38: ghost club

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"And where is it that you think you're going?" A familiar voice asked, making the four ghosts jump and turn towards the sound.

Luke's immediate reaction to seeing the man was pushing Blake behind him, doing whatever he could to protect her.

"Oh great, mr magician is here." Blake scoffed, seeing the man in his top hat.

"What are you doing here." Luke asked in a stern tone, knowing that Caleb was here for no good reason.

Caleb laughed. "Such hostility! I'm just here to congratulate you on your big night." He said with a smile, "Not everyone gets to play the Orpheum."

Luke sighed "No. OK, we know that it's your stamp that's hurting us." He said, pointing to where the stamp Caleb gave them was on his arm.

Reggie nodded. "Yeah! We already told you, we have a band. We don't wanna join your little club." He said.

"Yeah. And you can't make us either." Alex said, hesitantly.

Blake sighed. "Alex." She said in a quiet tone to the boy, nudging his arm. Angering the magic man would only make it worse.

"Right. You're crossing over tonight. So exciting Funny thing about the cross over, no one really knows what's waiting on the other side." Caleb reminded the ghosts. "But I know what's happening on this side!"

Suddenly, a purple cloud of dust was blown at the group. Making their vision go blank for a minute but coming back as they appeared in a different room.

"No no.. not here.." Blake said, recognizing the room immediately.

"What? Where are we?" Alex asked, taking his focus from the fresh pink suit he had on and bring it to the girls concerned look.

"We are at the Hollywood ghost club.. backstage.." she said, looking down to see she was wearing a dark purple sparkly dress, her hair in tight curls.

"At least we look good." Alex said.

"Well, don't you look nice?" Caleb said as he appeared in front of the group.

He tried to fix Blake's hair that was in her face, the girl slapping his hand away. "Don't touch me." She said, fixing it herself.

Caleb glared at her, then looked to the boys.

"How... How'd you know our sizes?" Alex asked in shock.

Luke rolled his eyes. "That's your question?"

"I know you four aren't my biggest fans. And an eternity at my club might seem overwhelming. But... I just put you in sweet threads, so humor me this one last pitch." Caleb began, looking at each of the ghosts. "Now, for starters, isn't it nice that you're all here together? And believe me, everything you want, including Willie, is here."

Blake looked at Alex and noticed he tensed up. He knew Caleb was using his love live against him right now.

"And on my stage, you don't vanish when the music stops. You soak in the applause for as long as you want. The connection that you will feel with that audience will be like no other." Caleb continued, now looking at Luke since he knew that's all Luke has ever wished for as a ghost. "Oh! Shh. Do you hear that? They're waiting for you."

The four ghosts got a jolt, Blake stumbling over into the boys making each of them have to catch her.

"That's not good." Caleb said with a frown and soft laugh. "Now, let me remind you, you don't know if playing the Orpheum is your unfinished business. Do you really have time to make that mistake? I suggest you accept my offer, because the clock is ticking."

The four got a jolt again, Blake too weak to keep herself up now. The boys helped her over to a chair that was set up for one of the performers, setting her down in it.

"Blake come on. You're gonna be ok." Luke said in a panic as he saw the pain she was in.

Seeing the strongest girl they knew in so much pain was hard for the boys.

"Alex no!" Blake said, seeing Caleb force Alex into the stage, his drumming filling Blake's ears.

"Oh no-" Reggie said right before Caleb forced him into the stage too.

"Blake I'm not leaving you." Luke said, holding onto her hand.

"Luke he's going to force you out there. I'll be ok here." Blake said, hearing Caleb announce Luke's name.

Luke started going towards the stage, doing his best to stay back. You could see how Caleb was dragging him out.

"And now our returning act.. Blake!" Caleb announced, poofing the girl on stage and controlling her so she looked normal.

The girl was forced to sing the stupid song Caleb had for tonight, coming up with every plan to get out of there in time for the orpheum.

After the performance, the four ghosts were poofed back stage.

"Guys we can't poof out of here.. we've gotta run." Blake said, leaning against Luke since she still didn't feel well.

"There's no way your running." Reggie said to the girl, noticing how she could barely walk.

Luke smirked, lifting the girl up into his arms. "Let's go." He said, them all making a run for the front door. Alex managed to get out first, poofing away immediately.

Caleb saw the ghosts run out so he ran after them. "Reg go!" Blake said, seeing the man approaching.

Reggie poofed away too, now it was only Blake and Luke.

"I've got you now!" Caleb said as he got to them.

"Luke put me down." Blake whispered to him. "Put me down and run. I'll get there."

"What? No Blake are you insane?" He said to her.

"Yes, yes I am. Just trust me." She said, Luke hesitantly setting the girl down and running out, looking back one last time before poofing away.

"And then there was one." Caleb said with a smirk.

Blake laughed. "That's where your wrong. You see that dancer over there?" She asked.

Caleb turned around and looked towards where Blake had pointed, the girl running out and poofing away just before the man could get to her.

✔️Bright: The after life ||luke Patterson||Where stories live. Discover now