The Ghost September 2017: An Age Gone By

A mystery over a century old. Slavery, love, betrayal, and an shocking finale that defies the standard.

Ghost: I hear voices. They tell me to do things. They cry out for vengeance and justice. Only I can answer their call. The dead must find rest. They shall be avenged. I am "The Ghost".

Announcer: The Ghost! 

FX: Wind

Announcer: Fighting for the supernatural, defying those who would take advantage of spirits, and keeping the boundaries safe. When the dead can't speak! 

(Music; something mystical)

Announcer: Born able to communicate with the dead, Rick Hart, Private Eye, has established an agency secretly dedicated to serving those who passed and keeping balance in the two worlds. Should there be a murder most foul, should there be a grave threat to the powers that be. Then prepare for an otherworldly encounter with The Ghost!

FX: Clock counting down the time till it rings midnight. 

Announcer: The fates have set. The time has come for the fantastic mystery ride of paranormal proportions. An Age Gone By

Announcer: Time ago, during the American Civil War, there was a hidden post of the underground railroad helping escaped slaves reach the freedom garenteed by the North. 

Slave: Who are you? Is this the place?

Marcus: My name is Marcus. I am a freed slave, this is our mansion.

Slave: But…

Marcus: Here comes the Lt. Early.

Slave: He owns this land? I am confused.

Early: Nice to meet you. No. I am actually an agent of the North, this plantation was abandoned long ago, and we use this as a hidden post helping people get north. I set up looking like the master of the land and these two pose as slaves to keep up apearance.

Slave: Thanks, so you are Lt. Early, you are Marcus…

Eli: And I am Eli. 

Marcus: We got a ship coming in two days. Until then, pretend you are a member of this house hold, we will feed you, get you some clean clothes and in two days you will be on your way with your new life. 

Eli: Careful that Rose doesn’t get a liking to him.

Marcus: Don’t joke around now.

Slave: Who is Rose?

Marcus: Girl from the village. 

Eli: If you are going to stay here for two days, you may as well know, she has him hooked.

Early: Hooked like a worm in a fishs mouth.

Marcus: Lets just get you inside before people show up looking for you. Follow us.

Slave: I owe you my life.

Eerie music.

Fade out.

Slave: What is that sound!?

Marcus (background): The boat isn’t coming!?

Early: The boat got stopped, it turned violent, they had to run but no casualties. A contigent of confederate soldiers are coming here.

Eli: You think they know about us!?

FX: Banging on wood.

Slave: Someone, there is knocking on the door.

Early: They cant have found us that quick. 

South Soldier: We know you are in here yankee!

Early: Everyone act humble, remember, I am supposed to be in charge. I will have to be violent with you if I need to, can you handle?

Eli: Yes.

Marcus: Yes. 

FX: Door opening.

Early: Well I’ll be, what is the rumble about?

South Soldier: We know you are hiding escaped slaves in here.

Early: I say, these men are mine, bought and paid for.

Marcus: Excuse me sir…

Early: Did I give you permission to speak in front of the guests!?

Marcus: I apologize sir.

South Soldier: Bring her out.

Rose: Let go of me!

Marcus (Dropping character): ROSE! They chained you!

Eli: No! Let go of her!

South Soldier: I heard a rumor she has been helping with the path to freedom so to speak. Tell me wench, which of these men is your companion?

Rose: I wont say a word!

FX: Musket fire.

Rose: OH!

Marcus: ROSE!!!!

South Soldier: Bury her with the rest of the trash.

Early: What trash, how dare you kill a lady…

South Soldier: Property, she was nothing more than property, and you sir, for a slave owner seem to be showing a bit too much compasion. We know all about this enterprise of yours. You and all yours, they are cohorts. 

Marcus: Get her back up.

Eli: Marcus, Marcus, get up man!

Marcus: Make her stand up… let her talk…

Eli: Shes dead…

Marcus: No. 

Eli: I am sorry Marcus, just…I wish this didn’t happen.

South Soldier: Boys, help yourselves to whatever food and livestock you got. As for your…

Marcus: Get your hands off me…

Eli: Don’t fight.

South Soldier: Him too.

Early: So, it looks like our time has come…

South Soldier: On the floor with the lot of them. 

