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Ch. 7 Ghost of a Second Chance

And once they were all seated, he looked around the table at everyone. "Guys... this is about my... mine and Paul's father." He glanced to the older dalmatian, who was still clinging to Danny.

Paul looked concerned. "Gerald? What's this all about?" he asked.

"Paulie..." He gulped. "I... I just got off the phone with him." At the confused looks he was getting from the others, he sighed. "Our father's dead. Been dead for a good... 10-ish, maybe, years now." "What?" Joey blinked, looking between the two canines. "And you're sure it was him?" Bobby gulped. "It wasn't someone prank calling?" "No. I'd know that bastard's voice anywhere." Gerald let out a soft growl. "He wants us to have dinner with him tomorrow night at Bona Manor." "Wait wait wait." Josh snorted, looking confused. "Bona Manor? The Bona Manor?" "That's right." Gerald nodded. "I changed my name after I got sent away, but... me and Paul and Danny are the last of the Bona bloodline." He looked down to the table. "Our mom and dad, they... were never on the best of terms. One night they got into a massive argument -- me and Paul never knew what it was about. But that night, mom, she..." A deep breath, in and then out. "She poisoned herself." Silence reigned at the table as everyone stared. "After mom died, dad, he... he got worse. Way worse. Sent me off to military school because I wouldn't bend to his will, and Paul..." He cut himself off, glancing at the Dalmatian. Danny was stroking his father's cheek and nuzzling into his neck, trying to soothe the trembling older man. "He just got worse and worse until about 10 years ago, when I got the news he hung himself. Paul was... having his own family problems, so it was up to me to go and bury him in the family plot. Haven't set a single foot near that damn manor ever since." "But why now, then?" Hank swallowed to wet his dry throat. "If it happened ten years ago, why is he... his ghost or whatever that was that called you... why is he asking for you now?" "That's what I intend to ask him myself."

"Well, the only way to answer our questions is to go to Bona Manor and we'll all go," said Billy bravely.

Joey nodded. "We'll tell Max and Adrian when they get here." He looked to Gerald, then Danny and Paul. "Are you guys gonna be alright…?"

Paul shivered. "Father was never gentle with me," he said sadly.

"Paulie..." Gerald got up from his seat and moved to pull Paul and Danny both into a tight, loving hug. "I won't let him hurt you. Either of you. I promise."

Danny curled up to his father and Uncle hoping they would hold him close. The next day, they all took a big van and drove to Bona Manor. It was isolated in a swampy area and they finally drove up to an old iron gate with the letter "B" above it. The place looked overgrown and the gate had a pad lock on it. But as they were turning to leave, the pad lock fell off and the gates slowly opened up.

"Concerning..." Hank looked to the others, gulped, and drove forward. In the backseat Danny was sitting between Paul and Gerald, the three holding each other close while Bobby, Billy, Josh, Joey, Max, and Adrian looked around at the swampy area. "Geez, nice place." The stallion snorted. "Don't think anyone's been here since Gerald was." The tiger father looked to the German Shepard. "Well, hopefully there's someone to open the door for us." The van trundled to a stop in the front drive before the main door of the manor. They all got out, looking around as they made their way forward.

Bobby walked to the side patio and paused. "Wow," he said, "Now there's something you don't see everyday." He was looking at several tombstones from miles and miles. "OMG.... Dead people?" asked Josh looking at Gerald. "Well, some people have pools. Some have private cemeteries," said Billy, "It happens."

Gerald nodded. "The family plot I told all of you about last night." He patted the stallion and human on the back, and then led the group up the short walk to the front door.

And they made it just in time as a thunderstorm was coming in and the rain started.

"Dang." Hank grunted, ushering everyone under the porch. "Let's hope the doors open." Gerald grunted, reaching for the door handle... but the massive oaken front door clicked, and then swung open of its own accord.

They all stepped in to find a massive hall where there was a clock at the top of the stairs above the entrance to the armory and everywhere they looked, dust covered the entire place. Just then, an old, stern beagle approached the group slowly. "Mr. Joey?" asked the beagle. "Yes, I'm Joey," said the tiger. "My name is Ramsley."

