The Shade Riders and the Dreadful Ghosts (7 page)

“We don’t want to irritate the ghosts,”
someone in the back said.

"We need to have a psychic fair,” Brenda, the
bully, said. “It said so in the horoscopes, you know.”

Most of the students agreed. Some were
holding their stomachs and making painful looking faces.

Despite the way the ghosts were making her
feel, Nova stood up. "No, you guys, science is a good thing.
Besides, Benny is going to enter, and I support his
inventions."

All the students started talking back about
how the paranormal was a good thing too. Nova felt drowned out and
sat down. Why didn’t more people support science?

Brenda made fists like she was wringing
something out under her desk. Amanda gave Nova a scowl. How could
Amanda, her best friend when she first arrived at the school last
year, even consider liking Brenda, let alone follow her? The way
Amanda looked at her now made Nova feel awful and hurt even more.
She probably told Brenda everything that Nova had told her.

"Yes, some of you have worked very hard on a
science experiment of some sort already." Ms. Chilldress handed out
a paper on science fair experiment ideas. Behind the teacher, the
ghosts grabbed her desk and dragged it across the floor toward the
wall. Her chair crashed backward. Ms. Chilldress whipped around
with a pinched face and threatened the ghosts with a hard stare.
She turned back to face the class and strolled to the back, past
the bullies. Brenda looked around the room whistling, and Amanda
buried her face in one of her books.

Some of the kids wadded up their papers as
she handed them out.

Another loud crack. Three more ghosts
appeared wearing dark suits. They entered the classroom stood in
the back and stared at Ms. Chilldress. Nova bit her nails. How
could she get rid of the ghosts?

"Fine students,” Ms. Chilldress said, “you
think about it. And as for the rest of you…” She met the ghost’s
stare. “I'm standing firm on the science fair. Now let's have your
research papers.” Nova’s heart lifted. She had never seen anyone
heroic enough to confront the ghosts like that.

As the students came up one by one to read
their reports in the front of the class, Nova’s mind wandered to
possible names for her filly. Her eyes brightened as she came up
with the perfect name. Shade.

When Nova looked at the teacher's desk, still
shoved

against the wall, she just felt so mad. It
was awful the way the ghosts thought they could lord it over the
living. She grunted.

All of a sudden, one of the ghosts fell
backward and hit its head on the floor. Nova wasn’t sure if she
should laugh or not.

A loud Rrrrrrrriiiiiipppp like a sheet
tearing echoed off the walls. The ghost disappeared in a burst of
greenish vapor. The other ghosts looked worried. So did the
class.

Had she done that?

Nova tried to make the grunt from her mouth
again, but it didn’t sound right. Did she do it? Or was it just a
coincidence?

Ms. Chilldress laughed. “Class did you see
that? We lost one of the ghosts. Well, I’ll be.”

Some of the students were moving and shifting
in their seats. Others were watching the clock and whispering to
each other.

"Does anyone know why we are having the
problems we are having today?” Ms. Chilldress strode back and forth
in front of the class, a huge smile on her face.

"We need to know science! You could be a
millionaire if you invented a new gadget."

This didn’t seem to impress the class as much
as she hoped.

"Okay,” she said, “let’s have two more papers
then we will quit for today."

One of the papers was about ghosts, and the
other one was about witches.

When the bell rang, the Ms. Chilldress said,
"Write on a sheet of paper a list of projects that you could do for
the science fair. It’s due when I see you again next Friday. Choose
three ideas. Put them in order: one is your favorite, and three is
your least favorite."

Students moaned as they shuffled out the
door. Some reached into the wastebasket by the door to retrieve
their balled up sheet.

When the ghosts disappeared, Ms. Chilldress
laid her head on her desk.

Nova ran to her. “Should I get the
nurse?”

"That’s all right, Nova. I just wish the
ghosts would let me teach science."

After math class, Nova followed her
classmates to the auditorium to watch, “The Great Nocturnal Ned.”
The strong odor of disinfectant assaulted Nova’s nose. Nova crawled
up the bleachers and took a seat in the back against the cold brick
wall. The air around her throbbed with excited kids talking all at
once. Nova looked all over for Takeesha. Where was she? Nova saw
her come in from gym class, from another doorway on the far side of
the auditorium and take a bleacher seat. Nova hoped they could sit
together, but it wasn’t going to happen.

