Posted to Feeling Fictional, here’s the ninth part of my brand new Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Nine

The Team

The new ghost was large and imposing – and just as see-through as Henry. He wore a neatly pressed uniform and peaked cap, and carried a clipboard. “I don’t think you really want to pass this exam, Harper,” he snarled.

Henry’s transparent bottom lip began to quiver. “I do, Mr Aspin,” he pleaded, “I really do!”

The spectral boss examined the information on his clipboard. “Your work is poor,” he grunted. “Results are bad. How long did it take you to wake those skeletons with your mysterious bangs and bumps the other night?”

“It wasn’t my fault, Mr Aspin,” whined Henry. “They’re heavy sleepers!”

“No major scares credited to you in the last half century,” continued Aspin. “I don’t see why I should let you take your spirit level exam again at all.”

This time Henry really did begin to cry. Crystal tears ran down his shimmering cheeks. “Please let me take the test. I’ll try harder, I promise!”

Mr Aspin sneered. “And why should I believe a promise from a pathetic nobody like you?”

Luke stepped forward. “That’s not a very nice thing to say,” he pointed out. “I think you should apologize.”

Mr Aspin’s see-through face flushed purple. “Harper!” he roared. “Are you getting little children to fight your battles for you?”

Henry was positively shivering now. “No, no, Mr Aspin,” he sobbed. “They were just—”

“We are not fighting anyone’s battles,” Cleo interrupted. She stared up at the officious-looking phantom. “We just think you should be a little nicer to Henry, whoever you are…”

Henry looked as though he might faint.

“Whoever I am?” bellowed Mr Aspin. “I’m the president of HISS! The only spectre ever to reach spirit level one hundred and twenty! The only ghost in Scream Street qualified to appear at séances and possess the medium!” He leant in close to Cleo. “And I’m the man who has just decided that Henry Horatio Harper has failed his spirit level exam.”

Henry let out a squeak of terror. “Why?”

“For bringing three unauthorized spirits into Scream Street, of course!” thundered Aspin. “You know the rules – any fraternizing with ghosts who aren’t officially recognized by the president’s office means instant demotion. And since I can’t demote you lower than you already are, you are forbidden from taking the exam.”

“That’s not fair!” cried Cleo.

“I don’t care!” rumbled Mr Aspin.

“It’s also not true,” Resus pointed out.

“What?”

“We’re not real ghosts,” Resus continued. “We’re just under a spell that allows us to communicate with them. Look…” He turned to the nearest solid object – the wall of a house – and walked into it as hard as he could. “Ow!”

“And Henry told us that you once communicated with a solid person via this spell,” Cleo added. “So if he has to be punished for ‘fraternizing’ with temporary ghosts in this way, so do you!”

Aspin began to growl deep in his throat.

“Henry Horatio Harper is going take his spirit level exam,” Luke said firmly. “And we’re going to help him.”

—

Continue reading

I’m typing this post in Tokyo, Japan. I’m here on what, for me, is the trip of a lifetime. I knew I’d need to bring the right guidebook.

The top two are great – very useful, full of all sorts of excellent information. But for obvious reasons the bottom one is my favourite.

I’ve only been in Tokyo for two days but I’ve already seen a female kappa, a cartoon one at least, on tv: charmingly clad in a fetching pink tube top, this yokai was discussing the merits of various onsen with two human ladies. Personally I think the human ladies were lucky: as Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide coyly but helpfully points out, one thing that these water-based creatures are known for is approaching human victims stealthily then suddenly ‘remov[ing] a swimmer’s instestines from below, by punching a slimy hand through… well, use your imagination.’

My excitement at the possibility of meeting yokai in their natural habitat is, understandably I think, spiced with a generous pinch of dread. But with this splendid and thoroughly informative book at my side there’s at least a chance I’ll know what killed me before it happens. ;D

Sam

Continue reading

Posted to Tall Tales and Short Stories, here’s the eighth part of my exclusive Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Eight

The Threat

The new ghost was large and imposing – and just as see-through as Henry. He wore a neatly pressed uniform and peaked cap, and carried a clipboard. “I don’t think you really want to pass this exam, Harper,” he snarled.

Henry’s transparent bottom lip began to quiver. “I do, Mr Aspin,” he pleaded, “I really do!”

The spectral boss examined the information on his clipboard. “Your work is poor,” he grunted. “Results are bad. How long did it take you to wake those skeletons with your mysterious bangs and bumps the other night?”

“It wasn’t my fault, Mr Aspin,” whined Henry. “They’re heavy sleepers!”

“No major scares credited to you in the last half century,” continued Aspin. “I don’t see why I should let you take your spirit level exam again at all.”

