Three Days Later

 

            The sky was still dark and the rain continued as Becky leaned on her desk watching her small T.V. She could barely stay awake; the rain was so calming.

            THWACK!!! The door slammed open. Becky jumped in her chair. Kevin threw his elbow pads across the room.

            “Damn it!”

            “Didn’t get it?” Becky asked. Ryan looked at her and silently motioned to shut up.

            “I can’t believe this. We can capture a class nine but can we get a small tornado ghost? Hell no.” Kevin stomped up the stairs.

            “I think he’s just a little stressed,” Ryan said.

            “A little?” Josh raised his eyebrows.

            “Well maybe some time playing X-box will help,” Andrew suggested.

            “Sounds good to me,” Josh said.

            The doorbell rang. Every one turned towards the door.

            “I’ll get it,” Ryan said enthusiastically.

            “Great, you asked her here didn’t you?” Andrew asked.

            “No…uh yeah,” Ryan said.

            “Great, just great,” Josh commented.

 

***

 

            “I love you,” Ryan said as he embraced Kristi.

            “I love you too,” Kristi replied with a kiss.

            They were on the upstairs couch getting friendly while Andrew and Josh played X-box.

            “Excuse me Andrew,” Josh said, pausing the game, “I think I gotta puke.”

            “Shut up,” Ryan said.

            Kevin turned around in his computer chair, “Why don’t the both of you shut up. I am sitting here trying to research away to stop this thing and all you guys do is play games and make out.”

            The others were a bit taken back. For a while there was an awkward silence. It was pierced by the sound of Becky’s voice.

            “It’s back again! This time in Kankakee,” She yelled.

            “Great! What the hell do we do now?” Kevin grumbled, “Call them back tell them they are gonna have to sit it out.”

            “Isn’t this the third appearance,” Kristi asked. “It reminds me of that film about the twisters,”

            “What was that called again?” Ryan asked.

            “Twister,” Andrew commented.

            “I know what it was about, dill wad. Now what was it called?” Ryan looked perplexed.

            “Twister,” Kevin pondered “Oh my god that’s it!” he faced Ryan, “Dorothy!”

            “No that definitely wasn’t it,” Ryan noted.

            “No, I mean the device Dorothy from the movie, if we can make our own version and equip the sensors to make a positron grid; we may be able to contract the field in order to trap it.  Josh, go down stairs and grab the extra containment unit laser grid emitters,”

            Josh ran downstairs.

            “Andrew, go grab all of our left over Pepsi cans.”

            “Becky! Call GB: CD. Ask Dan Shannon if we can barrow their extra emitters. Tell them Ryan will pick them up.”

            “I will?” Ryan asked. “I just got my license.”

            “You will be fine. Just watch out for the storms.”

 

***

 

            Kevin, Josh and Andrew got started immediately. Josh and Andrew set up the garbage can turned paranormal prevention equipment, while Kevin wired the laser assemblies. Luckily they had just gotten in the new auto align laser circuits, it was one less thing to program. By the time Ryan got back Josh and Andrew were helping with the sensors.

            “Here they are,” Ryan said dumping the bag on the upstairs table.

            “Damn it Ryan we can’t afford to lose any of those,” Kevin said, “Take a seat, we have a lot to do.”

 

            It took most of the night to set up the grid sensors and attaching the aluminum wings. By the time morning came all four were asleep on the table.

 

***

            The alarm startled them from the table. Kevin woke up with wire indentations in his face.

            “This is it,” Kevin said, “If this don’t work nothing will. Now we’ll need two vehicles. Ryan, you take the Ecto. I will take our old truck. Josh you can help me load Ecto Dorothy.”

 

***

 

            Gilman. The Phantom tornado ravished the McDonald’s parking lot. Its course aligned to hit the town’s grain elevator. That’s were the OGB’s were waiting. Ryan and Andrew were perched atop one of the tall grain bins.

            “It’s coming!” Ryan said into his radio.

            “Good,” Kevin said, “When it gets close fire at it to try to stun it a bit so we can position Dorothy.”

            “Sounds good.”

 

            The old truck was uncomfortably warm, but with all of the rain the windows were staying up.

            “Kevin,” Josh asked in the passenger seat.

            “What?” Kevin said with his hands on the wheel.

            “Are we going to have to drive the truck into the tornado and jump out at the last second?”

            “Yep,” Kevin nodded focusing still on the approaching storm.

            “Hope these work then,” Josh said patting his elbow pads.

            “Here we go!” Kevin gunned the engine. Josh gripped the handle above the door.

           

***

            “Here we go!” Ryan said as he activated the pack. Andrew followed suit. They fired at random as the tornado approached.

            “What do we do if it doesn’t work and the storm gets here?” Andrew yelled over the noise.

            Ryan looked down. The drop was immense; there would be not time to escape. “It will work . . . I hope.”

            The tornado reached the parking lot.

 

***

            Kevin looked over at Josh, “Arm the thing.”
            Josh took the control panel and activated the unit’s PKE and storm sensors. “Ready.”

            Kevin slammed down on the gas pedal. The truck lurched to its high speed as Kevin set the cruise control.

            “So let’s jump,” Josh said nervously.

            “We have to wait to make sure we don’t miss,” Kevin said.

