The Afterlife Academy

by Frank L. Cole

  “Nice!” Charlie cheered.

  “I know!” Walter nodded enthusiastically.

  “Do you think we could untie my parents and Melissa?” Charlie asked.

  “I think they’re safer staying in one spot.”

  The same slimy snake demon from earlier slithered toward them, snapping its fangs and hissing. The creature lunged for Walter’s ankle.

  “Look out!” Charlie kicked the demon, launching it across the room.

  “Nice one!” Walter cheered. “Thanks!”

  “No problem.”

  As the demons began to thin out, those remaining scanned the locker room desperately searching for an escape. But three of the Agents had already set up another shield blocking the path to the rear exit. With nowhere to go, the creatures bristled, ready to take down as many Agents as they could with them.

  “Stop!” Wisdom’s voice rose above the noise.

  The room filled with a throbbing purple light from Wisdom’s Celestial stone, and the fighting paused as Agents and Underworld creatures shielded their eyes from its magnificent brilliance.

  “You are all intruding on a sanctioned ceremony! I have been given permission to conduct this from Darwin Pollock, Head Assigner of Agents for HLTA. I have a signed document. So stop interfering and leave at once!”

  “Darwin’s been fired and arrested, you pip-squeak!” Ronald said.

  Wisdom wavered on his feet, his eyes homing in on Ronald. “Is that a fact? Well, no matter. The contract is still binding!”

  “Darwin acted on his own accord. That contract has no power over our actions!” Teague said.

  “Yeah? Well, I happen to know that this stone of mine has power over your actions. It’s powerful enough to destroy everyone and everything in this room. I’m going to finish this ceremony, and none of you are going to stop me! Don’t think I won’t zap you into oblivion!” he shouted as one of the Agents took a step toward him. Wisdom held out the stone, and more light, even brighter than before, swirled around it.

  “Psst,” Walter whispered to get Charlie’s attention. He looked at Wisdom to check if the coast was clear, and squared his shoulders. “Wish me luck.”

  “Luck?” Charlie asked. “Luck with what?”

  Walter winked.

  The squadron of Agents braced themselves. The remaining demons, backed up against the lockers, tried to shout a warning. But Wisdom wasn’t listening to anyone, and he wasn’t paying attention to anything going on behind him either. As he flashed the stone, threatening to destroy anyone, Agent or demon, that came close, Walter dove headfirst into his back and possessed him.

  For the second time in his short tenure as a rookie Agent, Walter found himself trapped in someone else’s body.

  Wisdom shivered, and his hand faltered for a second, nearly dropping the stone. “What was that? Did anyone else feel that?”

  No one answered. A massive, Muppet-like demon held up a finger as though he was about to try to explain. Instead, he shook his head and looked away.

  “Never mind.” Wisdom batted his hand at the air. “Charlie, start the passage from the beginning, and this time, complete the ceremony! The rest of you, if you’re lucky, I’ll let you—”

  “Hello, Arnold Featherstone.” Walter’s voice spoke from inside Wisdom’s head. “Bet you didn’t see this coming.”

  Wisdom squealed in surprise and spun around, the Celestial stone extended. “Where are you?” He peered over Charlie’s shoulder. “You can’t hide from me!”

  “I’m not hiding,” Walter said. “I’m right here.”

  Wisdom whirled back to face the demons huddled against the lockers. “I don’t like trickery. I’ll make you suffer if you don’t show yourself this instant!”

  “That’s going to be kind of difficult at the moment.”

  “And why is that?” Wisdom smiled cruelly; then his face fell.

  “Yep,” said Walter. “Possession. Not my favorite hobby, but you do what you gotta do. And right now, I gotta teach you a lesson.”

  Using his strength and remembering what Ronald had told him in Tyrone Underhill’s neighborhood, Walter focused his energy on holding the Celestial stone in Wisdom’s hand. If he succeeded in touching the stone from inside Wisdom, he would set off the stone’s self-destruct mechanism.

  Walter squeezed, and the stone began to tremble. Cracks appeared along the surface, and white light seeped through the openings.

