This chapter contains some cringe, a running gag, and... wait, this story takes place in PRESENT TIME??

Chapter 14

That was what I needed to see! Take that! Clyde thought later, trying not to laugh.

“Look at this place! Even cooler than I imagined,” Pinky yelled.

The light brown building had a matching door in the front and a few windows spread throughout. It had a handwritten sign that read, “OUT OF BUSINESS AS OF 6/5/2013”. Inside, the building had scratchy brick-pattern walls with yellow and black checker-pattern tile floors and faded white ceilings. The doors were black with peeling paint.

“Wow, it has been five years!” Greeny exclaimed.

“Time for this building to get a little updated,” Silver announced. He opened the unlocked door and held it open for everyone. Violet set the bucket down while Greeny came over to her. All the other ghosts decided to tour the pitch black building while Clyde searched for a bathroom.

Once everyone was out of his view, Greeny loudly told Violet, “I don’t know what you were trying to do, but that was rude. What was wrong with me carrying the bucket? Can’t I do nice things once in a while?” Before she could respond, he floated away to catch up with the others.

Violet hesitated to follow Greeny because she knew he wanted nothing to do with her at that moment. After Greeny had a good head start, Violet intended to catch up with the others too. However, she saw Clyde slowly going a different way.

I knew it, Clyde thought to himself. I knew Greeny was no good. Now what do I do?

“What are you doing over here?” Violet asked quietly.
Clyde jumped. “AHH! Oh, hey Violet.”

“Everything OK, Clyde?” Violet wondered.

“No,” Clyde responded. “So I heard what Greeny just said to you…”

“I know. I can’t believe I’m working with him on this
mission,” Violet complained.

“I can’t believe we are working with him on this mission,” Clyde replied.

“The thing is though, I’ve always worked with him… ever since childhood,” Violet explained. “The four of us bonded over pranking other ghosts, which is exactly why Greeny called us all on the phone one day to start our team.”

“So you aren’t used to a major mission like this at all,” Clyde assumed. Violet nodded before Clyde continued.

“Well, neither are we. Our team was born just because we stumbled across each other while searching for a home.”

“Wow, that’s cool,” Violet replied.

“Has Greeny always been like this?” Clyde whispered, worried that Greeny might still be lurking around a corner, ready to catch them talking about him.

“Not always,” Violet told him at a normal volume. She was positive that Greeny wouldn’t do anything crazy like kicking her off the team if he heard this because he benefited from her help. “I think being a team leader made him think he’s more important than the rest of us. He still enjoys working on things as a team, but he’s so different now. Now that we’re on a mission together instead of doing a prank, I’ve been able to notice more of how self-centered he is.”

“Oh,” Clyde sighed. “I’m frustrated that Blinky doesn’t notice. He rushed into this without thinking about whether we can trust Greeny. I told him this morning that I have doubts about Greeny. He was nice about it, but he thinks Greeny is just excited about working with another team for the first time.”

“Well I agree with what Blinky said, but I agree with you more. We should probably go find where the others are before they become concerned,” Violet told Clyde.

“You go do that. I gotta continue my search for a bathroom,” Clyde replied, embarrassed.

Violet laughed and pointed to their left. “It’s down there somewhere I believe. We saw pictures of the whole inside of this building so we could make sure it’s not being used. See you in a few.”

“Alright, see ya,” Clyde responded before darting down the hallway.