8/9/2019 Ghost Car

1/6

8/9/2019 Ghost Car

2/6

Ghost Car

by R.L. Stine and Riley Hamilton

Ghost Car was written as part of R.L. Stines Nightmare Room writing program. R.L. Stine

provided the first section and then allowed aspiring writers to continue the story. The part thatwas contributed by me is clearly marked.

R.L. Stines Introduction

I poked my head into the old car. The dashboard was covered with dust, and the back of

the passenger seat was ripped and stained.

Why does Grandpa Ed keep this old wreck behind the garage? I asked my sister

Ashley.

Ben, you know why, she replied. Grandpa thinks the car is haunted. He wont go near

it.Haunted? Cool, I said. I climbed behind the steering wheel.

Im outta here, Ashley said. I dont like smelly, old cars especially if theyre haunted.

She disappeared around the side of the garage.

As soon as she was gone, I heard a soft whisper. Ben. . . lets go. Take me for a drive.

Huh? I gasped in surprise. I checked to make sure Ashley wasnt playing a joke on me.

But my sister had left.

Take me for a drive, Ben. Im so lonely behind the garage.

The voice seemed to be coming from the radio. But the radio was turned off. I let out a

startled cry as the engine started up. The car rattled and clanked, and then the engine hummed

smoothly.Step on the gas, Ben, the voice whispered. Dont be afraid. Lets GO!

My heart started to pound. I grabbed the door handle. Should I jump out of the car? I

asked myself. Should I tell Ashley whats happening? Or should I take the wheel? Step on the

gas? Take a chance?

Riley Hamiltons contribution to the story begins here

Dedicated to my mother

No, fuck Ashley, I thought. She has been totally lame lately. She cries about everything

stupid. I hate baby sisters and I hate ugly grandpas.

Hurry Ben! Drive me around! The car radio screamed. Ill take you away from ugly

grandpas. Step on the gas and we can start having adult fun.

Could he hear my thoughts? The engine was humming like a newborn kitten. My mother

8/9/2019 Ghost Car

3/6

had never even let me sit on her lap while she was driving let alone me being in complete

control.

What are you? Ive never known a car that has spoke before. Im young though. I said.

The voice in the radio sounded like it belonged to a sleazy DJ who comes on late at night.

My name is Steven Reynolds. Im a ghost trapped in a car body. Just give that old gas

pedal a little push and Ill keep telling you all about me. Itll be very cool. I promise. Stevensaid.

My hands were shaking. A ghost named Steven trapped in a car? Maybe I should tell

someone. Who would I tell though? Ashley, the little baby? Suddenly, the rumbling of the old

car made the leather seats vibrate. I started feeling good all over.

Which one is the gas pedal? I said.

Oh, Jesus. Go run inside and get somebody else out here. Which one is the gas pedal?

Are you retarded? Its the big pedal on the right.

Watch your manners. I lowered my foot onto the gas and stepped on it.

The car sped forward and I grabbed the woodgrain steering wheel just before we hit a

hedge that bordered Grandpas house. I was being bounced all around the front seat while wewent through huge holes in the dirt. We made it out onto the street.

Push harder on the gas, Ben. We have to get away from that house. I really hate your

Grandpa, Steven hissed. Oh, this feels good. I miss the road on my tires. You dont need to

push anything anymore. Ive got it from here.

The car began to accelerate. I fastened my seat belt. Down the road, the lights had

changed to red. We were approaching an intersection packed with cars. He wasnt slowing down

even the slightest.

I dont want to go faster. Im scared. There are tons of cars up ahead.

Steven, the car ghost, laughed loudly and then started racing down the street. I tried

stepping on the brakes but nothing happened. The ghost inside the car had complete control!Even the steering wheel wasnt working. I looked out the windshield. The speed limit said 40 on

this road. I checked our speed. We were going 60 miles per hour! Thats nearly 20 miles faster!

