20. Chapter 20
The ground trembled. In the light of the setting sun, vast trucks sped across the desert, hauling machinery that bucked across the rocky landscape. Zoe gulped at the sight of the drilling machines, their large bodies and spindly metallic legs giving them the appearance of a horde of spiders, while the raucous voices of the workmen drifted through the air. It was as if the entirety of Chthonic Power Solutions had assembled, ready to wage war on the Underworld. And she knew she was too late to stop them.
“Wow, look at all these visitors!” Spooks cackled in delight, before he barked orders at the other specters. “Take your places everybody! This is the moment we’ve been waiting for!”
At once, the ghosts scrambled into position. The Phantom Fiestadores launched into a merry rendition of music, while Spooks blew up a series of balloons, twisting and turning them into increasingly elaborate animal shapes. Zoe cursed, knowing that the hapless ghosts were celebrating nothing more than their impending doom. And she had to buy them some time.
“Spooks, wait!” Zoe’s heart hammered in her chest as the vehicles approached. “You need to head back inside. All of you!”
Spooks spluttered in surprise, until his balloon deflated with all the gusto of an elephant with a flatulence problem. “But why would we do that?”
“Because…” Zoe scratched her head as she tried to summon any kind of plausible answer. “Because…”
Spooks glanced from Zoe, to the rapidly approaching vehicles. His eyes narrowed shrewdly, before he drew a startled breath.
“Wait a minute…” He returned his gaze to Zoe, and folded his arms. “I see what’s going on here.”
Zoe gulped. “You… you do?”
“Of course!” Spooks drew a breath, and pointed an accusatory finger at Zoe. “You think we should throw a surprise party for our guests!”
Zoe glanced at the mischievous poltergeist in bewilderment. “I… what?”
“Oh, I do love a surprise party! What could be more fun than leaping out on an unsuspecting victim, screaming at the top of our lungs, and giving them the fright of their life?” Spooks merrily clapped his hands, before he turned to the group of ghosts. “Change of plans, everyone. We’ll hide until the fleshie gives us the order. Oh, this will be frightfully delightful!”
Without another word, he clicked his fingers, until the ghosts disappeared in a puff of blue smoke and she stood alone once more. Zoe glanced at the motel as Spooks and the others excitedly watched her through the windows. She gazed at Shadow’s eyes, his inner light sparkling within the darkness. And she knew that she had to save him.
The crunch of tires against snow filled the air, until the trucks thundered over the bridge and entered the Underworld. Zoe braced herself as a cloud of dust engulfed her, until she caught nightmarish glimpses of Chthonic Power Solutions’ army. She shuddered at the sight of the drills, their spider-like bodies lined up beside each other, ready to spring into action. She choked on the acrid scent of the exhaust fumes that spilled out of the tank-sized trucks. And she felt her blood boil at the sneering smile that greeted her.
“Swindleton?“ Zoe looked in surprise as her colleague emerged from a sleek car. “What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Gravesend’s orders. Trust me, I wouldn’t be wasting my time in this dusty wasteland otherwise.” Swindleton scratched his head in confusion as he peered at the barren landscape. “Huh, this place feels oddly familiar. Have I been here before?”
Zoe gulped, and glanced at the frozen waters of the River Lethe, knowing it must have wiped Swindleton’s memory. But as Gus and the workmen clambered from their trucks, she shook her head, knowing she had to stop them.
“There’s been a mistake...”
”A mistake?“ Swindleton’s eyes narrowed menacingly. “What kind of mistake?”
“You were right all along, Swindleton.” Zoe tried to calm her racing heart as she spoke. “The readings were nothing more than a fluke. There’s no power here.”
Silence descended across the clearing. Swindleton’s eyes widened in disbelief, before he looked at Zoe in bewilderment.
“Are you really telling me we came all this way for nothing?” He broke into a sneering smile of delight. “Mr. Gravesend will have your head for this!”
As Swindleton’s laughter echoed through the Underworld, a wave of relief washed through Zoe.
“You’re right.” She glanced at Swindleton and the workmen, and smiled hopefully. “Perhaps it’s best you turn around, and forget all about this place.”
As the workmen grumbled amongst themselves, Swindleton returned his gaze to Zoe. A long silence fell between them, punctured only by the pounding of Zoe’s heartbeat, as he studied her like a predator to its prey. Her chest tightened as he glanced towards the motel, until his eyes narrowed.
