It was a chilling scene to witness. Ghosts everywhere, the ghosts surrounded him as if he were some kind of juicy candy. Jay turned to look at his Ghost familiar. The ghosts before him weren't like the cute, cuddly, familiar ones, but they looked deadly. Hanging eyes, broken limbs, and, to top it all, red eyes that wanted to devour him.
"Run!"
He yelled and found a way out. There was only one path, and he ran on it. There were red flowers sprinkled here and there, but he wasn't there to watch the scenery, was he?
The ghosts floated towards him at astonishing speed.
"Jay, kid, don't run, show them your power. They can't touch even one strand of your hair."
Jay wasn't listening to his irresponsible Ghost Familiar. He didn't want to become a Ghost at sixteen or worse, ghost food on his birthday.
"Listen to me, no Ghost can harm you. Your mom must have left powerful charms on you."
"Then why are they still chasing me?" He ran and yelled.
"Maybe they weren't triggered yet?"
Listening to this doubtful tone, Jay was sure he had to be harmed to get the charms triggered. He didn't want to get broken bones now.
"Hey, Ghost faces, how dare you harm a Life Witch's son?"
The Ghost Familiar yelled at the opposite ghosts, trying to sound intimidating.
"Are you a witch?"
The ghosts stopped as if thinking over. And they cleverly decoded that the ghost was related to the Life Witch and not Jay.
"He is."
"He doesn't look like one," One of them answered.
"Yes, he looks so pale as if he has no life."
"Which witch looks like they are going to die?"
"Is he lying to us?"
"World's gone crazy. Ghosts lying to ghosts. God, why don't you kill me so I don't have to see this?"
They were chattering among themselves, and each line was powerful than the previous one. Were all ghosts so dramatic?
The ghosts all looked at the Ghost Familiar as if he were a big liar who played with the feelings of kids.
"I'm telling the truth. He is from the lineage of witches."
Jay found the momentary respite helpful. Running didn't help him, and he was not that athletic. He wanted food. Something tasty.
"Are you a witch?"
A kid ghost floated towards him and asked him curiously.
"I don't know," Jay looked at his Ghost Familiar.
The ghost girl kid then twisted her features, looking like someone who had been killed in an accident, and she looked at Jay angrily.
"Why are you not working?"
A thundering voice boomed, and Jay felt his ears ringing. A ghost with a crown on his head walked towards them. Jay tried to see how he walked, but he couldn't figure it out.
"Why are you gathered here? I'll cut your salary if you don't finish your quota."
The ghosts who were all fired up looked like frozen fruits now. They floated away slowly without looking at Jay.
The newcomer ghost looked at Jay and smirked, "Why, want to become a ghost?"
"No, we took a shortcut to the Magical World from here."
The path was filled with the soft red light from the flowers on the side of the road, and that red light made the Ghost with the crown look more eerie.
"Then where's my toll payment?"
Jay looked at the Ghost Familiar.
"We will give you when we step out of The Ghost Road."
The ghost guy shook his head.
"Upfront!"
"No!"
"I want a token then."
The ghost familiar took out a silver coin, and the ghost guy's eyes lit up at the sight of it.
"Sure, sure, walk slowly."
Jay didn't think that his Ghost Familiar was this generous. Based on his limited knowledge of three hours about the Ghost, he knew that his familiar was stingy, cunning, and even ruthless at some point.
The ghost then disappeared, and Jay was sure that he would be waiting for him at the end of the road.
"So, where are we?"
Jay and the ghost walked slowly on the road, and Jay was curious.
"This is called The Ghost Road, and it was actually the way you need to walk after you die. But now, there are so many ghosts, so new departments are set up. This road is now facing desolation."
Jay felt awe on seeing the road to the underworld, which was a myth to him. If seeing ghosts was nice, this was awesome.
"Have you walked on this path then?" Jay was curious about his familiar.
"Yes, it was scary then. Desolate sounds, pity, overflowing emotions, you wouldn't want to stay here, kid. It's like dying every moment you stand here. Dying once is more than enough."
Jay nodded. He wasn't remotely interested in dying now.
"What was that coin?"
"It's your family's emblem. We need to get it back once we get out."
"Then why did you give it away in the first place?"
"What was I supposed to say? I can't wait for them to make you a ghost!"
Jay felt moved, but the question was how to get it back now? He didn't think that the ghost crown guy would give stuff back.
"Let's see! I'll get it back."
Jay felt his legs ache, but he walked with the ghost. They had to leave this place.
"How long do we have to walk?"
"It's over. The path has undergone changes, and it's the reason I call it a shortcut."
They walked for more than ten minutes, and Jay finally saw a white hole. Freedom, it called him.
They stepped out and were promptly met with the Ghost Crown Guy and his lackeys.
It looked like he wasn't going to give back the emblem easily.
"Give the emblem and I'll give you something more valuable," the ghost familiar spoke.
The ghost crown guy played with the coin and nodded.
The coin rose and fell, and Jay watched the actions.
"Here it is, a suggestion. Never try to scam people."
The ghost familiar floated, snatched the coin, opened a portal, and dragged Jay in; it all happened so quickly.
"Curse you, if I see you again, I'll imprison you."
Jay found that he was standing in his room again, but the window now opened to a completely different place. Instead of buildings, he saw a bamboo forest. He stepped into the Magical World and was cursed, too. What a night!