FX: Russtling.

Early: How, how did you find us.

South Soldier: Someone, ratted you lot out, and it was someone you know.

Marcus: Who?

South Soldier: Fire!

FX: Gunfire

FX: Slumps.

South Soldier: Maybe you can figure that out in the after life. Okay boys, lets burn the next village.

Fade out.

Curator: The south raided this very building all those years ago and executed those within. Through extensive research we have found out the name of the leader of the group, Lt. Early Washington. He set up this post on the underground railroad and with the help of several unidentified former slaves, was the final bridge of to freedom for over a hundred escapees. We know how they all met their grizzly fate in this very yard, an unknown man was staying up the stairs and watched these events. He hid himself in a secret passage and when dawn struck, he ran to the nearest North garrison and told his story.

FX: Fabric on fire.

Guest: What is that?

Curator: Huh?

Guest 2: Oh my god it’s a fire!

Guest 3: Fire! Fire!

Curator: Don’t panic everyone! Get out as calm as possible and…

FX: Shufling of feet.

Curator: I said calmly out… oh dear….

Pause.

Curator: And that, was the third fire we had. We are officially opening the museum soon. It took years and money to renovate but…there is someone trying to sabatoge us. I read about your work in solving tough cases Mr. Hart…

Rick: Thanks for coming to me. So you believe this to be a serial arsonist?

Curator: I do not know, but I traveled all the way to the city…this museum, we forget history we are doomed to repeat and what I have worked on building would be comprehensive to understanding what went on, and what untold stories are out there, waiting for us to learn so that we as a civilization can benefit greatly from it. You know what I mean Mr. Hart?

Rick: Call me Rick. I may be a private detective but I like my first name very much. Mr. Hart was my dads name after all. I feel weird being called by it.

Curator: Just come back to the city with me, I will pay for your trip and stay and then tell me if you will take my case.

Rick: I look forward to this.

Curator: Thank you.

FX: Chair moves.

FX: Walking away

FX: Door closes.

Malina: Well Rick.

Rick: An arsonist, at a meseum?

Malina: I could stretch my legs, Id love to leave this place.

Rick: As a ghost, how does on “stretch” their legs?

Malina: Ill find an answer for that as soon as I can brother.

Rick: Okay, lets get me packed.

FX: Air Plane landing.

Malina: So this is the place Rick?

Rick: Yes sis, they seemed to have contained the previous fire, but I wonder what kind of fire bug we are dealing with?

Malina: Atleast this isn’t a horrid murder.

Rick: The adventure is still young. 

Malina: You want someone to die?

Rick: No. I just also know if we count are chickens too early, something bad might be around the corner. There is a reason someone set fire to this very place.

FX: Door opens

Curator: Come in Mr. Hart…I mean Rick.

Rick: Thank you. The hotel you have me at could use some work but I am not complaining?

Curator: Oh?

Rick: I am just glad to stretch my legs.

Malina: Stop stealing my lines. 

Rick: Anyways, this place is fancy.

Curator: I have a special affection for this place as dark as it is.

Rick: This used to be a plantation?

Curator: Yes. But it was a lot more than that.

Rick: Oh?

Curator: I… I cant completely tell you what about this place but 

Marcus: Hello!? Visitors?

Malina: A voice?

Curator: I.. this place…

Rick: You okay?

Curator: I am fine. 

Malina: We need to investigate this voice. Follow me Rick.

Rick: If you would mind. I would love to see the premises.

Curator: Sure.

Rick: I would like to do this alone. You can give me a secondary tour later. 

Curator: I will be waiting right here.

FX: Walking

Malina: Rick, this place…

Rick: Haunted. Definitely.

Malina: You think it caused the fire?

Rick: That it was haunted?

Malina: I mean…

Rick: There are atleast four ghosts here. 

Malina: FOUR!?

Marcus: A voice: Who goes there!?

Rick: So…it was you.

Marcus: You can see me?

Rick: Your uniform…

Marcus: I died in the clothes of a slave, but I was an honorary member of the Union army. 

Rick: My name is Rick Hart…

Marcus: And you can see me…

Rick: And this is my sister, Malina.

Malina: It is a pleasure to meet you. Wait, you said Union Army!?

