Fiction: Being sarcastic with ghosts

This month's Words for Wednesday prompts are provided by Wisewebwoman and is hosted at Elephant's Child's blog over here. This weeks prompts are: oysters, herringbone, puffin, needle, broom and/or hummus, crochet, locket, sprocket, market. I didn't use the second half of the words.

~ Part 1, Part 2 ~

Fiction: Being sarcastic with ghosts (Part 3)

"Charles! Grab her before she hit her head again!" Sawyer's voice was vivid in the sudden silence. Black reached out and wrapped a hand around Seventeen's waist and held on. They rotated along with the turn of the van. A loud crushing sound and the van stopped on its side with the doors swaying opened. He lowered the girl down on the floor. The unconscious woman strapped to the gurney was still breathing. The professor and the kid ghost were wisely outside. Black crawled toward the front of the van. At the wheel, Jackson was unconsciousness but still breathing.
    "He's fine. It's Seventeen you have to worry about. The first hit on her head probably didn't do her any good." Sawyer leaned over the girl.
    Black picked up the walky-talky receiver and relayed a message for an ambulance and the location.
    "Uh-oh! Charles!" Sawyer pointed at the girl who was running out of the opened doors of the van. "Catch her! She's possessed!"
    "I thought it was my night off!" said Black.
    "There is no such thing when it comes to ghosts," said Sawyer. "What are you waiting for?"
    Black stared back at his brother. "Fine. But just so you know, I'm taking next week off. And keep those two ghosts from following me!" Black made his way toward the back and out the van doors.
    The van had stopped smack in the middle of a two-way road causing cars to drive around it. The girl was running zip-zap. Mad laughter was ranging out of her. She pulled the knitted cap of her head and threw it behind her. Black picked it up and stuffed it into his jacket pocket.
    "Hey you! Get back here!" Black shouted though why he bothered. Who would stop just because someone told them to? His legs ached from the early morning shift. Ten months being a paramedic was too much. He definitely should quit.
    Cars moved haphazardly around the girl as she ran this way and that. There were a lot of shouting and car honking. Where the heck was the ghost heading? Black hated chasing possessed people. Having a body didn't always mean they knew what to do next.
    A scream rang out through all the noise. Black stopped just a few feet from the girl. She collapsed on the ground still screaming with her hands to head. Cars ran back and forth on her left and right side.
    Black waited for a few cars to pass before he could get to the girl. She looked up with her almost black eyes full of tears. "It's— It's—excruciating! Make it stop!" She began to sob.
    Black sighed. "Get out of her if you want it to stop." He guessed the ghost was in pain possessing the girl's body.
    "I— I— I cannot!" She continued to sob.
    "Hey, get out of my sister's body!" The kid ghost came running toward them. Sawyer followed behind.
    "I told you to keep them from following me!" said Black.
    Sawyer shrugged. "How can I stop ghosts from going off? Should have I seduced them and make out with them to keep them with me?"
    "If that's what it takes!" Black grinned.
    "I'm talking to you!" The kid was standing close to the girl.
    "Get away from her, kid! You don't know what you're doing." Black moved closer to the pair.
    The kid glanced at him. "My name is not kid. It's Ph—Forget it! It's Tofu! What are you going to do save my sister?"
    "Why do you assumed I'm going to save her?" asked Black.
    "Because that guy there said so." The kid pointed at Sawyer.
    "I merely said you're taking care of the problem." Sawyer shrugged a shoulder.
    Black turned back to the girl. He held out his hand. "Take my hand and you can get out of her body."
    The girl sniffled and took his hand. She was cold as all possessed bodies were. In an instant, the ghost slipped out of the girl. The pretty blonde was a younger version of Veronica Lake. Her hand was still in Black's though now he could feel only a chill but nothing solid. He removed his hand. "Now go if you don't want me to vanquish you."
    The blonde straightened  her white gown. "Thank you," she said.
    A car stopped near Black. "Hey, get off the road!" shouted the man.
    Black bended down to pick up the girl.
    "Charles! Not again." Black paused and straightened up. Sawyer pointed at the car. The man was waving at them. Then he got into the car.
    "Damm it!" Black raced toward the car, pulled open the door and dragged the man out. The blonde ghost slipped out of the man. Black pushed the unconscious man back into his car and closed the door and turned to the ghost. "Do I have to repeat myself? Go away before I vanquish you." He didn't want to waste his energy on the ghost.
    "Come on, big fellow. Don't you want to play with me?" Her pink lips curved into a smile.
    If she had been a living being, Black might have liked hanging out with her but she was a ghost. "Nope. Go away before you regret it."
