Chapter 9
Bragging Rights and Wrong Turns
The pranksters found a quiet spot near the edge of the grove and collapsed in a drunken heap, still giddy from their adventure. The euphoria of their corporeal experience was fading, but the memories remained vivid and intoxicating.
"Well, that was magnificent," Finn declared, floating slightly sideways.
A nearby ghost in a very appealing floral dress looked over curiously. "Oh, hello there! I don't think we've met. I'm Prudence Whitmore. Have you just arrived? I don't remember you from Madame Grimm's proper introduction role plays."
The trio exchanged glances, suddenly worried they'd been caught playing hooky. Their absence during the formal proceedings might have been more noticeable than they'd hoped.
"Oh, we've been... around," Chet said carefully.
"Having adventures!" Beau added, then immediately looked like he regretted saying anything.
"What kind of adventures?" Prudence asked with growing interest.
Her curiosity was infectious, and despite their better judgment, the three friends found themselves eager to share their remarkable experience.
"Well," Finn began, then hiccupped, "there were these light circles, you see..."
"Magic express transportation!" Chet interrupted.
"And real beer!" Beau chimed in. "Actual, tasteable beer!"
"You could taste things?" Prudence raised a grey eyebrow, fascinated.
The concept seemed impossible to most spirits, who had accepted the loss of physical sensation as an inevitable part of death. The idea that such experiences might be recoverable was revolutionary.
"Oh yes," Finn nodded enthusiastically. "And we did some decorating for fall... rearranged the whole town, really..."
"Made it look like a yard sale," Chet giggled.
"With toilet paper streamers," Beau added proudly.
"But how did you do all of that?” Prudence pressed.
"Draught vapor!" all three said at once, then dissolved into drunken laughter.
"From the icehouse—" Finn started.
"Where Murphy keeps his special potions—" Chet continued.
"And we just breathed it in and POOF!" Beau finished with jazz hands.
Their increasingly animated conversation was drawing attention from other nearby spirits, including one particularly well-dressed ghost who had been chatting with a small group about books. The elegant figure excused himself from his literary discussion and glided over with obvious interest.
"Gentlemen! What a fascinating story you're telling. Did I hear something about transportation and taste?” Cornelius flashed a wide smile.
"Oh yes!" Finn said, clearly delighted to have such an elegant audience. "Circle of light, whoosh, right into town!"
"And then back again when we needed to get home," Chet added.
"Like a magical taxi service," Beau declared.
Cornelius's expression grew even more interested. "How remarkable! And this... transportation... it's reliable?"
"Seemed to work twice," Finn shrugged.
"Convenient timing too," Chet observed. "Appeared just when we needed it."
"Gentlemen," Cornelius said, a slight laughter in his words, "you are clearly spirits of adventure and imagination! I declare you my new best friends! What wonderful material this would make for a story..."
The trio beamed at this unexpected approval from such a distinguished fellow. Recognition from the celebrity author felt like validation of their evening's accomplishments.
"Though I must say," Cornelius continued thoughtfully, "it's such an extraordinary tale that I'd have to see it to believe it. Magical circles of light that transport ghosts between locations? Temporary solid form? It sounds almost too amazing to be true."
"Oh, it's true!" Finn insisted. "We can show you!"
"Can you indeed?" Cornelius's interest sharpened. "When might such a demonstration be possible?"
"Well," Finn said, puffing up with importance, "it's not just anyone who can make the circles appear, you understand."
"Oh no," Chet agreed, nodding sagely. "Takes a special touch. We've got the knack for it."
"The what?" Beau looked confused for a moment, then caught on. "Oh yes! The knack! Very rare ability."
"We're what you might call... circle whisperers," Finn declared with drunken authority. "Been doing it for years."
"Years?" Prudence asked skeptically.
"Well, tonight felt like years," Chet amended. "Time moves differently when you're talented."
"The lights respond to us specifically," Beau added, warming to the tale. "Something about our... spiritual frequencies."
"Exactly!" Finn snapped his fingers. "We just think really hard about where we want to go, and whoosh! Circle appears!"
"Perhaps you’d share your talents with us all?” Cornelius suggested smoothly. "I'd be absolutely fascinated to witness such... specialized talents firsthand."
"Oh, we could probably manage that," Finn said magnanimously. “Tomorrow night, of course.”
"Most generous," Cornelius murmured, then his expression brightened with sudden inspiration. “Buy why wait? Surely such talented individuals could provide a brief demonstration right now. Just a quick glimpse of these remarkable abilities?"
The trio exchanged panicked glances. In their inebriation, they'd painted themselves into a corner with their boasting.
"Well, you see..." Finn stammered, "it's not quite that simple..."
"There are rules," Chet added quickly, grasping for an explanation.
"Cosmic rules!" Beau chimed in, warming to the rescue. "Very strict about these things, the universe is."
"What kind of rules?" Cornelius pressed, his smile becoming slightly twisted.
"You can only do it once per... per day," Finn said, the words tumbling out. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be special, would it?"
"Exactly!" Chet nodded vigorously. "If you could just pop back and forth all the time, where's the magic in that?"
"The mystery would be ruined," Beau declared with drunken wisdom. "Like... like opening all your presents before Christmas. Takes all the wonder out of it."
"One manifestation per twenty-four-hour period," Finn said, sounding more confident as the lie solidified. "Universal law. Can't mess with that sort of thing."
Cornelius studied them for a moment, his calculating mind clearly trying to separate truth from fabrication. "How... inconvenient. But I suppose such powerful abilities must have their limitations."
"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," Beau said solemnly, then hiccupped.
Cornelius smiled with satisfaction. "Indeed. Well, gentlemen, tomorrow evening should prove most... educational. I shall eagerly await your demonstration."
As the celebrity author drifted away, along with every other ghost, the three friends sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their promises beginning to penetrate their drunken state.
"Lads," Finn said slowly, "did we just tell a complete stranger we could summon magical transportation circles on command?"
"Think so," Chet replied.
"And we can't actually do that, can we?" Beau questioned.
"Probably not." Finn admitted. “But you never know. Guess we’ll have to try.”
They looked at each other with a shrug of satisfaction, and sauntered toward their tent.