Chapter Two

I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost

By:  Linear Ranger

“Honey I’m home,” He announced as he walked into the empty firehouse.  Ryan had a habit of talking to himself, but then for him that was nothing out of the ordinary.  He walked into the firehouse with his backpack on.  It was three o’clock in the after noon and Ryan had gotten off work from the library early since he had put in extra hours at the start of the workweek.  He walked passed the completely overhauled ambulance and headed for the stairs.  Up the stairs he walked until he got up to the second floor.  The backpack was tossed over onto the burgundy sofa.  Ryan then flicked on the lights for the room as he started for the kitchen.  Once in the kitchen, Ryan went to the fridge.  Inside was nothing special.  Mostly all that was inside was about fifty cans of Coca-Cola, but then Ryan took that count down to forty-nine.  The rest of the fridge had some leftovers and some meat, still needing to be fixed.  After retrieving his favorite beverage, Ryan went over to the sofa and sat down.  He pulled out the day’s newspaper and began reading an article about the recent accounts of hauntings. 

The article, while trying to stay un-bias, ended up insulting those claiming the existence in the supernatural.  Ryan, not being at all pleased with the article, threw the newspaper onto the coffee table and said, “Ignorance abounds in today’s world.”  He picked up the remote control for the television and turned the TV on.  Channel by channel he surfed and until finally just stopping on the local UBN affiliate.  Ryan lay down on the sofa after finishing he beverage.  Slowly his eyelids began to fall and after about ten minutes Ryan was completely passed out.  There he lay for the next hour and a half.  Until something woke him up.

“We are just outside the home of Mrs. Jones in Harbor Hills,” the news reportee was stating.  “Mrs. Jones has been claiming for weeks that her luxurious home is haunted.”  These words stirred Ryan from his sleep.  His eyes opened and focused on the television.  On the screen was a newswoman from the local UBN news affiliate.  The reporter continued, “Mrs. Jones has decided to speak exclusively to us at UBN News.”  Then Mrs. Jones walked into the picture.  She was an elderly woman, about the age of seventy-five or so.  She had been known for years as being one of the richest people in the city and she always made donations to help the city out. 

Mrs. Jones, looking completely terrified, started, “I just can not take it anymore.  I’ve tried asking the community for help, but all I’ve received is jokes and I’ve been laughed at.  I’m desperate.  I just don’t know how much…”  But before Mrs. Jones could finish her statement, something flew between the camera and the two ladies.  It was a blue horrid looking ghost with claws.  Both the newswoman and Mrs. Jones screamed and ducked for cover.  The cameraman stayed focused enough to keep the camera on the spirit as it flew back into the house that was in the background.  Then a screen stating technical difficulties took the place of the news report. 

By now Ryan was on his feet staring at the television.  His eyes were now wide open with excitement.  His body was pumping adrenaline.  In his mind Ryan thought to himself, “Well, I guess this is the best test drive I can give the equipment.  This is make or break time.” Ryan then ran to the stairs leading up to the third floor and ran up to the lab.  He burst through the doors, ran to the table he had been working on the day before and grabbed the equipment he had finished.  One piece was a tool that would be worn on the back and had a gun like part that was held onto the main piece with a hook.  Another object was a rectangle box that had a hose attached to it and a pedal at the other end of the hose.  The last piece Ryan got was a handheld device with a screen, knobs, and antenna on top.  After gathering his equipment together, Ryan ran back out into the hallway.  He jumped over to the fire poll and slid down to the main floor. 

Once on the main floor, Ryan ran over to the overhauled ambulance with the license plates of “Ecto-1”, opened the back door and placed the equipment inside.  He did not shut the door after putting the equipment in, but instead ran over to the wooden lockers or specifically the one with Ryan’s nameplate on it.  He opened the door and inside was a brown, air force style jump suit.  There were pads in the elbow and knee areas.  Ryan’s last name was embroidered onto a black area on the left of the chest.  But the most specific part of the suit was the no ghost logo that was located on the right arm sleeve.  Ryan quickly put the suit on and then grabbed the other objects from the locker.  That was a pair of black boots and a belt.  He took his shoes off and put the boots on and put the belt around his waist. 

After changing, Ryan went back to the back of Ecto-1.  He started talking to himself, “Pronton Pack.”  Then he grabbed the tool that was worn on the back with the gun that was on via a hook, placed in on his back, and replied, “Check!”  He took the rectangle box with the hose and pedal and put in on the left side of his belt via a clip and said, “Ghost trap, check!”  Finally, Ryan got the little meter like tool and placed it on the right side of his belt via another clip and said, “P.K.E. Meter, check!”  Ryan then closed the back door of the car and went to the driver’s door, opened it and got into the car.  He pulled the keys out of his pocket, put the key in the ignition, said to himself, “Here we go.”  He turned the key and the engine started up.  Ryan pressed the garage door opener and then the two huge firehouse doors swung open.  Then the two light bars on top of Ecto-1 lit up and then a unique siren sound followed.  Ecto-1 then burst out of the firehouse and onto the street. 

Ryan was enjoying himself with the fact that since he had gotten the car classified as an “emergency vehicle” that he was allowed to use light bars and sirens, thus traffic had to yield to him.  He sped through the streets with people pulling over to let him through, though they did give him and Ecto-1 some strange looks.  Specifically they were looking at the no ghost logo that was located on the side doors and the back door.  The citizens were also trying to figure out what all was on the top of the car.  Between the two light bars were ghost detecting and analyzing tools. 