This time Henry really did begin to cry. Crystal tears ran down his shimmering cheeks. “Please let me take the test. I’ll try harder, I promise!”

Mr Aspin sneered. “And why should I believe a promise from a pathetic nobody like you?”

Luke stepped forward. “That’s not a very nice thing to say,” he pointed out. “I think you should apologize.”

Mr Aspin’s see-through face flushed purple. “Harper!” he roared. “Are you getting little children to fight your battles for you?”

Henry was positively shivering now. “No, no, Mr Aspin,” he sobbed. “They were just—”

“We are not fighting anyone’s battles,” Cleo interrupted. She stared up at the officious-looking phantom. “We just think you should be a little nicer to Henry, whoever you are…”

Henry looked as though he might faint.

“Whoever I am?” bellowed Mr Aspin. “I’m the president of HISS! The only spectre ever to reach spirit level one hundred and twenty! The only ghost in Scream Street qualified to appear at séances and possess the medium!” He leant in close to Cleo. “And I’m the man who has just decided that Henry Horatio Harper has failed his spirit level exam.”

Henry let out a squeak of terror. “Why?”

“For bringing three unauthorized spirits into Scream Street, of course!” thundered Aspin. “You know the rules – any fraternizing with ghosts who aren’t officially recognized by the president’s office means instant demotion. And since I can’t demote you lower than you already are, you are forbidden from taking the exam.”

“That’s not fair!” cried Cleo.

“I don’t care!” rumbled Mr Aspin.

“It’s also not true,” Resus pointed out.

“What?”

“We’re not real ghosts,” Resus continued. “We’re just under a spell that allows us to communicate with them. Look…” He turned to the nearest solid object – the wall of a house – and walked into it as hard as he could. “Ow!”

“And Henry told us that you once communicated with a solid person via this spell,” Cleo added. “So if he has to be punished for ‘fraternizing’ with temporary ghosts in this way, so do you!”

Aspin began to growl deep in his throat.

“Henry Horatio Harper is going take his spirit level exam,” Luke said firmly. “And we’re going to help him.”

—

Continue reading

Posted to Spinechills, here’s the seventh part of my new Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Seven

The Boss

Henry Horatio Harper turned and began to shuffle away across the central square. Luke, Resus and Cleo hurried after him.

“Lunchtime?” asked Cleo, catching up with the phantom. “You mean the bell rings like that at this time every day?”

Henry nodded, his top hat wobbling. “Not that you’d be able to hear it; it’s a phantom bell.”
“A phantom bell for phantom lunch hour?” said Luke. “Please don’t think I’m being rude, but lunch hour from what?”

The ghost continued his shuffling walk. “From haunting,” he said. “What else?”

Resus looked surprised. “You mean you’re doomed to haunt the houses of Scream Street?”

“Not doomed,” said Henry. “Although there are days when I feel like that.”

“So, how does it work?” asked Luke.

Henry sighed. “I work for a company called Haunting in Scream Street – or HISS for short. Haunting houses around here is my job.”

“And you get a lunch break from it?” asked Resus. “That’s ridiculous!”

Henry stopped and stared hard at Resus. “Have you been talking to my boss?”

“No,” said Resus. “Why?”

“He wants to do away with our lunch hour as well.” The phantom turned and continued walking. “And if I don’t get back to work soon, he won’t let me take my exam.”

“I still don’t understand,” said Cleo, catching up with the ghost again. “What exam?”

“All ghosts start out at the bottom,” Henry explained miserably. “It’s called spirit level one. Over the centuries you can take haunting exams to rise up to spirit level two and beyond.”

“What do the levels mean?” asked Luke.

“They determine what kind of haunting jobs we get to do,” replied Henry. “Level one ghosts can only make things go bump in the night, but when you go up to level two, you get to go ‘Whoooooo!’ between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., throw one item a night and spook pets by blowing in their faces.”

“And level three?” asked Cleo.

“Light chain work and creepy footsteps.”

“I get it!” said Resus. “Going up a spirit level is like getting a promotion.”

“That’s it,” said Henry.

“And the longer you’ve been a ghost, the more you get promoted,” said Cleo.

“Exactly,” said Henry.

“How long have you been a ghost?” asked Luke.

“Just short of three hundred years.”

“And what spirit level are you at now?” asked Cleo.

Henry looked as though he might cry again. “Level one.”

“Ah,” said Resus.

The phantom sighed. “I’d love the chance to scare a cat, but they just ignore me – like everybody else. I’ll never get to go ‘Whoooooo!’”

