Ghost Handler, Chapter 2

 “I don’t know why you have to be the one driving,” Tara said, slumped in the passenger seat. “You don’t even have your license. You can’t, you’re a ghost!!! Cars weren’t even invented yet when you died.”

Abby was too focused on the road to respond right away. Even though she was just idling around the neighborhood, her barely corporeal foot hovering over the gas pedal, she was still nervous. Maddie had shown her how to drive a couple times but the whole thing was still very new to her, and while its not like if she got into a wreck she could die again or something, she was very worried about Tara’s safety. Maddie had impressed upon her how dangerous driving could be. And so they crept along the dark streets, going slower than walking speed.

“I… believe…” Abby responded, measuring her words slowly so as not to distract herself from driving, “the exact words were… ‘Under no circumstances… is Tara allowed to drive. Not even… in emergencies.”

Tara huffed. “Yeah but I mean… this is more than an emergency. This is a super emergency. This is the most important thing to ever happen.”

The came to a stop sign. Abby put her foot on the brake but felt it was only a slight reprieve from her responsibility. Still, it gave her enough of a break to turn to Tara, who seemed on the verge of throwing a tantrum.

“Tara, this is not even close to an emergency. I’m sure there would be other things for you to investigate. And I’m also sure Maddie wouldn’t think it’s worth letting you drive over.”

“Okay well, I am gonna tell her you drove, when she gets back. Bet she won’t be happy about that either.”

She definitely would not be happy about that, but she would be a lot happier with that than the alternative.

Abby didn’t respond because the car was moving again. Rolling through the intersection as slowly as its wheels could carry it. Tara huffed one more time and kicked her feet onto the dashboard.

They went along like that for about two hours. Tara thought if she whined enough Abby would eventually give in and let her drive or at least speed up. But Abby was even more stubborn than Maddie apparently, because even when Tara threatened to get out and push to make it go faster, a threat that she followed through on (for about five minutes) she refused to speed up even one mile per hour. “If you’d like to go faster you’re more than welcome to walk, Tara,” she said.

There was no way they were going to catch up with anything going along like this. So when Tara gave up on getting Abby to go faster she gave up on finding the truck. Of course, she didn’t say anything like that to Abby. She dreaded the thought of the ride home.

At one point a group of kids on bikes rode up next to them. Abbys hand gripped tighter onto the wheel, and Tara swore they slowed down, which she was sure couldn’t have been possible. Not that she really knew how cars worked, having never driven one.

The kids laughed at them and made jokes about their busted up car that couldn’t move. Abby just smiled and waved. Tara wasn’t sure if she was just too nervous to understand what was going on, or if she was too old and ghosty. Could have been either really. Total toss up.

After they were gone Abby turned to Tara and said “You know, kids out this late should really be wearing reflectors.” Tara was surprised she even knew what reflectors were. She guessed it was good that Abby seemed to be acclimating to the modern world decently well.

So thats how things were when they saw a bright pair of headlights in the rear-view mirror approaching rapidly.

They cast an ethereal blue light that flooded the cabin of the car. So bright the edges of everything became blurred, almost misty. Tara turned around to look and was blinded, she couldn’t even tell how fast it must have been coming upon them, but it must have been fast with how quickly the car was drowned in its lights.

Tara was worried it was going to slam into them. She’d tried to tell Abby that driving slowly was just as dangerous as driving too fast, but Abby had brushed it off as deceitfulness. Which, Tara guessed, was fair. Thankfully, at the last moment the truck swerved to the side and shot past them. Tara only caught the briefest glimpse of the side as it flew by, but she’d followed this story long enough that she’d recognize the label anywhere. Haunted Spice Cream. This was the truck.

It was very direct advertising. Ghosts are honest to a fault.

Tara turned and grabbed Abby by the shoulder before they could even see the tail lights.

“That’s it! That’s the truck. We have to catch it!!”

Abby nodded determinedly. “I’ll do my best.” And she finally put her foot to the gas pedal.

And brought them up to the blazing speed of 10 miles per hour.

Tara screamed and threw open the door, almost tripping as she jumped out. Then she ran around the car and opened the driver’s side. “That’s it! Get out!!” she said, grabbing Abby by the arm and trying to pull her out.

“Tara no! You’re not allowed!” Abby said, gripping tight on the wheel and apparently forgetting she could turn completely incorporeal. Although if she did that would mean Tara could just sit right down.

“Abby please! We’ll never catch it like that and I promise I know what I’m doing. I’ve played tons of Saints Row I swear I’m a great driver.”

“What’s Saints Row?”

“It’s a uh…” Tara measured her words here. “Driving teaching tool. On the computer. Shows you how to drive like a saint. I’ve been practicing a lot and I’ve gotten really good. Better than Maddie I swear.”

Abby paused and considered this. Tara of course knew she’d never go against Maddie’s wishes no matter how convincingly the lie or urgent the situation so… she took this opportunity to yank as hard as she could on Abby’s arm. Tara fell backwards on her butt, but it worked, and Abby came tumbling from the car to the ground.

Tara only had a moment to react and she was up in a flash, hopping straight into the driver’s seat. “Tara Bryck wins again!” She shot Abby a smile as she buckled up and closed the door.

“Hop in! We gotta hurry.” Already the trucks headlights were fading in the distance. They’d wasted so much time.