A Ghost in Need

When a familiar ghost named Danny continues to haunt Sam after she used a Ouija board with her best friend Tucker, the two try to unlock the key to his freedom, while hiding him from the local ghost catchers and their ghost-kicking daughter, Jazz. What will happen when the boy finds himself in a Ghost Portal with the On switch on the inside?

Sam had just finished her all-black painting of a rainbow and was clearing up when the doorbell rang. "Coming, Tuck!" She shouted, heading hastily down the creaky, vintage stairs. Her best friend, Tucker, was waiting at the door holding a sleeping bag and his phone. "Do you have the thing?" Asked Sam in a hushed tone as they were stepping through Sam's doorway. Tucker looked confused for a second, then confirmed. "Oh! Yeah, I brought it. The Only Unicorn In Jam Area game board?" Sam burst out laughing. "You can just say Ouija, dude. My parents are in the basement and they're about to leave." Right on cue, Sam heard the door slowly close automatically, and the sounds of, "Bye, sweetie! Have fun!" and finally a slamming door. Tucker could've sworn he'd also heard someone mutter, "Finally, a kid who isn't a goth." As the door closed, but he didn't mention it. People might think Sam was scary, but have you ever met a recyclo-vegetarian goth girl before? "It's still only 10:50. We've got ten minutes 'till the kid said he'd be here." Mused Tucker, pulling the Ouija board out of the sleeping bag... uh... bag.

It was 10:59 at night and Tucker and Sam were brainstorming questions to ask the kid. They had a small list, and as Tucker's digital schedule beeped, '11:00', he remembered something. "I got a new planchet! You know how the glass in the old one was all broken?" He said, pulling the shining planchet out of his sleeping bag. Sam's face lit up. "Maybe we'll be able to finally see our friend." She said, checking behind her for signs. The two teens placed their fingers on the planchet and moved it in unison. "Are you there?" Asked Sam. The planchet quickly moved to yes with jittery movements, as if the ghost moving it were excited. They had agreed to take turns asking questions. "What's your name?" The planchet glossed over five letters, spelling 'Danny.' Sam and Tucker quietly sighed in relief. Sam pressed down on the planchet and it flicked up a little. "Sorry." She apologised. The planchet spelled, 'Its ok' and Sam asked her question. "Will you show up in the planchet?" She asked tentatively. The planchet moved around randomly, before settling on, 'yes.'

Sam nodded and took the planchet with a slightly trembling hand, then held it up to her eye and closed the other. She looked around for a little before turning around, and she was shocked to see a boy the same height as her and Tucker smiling and waving. Sam covered her mouth and whispered, "Hi, Danny." Tucker looked at Sam, his eyes wider than the planchet. The white-haired, green eyed ghost chuckled silently and, with a smirk, brought his finger up to point towards Tucker. "You want him to see you?" The boy furiously nodded. "Ok. Tucker, look through the planchet!" Sam said, handing the planchet very carefully to Tucker. Tucker put it over his glasses and couldn't seem to find the kid, before settling on a spot in the corner of the room. Tucker gasped loudly and walked closer. The kid walked closer too, inferring that the guy wasn't hostile. Tucker thought for a moment, then held up his closed fist. The ghost laughed silently and bumped his fist to Tucker's, which sent a happy green light pulsing throughout the candlelit room. Each candle blew out and frosted over. The poor guy looked at his gloved hands, then at the ceiling, upset. Then he made different symbols with his hands that Tucker recognised as sign language for "Sorry, Tucker!" Tucker smiled, and signed "No prob" in return. The friendly ghost looked around and walked up to a notebook and pencil that were lying on Sam's desk. Tucker and Sam looked at each other and pulled out three of the four chairs that were next to the desk.

This was the most amazing experience Sam and Tucker had had with any ghost so far, though they'd only really befriended one, and he was about to sit next to them. Tucker handed the planchet to Sam, so she could look at Danny while he did whatever he was doing. Danny furrowed his brow, as if trying to figure out something. He smiled, signed "Look!" and manifested some ice in his palm. The ice formed a pencil shape with a hole that ran through the entire object, stopping almost at a point at the bottom which left a tiny hole. Danny set to work. "Can you hold the pencil?" He signed. Tucker picked it up, lead facing the desk. The strange tube floated over to the pencil, and after a few tries, slotted the ice over the pencil. Danny closed his eyes and took a breath, and Tucker set the pencil down. It shook and vibrated, until finally, it rolled towards the paper and stood up. Sam put down the planchet in disbelief. The pencil was still there, floating to the notebook, although the boy was not.

Then the pencil started writing.