~ How it all begun ~

Chapter 3

Few weeks had passed in the Whipstaff manor. The ghosts had made Angel very welcome there, and she joined in on their mischievous actions. She felt like home with them, being surrounded by others like herself. But yet she hadn't forgot her sisters nor her real home.. she felt wistful thinking of them, wondering if they missed her like she missed them.
She shook the thought away as she could hear her name being called. "Hey Angel! Catch!" the tall, slim male ghost calls her as he throws her the notebook of Dr. Harveys. She catches it and the ghosts laugh as they fly higher, out of Dr. Harvey's reach. "Come on, fellas.. " he says, sounding clearly out of breath for all the jumping and running. Angel flies closer to him, holding the book out towards him, "Okay, we're sorry.. ". He nods respectfully as he reaches for the book, but just as he is about to take it, Angel throws it to Fatso. The round ghosts opens the book morphing on glasses and starts reading outloud, "He seems to be trying to suffocate his feelings with food.. Over eating you say?" He raises an eyebrow lowering the glasses, and they all laugh except for Dr. Harvey. Soon they are stopped, by a knock on his office door. The young boy's bulbous head soon looks in through it, "Sorry to disturb you guys, but your patient is here, Dr. Harvey" he says in a kind tone. Stinkie pouts, "But we were just getting started!" He gestures around him. "Give it up, Stink.." Stretch rolls his eyes and throws the notes back to Dr. Harvey as he gestures for the others to follow him out of the office.
The ghosts fly around the manor, in and out, trying to figure out what to do now. Soon Stinkie snaps his fingers, "I got an idea!" A wide grins grows to his features. Stretch lowers himself down, laying on his back in the air, "Is it what I'm hoping it is?" He grins widely, showing his teeth hinting towards Angel. Stinkie looks confused for a moment but then shakes his head, "I was thinking maybe we should go watch horse racing? Take her with us?" He gestures to Angel as she looks out of the window. "Hey, good idea.." Stretch thinks agreeing. Fatso flies to them curiously, "You guys got an idea?" He raises an eyebrow. They explain their plan to him as well and all turn to Angel. Soon Angel feels their eyes on her back, and she turns around to face them, "What?" She asks innocently. Stretch flies closer to her, "We wuz thinking.. what would ya say bout going to watch some horse racing?" He smiles to her. Angel hesitates a little but nods, "Uhh.. okay..?". Stinkie rides around them dressed as a jockey, laughing "It's gonna be great!". Soon Angel comes to conclusion of the idea and gets more excited as well. Fatso licks his lips, "It's gonna be good, we'll eat.. mm.. and pick horses!". "And on top of that we'll get to scare fleshies!" Stretch adds excitedly. Angel claps her hands excitedly, but then she stops thinking, "How long is it gonna take ta fly there, though?" She starts to worry. Stretch comes back closer and wraps his arm around her, "It won't take too long! Ya can make it easily" he says encouraginly.
Few minutes later they have managed to get outside of the manor. Angel starts flying up but notices that the Trio are shaking their heads. "Babe.. listen.." Stretch starts. Angel tilts her head curiously as Stretch continues, "We dun do it like that.." he looks amused. Stinkie starts spinning up, with Fatso following him and they turn into tornadoes. Angel looks amazed of what she is seeing and Stretch nods to her, "Now it's yer turn..". "I dun know if I know how ta do that.." she scratches her arm embarrased. Stretch grabs her hand gently, and pulls her close to himself, "I'll show ya.. " he smiles before starting to spin with Angel along him. As they turn into a tornado he let's go of her and she backs up continuing, "I'm.. I'm doing it!" She says with excitement in her voice. The four ghosts rise to the clear blue sky and take their leave.
When they're high in the air, already above the clouds, Angel realizes how high she is. "WOOOOHOOOOO!" She shouts feeling more alive then ever before her death.