Rick: That’s…you have been dead since then?

Marcus: We were…found out. 

Rick: How?

Marcus: We can’t move on. It wasn’t that we were killed by enemy soldiers, its that we were cursed not knowing how they came upon us. 

Rick: I am adept at solving cases, but mysteries that are over a century or so old, that is not exactly my area of expertise.

Eli: Hello.

Rick: Another one.

Malina: And who might you be.

Eli: I am Eli, Marcus’s brother, we escaped together. I heard Marcus speaking with someone and wanted to know what the comotion was.

Rose: Is that a voice I hear?

Malina: That is three. 

Early: Ah so we have guests, it has been so long.

Malina: And you would be the fourth spirit my brother spoke of.

Early: And a beautiful lady spirit, charmed.

Malina: Pleasure is mine sir.

Early: I hear chivalry has long been lost in todays age, but I assure you maam that I have studied it well. 

Malina: I cant tell if you are being charming or creepy.

Early: I am Lt. Early, are you charmed?

Malina: A soldier?

Early: I did underground work. 

Malina: uh huh, okay, and you are maam.

Rose: I am Rose I served Mr. Farley since I was born. 

Rick: Then how did you come to be a ghost of this house?

Rose: I… was killed here. And whoever orchestrated this…

Rick: So it wasn’t the southern army?

Early: They were the trigger, someone pulled it. We wouldn’t have been found out unless someone went to the Rebel camp and said, “there they are”.

Malina: You do know whoever set you up, is long dead anyways. Revenge belongs to the grim reaper. 

Rick: I guess that is one way of putting it.

Eli: Another way of putting it is even if they are dead, we can’t move on. 

Rick: The problem of the unanswered question. 

Marcus: Please.

Rick: But what does this have to do with a fire?

Eli: A fire?

Rick: Several fires have been lit around this place, now being that the meuseum is currently going through a lot of effort of being restored, someone is going through effort to sabatage it.

Rose: You think it could be the killer?

Rick: Well technically you know your killer we just don’t know the mastermind. I am sorry, this is very odd to me. I have solved many cold cases, but this goes back longer than I am comfortable with.

Marcus: So you will not help us?

Rick: Oh no, no I mean I will help you. You can count on that, I will use what power I have to bring this person to justice but… that’s the thing. What justice? The mastermind is long dead, decayed in whatever grave. So even if I were to deduce who did it, its not like I can ask them to confess even if I am able to speaj to ghosts because they may have long passed on. The resolution you seek…is very much in the realm of maybe possible, but not sure.

Malina: What my brother is saying we will bring your man to justice. He garentees it!

Rick: I do not…

Malina: He is just being modest. Don’t listen to him!

Rick: But first, I think we need to have a new conversation with the curator of this place.

Malina: Huh?

Rick: Well, I think he is hiding something,. Now if we come at him as Rick Hart, private eye, he might be more inclined to hide the truth, but this is not just an arsonist we are now looking for. 

Malina: Do I sense a man running around as his alter ego coming?

Rick: I shall meet him next as The Ghost.

Dramatic Music

Fade out.

Curator: A long day, I think I am about ready to call it a night, time to turn off this light. 

Ghost: Greetings. 

Curator: Who is there? What?

Ghost: I am The Ghost, perhaps you have heard of me. 

Curator: I have hear rumors but… I didn’t think you were real. Are you here to kill me?

Ghost: I do not kill. I do many things, talk to the dead, I can assume their forms and they can speak through me, but I do not kill. 

Curator: Then, why are you here?

Ghost: You know the story behind the murder of the plantation do you not?

Curator: Yes but…

Ghost: No, you know it more than you claim.

Curator: What do you mean.

Ghost: Tell me.

Curator: Lt. Early founded the front for the underground railroad. Him and his cohorts were found and killed by the south.

Ghost: Tell me the part where you know about who did it.

Curator: What?

Ghost: Your soul speaks of one who is hiding something. Why do you want this land so bad, this museum?

Curator: The Leader…he wasn’t the leader. Lt. Early…came in after. The two slaves, the escaped slaves, they brought him in several months after they were feeding escapees to the north. We didn’t know their names until now but, he died a heroes death and…

Ghost: Credit, you don’t want him to lose his credit for leading this place, why?

