The gang turned their backs on the corridor and looked into the room towards the sound of their host's voice. The candles Don held again mysteriously dimmed and went out, they stood frozen with fright. They were in the old conservatory, a room cluttered with decaying flowers and plants. Broken windows in the room allowed them to see the outside and there below was the private graveyard.
Even though the rain was falling hard an un-natural fog choked the gravestones. The rain was coming in through the broken windows, the air was dank and had a musty smell of death. The crow flew in and perched on top of a large box situated in the middle of the room.
NINJARA <hears strange noises>
What's that noise?
UNSEEN VOICE
Let me out of here, get me out of here!
USAGI
It sounds like someone or somebody is in danger, trying to get out.
RAPHAEL
Get out? Who, who's in danger?
MICHAELANGELO
Yeah, who?
DONATELLO
I'll light the candles, <relights candelabra> there.
LEATHERHEAD
What on earth is that?! <stares in complete shock>
LEONARDO
Oh my god...<mimics Joey Stiley of ECW>
There, before the ninja turtles and friends was what appeared to be a coffin or casket surrounded by the floral arrangement display with two candles set atop the lid of the box but it appeared to be moving, that is the lid was moving up and down. A pair of skeletal hands could plainly be seen gripping the edges of the lid and pushing against it as some unseen victim trapped inside was trying to escape its confines, a crying-pleading voice begging to be freed from within. Rusty nails inside the lid squealed and squeaked in painful protest.
NINJARA
It's a coffin, something's trying to get out.
MICHAELANGELO
Oh, no, I hope it's not Dracula, King of the Vampires.
RAPHAEL
Me too, brother.
LEATHERHEAD
I don't like this...<starts to panic>
CROW <scolds the mortals>
How dare you, fools, idiots! You disturbed a guest, caw-caw! You'll be sorry for that, caw-caw!
UNSEEN VOICE <continues crying for help>
Let me out of here!
Leo, Don, Raph, Mike, Usagi, Leatherhead and Ninjara ran screaming out of the room and back into the dark hallway. They passed several closed doors as they continued toward the far end. From each door they passed, natural and un-natural sounds came from within, rattling doorknockers & knobs, pounding-banging against the frame, voices crying for help. Each sounded as though it were trying to get out into the hall.
NINJARA
Guys, I'm so frightened.
USAGI
So am I, samauri partner.
Unfortunately the turtles or Leatherhead were too paralyzed to speak, scared by the sights and sounds before them, that is until the ghost host gave a cautionary warning or piece of advice about giving themselves away to the supernatural forces.
GHOST HOST
Whatever you do, don't betray your presence by screaming...follow my voice, come...You have active imaginations, that's good...
They went into another room dimly lit by flickering candles and there an unusual seance was in session.
GHOST HOST
We are about to participate in a seance...Madame Leota is assembling all spirits, they are just dying to meet you...hmhmmhmmmahahahahahaah...
Leo, Don, Raph, Mike and company gazed about the seance room in bewilderment and awe. They could see a table and chair in the middle of the room with a crystal ball in a gold-silver holder, two lit candles placed on either side of the ball and tarot cards scattered on the table-top. But unfortunately there did not appear to be anyone present sitting in front of the ball.
LEATHERHEAD
I don't see anybody sitting in the chair.
DONATELLO
Me either, but I hear a voice chanting.
LEONARDO
Me too, Don. But if no one is sitting in the chair facing the ball, where is the medium?
MICHAELANGELO
Uh, that answer your question? <he points>
RAPHAEL
What the heck?! <startled look> I don't believe it.
NINJARA
A talking head inside the crystal ball!
USAGI
Whoa! <panics> Who is she?!
LEONARDO
I believe it's Madame Leota, the ghost host told us about.
LEATHERHEAD
Good grief...how did she get trapped in that ball?
MICHAELANGELO
No one really knows...
RAPH-DON-NINJARA-USAGI
GOOD GRIEF, INDEED.
Madame Leota the medium who was chanting the plaintive incantations was quite unique. She was truly a disembodied spirit, a mere talking head inside the crystal ball. As she envoked the spirits, objects glowing in wierd colorful auras floated around the room in response to her commands.
GHOST HOST
Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact...she has a remarkable head for materalizing the disembodied...
As the mutants stood where they were, shocked and stunned, Leota began chanting, calling out to the spirits to reveal themselves, make contact.
LEOTA
Serpants and spiders, tail of a rat. Call in the spirits wherever they're at! <moans and cries fill the air> Rap on a table, it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond. <slow knocks on floating tables> Goblins and ghoulies of past Halloweens, awaken the spirits with your tamborine! <tamborine rattles and shakes> Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond. Let there be music from regions beyond. <instruments play haunting melody> Wizards and witches wherever you dwell, give us a hint by ringing a bell! <bell jingles>
Just then from out of nowhere appeared greenish glows that took on forms or shapes of human people and began to hover and float around the chamber before the startled eyes of the mutants.
USAGI
Leo, something's moving there in the corner.
LEONARDO
It looks like smoke, there's another one.
MICHAELANGELO
Wow, real ghosts.
RAPHAEL
Yeah, I can actually see them but can they see us, I wonder.
NINJARA
Gosh, I hope not!
LEATHERHEAD
They can't, ghosts usually cannot see real people unless they attempt to make contact.
NINJARA & RAPH
HUH?!!
LEATHERHEAD
Never mind...
MICHAELANGELO
No way! I don't want to make first contact with ghosts.
DONATELLO
Real spirits from beyond the supernatural barrier, totally awesome.
Then the ghost host insisted his visitors follow him since the tour was not yet over, so to speak.
GHOST HOST
Come now, we must leave this cozy little circle...for the spirits have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materalize...
So the ghost host escorted Leo, Ninjara, Raph, Usagi, Mike, Don and Leatherhead through another doorway and onto a balcony overlooking the majestic grand ballroom below.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Chapter 6
Hosted Fiction
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