"Ramsley..." Gerald's brow furrowed. "Wait... weren't you the butler for da- ...For, uh, Mr. Hans Bona?"

"Yes, I am, Master Gerald," said Ramsley, "If you come this way." He led them through the armory and into the ballroom, which had been set up for dinner with a long table.

"Uh, thank you. And where is Hans?" Gerald looked around the massive room along with the rest of the family. He grimaced slightly at the sight of the table, pressing in closer to Danny and Paul.

"The master will be down shortly," said the beagle as he went away. "Wow... I've never seen a place this beautiful," said Danny, "I mean, look at the details. It's like nothing I've ever seen before." "Isn't it?" said a voice and there by a window was a handsome, well-dressed German Shepherd, "My grandfather spared no expense when he first built this mansion."

Paul immediately flinched, and Gerald moved to stand in front of the two Dalmatians. The rest of the family stared as Gerald snarled at the other German Shepard. "Dad..." Gerald looked the well-dressed canine up and down, and snorted. "...You're looking good, for having been dead and buried for ten years."

"Well, we all get second chances only once in a life time," said Hans, "And I brought you all here because I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry... I'm sorry for having treated you boys so poorly."

"You are, huh?" Gerald remained skeptical. "Uncle Gerry, I... I think we can trust him." Danny stepped forward a bit, looking to the German Shepard. "Hush, Danny. You don't know what he was like." He looked to Paul. "Tell him, Paulie." The older dalmatian gulped, looking from his son to his father and back again. "I... I-I…"

"Gentlemen," said Ramsley showing the men to their places at the table. When Danny looked at Hans, he thought he saw a sad look in his grandfather's eyes.

Danny was sat on his grandfather's right hand, with Paul on the older German Shepard's left. Gerald sat next to Paul, and then Joey, Billy, Bobby, and Josh on the right side of the table with Hank, Max, and Adrian across from them. "Uh..." Joey cleared his throat. "Thank ya kindly fer invitin' us to dinner, uh... Mr. Bona."

"My pleasure," said Hans, "And what do you think of the house, young Danny?" "Well, I think it's absolutely incredible," he said, "You don't see many places like these... Or at least, I don't." "Great care and love went into building this mansion," said Hans softly and with a gentle, kind smile at Danny.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it." Gerald snorted, looking between Hans and Danny. He grew quiet for a moment, and then cleared his throat. "I'm surprised this place is still looking so good. I didn't realize that the other staff had stayed on."

"Yes, but lately this place has become too much to bear," said Hans, "Tell me Mr. Josh. Do you believe in ghosts?"

Josh gulped. "Uh, well, uh... kinda...?" The stallion flinched, giving Hans a sheepish grin.

"The storm has swollen the river," said Ramsley. "Say what?" asked Billy. "The storm has flooded the road," said the beagle, "I'm afraid there will be no leaving the mansion tonight."

"Well, looks like we're stuck here, then." Hank sighed. Gerald gave Hans a suspicious glare. "Yeah, looks like it." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "And I'm guessing you want us to stay after we finish dinner, huh?"

"Well, you're all more than welcome to spend the night here," said Hans.

"Gerald?" Paul looked to his older brother, while Danny put on the puppy-dog eyes. "Please, Uncle Gerry? Staying in a mansion... it's like a dream!" "Yeah... a dream..." The German Shepard sighed, and then nodded to his father. "I expect all of us, and that includes Joey and his boys, to have full privacy, though." His stare hardened. "They don't need you sticking your snout in the affairs, and neither do me or my ma... me, Paul, and Danny."

"Of course," said Hans, "Ramsley will show you to your rooms."

Gerald nodded with a soft grunt. Dinner continued, all of the men chatting in between spaces of awkward silence. Gerald and Paul kept looking over to Danny, who was wagging his tail as he listened to Hans telling him more about the history of the mansion.

Later, Ramsley led them upstairs lighting the way with a candelabra in his paw and led them each to a certain room.

Joey and Hank were paired off, as were Billy and Bobby, Max and Adrian, and Paul and Gerald. Josh and Danny, due to 'a lack of accommodations' --again, Gerald's eyes narrowed in suspicion as Ramsley spoke -- were each given rooms of their own. "Danny, are you gonna be alright by yourself…?"

