This Isn't A Game Anymore (VenturianTale fan fiction)

Chapter 6- Unwanted Visitors

        The van rumbled to life as Ghost turned the key in the ignition. After an abrupt shudder and a spurt of smoke out of the tailpipe, it lurched forward and into the street. The four children, seated in the back of the van and squished in between various pieces of equipment crammed into the back of it, shifted uncomfortably as Ghost began to whistle carelessly. Toast gave them apologetic looks, which they awkwardly smiled at.

        Bethany picked up a camera tripod, testing the weight in her hands. It was shaped like a crowbar, oddly, and she smiled to herself, mimicking a swing at Isaac playfully. He returned the grin.

        The ride was over rather quickly, much to the siblings’ relief. After a short interval, Ghost parked and opened the door. “Okay, we’re here!” He said to Jordan, Isaac, Bethany and Cierra. “Sorry for the bumpy ride... We really need to get some seats installed back there.”

        “Or perhaps a new van, Sir.” Toast suggested.

        “No,” Ghost said dismissively, getting out of the car. “I couldn’t.”

        “Of course,” Toast replied dryly.

        The back of the van opened and the siblings crawled out, blinking in the sun. They were standing in front of a large house, perhaps two stories judging by the window placement, with a lawn in the front that included several trees. The house was made of brick, but it was singed black with fire or something at the edges of several parts of the building. The glass in one of the top windows was shattered, and there was a sort of shouting coming from inside.

        “You haven’t talked much,” Noted Ghost, picking up a large rectangular box from inside the back of the van. Isaac recognized it as the thing that he was sitting on, and instantly regretted using it as a chair when Ghost frowned at several crooked wires. He shrugged, fixing them. “I suppose it makes sense, having fallen from the sky from some random unknown Realm and everything, but this family... well...” Ghost whistled. “They’re not the quiet type.”

        An explosion and a mechanical scream suddenly sounded from the backyard of the house. There were more human screams that followed, along with a single gunshot and someone yelling about “lettuce squirrels.” Toast bobbed his head. “And thus underlines our point. You can stay in the van, if you like.”

        Cierra spoke for them. “Oh, that’s alright. I’m sure we can handle it.”

        She recieved several questioning looks from her siblings, but she pretended not to notice.

        Ghost smiled, placing the box on the ground and grabbing a small, handheld, blinking piece of equipment. He held it in his hands and pressed a button as the sides popped out, sporting multicolored lights that began making a ruckus and blinking rapidly. “Yep, we have definite paranormal activity here, Toast.” He smiled to himself, like he did whenever something exciting was about to happen. “Looks like a level four. What do you think?”

        Toast glanced at the equipment. “Move it around a bit, Sir.” Ghost moved the device from left to right, and the lights went nuts near the house. “I’d say level five, actually, Sir.”

        “Right. Let’s go!” Before the four siblings could react or Toast could protest, Ghost grabbed a large crate from the back of the van and plopped it down in front of him, opening the top and revealing four different guns and a crowbar. “Merry Christmas, kids. Even though you’re not my kids, and it’s not Christmas.” He chuckled.

        “Sir-!”

        “Take a weapon! We’re dealing with level five’s here.” Ghost smiled, his hand resting on the pistol in his holster. “I don’t think we’ll need any more stuff than this, seeing as they’re all sentient and physical. Let’s go!”

        “Sir...” Toast tried to get his comrade's attention, but he was already charging off, shouting nonsensical things and holding the small device in front of him.

        Toast sighed, following him. “Well, come on. You do know how to shoot, right?”

        The siblings shared nervous looks and slowly nodded. Well, they could shoot in Gmod, and unless this was an elaborate hoax that was where they were.

        “Good. Onwards, adventurers!”

        Jordan laughed, taking a shotgun in his hands. Isaac smiled and picked up a pistol, uncertainly mimicking a shot as if to test it. Bethany took the crowbar without hesitation, handing Cierra a small semi-automatic gun that they recognized from playing Gmod.

        The four walked up to the front door. “Do you think that it’s actually the Acachalla’s house?” Jordan asked.

        Cierra was about to respond, but a loud roar interrupted her. “Fweddy!” Shouted a young girl afterwards. “Come back and give Papa back his wallet!”

        Bethany shrugged. “I would assume so. Let’s go inside; Ghost and Toast are already in there.”

        They knocked on the door, which a woman clad in a green sweater and jeans hastily opened. Her ginger hair was frizzy and pulled back into a bun. Her eyes were distressed as she ushered them inside. “Hello! Toast mentioned you a few moments ago. Quickly, inside. We have some unwanted visitors outside, and you probably don’t want to meet them right now. Papa’s gone and angered them.”

        The lady brought them into the living room, which was right next to the door. There was a large couch and an even larger TV on the wall, with a sign taped to the cabinet below it that read “DO NOT TOUCH” in large print. There was a coffee table with several magazines strewn about it, as well as a few childrens’ books featuring a myriad of different unicorns. The lady sat them down on the couch.

        “I’m Gertrude,” She said, smiling. “Would you like lemonade, or-” She noticed their weaponry. “Oh. You’ve met Johnny Ghost, then.” She laughed. “I’ll be right back.” She walked out of the room and down the hall.

        An awkward silence fell upon the Fryes. “So, ghost invasion at the Acachalla’s.” Said Isaac after a while.

        “Yeah. I think I might be dreaming,” Said Jordan.

        “I hope.” Cierra said.

        “Probably not, but nice positive thinking.” Bethany replied. “How are we here?”

        “I honestly don’t know,” Jordan said truthfully. “Ghost said something about ‘Realms,’ I think. Maybe real life is just one of them.”

        “Perhaps,” Isaac agreed. “We should ask later. But why is everyone from our let’s plays, and not- AAAAGH!”

        An all-too-familiar face in the window.

        A hand reaching through the glass.

        The lights going out.

        They flickered back on and Isaac was gone.

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Editing log

2/22/15 Spelling and Formatting