CHAPTER FIVE
Return of the Blue Ghoul

Early the next afternoon we were standing with our backs pressed against Emma’s porch railings. The beautiful old home skirted in river rocks was situated between two wooded, slow-sloping mountain ranges in a long, narrow valley. This front yard spread out beneath the terrace in the dappled golden light its blades of grass entwined with delicate dandelions which danced in unison in the breeze. Silver and yellow flowers bloomed in a small garden surrounded by a yew hedge shaded like an arch. And if I squinted I could make out a path that threaded through stubbly needled pine trees and the presence of a pond by the flashes of reflected light. Beyond the water were tiny purple grapevines, transformed in …show more content…
“Miss Em, you should be resting after your ordeal,” a short woman with a kind dark eyes sang. Her cream-colored hands were shriveled, but still very graceful. I imagined she had once been a beautiful dancer, perhaps a ballerina or acrobatic performer that twirled ribbons. “I know Lihua. I had to get these children settled first,” Aunt Em said. “This is Madison, Twist, and Seth can you please fix them something to eat. Ryan will probably eat too.” “Yes Miss Em,” Lihua said. Her accent sounded unfamiliar—Chinese perhaps. She plunged a large spoon into a sauce pan and added a spice. I could smell the rich tang of apples with a tinge of nutmeg. As she swished by an island and over to the fridge, a man entered the room. “Aren’t you David Shaw,” Seth asked him. “We met in Hollow Post yesterday.” “Yep,” He laughed and it sounded like a frantic yak snort. “That’s me. Never dreamed we met in a secret room next to a skeleton in blue pajamas. Then end up here trying to figure out why a ghost is haunting our house.” He sighed. “Honestly I don’t know what to make of it. Neither does anyone …show more content…
“Any questions?” I was reeling with so many, I didn’t know where to begin. “Uh, yeah—” “You don’t have time to talk now!” Lihua cried as she floated around the table placing plates in front of each of us. Then she splashed some apple cider in our cups. “It’s time to eat.” She put a platter stacked with mystery meat down. Then tossed some bread, mustard, pickles, macaroni salad, and potato chips beside it. I suddenly realized I was starving. But before I could take a bite a blood curdling scream pierced the silence. Which caused me to freak out, drop my beard, and jump to my feet. It was followed by a drowning peace. “That was Aunt Em!” Ryan shouted and ran out of the kitchen. We chased after him up the stairs and down a long dark hall. At the end a door was ajar and light stretched across the floor. I was a few steps from the handle when I heard her scream again. Slowly I slipped into the room and saw Mr. Shaw bent over Emma, who lay sprawled out on the bed. He was rubbing her temples and kept repeating, “Aunt Em! Aunt Em, can you hear me? Are you all right?” Then he spotted Lihua. “Please bring me some of Em’s smelling