Part 1

I never thought I would be sent to New York. I mean, there, it’s pretty much supposed to be just crime and poverty and other stuff, right? That happens to be wrong. In New York there is one thing even worse than crime. That would be ghosts.
Hi, my name is Alex Grimm. Some may say I live a normal life, but if they do, they’d be completely wrong. In the past year alone, I have battled an Egyptian Queen, saved my boss from a kidnapping, and solved a case in a house that only I returned from. My life is not normal.
Today, as always, I was unaware of my boss, William Daniels, sitting at my desk. He grinned up at me when I came in.
“Good morning, Alex.” he said. “Are you ready to take up another case?”
“That’s what I live for, isn’t it?” I told him. William laughed heartily, and then he went back to talking.
“My dear Alex, we have been hearing some strange reports sent from a certain flat in New York. We want you to go and investigate.”
“Fine, I’ll go.” I answered wearily.
“That’s the spirit! I’ll program a map into your phone. Now, goodbye!” called William. I turned around quickly and walked briskly away so he couldn’t see me grimace. Why does he have to keep sending me on missions? I wondered. Why can’t he just let me have a break every once in a while, like everyone else?
I was on my way to New York City, when suddenly I felt my phone vibrate against my hip. I pulled it out and saw I had a new text message. I didn’t recognize the caller, but I went ahead and looked at it any way. As I read, a chill ran up my spine. The text was three words long.

Look Behind You.


I quickly turned my head around just in time to see what looked like a motorcyclist run into my 01’ Ford. As I watched, I was suddenly wrenched from my seat as my truck lunged forward with a sickening screech.
Soon after, the airbag activated, and I ended up face-planting into a heavy pile of fabric. I got up as fast as I could and hastily pushed the car door open.
I fell to my knees when I hit the ground. Then, very slowly, I looked up. There, starring me in the face, was the biker that I saw run into my truck.
He had long, greasy black hair and many oil stains on his shirt. On his face was a cruel grin. He grabbed my shirt collar and lifted me off the ground.
“Hey, why did you run into my cycle?” he asked, his speech tinged with a light New York accent.
“I’m sorry, sir, it was an accident.” I said. He pulled me higher, so that my face touched his.
“If you ever trash my cycle again, you won’t live to see the morning.” he hissed. Then the biker hopped back onto his bike and sped off down the road. A thousand different thoughts swirled through my head. As soon as my mind cleared, I went back to my truck and drove straight to the nearest auto shop.
As soon as I left the shop with my bumper fixed, I headed off towards New York City, in hopes of finding a ghost so this trip wouldn’t go to waste.
I drove through the streets of New York City, looking for the apartment where I would be staying. Surprisingly, I actually recognized the number. I couldn’t remember who lived there though. Soon, I found the apartment at 221 North Kelley Street. Quickly, I walked up to the door and cautiously knocked. I waited for a few seconds, pacing back and forth on the steps.
When I turned around, I was staring face to face with none other than Felix Carroll.
“Alex, buddy!” he said, a wide grin on his face.
“Felix, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“Well, I heard that you were going to New York, so I convinced William to let me help you and share your apartment!”
“Oh joy.” I said. Then I picked up my things and put them in the apartment.
That night, after Felix fell asleep, I crept out of my courters and into the dark New York streets. I took my scanner with me, in hopes of finding some paranormal activity. As I walked down a barren ally, I felt someone breathing down my neck. I quickly spun around, soon staring into the eyes of the renegade biker who I had met just that morning.
“Hello, Alex Grimm.” he hissed. “I have been waiting for you.” Then the biker rushed towards me, and I fell unconscious.