 

***

            “There they go!” Ryan pointed, “Keep firing”

            The tornado was about 200 feet from the bin moving toward the east away from the bin. The winds began to pick up, and the lightning increased.

 

***

 

            “Kevin! Can we jump now?” The truck was almost too close, debris crashed against the window.

            “Alright…NOW!”

            The jumped, the trucked careened toward the tornado.

            Almost there, Kevin thought.

 

***

            “It’s gonna work,” Ryan said.

            “Come on,” Andrew said.

 

***

            The truck entered the tornado…..as the storm dissipated back into the clouds. The truck continued on as it hit the railroad tracks. It got caught up. The wheels spun but the truck didn’t move.

            “Shit!” Kevin said as he slowly got up, “I didn’t think the storm would dissipate that quickly,”

            “Damn, who gives a shit? My knees are killing me,” Josh moaned.

            “Come on we have to get the truck off the tracks,” Kevin said dusting himself off.

            “Kevin” the radio crackled, “You have to get the truck!”

            “I know,” Kevin replied.

            “No you don’t there is a train coming from the south.” Ryan yelled into the walkie-talkie.

            For a split second Kevin stared at Josh wide eyed. Then they both split to the truck. Kevin opened the driver’s side and shut off the cruise control. He shifted into neutral and then jumped back out to help Josh. The truck was old and heavy. Kevin and Josh struggled as the train approached. Luckily it was a freight and not the usual Amtrak. With a huff both managed to get the truck over. The train whistled behind their backs. A sigh of relief passed by the two Ghostbusters.

            “You alright” Ryan asked over the walkie-talkie.

            “Yeah, we are a little tired but we are fine,” Kevin said.

            “Speak for yourself,” Josh smirked still rubbing his bad knees.

            “Good,” Ryan responded, the train still continued, “We are gone head down, looks like we’ll have to wait until . . . OH damn. KEVIN THE THINGS BACK ITS HEADING OUR WAY WHAT DO WE DO. “

            Kevin looked as the tornado came towards them. As the train finally ended the tornado hit the elevators office building, pieces of glass and wood were strewn every where. A large plywood piece landed by them on the track. The storm made its way sadistically slow but fast enough to prevent an escape.

            “Get in,” Kevin yelled.

            “How are we going to get ov. . “

            “Get in!”

            Josh didn’t argue again. Kevin gunned the engine he hit the gas but pulled the emergency brake; with a sharp turn of the wheel Kevin turned the truck 180°. Josh raised his eyebrows.

            “Just call me “The Driver”,” Kevin smiled as he shifted and sped towards the tornado.  He sped over the plywood, ramping the railroad tracks. The truck landed with a hard thud but continued on.

 

***

            “God damn it hurry up,” Ryan yelled as he continued to fire on the tornado. He looked down to see the truck speed toward the tornado and the two jump out.

 

***

            THUD

            The two rolled out of the vehicle. The truck roared into the twister. Just like planned the Unit opened up releasing the sensors.

            “It worked!” Josh said.

            “Great, now hand me the controller so I can activate the grid,” Kevin said as he got up.

            “Uh I don’t have it,” Josh replied patting his flight suit.

            “What do you mean you don’t have the controller?” Kevin asked as the tornado continued towards the bin where Ryan and Andrew were. “Then where the hell is it?”

            Kevin looked to see the controller lying where Josh jumped out the first time, right in the path of the tornado.

            “Cover me!” Kevin ran towards the tornado.

            “With what?”

           

***

            “What’s he doing now?” Andrew asked.

            “Probably saving our asses; what ever it is he had better hurry or the tornado is going to get him.”

 

***

            Kevin huffed as he ran towards the control. It was a race between him and the tornado, and he didn’t want to lose.  He was closing in when a piece of debris took out his legs knocking him down.  He laid there for a second, but then began to crawl towards the controller. His hand graced the handle as the tornado began to pull him in. He took hold of the device. He was face to face with the tornado as he pressed the button.

            In a flash the sensors aligned and formed a laser grid. The tornado pulsed against the green lasers trying to move forward. Kevin took a much need breath and then began shortening the laser streams, contracting the storm upon itself. By the time Josh got to him the tornado was the size of a large Christmas tree.

            “My god, look how small it is,” Josh said.

            “Shut up and get a trap,” Kevin yelled.

            Josh ran over to the Ecto and grabbed an extra trap from the back.

            “Now what!?” Josh yelled.

            “What do you think roll it out and trap the damn thing?” Kevin yelled.

            Josh did as instructed. He opened the trap.

            “Now give me a countdown to closing the trap so I can deactivate the grid.” Kevin yelled.

            “Fine, 5…4…3…2…1,” Josh closed the trap as Kevin deactivated the grid. The tornado surged out but was pulled in by the power of the trap, within seconds the ghost storm was contained. The sounds of the falling sensors sounded like hail on a metal roof.

            As soon as the tornado was sealed away the storm cleared, leaving a pale blue sky. Andrew and Ryan finally made there way down.

            “Well I am glad that’s over,” Kevin said.

            “One thing though,” Ryan mentioned. Everyone looked at him.

            “Where’s the truck?”

            They all looked up to see the dodge Dakota barreling down towards them.

            “OH SHIT!”

 

The End