“Of course you will,” said Cleo. “All you’ve got to do is pass your exam. It can’t be that hard…”

“Then why has he failed it over a thousand times?” roared a voice. Henry began to tremble as another figure shimmered into existence in front of the group. “And why is he late for his last chance to take it?”

—

Continue reading

Posted to My Favourite Books, here’s the sixth part of my special Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Six

The Phantom

Resus held a transparent hand up in front of his face. He could still make out the outline of his body, but he could see right through it, as though he was made of glass. “You are banned from doing anything with magic wands from now on!” he shouted at Cleo.

“But that was definitely the right spell,” Cleo insisted. “I checked.”

“Well, obviously not closely enough,” said Resus. “Not only am I not a vampire, I’m not even alive any more!”

“We can’t be dead,” said Luke. “I doubt Everwell’s Emporium would sell spells that could kill you.”

“He’s right,” said Cleo. “This must just be the way it works.”

“It feels weird,” said Luke, peering through his legs. “Do you think we can walk through walls and things like that now?”

“Of course we can,” said Resus. “Cleo’s turned us into ghosts – we’ll be able to do everything ghosts can do.” To illustrate his point, he turned, strode towards the lamppost he’d recently been talking to – and crashed straight into it. “Ow!” he cried, rubbing his nose.

“The spell doesn’t really turn you into a phantom,” said a mournful voice. “It just lets you talk to us. Not that anyone ever wants to for very long.”

The trio turned. Now clearly visible, the phantom from Luke’s bedroom stood behind them. He also appeared as though he was made of glass. And he looked utterly miserable.

“You sound like you’ve done this before,” said Luke.

The phantom shook his head. “I’m not important enough to be allowed to use magic,” he said. “But I did see my boss speak to someone using the spell years ago. It didn’t go very well, but then I didn’t expect it to, really.”

“What’s your name?” asked Cleo.

The phantom looked surprised. “You want to know my name?” he asked. “No one ever wants to know my name.”

“Well, we do,” said Luke.

The phantom removed his top hat and bowed his already stooped body. “Henry Horatio Harper,” he said. “Although I don’t expect you to remember it. No one ever does.”

“We remember you throwing things at us in Luke’s bedroom,” said Resus.

“I’m sorry,” said Henry. “I was just practising.”

“Practising?” asked Luke. “What for?”

“My exam,” Henry replied. “I don’t often get the chance to practise in front of people. And even if I do, they don’t really notice me.”

“Well, we did,” said Resus, rubbing the bruise on the back of his head. “Although I can’t imagine what sort of exam would need you to chuck stuff at kids.”

Suddenly a deep bell boomed out across the square. The ground shook, and Luke, Resus and Cleo were forced to clamp their hands over their ears. “What is that?” cried Cleo.

Henry sighed. “That’s the end of my lunch hour.”

—

Continue reading

Posted to Walker Books, here’s the fifth part of my brand new Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Five

The Spell

Luke and Resus edged their way across Scream Street’s central square.

“Is he still with us?” asked Resus.

Luke looked through the 3D glasses at the seemingly empty space behind them. The ghost was trudging along a few metres behind. He wore a long tailcoat and a battered top hat.

“He’s here,” said Luke. “But he doesn’t look very happy.”

Resus took the glasses and peered at the phantom. He was shivering and looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment. “Do you think ghosts can have nervous breakdowns?” Resus asked.

“I’ve no idea,” said Luke, taking the glasses back. “They don’t have any nerves to break down, do they?”

“Maybe not,” said Resus, “but this bloke looks about as happy as a banshee at a sponsored silence.”

The ghost’s bottom lip began to tremble.

“It might be an idea to keep quiet,” Luke suggested. “I think he can hear us.”

Resus turned to where he presumed the phantom was standing. “Don’t worry!” he said far too loudly. “Our friend Cleo has gone to Everwell’s Emporium – that’s a kind of shop – to get a spell that will let us talk to you.” The vampire noticed that Luke was grinning at him. “What’s the matter?”

“Well, for a start, he’s a ghost, he’s not deaf,” Luke said with a smile. “Plus, he’s standing over here with me. You’ve just been talking to a lamppost.”

The silver doors of Everwell’s Emporium burst open and Cleo appeared. Spotting her friends, she raced over to join them.

“Did you get it?” asked Luke.

Cleo produced a magic wand with a shimmering red star at the top. “Voilà!”

“And this one won’t cause anything nasty to jump out at us?”

Cleo shook her head. “I asked Eefa; this is exactly the right spell for communicating with phantoms.”

“Not a minute too soon,” said Resus. “I don’t fancy spending the rest of the day talking to inanimate objects.”

