By: Kat

We all got into Ecto. I was going to drive. Ray was next to me and Egon and Winston were in the back seat. It was Christmas Eve, even though I never gave too much thought to this time of year I really have this year. Janine was hit by a car the other day. We were all worried about her. She had to go to the hospital it was so bad. She was angry because we couldn’t give her, her bonus check. Business has been slow lately. But she got mad and stomped into the street to her car. When another car came zooming behind her, probably over forty miles an hour. Egon ran out to her but he was too late. She had been hit and the car just turned the corner and drove away. The hospital called us and said she had a broken arm, but her legs were fine. And she had a big cut on her forehead. Hopefully she will be okay. The car was quiet on the way to the hospital. Ray coughed occasionally because he had a cold. He turned on the radio. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was playing. He looked at me then at the other guys. Hoping the music would cheer us up, I guess. I looked in the rear view mirror. Egon was still sadly gazing out the window, and Winston was falling asleep against his window.

“Ray, kill the music,” I exclaimed. Ray sighed and turned off the radio. He leaned back in his seat and also gazed out the window. I turned a corner and also sighed.

“How come everyone’s lost their Christmas spirit?” Ray asked intending the question to be for all of us as he looked at the two in the back then at me. I lost mine a long time ago. I thought as I stopped at a red light. It was quiet for a minuet. Ray assumed his question was forgotten as he took out a clean ax and blew his nose.

“It doesn’t really feel like Christmas anymore,” Egon exclaimed as he took off his ear muffs. Winston was already asleep and didn’t hear the question. Ray shrugged.

“It’s still Christmas, we’ll just be one person short tomorrow,” He replied. Egon sighed and cleaned his glasses.

“Well at least we get to visit her today,” I said trying to cheer Egon up. I watched him in the mirror as he put his glasses back on. We finally got to the hospital and I drove us into the parking lot. I found a spot then we all got out of the car. I locked the door and we all headed for the front doors of the hospital. Ray started to hum Jingle Bells as we went inside. Egon took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

“Um guys, I think we left Winston in the car,” Ray exclaimed as he looked around for Winston. I also looked around and laughed.

“Egon you should have woke him up,” I exclaimed. Egon folded up his piece of paper.

“I’m sorry, but I was a little occupied,” Egon exclaimed and put the paper back into his pocket.

“I’ll get him. Pete can I have the key?” Ray asked. I took out the key from my pocket and handed it to him. Then Winston walked in the front doors. He yawned as he approached us.

“How come no one woke me up?” He yawned again as he stretched. Ray laughed and put the key in his pocket. I fell asleep once on a ride in Disney Land. It was the Snow White ride. That was so boring, then my mom and dad left me there by an accident. They never paid too much attention to me, so they forgot I was there. I stayed there and learned how the machine worked from one of the ladies that operated it. She found me sleeping in a seat when she was cleaning the seats. My mom and dad found me finally. My mom was worried but my dad just gave me a lecture about falling asleep on rides and we went on our way.

“Next time bring an alarm clock Winston,” I exclaimed. Winston just yawned again as we went to the elevators. One elevator came down. The four of us went on. The couple that was standing next to us waited for the other elevator. Then the doors closed. Frosty The Snow Man was playing on the radio. Ray smiled, and I sighed. Christmas, you can’t escape it. No matter where you go.

“Frosty The Snow Man was a jolly happy soul. With a corn cup pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal,” Ray sang happily. I wonder how he does it. Even in the worst situations he can get into the Christmas spirit. I leaned against the wall as the elevator went up.

“Ray, the radio is enough for now,” Egon exclaimed politely. Ray stopped singing and also leaned against the wall. Suddenly the elevator jerked into a stop. Then the lights went out. I could hear people yelling in the hallways.

“Uh oh,” Winston exclaimed. I’ve lived with these guys long enough to tell them apart from their voices. Then a flashlight turned on. It was Winston, he had his pocket flashlight with him. I hoped we wouldn’t have to spend all night in here.

“This is not good,” Egon exclaimed. Ray nodded his head in agreement. Egon looked around the elevator. Then he picked up a phone from the wall. They always have phones in elevators in case something like this happens.

“Hello,” Egon exclaimed then he was quiet.

“Okay thanks,” He exclaimed and hung up the phone. He looked at us as he leaned against the wall next to Winston.

