COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 11: The Impossible Request (Part 2/3)

          A cold hand nudged Káel's shoulder as he double checked a spot, causing him to jump up and cock his head to the side expecting to see Puff. When he met the ghosts glistening white smile instead, he yelped again, clutching the fabric hugging his chest to cradle his racing heart. 

          "Don't scare me like that!" he wheezed, gripping the shelf so he could pull himself to his feet. He glanced at the silent spectator again with a grimace, heaving in some air for a sigh and unwittingly swallowing a dust bunny that latched onto his throat. 

          The shadow looked at him blankly while his string of sputtering coughs continued, and Puff tried to sniff him in an attempt to see what was wrong, only to suck up a small cobweb and break into a cute little sneezing fit.

          "Do you-" Káel choked on his words and coughed. "Have you-" His throat clenched and he doubled over to gag, looking up at the ghost with a pained squint and soft whisper a couple pitches higher than normal. "Seen any other Ceptrums around here?" 

          He cleared his throat and did a couple more coughs, dry heaving for extra measures before finally ridding his lungs of the bothersome dust.

          "You need some fresh air?" Phantom questioned, watching him dab the tears from his eyes and shake his head.

          The ghost sighed, waiting for Káel's attention before drifting to the middle of the room. It stopped at the thick desk, bending down to try and fit its large mass underneath the cramped space. After a couple shuffles and uncomfortable wiggles, there was a click, and the shadow came back out to reveal a secret hatch in the floor it opened, the gleaming smile still platered to its dead face.

          Káel smiled nervously at its unfaltering joy, dipping his head in thanks before looking down into the hatch. Sure enough there was a glossy white stone, and some extra guests had woven the beautiful object a less than complimentary dress of thick cobwebs. 

          "There it is!" Phantom cheered, causing Káel to jump and smack his head on the panel of wood. "Now take it out and put it in the white circle in front of that bare wall over there."

          Káel gave the rock a fearfully disgusted look and failed to move, his fear ridden gaze falling on Phantom.

          "What's wrong?"

          He gave the thick spiderwebs a long hard stare, until a hairy yellow spider leg popped into view, followed by the rest of the monstrosity. Káel's voice was barely a shaken whisper as he naturally shrank away from the sight. "Spiders."

          "Are you serious?" Phantom growled. "Scared of an eight legged fuzzball with fangs are we?" Phantom popped his head out of the desk, pulling Puff's attention from admiring his reflection in a smudged shield. "Hey dragon, would you do the honours?"

          Puff hopped over to squeeze his little body under the desk with Káel, a string of smoke snaking through his teeth as he prepared to roast the spider and its quiet little sanctuary.

          "No wait!" Káel called, clamping Puff's mouth shut as he stared at the fuzzy spider in guilt ridden fear. "Don't kill it."

          "Make up your mind!" Phantom retorted, his agitation forcing him to throw up his arms dramatically as Káel scooched out from under the desk.

          Káel looked around the room. "Wait there's gotta be..." Scanning the desk he pulled a silver cup off it, checking the inside for creepy crawlers before snatching a sheet of paper.