On a road like this! The light turned greener than a booger at the intersection so the cars started

to speed up. A car in front of us wasnt picking up speed fast enough and Steven tried getting to

the right of it.

Stop the car, Steven! I said. Youll kill us.

That doesnt bother me. Im already dead, Ben. I told you I was a ghost, right?

What do you mean youre dead? My voice was cracking like dry wood.

Ive been dead for a long time, Ben. When someone says theyre a ghost it means

theyre dead. Sheesh, I dont remember being this dumb when I was seven years old.Im twelve. I corrected.

Cars were blaring their horns as we swerved into the left lane to pass a truck in front of

us. All of a sudden I heard a police siren. Yes! They would save me from this terrible ghost.

The police car drove up right behind us and the siren was blaring. Steven wouldnt slow down.

I waved my arms inside the car to alert the police officer that I wasnt in control. The seat belt

started to constrict me. I could feel my waist being pinched and it started to affect my breathing.

8/9/2019 Ghost Car

4/6

Steven was tightening the belt around me like a snake of some sort!Stop, Steven. Thats the police. My mother always says, If a cop is behind you with his

lights on, you need to pull over. Thats what you need to do.

Thats some solid advice, Ben. I think I will stop.

The car immediately braked and the tires squealed to a stop. The police officer behind

us had to swerve to the right to avoid crashing into the back of us. The police officer got outimmediately and slammed his door. He was a thin man with a wispy moustache. He walked

behind our car and approached my window. The cop looked puzzled when he saw me behind the

wheel and then motioned for me to roll down my window. I tried grabbing onto the roller but it

wouldnt budge. The cop was frustrated already and this refusal to obey a command added to his

annoyance.

Open up that window immediately, he said, knocking on the glass with dirty knuckles.

I cant, I said loudly, so that he could hear me outside of the car.

Open it up now! The cop grabbed a baton from his hip and tapped the window.

Its not working! I tried to illustrate to him that the roller wouldnt budge but this time

the window went down half way.What the hell are you doing, son? You look about nine years old. How old are you?

Im twelve, sir. Im not in control of the car, I said.

Youre godamned right you are not in control of this car. I need you to step out here

immediately, he said. He began to inspect the car. The radio started to crackle.

Youre a big asshole.

I was shocked. The voice had come out of the radio. Steven was mimicking my voice

perfectly. The cop looked directly at me.

Excuse me? What did you say? he said.

Help me, Help me. This time the voice was coming from behind me. It sounded like

it was in the trunk. Help. Get me out of here! The voice was screaming, sounding like a

distressed child.

Who is that? The officer asked. He started to walk towards the voice in the trunk. There

couldnt have been anyone in there though. The car had been parked in the back of Grandpas

house for years. The cop went completely behind the car to investigate the crying voice in the

trunk.

No, wait! I screamed. It was too late. The engine shot to a start and my head lurched

forward. I tried pushing on the brake with all of my strength but it wouldnt budge. I heard the

officer scream, completely taken by surprise. I heard his body crunch under the weight of this

massive ghost inhabited vehicle. My head hit the steering wheel as we had crashed into the

police car leaving the police officers body between the front and back tires. Steven brought the

car forward so the tires crunched down on the officer again. A bone snapped like a bone being

picked up between two hands and snapped in half. We pulled away and I looked out the back

window. The cops body was completely destroyed. His face had sunken in on itself. His fingers

were flattened into the pavement. I threw up onto the dashboard.

Sick, Ben. Steven said. Youre going to clean that up.

We were back to full speed again. Some witnesses had gotten out of their cars and were

running towards the body. I saw some of them grab their cell phones to dial for help. This

8/9/2019 Ghost Car

5/6

couldnt last much longer. But how could I explain myself?Steve, you need to stop! Those people saw the whole thing. Any second now there will

be more police and theyll stop you. I tried to sound brave. I had given up trying to hold onto

the steering wheel. There was nothing I could do to get control of the car. I grabbed at the keys in

the ignition. They wouldnt budge.

