.” Zoe glanced at the airborne racetrack uneasily. “But how does this even work?”
“Just take my hand. And hold on!”
Zoe drew a breath as she placed her hand within Shadow’s. Just like before, it sank into his, as if she held nothing but cold air. But as she focused on his presence, new sensations arose along her skin. The feeling of frozen air gently caressing her skin. The sensation of his cold touch spreading through her. The quickening of her heartbeat as she gazed into his dark eyes…
Zoe yelped as Shadow took flight. At once, they soared through the sky, riding the current of wind like a speedway. She gasped as they hurtled forwards at breath-taking speed, racing along the landscape until the motel disappeared in the distance. With every twist and turn, her stomach churned, while her mind begged her to return to the earth. But one glance at the determination in Shadow’s eyes told her that forfeiting the match wouldn’t be an option.
The wind tunnel veered sharply to the right, taking them into a nearby cactus field. Zoe drew a startled breath as the course became littered with needle-filled obstacles, and steeled herself for impact. But Shadow nimbly wove between the cacti with masterful precision, riding the winds like a slalom skier on the slopes, until they began to catch up with the other racers.
“Look out!”
Zoe watched as two of the Phantom Fiestadores sped into each other with a mighty crash. With a hearty cry, they tumbled headfirst into the cactus patch, until an explosion of needles filled the air. Zoe braced herself as she was showered with a splatter of cactus pulp, while the sombrero-wearing spirits furiously dueled each other with their instruments. But Shadow wasted no time and sped ahead, until the tempestuous toots of the trumpet and the chagrined chattering of the castanets faded into the distance.
“Well, I, for one, am glad to be clear of a needle-filled obstacle course.” Zoe sighed with relief as they approached a vast black lake, its still waters reflecting the silvery moonlight. But as a deep rumbling filled her ears, she drew an uneasy breath, and turned to Shadow. “Please tell me that was Cerberus’ stomach.”
“I’m afraid not. Hold on, Zoe, we’re about to hit the Bubbling Bog!”
Zoe yelped as the lake exploded into a plume of bubbling liquid. Despite her fear, Shadow’s grip remained strong, until he wove between the torrents of water with ease, gaining ground by the second.
“Not so fast, fleshie!” Zoe turned to see Spooks appear nearby in a puff of smoke, a slingshot clutched in his hands. “I think it’s time to make things a little more interesting.”
With a cackle, Spooks loaded the slingshot, and aimed it in their direction. As the twang of the weapon filled the air, a vast cobweb sailed towards them, its silky netting expanding to ensnare them in its grasp.
“Shadow, look out!”
Shadow dived through the air, narrowly avoiding the grasp of the spiderweb, until they sped along the surface of the water. Zoe’s heart pounded in her chest as Spooks pursued them, sending a maelstrom of cobwebs their way with a gleeful cackle. She watched as the poltergeist’s missiles struck one of the Phantom Fiestadores, wrapping him in silvery bindings, until he plummeted into the depths of the lake.
“We have to do something!”
“I have an idea.” Shadow watched the center of the lake as it started rumbling, like a volcano ready to blow. “But something tells me you’re not going to like it.”
Zoe’s eyes widened as realization dawned on her. “No, Shadow!”
“It’s the only way.” Shadow turned to her, golden sparks shimmering in the darkness of his eyes. “Do you trust me, Zoe?”
Zoe’s stomach churned as they sped towards the center of the lake. But she drew a breath to steel herself, before she nodded.
“I trust you.”
Shadow raced ahead, speeding past their competitors, until they approached the bubbling water. His muscles strained in exertion as he pressed onwards, speeding across the choppy lake as it prepared to blow. But one glance at the turbulent waters told Zoe they had mere seconds before they would be caught within the explosion.
“Hold on!”
Torrents of water erupted before them, forcing Shadow to weave between the vast plumes. With a final cry, he burst through a veil of water, until they reached the shores of the lake. Zoe glanced behind to see a gigantic explosion reach the heavens, blocking the path for their competitors, until Spooks’ cries of annoyance filled the air.
“You did it!”
“It’ll take more than Spooks’ cheap tricks to stop us.” Despite the danger, Shadow couldn’t help but break into a grin. “There’s just one more section of the course to go. Although I daresay you’re already familiar with the area.”
Zoe’s eyes widened as they flew from the cliff edge, and into a deep canyon. She shivered as the darkness below stirred, while mournful cries of the dead were carried to her ears.
“Tartarus.”
“The one and only.” Shadow pointed to a powerful tunnel of wind that shimmered with stardust. “We can ride those winds safely above the canyon, and loop back to the motel. Which means it should be smooth sailing from now–”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, master!”
Zoe gasped as a spiderweb sailed through the air. It struck Shadow, knocking him off balance, until they veered from the track and tumbled towards the chasm below. Shadow swore under his breath as he pulled the silky strands from his body, while Spooks’ cackles echoed across the canyon.
“Looks like this race will be mine after all!” Spooks giggled as he fired a maelstrom of missiles towards them, forcing Shadow to weave further from the track. “Finally, we’ll have jelly parties with the Titans!”
“The Titans are only interested in world domination, not jelly!” Shadow shouted in fury as he dodged the poltergeist’s projectiles. “And you are a cheat!”
Shadow soared through the valley, while Zoe studied the tunnels of wind, searching for a path that they could take. As their surroundings opened into a wider chasm, she spotted a vast vacuum of wind that tore through the valley, and led out into the horizon beyond.
“Over there! Where does that lead?”