The room was so packed there didn’t seem to
be room for any more kids, but they kept coming. When Nova noticed
Takeesha looking around, she stood up and waved to get her
attention. It took a while, but they finally saw each other.
Takeesha waved back, and Nova could see her slump in her seat.
There was a good chance they wouldn’t be able to talk to Nocturnal
Ned before or after the show.

When everyone was seated and hushed,
Nocturnal Ned came out from behind the black curtains. From a
distance, he looked pretty impressive. He wore a sea-green velvet
tuxedo with lacy cuffs, puffy front, and dark green bow tie. Buster
Brown saddle shoes were polished on his feet.

He gave a long, flowing bow then quickly
rotated his hands in circles and pointed to various audience
members, closed his eyes, and breathed in deeply. Meanwhile any
girl he pointed to either screamed or fainted.

The audience applauded. When the clapping
died down he introduced himself. “Girls, boys, teachers, friends,
welcome to ‘The Great Nocturnal Ned Spirit Medium Show.’ The first
spiritual link I have is the name of Heidi or Helen or… In this
area up front here?” Ned gestured to about four seats in front of
Nova. Students there looked around, and some either raised and
lowered their shoulders or shook their heads. Ned turned away from
them.

“Never mind. In the spirit world, I’m seeing
a male person who died recently from the flu…”

Across the room, a teacher assistant raised
his hand. “My sister died from the flu.”

Ned turned quickly to face the young man.
“Did it happen suddenly?”

This was wonderful. Nova was glad she hadn’t
taken a sick day.

“Yes, our carriage broke down. We couldn’t
get her to see the doctor.”

“Was she older than you?” Ned leaned toward
the boy.

“No. Two years younger.”

“Ah, I thought not.”

Clash. Ned was the greatest. Nova also leaned
forward not wishing to miss anything.

“She is talking to me about…” Ned gestured
with his hands. “… her favorite teddy bear.”

“Yeah…” the boy said.

“She had one, right?”

“No, well…she was dating Teddy Snow.”

Well, sort of. Nova laughed quietly.

“She says she misses you and the family.”

The psychic turned. “I’m sensing a brown dog
in the audience. Anyone recently lose a brown dog?” Ned gestured
toward a bank of bleachers to his right. “Over here in this
area?”

“Yes, here.” A voice came from the opposite
direction in front of Nova on the bleachers.

Oops, wrong kid. Nova looked at Takeesha, who
was yawning.

“How did it die?” Ned asked.

“She fought a bear when my dad and I were
hunting,” the boy said.

“Well, guess what? She is visiting here
today.”

This brought a round of applause.

“Where?” the boy stood up.

“Over there.” Ned pointed. It was as simple
as that.

“Come here girl. Pwsssst.” The boy patted his
leg and sat down again.

The audience laughed.

“Here she comes. She is sitting next to
you.”

The fifth grader pretended to pet the dog on
his left side.

“No, the other side,” Nocturnal Ned said.

More giggling.

The boy put his hand on the other side and
started petting. His face turned red as he slumped frowning.

“Now, I’m sensing a woman who had an accident
with a pitch fork. Anyone?” He gestured to the whole audience.

“Over here.” A male teacher said.

Ned turned to the area. “What happened?”

“Well, she’s not dead yet.”

“No, I’m sensing someone had an accident in a
barn and crossed over.”

“My Grandpa had a heart attack right outside
the barn,” a teacher with a purple sweater said. She had been
standing against the far wall farthest from Ned.

“He died when you were very young,
right?”

She nodded.

“He says, ‘Don’t worry about the piggies.
They will be all right.’”

She wiped tears from her eyes.

Another hit. Yay for Ned.

“That’s all for my show today. Please pick up
a flyer when you leave. The flyer has a coupon for one free visit
as long as you bring an adult.”

He bowed, rotated his hands and pointed to
people, and strode into the curtain fumbling for a way out as girls
screamed and fainted. Finally, the applause died down.

All in All the show went very well. Nova
really wished she could be psychic. Nova stood up to stretch her
legs and amble off the bleachers and out of the auditorium, where
teachers were handing out the flyers.