    "Oh come on. I know a great place where we can be alone." She ran a hand down the front of his uniform. He stepped back. "When I count to three, I recommend you make yourself disappear or whatever the heck that you do. You don't want to be like the last ghost I vanquished. He really didn't like his fingers or  his head. Three...Two..."
    "Okay! Okay! I get it. This isn't the proper venue for these kind of things. How about I find you a gorgeous lady and—"
    "One. How about I make you a star?" Black smiled. He pulled out a 1.5 inch stainless steel needle from the sleeves of his inner shirt. Usually, he preferred something with more heft but it was hell carrying heavy objects with him all the time.    
    "Oooh, like Marilyn Monroe?" The ghost clapped her hands.
    With a swift movement, Black stabbed the needle into the chest of the ghost. Her eyes widened and then she exploded in a million sparkling lights that soon dissipated along with the needle. "No, not like Marilyn, more like the stars in the sky."
    "What the hell was that?" asked the kid.
    "Just the usual stuff." Black didn't like explaining anything to anyone. What was the point? He caressed the semicircle jade pendant that hung around his neck from a black cord.
    "There goes another one but the girl is still on the dirty ground." Sawyer eyed his brother.
    Black nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that too." The guy never stopped nagging. Black bended down to pick up the girl but stopped when a hand snatched the pendant off. "You! Get back here!" He started after the ghost.
    "Charles, stop! Are you forgetting the girl on the dirty ground? Hmm? A gentleman wouldn't leave an unconscious girl and run off," said Sawyer.
    "You think I want to be a gentleman? You said yourself the girl is not worth saving."
    "I've never said that."
    "You said she was living in such a poor state that she might as well be a ghost."
    "That was just a figure of speech. Now you pick the girl up. What's more important? Saving a life or saving a pendant?" Sawyer moved closer to stand before his brother. He was two inches taller than Black which Black had always hated.
    "Mom gave me that pendant to protect me from ghosts." Black didn't want to admit it he was attached to the thing not because of what it could do.
    "I know that, Charles, but the pendant is charmed. You can find it later. This girl on the other hand needs help now."
    "And I need a cheeseburger. I don't see anyone helping me with that."
    Sawyer scrunched his face. "Charles! What do I always tell you?
    "Never kiss a a squirrel on a Sunday?" Black tilted his head.
    "Charles, don't joke. What did I always tell you?"
    "A life is the most important thing above everything else. But do you know how screwed I am without that pendant?"
    "I know that!"
    "Then why are you fighting me?" Black balled his hands into fists. The chilly air swept over him. If only he had his coat with him. The jacket he was wearing didn't offer much protection from the cold.
    "But look at her."
    Black stared down at the girl. Her skinny frame said she was someone who hadn't had a good meal in a long while. Her black herringbone pattern coat appeared too thin for this weather. If anyone needed care, it was her.
    "Please, help my sister. I'm begging you." The kid rubbed his nose. "I would carry her myself except if people saw her floating in the air, it will draw attention. My sister wouldn't want that."
    Black picked up the girl and swung her over his left shoulder. She weighted liked a medium sack of potatoes. He turned in the direction of the ghost who had stolen his pendant.
    "You can't go chasing ghosts carrying around an unconscious girl!" said Sawyer.
    "Who says I can't?" Black hitched the girl higher.
    "Hey, the ambulance is that way," said the kid. He pointed behind Black.
    "I know." Black started walking. Traffic was passing by him on his left and right. Why were there so many people awake at nearly one in the morning?
    "Charles, I really think you should rethink this." Sawyer matched Black's steps with the kid on Black's right.
    "You don't want me to leave her out on the road and I want to get my pendant back so this is the best compromise." Black recited the the search spell. Bright green lights appeared and left bright green footprints that led toward the sidewalk. He ran toward the sidewalk dodging a few cars on the way. He hated running. He hated it even more while carrying a large object, mainly, another living being. The girl didn't stir but he sensed she was gaining consciousness. There were movements in her limbs and head.
    "Charles, why don't you stop and call for an ambulance and let them take her to the hospital and then chase after the ghost?" said Sawyer.
    "It takes too long and beside, I have no phone with me." Black slowed down a bit but kept his eyes ahead. The sky was getting lighter. Should he stop one of the cars and steal a ride? Where the heck was the ghost going? Why didn't it pause once?
    "Wh—what's going on?"