“About three-thousand miles in the wrong direction…”
“Then it’s perfect!” Zoe smiled at the sight of the powerful vacuum of wind. “Take us closer!”
“Are you crazy? That wind was placed here by Boreas himself. Once you’re in its grasp, it’s a one-way ticket to the North Pole.”
“I have a plan.” Zoe turned to Shadow, and held his gaze. “Do you trust me?”
Despite Shadow’s doubts, a shimmer of golden light stirred within his eyes. With a sigh of resignation, he nodded.
“I trust you.”
Together they sped towards the powerful tunnel of wind, drifting lower into the valley, and away from the race course. As they descended, Spooks’ laughter reverberated across the rocky canyon walls.
“You won’t beat me like that, fleshie. You’re not even sticking to the track!”
“Oh, yeah?” Zoe called out to Spooks as he soared above them. “Well, perhaps we know a shortcut.”
“A shortcut? But that’s cheating!” Spooks’ eyes narrowed at the pair. “And I’m afraid there’s only room for one cheater in this town!”
With a cackle, Spooks dived through the air like a comet, racing Zoe and Shadow to the vast tunnel of wind. Zoe watched the poltergeist’s movements carefully, knowing that she would only get one shot to pull this off.
“So, are you going to let me in on your big idea?” Shadow whispered to Zoe as they raced through the canyon. “Or are you going to wait until we’re swept to the North Pole?”
“Spooks told me that there’s no greater threat to ghosts than a wind tunnel blowing in the wrong direction. Well, this might not be a vacuum cleaner, but it looks just as powerful.” Zoe braced herself as they approached the tunnel of wind, feeling its raw strength as they neared. She watched as Spooks descended towards it at top-speed, until he reached the threshold of the powerful winds. “Now!”
At once, Shadow came to a screeching stop, until they floated just inches away from the wind’s grasp. With a merry cry, Spooks shot past them, until he raced into the slipstream with a hearty cheer.
“Looks like I’ve beaten you to that shortcut, fleshie! You should know better than to try and cheat a cheater!” But Spooks’ smile faded as the powerful winds pulled him into their grasp. “No, this can’t be!”
The poltergeist battled against the wind’s clutches, like a tadpole swimming against the most powerful of tides. But no matter how hard he fought, nor how desperately he scrambled to free himself, the wind ensnared him with all the power of a vacuum-wielding Ghostbuster. With a furious shriek, Spooks was hurtled deep into the valley and into the horizon beyond, leaving nothing but a faint jingling of his bells behind.
“You…” Shadow turned to Zoe in surprise. “You did it!”
“We did it.“ But Zoe’s smile faded as the remaining competitors emerged on the horizon. “Now come on. We have a race to win!”
Together they sped across the canyon, riding the winds until they soared through the depths of Tartarus. Where once, Zoe’s screams had filled the valley, now it was filled with her joyful laughter, as she relished every twist and turn in their race to the finish line. She watched in wonder as the remaining ghosts pursued them across the sky, while the heavens above sparkled with stardust. But despite the magical sights that surrounded her, her gaze returned to Shadow. A golden light shimmered within his eyes, burning through the darkness that haunted him. A light that made her feel as if she could peer into his very soul…
“We did it!”
An explosion of stardust filled the air as the pair sped through the motel gates. The other ghosts followed closely behind, until the courtyard filled with the sounds of their celebrations. Cerberus barked excitedly, his tongue panting from the exertion, while Misty helped the Phantom Fiestadores pluck the barrage of needles from their sombreros. But despite the joviality, an icy wind blew through the courtyard, followed by the jingle of a jester’s bells.
“You… cheated!”
Zoe turned to see Spooks appear in a puff of blue smoke. Icicles clung to his jester’s hat, while his teeth chattered uncontrollably, sending his bells into a jingling frenzy. Despite his look of fury, Zoe met his gaze with a smile.
“Me? Cheat? Never!“ Zoe stifled a chuckle as the poltergeist’s eyes bulged with rage. “I hope you enjoyed your trip to the North Pole?”
“I was nearly eaten by a polar bear! And those penguins have no sense of humor at all.” Spooks shook a layer of snow from his hat, and sighed sadly. “It looks like my reign over the Underworld will have to wait for now. You’re still King of the Underworld, Shadow.”
With a click of Spooks’ fingers, the handcuffs burst open, releasing Zoe and Shadow. She watched in surprise as golden motes of light fluttered to Shadow’s brow, bathing him in their golden aura. Their light solidified into a magnificent crown, made from the frozen branches of the pomegranate tree, with red buds that glistened like rubies. As the Phantom Fiestadores launched into an upbeat song to celebrate, Shadow turned to Zoe with a smile.
“Thank you, Zoe. If it hadn’t been for you…” He glanced at Spooks as the poltergeist trumpeted along with the band, using nothing but his buttocks and a whoopee cushion. “Well, I dread to think what would have happened.”
“Perhaps we do make a good team, after all.” Zoe returned Shadow’s smile, until the pair held each other’s gaze. But as silence fell between them, she reluctantly glanced back at the illuminated desk in her bed chambers. “Well… I guess I should head back to work.”
“I guess…” The golden light faded in Shadow’s eyes, until he drew another breath. “Unless…”
Zoe turned to Shadow in surprise. He glanced at her nervously, before he spoke once more.
“The night’s still young, and the stars are shining bright tonight.” He looked towards the crooked tip of the Throne of the Underworld, bathed in the light of the moon. “We could take in the view together, if you like?”
Zoe drew a breath, transfixed by the inner light that sparkled in the depths of Shadow’s eyes. With a smile, she took his hand, and nodded.
“It’s a date.”