"I'll be fine," said Danny hugging Gerald and while Ramsley wasn't looking, snuck a kiss on his uncle's lips.

"Mm." Gerald nodded. "Alright... but if anything happens during the night, come to my and Paul's room. Alright?"

"Alright," said Danny softly as he closed the door and lay down on the soft bed.

The others moved off into their own rooms, after Joey asked Ramsley where the bathrooms were in case they needed to freshen up or use the facilities overnight.

Later, Danny got up and went exploring. But he jumped in fright when Ramsley appeared behind him but he calmed down. "May I help you?" asked the hound.

"Oh!" Danny chuckled, his tail tucked between his legs. "Mr. Ramsley, you scared me." He gave the old hound a nervous smile. "I couldn't really sleep, so I wanted to explore a little bit. Is... uh, is that okay?"

"Oh, indeed," said Ramsley, "I think you'll find the library a most interesting place... right through there." He pointed to a pair of curtains that were in the wall.

"Uh, thanks." Danny nodded. "Just gonna... head on in..." He smiled to the old hound, and then turned to make his way through the curtains. Then he stopped, staring in awe at the large and elegant candle-lit library. “Wow..."

Just then Hans rose up from the couch making Danny gasp and knock over a stack of books. "Oh! Let me help you with those," he said as he knelt down to pick up a few books, "Ramsley hates it when I leave things laying around."

"S-sorry, um... Mr. Hans." Danny let out another awkward, sheepish chuckle as he nervously got down on his knees to help the older German Shepard. "Um, I mean... I guess I should call you Grandpa, right? Or would that be too weird, or... uh…"

"Just call me Hans," said the German Shepherd until their eyes met and they both felt a small connection.

"Hans..." Danny felt his face heat up, and dropped his gaze to the floor. "Um, this really is a beautiful mansion. This library's so... s-so…"

"Elegant?" asked Hans, "These walls hold so many memories. Some of them... Painful."

"Yeah... Uncle Gerald told me a little bit of it." He got to his feet, setting the stack of books aside. "About y- um... What happened to his and Daddy's mom and dad…"

"Well, perhaps you don't know the full story, and what he told you was actually about his grandfather's story," said Hans, hoping he could fool the dalmatian and offered his arm, "It's alright, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Danny gulped and hesitated, but then looked at Hans' handsome face once more and blushed. "Uhm... a-alright." He moved to take Hans' arm, leaning his shoulder against the German Shepard's.

"You know this house was once filled with so many things," said Hans, "With grand parties, dancing, laughter, and above all, hope. That is until... Selena. She is the one story that haunts these walls."

"Selena?" Danny looked to Hans as he allowed the German Shepard to lead him. "And, uh... what's her story?"

"It's one of romance and tragedy," said Hans. Meanwhile, Joey and Max went to check up on Gerald and Paul.

They knocked on the door, and after a few minutes Gerald called out to "Come in!" When they did so, they found Gerald and Paul sitting on one of the beds together, the faint smell of sweat and arousal lingering in the air. They blushed, and Gerald cleared his throat. "Oh, Joey, Max. What's up?" "Just wanted to check in on you. Make sure you two were getting along alright." Max grinned to the two other canines, and Gerald and Paul let out sheepish chuckles.

Joey smiled but when he turned around he gasped as Ramsley appeared. "Pardon the intrusion sirs, but Master Hans Bona would like to have a word with you in the astronomy wing," said the beagle.

Gerald's face immediately dropped into a scowl. "And what does he want, huh?" Joey set a hand on the german shepherd's shoulder, and Gerald sighed. "...Alright. Lead the way." He got up, helped Paul up as well, and then crossed his arms while waiting for Ramsley to begin heading off.

The beagle led them to the far end of the manor and went down a few steps till they were in a large room with a great amount of astrology books and other such instruments. "Would you care for a drink while you're waiting?" he asked the four males.

