The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

They arrived safely at the hideout. Norman placed Amelia gently on the bed as they left her to regain consciousness.

"That was awesome!" Jason said as he stood up from his seat. He had been watching the show right from when they entered the house till when they left. "What's that powder substance called?" He asked Carlos who was busy cleaning the weapon.

"I haven't thought of a name for it yet," Carlos answered.

"How about powder strike?" Norman suggested as they all turned to look at him.

"That's the dumbest name ever," Tamara answered as everyone shook their heads at his idea.

"Ok fine. I got it." Norman said again as they all turned to look at him. "Vanishtor..." Everyone laughed.

"What's vanish or?" Jason asked.

"well, we have an exterminator... so I thought the powder substance thing should be called vanish or," Norman said.

"Just shut up bro," Jason told his twin as Tamara came to meet them.

"um guys, she's awake," Tamara told them as they stood up to meet Amelia.

Amelia opened her eyes only for her to see unfamiliar faces surrounding her. The pain in her head was still aching her badly, that ghost must have thrown her with great force. She held her head trying to suppress the pain. "Here" Tamara passed her aspirin and a glass of water. "Should help reduce the pain."

Amelia sat up, collected the drugs, and swallowed them using the water to send the drug to their rightful place. "Thank you," Amelia said as she looked around. "Can you tell me where I am and who are you guys?" Amelia asked. "I'm Tamara Taylor." Tamara introduced herself.

"We are the Grayson," Jason said. "I'm Jason and he is Norman." Jason pointed to his brother who waved his hand.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Amelia was stuck there for a while, she couldn't even tell who is who.

"And that's Carlos Stone." Tamara pointed to the guy with strange glasses on his face and that's our leader Xen Hush." Xen looked at Amelia for a while before focusing his attention on somewhere else. "We also have two more people but they are in school now... they should be back just about..." Tamara checked her time, it was 7p. m. "... now"

The two students came to join them. "And that's Clarissa White and Devon Smith." Tamara pointed at the girl with glasses on and at the guy with curly hair, dark-skinned with blue eyes.

Amelia didn't know when she stood up from her bed to meet Clarissa. She looked and studied Clarissa for a while wondering if it was the same Clarissa she knows.

"And everybody meets...." Tamara gestured for Amelia to introduce herself.

"Amelia... A... Amelia Chestnut." She said as Clarissa and Devon's eyes widened in shock.

"Amelia??" Devon and Clarissa said in unison as everyone stared at the three of them.

"But how come?" Clarissa asked. Then she turned to face Devon. "Wait! Do you know her? But how?"

"We attended the same school, Brilliant Kids. We were young say five or six?"

Clarissa turned to Amelia to see if it was true. Amelia nodded.

"Clarissa, is that you?" Amelia asked as Clarissa opened her arms wide to receive her.

"In the flesh," Clarissa replied as they hugged each other.

Everyone sat down so they could explain themselves that way everyone can get to know each other.

"So how did you guys meet?" Jason asked.

Clarissa was the first to speak. "I met her in California, my mom and I visited her parents and that was where I got to see her and also know that she sees ghosts." She said.

"You see ghosts???" Devon asked Amelia who nodded in affirmation. "Wow!"

"So why did you leave California then?" Jason asked directing the question to Amelia.

Amelia took a deep breath before speaking. Somehow she felt like holding back thinking they would laugh at her or call her crazy but when she thought of how they came to her rescue, she found comfort. "My parents....." She paused thinking if she is even supposed to call them that. They all looked at her, waiting for her to continue. Amelia cleared her throat. "My parents sent me here because they couldn't handle me. They sent me here to save them all the embarrassment I would cause them if I stay with them."

"My parents too," Tamara said. Although I can't see ghosts like most of you can, I can hear them. My parents thought I was crazy, they even tried to send me to a psychiatric hospital. I had to run away." Tamara explained.

"Norman sees ghosts but I don't... Our parents thought it was crazy for one of us to be seeing ghosts and for the other to believe in ghosts... so they drove us out telling us to come back when we are in our right senses." Jason said.

"I see ghosts, I hear them, and even converse with them but when some of the ghosts killed Xen's parents, I just had to do something and that's why I became a ghost scientist," Carlos said.

"I can't see and can't hear either but I believe," Devon said.

"Same here and when I saw Amelia for the first time and she told me she sees ghosts, I couldn't be happier. All I want to do is help the best way I can."

"The only person that believed us was Xen's parents... may their gentle souls rest in peace," Norman said as everyone chorused Amen. "When he heard what happened to me, he took my brother and me in and he made it a duty to help us, ghost seers. Even though it's been eight years now, they've helped us."

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

Amelia looked at Xen who hasn't said a word.

"Xen is trying so hard to follow his parent's legacy and we can say he's doing a good job," Tamara said.

I guess his parents death made him so reserved. I actually thought he was an arrogant jerk. Amelia thought.

"I guess we've known each other. " Carlos said as he stood up. "Would you like to be part of us?" He asked Amelia.

"Part of you?" Amelia asked.

Carlos nodded.

"We are the Ghosthunters." Xen said for the first time since Amelia woke up. "We hunt down ghosts that are threat to humanity." Xen explained. "Would you like to join us?" He asked.

Amelia stood up and thought about it for a while. "Ghosthunters??" She asked as everyone nodded. She looked at Clarissa who nodded her head and smiled at her. "But... I have school tomorrow and I just moved in... I just think I need some time to think about it." Amelia answered.

"You have just tonight to think about it. We'll need your reply tomorrow." Xen said blatantly as he walked away.

"Which school are you attending?" Carlos asked.

"MSA." She answered.

Amelia noticed that everyone's face lit up. "We all attend MSA." Tamara said.

"I guess this is fate and not coincidence," Jason said.

"I told you there was something about this girl but you all doubted me," Carlos said. "In your face!" He pointed at their faces for mocking him. "Fine! You've made your point." Tamara said pushing his finger away from her face.

"I have to go home then," Amelia said about to take her to leave.

"About that..." Carlos said as Amelia stopped. "... you can't leave." "What?" Amelia asked.

"The house will definitely be hunted by ghosts right now."

"But I have to prepare for school tomorrow and everything I need is in there," Amelia told them.

"Devon and Carlos will go with you to get the things you need and you report back here," Xen said coming out of nowhere.

"But..." Amelia said but the look Xen gave her made her shut up.

"They go with you and you report back here or don't leave at all. The choice is yours." Xen left after he has said what he needed to say.

"Is he always like that?" Amelia asked feeling irritated already.

"Well.... kind of..." Tamara said.

"Sort of..." Jason added.

"Yeah". Norman joined. "So what's your decision?"

"Fine! We go home and we'll report back here but on one condition.."

"Which is?" Devon asked.

"Clarissa comes along," Amelia said.

"Wait! Do you think we'd try to do any..." Carlos was talking when Tamara hits the back of his head.

"She's only trying to make up for the time they spend apart dumbass," Tamara said.

Amelia smiled as the three of them left the house.

"What about your mom?" Amelia asked as the two guys walked behind them.

Clarissa kept quiet for a while before speaking up. "It's kind of a lot to explain. You wanna know why we left California?" Clarissa asked. "Wasn't it to change the environment?" Amelia asked.

Clarissa shook her head. "My mom was sent to a psychiatric hospital by our neighbors."

"What?" Amelia said in shock.

"I'll explain everything when we get back... it's not something we'll stand and talk about on the road."

Amelia nodded as they went to her house.