Curator: He is my ancestor. I found this place, practically in ruins due to time because of a journal I found. But it was half complete. The journal was found in my grandfathers attic, but it was before Early moved to the south to man his station. It told of a meeting between him and a gentleman named Marcus. 

Ghost: And who was Marcus?

Curator: It was all his idea, he had the connections and the two of them went to the general and set up the boats. Marcus had taken up in an abandoned facility and Early was the third to move in, acting as the owner to keep the cover going. 

Ghost: You think he did it. 

Curator: What?

Ghost: The attack on the place, was an inside job. 

Curator: He was a spy. 

Ghost: A spy?

Curator: But he was working for the north. The journals prove it.

Ghost: Journals, plural.

Curator: Hidden in the crevice of the painting room, a second journal, his time here. He…he found something when he was here! But, I can’t…

Ghost: Can’t what?

Curator: There…

FX: Fire flashing.

Ghost: What the!?

Curator: Fire!

Ghost: I sense a presence but…dang, its gone! 

Curator: The journal! Grab it.

Ghost: The fire, its going right for it!

Curator: The answers are in there!

Ghost: got it, but this room. We need to leave now.

Curator: All my research books.

Ghost: This journal, is it that important. 

Curator: Don’t lose it.

Ghost: To the exit.

FX: running. 

Curator: We made it. My house, gone. Who is after me? Mr. Ghost… Mr. Ghost? Where did he go?

Dramatic Music.

Rick: Now tell me, how did you meet.

Marcus: I first met Rose, while shopping at the market. It was on me to make dinner that night and I saw her shopping with her mistress. When her boss left, she smiled at me and the two of us couldn’t strop grinning and making silly nonverbal gestures. Before she came back all I could say was “Marks.” Couldn’t even get that last syllable to my name right. 

Rose: He was trying to show me his bicep. I figured he didn’t do much field work because there was nothing of note on his arm. 

Marcus: She was in awe of my muscles.

Rose: It was cute watching him try so hard.

Eli. He was becoming distracted, making mistakes. We almost got caught transporting one of our friends north. 

Marcus: We had a slip up. Eli jumped in and saved us.

Rose: One day, something changed, Marcus said he couldn’t see me anymore.

Eli:: Their sneaking out was putting everyone at risk. So she started coming more in the day to run errands.

Marcus: I think her boss started to suspect.

Early: The more interaction I had with other plantation owners was us risking suspicion.

Rose: That was when I asked them to help me escape.

Eli: Marcus had to lay low so I arranged the transport, but…

Marcus: That was when we got word another escapee was coming our way. If we were to evacuate Rose, we needed more time so we focused on the man in front of us.

Rick: So, you helped this man escape?

Marcus: He watched us die.

Malina: According to the story, he survived and escaped North, even hiding him as long as you did, saved his life.

Early: Do you think…he possibly could have….

Rick: Oh no. No no no. You see, the traitor, the one who sold you out…is one of you. 

Dramatic music. 

Comercial Break

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Bob 2: Hey.

Bob: Bob?

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Bob: And you have also tried my brand as well.

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Bob: And there you have it. Thank you for your time Bob.

Voice: But Bob?

Bob: Yes?

Voice: Not you Bob, the other Bob.

Bob 2: So you admit, that when it comes to that clean feeling that no brand is matched to LunaSense.

Bob: Do not answer that Bob.

Bob 2: LunaSense really is the best.

Bob: Shut your mouth Bob.

Voice: And doesn’t it do everything that is promised on the package.

Bob 2: But this Bob paid me money to say..

Voice: Well I can tell you us at Lunasense will never pay people to endourse our product. Lunasense speaks for itself. On the market, in stores, and in your home. When you need that clean feeling…

Bob and Bob 2: Trust that cleaning feeling!

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Jingle: For that clean feeling!

FX: Knock on wood.

Chorus: Use LunaSense.

Voice: LunaSense, for that clean feeling. 

End Comercial

Announcer: And now the thrilling conclusion to An Age Gone By.

Malina: So we have a journal that the mastermind doesn’t want read out loud?

Rick: Makes me wonder what possibly was in that journal.

Malina: He was a spy.

Rick: And?