After school, Nova, Takeesha, Benny, and Max
Kim met up in the hallway near Benny’s locker. “You guys,” Nova
said, “let’s go on a picnic tomorrow. It would just be the four of
us.”

“You mean like a date?” Benny sat in his
wheelchair next to Max Kim. “I don’t do dates.”

“I can come,” Max Kim said.

Benny hit him on the arm.

“No, maybe I’m busy,” he mumbled.

"You guys, come on,” Nova said. “We have to
do something about these ghosts.”

“We can use our brains,” Benny said, “but
what will you two do?”

Takeesha glared at him. “Shut up, Benny.”

Nova remembered the grunt she gave just
before the ghost disappeared.

“We’ll use our magick powers,” she said in a
spooky voice.

Takeesha nodded.

Benny handed Max Kim his books and papers to
be put into his book bag on the back of the wheelchair. “There’s no
such thing. I keep telling you.”

“Look, let’s just put our brains together,”
Nova said picking up a paper he dropped and handed it to Max Kim.
Benny grabbed it and threw it back into his locker, then slammed it
closed, but not before Nova saw a sign inside that said, “No girls
allowed.” She smiled.

“Can’t we do this over the phone?” Benny
said.

“It’s better if we meet somewhere.”

“Fine. I’m doing this under protest. Are we
meeting at noon? Benny asked.

“Yes, bring some food to share. I live at
N5643 Hwy PW,” Nova said.

Saturday in Bardsville
started out foggy, but by noon the clouds had retreated back into
the sky. It became warm and humid late in the morning. Nova waited
on the living room couch for her friends to arrive. Scott was still
in bed, and Nova’s mom was at the vet's office until two.

Tucked under the tall oak and maple tree
branches, the century-old farmhouse was still cool, especially when
a nice breeze started to whistle through the window screens. Nova
felt cool and cozy at the same time.

She moved to the recliner to read the comics
and then her horoscope in the Saturday newspaper. Wilhelmina lay on
the floor in front of her, eating oatmeal with raisins and watching
her favorite show on Paranormal TV – the one about the animal
communicator who talked to dogs.

Nova was a Leo. It read: You will be
vanquished in your power to heal people on this day when Saturn's
moons align. Take heed not to curse yourself, lest you commit
yourself to not helping those you love.

Nova thought about that. One time she had to
write a report about Saturn. She remembered the planet had...well,
quite a few moons. How could they all possibly line up?

Nova put down the paper. "It says here that I
have the power to heal, but that power will be shut off today.
Shall I read yours?"

"Naw, I'll read it later."

Nova threw the newspaper aside.

“How’d you get the TV channels to stop
flipping?"

"I don't know. They just did." Wilhelmina put
her bowl in the kitchen and watched from the pass-through. At the
end of the show, a commercial came on. A Magickal Wares store was
having a special sale on fairy dust.

"I ought to buy that dust,” Wilhelmina
said.

"Why do you need fairy dust?” Nova said.
“It's not good for anything."

"I'll find some use for it. Besides I like
the smell. See you later." Wilhelmina smiled in a dreamy way,
grabbed her hip pack, and her bike from the porch, and headed up
the driveway.

Wilhelmina was sure acting strange.

Nova chewed a fingernail and continued to
watch the TV as she waited for her friends to arrive. The time
seemed to crawl. Outside, someone honked their car horn over and
over in quick succession. Nova ran to the window. It was
Wilhelmina’s and Scott’s dad, waiting for them to go to a rock
concert with him. She wished she could go, too, but their father
never liked her, and she didn’t know why. It wasn’t Nova’s fault
her mother had an affair.

Nova ran to the stairs and yelled: “Scott,
your dad is here.”

“Okay, tell him I’ll be down in a
minute.”

“He’s not coming in the house this time.
Also, you’d better hurry, Wilhelmina ran to town to get some fairy
dust.”

Something crashed upstairs. “Fine.” Scott
stumbled down, grabbed a banana, and ran out the door. Nova watched
through the window as he jumped into the car and slammed the door.
The car’s wheels spun out in the gravel driveway, shooting rocks
behind it. Nova watched them speed away.