Guided

Chapter 10- Gozer

"Something's happening inside that old mine," Phoebe said.

"Forgot my wheels," I said, holding up my skates as I walked in and sat down.

"I know that," Trevor stated. "It's pretty obvious."

"Right, so I did some digging on the word you heard in the mountain. Gozer?"

"You did some digging?" I raised an eyebrow as Trevor held my hand under the table.

"Gozer was a Sumerian god who once walked amongst the living," Phoebe started.

"Soul-eating, flame-dripping deity people," Podcast added. "And I think it wants back."

"Here?" Trevor questioned.

"I know. Would've picked Orlando," Podcast commented.

"What does the name Ivo Shandor mean to you guys?" Phoebe asked.

"He built this whole town," Lucky piped in as she walked by. "He built the mine, boundary, the school, library. His name is on everything." She walked away.

"That's tacky," Trevor commented.

"In New York, he created an apartment building made out of selenium girders, mined from right here. On that same rooftop is where our grandfathers fought to keep a hoard of ghosts from entering our dimension," Phoebe explained.

"My grandmother lived in that building. How she turned into a dog," I added.

"Girls, what exactly is happening here?" Trevor questioned.

"I can only think of one way for us to find out," Phoebe said.

I nodded and fished my keys out of my pocket. "Let's go for a drive."

I drove out of town and into the mountains. Everyone was silent with tension. Trevor only held my hand, making me use only my left hand to drive. We arrived at the top and got into the elevator. It creaked as it lowered us down.

"So, what do a cigarette and a hamster have in common?" Phoebe asked, trying to cut the silence.

I raised an eyebrow, only urging her to continue. "They're both completely harmless until you stick one in your mouth and light it on fire."

Podcast snorted. I smiled.

"The worst time," Trevor mumbled.

We took our flashlights out and turned them on. We shined our flashlights as our surroundings. Someone was carving in here. Almost a hundred carvings surrounded the cave.

"You guys, look."

The statue.

"This isn't a mining shaft, is it?" I whispered.

"Is that her?" Trevor questioned, shining his flashlight on the statue.

"It. It takes the form of whatever it wants to be. Last time, it was a woman with slime clothing. Grandpa said it was just what was attractive to the male eye," I explained.

"So, Gozer would turn into you. Fantastic," Trevor said the last part sarcastically. "Everyone watch their step."

"Another hole?" I guessed. "I wonder where this one leads to."

"A sacrificial death pit," Podcast whispered, grinning.

"What were they sacrificing?" Phoebe questioned.

"Virgins, probably," I teased, glancing at Trevor as I walked away.

"What are those holes in the wall?" Trevor asked.

"Vacancies," Phoebe said grimly.

"If this is a tomb, where are all the bodies?" I questioned.

"Found one!"

I turned and screamed quickly. Trevor gripped my hand as we walked over to Podcast.

"Oh, my god. Is he sleeping?" Trevor asked.

"He's in a coffin," I hissed.

"It's Ivo Shandor. He's been in here for seventy-five years?" Podcast asked. "You know, when you die, your fingernails actually keep growing."

"Not true. Your skin just shrinks," I corrected him.

"Something was coming, and he knew it."

I looked over at Phoebe worriedly. "I think these are years. 1883."

"The Krakatau eruption. The most violent volcanic activity in human history," Podcast realized.

"What happened in 1908?" Trevor asked.

"The Tunguska blast over Siberia," I answered.

"1945."

"Nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

"1984."

"The Manhattan Ghost attack."

2021. "It's a countdown," Phoebe realized.

"Like a prophecy?" Podcast guessed.

"Do you guys hear that?" Trevor asked.

There was growling and rumbling underneath us. We looked down into the pit. I jumped and pulled Phoebe away from the pit when I saw the ghosts reaching up to us. It was going to grab me. Or her. The blasters turned off.

"I think he's alive." Podcast pointed to Ivo.

"I think his ghost was about to reach him if not for those blasters," I snapped. I wiped my nose. Bloody.

Trevor pecked my lips. All I could hear was ringing as I hugged him.