“Eefa said we have to stand together and cast the spell over ourselves,” Cleo explained.

“And then we’ll be able to see him without the glasses?” asked Luke.

Cleo nodded. “And talk to him.”

“Let’s do it,” said Resus.

The trio huddled together while Cleo held the wand over their heads and read the magical words printed along the handle. The red star on the end began to glow, and then there was a flash of bright, scarlet light.

“Well,” said Resus, “did it work?”

“Something’s happened,” said Luke. “I can see right through you!”

Resus looked down at his body. Luke was right – he was transparent and so were both of his friends. “You idiot, Cleo!” he snapped. “You didn’t get us a spell that would let us talk to ghosts – you’ve turned us into ghosts!”

—

Continue reading

Posted to the website of my authory chum, Barry Hutchison, here’s the fourth part of my exclusive Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Four

The Glasses

“What did you do that for?” cried Resus, rubbing the back of his head.

Cleo looked up from her notebook. “Do what?”

“I didn’t laugh at your stupid story. There’s no need to throw stuff at me!”

“I didn’t throw anything at you,” Cleo retorted. “I haven’t moved from this chair.”

Luke jumped off the bed and began to collect up the bits of model ship. “My dad built that with me a couple of weeks before we moved.” He groaned. “Took us ages to get it right!” He ran his hand back and forth over the wooden floor. “Where’s the little plastic pilot gone?”

“Is this him?” asked Resus, pulling a tiny figure from his hair.

Luke threw Cleo an angry look. “His head’s snapped off!”

“Don’t blame me,” said Cleo. “I’ve told you, I didn’t throw it.”

“You didn’t need to,” said Resus. “One wave of your magic wand and you can get one of your characters to do it for you.”

“I haven’t touched my wand,” said the mummy. “I was just sitting—” She stopped as the game controller lifted out of Resus’s hands and rose into the air. It hovered there for a second, then shot across the room and bounced off Cleo’s shoulder.

“It could be a poltergeist attack,” suggested Resus. “Like the ones we used to have when you first moved here.”

“I don’t think so,” said Luke. “When those attacks started, everything flew round the room at once. This is happening one item at a time. If this is a poltergeist, it’s not a very good one.”

“But who’s ‘it’?” asked Cleo. “Who’s doing this?”

Luke shrugged. “Could it be a ghost?”

“We’d be able to see a ghost, wouldn’t we?” said Resus.

“It depends what type of ghost it is,” answered Cleo. “It could be a ghoul, a phantom or a spectre. Phantoms in particular find it difficult to appear solid…”

“But there must be a way to see them,” Luke pointed out. “Otherwise no one would know they exist.”

“There’s a spell that allows you to communicate with them,” said Cleo. “And sometimes you can see them at dawn or dusk, when the sky looks red. ‘Red sky at morn, a phantom will haunt. Red sky at night, you’re in for a fright.’”

Luke grabbed the computer games magazine from the bed and pulled a pair of cardboard glasses from the cover. “These are 3D glasses,” he said. “This issue had an article all about a new 3D console that was coming out. You could use the glasses to see what some of the games would look like.”

“We can already see in 3D,” said Resus. “And we still can’t see anyone here.”

“But Cleo said you can sometimes see phantoms in red light,” Luke reminded him. He put the glasses on, closed the eye behind the blue lens and gasped.

Standing right in front of them was, indeed, a ghost.

—

Continue reading

Posted to Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books, here’s the third part of my brand new Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Three

The Story

Resus blinked, unsure what to say for a second. “You’re writing a novel?”

Cleo nodded.

“Really?”

“Yes, I’m writing a novel,” said Cleo. “Can I have it back now, please?”

Resus released his grip on the notebook. “How long have you been writing a novel?”

Cleo shrugged. “A few weeks.”

Resus turned to Luke. “And you knew about it?”

“Yep,” said Luke. “Cleo wanted to speak to Samuel Skipstone and get some advice about writing, so she’s been coming here every day after school to chat with him.”

“So, what’s with the magic spell and those things attacking us?” Resus asked.

“Sorry about that,” Cleo mumbled. “Mr Skipstone said I had to find a way to bring my characters to life. I couldn’t find a way to do it by writing, so I bought a spell from Everwell’s. I didn’t realize it would work on all the characters in the room.”

Resus sat on Luke’s bed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were writing a book?” he asked.

Cleo blushed slightly beneath her bandages. “I wanted to,” she said. “I just thought you might laugh at me.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” said Resus. “I think it’s a great idea.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course,” said Resus. “I couldn’t do anything like that, but you’re good at all that writing stuff at school.”

