Betelgeuse-A Beetlejuice Novel

Chapter 8: Is It Betelgeuse?

    Living World/Lydia's Room...

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help more," Donny said as he sat on her bed next to her while she cried. "Maybe he'll understand better after talking to this Hillman?"

"Hillman's a bar, Donny," Lydia said with a harsh choke. She tried to rub the tear out of her eyes. "Dad hardly ever drinks. I didn't even know he could. He's doing it because of me. This, it just tore his heart out. He's so ashamed of it. I don't know why he'd ever speak to me again."

"Your mother is probably right, Lydia. Your father will come around. Give him time." Donny smiled at her. "It'll be okay."

"Yeah? Sure. Sure, life's been fair lately," Lydia mumbled. She buried her head in her pillow deeply, filling it's wet surface with even more tears.

Donny sighed and looked at the ground. Lydia didn't need him, she needed his brother. Beetlejuice would be able to say something to cheer her up. He had tried to cheer her up with gifts and giving her compliments and telling her it would be alright.

But what she needed the most, he couldn't give her. She needed to laugh. To smile and be happy.

She needed Beetlejuice.

Two hundred years. Donny closed his eyes. Two hundred years of practice. They won't be happy with me if I do it. She's just sinking away though. I can't make her happy. I think...I think she actually makes me depressed now.

Well, two hundred years down the drain. But, he'd make her happy. That's what he really wanted, was to make others happy. Especially Lydia. She was family now.

He looked over on the other side of the bed. She had gone to sleep, a few guilty tears on her cheek. You stay safe, Lydia. He quietly got up and went over to her closet. He couldn't go to the neitherworld for a straight visit, he'd be caught. He knew she probably had a ouija board somewhere. The WDP had acted like a treacherous demon when they interrupted the duo's message the first time, but from ghost to ghost it would be harder to pick up.

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Neitherworld/BJ'S Roadhouse...

Beetlejuice?

"Huh?" Beetlejuice looked around him as he realized he recognized that voice. "No, No, No!" He quickly went to the door and started to board it up. Not him. Not him.

Beetlejuice? I'm using a living world ouija board. I need to talk to you badly.

"Living World?" Beetlejuice stared up at the air. "What are you doing there?"

It's about your friend, Lydia. She's not happy. I don't seem to help much.

"Help much? You? You're with Lyd?" Beetlejuice jumped up and down in jealousy. "Why are you with Lydia? I should be with her!"

You're right. I don't have long Beetlejuice, I can't explain. Just tell them that you're alive.

"...what?" Beetlejuice scratched his head.

They'll be monitoring this brother. I can't take long. Don't say anything else, just be firm. If you know you're alive, even the WDP can't keep you down.

"What are you saying?" Beetlejuice whined. "I'm not alive. I've been dead over six centuries."

I don't have time. If you have to, squeal on me. They know the truth, they have to let you go. If they don't, other 'entities' will get involved. Just remember your real name. B-E-T-E-L-G-E-U-S-E. Now, I've got to go. Good luck brother. And I love you.

"Ewww, I hate the L word," Beetlejuice grumbled. "Donny? Leaves right in the middle of a conversation." Some leaves went by Beetlejuice's face. "I'm alive?" He started to go outside. But I'm dead. I've been dead, I've lived here for forever. How can the ghost with the most . . . not be a ghost? He looked at his hand and took his pinkie on and off. On and off. I've always had afterlife powers since I can remember. If I was alive, I wouldn't have them. Beetlejuice shoved his hands in his pockets. Don't say anything else, just be firm. Ha. That really helps, Donny. Beetlejuice kicked a rock in the middle of the road. It would get me back to Lydia though. But if he's wrong, I could get in big trouble. Big Trouble! I-I could be sentenced to the sandworm pit. An eternity of sandworms, no way I couldn't take it!

But then, a single image popped into his mind. A smiling Lydia.