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Chapter 11 - Into The Basement

"Where did it go?" asked Caspar.

Miles looked around frantically. Where was that thing? It could have gone anywhere: through doors, around corners, even through the floor. But how was that possible? How was any of the past week possible?

"Where would something like that even go?" Lilly wondered.

"When I saw it," said Miles, "it looked scared of us. It was running away from us, so it maybe it went to hide somewhere."

"Great," Caspar remarked, "but where would a ghost hide?"

"Somewhere dark?" Jason suggested.

Miles considered it for a while.

"You said there was a basement, Jason?"

Jason nodded. "Should we check there?"

Miles shrugged. "Might as well, right?"

"Right better than History class," grinned Caspar.

"Sounds like an adventure," Lilly said.

"Alright then," concluded Miles. "The basement."

They made their way cautiously down the stairs. Getting caught wasn't an option—with a dozen kids attending the school, surely any bypassing teachers would know something was wrong. Unfortunately, however, they came face to face with their fear. Literally. Dr. Lancaster was coming up the stairs into the basement and was now staring into the four kid's surprised faces.

"History class too boring for you?" Lancaster asked, his expression unreadable.

No one said anything. Miles gulped, and after an uncomfortable silence, decided to speak up.

"Ms. Lisa needed us to get something for her," Miles lied. "From the basement."

"Ah," Lancaster said, and continued walking up the stairs. "Good luck finding something down here. It's a mess."

The group released simultaneous sighs, relieved. Lancaster turned back.

"Don't run into Captain R, by the way," he said. "He may not be a gullible as I am."

Lancaster turned back once again and this time he turned the corner and walked off.

"Decent guy, the Doc is," said Caspar.

Lilly turned to Miles. "That was quick thinking."

"I doubt he believed it," Miles shrugged. "Let's get going, then."

They entered the basement. Dr. Lancaster was right, it was a mess. Boxes laid around, stacked in corners and tossed aside. It was another hallway, like most of the floors in the academy seemed start off from. There were two doors on either side of the hall and instead of the hall continuing down, it stopped, with one door on the end of the hallway.

"Which one?" asked Jason, looking around.

"The one on the end is a training room I think," said Lilly. "Mr. R's room."

"Captain R," corrected Caspar. "Even Doc calls him that."

"Okay," Miles decided. "We each pick and door and go in. Call if you find the ghost thing."

Miles chose the first door on the left. The doorknob was slick. It seemed to have some kind of goo on it.

"Mine's locked," called Jason.

"Mine's a bathroom," Caspar complained.

Lilly didn't say anything, and Miles continued to work on his door. He used his shirt to grab the knob and started to slowly turn it. When the knob was properly turned, Miles pressed his shoulder into the door to crack it open. The room was pitch black, so Miles pushed the door  all the way open. In the corner of the black room, a glowing light pulsed. Miles knew what it was.