"Uh, sure?" Joey glanced to Max, and shrugged. "I'll have somethin', if you don't mind." "I will, too." Max nodded in gratitude to the beagle. "I'll pass." Paul was keeping his gaze locked firmly on the floor, shifting from foot to foot. "Yeah, same here." Gerald set a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"So, how long have you been the butler, Ramsley?" asked Max. "A long time," replied the beagle.

Gerald nodded. "Think you were around even before, uh... Hans and his wife. Right?"

"That is correct, sir," said Ramsley, "Sadly, the master is not well. He must leave this house. He must move on... He will be with you shortly."

"Alright..." Gerald blinked and looked to the other men as they all found seats to settle in and wait for Hans.

But then Max accidentally tipped over a bust's head and a bookcase opened to reveal a secret passage.

"Uh..." The doberman looked to the group, then to the secret passage, and back again. "Should we, uh...?" "Yeah." Gerald glanced to the door, and then back to the group and nodded. "Let's go."

When all four males went inside, the panel suddenly closed behind them trapping them in the dark.

"...Well, crap." That was Joey's voice. "Anyone bring a light?" "Let me see if I can..." Gerald shifted, feeling along the wall." "Uh, Gerry..." Paul coughed. "I appreciate the gesture, but now's not a good time..." "What are you talking about?" The german shepard's voice came from further down the passage. But then, who was it who had their paw on the small of Paul's back…?

When Gerald lit the match and he saw no one was there. Back with Billy and the others, the human had found a music box and was listening to it when an eerie blue light started to glow. "HANK! BOBBY! ADRIEN!" he cried and the other men froze when they saw a glowing orb appear before them. "It's a ghost ball," whispered Adrien.

"Just stay still, guys." Hank was staring at it, watching for what the ball would do. However, it bobbed in the air, and seemed to jerk a few times in a specific direction. "I think it... wants us to follow it?" Bobby looked to the others.

The orb drifted towards the door and went through it. "It does," said Billy as he got up to follow it with the other coming up behind.

They moved through the door, keeping their eyes locked on the blue light as they followed it down a long and dusty corridor. It was strange, but that blue light seemed... calming somehow. Soothing.

It led them to an old elevator where they got inside. Meanwhile, Joey and the daddies found themselves in a long hallway filled with paintings.

"Well, this isn't creepy in the least..." Max looked at the faded and dusty paintings on the walls, and peered down the corridor. "Well, we're already here. Might as well see where it leads, right?" Gerald looked to the others and nodded, and then began to make his way down the hall. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Paul? I mean, shouldn't we... he glanced to where the hidden passage's door had been, and then gulped before moving to follow his older brother.

But as they passed one painting, it changed into something more horrifying than it originally was. They soon came up to a door that looked like it was breathing.

Max looked to Paul, and then Joey, and finally Paul. "Come on, guys, really. What about this says 'good idea'?" "You wanna head back out there and explain to my abusive, probably-insane dead dad what we were doing snooping around in the house's secret passages?" Gerald's brow hiked up high. "...Well, when you put it that way..." Joey sighed. "Buck up, guys. Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained as they say, right?" He moved forward, and slowly put his hand out to touch the breathing door.

Back with Billy and the boys, they followed the orb up into the attic where they saw two things: a wedding dress and a portrait of a dalmatian woman... who looked exactly like Danny. "What are you doing here?" said a voice and they turned around to see a pug with white whiskers, "You're not supposed to be up here. This is unspeakable. Unspeakable! You have to leave!" "Who is that?" asked Billy. "That's none of your business. That's who. Now come on, get out of here. It's way past your bed time-" "Her name was Selena," said a white cat in a maid's uniform, "Are you boys hungry? Does anybody want a cookie?" "Cookies? Don't offer them cookies. They're trespassers," said the pug, "Trespassers don't get cookies. And this is none of their concern." "It is their concern. They're involved," said the cat.

"Wait wait, involved in what?" Bobby looked between the two. "And who are you?"

"Well, for starters," said the cat as she started to float up in the air despite the pug's protests and when the moonlight fell on her, she appeared to be made out of some transparent blue mist.

"You... you're a ghost." Adrian blinked. "...Probably should've seen that coming, honestly."

