Tags:
Terror,
Fiction,
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Suspense,
Science-Fiction,
adventure,
Media Tie-In - General,
Media Tie-In,
Mystery,
Fiction - Science Fiction,
Science Fiction & Fantasy,
Science Fiction - Adventure,
Ghost Stories,
General & Literary Fiction,
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Mayors,
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Movie-TV Tie-In - General,
Political candidates
building. Inside, all was quiet. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways.
They moved along in a loose circle with nutrona wands drawn, keeping all sides covered. As dangerous as the schoolyard had been, they knew this could be worse. The creatures could be lurking around any comer or behind any door, just waiting to attack.
"Hey, I thought these things were supposed to be an urban legend," Winston said, an edge of nervousness in his voice.
"Blind, albino alligators in the sewers of New York? Yup. They don't really exist," Ray replied.
Winston kicked open the door of a kindergarten room, and leaned in to make sure it was clear. He found blocks, graham crackers, and finger-painted likenesses of the Sta-Puft marshmallow man, but no alligators. Satisfied, he resumed his position with the group and continued speaking as they moved farther down the hall. "Kids bring home baby alligators from vacation, but then get bored and flush them. So the alligators end up breeding in the dark in the sewers."
"Uh-huh. Urban legend, all right," said Venkman.
"Yes," said Egon, "but remember the stories about banshees vomiting blood through their eye sockets during homecoming dances? That was supposed to be an urban legend, too."
"Until Berlin," said Ray
"Exactly," Egon said, with a knowing look.
Suddenly, Ray stopped. "Wait a minute," he said, pointing toward a nearby door.
"The boys' room?" Venkman asked. "Ray, I thought I told you to think of that before we left home."
"No," said Ray. "These things live in the sewer, remember? So where do you think they'd naturally gravitate?"
"Worth a try," Winston said with a shrug.
"Okay," said Venkman, "but if they're smoking in there, I'm telling their parents."
Winston's military training made him the natural choice to take the point position. Once again, he kicked the door open and leaped into the room. He landed in a crouching position and swung his nutrona wand left and right to cover the area. The others followed close behind him. Their eyes scanned the bathroom, taking in the sinks, mirrors, and urinals.
The room was as dingy as school bathrooms often are, with cracked tiles here and there, and occasional bits of graffiti. But at first glance, the Ghostbusters did seem to be the only occupants. Egon shifted his nutrona wand to one hand so that he could pull out his PKE meter to measure the ambient psychokinetic energy in the room.
"Poor Vinny," said Venkman.
"What?" Ray asked, confused by the non-sequitur.
Venkrnan pointed at the message scrawled on a nearby wall. "Well, according to this, he's got a really tiny..."
"Sshhh!" Egon said, putting a finger to his lips. He pointed at the gauge on his meter, which twitched madly, jumping repeatedly into the red. The activity intensified as he directed the device toward the four stalls at the far end of the room.
All conversation ceased. The Ghostbusters crept quietly toward the stalls, hoping that they might still be able to take the creatures at least partially by surpnse. Venkman caught the others' attention and pointed a finger toward the various stalls. Picking up on his signal, they fanned out so that each stood in front of the closed door of a stall.
Venkrnan raised one finger. Then two. Then three.
Acting as one, they kicked in the doors of their respective stalls. They flew open and slammed into the walls of the stalls with a resounding series of bangs. And inside, they found...
...precisely nothing. Oh, the usual things were there - toilets toilet paper, and so on. But there was no sign of the spectral alligators.
Venkrnan had to chuckle at the ridiculousness of four grown men armed with high-tech weaponry charging into toilet stalls. "Looks like your gadget could use a cleaning, Egon - the only danger here is having to sit on these seats."
Egon studied his meter and gave it a shake. "I don't understand. . ."
Relieved, Venkman leaned over. "Hellloooo," he called into the toilet. "Anyone