Betelgeuse-A Beetlejuice Novel

Chapter 3: Spaghetti, Ouija, and Tragedy

Disclaimer: I do not own Beetlejuice or related characters, he belongs to Tim Burton. I do not own Beetlegeuse. I don't own Betelgeuse? I don't own any of the weird spellings for his name.

Betelgeuse?

Living World/ Lydia's room...

Several days later...

Lydia stared at her mirror in despair. "Beetlegoo . . . Beetlegoo . . ." She couldn't pronounce his name and he still didn't show up. Surely he would know what kind of weird thing was happening, but why didn't he show up? What was going on?

Day after day Lydia had tried to call for Beetlejuice, but her voice was not cooperating. Getting fed up and worried, Lydia wanted to organize a Séance with Bertha and Prudence. If she couldn't say his name, then she'd just have to make them. She didn't want to let them know, but she was desperate. Why wouldn't Beetlejuice come to her? And why couldn't she say his name? She just had such a bad feeling he was in terrible trouble.

"I can't tell them. It'll freak them out," Lydia groaned. "But, I need to contact Beetlegoose. What if something's wrong?" There must be something she could say. Something that sounded weird but plausible.

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Neitherworld/ File Bureau...

Everybody who cared for their afterlives ducked as they saw 'him' stomping through. What was he actually doing there? No one wanted to stop him, but eventually someone tried to speak up.

"Sir, you cannot come in here," A brave employee said as he stood in front of the menace.

"Hey, You invited me the moment you interfered in my afterlife," the menace yelled as he zapped the poor employee into a harmless flower and continued on his way. "JUUUUUUNOOOOOO!"

Juno stood firm and stood proudly as she watched her office door get blown to smithereens. "Never were decent at greetings were you, Beetlejuice?"

Beetlejuice looked angry enough to blow his top at her. In fact, he did. A whistle even sounded as his head blew off. "Juno!" He stalked toward her, his nose flaring like a bulls. "Give 'er back!"

Juno did not change her expression. She knew what the maniac was referring too. "I can't. You can no longer go to her world."

"What? Documentation then?" Beetlejuice turned into a gigantic pencil. "I'll fill out whatever ya want."

"It is not documentation," Juno said. "You are forbidden from going to the living world."

"Why?" Beetlejuice whined. He turned into a painter holding a paint palette with every color but one. "Out of the blue?" He started to jump up and down. "It isn't fair. It isn't fair, you can't do this!"

"This was not up to me," Juno reminded him again. "Quit having such a hissy fit."

"Thissssssssss isssssn't fair!" Beetlejuice hissed in a fit. He gave Juno an innocent but hurt look. "Well, let's figure out something for her to come to me? Pleeeaaase?" He turned into a striped ice cream sundae. "With a cherry on top?" A cherry plopped down upon him.

"No. You do not understand. You are forbidden to go to the other side because she is there." Juno had to put it bluntly. "You are forbidden from seeing Lydia Deetz ever again."

"What? Hold the phone." Beetlejuice surprisingly didn't turn into a phone. The time for fun and games had passed. "What do ya mean I'm forbidden from seeing her? For how long?"

"I cannot disclose that."

"You better!" Beetlejuice placed his hands on her desk and got in her face so close she could make out his green eyes. "I want to know why you took her away. Why did those WDP's come to my house? I know they had something to do with this!"

Juno sighed. "I understand you've known her for years. I also understand she is very important to you. Nevertheless, you must stay away. For reasons far greater than you know, it's best you end your friendship with the living young woman now."

"No!" Beetlejuice's eyes glowed green. "Give her back or...Or..oR THIS WHOLE BUILDING IS GONNA PAY!" His voice echoed several seconds until all the computers started to go haywire. Wallpaper started climbing down from the ceilings. The floor started to grow multiple legs and started kicking everyone. "Give her back," Beetlejuice demanded. "I'm just getting warmed up." His greenish glowing eyes turned into fire.

Possessive. Beetlejuice was acting even worse than before the human came into his life. "I will call the WDP if you do not calm down," Juno yelled angrily.

"I don't care, I Want Lyds back!" Beetlejuice yelled loudly, his voice echoing around the whole building again.

Every ghoul and ghost near that office trembled. They had never felt so much power from one ghost before.

