Erma:Family is Forever

Chapter 3:Erma Visits the Firehouse!

Last time Xander started his first day at Blairwood's Fire Department and was already thrown into the thick of it. Also who is this girl he keeps hearing in his memories and dreams?
Xander had to say he was really getting into the swing of things around Blairwood, strange events included. He has been in town for about two weeks now and was already completely acclimated to his new home. Xander was currently outside in the Department's front driveway cleaning one of the Fire Engines. Xander was so focused on his current task that he didn't notice a certain little girl in a white dress with long black hair approaching. Xander felt someone tug on his pants as he looked over his shoulder to find Erma standing there.
                 "Oh hey there Erma! What brings you to the Firehouse today?" Xander asked the little ghost girl as he patted her on top of her head. Erma smiled at Xander before pointing to another girl around her age that was running up to them.

Xander would have been surprised by this little girl having some features of a rat if he hadn't been hanging out with the Williams so much these past two weeks. "She a friend of yours Erma?" Xander asked as Erma nodded happily in response. Xander slowly approached the young girl as he crouched down in front of her. "What's your name sweetie?" Xander asked as he tried to calm her nerves with a friendly smile. "M-My name is Sidney sir." Sidney said respectfully as she stood up straighter then before.
"Nice to meet you Sidney, but please just call me Xander." Xander said as he gave her a pat on the head before standing back up. "So Erma What brings you to the Firehouse today? Is there an emergency that we need to know about?" Xander asked Erma his question from earlier again as Erma looked up at him. Erma then pointed to the inside of the Firehouse with a look of curiosity in her eye as she held eye contact with him. "You two want a tour of the Firehouse? Well I guess that would be okay." Xander said as he led the two girls into the Firehouse.
                    Xander explained the different pieces of equipment and tools as they walked through the Firehouse. Erma seemed to enjoy the fire pole, even though she slid down it upside down, or spun around it with her hair a few times. Xander couldn't help, but let out a chuckle at Erma's crazy antics before he heard talking coming from the break room. Xander let an evil grin spread across his face as he got an idea. "Hey Erma do you want to scare a few people?" Xander asked in a good natured tone as Erma's eyes lit up in excitement. "Okay so here's the plan!" Xander started as he began to explain his plan to Erma.
Rusty sat at the coffee table in the break room along with the other guys as they conversed about upcoming plans and the like. "Hey has anyone seen Xander?" Rusty asked as he looked around the room for his friend. "Last time I checked he was washing the trucks." One of his coworkers spoke up as he took a sip of his coffee. Before Rusty could even getup from his seat to go check on him, a severed head was thrown into the room and landed onto the coffee table. The head appeared to belong to a little girl with long black hair. Everyone in the room screamed in horror at the site of the mutilated body part.
Rusty backed away slowly in fear, but was quickly stopped something tugging on his pants. Rusty looked down and found the headless body of the girl holding on to his pant leg. Rusty shrieked in horror at the site of it before passing out completely. The rest of the Firemen ran out of the break room in a panic as Erma's head grew a smile across her face as she laughed. Erma's body walked over to the table and picked her head up before screwing it back on. Xander walked in with a big grin on his face as patted Erma on the head. "Nice one Erma! You sent them all running!" Xander said as he tried to control his laughter.
                  Rusty started to feel himself wakeup as he looked around the room and spotted Xander standing there. "Xander! Little girl, severed head, body walking on it's own!" Rusty said in a panic as he shoots up and grabs his friend by his shirt. "Calm down Rusty! It was just a joke!" Xander said with another chuckle escaping his lips. Rusty finally took notice of Erma standing there and instantly had a glare spread across his face. "I should have known it was our resident ghost that pulled that little stunt." Rusty said as he walked out of the break room with a huff of annoyance.
Emiko was currently cleaning up around the house as she waited for Erma to get home from school. "I wonder what's taking Erma so long to get home?" Emiko thought to herself as she finished vacuuming the living room. Emiko was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the house phone ringing. Emiko unplugged the vacuum cleaner before picking up the phone. "Hello?" Emiko said as she waited for the person on the other end to answer. "Hey little sis, how's it going?" A familiar female voice spoke from the other end as Emiko covered her mouth in surprise.
"Yori! It's been so long since we last spoke! How are you?" Emiko asked in her best calm voice as her sister let out a chuckle on the other end. "Fine, but I'd thought I'd give you a little warning. In about a week dad plans on inviting you to the parade for a family reunion." At Yori's words, Emiko's heart sank, she had not left on good terms with their father. "I knew you'd be freaked out, so I decided I would drop by for a visit! I'm at the airport right now with Mitsu and Momo." Yori explained as Emiko rubbed her temples in frustration.
                   "Sis I appreciate the thought, but I wish you would have told you this sooner! I would have had time to set up a living arrangement for you!" Emiko screeched angrily at her older sister, who held her phone away from her ear. "Geez sorry Emiko! Anyway I'm pretty sure I could figure something out!" Yori said as she tried to calm her little sister down. "Well I could see if our new neighbor wouldn't mind letting you stay at his place." Emiko said in a thoughtful tone as she wondered if Xander would mind helping her sister out. "Are you sure he would be okay with that? Cause if that's the case it would be a big help!" Yori said happily.
                     Xander felt his cellphone vibrate in his pocket as he immediately grabbed it and checked who was calling him. Xander was surprised to see that it was Emiko calling him. "Hey Emiko, what can I do for you?" Xander asked as he answered the phone. "Hey Xander, sorry to call you while your at work." Emiko responded in an apologetic tone as she didn't want to bother him. "Hey it's no problem. By the way Erma's here with me at the station, she should be heading home soon." Xander informed Emiko about her daughter, which helped calm her nerves slightly. "Well thank you for entertaining her." Emiko said as she thought about her next words carefully.
                  "Listen, I know this is gonna sounds sudden, but my sister is in town with her daughters. They don't have a place to stay and my house doesn't have enough room, do you think they could stay with you?" Emiko asked in a slightly nervous tone at asking this of the Fireman. "Well I don't see a problem with it, but I won't be back till late tonight so just let them in with your teleporting. I'll be by later to meet them." Xander said calmly as he cracked as small smile. "Thank you Xander, I owe you one." Emiko said before hanging up. Xander put his phone away before going back to work; things were definitely going to be interesting from now on.

So we got to see Erma get up to her usual mischief with the help of Xander! Although now Yori and her daughters are now headed to Blairwood and will be staying at Xander's house! How will the meeting between them turn out? Will there be any issues in the future? Find out in the next chapter of Erma:Family is Forever!