The Real Ghostbusters Are Back

13: The Paintings

"What are we going to do about them?" I asked Ray, lightly running my hand over Egon in the painting. I would have to say sorry if he felt that. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. 

"I don't know yet," he told me. "We have to figure out how to get the ghost to come back, to free the guys and maybe everyone else, make sure they don't get hurt, and we have to-" 

"Ray," I interrupted, placing my hands on his shoulders. He was getting overwhelmed by all the things we had to do. "Breath. I know that we have a lot to do, but thinking about it all at once won't help them. We've got this. You're one of the smartest guys I know. If anyone can think how to save Egon, Peter, and Winston, it's you. So let's take a second, get our thoughts together, than together we can make a game plan. But we have to stay calm, okay?" 

"Okay. You're right. Thanks Nat," Ray sighed in relief. I could tell that got him to calm down a little. 

We stood with our backs against the wall while we thought. I took the time to look at the hall the paintings were in. These were all people the house had taken prisoner. Though something didn't seem right. The ghost had put them in a dark hole. If they were trapped in a picture, how? I mean a hole doesn't magically turn you into a picture. I don't mean to brag or claim to be some big magical witch, but I have been studying a little bit. Just simple trapping spells in case Ligen or something worse came. I didn't really know magic beyond that. At least that I've tried anyway. 

"Hey Ray, something is bugging me," I told him after a while. He looked at me with those light brown eyes questioningly. 

"What is it?" 

"How on Earth did they get trapped in a picture and so fast. We've only been separated for an hour at most. I mean if it was longer, I could get it. But that quick? It doesn't add up." 

"What are you suggesting?" 

"I think if the guys are trapped in this picture, I don't think it's everything. It might just be their souls. I think we can still find their bodies. If that's the case, it'll be a whole lot simpler to save them. We just have to put their souls back in the bodies." 

"Where do you think their bodies are at than?" 

"If I had to guess? The basement. That's the only thing under the house." 

"Than let's get going!" 

We smiled at each other. We had a plan to get them back. It may not work, but a plan was a plan. I grabbed the picture to take with us in case we did find the guys. Plus it did make both me and Ray feel a lot better knowing that we had them with us. We were going to get their souls back. 

After we opened a few doors, we find the door that held stairs that went down. Ray pulled out a flashlight and looked around the wall to see if there was a light switch. We couldn't see one. He lead the way since he had the light and I had the souls we needed. At the bottom, we both had to stop, just staring at it. 

"This looks like a dungeon from a castle," Ray gasped in surprise. 

He wasn't wrong. The walls were made of stone bricks. There were torches like in the medieval time to light the way for us to go. There were holes in the walls covered with metal poles that I could only assume were iron or something. We took a few steps to look into the first cell and saw some sleeping people. At least they looked like they were sleeping. They may not have been. I think I had seen them in the pictures before. 

"You were right," Ray chuckled. "I swear I saw those people in the picture." 

"Yeah, I think I did too. Which means they are here. Though those people have to be long dead. They look like they lived hundreds of years ago." 

"Let's keep moving. We should be able to find the others if we keep looking in the cells." 

"Right. You look on the left, I look on the right?" 

"Sounds like a plan!" 

With that, we got to walking. Ray kept his eyes on the cells to the left, I kept mine on the right. I passed people who were probably long dead. I didn't really think about it much. All I could think was finding the guys. That and how to get this house approved to sell she was gonna have to hire someone to get rid of the dead bodies and soul filled paintings. Maybe Egon would know how to do it. The paintings, not the bodies. Though I do think he knew how to do it. 

One of the cells caught my eyes. It held three guys who were sleeping and were not dead. At least I hopped not. It was Egon, Peter, and Winston. I smiled at that, turning to look at Ray. I tapped his arm and he turned and looked at the cell. He shared a smile with me. 

"Alright Nat!" he told me. "Now let's just-" 

"You two aren't going to do anything!" a voice spoke up. We turned to face the voice. 

It was a women with green skin in a very tight black dress. She had tentacles instead of feet and was glaring at us with piercing blue eyes. This was the ghost of the house. She was the one who took my brother and friends. 

"Let them go!" Ray snapped at her, pulling out his proton pack. I did the same, aiming it right at her. 

"No! They are mine and if you all don't leave soon, you will join them! Get out! This is my house and I'm tired of protecting it! I want to be left alone!" 

"Wish granted you freak!" I yelled at her, firing my stream. Ray did the same, and the woman screamed out in pain. 

"Natalie, get the trap!" he told me. I tried, but once my stream wasn't on her, she took a step forward. I quickly started to blast her again, the truth dawning on me. 

"I can't! If I stop, she can move! We need a third person!" 

"It's just us!" 

I looked around, keeping the stream on the woman. I looked at the cell with the paining leaning against it. It was a long shot. If it didn't work, I don't know what I was going to do. I quickly kick the picture, my foot going straight through the spot Winston was standing. I did two more quick, powerful kicks, taking out painted Peter and Egon. 

"What are you doing?" Ray asked, watching me. 

"Just trust me Ray!" 

I looked at the cell and saw the others starting to wake up. Thank God that worked, I don't know what I could have done if it didn't. I mean I did just destroy their souls if it didn't. The three sat up, blinking  a bit. 

"A little help would be nice sleepy heads," Ray told them. Peter and Egon quickly zapped the ghost while Winston pulled out a trap. In a second, the thing was gone in a trap. 

"Well that was one ugly ghost," Peter chuckled. "Now, you two want to tell me what happened?" 

"When we get back to the firehouse," I told him. 

"Though Natalie and I should work together more often!" 

With that we laughed, walking to leave the three to follow us hopelessly. It was funny watching them look at us like we were insane. I love messing with them.