Malina: Well spies are trained differently from soldiers, right?

Rick: How so?

Malina: I am just saying a man who would keep extensive notes would probably have an eye not on the macro, but the micro. For instance, you have to stay undercover you would notice things like movements, who talks to who, about what, routines…

Rick: I don’t understand what you are getting at.

Malina: Okay, lets start over, Lt. Early, if he didn’t keep extensive notes on paper, I am willing to bet he kept mental notes whether he wanted to or not, and on the occasion things added up over time, he might have made a slight mention in his journal.

Rick: You are saying he knew something, he just might not have known it was something but it was what his training picked up.

Malina: Wether he knew it or not, he probably has the identity of the mastermind in that journal.

Rick: Then shall we take one more glance at it, I think we might have missed something.

Malina: There is another possibility.

Rick: That it was Lt. Early who sold out his own team.

Malina: Which begs the question: Why?

Rick: Lets think of the other suspects for a second.

Malina: Brother?

Rick: Well, what we learned from our reading of his journal was that he was often kept in the dark by Marcus and Eli. But Marcus seemed to be the leader. 

Malina: There were no signs of dissension in the ranks.

Rick: None at all, they had a rough patch at the beginning but after a month, they really nailed out their roles.

Malina: So then Marcus?

Rick: The leader, the one who started it all…what would he have to gain?

Malina: Anything Marcus related would really be Rose related.

Rick: Meaning?

Malina: Well they were in love. 

Rick: And?

Malina; If Marcus had a reason it would have something to do with her. And if she had a reason it would likely to do with him.

Rick: Not if she was faking it. She easily could have been a spy as well. 

Malina: And Eli. The brother.

Rick: The evil brother?

Malina: There is a bad one in every bunch.

Rick: Jealousy?

Malina: The second in command…

Rick: Who wanted to…control a slave runaway operation?

Malina: Yeah that is a bit of a stretch, power is one thing, what these guys were doing was putting themselves in danger for other benefits. 

Rick: But it has to be one of them.

Malina: Sometimes the less suspects you have, the more even the odds are that a given one did it or didn’t do it. 

Rick: Bluff?

Malina: “Bluff?”

Rick: One bluff.

Malina: And what would we bluff?

Rick: One of them doesn’t want the truth to get out, so much so they desire the past to be buried. This isn’t about fame or fortune, its shame. The grand opening is tomorrow, what if we draw them out?

Malina: Have them try and set a fire…and ambush them in the act.

Fade into

FX; Camera shots

Curator: Tomorrow, tomorrow will be the opening of the new Museum after all the rebuilding is done. 

Reporter: What about the fires and arson?

Curator: I have it under good authority from a private investigator that I have hired that we shouldn’t worry about any attacks of arson. It will be a safe event, and with the new library set up to how it was, and the secret passages completely restored it will make for some interesting walking. 

Reporter: So they havent caught him.

FX: Electronic Zap

Curator: My mike is dead, someone, can you get the power back on?

Ghost: Along time ago a great tragedy happened. A force of good, helping those escape their opressors were betrayed by someone close, and for it, four lives were lost. The sole survivor lived to tell the tale of their sacrifice but, one of these martyrs was the one who set up the chain of events that lead to these deaths. Written in a journal by a Union soldier and spy, tomorrow it shall be revealed who the identity of the traitor was. 

Reporters: (random loud noises)

Fade out.

Rick: The stage is set. Literally.

Malina: They went all out. 

Rick: The speakers and the mics, he really did a number.

Malina: A well preserved mansion after a century and change open to the public and prestine condition, I can see why he went overboard. 

Rick: This is also his legacy. 

Malina: It would so be easier if he was the villian.

Rick: He is just a man who wants to tell his heritage, one he is proud of.

Malina: Here he comes.

Curator: Thank you all for coming. It took along time to get this ball rolling. What we are here to witness is history. Now a few of you have been on pre tours with me before we have officially set this place open to the public but that changes today. No cost has been spared in renewing this musuem to the way it was built long ago. We have rebuilt the secret passaged, the bell tower and kept it with close to the original furniture that we have gone through detailed notes in trying to get. This was no small effort by a small team. We have 30 men starting and even more in the latter days. I am sure you are all aware of the fires that have been hapeening but not one will come today I can assure you that. The past is behind us, but we cant look forward without looking back. Slavery was a dreadful thing and the war between the north and the south was bloody and brutal. This house, the people who lived here died for it. It is a testament to an age gone by and for good reasons. It is however not without its heroics and we must remember their sacrifices…

FX: Static

Curator: I think there is something wrong with my mic.