"Great. This is great," muttered the pug, "He's not gonna be happy about any of this and I'm not gonna be the one to tell him. Do you understand the ramifications of this? We have to stay in line." "We all want to break the curse, don't we?" said the cat. "Yes, but leave it up to the master," said the pug and turned to Billy, "Just remember this, kid, when you get married someday. 'Till death do you part'? I wish! You never part!"

Bobby cleared his throat. "Uh anyway... What curse are you talking about?" Adrian nodded. "Yeah. Gerald never mentioned any kind of curse…"

"Well, it's been years since the Black Spell fell over this house," said the cat "I'm Emma, and the sour pug is Ezra. Anyway, it all happened after Gerald left... And after she died." "She looks just like Danny," said Billy. "Yes, some people believe they're one and the same," said Emma. "That's enough," whined Ezra, "Do you know when to shut up? Are you paid by the word?"

"Who was she?" Bobby looked from the portrait to Emma and Ezra and back again. "Is... is that Gerald's mom?"

Emma nodded. "She was our friend. We loved her," she said when she saw Ezra roll his eyes, "Oh, You loved her too, you insensitive toad." "Well... I-I... respected her, certainly. She was an interesting conversationalist. She had a certain wit, yes. An unspoken... charm," stammered Ezra as he tried to find the right words before he broke down in tears.

The four boys looked to each other for a moment. Hank moved to give Ezra a comforting pat on the shoulder, but before he could the pug pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe away his tears and started back up once more.

"But there's no need to get sentimental," said Ezra, "She's back. And now, the curse will be broken. You see it all works out in the end. You just sometimes have to wait a couple of years or so." "Well, what if Danny's not her? Did you ever think of that?" snapped Emma. "It's not for us to question," said Ezra, "The master-" Suddenly, there was a creak from the attic stairs. Emma turned to the boys. "Hide! Hide!" she hissed.

The boys did so. Billy and Bobby found a space behind a pile of junk to crouch down behind, while Adrian and Hank moved a little further down the line and moved underneath a sheet covering a large piece of furniture.

Ezra and Emma stood at attention as Ramsley came up. "The lovers are not in their room," he said, "Have you seen them?"

The pug and cat glanced to each other before Emma spoke up. "Lovers? What lovers?"

"What lovers?" asked Ramsley as he noticed the tray of cookies, "His lovers. The lovers he wasn't supposed to bring, along with the master's worthless sons." Emma and Ezra accepted a cookie but they paused as Ramsley stared them down and they put the cookies back and Emma took back the tray. "If I had to stay another moment around those two insufferable brats, I think I would have burst," snarled the beagle. "Of course, sir," said Ezra. "Did I not insist to the master that Paul's son had to come alone? Is it really too much to ask for a little cooperation? A little order?"

"Of course not, sir." In their hiding places, Billy and Bobby glanced to one another. Then they leaned over, just enough to catch a glimpse of Ramsley.

"If you find those boys, bring them to me," said Ramsley, "The final arrangements have been made. Nothing further will interfere with the master's plan." He soon left. When Joey opened the door, he saw only an old fashioned phone ringing on a small table in front of a mirror.

"...Again, not creepy in the least." Joey ignored Max's deadpan voice, looking to Gerald. "You want to, or should I?" "Mmmf. Allow me." The German Shepard stepped forward, picking up the phone and putting it to his ear. “...Hello?"

But then the other end hung up and a crow landed on the mirror startling the group. But the men looked at the mirror again, they saw themselves as decayed and horrible looking.

"Alright, screw this." Max pulled the men away from the mirror and back towards the door out to the passage. "We're getting out of here right now."

But the door slammed shut in front of them. They turned to the mirror and saw their reflections were back to normal. Then, they heard someone chanting and a green light coming from another door.

Max looked to the group in exasperation. But before he could say anything, Gerald just sighed. "I... I think I know who that is. Come on." He led the group through the doorway and into what looked like a psychic medium's room. A circular chamber, with a table at the center upon which rested a crystal ball filled with swirling green mist.

