Then the sound of chanting and the rhythmic chimes of bells echoed through the darkened house. Beth watched in horror as Cecilia was dragged around the house by a ghastly specter. Its skin was a sickly green, red bulbous veins bulged from its skin, and hollow eye sockets scanned its surroundings.
Chris emerged from his hiding place, seeing an opening to save Cecilia. "Gotcha!" Chris grabbed her by the hand, saving her from being dragged around by the ghost. Chris watched the specter speeding in and out of the house, phasing through walls and knocking and scattering solid objects. "Are you hurt?" the captain asked, helping Cecilia to get back on her feet.
"No, a little startled but okay." The two exchanged glances. "It's weird, isn't it?"
"I know, it seemed like he was only an ordinary spirit." Chris extended his arm towards the ghost's direction, and when he opened his palm, the spirit was pulled towards him. The haunting ended when he was holding the wriggling ghost by the neck.
Chief Bustamante, Murillo, and Martinez all came out of their hiding places. "That's a bit disappointing," Martinez blurted out. "I didn't even finish the incantations."
The chief officer approached the captain, worry etched on his face, "This is a bit too easy, sir." He glanced at the trembling widow. "How was he able to push a human off the balcony if he was just an ordinary ghost?"
"I agree." Chris then imprisoned Rick's ghost in the kamidana for safekeeping and handed it to Chief Murillo. "Gani might have remembered things a different way. But the fact remains, this soul caused the death of a mortal. We will bring it back to the ship and let the engine deck have him."
"Aye, Captain." Chief Murillo held the kamidana tightly in her hands.
The captain walked over to Cecilia, who was consoling the terrified woman, "Mrs. Osario, it is over, we have the spirit, you are free from its terror now," he assured the widow.
Slowly, the woman lifted her head to look at her surroundings. First, she noticed the silence, then the well-illuminated house, the light coming from the undamaged fluorescents. "Is it done? Is the ghost gone?" she asked, her voice still quivering.
"Yes!" Cecilia answered gently, "He won't bother you anymore," she assured her while helping her to her feet.
"Did you succeed? Is it over?" Gani asked the moment he phased back into the house.
"Yes," Martinez answered, "Although I have to admit it was a bit too easy."
"So, my wife…is she truly free from her torment? Will she never again be haunted?" Gani asked over and over, wanting to be sure that his beloved wife was safe.
"Rest assured, she is now safe," Bustamante said with a smile. He then looked at his watch. "The ship would be back by now, if you will excuse us, we must take this vengeful ghost back to the ship."
"Of course…thank you, thank you so much." Gani shook the hands of the three officers, expressing his gratitude. "I will return with the captain to the ship, I hope you don't mind."
The three officers exchanged glances. "That will be no problem at all." Chief Bustamante turned to Chris, "Isn't that right, Captain?" Chris discreetly nodded in agreement.
"We will be going now, so we can seal the vengeful ghost we captured. Will you be okay here?" Cecilia asked the woman.
Betheliza looked around her. She called for her maids, but none answered. "I think they all left," she said, disappointment lacing her voice. "I know this is unorthodox, but can I request that you stay here for the night, or just until I get my maids back? Please, I'm still terrified to be sleeping alone."
"Excuse me, ma'am, but…" Before Chris could protest, Cecilia cut him off.
"Okay, I'll stay behind to accompany you." She glanced over at the captain and shrugged her shoulders. "It won't take long, as soon as her maids are back, I'll contact you," she assured the captain.
"Whatever," Chris turned around and left. The moment he closed the door to the house behind him and saw no one was around, he dissipated back to the twilight.
"Please excuse him; he is a bit grumpy," she smiled at the woman. "Why don't we fix this mess up?" And she started to clean everything the ghost had scattered, with Betheliza following suit.
Chris teleported back to the port on time to see the Twilight dock. Once the mooring lines were secured, the captain boarded his ship to process the captured ghost. He proceeded to the engine room, followed by Gani, their steps rapid and purposeful. Outside the engine room, Chief Bustamante and Chief Murillo have just opened the kamidana.
The moment Rick manifested, Gani grabbed him by the neck, and the two ghosts struggled against each other. "YOU BASTARD! You already killed me, but that wasn't enough; now you want to kill Betheliza too?" Gani shouted at his former best friend, "Are you filled with jealousy that you need to kill me and my wife?"
Rick, however, was consumed by fury and anger, retaining his ghastly features. "I will have my vengeance! I will have my vengeance! I will have my vengeance!" the rage-filled soul repeated continuously, as if in a rage-filled trance.
Chris came between the two ghosts and separated them. "I will not tolerate such behavior on my ship!" He bellowed, shoving Gani towards Chief Bustamante, "Get him out of here, before I throw him in the engine room." He then turned to Chief Murillo, "Call the Chief Engineer!"
Bustamante and Murillo scampered to do as they were told. The chief engineer cautiously approached Chris. "You called Captain?" his voice quaking.
"Take care of the new passenger," Chris replied, referring to the vengeful spirit. Chris then marched away, heading to the bridge to review any reports during his absence.
Back in the mortal plane, Cecilia had just finished helping Betheliza. "Thank you so much for what you and your partner did to help me," the widow expressed as she collected the scattered glass fragments. "Is it hard to work with him? He's kind of stoic or something." Inquiring about the captain's demeanor.
"Chris?" Cecilia replied, returning some books to the shelf, "Don't let his tough guy exterior fool you, deep down inside he's a softy."