Chapter 8: Chapter Eight – The Ghost Hunters

Harbor found himself weaving in and out of the masses as he made the most convoluted path he could think of to the quarters he would be sleeping in. Best to not let the ghost hunter people know where he sleeps. His feet made light thuds as he walked down the final set of stairs to the place he would be sleeping in. Optimistically his roommates would be at least slightly pleasant. His late booking ends up with him in a shared room with the same strangers.

Really he wouldn’t mind them so long as they were quiet. He paused at the door before him, ears straining to find out if his roommates had already made it there before him. The muffled noise coming from within signified a yes. Harbor sighed slightly before reaching out and grasping the doorknob, turning it and pushing it open. His eyes glanced around the room, beeping rang in his ears.

Harbor slammed the door closed.

“Wait!” Someone called from inside.

Harbor walked faster. He heard a door open, the hinges squeaking slightly. Harbor picked up the pace.

“Hang on a moment!” The second voice called, more aggressive then the first.

Harbor did not turn around. He almost made it to the stairs when a hand grasped his shoulder, spinning him around with ease. The face of the older man stared down at him.

“Hey, we're talking to you.” He stated his voice mellow.

Harbor sighed, feeling drained already, “Yes.” 

The smallest of the group came forward bouncing into Harbor’s face, “You never answered our question.” She declared annoyance clear in her tone.

“What question?” May whispered into Harbor’s ear, “I wasn’t listening.”

Harbor repeated May’s question, confused himself.

The girl humped, managing to look more arrogant than when he had first met her. “Have you been in the presence of spirits lately?” She inquired slowly as if he was dumb.

Two could play this game, “Spirits, what are those?”

“You’ve never heard of them?” The rude little girl seemed taken aback.

“Nope, never heard of them.”

The tiny one cleared her throat, “Ahem, then I shall introduce you to them!” She started, “Spirits are people who have died and haven’t moved on, they linge--”

Harbor cut her off, “What are people?”

“You're joking right?”

Harbor started. May stared, though no one could see them, shame.

“No, I’ve never met one.”

“I- yes you have.”

“No I don't think I have actually.”

“I’m a person, you're a person, we’re all people.” Tiny explained.

“How does that work?”

Tiny face palmed groaning, Harbor had to fight a smile back. “It just does ok!?” Tiny was really close to snapping her. Just a little more. 

Harbor glanced down at May, who attempted to tie tiny’s shoelaces together. It looked to be mildly successful so far. Damn. “I don’t get it.” Harbor used his best poker face with this reveal.

Tiny looked ready to scream in frustration, eye twitch. “I’m done!” She exclaimed, turning and trying to take a step only to discover May’s handy work when she fell on her face. 

May cackled in the air next to him, Harbor hand to cover his mouth as a smile grew on his face. Tiny did scream this time, yelling in frustration and aggressively untying her shoes, She didn’t even bother re-tying them when she stomped off. Her friends called after her, running off and leaving the duo by themself. 

“Vengeance!” May declared looking mildly manic, victory going to their head.

Harbor actually laughed as he watched the backs of the people pestering him chase after their fleeing friend, until one turned around, the man. Fuck. Harbor whipped his body around attempting to make his escape. He did not make his escape, spun around by his shoulder again. 

“Heyyyy.” He drew out cringing slightly, shooting finger guns at the man that towered over him.

“Go ghost hunting with us.” 

Ah a man of few words, Harbor glanced at May who was wandering off. “Whyyyy?”

“There is said to be a ghost aboard, you seem to attract them.” The giant explained.

“Ah,” Quick think of a way out of this,  “I’m terrified of ghosts.” nailed it.

The giant laughed, clapping him on the shoulder, “Then we’re just gonna have to get you over your fears, what better way than exposure!” 

This man is way too cheerful. Harbor laughed along awkwardly, “Yeah, ahaha, no thank you?” It came out as  a squeak.

“You’ll have fun I promise.”

“I really don’t think I would, and didn’t I insult your friend?” Harbor argued.

“Nah, the best way to make friends with that firecracker is to get into a fight.” The man grinned.

“Riiight. Uh actually I think I should get some shut eye, ya know been a long day,” Harbor did a dramatic yawn, “Really tired ya know?”

