Skeleton Beats the Clock

Chapter 8: Sweet Haunting

"I feel like I'm trapped in a pastry shop. It's a nightmare. At first, I was keen on the idea of three chefs being here to bake to their hearts content. But do they have to do it all night, too?" Kevyn said standing outside of the cafeteria with Pricilla, Andar, Shyko and a few other campers.

"It's like a concert of sweet smells. Who knew this sort of haunting from ghosts would be so entertaining," Shyko added with a broad smile. "I want a lesson in baking. It's got to be better than the routine I've been doing to get to sleep. It's making me seem OCD. But I'm not. I thought if I did everything precisely the same way at the same time I'd trick my brain into boredom and fall asleep and stay asleep and hopeful not sleepwalk for a change. I know I was betting too much on such a thing. But I was out of any good more helpful ideas. It's said, 'baking is good for the soul'. Might help with my parasomnia a bit," she shrugged one of her shoulders as she entered the cafeteria.

"The cafeteria is supposed to be locked up for the night," Andar said to the ghost chefs as he followed behind Shyko.

Mixing bowls with stirring spoons moved through the air like a spider building its web. The dual oven on, opening and closing. Aprons moving about in synchronization in the only way three chefs who've been in a kitchen with each other many times before, doing simultaneous baking projects could do. Flour, butter and other ingredients being added with strategy on a sixpence of air and space as if this were a show of marionettes on Broadway. Pots and pans brewing with confections all the while clattering, banging and clanging away with the baking utensils like a garbage band's debut.

"Can you teach me how to bake? Or do we start with baking etiquette first?" Shyko asked.

"Are you kidding?" Andar asked.

Shyko glanced over her shoulder at Andar. "No."

"They're baking all hours of the night with no regard for the rest of us."

"Stop making a fuss. They're not going to be here long. I want to learn something new."

Andar groaned and folded his arms.

"Hi, I'm Shyko," she said with a wave, but afterwards turning away sheepishly a bit embarrassed she was greeting thin air.

"I'm Benjamina Kafoshi," a young woman's voice said with a twirl of the spoon as if it were a wand and she was casting a spell.

"Selasi Herry. At your service, Miss," a young man said removing his chef's hat, taking Shyko by the hand and kissing it. Shyko shuddered even though the gentlemanly act was like a breeze or a butterfly touching her.

"Rosegf Stybbs. If you want to be a student of baking, you'd better start with the basics," another young man said getting a carton of eggs from the fridge, open the carton taking one egg and cracking it in such a way as if it were an art form to it.

"What's it like to be bakers in the afterlife?" Shyko asked.

"We get a bit restless. And baking helps. Without it the afterlife is pretty boring for us," Benjamina answered.

Pricilla whispered to Kevyn. "What do you say we go to the show and support Stevfan?"

"Sounds good." Kevyn gestured to Andar to come over. "Do you want to join us to see the show live and support one of our best mates?"

"Absolutely. It has to be better than being round this lot," Andar whispered, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder.

"You think she'll be all right in there?" Kevyn asked.

"Yeah, she's comfortable," Andar said glancing over his shoulder at Shyko smiling from ear to ear.

Several hours later, the game show started again.