Cleo smiled as she smoothed out the pages of her notebook. “I am enjoying writing it,” she admitted.

“What’s it about?” Resus asked.

“Don’t look at me,” said Luke, sitting on the bed beside the vampire. “I get sent out of the room when she discusses it with Mr Skipstone.”

Cleo paused for a moment. “Promise you won’t laugh?”

Luke and Resus both nodded.

“OK,” said Cleo. She took a deep breath. “It’s about a girl called Balsa, who meets a boy at school. His name is Woodhead, and Balsa is convinced that there’s something unusual about him. His skin is really cold, he doesn’t have a pulse and when he goes out in the sunshine, maggots burst out of his skin and crawl all over him.”

“So he’s a zombie?” said Resus.

“He is, but Balsa doesn’t know that for certain at the start,” said Cleo. “It’s only when he sinks his teeth into her leg that she realizes the truth.  And, when he goes out in the sunlight – he jingles.”

“Jingles?”

Cleo nodded.  “Like little bells.  I wanted to make him different from zombies in other stories.”

“What’s the book called?” asked Luke.

Cleo opened her notebook to the first page to display the title. “Thigh Bite.”

Resus grinned and began to chuckle.

“You said you wouldn’t laugh at me.” Cleo scowled.

“I’m not laughing at you,” Resus insisted. “I’m laughing at the story. It’s really clever.”

“You mean it?” asked Cleo with a smile. “Thanks.”

Resus picked up the game controller and restarted his zombie attack. “It’s all right,” he said, eyes fixed on the advancing undead. “I always thought— Ow!”

The vampire cried out in pain as a model ship exploded against his head.

—

Continue reading

Posted to Wondrous Reads, check out the second part of this unique Scream Street story – Shiver of the Phantom…

—

Shiver of the Phantom

by Tommy Donbavand

Chapter Two

The Argument

Resus peered down the barrel of a very realistic sniper rifle as it protruded from the pages of Luke’s computer games magazine. “Identify yourself!” barked the paper soldier. “Name, rank and number!”

“This isn’t good,” Resus croaked.

Beside him, Luke continued beating at the zombies’ arms which reached out of his TV set, grasping for flesh. “Brains! BRAINS!”

“Cleo!” he yelled. “Get out of here while you still can!” What appeared to be a foot was beginning to stretch out of her notebook.

The mummy stood up and sighed. “You two are hopeless,” she said. Calmly putting her notebook and its emerging foot aside, she produced a magic wand from her bandages and waved it, muttering a spell under her breath. The yellow star at the end of the wand flashed. Instantly the US soldier and his rifle sank back into the glossy paper of the magazine, the zombies retreated into their game and the foot vanished.

The boys slumped onto the bed, struggling to catch their breath.

“That was you?” gasped Resus. “You made those things attack us?”

“I didn’t make them attack you,” said Cleo. “They were just doing what came naturally. If you weren’t both obsessed with violent games, you’d have been perfectly safe.”

“You can’t blame this on us!” snapped Luke. “What is that thing?” He reached for the magic wand.

Cleo quickly pushed the wand out of sight. “It’s … for my project.”

Luke shook his head and started to pick up the broken pieces of lamp. “I might have known.”

“Hang on,” said Resus. “What project?”

Cleo sat down in the armchair again and opened her notebook. “Nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, so now you’re keeping secrets as well as trying to kill us?”

“I didn’t try to kill you!” Cleo insisted.

“All right,” said Resus. “Maybe you didn’t, but you conjured up some monsters to do it for you!”

“They weren’t monsters,” said Cleo. “They were characters.” She picked up her pen and started to write again.

“Don’t ignore me!” cried Resus, snatching the notebook from the mummy’s hands.

Cleo jumped up and grabbed the notebook, pulling it towards her. “Give that back!”

“Guys, stop it,” said Luke.

Resus ignored him and continued to glare at Cleo. “Why should I give it back?” he growled, pulling the book back towards himself.

“Because it’s private!” snarled Cleo, pulling the notebook in her direction.

“Listen to me!” Luke said firmly.

Resus tugged at the book again. “So, you are keeping secrets from us.”

“No!” shouted Cleo. “It’s just got nothing to do with you.”

“What’s so special about it?” yelled Resus. “Is it details of your next plan to try and bump us both off?”

“Of course not!” hissed Cleo through gritted teeth. “Don’t be an idiot!”

“Stop it!” shouted Luke. “Cleo, just tell him what you’re doing.”

“All right,” said Cleo. “If it will stop him acting like a baby.” She fixed Resus with a furious stare. “I’m writing a novel.”

—

Continue reading