    Black glanced at the girl. Her face was close to his. Her warm breath brushed his cheek. But he didn't stop. "You're awake. Great! Do you think you can walk or should I continue to carry you? I would prefer if you walk. I might just drop you if I get too tired."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Seventeen opened her eyes. Why was she being carried and where was the man taking her? He looked familiar. It was still too dark to see clearly but whenever they passed a streetlight, she could see the man was somewhat angry. "Wh—what's going on?" Her whole body ached especially her head. She's cold and her cap seemed to be missing.
    Black turned his face slightly to look at her. "You're awake. Great! Do you think you can walk or should I continue to carry you? I would prefer if you walk. I might just drop you if I get too tired." 
    "Put me down." Seventeen didn't like being carried like a sack of rice.
    Black stopped and lowered Seventeen down in a surprising gentle manner. She didn't expect that. "You're the paramedic. Why are we out on the streets? Weren't we just inside an am—bulance?" The ambulance had flipped. She looked around her again. The cars, the lights, the cold night air. She shivered.
    He pulled the knitted cap from his jacket and placed it on her head. "Sorry about that and everything else. Well, actually, I am only partially sorry but we must move on." Black took her right arm and swung it around his shoulder and began walking. A sharp pain jabbed at her right leg.
    "I see you're having pain in your leg. Again, I am sorry. I have no time to take you to the hospital right now. Once I get my pendant back, I'll take you. I'm Black. And the ghost to your left is my brother Sawyer. And you know your brother."
    Tofu waved at her from the other side of Black. "Hi, Sis. I swear it's all on him."
    "You're quick to give me up." Black paused and peered down at the ground. The green footprints go all the way toward the distance, toward the more deserted neighborhood.
     "What are those green footprints?" said Seventeen.
    "You can see them?" said Black. "Those are temporary directions for me to find my pendant. We just need to follow them."
    They walked for awhile though Black was mostly dragging her along. Her injured leg was throbbing like mad. She would argue for him to take a breather but he looked determined and she was too weak to argue with the man. The brother was quiet. Sawyer kept glancing at her but said nothing. She was certain he wanted to talk to her but was holding back.
    They stopped in front of a dilapidated house. The green footprints stopped at the door. There was an illustration of a puffin on the discarded mailbox that sat on the porch. Piles of oyster shells were scattered right beside it along with an old broom. 
    "So the plan is for you all to stay out while I go in, get it?" Black glanced at Seventeen, Sawyer, and the kid. A streetlamp stood facing the house, lighting their faces and making them appeared a bit more ghostly.
    "I wouldn't go in there if I was you."
    They all turned around. Seventeen remembered the girl ghost with the bowl haircut from her apartment and the park.
    "Hi! I'm Answer." She waved.
    Black was annoyed by the ghost's presence. He turned to glance at his brother. Sawyer lifted a corner of his mouth. "So, Miss Answer, why wouldn't I go in?"
    "Because there are several ghosts in there and they are kind of mad. Like angry mad but insane mad. Some kid ghost is controlling them or something. I only got a glance but they are not to be trifled with," said Answer.
    Trifled? The girl probably read one too many romance novels. Black nodded. "Sounds plausible. Brother, what do you think?"
    "I think you're the mad one but it's not like you haven't face a whole group of ghosts before but you should be cautious. Do you have enough needles?" Sawyer stood with his hands behind him.
    Black nodded. "You know I always carry extras." And more extras in the bag that was still inside the crashed ambulance.
    Sawyer turned to Seventeen. "I know this might be a bad idea but would you go in with my brother?"
    "Me?" Seventeen wondered if he was mad for asking. "Why?"
    "It's your talent for hurting ghosts. I really think Charles need your help. You won't be in any danger. Charles will protect you, right Charles?" Sawyer smiled.
    Black glanced at his brother. Is he kidding him? He would throw a punch at him if it actually did anything. But he just nodded. "Of course. I love bringing along an injured party to a fight. It adds spice to any mundane bloodbath."
    Seventeen struck him in the shoulder.
    "Ou!" The girl was surprisingly strong for someone so small and frail. Black rubbed at the spot.
    "I'll go in with you but if I thought it is getting too dangerous, I'll run out and leave you behind." What was she saying? Why would she say yes to this madness? Didn't she want to avoid ghosts not go in to meet them? But Sawyer's face told her she should do it. He knew something she didn't.
    The girl had guts. Black admired her for that but he wasn't sure if she's the mad one here. He knew his brother was trying to prove to him he needed her as a partner. "Let's go!"
    "Hold on. You two stay in touch. Literary. It is vital that you keep hold of each other." Sawyer looked from Seventeen to Black. She glanced at Sawyer. Then she looked toward her brother. Tofu smiled and gave her a thumbs up. The ghost girl grinned. Seventeen grabbed Black's hand and together they walked through the short fence.