  “What are you doing? That’s mine! You can’t do that!” Wisdom insisted. “You’re going to break it!”

  But Walter held tight. The Celestial stone shook violently. Walter’s entire body vibrated, and his teeth chattered together. Then every sound was sucked from the room.

  Absolute silence.

  A few of the demons dropped their claws from shielding their eyes and stared around the room in confusion.

  “That’s it?” Walter looked at the stone and then at Ronald. “I thought you said it would—”

  Kaboom!

  The stone exploded, showering light, dust, and what looked like purple flames over every soul, living, dead, or demon, in the room. The sound rattled Walter’s teeth, and his eardrums threatened to pop. Debris swirled around in a purple vortex, uprooting demons, large and small, from their hiding places as they swirled within the vortex and crashed into the walls and lockers. One by one, the monsters in the room disappeared in puffs of smoke.

  The Summoner’s Handbook began to rock on the floor, then floated into the air, spinning in a page-rattling circle. With a hissing pop, the book vanished, leaving behind only a small pile of ash as evidence of its existence.

  Wisdom stared at his empty, upturned hand and screamed. The book was gone. His Celestial stone was no more. In its place, a miniature mushroom cloud rose up from his palm, leaving behind an enormous, throbbing blister.

  Walter checked the others. All the Agents had survived, and Charlie’s parents and Melissa were still tied up and physically intact.

  Charlie rushed over and began working on Melissa’s bindings.

  “Sorry I got you mixed up in all this,” he said. He sounded like a hero in a movie!

  “No problem.” She flashed him a smile.

  Teague approached Wisdom, who collapsed to his knees.

  “I was tricked! You can’t punish me because I was bamboozled by one of your own kind! It’s not my fault,” he spluttered. “I’m innocent. Anyone in my position would’ve acted in a similar manner. You have to see that! You have to grant me mercy!”

  The chiseled Agent stared at the wretched man in front of him. “You ready, Walter?”

  Walter took a deep breath. “Ready.”

  Taking his Energy Transfer Device from his utility belt, Teague attached the padded ends of two thin wires to Wisdom’s temples and flipped a switch. Both Wisdom and Walter howled in pain as the effects of the possession reversed. Walter’s body flew out of Wisdom’s. Woozy, disoriented, and shaking erratically, he plopped down on the floor next to Charlie.

  “That was awesome!” Walter said. “Never try that at home. Luckily, I’m a professional.”

  Wisdom made a sound like a booming hiccup, his teeth chattering, arms and legs trembling. When the shaking stopped, he returned to groveling at Teague’s feet.

  “Surely you can overlook this little disturbance. My intentions were just, if a little misguided. But I can fix all the wrongs I made. I have money! Power! I can do so much good!”

  What a pathetic sight, Walter thought. Wisdom had stooped so low. Walter couldn’t wait to hear what kind of punishment was in store for him.

  “Untie the humans,” Teague ordered.

  “Absolutely! Of course!” Wisdom scrambled to his feet and untied the bindings on Charlie’s parents. Mr. and Mrs. Dewdle stayed quiet as they stared around the room in disbelief. Charlie had finished with Melissa’s binding and was helping her to her feet. She too gaped around the room, but her expression was filled with wonder and excitement.

  Charlie, wearing a go
ofy grin, moved closer to Walter.

  “What?” Walter asked. “What’s so funny?”

  “I’m taller than you,” he said as he peered over the top of Walter’s head.

  “We should go,” Teague said. “Walter, we need to get you back to the Academy for debriefing. There’s a lot we need to know before the hearing.”

  “Hearing?” Walter looked at Teague. “What hearing?”

  “Darwin’s standing trial in a few hours, and we need to walk you through what you’re going to say.”

  Charlie’s mom wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “When did the police arrive?” she asked, staring at each of the uniformed Agents. “I must say, they do look handsome in white.”

  Charlie’s dad glanced sideways at his wife and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think they’re the police, dear.”

  “What are you guys, angels or something?” Melissa covered her mouth and squealed. “Oh my gosh! You are, aren’t you?”