“Is that so...” Swindleton spluttered as a gust of wind coated his pristine white shirt with desert dust, before he nodded to the workmen. “Very well. The sooner I can be out of this dump, the better. Besides, I want to see the look on Mr. Gravesend’s face when he hears of this. I expect it will be quite the show!”
With a final sneer, Swindleton gestured for the workmen to return to their trucks. Relief flooded through Zoe as the engines roared to life once more. A flicker of hope filled her heart, as she realized that, against all odds, her plan had worked. She’d saved the Underworld. And once Chthonic Power Solutions returned to the mortal world, she’d ensure they could never find their way back again.
A shrill trumpeting sound blasted through the air, followed by the joyful tunes of a mariachi band. Zoe drew a startled breath, and looked in horror as Spooks and the specters appeared before her in a puff of smoke.
“Hiya, fleshie!”
“Spooks?” Zoe lowered her voice to a furious whisper as the playful poltergeist approached. “I thought I told you to wait inside?”
“I know, I know, those are your rules. The trouble is, I’ve never been one to follow them!” Spooks cackled, before he studied the newcomers curiously. “Huh, these guys look positively fleshie. And what’s with the weird machines? Ooh, I wonder what happens if I press this button?”
Gus and the workmen yelped in surprise as a drill burst to life. They scrambled to fix it, oblivious to the meddling poltergeist nearby, while Misty peered at the crowd uncertainly.
“Who are these people, sugar? They’re not quite what I was expecting…”
Zoe lowered her voice, until she spoke in a hurried whisper to the specters.
“You have to leave. All of you.” She glanced at the workmen as they struggled to control Spooks’ tinkering to their machines. “These people aren’t who you think they are.”
“You can say that again! The first visitors we’ve had in years, and they’re fleshies!” Spooks blew a raspberry at the newcomers, before a playful gleam filled his eyes. “Well, how about we make ourselves more presentable for our guests? The Ecto-3000 might not be fully operational, but I’ve found another way to ensure no one can ignore us!”
Zoe gasped as the poltergeist summoned a giant vat of custard. “Spooks, no–”
An explosion of custard burst across the clearing, coating the specters from head to toe in its slime. A gasp rippled through the workmen as the group of ghosts appeared before them, while Swindleton yelped at the strange sight.
“What the…” Swindleton’s eyes widened at the sight of the custard-covered specters. “You just appeared from nowhere! And why are you all covered in goo?”
“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about, fleshie. I mean... fellow human.“ Spooks shot Zoe a wink, before he chuckled with delight. “Welcome to the Underworld!”
“The Underworld?“ Swindleton scratched his head in confusion. “I thought this place was deserted?”
“I’ll admit the visitors have been rather sparse for the last few decades, but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost our touch!” Misty approached the workmen, offering them a tray of muffins. “You boys must be hungry after such a long trip?”
As the workmen eagerly eyed the freshly-baked cakes, Swindleton looked at the group in suspicion. “Huh, we rarely get such a warm welcome…”
“But, of course we would welcome you! We don’t often get so many handsome visitors to our town.” Misty fanned herself as the workmen puffed out their chests in a show of bravado. “Now let’s get you settled in, and show you to your rooms.”
“Rooms? Zoe, you didn’t mention that the locals would be so accommodating…“ Swindleton glanced at Spooks as he attempted to begin a conga line with Cerberus, leaving a trail of custard on the ground. “Or so unusual...”
“You know each other?” Spooks glanced between the pair, before he drew an excited breath. “Oh, do you work together? Zoe’s told us all about it!”
“Is that so?” Swindleton glanced at Zoe suspiciously. “What exactly has she told you?”
“Oh, she’s told us how your company turns towns into gold mines.” Zoe’s stomach churned as Spooks babbled excitedly. “We’ve heard all about Paradise Heights, Serenity Meadows, and Whispering Pines. And we’ll be next!”
Zoe barely dared to breathe as Swindleton’s lips pursed, sensing something was amiss. “And you’re… happy about that?”
“You bet!” Spooks broke into a wide grin. “Finally, our motel will be filled with guests again. And we couldn’t have done it without her help!”
Swindleton’s eyes widened, before he let out a hoot of laughter.