“They said their working on the problem and they don’t know when the power will be fixed,” He exclaimed. I sighed as I took my coat off. It was a little warm in here. And I have to go to the washroom, I hope they hurry up.

Winston sat on the floor and also took off his coat. He took out a book from his pocket. I wish I had something to do.

“Did you bring that just in case this happened?” I asked. Winston looked at me and shrugged then he started to read his book. I leaned up against the wall. Well it is boring at the hospital. Egon opened a box on the wall. He started to play around with the cords that were in it. I guess it gives him something to do. Ray sighed and also sat on the floor. He took out a walkman from his pocket. He must have brought some Christmas music with him. I looked at my watch. It was ten thirty, well it will be Christmas in an hour in a half. It wont be the same when were stuck in an elevator. We don’t even have any food with us. I sighed then I yawned and watched Egon grumble at the cords. Then suddenly I felt something wet and cold drip on my head. I touched my hair and looked at my hand. It was slime! I gasped and jumped back.

“What’s wrong Pete?” Winston asked. Ray turned off his walkman and Egon looked at me. He noticed the blood on my head.

Egon frowned. Then he looked behind me, I turned around. Blood was running down the wall. I moved back some more. This is freaky, like in the movie The Shinning. Ray and Winston stood up from the floor. We all moved up against the opposite wall. Then more blood dripped on to us. We moved into the middle of the elevator.

“What the hell?” Winston exclaimed as we watched that wall and the two remaining walls get covered in slime.

“We’re going to be drowned in slime!” gasped as he looked at the ceiling. It was getting covered too. Suddenly when it reached the floor it stopped flowing.

“Who are you?” A voice exclaimed. We all looked at each other.

“Ray don’t make funny voices,” I demanded. I only suggested him because I didn’t want to go to the alternative, a ghost. Besides sometimes he does cartoon impressions in the car.

“It wasn’t me Pete,” Ray replied. I swallowed my spit. Then my mouth was dry as I looked at Winston.

“Don’t look at me, I can’t go that low,” he exclaimed as he backed up then he stepped on Egon’s foot.

“Ouch!” Egon exclaimed as he stopped his glasses from falling off when he bent backwards.

“Sorry,” Winston exclaimed and moved closer to me.
“I repeat; who are you?” The deep booming voice asked again. We looked at each other then it was quiet again. I always had to be the one to say something. Then I get the ghosts mad. Well here goes nothing.

“We’re the Ghostbusters,” I exclaimed. The others looked at me. Well they weren’t going to say anything.

“I am not at liberty to reveal myself. But I do have some question’s for you,” The voice replied. I shrugged as I looked around. There was no sign of a ghost. I sure hope no one is playing a joke on us.

“Shoot,” I exclaimed. Egon sighed as he took off his glasses and cleaned them then he put them back on and frowned at me. I knew I was getting a lecture later.

“What is the true meaning of Christmas?” The voice asked. I started to laugh hysterically. The other guys frowned at me.

“Okay whoever’s playing that tape recorder come out now,” I demanded. This had to be a joke. A ghost that wants to know the ‘True Meaning Of Christmas’. Come on! I’ve heard better then that!

“This is not a joke. I am quite serious, I want to know the true meaning of Christmas. I have come a long way to get the answer. I asked many different species; aliens on other planets, animals, and now I want to know a human beings explanation of Christmas,” The voice exclaimed. Ray got a big smile across his face. He can go ahead and say something. At least I wont be the one to make it mad this time. Maybe he’ll save me from a lecture from Egon later.

“I can answer that,” Ray exclaimed, “The true meaning of Christmas is; spending the day with family, going to church and celebrating the birth of Jesus, giving gifts, not getting but also thanking others for everything they did for you in the past, and Christmas sir, is the one time of the year when everyone is truly happy, even if they don’t believe in Christmas they still have their own holiday’s,” Ray explained and smiled. It was quiet then the slime ran back up the walls. And the power came on!

“Thank you Ray Stantz, I will remember you,” The voice said as it faded away. We all looked at Ray then the elevator started to move up again.

“Did that just happen? Or was I dreaming?” Winston asked as he rubbed his eyes. I didn’t quit believe it either. I looked at my watch. It said ten o’clock AM! But we’ve been in here longer then that! Time went backwards.

“I wonder if the hospital experienced that or just us,” Egon exclaimed as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

“We’ll soon find out,” Winston exclaimed as we walked out of the elevator. We all walked up to a nurse. Oh! I’ll handle this. I jumped in front of them.