Part 2

Felix was worried. He hadn’t seen Alex in three full days. Soon it would be time to leave New York, and Felix knew that it wouldn’t look good on his résumé if he lost the Association’s best hunter.
He decided to go outside to get some fresh air. He twisted around to turn the TV off, when something on the screen caught his eye. The news was just showing criminals to look out for in Brooklyn. When they got up to number one, Felix gasped. The face on the screen was one he knew. When Felix finally put the impossible into words, he still couldn’t believe it.
“Alex!”
Felix walked through the streets of Brooklyn, still not believing what he had seen. Then suddenly, to people dashed out in front of him, towards a parked car on the street. They surrounded the vehicle, and then one of the men brought out a gun and smashed the window open. As quickly as they could, the two thieves grabbed everything they could lay their hands on and ran away, laughing.
Quietly, Felix followed them. Soon, they arrived at an old broken-down warehouse on the outskirts of town. As they walked in, Felix could barely restrain himself from gasping, for there, on a metallic throne in the center of the room, was Alex Grimm himself.
He looked different. His clothes were now ragged and torn, and he had stubble around his chin. His mouth was turned up in a sly smirk, and when he saw the men coming in with their loot, he laughed a malicious laugh.
“Well done boys,” he said. “You’ve done me good.” Then Alex stopped and turned his head, staring straight at the spot where Felix lied in hiding.
“Not so fast, Felix, I have need of your services.” Alex hissed. Two of the gang members went and dragged Felix over by his arms. He looked up at Alex defiantly.
“I want you to take out your scanner and scan this place for readings.” Alex said, bearing a wicked smile on his face.
“Isn’t that your job?” questioned Felix.
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t,” answered Alex. “Now scan this place or else!” Obediently, Felix pulled out his scanner and scanned the room. When he reached Alex, the scanner beeped violently.
“No, it can’t be.” he whispered.
“But it is, my dear Felix.” laughed Alex. “Welcome to your worse nightmare!”
Felix couldn’t believe it. How could Alex have been a ghost this whole time? While Felix was enveloped in his musings, two of Alex’s henchmen crept up behind him and locked his arms behind his back.
“Well Felix,” said Alex slyly. “Now that you know of our secret, I will have to kill you.” Slowly, he pulled a knife from his sleeve and began advancing towards Felix. Just when he was in striking distance, however, Alex fell to his knees and clutched his head in agony. Then, in a fierce voice, he hissed, “Not now, I will not let you win, Tabby!”

Part 3

I awoke from my unconsciousness surrounded by darkness. My head was buzzing, trying to comprehend where I was. Suddenly, a figure emerged, wearing a biker’s jacket and a cocky grin. I immediately knew who it was.
“Hello, Alex, so nice of you to join us.” said the biker.
“What do you want with me?” I questioned. “Why did you knock me out?”
“All ghosts need a place to inhabit.” he replied. “You should be honored that I chose you.” Suddenly, I knew where I was. I was in my head, which was being controlled by the one and only Taby Clarkson, the most notorious ghost criminal in all of Brooklyn.
“You’ll never get away with this.” I replied.
“But I will, my dear Alex.” Tabby said, grinning wickedly. “I will forever haunt your body and you will be known as the worst criminal in all of Brooklyn!”
I felt so helpless, like I couldn’t do anything at all. Then suddenly, I felt a fierce anger rising within me, washing away my feeling of self-doubt. Slowly I stood up and stared Tabby straight in the eye.
“Like I said, you’ll never get away with this.” I hissed.
“You think you can stop me now?” Tabby laughed. “We’ll just see about that.” Then he rushed forward, attempting to tear me apart.
I dodged, and then gasped as I felt what seemed like a ring of ice lay around my head. I suddenly felt even more angry and powerful than before. I grabbed my scanner and brandished it over my head like a club. Tabby looked up at me and stopped with his eyes wide.
“No, it can’t be.” he stammered. Then he ran at me again, teeth clenched. We fought for at least ten minutes, knife versus scanner. Suddenly, Tabby grabbed my arms and forced them behind my back.
“I’ve got you now, Alex Grimm!” He laughed.
“Not now, I will not let you win, Tabby!” I hissed. Quickly, I swung my legs back and kicked Tabby in the chest. He lost his grip on my arms and flew back about twenty feet.
“We’ll meet again, Alex!” he yelled as he disappeared. “Someday, we’ll meet again!”
I smiled, feeling the ring of ice disappear. Then I settled down into a peaceful sleep.
When I awoke I was lying in my bed in Felix’s apartment.
“Felix,” I rasped, seeing him standing in the corner. “What happened to me?”
“As far as I can figure, you were possessed.” replied Felix. “By none other than Tabby Clarkson, the ghost we were sent to contain.”
“Well, there goes my record.” I said, laughing.
“Don’t worry Alex,” said Felix. “We can explain everything to William when we get back to headquarters, which reminds me, we need to leave right now!” So Felix and I went back to Pennsylvania and reported our story to William. And everything was okay, well, for now anyway.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 22.09.2012

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