Beetlejuice's original black and white striped clothes came back as he started to levitate. He pointed to Juno's desk and turned it into a cat. "I'm getting really pissed off!" He pointed his finger at Juno threateningly. "Bring Lydia back or the cat's gonna have a new mouse to play with!"

"Stop."

Beetlejuice glared dangerously at the WDP who showed up. "You better bring-Huh-WHOAH?!" Beetlejuice felt himself plummet to the ground.

The WDP held the same kind of shiny dust that he had used on Beetlejuice within a container. He showed it to the angry ghost. "Overuse your power angrily in the Neitherworld and your powers burn out."

Beetlejuice growled at the WDP. "So that's what you put on me?" He snarled. "Why? Why can't I have Lyds? Why?"

"It's dangerous," The WDP said to him. "You've been told this already. You will stay away from Lydia Deetz and the living world until we say so. Until then, you watch yourself. You start causing too much trouble and you are gonna wish you were only dealing with a sandworm."

Beetlejuice grinded his teeth and glared hard at the guy. But, his powers hadn't come back yet fully. Right now he would barely manage a levitation spell. "This isn't over." He stood up in defiance. "I'll find a way to get my Lydia back. Count on it."

Juno and the WDP watched the angry ghost disappear in a fit of rage.

"This does not boast well for us." Juno said as she looked at her new cat that used to be a desk.

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Neitherworld/BJ's Roadhouse...

A few hours later . . .

"Ah good evening to you-" Ginger walked up to Beetlejuice's opened door. "Beetlejuice?" It was a trick. He was planning to do something bad, Ginger could tell. "Why can't you be nice, Beetlejuice. You're gonna do something mean to Jacques, aren't you?"

Beetlejuice didn't reply. He didn't move. He was sitting cross legged in the middle of his room with his eyes closed. He was being very quiet and contemplative. Which was freaking Ginger out. "Uh? Answer back." Beetlejuice still did not answer. "I don't like that." Ginger started to back up when she ran into Jacques. Literally.

Jacques looked at her in surprise. "What is wrong?"

"Him." Ginger pointed to inside Beetlejuice's room. "He's up to something."

Jacques leaned in and looked at him. "Ah, Beattlejuice. What are you doing?" Beetlejuice still didn't answer. He still didn't move. "Beattlejuice?" Jacques himself was becoming worried. It must be a trick. "Whatever you are planning, it will not work. Quit that. Quit."

"Quit it, Beetlejuice," Ginger added her own scolding.

After a few more minutes of scolding, they finally gave up. Whatever Beetlejuice was planning, he would not be stopped so easily. Little did they know what Beetlejuice was really thinking.

Those guys drive me crazy. What the hell? They get a day from being bugged and they bug me when I need to concentrate? Beetlejuice was yelling at himself. Forget them! I need to concentrate harder. Come on. Come on Lyd. I know you're gonna do it, so come on. Then he started to hear a few voices . . .

'Is anyone there?'

Too low. Not her. Beetlejuice grumbled. He had to wait. Listen and wait. Not one of his best skills, but he had no choice. It was obvious the WDP did something so she couldn't call to him. There was only one other way she could reach him.

I'm looking for Elvis. Elvis?

No. Dammit just another idiot trying to get Elvis. Beetlejuice groaned but had to keep concentrating. Come on, Lyd.

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Living World/ Lydia's Room...

Lydia smiled at her friends Bertha and Prudence. Hopefully her cover was good enough.

Prudence didn't look too happy. "You want us to have a séance to call to some dead guy who used to live here? Why?"

"Why not?" Lydia smiled. "It'll be fun."

Bertha groaned. "Your idea of fun has always been a bit weird, Lydia."

"I know, but I've always wanted to do it." Lydia went over to the Ouija board she had set up on a small end table she had. "I can't do it alone though. Please?"

"It's probably bogus," Bertha frowned. "Anyone could move the glass you know."

"I trust you guys. Please? I'll make it up to you?" Lydia begged. She grinned when she heard them both groan. They finally gave in.

"Okay. So how do we this?" Bertha asked. "What was his name?"

