You would have to go back to the first year of 31 Ghosts to get this far into October without me splitting up a story! And, to be fair, I could probably hammer this one out, but I have laundry to fold and a bed calling my name. I’m not taking a day off like Allison here is, but maybe what passes for a day off in October! But let’s get this started…
The black mist flittered under the door into Allison’s bedroom. As she slept, the mist coalesced into an enormous dark form that began to move forward towards Allison’s sleeping figure. As it moved glowing red eyes developed and the form seemed to solidify into a hulking black form that leaned down towards her. The figure stooped, its eyes just inches from her face.
With a gasp, Allison opened her eyes, face to face with the being.
“Goddamnit, Carl!” she bellowed and shoved the figure away with both hands. “What did we talk about?” she demanded, sitting up in bed as Carl staggered back. “One, that’s just creepy – you can’t be getting in people’s faces like that!”
Carl opened its mouth, but Allison cut it off.
“Ah! No! No Exceptions.” Carl’s dark misty shoulders slumped. “And, Two,” she enumerated, “I told you and the rest of the spirits I’m taking the day off!”
This time Carl opened its mouth and produced a sound like rusty gears grinding.
“You thought I was kidding?” Allison drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why,” she started carefully and deliberately, “would I kid about that?”
Carl said something in that metal grinding voice.
“It’s precisely because it is October that I’m taking a day off! With the veil getting thinner before Halloween you guys are driving me crazy! You’re inviting all your half-formed friends over to talk to your medium friend while they can!”
Carl grated out something.
“Yes, I know I said that was okay, and it usually is. But I reached a breaking point last night when that mummy crossed over and started getting dust everywhere–”
Carl cut her off with the grinding metal sound.
“Yes, ‘mummified person’ is the correct term for actual remains. Was your dust spewing friend actual remains?”
Carl squeaked.
“No. So, Mummy.” Allison looked at the clock. “It’s three in the morning! I need to get more sleep. You go tell the rest of the entities here that I’m taking a vacation day and not to be disturbed!”
Carl squeaked something.
“No, there’s no emergency. You’re all dead or summoned by who knows what. One day isn’t going to kill, err, re-kill any of you. Now go!” She pointed to the door. Carl turned and skulked begrudgingly towards the door. “Tell the others! Do not bother me for the rest of the day!”
At the foot of the bed, the glowing black cat that was curled up stretched and meowed loudly.
“No, accept you, Annie. You’re fine.” The cat let out a self-satisfied mew and curled back down. Carl squeaked something and then dissolved back into smoke and drifted back under the door. Allison let out a huff as she settled back down into her pillow, hoping she would be able to get back to sleep.
She needn’t have worried, as the next thing she knew, sunlight streamed in through the window. Allison stretched and looked at her clock, “Crap!”
The ghost cat mewed its displeasure at being awoken.
“Sorry, Annie, but I forgot to set my alarm and I have to meet Mary for brunch. We’re doing a spa day.”
A head poked in through the closed door. “Did someone say ‘spa day’?”
“Jameson, Carl was supposed to tell you all that I’m taking a day off!”
“Oh, he did. I just assumed that doesn’t apply to me!” he said in a haughty tone.
Allison sighed. “Jameson, is your head sticking through a solid door right now?”
“Well, yes…”
“And are you in fact a ghost?”
“Yes…”
“Then leave me alone today!” she yelled and he just barely pulled his head back through the door before the pillow Allison threw at him collided with the closed door.
“Sheesh!” She could hear him curse in the hallway.
“Oh, Annie, is it possible for me to take a day off without ghosts?”
The cat mewed loudly.
To be continued…
