The ghost was solid and imposing. It filled the attic with its eerie glow that while bringing light also seemed to multiply the shadows into terrifying shapes. It was like a distorted photograph where water damage had warped the image of a young gentleman into a wretched monster. Stretched and twitching it began to glide slowly through the detritus of the attic its aura kicking the objects in a tidal wave of mess towards Eve. 

“Eve!” Aiden was moved backwards pushed by a gust of force from the ghost. He was trying to claw at the knowledge he had pieced together from reading about exorcisms. He resisted the temptation to throw up a protection circle as he knew it would do nothing against the ethereal figure. At least the ghost seemed to want to terrify Eve before it did any physical damage. Aiden couldn’t quite make out her face from his place amongst the children’s toy boxes but was worried that Eve was frozen in horror needing to be saved. 

He could only remember how to exorcise in bits and pieces like some of the shapes on the sticker Eve had placed downstairs combined with games like ghost blasters or Leo holding up a salt toting shotgun to blast away those creepy bastards. It all began to merge in his head into a spell of his very own. He raised himself to his feet holding a steady stance and pointing towards the spectral figure in front of him. 

“Banish Blast!”  

The words came out in a twisted growl that seemed to rattle around his skull before spewing from his gaping mouth in the form of a sticky rope of light. He would have been ecstatic it was working if he hadn’t been way more focused on not choking or stumbling to his knees as the light rope also seemed to block his ability to breathe. The ghost wasn’t making it easy at all either. It writhed and fought the light goop that was creeping over its surface. It didn’t make an audible sound, but you could feel the scream emanating off it. 

Eve was angry as she tried to fight against the ghost's wave of energy still threw items round the attic. She had no luck as each step she took was reversed by another flying heirloom. 

“Aiden stop!” She yelled across. Aiden would have loved to, but he had absolutely no clue how.  

As the light goop finally closed around the ghost it grew tighter and smaller till it was just a tiny sphere floating towards the rafters. Aiden managed a hacking cough as the last strands of goop disconnected from him. He certainly felt like he had been close to becoming a ghost himself as his limbs took on that brittle shaky feel that often accompanies a brush with death.  

“Aiden, are you okay? What did you do? You are a complete moron you know that?” 

Eve was starting to make progress towards him her big boots kicking through the debris, more concerned with Aiden’s wellbeing than protecting any of the client’s possiblly still intact belongings. 

“I’m…” 

The words were instantly cut off as the floating orb dwindled to a tiny flicker and exploded. It was a strange explosion sending out tendrils of darkness that showered ghostly goop all over Aiden and Eve. As the dust cleared they were bathed in natural light as the explosion had knocked a hole straight through the roof in a still burning circle. 

 “That was awful…” Eve coughed looking across at the also completely ghost mucus covered Aiden, easily visible with the sunlight streaming down on them. She sighed this was going to be so much damn paperwork. She managed to stand upright only slipping a little as she made her way across the attic. 

Aiden just stood there a stupid grin plastered across his face, full of elation after pulling off an untested spell without blowing himself to tiny smithereens. He could do this. He was a hero in his own mind. 

“That was awesome…” Aiden coughed a few beats later dragging streams of the mucus out of his ear. “I can’t wait to see what else happens this week!” 

“Hang on. This week?!” Eve grabbed his arm to look into his eyes with panic as she got close enough to him. 

“Well yeah we get set to shadow you for a week.” His face crinkled into confusion as they sat there dripping. Eve let him go and just laid back in the gloop no longer caring about keeping herself that last little bit clean. She just looked up through the open roof above them and began to laugh. 

“I hate my boss so much. I’m going to kill her.” 

Aiden began to laugh with her too. He had not really listened to her words he was just happy to be alive.