October 31
Halloween

As my eyelids opened, I had no idea where I was. It was not the same Ghost Council room I'd appeared in earlier. Instead, I was standing in a large empty room with large windows that revealed a mountainous landscape. Glancing to my right, I realized you could see the entire village below. My hands were cuffed to a large wooden pole, preventing my movement.

"Where am I?" I wondered.

Ghostaphor turned out and smiled at me. I shuddered, surprised how he so easily blended into the shadows.

"I wasn't supposed to leave for another hour!" I spat at him.

Ghostaphor smiled maliciously. "But I just love watching you suffer."

"Where are the other members?" I demanded.

"Oh, they'll be here," Ghostaphor assured me, pacing around. "At midnight."

"Let me go!" I shouted. I tried at the handcuffs, but they wouldn't budge.

"Those are special supernatural cuffs, my dear. Your hands can't slip through them," Ghostaphor explained, watching me struggle.

"Someone will find me!" I spat, though I doubted it. "Now let me go!"

Ghostaphor laughed. "No one will find you up here. You'd have to take a gondola to get up here, and currently, none are running. Besides, who would even come up here?"

I didn't speak again. He sat in his chair, fumbling around with papers and other materials. As he worked, he would glance up at me every once in awhile. I sighed, realizing no one would find me here. Unless...

It hit me! As I glanced around the room in utter boredom and fear, I had noticed it. The power box. I was standing in a control room! When the mountain town was open, the lights would be on, lighting up the entire  town. If I were able to somehow turn the power on, I could light up the vacant town. Someone from down below would have to notice! Harry had to know it was a sign.

The power box wasn't too far from my grasp. It was just a bit higher up the pole. If i could fumble with it without Ghostaphor noticing...

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was already 11:40. I had to act fast. Standing up carefully, I began my work.

"Why are you standing?" Ghostaphor wondered, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I've been sitting here in this uncomfortable position for several minutes. My legs are wobbly," I lied.

"Okay then," he murmured, rolling his eyes.

Finally, I stood up completely. I slid my arms up and leaned over until I felt the cold metal box in my fingertips. I felt around and unscrewed a latch, opening the box. It made a tiny squeak which prompted Ghostaphor to look up.

"And what are you doing now?"

"I'm tied to a pole! My back hurts! Can't I stretch?"

"Pesky teenagers," he murmured, turning away and looking back at his paperwork.

Feeling around the buttons, I felt the biggest. I traced the abrasive letters on each side. One was OFF and the other was ON. Grinning, I pressed the ON button, and an array of light suddenly lit up the place.

"What the?" Ghostaphor began.

He came towards me, and suddenly, I brought the cuffs up against the box quickly, shattering them from my wrists.

"What?!" Ghostaphor screeched. He ran towards the power box, but I'd already grabbed it and ripped it from the pole, tossing it onto the ground. The box began to spazz out until it eventually died, yet the lights remained.

"Not much you can do now," I told him, grinning.

"I'M GOING TO BANISH YOU RIGHT NOW!" he screamed, enraged.

Suddenly, a large noise broke off his screaming. I recognized it as only one thing--a gondola coming up from town. Fortunately, Ghostaphor's screeching seemed to cover the sound well, and he glanced at the power box, desperately trying to figure out how to end its power.

Suddenly, the door banged open, and I gasped to see Harry and my mother standing there. It was 11:53 now, and I had eight more minutes.

"BACK AWAY!" my mother screeched at Ghostaphor.

"HUMANS!" Ghostaphor gasped, glaring at me. "YOU LITTLE--" He launched at me to grab me again, just as the door opened once more.

Ghoulaphin entered casually. "Sorry I'm early," he began. "I..." He stopped, noticing us and the scene.

"Don't call the Ghost Council!" Ghostaphor begged.

"He kidnapped me!" I shouted to Ghoulaphin, not sure if tattletaling would do much to save me.

"Shut it!" Ghostaphor spat.

Nervously, Ghoulaphin pulled out some device, and after typing nervously, the entire Ghost Council had arrived.

"So you broke the deal and trapped the girl? That's not what we agreed!" Ghoulaphin growled. "You never keep your promises.

"BANISH HIM!" one member of the Council yelled.

As many agreed with this idea, Ghostaphor glanced around, terrified.

"I was only doing this for the sake of our species," he argued.

"This is the fifth time you've screwed up this year," Ghoulaphin growled.

"I'm leader! You can't banish me!" Ghostaphor argued, laughing to himself to cloak the nervousness.

"Actually, we can," Ghoulaphin explained, pulling an old piece of parchment paper from his pocket. "It states in our contract that if the leader goes against the council, he can be banished based on the decisions of the council. All those in favor of banishing Ghostaphor?"

Not one hand was not raised by the Ghost Council. Ghostaphor stood, glancing angrily at Ghoulaphin. Another ghost contacted the Banishing Crew, who then prompted to cuff Ghostaphor.

"GHOULAPHIN IS OUR NEW LEADER!"  a member yowled.

"Me?" Ghoulaphin asked, surprised. "Why?"

"You stopped him," one member yelled. "You're our new leader."

I glanced at my mother and Harry. They seemed just as confused as I was.

"Um, mister Ghoulaphin, sir?" I asked, not wanting to ruin the celebration. "It's midnight. Aren't i supposed to be banished now?"

"Banished?!" Ghoulaphin seemed shocked. "In no way, my dear! You helped save the Ghost Council from a power-hungry tyrant. You, my dear, are a hero. Come on then. Let's go. You'll be moving on."

"Um," I murmured, pointing to Harry and my mother.

"Oh, yes. Say your good-byes first," Ghoulaphin announced.

I walked over, beginning to cry again. I first walked to my mother and hugged her, tears of both sadness and happiness streaming from our eyes.

"Well, I guess this isn't good-bye forever," my mom told me. I nodded.

"You'll be with Grannie again, won't you?"

I nodded, squeezing her tight. "I love you, Mom," I whispered. "I'll see you soon," I said, finally letting go.

Then I turned to Harry, not wanting to say good-bye, not yet.

"Come here," Harry said, extending his arms. I walked into them easily, crying into him as he hugged me.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I replied. I glanced up, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Please stay strong, Harry. Find someone else. Move on from me, okay? Never give up."

"I won't," Harry promised, and in all honesty, I believed him.

We gave each other a nice, sweet kiss. I then turned towards my mom and Harry one more time. The two people i loved.

"Good-bye," I said. They both waved at me, tears clouding their eyes.

"Ready?" Ghoulaphin asked.

"Yes," I said, and I was ready. I was ready to leave the mortal world, to be with Grannie again, to live eternally.

I saw their faces one more time before I vanished.