"I am Madem Leota," said a human gypsy from inside the crystal ball, "Seer of all. Voice to the spirits. Whom do you seek?" Suddenly, some chairs zoomed in, captured the four men, and pinned them against the table.

Joey and Max grunted, protesting at being captured like that, but Gerald just shushed them. Paul, meanwhile, was staring at the human face. "Madame Leota. Mom, she... she used to tell us stories about you..." "Nnngh, yeah. Guess those stories were true..." Gerald looked to the human medium. "We're looking for... for my nephew. For Paul's son. Danny…"

Madem Leota closed her eyes and chanted, "Dark spirits from the grave come forth. Lift us up from the black And show us. Show us the way back." "Dark spirits?" asked Max, "Hey, no dark spirits. Don't you make no dark spirits come out." But the gypsy only continued, "Lift us. Lift us up to the light And lead us through this stormy night." Suddenly, the crystal ball, the table, and all the chairs began to float into the air and the chairs began spinning around the table.

"Woah, woah...!" Joey clung to his chair, looking around in fright. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home..." Max had clenched his eyes shut, starting up a chant of his own as flying instruments began to play themselves, swirling around the room. Paul, too, had his eyes shut tight, but Gerald was just gritting his teeth as he stared down the human medium.

"Go, Gerald and Paul Bona, your son is at stake," said Madame Leota, "Your very lives are at stake. Break the curse. There is no escape for you unless you lift the spell. Go. Save yourself. Save your family. Release her. Release us all!"

"How!?" Gerald asked, but Madame Leota only broke out into peals of shrieking cackles as the cacophony filling the room grew louder and the swirling faster. Then it all came to a halt; the chairs, the table, the instruments, everything that had been flying through the air all dropped back to the floor at once.

But the moment the men got up, the instruments floated up into the air and chased after them.

They were forced to run down the hall, being chased by the cacophony until they turned a corner out onto a stairway.

"Daddy!" called Billy as he, Adrien, Bobby and Hank looked down the stairs with Emma and Ezra.

"Billy!" Joey drew himself up. "Bobby, Hank! Are you boys okay?" "Adrian!" Max called out to his brother. "Come on, pack everyone's things and leave. We are getting out of here." "Wait, we can't" Hank looked to Emma and Ezra, and then back to the daddies. "We have a problem." "What, because of a little rain? We'll get a little wet, but come on, we need to find Danny and Josh and get the heck out of here." Max turned on his heel to leave, but turned back with a growl of frustration when he saw no one was following. "Come on, let's get out of here, let's go!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," said Ezra, "Danny can't leave." "And why not?" growled Paul but yelped as Ezra appeared behind them. "Because he can't," said Ezra, "If I could tell you, I would. But I can't, so I won't. Okay?"

"So you're ghosts, too." Gerald sighed. "Yeah, and we have to help them." Bobby and the other boys began making their way down the stairs." "Look, you can't help the dead, son. That's kinda the point of being dead, they're beyond help." Joey wrapped his arms around Bobby and Billy.

"They're not ghosts," said Max, "We're just seeing things from dinner. It was the chicken it didn't taste right." But Emma appeared in front of the doberman. "HEY!" she yelled, "It's not the chicken!"

"Alright, it's not the chicken!" Max held his paws up defensively. "...But we're still getting out of here." "No, we have to help them break the curse." Hank looked to Joey, pleading. "Okay, what exactly is this curse?" Gerald crossed his arms over his chest. "First Madame Leota and now..." He looked to Emma and Ezra. "You... I know you. You're the Coleman's..." He blinked. "You look the same as you did back when me and Paul were kids…"

"Of course," said Ezra as he and Emma shook Paul and Gerald's paws, "It's good to see you again, but now we've got to go back to the gypsy and see her." "Go back? I ain't going back," said Joey.

"But dad-" Joey cut Hank off. "Listen, that crazy gypsy woman had us strapped to our chairs, floatin' around the room with a marching band chasing us. We are not going back." Max nodded in agreement with the tiger. However, Adrien moved to plead with his brother. "Listen to us! Danny's in trouble!" "Danny?" Gerald and Paul shared a look. "What kind of trouble." The boys, Emma, and Ezra all shared a glance. Then they ushered the Daddies up the stairs to the attic, and showed them the portrait of Selene; Gerald and Paul's mother, and Danny's exact doppelganger down to the smallest spots on her coat."