  “Interesting,” Teague said. “It would appear that you three, along with Charlie, have developed the sight. I suppose this is a result of the Celestial stone explosion. I’ll be sure to log that in the report. Now, after you.” He held his hand out toward the exit, and the Dewdles quickly obeyed, but not before Charlie’s mom had time to pause and squeeze her son in a bear hug. Glancing at the others, she acknowledged Walter standing somewhat timidly beside Charlie.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Walter.” She reached over to grab Walter’s arm. Her hand effortlessly passed through as though he were made of smoke. “Oh my.” Charlie’s mom swallowed, and Charlie’s dad had to lead her along up the stairs.

  Melissa, Charlie, and Walter fell in line behind the Dewdles, followed by the other Agents.

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Walter said. “Teague, what about Willows? We’re not just going to leave him here, are we?”

  Wisdom still stood in the corner of the locker room, wringing the cut ropes in his hands like a wet towel. He smiled sheepishly at Teague, then glared at Walter.

  “What do you expect us to do?” Teague asked.

  “Punish him!” Charlie said. “He can’t get away with this. Not after all he’s done! We need to lock him up.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly. But where do you suggest we do so? He’s not dead. And unfortunately, the Afterlife Academy is forbidden to assist with that process.”

  “Then send him to a regular prison. At least call the cops and let them know what he did!”

  “What did he do exactly?” Teague asked.

  “Are you kidding?” Walter said.

  “He almost opened a demonic Gateway!” Charlie exclaimed.

  “And are you willing to hold to that testimony in a human court of law?” Teague smiled. “How do you think that would go? Would any of the authorities believe you? What proof could you show them?”

  “But—but—” Charlie looked pleadingly at Walter.

  “He had to have broken at least some human laws tonight,” Walter reasoned. “Kidnapping, for starters.”

  “True,” Teague conceded. “He did hold Charlie and his family prisoner for about three hours. That might get him a year in a minimum-security prison. But considering the amount of wealth he’s amassed, Wisdom could buy his way out in less time. Everything else witnessed here and all that he’s done by aiding and abetting the demons would never hold up in court.”

  “So that’s it?” Charlie couldn’t believe it. Wisdom, the pathetic weasel, would just get off scot-free?

  “I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do.” Teague gave Charlie a meaningful look. “Come along now.”

  After giving one final glance around the room to remember the destruction that had taken place only moments earlier, Walter and Charlie exited the locker room, leaving behind a puzzled Wisdom Willows scratching his head in a stupor.

  Standing in front of his video camera, Charlie pointed at the hole by his feet. Behind him, the crumpled walls of the abandoned shopping mall blotted out the setting sun and cast shadows across the construction site. The dim light normally would make it difficult to film, but not with Charlie’s new camera. The expensive piece of equipment could operate day or night with maximum performance. The state-of-the-art lenses were guaranteed not to smudge, and they recorded everything in high definition. The video camera was a gift from his parents. They felt it was the least they could do after Charlie had saved the world.

  “As you can see, the readings on my EMF detector are off the charts.” Charlie pointed to another brand-new piece of equipment as he spoke to the camera. Green lights blinked and chirped across the screen. “When Friedman Salinger took refuge here in this unmarked grave”—he held up a hand and gestured to the air around him—“he only intended to remain hidden long enough for Sheriff Mockley and his posse to pass by. But when the ground unexpectedly shifted, shaking Colton County with a magnitude six-point-five earthquake, this unmarked burial plot became the final resting place of the notorious Colton County strangler.”

  Charlie stared grimly into the camera. “As many paranormal researchers will tell you, whenever a brutal killer dies from an unexplained phenomenon, he doesn’t go quietly. And because of the nature in which he died, buried alive by an earthquake, Friedman Salinger’s soul was trapped in this grave. Now, for the first time ever, I will capture on video evidence of Friedman Salinger’s ghost.” He pointed down into the hole.

  Walter Prairie blinked up at him. “Do I really have to do this?” he asked in a bored voice.