FX: Static

Rick: Careful with how you talk, the mics feedback can pick up your white noise.

Malina: Ill keep quiet.

Rick: It is time for our finale.

Ambigous voice: I will burn this place…(Static) down.

Ghost: Tonight, all will be revealed. I have with me the lost Journal of Lt. Early, and in it is the secret that has kept this place haunted, I will now reveal…

Malina: I found him1

Ambigous Voice: This place shall be buried in ash.

Malina: No you don’t!

Reporter: I can hear voices.

Reporter 2: What is this?

Reporter 3: Another fire?

Ghost: And there you are. Like the perverbial moth to the flame. I told you I would reveal who did it. 

Malina: I caught him, he cannot move.

Reporter 2: Is that The Ghost? Who is he talking to?

Eli: Let go of me!

Ghost: Call the others out here.

Malina: Rose, Early, Marcus.

Ghost: The final truth of the story reveals itself. As we said, long ago…

Marcus: Long ago…you can hear me right? All of you? I see, you have lent me your body so I can speak…

Reporter: Who is that?

Marcus: My name is Marcus, I was an escaped slave. Me and my brother Eli, we used to be so close. We were sold as children and grew up to the harsh realities of what our life would be like. Eli lived outside tilling the fields while I worked in the house. My master let me learn to read and study so I could read his son bedtime stories. From these books I realized there was a life outside of these fake but beautiful lands that were made off the sweat of my peoples backs. So I got Eli, told him that there was a way north, if we go left facing the rising sun. 

Malina: Why Eli? Why would you kill everyone?

Marcus: We only found that the plantation had been deserted on our second trip back down. The field had been barren and no sign of life. We found out through an old man in the village the owner died of an illness that spread like wildfire and the family deserted as quick as they could. From there we set up our camp.

Eli: He was the one who had the idea. I was just there.

Marcus: You want to know my story. This was how it started. From there I met Rose…

Malina: I thought it was you Rose. I really did. 

Rose: Why?

Malina: I thought you worked some kind of deal, you sold them out so that they would spare your love.

Marcus: I think I suspected that…my brother first fell for Rose when she came by to bring remedies when one of our friends we were helping fell ill.

Eli: You knew?

Marcus: That was the first time he began to act weird. My brother Eli, he was a fixed point. He was the first to say the right course of action and the first to jump without questioning what needed to be done. If we had a situation fall south, he would move and we would be out of it.

Eli: But he was the smart one.

Marcus: Lt. Early came on when we met with him in his apartment. He had been stationed but was granted temporary leave. One of our contacts suggested we meet and partner with him. After all two slaves living out of a mansion by themselves wouldn’t make much sense without a master for apearances sake. 

Malina: So you killed him over a girl?

Eli: I got us all killed over a girl.

Malina: How did it happen?

FX: Crickets

South Soldier 2: Who goes there?

Eli: Don’t shoot!

South Soldier 2: You, you are that guy from the farm. I know your face. What are you doing here?

Eli: I have information you might want to know.

South Soldier 3: Spill it.

Eli: You know how there have been a rash of disapearances with slaves?

South Soldier 2: Yeah?

Eli: There is a boat that comes every Friday. That’s how they get in and out. Once they are on that boat, they are protected by Northern soldiers. 

South Soldier 3: And why you telling us this?

Eli: I give you the man in charge, you promise to let me and a person of my choosing go free?

Malina: So you gave him up to set Rose free?

Eli: We were going to hide her but, I knew, if she disappeared they would know it was us immediately. 

Malina: But he was your brother.

Eli: He was also going to get everyone killed! We were becoming more and more well known. With our small operation and the dilapidating land, it was obvious we didn’t belong. We started getting eyes, turning on us…

Rose: So you turned on him because he was going to get you killed.

Eli: He was going to get you killed. His dumb love for you was going to destroy the operation. 