Lydia wouldn't even attempt to say it right. Last thing she needed was to have them questioning her already strange motives. After all, it was a lie. Beetlejuice didn't die there. Well, she didn't think so anyhow. She wrote his name down on a piece of paper. 'Just don't say it three times,' she prayed. As nice as it would be to have Beetlejuice back, he would instantly appear before Bertha. After all, she would have been the one to summon him. Then after that, they'd probably go running out of the room, start telling everyone, her family would find out, and it would be a huge disaster.

Bertha looked at the name Lydia wrote down. "Beetlejuice? What kind of name is that?"

"An old name." Lydia just chuckled nervously. "Come on, let's do this. All we have to do is gather around the table and Bertha will call out to him. It shouldn't be that hard."

"After this is over, we should go do something fun then," Prudence replied. In truth, she and Bertha really didn't believe it would work. Besides, it was still daylight. What kind of ghost, if any, would actually be able to come around and move a little looking glass?

Bertha looked at Lydia. She said the tallest person in the group was supposed to be the one to first call out to a spirit using his name. She also said that person wasn't supposed to ever repeat the spirit's name again or tragedy would strike her. Bertha herself had never heard of any of that, but then again no one knew more about the supernaturally weird stuff than Lydia did. "Oh, Beetlejuice!" Bertha began. "If you are here-Whuhoooaaahh?!" They had all been flabbergasted as the looking glass moved so fast around the board, they could barely keep up with it.

Still, Lydia was mentally trying. B.a.b.e.s.r.u.o.k. Lydia smiled. Bingo. Lydia moved the looking glass herself and spelled F.I.N.E.R.U.O.K?

Bertha and Prudence screamed, they couldn't take it.

"I don't want to do this anymore!" Prudence yelled.

"Lydia! Let's quit!" Bertha begged.

Lydia knew she didn't have much time. Revealed or not, hearing Beetlejuice's concern, something was definitely wrong. "I can't say your name anymore. I've had some kind of spell put on me. I can only say Beetlegoose. What can I do?"

Bertha and Prudence looked at Lydia strangely but felt the looking glass move again.

Lydia watched. 'D.O.N.T.G.I.V.E.U.P. I.L.L.F.I.G..R.O.U.T.S..M.E.T.H.I.N.' She just couldn't keep up anymore. That's when she heard his voice deep within her head.

"Don't give up, Babe! I'll figure out something! Hang tight! BJ is on the way!"

Lydia smiled. At least he was okay. She looked up and saw Bertha and Prudence were long gone. She looked back at the Ouija board. Beetlejuice was a really strong ghost, maybe they could talk one on one to figure it out? "Is there anything I can do?"

'K.I.L.L.Y.O.U.R.S.E.L.F.'

"What?" She didn't hear Beetlejuice anymore. The looking glass was moving by itself.

'K.I.L.L.I.W.I..L.L.C.O.M.E.T.O.Y.O.U...'

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Neitherworld/BJ's Roadhouse.

"What the hell?" Beetlejuice stood up. He had been cut off from talking to her. But he could hear something else talking to her. "Lyds! Babes! Get away from the board now! LYDS!" He was getting extremely worried. What if a demon was trying to connect with her? "LYYYYDIIAAA!"

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Living World/Lydia's Room...

Lydia wasn't raised a fool. Even though she wanted to stay and find Beetlejuice, she needed Bertha and Prudence. She ran out of the room, hoping that was enough. I shouldn't have kept talking when they ran off. She looked at her bedroom door. Normal people didn't always find it easy to connect with ghosts because most times they didn't even want to hear you. Once she connected with Beetlejuice though, his powers channeling through were probably making their conversation as loud as a bullhorn.

After a little while, she went back to the room. The evil presence was gone. She got rid of the looking glass. Sorry Beej. This is just too dangerous. How else am I gonna get to you though? Beetlejuice?

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Neitherworld/BJ's Roadhouse...

Even though he couldn't talk to her, he didn't sense anyone else at her board anymore. Beetlejuice sighed in relief. That was close. Ouija boards are too exposed. He started to feel down though again as he realized what he just said. Too exposed. We can't use them. Then what do we do? He started to growl. "Why'd they even take her? I haven't done anything too bad. They had no right!" He started to stomp out the door. He'd find a way to get back to her, he would. No one would stop him. Not even the WDP's.

Jacques and Ginger watched as they saw an angry Beetlejuice stomp off.

