Great Oak Gazette

By Madelyn Kastner

Eddie Jr. was touring a haunted house with his friends as they often did on Saturdays.

“Now, as you look to your left,” the tour guide explained, “you’ll see we have an actual haunted artifact. Though is may look like your average vase, there is a spirit trapped inside the sage diamond attached to the vase. Be careful not to bump or touch it.”

But if there was one thing Eddie Jr. wanted to do at that moment, it was to touch the shiny gold vase.

“Jake, Phoebe” Eddie Jr. whispered, “you guys keep an eye out. I’m going to get that vase.”

His friends looked at him as if he’d suggested jumping off a building.

“Eddie, think about this,” Phoebe responded, grabbing his shoulder, “I’m all for spooky stuff, but don’t you think this is going a little too far?”

Eddie Jr. shrugged and turned back toward the vase.

“Eddie, NO!” Phoebe and Jake shouted, but they were too late.

Eddie Jr. turned around, vase in hand, and said, “Hey, do you think this activates like the genie in Aladdin?”

Jake and Phoebe went pale.

“Eddie, we’ve been friends forever,” Jake began, “and if you want to continue being my friend, PUT DOWN THE VASE.”

Eddie Jr. sighed, rolled his eyes, and slammed the vase down onto the table. The vase cracked, and suddenly a large, daunting spirit was released into the room.

“NOW look what you’ve done, idiot!” Phoebe shouted, “Now we have to deal with a spirit!”

The spirit emerged from the vase and coughed up dust onto the teens.

“Man,” the spirit’s voice shook the room as he awoke, “it has been such a long time since I’ve seen the mortal realm.. Oh–hi there! I’m Jason, and what are your names..?”

Eddie Jr., Phoebe, and Jake looked around.

“Are you talking to us?” Phoebe asked, “I’m Phoebe, this is Jake, and that goofball over there is Eddie Jr. He’s the one who woke you up.”

Jason the spirit looked over at Eddie Jr., who was scratching a bug bite on his leg.

“Dang mosquitoes!” Eddie muttered.

Jason glanced back at Phoebe and Jake. “Is he always like this?” Jason asked. The teens looked at each other in confusion. “Oh, I almost forgot. Thanks a lot for releasing me, but I now have one small request for you mischievous kids.”

Eddie Jr. sighed in annoyance, “Oh great, now he’s going to ask us to hold a seance to bring him back from the dead.”

Jason rolled his eyes at Eddie Jr. “That is such a cliche. I just need $15, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Seriously? That’s it?” Phoebe asked.

“Yep,” Jason sighed, “Taxes are due. And you wouldn’t believe the exchange rate from this world to the Underworld. With your $15, I’d be rich!”

“Here, you can have it,” Phoebe said, “I was going to use it on some cheesy souvenir, but I’m pretty sure I’ll remember this moment for life.”

Eddie Jr. and Jake nodded in agreement towards each other, and the cash was given to Jason the spirit.

“Thanks again,” smiled Jason, “Now I’ll be on my way. Bye!”

Suddenly, the spirit drifted into wisps of thin air, back into the vase which reassembled itself, and the sage diamond popped back into place.

“Man, that was weird.” said Eddie Jr, rubbing another mosquito bite on his forehead.