Malina: But you ratting the operation out first…

Eli: All we needed was to get that new guy to the North, the soldiers said they wouldn’t attack until later.

Malina: And why did you believe them?

Eli: I figured they would be men of their word. 

Malina: And everyone else got caught up in it.

Eli: Marcus. I kept this secret for so many years…being dead, its not like you find change in yourself by yourself. It feels like we just exist and nothing I say or do will change that.

Marcus: And that is why you wanted to burn this place down when you could.

Eli: I wanted people to not know the truth. I wanted the past to be buried with us. I don’t want to be remembered as a hero, or a villain, someone who helped free dozens of people. 

Ghost: I told you, one of you was the traitor.

Rose: You…how could you…

Marcus: I have no words.

Ghost: You have the answer you sought.

Eli: And now my name will be forever ruined and muddied while you will be remembered as a martyr. I just wanted to have a life happy. You were the one that took up this cause. 

Marcus: I don’t think I can forgive you, not yet.

Ghost: Then it will take time. Not all wounds are healed over night.

Malina: You spent your entire time as a ghost hating whoever did this to you, I understand that you cannot forgive him but find it within you. If you cannot, you will never pass on. 

Ghost: Our show has come to an end. Now me and the spirits must away. Those with questions now have their answers, the audio devices have picked up every word, your story has been told without holes and etched forever.  

FX: Power Outage

Reporter: What is going on?

Reporter 2: What just happened? What were with those voices?

Curator: My opening ceremony, did…did we just witness what happened all those years ago?

Dramatic Music.

Malina: So, not an average solution?

Rick: We have come across some siblings that have killed their counterparts, that is not completely new.

Malina: You could have given them rest by forcing Eli to pass on, thus avenging the spirits.

Rick: They spent all this time together, I feel it would be cheating them. They need to find it within themselves for them to truly be at rest. Appeasing a spirit is one thing, but letting them find their own peace within, that is something else entirely. 

FX: Knock on door.

Rick: Come in.

FX: Door Opens.

Rick: Ms. Secretary, hello.

Linda: Yeah, Ms. Secretary, while you were going off on your random adventure out of town, I have been juggling three people wanting to hire you for three different requests. All I had to go on was a note that said, “Out of town, Good Luck. Rick.”

Rick: Well Linda, I am sure this place did good with you in charge.

Linda: I am not a private eye, I am your secretary, and I don’t have a desire to do your job for you just because you want to be away.

Rick: But I went to a nice hotel, got to enjoy southern comforts. 

Linda: And you ditch me. Did you maybe think maybe I wanted to come to.

Malina: She is in a mood today.

Rick: Next time, I promise to take you with me.

Linda: Really?

Rick: Yeah, really, we should stretch our legs.

Linda: (Flattered) Ill hold you to it.

Rick: Okay.

Linda: I am serious, I will hold you to it.

FX: Door closes.

Malina: I almost think you agreed to a date.

Rick: What?

Malina: Nothing. But be careful. Love can make you blind. 

Rick: Huh?

Malina: I am trying to come up with a moral of our story.

Rick: If there is a moral to this story, perhaps it is that people are complex, their relations are further complex, and just because some bonds are set in stone, doesn’t mean they cant be overcome by something simple and small.

Pause.

Malina: Rick.

Rick: Yes?

Malina: I would never betray you brother.

Rick: I know. I couldn’t have solved this case without you to be there. The Ghost, it can be a show but your ingenuity and your reliability are the reason we can do this as effectively as we can. Without the team of Rick and you, The Ghost would just be me running around in a silly suit.

Malina: So you admit it’s a silly act.

Rick: No. The Ghost is cool and he always will be.

Malina: Sure he is Rick…sure he is….

Dramatic Music.

Fade out.

Announcer: The Ghost and all characters are copyright by Supernatural Magazine Monthly. All characters living or dead are fictitious and all similarities are practically coincidental. All rights reserved.

End.

Author's Note

The outline wasnt as polished when I started writing, and alot of it was done powering through. So be honest with me.

Reviews

[Mimi]

I enjoyed the read. Liked the banter between Rick and Malina, Rick and Linda...are you heading toward a romance?? Commercial not your strongest. Tone was solid and respectful of the historical trauma.