"Ooh la la." Jacques couldn't help but comment. "He does not look well, does he?" He ran after him. "Beattlejuice? What is so wrong?"

"Nothing," Beetlejuice yelled at him. Then, knowing he'd been denying it for too long, he realized they'd figure it out sooner or later. "I can't reach Lyd."

"You can't reach Lydia?" Ginger strolled over to them. "Why?"

"I don't know," Beetlejuice whined, "they just took her away! She can't say my name and I've been completely sealed off from her world." He crossed his arms angrily. "They won't win. I'm gonna see Lydia again, no matter what it takes. I'll find a way. Do you hear?" Beetlejuice yelled out to the sky, hoping in some strange way Lydia could still hear him. After all, it was the neitherworld. "I'm coming for you, Babe. I'll figure something out. I will! Just hold on. Don't forget me." He stared up at the greenish strange neitherworld sky. As he said those words, he started to have strange fears enter into his head that weren't there before. She wouldn't, right? She won't believe I'm just in her imagination, right? Lyds. No way, I can't stay away for long. I'll never let her think that. "Lyds, I'm coming!"

Ginger and Jacques just watched in fascination. They knew Beetlejuice and Lydia were very close. They had assumed Lydia was on vacation again the way Beetlejuice had been moping about before. Both of them felt sad. They liked seeing Lydia come around all the time. As they watched Beetlejuice though, they knew no one was sadder than he. The poor ghost with the most did not have the most anymore. Would he become depressed? Unconsolable? Would he be alright?

"And you two, I'm gonna get you back so bad!" Beetlejuice suddenly turned on Ginger and Jacques. "Do you know how hard it is to concentrate to hear some kind of familiar voice in another world? Huh? You only thought you'd seen my bad side." He pointed angrily at Jacques. "When I'm done with you no amount of Bone Bonds gonna help."

Jacques and Ginger suddenly weren't feeling sorry for Beetlejuice anymore. They were starting to worry about themselves. What were they thinking? Lydia was Beetlejuice's only conscience. Why, the days before he knew her, he raised tons of trouble. Tons! Now with Lydia gone, what would happen? They dreaded the answer.

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Living World/ Deetz' Kitchen...

Lydia was eating leftover spaghetti at the table. No one was home but her. Delia was out shopping and her father was someplace else. It would have been a perfect time to see her dead best friend. She had started to find herself thinking about him again. Maybe that's why she was eating three day old spaghetti. 'We used to dance to this stuff.' She remembered it well. Levitating, listening to music and eating spaghetti. Life couldn't be more perfect.

"There must be something I can do." She rolled her spaghetti up on her fork and stared at it. "Maybe a ghost expert? There's so many scams though, how will I know who to talk to?"

While she was thinking about that, she heard a knock on the door. She got up from the table and walked over to the living room door. She was eighteen now and hadn't been a child in so long. She was too busy missing her best friend to even think about following the simple rules. Peaceful Pines was after all, peaceful. Always had been. Without even thinking to look, she opened the door...

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Living World/Deetz' Living Room...

An hour later...

"Charles," Delia called out happily as she came in through the front door. "I'm home."

"Did you have a good time?" Charles smiled at his wife.

"Why yes," Delia said as she looked around. "Is Lydia in her bedroom again?"

"In her bedroom?" Charles frowned. "I thought you took her shopping?"

"No." Delia began to look worried. "Is she in the back?"

"I've been here half an hour. She's not in the back or anywhere else." Charles was becoming a bit irritated. "It's not like her to up and leave like that."

"I agree," Delia replied. She walked over to the phone and dialed some of her friends numbers. When they said they hadn't seen her, she started to dial any of her peer's parent's numbers she possibly knew.

Prudence parents let her know she had come by earlier. They had said something about a séance and being freaked out. They let Delia know they had to have a talk with her daughter. Delia groaned. Yes, Lydia was a bit weird. When she called up Bertha's house she received the same reply from her parents. Whatever had happened had scared the girls very bad.

Time kept going by though and it was becoming later and later...

Anxious and worried, Delia and Charles went to the police. They were told she probably ran away somewhere. They should come back later in 48 hours to fill out a missing person's report if she did not come back by then. Most likely she would.

...she didn't.