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The shadows stirred beside Zoe, until the stranger approached once more. He followed her gaze to the pulsing lights of the sign, and spoke in nothing but a whisper.
“Welcome to the Underworld, mortal.”
The stranger’s words sent a shiver down Zoe’s spine. The earth swayed beneath her feet as she looked at the strange and bizarre sights, until her legs gave way and she fell deep into the shadows. A pair of arms broke her fall, carefully lowering her to the ground, until all faded to darkness.
4
“Oh, it’s been decades since we’ve had a visitor! She’ll be just the thing we need to breathe some life into this place!”
“Have you forgotten she’s a mortal? The Underworld Motel is strictly for the undead!”
“Just because this is a motel for the undead doesn’t mean it has to be so lifeless. Besides, she could be the one to save us all!”
“That’s about as likely as you learning to follow the rules.”
“Oh, you spoil all our fun.”
“That’s because your idea of fun usually results in catastrophe. Have you forgotten about the time you held a fireworks display for the motel?”
“How was I supposed to know I had a crate of dynamite instead? Reading has never been my strong point…”
“And what about the time you stole the Stormchasers’ motorbike and took it for a ride to the bottom of the ocean?”
“Oh, Zed just needs to lighten up. I didn’t know that motorbikes and water don’t mix…”
“And don’t get me started on your ludicrous contraptions. The Spiderweb Slinger, the Scare-o-Matic, the Cactus Canon…”
“Oh, that was a fun one!”
“There’s nothing fun about finding cactus needles in my underwear. I knew I should have thrown you into Tartarus when I had the chance…”
Zoe stirred at the sounds of the raised voices. A dull throbbing reverberated through her skull as she tried to piece together the unexpected events of the evening. She remembered the sight of the ghosts, soaring through the air in a trail of smoke. Of the feeling of falling into the darkness, only to be caught by the hands of another. Hands that felt as cold as ice, that sent a deep shiver into her very core…
Zoe yelped as a wet tongue licked her cheek. She looked in surprise to see three pairs of doleful eyes gaze at her worriedly. She blinked, convinced her vision must be swimming, only for the strange sight to remain before her. Cerberus barked in greeting, before he leaped from the threadbare sofa on which she lay. Zoe watched in bewilderment as his three heads excitedly chased his tail, until the dog spun in a series of never-ending circles. She’d seen many things in her time. But a dog with three heads, that was made from the shadows… well that was certainly new.
“Oh, you’re awake!” A ghost floated into the room in a trail of green perfumed smoke, carrying a mug of steaming coffee and a tray of muffins. “You looked as though you’d had quite the shock. So, I thought a fresh batch of Boo-Berry Muffins might perk you up again in no time.”
“That’s…” Zoe looked at the food hesitantly. But as her stomach growled louder than Cerberus, she took the tray gladly. “Thank you, err…”
“The name’s Misty. Owner and proprietor of the Phantom Brew Saloon, and five times winner of the Phantasmal Flavor Fest.” The ghost broke into a warm smile and plonked herself beside Zoe. “Now eat up, before Cerberus helps himself to your food.”
She took a bite of the muffin, relishing the warmth of the fresh cake, and savored the rich taste of her coffee. It certainly beat the bland-tasting blends she picked up from gas stations on her never-ending work trips. As the rich coffee warmed and awakened her, she turned to the ghost with a smile.
“This is good. Really good.”
“It’s good to see some more color in your cheeks again. You looked as though you’d seen…” Misty glanced at her reflection in the mirror self-consciously, “... well, a ghost.”
“You can say that again. Although you’re not quite what I expected from a ghost.” Zoe’s brows furrowed as she recalled the memories of the evening. “And I certainly hadn’t heard of sombrero-wearing specters before…”
“Oh, so you met the Phantom Fiestadores? Those boys still take my breath away, even after all these years.” The ghost fanned herself as she swooned at the thought of the mariachi band. “I must say, it’s most unusual that you can see us though, sugar. You must have Persephone’s gift.”
“Persephone’s gift?”
“The original Queen of the Underworld herself. The main Underworld, mind you, not to be confused with our little establishment.” The ghost smiled warmly as she sat on the armrest of the sofa. “Every so often, she blesses a chosen few with her gift to communicate with those who have passed. Why, mortals like you are rarer than a snowstorm in a Texan Summer.”
Zoe ran a hand through her hair in bewilderment. She’d spent so many years thinking she was nothing more than a small cog within a giant corporate machine. But now she was special? That seemed more bizarre to her than a world in which ghosts were real. She glanced through the window, and gazed at the neon sign of the motel as it flashed through the darkness.
“So, what exactly is this place?”
