Read Online Temporary Monsters by Craig Shaw Gardner - Free Book Online

Withers.”
    Karnowski nodded with a glance at Lenny. “Withers was front man.”
    The Baron sniffed. “Even I must admit that Withers had his uses.”
    â€œWhen people screamed ‘Oh my god, what is that?’ it gave us a moment to plan,” Lenore added wistfully.
    â€œWithers also very good at tunneling.”
    It was the Baron’s turn to study Lenny. “And our newest member?”
    â€œHe got us here.” Lenore arched her eyebrows at Lenny one more time. “It seems he’ll be good at something. I’m just not quite sure what.”
    Lenny had had enough. “Guys!” he shouted. “Does everybody realize we’re in a hotel—deep underground?”
    The other three glanced at each other.
    â€œIt only proves my point,” the Baron replied.
    â€œWhat he lacks in experience,” Lenore retorted, “he will make up in talent.”
    Karnowski looked straight at Lenny. “Is not strangest thing you will see today. Lead on.”
    Lenny didn’t know what to say to that, so he kept on walking.
    For what looked like a hotel corridor, Lenny did not see all that many doors. One would occasionally show up on one side or the other as they continued down the lengthy hall, each door made of highly polished, dark wood. None of the doors even had room numbers.
    â€œI wonder if these are intended as deluxe accommodations,” the vampire mused, “for my kind.”
    â€œIt would certainly be a step up from the coffins,” Lenore agreed.
    Lenny had almost forgotten about the coffins—the
four
coffins—including the one that hadn’t opened. That was something else he hadn’t asked about—maybe because he didn’t want to know.
    â€œReal rooms? No doubt filled with native soil.” Karnowski nodded. “Wives would like that.”
    The Baron turned even paler than usual. “Please. Let us not talk about my—wives.”
    â€œThis door is—open.” Lenore waved at a door that stood slightly ajar on one side of the hall.
    The door swung inward—all by itself—to reveal total darkness, perfectly in keeping with a hotel built far underground, perfectly hiding whatever waited on the other side. Lenny felt more conflicted than usual.
    â€œI wouldn’t go in there,” he said before he could think about it.
    â€œRoom is trap,” Karnowski agreed, holding up a hand in warning. “Wait for it.” He turned to the door. “Enough hiding! Come out this minute!”
    A white translucent figure drifted up from the darkness.
    â€œOoooooooh?” A faint voice, little more than a mournful whisper, issued from between the spirit’s broken teeth.
    Karnowski’s frown deepened. “Who are you? What is your purpose?”
    â€œWhoooo’s asking?” the spirit whispered.
    â€œKarnowski, the Ghost Finder! And you have been found.”
    â€œI suppoooose I have.” The ghost sounded as if it couldn’t care less. It paused, then issued a mournful sigh. “I’m not scaring you at all, am I? So much for the wailing. You ghost finders don’t buy that sort of thing.” Two dark smudges where the eyes should be looked past Karnowski at the rest of his party. “But I see—others—across the hall. Don’t you think they deserve a good scare?”
    The ghost finder shook his head. “Forget about them. Why do you wait by this trap?”
    â€œYou think I have a choice?” The spirit looked wistfully at the others. “I wandered here, just like you. Just like the 147 other spirits who are trapped down here with me. But am I bitter? One day, I find myself in an underground hotel, of all things. I go exploring. What a great adventure! I open this door, fall to my death. Splat! Right down there on those sharpened stakes you so narrowly avoided. But do I regret my actions?”
    â€œYou know nothing about who made this trap?”