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“Over there! Where does that lead?”
“About three-thousand miles in the wrong direction…”
“Then it’s perfect!” Zoe smiled at the sight of the powerful vacuum of wind. “Take us closer!”
“Are you crazy? That wind was placed here by Boreas himself. Once you’re in its grasp, it’s a one-way ticket to the North Pole.”
“I have a plan.” Zoe turned to Shadow, and held his gaze. “Do you trust me?”
Despite Shadow’s doubts, a shimmer of golden light stirred within his eyes. With a sigh of resignation, he nodded.
“I trust you.”
Together they sped towards the powerful tunnel of wind, drifting lower into the valley, and away from the race course. As they descended, Spooks’ laughter reverberated across the rocky canyon walls.
“You won’t beat me like that, fleshie. You’re not even sticking to the track!”
“Oh, yeah?” Zoe called out to Spooks as he soared above them. “Well, perhaps we know a shortcut.”
“A shortcut? But that’s cheating!” Spooks’ eyes narrowed at the pair. “And I’m afraid there’s only room for one cheater in this town!”
With a cackle, Spooks dived through the air like a comet, racing Zoe and Shadow to the vast tunnel of wind. Zoe watched the poltergeist’s movements carefully, knowing that she would only get one shot to pull this off.
“So, are you going to let me in on your big idea?” Shadow whispered to Zoe as they raced through the canyon. “Or are you going to wait until we’re swept to the North Pole?”
“Spooks told me that there’s no greater threat to ghosts than a wind tunnel blowing in the wrong direction. Well, this might not be a vacuum cleaner, but it looks just as powerful.” Zoe braced herself as they approached the tunnel of wind, feeling its raw strength as they neared. She watched as Spooks descended towards it at top-speed, until he reached the threshold of the powerful winds. “Now!”
At once, Shadow came to a screeching stop, until they floated just inches away from the wind’s grasp. With a merry cry, Spooks shot past them, until he raced into the slipstream with a hearty cheer.
“Looks like I’ve beaten you to that shortcut, fleshie! You should know better than to try and cheat a cheater!” But Spooks’ smile faded as the powerful winds pulled him into their grasp. “No, this can’t be!”
The poltergeist battled against the wind’s clutches, like a tadpole swimming against the most powerful of tides. But no matter how hard he fought, nor how desperately he scrambled to free himself, the wind ensnared him with all the power of a vacuum-wielding Ghostbuster. With a furious shriek, Spooks was hurtled deep into the valley and into the horizon beyond, leaving nothing but a faint jingling of his bells behind.
“You…” Shadow turned to Zoe in surprise. “You did it!”
“We did it.“ But Zoe’s smile faded as the remaining competitors emerged on the horizon. “Now come on. We have a race to win!”
Together they sped across the canyon, riding the winds until they soared through the depths of Tartarus. Where once, Zoe’s screams had filled the valley, now it was filled with her joyful laughter, as she relished every twist and turn in their race to the finish line. She watched in wonder as the remaining ghosts pursued them across the sky, while the heavens above sparkled with stardust. But despite the magical sights that surrounded her, her gaze returned to Shadow. A golden light shimmered within his eyes, burning through the darkness that haunted him. A light that made her feel as if she could peer into his very soul…
“We did it!”
An explosion of stardust filled the air as the pair sped through the motel gates. The other ghosts followed closely behind, until the courtyard filled with the sounds of their celebrations. Cerberus barked excitedly, his tongue panting from the exertion, while Misty helped the Phantom Fiestadores pluck the barrage of needles from their sombreros. But despite the joviality, an icy wind blew through the courtyard, followed by the jingle of a jester’s bells.
“You… cheated!”
Zoe turned to see Spooks appear in a puff of blue smoke. Icicles clung to his jester’s hat, while his teeth chattered uncontrollably, sending his bells into a jingling frenzy. Despite his look of fury, Zoe met his gaze with a smile.
“Me? Cheat? Never!“ Zoe stifled a chuckle as the poltergeist’s eyes bulged with rage. “I hope you enjoyed your trip to the North Pole?”
“I was nearly eaten by a polar bear! And those penguins have no sense of humor at all.” Spooks shook a layer of snow from his hat, and sighed sadly. “It looks like my reign over the Underworld will have to wait for now. You’re still King of the Underworld, Shadow.”
With a click of Spooks’ fingers, the handcuffs burst open, releasing Zoe and Shadow. She watched in surprise as golden motes of light fluttered to Shadow’s brow, bathing him in their golden aura. Their light solidified into a magnificent crown, made from the frozen branches of the pomegranate tree, with red buds that glistened like rubies. As the Phantom Fiestadores launched into an upbeat song to celebrate, Shadow turned to Zoe with a smile.
“Thank you, Zoe. If it hadn’t been for you…” He glanced at Spooks as the poltergeist trumpeted along with the band, using nothing but his buttocks and a whoopee cushion. “Well, I dread to think what would have happened.”
“Perhaps we do make a good team, after all.” Zoe returned Shadow’s smile, until the pair held each other’s gaze. But as silence fell between them, she reluctantly glanced back at the illuminated desk in her bed chambers. “Well… I guess I should head back to work.”
“I guess…” The golden light faded in Shadow’s eyes, until he drew another breath. “Unless…”