“You think she’s here to help your town?“ Swindleton shook his head, before peals of his mocking laughter echoed across the barren town. “I must admit, I didn’t think you had it in you, Zoe.”
Zoe drew a shaky breath. “Swindleton, please...”
“You know, I could fill a library with the tall tales I’ve spun in this job. But I’ve never thought of this one.” Swindleton flashed his overly whitened teeth into a smile. “So, what was the story? Were you a tour guide? A hotelier? A…”
“A travel blogger!” Spooks cartwheeled across the ground, before he sprang onto the top of a nearby truck. “Someone who travels the road, and transforms each town she visits. Isn’t that right, Zoe?”
Zoe’s mouth turned dry as she glanced between Swindleton and the hapless specters. Before she could answer, Swindleton stepped closer, a wide grin etched into his face.
“Oh, we transform towns alright.” He glanced at the workmen knowingly. “Don’t we, boys?”
Tears bloomed in Zoe’s eyes as Gus and the workmen broke into a series of guffaws. She whispered pleadingly to Swindleton, her voice laced with desperation.
“Don’t, Swindleton.” She looked at him beseechingly. “Please.”
“Oh, I think it’s only fair that your friends see the truth for themselves.” Swindleton pulled a handful of files from his car, brandishing them like weapons. “You said you wanted to be the next Paradise Heights? The next Serenity Meadows? Well, perhaps you should take a closer look at them.”
With a sneer, he tossed the files towards Spooks. The playful poltergeist snatched them with ease, and eagerly flicked through their contents. But his smile faded as he was greeted with pictures of mines, of oil rigs, and smog-ridden power stations, until he scratched his head in confusion.
“Huh, these look a little different to what I expected.” Despite the poltergeist’s confusion, he drew an excited breath as he reached the final report. “Hey, there’s our town!”
Zoe’s stomach churned as she recognized her old report. She tried to snatch it from the poltergeist’s hands, but he climbed higher onto the truck, until he was out of reach.
“No, Spooks, don’t–”
“An abandoned motel occupies the current site, a dilapidated dump where no one living or dead would want to be seen... yadda yadda yadda... A prime location for drilling; certainly no one living would mourn its loss...” Spooks shook his head, until he turned to Zoe uncertainly. “Wait… I don’t understand.”
“I…” Zoe drew a shaky breath. “I can explain.”
“Why don’t I explain for you?” Swindleton paced before the specters, like a showman performing in a circus ring. “Zoe doesn’t breathe new life into towns. She destroys them.”
“Destroys them?“ Misty fanned herself frantically, and shook her head. “But she wouldn’t…”
“Perhaps it’s easier if I show you.” Swindleton clapped his hands and called to the workmen. “Boys?”
Gus guffawed, and unloaded the machines. With the press of a button, a drilling machine scuttled across the ground on its spider-like legs, until it quivered as it sensed nearby energy. Its long, spear-like drill whirred to life, before it punctured the earth in an explosion of rock and debris.
Spooks yelped at the sight, as the noise of the drill filled the air. “What is it doing?”
Beneath a thick layer of custard, Misty’s face paled. She watched as the machine absorbed the magical golden energy of the land, until it shimmered inside the tanks secured to its body.
“It’s feeding...” She cried in outrage at the sight, as the machine greedily gorged on the magic of the Underworld. “But why?”
Swindleton laughed coldly, enjoying every moment of the woman’s discomfort. “Well, we have to keep the lights on somehow.”
Misty drew a startled breath as she followed Swindleton’s gaze to the city beyond.
“The lights… you mean…“ Spooks’ lips trembled in realization. “You want to take some of our power?”
“Not some. We want to take all of your power.“ Swindleton sneered as he flicked through his files, purposefully lingering on the images of the barren wastelands they left behind. “You’ll be just like Paradise Heights, here. Once we’re finished, nothing will be left of your town. And it’s all thanks to Zoe, here.”
Misty’s tray of muffins clattered to the ground, while Spooks tumbled from his perch on the truck with a sharp yelp. As the merry tunes of the Phantom Fiestadores faded into a mournful melody, a lone figure approached silently from the shadows. Zoe’s chest tightened as Shadow prowled from the gloom, a thunderous look etched onto his face. Her mind tossed and turned as she tried to find a way to fix things. But one look at the hurt in Shadow’s eyes told her this was beyond saving.