“Hello, can you tell us what room Janine Melnitz is in?” I asked. The nurse looked at her clip board.

“How do you spell that name?” She asked as she lifted up some papers. Her long blond hair brushed against her arm sleeve. She smelled liked flowers, I love the smell of perfume. I stopped day dreaming when I realized that Egon was spelling it out for her.

“No, I’m sorry gentlemen but she’s not in this hospital,” She answered and walked away. I watched her skirt fly up a bit as she gracefully walked down the hallway.

“Venkman! Quit day dreaming. Come on lets go back to the firehouse,” Egon demanded as he pulled on my arm. We all piled back into the elevator.

“I dunno, shouldn’t we take the stairs?” Winston asked as the doors closed.

“Don’t worry Winston. Whatever that was it said ‘I will remember you Ray Stantz,’ I wonder how it knew my name anyways,” Ray exclaimed as he scratched his head.

“Yeah it likes you. While the rest of us could be on it’s hit list still,” I exclaimed as I shivered. I don’t like anything that I can’t see for myself what it is.

“And why isn’t Janine in the hospital anymore?” Egon said with a confused look on his face. I looked at my watch again then at the guys.

“Look at your watches,” I demanded. Ray looked at his Dopey Dog watch I gave him last Christmas.

“Hey that’s weird. I thought it was night not morning,” He exclaimed. Winston looked over his shoulder at it and Egon looked at mine.

“Time went backwards, which means...” Ray exclaimed then Egon smiled. I guess Janine didn’t get hit by that car yet.

“Janine is all right! We still have ten minuets before she gets hit!” Egon gasped as the doors opened. We all ran out of the elevator and across the lobby. Then we zoomed out the front doors and up to Ecto. Ray took out the key and unlocked the doors. We all got in and he started the car. I was in the back with Egon.

“I wonder who that voice was,” I exclaimed. Egon shrugged as he looked out his window then at me.

“It could have been some sort of babaloanian God, that can travel through time,” Egon mentioned and took off his glasses. He cleaned them again.

“I wish we brought the PKE meter with us,” Winston exclaimed as he leaned back in his seat. Egon nodded his head. I think it was an alien or something but they would just laugh at that idea.

“What if it was God,” Ray asked as we turned a corner. It was silent the rest of the way there. When we got there we all got out of the car.

“Wait!” I exclaimed as I stopped them from going in the firehouse.

“What now Peter?” Egon asked as he sighed. I took out my check book.

“Remember what happened last time? We didn’t give her, her bonus and that’s what made her mad to stomp out to her car,” I explained. Ray leaned against Ecto.

“Are we going to give her a check?” Egon asked as he watched me write it out. Usually we give her a one hundred dollar Christmas bonus.

“Don’t worry it will also be included as her Christmas present,” I exclaimed as I tore off a check from the book. Then we all walked into the firehouse. There was Janine as we left her, sitting at her desk. We all walked up to her desk.

“Hi guys, how was the bust at the hospital?” She asked. We all looked at each other and shrugged then we looked back a her.

“It was good, it was just a prank call there were no ghosts,” I lied as I crossed my fingers behind my back then I handed her the check. She looked at it and read her name on it.

“Oh! My Christmas bonus! Thanks guys,” She exclaimed as she took the check and put it in a book that she was reading. She got up from her desk and hugged Egon. Then she hugged the rest of us.

“Gee, I thought you wouldn’t be able to give it to me this year, especially with the slow business lately,” She exclaimed. I shrugged as I scratched my arm. Well now she’s safe and we don’t have to worry about her broken arm.

“No problemo,” Ray exclaimed and he walked off.

“The Dopey Dog Christmas special is on!” He exclaimed as he looked at his watch.

“Egon can I talk to you in the living room?” Janine asked as she pointed to the living room. Egon nodded his head.

“Ray, go and watch it in your room! Me and Janine need to use the living room for a minuet!” Egon yelled. I could hear Ray turning off the television. Then he came back and ran up the stairs. Janine and Egon went off into the living room. I wonder what they are going to talk about. Winston went into his office and sat at his desk. I tip toed into the living room and hid behind the Christmas tree. I could see them on the other side of the tree kissing! Ha! This is something to hold against Egon, but I wont. Besides it’s Christmas.

The End