Later they arrive to a place that is completely unknown for Angel. She stops to look around with curiousity and soon feels the Trio stopping beside her, "Welcome to Vermont's horce racing arena!" Stretch says proudly. Angel looks at him in surprise, "We're in Vermont? I've never been here before.." she looks at him. Stinkie flies to her wrapping his arm around her, "Ye're in luck, cuz we've been here several times!" He looks at her trying to charm her with a smile. Stretch slaps Stinkie's hand off of Angel and pulls her slightly closer to himself, "We're gonna show ya, where the betting booth is.." he smiles and looks at his brothers waiting for them to nod in agreenment. Stinkie and Fatso nod, more and less willingly.
Stretch flies on first, as Angel follows him to see where they are going. They fly up, way beyond the seats to an abandoned looking booth. But as they get closer, Angel starts to see blurry characters in a line. They fly at the end of the line, that seems to be moving quite fast. Angel sees Stretch pulling a paper rolled up from his pocket, "What's that..?" She looks with wide eyes. "We're gonna check the starts and horses on this" he explains to her as she nods understanding. As their turn comes, they fly forward and Stretch gives the paper to Angel, "Ya wanna pick couple horses?" He looks at her raising an eyebrow. "I couldn't.. I've never.. I wouldn't know what ta do!" She says looking down shyly. Fatso looks over her shoulder and points to the paper, "It's easy.. you see this tells the chances of winning, and this tells the background of the horse.." he carefully explains and shows to her. "Ooh I see now.." she smiles and looks at the paper for a bit, soon looking at the ghost on the other side of the booth, "So what will you be betting on?" He asks smiling warmly to the young female. Angel looks at the paper once more and looks back up, "Number 3 and number 18, please!". The Trio look at eachother and nod looking interested. Stretch comes forward placing money on the desk, "And we'll take 35$ bets" he smiles widely. Angel scratches the back of her head, "35.. Isn't it a lot ta lose..?" She asks feeling quilty for Trio spending money on her. Fatso shakes his head, "No it's small money compared to what Str-" he starts explaining. "Shut IT!" Stretch turns around with red eyes facing his fatter brother. Fatso quiets down but luckily the situation gets cut off by the announcement of the first round starting. Trio looks around them to find Angel, and they soon spot her closer to the horses, excitedly waiting.
"Ya found yer way 'ere all by yerself?" He grins as he sits next to her. She nods and turns back to the horses, "I love the white one! It's so beautiful!" Her eyes shine as she looks at the horses.
"And they're off!" A voice announces as the horses bust throught the doors holding them while the start bell rings. All of the riders get good starts, but number three starts to catch up with the two first ones. Angel claps her hands as she cheers for her horse. Stretch looks at her, enjoying seeing her so happy. Stinkie leans forward and notes to Angel, "Ya picked a good horse, it seems to be taking the lead!". Angel nods proudly as she continues watching.
"And the winner iiiiissss.. NUMBER 3, Year of Snow!" The voice announces the winner as the horses run through the finish line. Angel jumps up and starts cheering like the world is going to end, "WE WON! WE WON! WE FUCKING WON!" She dances in place. The Trio seem impressed and surprised as well.
As they are cheering together, Stretch soon stops after he hears a familiar voice. He turns his head and sees an elder female ghost. He right away frowns and turns back to his brothers and Angel. Angel notices his expression and looks surprised, "Are ya okay..?" She looks worried. Stretch crosses his arms, "Wouldn't say dat.." he points behind him. As Stinkie and Fatso look in the direction he points at as well and their expressions change from cheerful to dark and mad. Angel looks behind them, seeing a couple. The male ghost is tall and muscular, and the female looks somehow tired and bored of everything, yet she still laughs with the male. "Is it that lady over there?" She asks not understanding what is happening. Stretch nods, "We hate her.." he rolls his eyes, and his brothers nod in agreenment. Angel takes the hint and tries to avoid looking at the two ghosts in the distance.
But soon the female notices the four and flies to them with a conceited smile on her face, "And what are you doing here?" She laughs at the Trio who turn around. Angel frowns and puts her hands on her hips, looking at the female ghost that had just flewn to them. "You don't seem very happy about seeing me!" She laughs looking at Stretch and landing her hand on his shoulder. Stretch right away moves her hand away and backs up, growling angrily. The female seems to find this very amusing but she stops laughing, when she notices Angel, "And who is this little bimbo?" she raises an eyebrow smirking cheekily. Stretch flies in front of Angel defensively, "This 'bimbo', is our friend!". Stinkie flies in to defend her as well, "And she is NOTHING like a bimbo!" He gestures. "I thought you boys were into mature women, and not children.." she gives Angel a mean look while smiling. Soon the male ghost that had been with the female flies to them after hearing arguing, "Ms. Banshee, is everything alright here?" He shows off his muscles trying to scare Trio off. The female, now introduced as Ms. Banshee then nods, "Yes, these three are my ex chasers." She says and laughs. The male raises an eyebrow, "So these are the crazy stalkers of yours? Should I give them a lesson.." he gets his fist ready. "BRING IT ON!" Stretch blusters with Stinkie and Fatso joining him.
As the guys are about to fight the male, Angel flies in between, "ENOUGH!" she gives the male an angry look, "Ya think ye're so handsome but if ya could see yer reflection in tha mirror ya would realize how pathetic ya are! Ye're trying way too hard and this.. THIS ALL JUST ISN'T ATTRACTIVE!" She rages and then turns to Ms. Banshee, "And ya.. YA got a lot of nerv coming at these guys like that! Ya seem so selfish and full of yerself that I can't imagine how anyone could ever like ya! Now GET THA HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I BOX YER FACE!" she morphs herself in to giants size as her eyes are burning red from being mad. Ms. Banshee looks shocked at the young female that has just showed she can say few things herself. The male with her grabs her hand and hints for them to go. The two leave, both feeling shocked of what happened as Angel morphs back to her normal size, "Damn I hate her too now!" She shouts angrily. Stinkie flies next to her, "Wow.. that was.. quite something!" He smirks to her as she starts to slowly calm down. "I dunno what happened.. she just.. seemed so annoying.." she shakes her head. Stinkie takes her hand and kisses it, "Ya know.. if ya were trash.. ya would be my favorite kind.." he tries to kiss her but she slaps him across the face, making him fall down to the ground, "Yer pick up lines stink worse then ya!" She rolls her eyes. Stretch and Fatso hold their stomachs as they laugh, almost tearing up, as Angel shakes her head at them, "Men..". Stretch gets done laughing and flies to her, wrapping his arm around her, "Hey baby, come on.. dun be mad at us boys!" He gives her a flirty smirk. Angel blushes and as Stretch notices this he brings his face closer to hers teasingly. The young ghoul carefully backs up against the wall. Soon Stretch starts to float closer to her, smirking and looking deep into her eyes, pressing his hands on the wall on her sides. Angel dives down and flies out from between him and the wall. Stretch starts to chase her playfully, "Ye're not going anywhere.." he grins as he flies around after Angel. She giggles as she flies higher and higher into the sky, with Stretch following her. They slowly start to fade out of the picture, leaving the two ghost watching them. Stinkie and Fatso smirk to eachother and go back to the betting booth to bet on more horses. They cash their winnings and go continue enjoying the race. Angel and Stretch will be seen later back at Whipstaff, as they continue their game of tag under the warm sun.