Steve, theres a car right in front of us!He kept speeding and swerved to the right to miss a car. How could I get Steven to stop

this hell ride? It didnt seem like he ever wanted to stop his fun. The car had no air conditioning

and the windows were rolled up. I bet Grandpa and Ashley were worried. And my mother, my

poor mother? What will she think if she finds out I died in a car wreck after killing a police

officer? She wouldnt believe that her son had done something like this. But eventually she

would. There was no other explanation. No one believes in ghosts named Steven that live in cars.

Even my sister Ashley would probably cry when she found out that her older brother would be

rotting in a grave for the rest of eternity.

I remember one time when I had punched Ashley in her fat mouth for pulling my hair, my

mother came in and asked us both to stop. She said politely, Ben, please dont punch your sisterin her mouth. Shes a little girl. It was that please that stuck with me. She had tried to be polite

even when my sisters lip was bleeding from my cereal box ring I was wearing on my index

finger at the time. I remember I let go of my sisters shirt immediately and apologized. I even did

chores to pay for the dentist work that my sister needed done on her teeth after the fight. Could

something like that work again?

Steven was pretending this was a chariot race now and was swiping the side of a green

van. The driver of the van looked into my eyes with the most puzzled, fearful look, wondering

why a little boy was crashing into the side of him while he was trying to drive. I raised my hands

and shrugged. What can I do, you idiot? Theres a ghostin the car.

Now, police had entered the mix. I could hear far off sirens. They were tearing through

the road to get to us. Understandably furious at the cop killing incident I would imagine. I

probably had one last chance before the cops started taking aim at my head with guns and pulling

out all those stunts to immobilize the vehicle.

Steven, I said slowly. Is there anyway we could stop this car?

Are you joking with me, Ben? First, Im going to crash into a car and kill you. Then Im

going to lose these cops and find a hitchhiker. Then, Ill get in another crash and kill him.

Steven, I said, calmly. Could youplease pull over and stop the car?

What did you say? Steven said, incredulous.

I said could you please pull over this car, and I really would like you to do it. I

told him. I thought about how my mother would slow her words down to give them all their

impact. Pretty please.

Why? Steven said.

I just really want you to. Is there anyway you could? You know I would appreciate it.

Cmon, please Steven.

And you dont want to be killed first, right?

Steven, you know I wouldnt. Id just like this ride to stop. You can do whatever youd

like once Im out of the car. Just return yourself to Grandpas house later.

8/9/2019 Ghost Car

6/6

I dont want to go back there.Steven.

Fine. The seat belt relaxed around my chest and waist. Steven pulled the car away from

the side of the van and slowed down to get on the shoulder of the road. Are you mad at me?

No, Steven, Im not. Open this door. The lock flipped up. I grabbed the handle like

it was an ice cream cone drizzled in chocolate and covered in rainbow sprinkles with browniepieces inside, dripping down all over my hand because it was a warm day. Fresh air zoomed

into my nostrils like a witch flying through the window of her home after a day full of flying in

the fresh air. I stepped around behind the car and went towards grass to distance myself in case

Steven decided to kill me just for shits. I nodded at the car once I was safely away and Steven

continued on his trip.

I had called my mom a bitch countless times before but I couldnt imagine what I would

have done without her advice. Three squad cars continued their pursuit after that crazy ghost but

one was slowing down to approach me on the shoulder. For some reason, he seemed angry. He

got out of the car with a gun in his right hand aimed at me. This must have been his first day. I

had to calm this jitterbug down.His name is Steven, the ghost that was inside the car. He did everything and killed that

other dude. Case closed. Can you stop standing there with a gun and take me home please? I

said.

I knew the magic word and nothing would ever be the same for the rest of my life. All

I wanted now was to get home, cuddle next to the tender Grandpa, and give a certain mother a

much needed thank you with a kiss. Now that I think about it, I might even give Ashley a hug.

A really tiny one.

THE END