Julie and the Phantoms

Chapter 2: The Other Side of Hollywood

It was almost eight and I was getting ready for the show when somebody came to tell me Caleb wanted to speak to me. So I made my way upstairs to his office.
- You asked for me?- I ask as I make my way inside of the office.
- Yes, William told me about his little ghost friends and told me he is bringing them tonight. He also mentioned that you met them- He says signaling me to take a seat. I made my way to his desk and sat on it- What do you think about them?- He asks.
To give you a little background, as you know, my soul belongs to the man or ghost in front of me. We have known each other for a very long time. Caleb makes my dreams come true every night, I still remember the day he made me that deal, but he wasn't the man that he is today. Back then he wasn't quite as popular as he is now.

Flashback

I was walking down the streets of Hollywood not knowing what to with my life, I was dead and yet I was not in some heaven or hell. I wandered for a while until I came upon a hotel. I decided to take a look at it, I got to a closed off part of it and decided to see what was there. I heard a man singing so I walked towards the voice. The place was not looking very good. Who knows how long has it been since someone walked in there.
I walked up some stairs and found a man singing with a little group of people that were drinking and smoking. I stayed in the back of the room since nobody seemed to see me. When the man stoped, the people in the room stood and clapped and whistle, he bowed and when he stand back up, he looked me in the eye which sent shivers down my spine and not the good type. He signaled me to stay and went down stairs with everybody else. I looked around the office and after a couple of minutes decided to sit on the desk.
After about ten minutes the man came back and started to analyze me.
- What's your name?- he asked me.
-Mackenzie Montez- I answered a little unsure.
- Pleasure, the name's Caleb, Caleb Covington- he said grabbing and kissing my hand- I'm sure you have some questions- he gestured for me to ask.
-Yeah, aren't you that magician that died while doing some big trick?- he laughed but looked  annoyed  at the question.
-Yes, yes I am, but you know that's not what I meant.
-Right- I say- If you are dead, how can alive people see you?-  my confusion seemed to amuse him.
-Well, you see, I'm a very special ghost- he started- I can make people see me and- he paused looking me in the eye- I can make other ghosts be seen by lifers too.
Lifers? Does he mean alive people? And make ghost be seen?
-How's that possible?- I ask really curious, if he could make me visible to other I can keep living my dream.
- That's a little secret. Why? You interested?- he asks me.
-Well yes- I said.
-Then tell me, how did you end up here?- he asked very curious.
-Well...-He listened very carefully to my every word and after I finished he offered me a deal I couldn't refuse. Because like he said to me that day: What was I going to lose?

End of flashback

Of course, things were very different at the beginning, sure, he was always manipulative and controlling, but must lifers didn't knew him back then. We helped each other, he made me seen and people showed interest in a show, more than just a singer, up to the point of giving up their souls just to see us. With time the team grew and I myself learned a thing or two from the ghost. Caleb treated me like a daughter, so we were somewhat close, as close as you can get to him anyways.

-I think they are something special- I said answering his original question.
-That they are- he agreed- Do me a favor, keep an eye on them will you?- he asked.
-Why? You want to put your stamp on them?- I asked in return.
-They present a threat to everything that WE have built here, wouldn't you agree? I mean you don't want people to stop watching you dance, right?- I knew he said that to get to me, but it did, I can't let them do that.
-I will keep a close eye on them- I told him.
-Good- he said while giving my hand a squeeze.  In that moment we heard Willie downstairs, so Caleb made his way down to talk to him.
Once he came back I asked what Willie wanted, he told me that he was just making sure that the ghosts being there was cool. After a few moments of talking he told me to go downstairs to go say hi to the guys on their special table and to get ready for the show, so I did.
I made my way to the main space and saw the three guys with Willie sitting at the front, Calebs's doing for sure. I walked up to them.

-Hello gentlemen- I say resting my hands on Willie's shoulders.
-Looking good M- Willie tells me, since I was already in costume.
-Right back at ya- I say back.
-Hi Mack- Alex says looking a little awkward, probably because of mine and Willie's interaction.
-Hi- I say and I look at all three of them. Both Reggie and Luke look a little in shock with my clothing since it's not a lot.
-Hi- Luke and Reggie says looking me in the eye, while Reggie blushes realizing what he was doing.
-You guys ready?- I ask, they where very amused by their surroundings.
-Ok. So who's gonna make us visible so we can confront our old band mate?- Luke asks looking between me and Willie.
-Oh no, no. None of these lifers have the power to do that- Willie answers as the boy look around. Just in that moment music starts to play-Oh, but here comes the ghost who does.
-Well boys, gotta go- I tell them, and give Luke a wink as I go.
-Ladies and gentlemen, back from the dead by popular demand, please welcome Caleb Covington- a man announces and you can hear the cheers and claps.
-Did you miss me?- Caleb asks the audience and they reply yelling things like "Oh yeah".-I did too- the crowd laughs- Welcome to the party of your dreams!- the crowd cheers ones more- From the Egyptians to the Druids, to the person sitting next to you, we've all wondered: "Where do we go when that final light is snuffed out?" Allow me to show you- he says and then stars to sing.
When the line "Life is good on the Other side of Hollywood" started that's when we all came in, me in the front and center. I also danced on the boys table.

LONG LIVE THE DEAD
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A/N: hello! Here's the second chapter, we finally had some music and we learned more about Mack and Caleb. I know there hasn't been a lot of Mack and Luke but I'll get there. Vote and comment, hope you enjoyed.