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Chapter 16 - Chat With The Undead

"Do we make a good team or what?" Lilly said as they walked out of the academy after class.

Jason shrugged. "It was mostly Miles; he came up with the plan."

Two of their fellow students—because what else do you call them—walked past, shooting approving glances Miles' way and smiling. Miles couldn't understand it—he hadn't done anything extraordinary. All he had done was think outside of the box a little in Captain R's class and punched a couple creatures the previous night. But all day people had been looking at him differently, as if he was superior, or just different than them, and that was before Captain R made a big show of him figuring out his puzzle. Miles didn't want attention, he just wanted to do what he had to do and go back to living a normal life. Was that really too much to ask for?

Miles decided to voice his thoughts. "I'm not even doing that much different. I just happened to have an idea."

"An idea that impressed the hardest person in the world to bloody impress," said Caspar.

"And you saved me and the new kids from those monsters," Lilly added.

"Oh, and you found Spirit," Jason chimed in.

The others nodded and Miles attempted to change the subject, not liking to dwell on things he did or didn't do. "We should go and visit him again."

Caspar laughed. "He's not our bloody pet, mate. He's a ghost."

"He might have answers," said Miles.

"What is it with you and answers?" Caspar asked. "Sometimes we're all left in the dark and there's nothing we can do to change it. It's just the way things are."

"But what if the spirit thing knows something?"

"Why would it tell us if it did?" Jason argued. "And besides, we got in enough trouble last time we went into the basement without permission. Why would we go back again."

"I think Miles is right," said Lilly. "I mean, ghosts aren't supposed to exist. It being here must mean something."

Caspar thinks about it. "So, let's just say we find Spirit. What then? I mean, the thing isn't exactly talkative."

Lilly looked at Miles, who said, "I can get it to talk. We just need it to get that we're not trying to hurt it, we just want to understand it."

Caspar gave in, and Miles could see in his eyes that he was hungry for adventure. "Alright, lead the way, captain."

Miles, Jason, Caspar, and Lilly walked back into the academy, where they ran into Ms. Lisa.

"School's over," she said knowingly.

"Think we don't know that?" challenged Caspar.

"Watch your tone with me, boy," Ms. Lisa warned.

"Sorry," Caspar said, not looking the least bit sorry. "What I meant to say was that another teacher has already informed our ignorant selves that school has ended, and we understood them perfectly, believe it or not."

Ms. Lisa narrowed her eyes menacingly. "Yet you are returning to this building. Why?"

"None of your—"

Miles cut Caspar off, saying, "We came for extra tutoring with Ms. Lukeson."

"Yes," agreed Lilly. "We four just can't seem to grasp the concept that 300 million alveoli make up the human lung."

Ms. Lisa frowned at the mention of her fellow teacher. "I don't recommend you go to her for extra lessons."

"Why not?" asked Miles.