  Charlie’s eyes widened, and he raised his eyebrows expectantly. “Any second now, folks, you will see proof!”

  “Really? This is so stupid,” Walter groaned.

  “Any second now!” Charlie said again.

  Walter puffed out his cheeks and removed a device from his utility belt. After mashing a few codes on a keypad, he pointed the small piece of equipment at one of the dirt walls of the hole and pressed a button.

  “Oh my,” Charlie said in dramatic fashion as purple waves of energy bounced off the wall. “Did you see that?” Dirt clods and rocks tumbled from the side of the hole. Charlie gasped. “And that?” Insects burrowed out and skittered up to the ground. “Friedman’s spirit is very angry!”

  “Wahoo,” Walter said, twirling a finger next to his head. “It’s unbelievable!” After a few seconds of capturing trembling dirt and crawling insects, Walter clicked off the device and pocketed it in his belt.

  “There you have it, ladies and gentlemen.” Charlie turned once more to face the camera. “Fact or fiction? Does Friedman Salinger haunt the earth still, trapped in an earthly prison? You be the judge.”

  “And cut!” Melissa announced as she pressed “stop” on the camcorder. “That was really good, Charlie. You sounded very convincing.”

  “Really?” Charlie blushed. “It took me two days to remember those lines.”

  “Two days? Try all week!” Walter clambered out of the hole. “I had to put in a request to the Academy for specialized earplugs!”

  After Walter’s debriefing with Teague and the other Agents, he had to stand as a witness in Darwin Pollock’s trial. Instead of wearing his usual three-piece suit, Darwin graced the courtroom in a striking purple jumpsuit with a white ID number stamped on the back. The trial went on for several days, as Darwin’s legal team proved to be sharp. In the end, though, Walter’s testimony sealed the deal. No one in their right mind could forgive Darwin for so endangering Walter by putting him into the field without so much as an hour of training, let alone the requisite four years.

  Darwin’s conviction created a highly coveted job opportunity as the Head Assigner of Agents for HLTA at the Afterlife Academy. Though many qualified individuals applied, Alton Tremonton finally earned his promotion.

  His first order of business: figuring out what to do with Walter.

  The Logan brothers had returned to their assigned targets and were now enjoying all the fun of being full-fledged Agents. To Walter, it didn’t seem
fair that he’d have to be stuck in the Academy for four years. After almost nonstop begging on Walter’s part, Alton agreed to meet him at his office with a surprise.

  Walter’s first “official” assignment.

  He would have to return to the Academy regularly to undergo training classes, but Alton concluded that Walter’s experience guarding The Summoner’s Handbook had proven his value in the field. Charlie might no longer have been in possession of the dangerous book, but that didn’t mean he was completely safe. Charlie couldn’t simply foil a demon takeover and then disappear from the Underworld radar for the rest of his life. Revenge was always a possibility. So, when not in class, Walter served as Charlie’s Afterlife Academy Agent.

  “You don’t think I overdid the details of Salinger’s murders, do you?” Charlie asked Melissa once they had returned every piece of his equipment to its slot in his carrying case.

  “No, it was just the right amount. Creepy, but not disgusting,” she replied.

  “That’s good. I still think I need to buy some makeup or something to help my face not look so pale. All the professionals do that.”

  “Don’t buy anything. I have some makeup at home, and whatever else we need, I’ll just borrow from my sister.” Melissa brushed the hair from her eyes. “But I wouldn’t worry about that, either. I think you have the right look for this documentary.”

  Charlie grinned and felt his face flush.

  “Oh my gosh! Could we be done now?” Walter glanced from Charlie to Melissa.

  “Yeah, I better get going,” Melissa said. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late for cheer practice.”

  Along with Charlie and his parents, Melissa maintained her ability to see Walter, along with any other Agent who happened to check in on Charlie. It was a side effect from the Celestial stone explosion, and no one at the Academy had any idea how long it would last. They could see the Underworld creatures as well. Fortunately, the demons were licking their wounds and staying away for the moment, and Charlie and Walter had only spotted the occasional shade floating by the neighborhood.