The man shook his head, “It won’t take long, let's go, Katie and Ellie are probably already on their way to the spot!” The man grabbed Harbor’s hand and dragged him along.

“Wait no--” Harbor argued as he got pulled along. This was the worst!

Harbor walked reluctantly behind the behemoth of a man before him. The guy had to be like 6 foot 4, the hell. He completely dwarfed Harbor. How rude. He glared at the back of the giant's head. May floated around the area rolling around in the air and doing flips as they pleased. To be a ghost at this moment… Man he really didn’t want to do this.

The two plus ghosts rounded the corner, revealing the two women who had obviously been waiting for them. May tumbled past them, rolling through their heads. The beeping intensified, they must have grabbed it from the room. Goddamn it.

“Would someone turn that beeping off?!” May shouted, stomping back over to the group. The beeping continued, because May is a ghost, and no one can hear them. Poor bastard.

“Do you have to use that?” Harbor winced. 

“Of course, how else would we find the ghost?” Tiny questioned.

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“Just look for them, Tiny.”

“Just look-- DID YOU CALL ME TINY.”

Harbor stared at the angry human equivalent of a chiwawa, he considered his options carefully, “No.” Denial. Perfect. 

“I-- YES YOU DID!”

“Nope, must have been a ghost.” Deny, deny, deny.

“You said you didn’t know what a ghost was!”

“I did?”

“Bestie, you never told me you knew how to gaslight!” May cheered.

“You did!” Tiny argued getting up in Harbor’s face.

“Ellie please, he’s just messing with you.”

Harbor's eye twitch, “For the love of the gods someone turn that beeping off!”

May floated to the machine screaming and hitting it. It turned off on their third try. May cried out in victory. 

“WOW it turned off!” The tallest called out, astonished.

The rest of the gang clambered around spitting out rapid questions and theories. Harbor took that chance to flee.

“That settles it!” Giant announced turning back to Harbor who was about to round the corner. Giant rolled his eyes and grabbed Harbor, turning him around and dragging him back.

Damn. Freedom was so close. Maybe they're gonna let him go?

“You're definitely hunting with us!”

Damn it. “Why?” Harbor had to fight to keep the whine out of his voice, internally sulking. May popped up behind the giant holding their hand out and moving it around in an attempt to find the height distance between the two.

“Damn you’re short.” May declared.

Harbor snapped his head to their direction and glared.

“The Ultimate Ghost Detector has never acted like this before-- what are you looking at?”

Harbor snapped his attention to the situation at hand, “Nothing.”

Giant lifted his eyebrow, opening his mouth to say something. He ended up being cut off by Tiny or Ellie though, “Is there a ghost over there? You can see ghosts right, that's why you suggested to just looking around?” 

Damn this tiny woman talks fast, Harbor’s eyes flickered to May, “No.”

“Aha! You can, can’t you!”

“Please get out of my face.”

“Not until you tell the truth.” Her words were slow, deliberate.

Harbor turned his head to the giant, “What were you saying?”

“Don’t ignore me!” 

The giant grabbed his friend and pulled her away handing over to the one Harbor didn’t bother learning the name of. “As I was saying, spirit activity has never been so high as it has been around you, so you must be a magnet of some kind for them.”

“Uh huh, what if I said no?”

“I’d release Ellie and Katie on you.” The demon shrugged.

Harbor looked back at the two menaces staring him down, “Fine.” He agreed with gritted teeth, “What are your names anyway?”

“Have we not introduced ourselves?” Demon asked, looking innocent.

“No.”

“Apologis--”

“Never say that word to me.”

“Apolo--”

“Yes.”

The trio glanced at each other, confused, “Why?”

“Cause the last bastard to use that tried to kill me.” He was dead serious to, or at least, May was.

“Okay.” Tall man said slowly, taking the information in, “Anyway I’m Liam.”

“Yeah you would be wouldn’t you.” May sneered at him floating at his eye level, knees to their chest looking ready to roll off again. 

Harbor nodded looking at the two behind Liam.

“I’m Ellie,” Tiny introduced.

“ANd I’m Katie,” Katie followed.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I am Harbor.”

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