It only took about one third of the time it would normally have taken to get to Mrs. Jones’ home.  Ryan pulled up and saw the news crew and Mrs. Jones staring at the odd car.  Ryan parked the car, turned the light bars and siren off, and then shut the car off.  He stepped out and walked up to where Mrs. Jones and the news crew were standing.  The newswoman said in an annoyed tone, "Who are you suppose to be?”  Ryan grinned, looked at the still terrified Mrs. Jones and said, “My name is Ryan Powers, I’m a Ghostbuster.  Mrs. Jones, I’m here to get rid of that ghost for you.” 

Mrs. Jones’ eyes lit up and she said, “Oh please tell me you’re not lying young man.”

“I promise you Mrs. Jones, you’ll be able to sleep peacefully in your home tonight." 

“Oh thank you Mr. Powers.  Do whatever you have to do, just please get rid of that ghost.  If you do, I’ll be sure and pay you for your trouble.”

Ryan nodded and then started walking toward the house.  He entered through the door, which was covered in blue colored slime from where the ghost had entered earlier.  Once inside, Ryan closed the door behind him.  The house had to be at least 70 years old if not older.  Everywhere you looked were antiques, though some had already been smashed to pieces thanks to the ghost.  Ryan turned to his left and went into the grand living room.  It was beautiful, except for the blue slime everywhere.  There were two large old chairs and an old antique sofa.  All these were centered around the fire place.  Ryan took the P.K.E. Meter from his side, turned it on with the turn of a knob, and started slowly moving around the room.  The P.K.E. Meter’s screen was giving off readings and the antennas were moving up and down.  Just then the antenna froze in one position and the screen generated a pixilated picture of the ghost.  Ryan read the readings from the meter and then looked up at the chandelier. 

There in the chandelier was the ugly blue ghost from before.  The ghost was awful looking.  It had three blood shot eyes, sharp fanged teeth, two arms and at the end of them, hands with razor sharp claws.  Ryan saw the ghost and the ghost saw Ryan.  Knowing that he had been found the ghost slowly removed himself from the light fixture and then flew extremely fast at Ryan.  Ryan had little time to react.  He ducked just in time to miss being cut to shreds by the ghost’s claws.  After the ghost had past, Ryan jumped back up, put the meter back on his belt, and took the Proton Gun from the Proton Pack into his hands.  The ghost was floating over the entryway where Ryan had come into the room, only the ghost was laughing at Ryan. 

Ryan grinned and said, “Oh you think you’re funny do you?”

The ghost continued his horrid laughing, but it then stopped when a sound came from Ryan’s Proton Pack.  Ryan had flipped the switch on the Proton Gun to turn the pack on.  The ghost was now looking worried.  Ryan pointed the Proton Gun at the ghost and said, “Laugh at this slimebag!”

Then Ryan pressed the trigger button on the Proton Gun and then a stream of yellow, green, and red shot out of the tip of the gun.  The stream just barely missed the ghost, but hit the wall.  The ghost now knew he had something to fear, so he slimed himself into the dinning room.  Ryan released the trigger button and ran into the dinning room.  His thumb was hovering over the button ready to fire again to get the ghost.  Ryan was carefully looking around the room trying to find the ghost.  He looked at the antique dinner table with its fine china.  Then out of the corner of his eye Ryan spotted him. The ghost was in the china cabinet hiding, though poorly thanks to the glass doors.  The ghost, knowing again he had been found, flew out of the cabinet screaming for his afterlife.  Ryan kept on the ghost and fired the Proton Stream again at the ghost but missed just barely.  The stream did come close enough to singe some slime at the end of the ghost’s tale.  The ghost looked at his tale, then saw Ryan coming after him, then he bolted back through the front doors.

Ryan kicked open the front doors and was just a second behind the ghost.  He jumped onto the sidewalk and saw the ghost starting to fly into the sky.  Ryan pointed the Proton Gun and fired the stream at the ghost.  The third time was indeed a charm.  The stream hit and got the ghost.  The end of the Proton Stream wrapped around the ghost like a lasso.  The ghost was trying to fight against the stream, but Ryan adjusted a knob on the Proton Gun and the ghost could not escape.  Ryan transferred the Proton Gun to just one hand, his left, then went for the Ghost Trap on his belt.  He took the trap in his hand, let the pedal drop to the ground, and then threw the trap out.  The Ghost Trap landed right under where the ghost was being held in mid air by the Proton Stream.  Ryan again took hold of the Proton Gun with both hands and looked back at the ghost.  He said with a grin to the ghost, “Say goodbye slime head.”  Then he stomped on the pedal of the trap with his right foot.  The two striped doors of the Ghost Trap flung open and a bright clear-ish light came out with some light blue streams.  The trap began pulling the ghost into it.  Then after a quick few seconds the ghost was transferred completely into the trap.  Once the ghost was inside, the trap closed itself.  The light at the head of the trap was now blinking red.

Ryan picked up the pedal and began reeling in the cord.  Then he came to the trap and picked it up.  The Ghost Trap was letting out a bit of smoke.  Then Ryan saw Mrs. Jones and the news crew run up to him.  Mrs. Jones hugged Ryan and then said, “Thank you so much Mr. Powers.  Name your price and I’ll pay it.  Ryan rubbed the back of his head in a bit of embarrassment.  But before Ryan could answer the newswoman thrust the microphone to Ryan and asked, “Mr. Powers, do you have anything to say to the viewing public who has just seen you catch that ghost.”  Ryan had been too busy to notice that as soon as the ghost and he had taken their fight outside, the cameraman had turned the camera on and his Ghostbusting had been shown to everyone watching UBN News.  Ryan gathered himself, looked straight into the camera, and then answered the question with just, “I Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost.”