Help Me Gray

Chapter Six

When the train arrives at the Minora Station, Erza and I wake everyone up and grab our things. We start walking down the main road of the town, making our way towards the supposedly haunted hotel. I suddenly start feeling uneasy as if someone is watching me. I crane my neck to see if we're being followed but instead find Erza giving me a curious yet intrigued look. "What?"

"Nothing!" She sings with a grin on her face as she skips past me. Oh boy. What can this mean.

Gray looks back at me and slows down, waiting until I catch up before walking his normal pace. "What was that about?" he asks, tilting his head towards Erza who can't seem to keep her eyes off us.

"I don't know..." I whine, dangling my head from exhaustion. "I hope the job is quick."

"Don't worry." Gray says with a wink. "I'm here to protect you from the ghosts."

I roll my eyes and playfully punch Gray in the shoulder. "HA! 5,000 Jewels says you get scared first!"

"I'll take that bet!" Gray says, extending his hand for me to shake. I glance at his hand nervously but still place mine in his and give it a firm shake.

"There goes our lunch money..." Happy interjects unhappily from the top of my head. I pet him and laugh with Gray.

"We're here." Erza says suddenly, stopping in front of the hotel which actually looks more like an enormous run down house.

Lucy peeks out from behind Erza, her eyes wide and the color gone for her face. "We're n-not really g-going in t-there are we?" She stutters.

"I'm with Lucy on this one..." Happy says, flying over to Lucy and landing in her arms.

Erza rolls her eyes and sighs. "Oh for goodness sakes." She grabs Lucy by the collar and starts dragging her towards the Hotel. Lucy struggles, trying to break free and get away but fails miserably. Gray and I giggle and follow them in.

"Hellooooooooo!" I call when we enter the main area. The place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years, thick coats of dust cake everything and cobwebs are strung in every nook and cranny. "Is anyone here!?"

"Yessss!" a raspy voice replies.

I yelp and quickly turn around. A small hunched over man with thin, gray hair that reaches his shoulders is standing a foot away from me, his hands folded in on themselves in front of his chest. "Where did you come from?" Gray asks as he searches the wall behind the man.

"Mmmmm... Places." He answers ominously, scooting his way around me and stepping behind the desk. "Do you wish to stay in this establishment?" The man asks as he takes out a large book from under the counter and opens it.

"We're here for a job..." Erza informs the man.

The man eyes us suspiciously. "Job? What job?"

We all exchange looks of confusion. "The job you put out about a Haunted hotel..." I say, walking up to the desk.

The man places a finger to his lip thoughtfully. "I never sent out a job request. Don't know why I would want to either. The ghosts are our main attraction."

"Why would anyone willingly come see a ghost!" Lucy cries, squeezing Happy for comfort.

"So we traveled all this way for nothing?" Gray asks, collapsing into a chair causing dust to puff out of the cushions and into the air choking him.

"So it seems... Though..." the man caughs, "Why not stay for a day or two? You're already here."

Gray and I look hopefully at Erza who seems just as interested as we are. "Might as well check out the validity of their claim!" Erza says excitedly as she starts booming us some rooms. "Lucy and I will stay together. Gray, Happy, and Natsu can have your own room."