Mia rose and scooped the mushrooms out of Burt’s body with the Tupperware container. She put the lid on and handed it to the ghost. “Take these and return to your remains. They won’t grow in this body because it’s going to disappear.”
“Why are you doing this?” Weldon asked.
“It’s for the sake of botany,” Mia said evenly. “This is a failed experiment. Go back to wherever your bones molder. Go back and think this over.”
The mad ghost nodded.
Murphy escorted him to the door and slammed it shut.
Mia waved him away from the door. Murphy moved towards Cid, and Mia took the rest of Burt’s salt and sealed them in.
“Now, light the candle and make your wish. Remember, it must be made silently like a birthday wish.”
“What if I screw it up?”
“Make another wish. Just remember, all within the room you’re in will be affected,” Mia stressed.
Cid nodded and lit the lighter and then the candle.
Murphy put a protective arm around Mia. She squeezed his hand. “Remember, Murph. Remember our friendship.”
Cid blew out the candle.
Chapter Twenty
Cid cleaned his glasses as the world swirled around him. The fog he experienced when he removed his glasses was more than normal. He put on his glasses and smiled.
“Cid Garrett!”
He turned and saw the blonde with the long white hair, looking out of place in the hall of his school. She carried the large expensive backpack well, despite her diminutive height. Was Murphy with her? Did she remember? He patted himself down and felt the presence of the candle in his pocket. “It was real. It really happened,” he whispered to himself.
Mia ran down the hall and launched herself into his arms. This caused quite a stir with the few kids who were shocked to see a girl hugging the fat blind geek.
“We did it!”
“You remembered?” Cid asked as Mia released him.
“Yes, and so does Murph,” Mia said. “Let’s go and rescue Ted from the locker.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave him in there?” Cid asked. “He would be safe.”
Mia took his hand and said, “I have to see him one more time. And then I’m going to borrow your mother’s car.”
“Mia, you’re not leaving me behind,” Cid said.
“But then you’d be safe,” she said. “You’ve got nothing to prove, Cid Garrett. I know you’re the bravest of all of us. You’re cleverer than your best friend. You see us clearer than if you had twenty-twenty vision.”
“This is why you need me to come along, and I think we need the egomaniac too.”
“Well then, it’s time to let him out of the locker. You remember he’s not going to believe us.”
“Yes, but he did in the end. He’s got an open mind,” Cid said.
“Let’s go and freak him out,” Mia said mischievously.
They walked to locker 1010 and Mia put her finger to her lips before she used the remembered combination. She slammed the door open. Mia held out her hand to the surprised boy. “Come with me if you want to live.”
Cid put his hand to his face. He felt the tears of joy stream down his cheeks but didn’t care if he appeared weak to the others. His best friend was alive.
Ted looked down at the big-eyed girl with the oversized pack on her back, standing bold as brass, and fell in love. He took her hand and squeezed out of the locker.
“Mia Cooper at your service. I come from the future. We need to reset time.”
Ted looked at Cid.
“She’s not lying,” Cid said. “Come on, we have so much to do.”
“But what about the test?”
“Fuck the test,” Cid said.
Ted, who never heard Cid swear before, was visibly shaken.
“Are you in, or are you staying for the test?” Cid demanded.
“I’m in. Fuck the test,” Ted said. He reached in the locker and picked up a few books, thought a moment, and tossed them back into the locker and slammed the door. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“Cid’s house,” Mia said. “We’re going to take his mother’s car and drive to a place called Smoky Hill River Valley. There is an asylum there that our friend has become trapped in. We’re going to rescue him. He’s going to reset time. Except he doesn’t know it yet.”
“Is this a game?” Ted asked as he held the door open for Mia.
“Do you believe in ghosts?” Mia asked, passing through.
“I guess.”
“May I introduce you to Stephen Murphy, a ghost and my best friend for life,” Mia said.
“And death,” Murphy added as he manifested.
Ted staggered before his natural cool set in. “Is that axe real?”
Murphy grinned a wicked smile. He looked around, walked over to the garbage bin, and swung his axe.
CLANG!
The bin had a big gaping hole in it. The noise of its destruction echoed off the back of the school buildings. Someone pulled open a window on the second floor.
Ted grabbed Mia’s pack off her back and started running. Cid and Mia followed him, laughing. They crossed the athletic field and exited the school property by climbing the eight-foot cyclone fence.
“A simple yes would have sufficed,” Ted said, winded.
“I guess I should have told you that Murph has an unusual sense of humor,” Mia said.
Ted smiled. “Well that was exhilarating. What’s next?” he asked.
“You asked us if this was a game,” Mia said. “Cid, please catch him up, but leave the details to a minimum because we really don’t have the time.”
Ted listened to Cid and argued with him until Mia confirmed Cid’s story.
“It’s just not scientific.”
“No, it’s magic,” Mia said. “Magic doesn’t have to follow the science rules. It has its
