Monster High: Season of the Witch

43. Paranormal Activity

Beatrix's eyes shot open. The world moved around her.

And the ceiling was getting closer.

Beatrix passed into an upstairs dorm room. But before she could take it in, she continued upward through another ceiling.

"Spectra!" Beatrix yelled, panicked.

She rose through the rafters into the dorm building's attic, then found herself looking at the bright, full moon.

You're not paralyzed, Beatrix! Spectra's voice echoed. Move! You can do it!

Beatrix tried to wiggle her fingers and toes, but she didn't feel anything at all. She attempted to reorient herself but to no avail.

Spectra popped up beside her in the night sky. "You're overthinking it," she said. "Stop trying to control it and just go. Think and it will be."

Taking Spectra's advice, Beatrix imagined herself floating upright, and it happened. She shifted and found herself hovering above the dorm rooftop, no longer adrift like a lost balloon.

"Holy... this is insane!" Beatrix yelped. Her hands appeared translucent, her dark hair floated around her as if submerged in water. Clad in her black pajamas, Beatrix began twirling and spinning in the vast expanse of air, embracing the weightlessness of her spirit-form. Like navigating a dream. "It's like I'm not even real!"

Spectra floated beside her. "Yeah..." Spectra said, her eyes distant. "That's the essence of being 'out of body.' You feel... nothing."

Beatrix scanned her surroundings, observing different ghosts and specters gliding through school buildings and over the grounds. Their glowing figures emitted various colors—some similar to Spectra's purple, others light greens, pinks, blues, teals. They resembled glowing night lights against the dark sky, floating around campus, some in pairs, others moving solo.

"Where did they all come from?" Beatrix asked Spectra. Beatrix was starting to hover closer to the Monster High bell tower, nearing a group of ghost teenagers engaged in lively conversation despite the late hour.

"Those are the inhabitants of the other side. Limbo. The spirit world," Spectra called after Beatrix. "Remember, you've only got a few minutes to find your 'friend' before you're drawn back to your body. I saw Grey on the south end of school. Go ahead, I'm right behind you."

Beatrix floated by the group of ghosts, recognizing a couple from the creepateria. Sometimes ghost students would slip through the spirit veil to attend classes.

Feeling friendly, she smiled as she passed, free from any grogginess, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, or other physical ailments.

"Hey there, boo-tiful," a green-hued ghost greeted Beatrix, spray paint bottles peeking out of his immaterial satchel.

Another ghost, dressed like a '50s greaser, chimed in, "Have we met before, dollface? Feels like I know you from somewhere."

"You might have seen me around," Beatrix replied with a grin, but she couldn't linger. She had to find Grey within the limited time she had.

She glanced around, but Spectra was nowhere in sight. Beatrix called her name, but she knew the clock was ticking and she had to locate Grey before time was up.

Beatrix moved swiftly through the night, quicker than she had expected.

In no time, she reached the south side of the school. Ghostly travel was far easier than trudging through the night in her normal body.

Beatrix spotted someone familiar at the campus edge and hid on the library's roof to spy on them.

It was Grey — moving stealthily through the night, scanning the woods along the perimeter fence. There were no school security guards around.