Meanwhile, Hans was telling Danny all about Selena. "She died here in this house," said the German Shepherd, "She was so very young. So very beautiful. She was in love with the heir to this mansion."

"What happened to her?" Danny was enraptured by the older German Shepard, leaning in to hang onto his every word. Hans was handsome, and charming, and reminded the Dalmatian so much of his uncle; and the thought stoked the flames in both his cheeks and his belly.

"They were in an argument saying they were from different worlds," said Hans as a tear came to his eye, "He was going to apologize later, but he found he was too late. She took her own life. Poison. After that, his life became unbearable. He lost sight of all what was in front of him for he was blinded by rage and self-loathing. It wasn't until he banished his oldest son that he had lost everything. And so, without hope, without love, without Selena... He hung himself. His soul wonders these halls waiting for her to return. If you listen carefully, you can still hear the beating of his broken heart."

Danny fell silent, perking an ear up to listen; and for a moment, he thought he could indeed hear a soft 'thump-thump'. "And... and what'll happen if she ever comes back?"

"Then they could finally be reunited and their souls will be at peace," said Hans. Meanwhile, Gerald and Paul had seen everything thanks to Leota.

"That bastard..." Gerald growled. "So what, he wants to use Danny as a substitute for mom? Like fucking hell...!" "Gerry, calm down." Paul put a hand on Gerald's shoulder, and the German Shepard took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You keep talking about a curse." He looked from Emma and Ezra to Madame Leota. "What exactly is this curse, and how do we break it?"

"For the curse to be lifted, the truth must be known," said Leota, "And for the truth to be known, you must find the key."

"Helpful." Max snorted softly from the side of the room, where we was standing with the rest of the group. "Okay." Gerald nodded. "So where is the key?"

"Enter the tomb under the great dead oak and travel down deep under the ground and there you will find the key that must be found," she said, "Find the black crypt that bares no name or soon your fate will be the same."

Gerald shot a smirk over to Max. "See? Helpful." The doberman just rolled his eyes. "Alright. Tomb under the dead oak, black crypt that bares no name." Joey nodded. "I assume it'll be best if we double-time it."

"Just one problem," said Billy, "How do we get out of here?" "Well, there's always... my way," said Ezra.

Ezra's way, as it turned out, was a nice and pleasant (skeletal) horse-drawn carriage ride; straight out of the window overlooking the swamp. The men screamed as they flew through the air, and braced themselves for impact just in time for the carriage to land and begin its journey through the overgrown Bona family plot toward the crypts.

When they made it to the cemetery, they were met by hundreds upon thousands of ghosts. "Daddy," said Billy, "I see dead people."

They could see knights holding duels with each other, people in fancy dresses sharing a seesaw with each other, suited ghosts sharing gossip around a dead oak tree. All manner of ghostie and ghoulie haunting the manor grounds. "All the generations of the Bona family..." Gerald leaned over toward the window, and called up to Ezra. "Why are they all still hanging around here?"

"When they died, they couldn't find the light," said Emma, "Now, they're trapped." "Doomed to wander the earth for all eternity," said Ezra. There was an executioner raising his ax for his next ghostly victim but he paused to wave at the passing men.

"Nice... good job..." Joey said faintly as the men all waved back a little awkwardly. They passed a trio of what looked like hitchhikers, not noticing the three ghosts hop aboard; at least until Ezra halted the carriage, and Max turned to get out only to come face-to-face with one of them. "Woah!" He jerked backward. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Can they see us?" asked the one in the top hat. "No, of course not," said the old dwarf.

"Uh... yeah, we can see you. I'm staring right at you." Max's voice dropped into a deadpan. "You and your stupid hat." "Don't listen to him, he's lying!" Joey sighed. "You know what, come on, let's go." He began to usher the other living men out of the carriage, leaving the hitchhiking ghosts behind. The one in the hat let out a hum. "I could swear he was lookin' right at me." The dwarf huffed. "He's psychic…"