Ghost Doll and Jasper: A Graphic Novel

by Fiona McDonald

  “Things to protect us from the rats,” said the monkey.

  “Bullets and grenades,” added a toy soldier, armed to the teeth with weapons that were molded to his body and therefore utterly useless. “Got any suggestions?” he asked Ghost Doll.

  No time was lost in erecting a high wall of defense. Boxes from the storeroom were brought out and arranged in a tight circle. A gap at the bottom was left for crawling in and out of. Above the boxes wooden blocks were piled to add height to the structure. While the bigger toys built the fortress, Ghost Doll organized the others into collecting anything easy to throw: balls, baby rattles, packs of cards.

  “We could use them like boomerangs,” suggested one of the dolls and was rewarded with big smile of encouragement from Ghost Doll. They also pulled down packets of lollipops that were kept in racks beside the register for those last minute purchases by frazzled mothers.

  “They can be used to distract the rats,” said a small plastic dinosaur.

  “Good thinking,” replied Ghost Doll.

  It was midnight by the time everything was ready. All the toys were huddled behind the barricade except for those on guard duty.

  Three pairs of toys were sent out on patrol. It was Big Ted, the large growly teddy bear, who had suggested this. Ghost Doll liked the way he had taken control.

  “Ghost Doll, can you accompany Monkey, please? You don't mind doing the first round, do you? We need someone with experience and common sense.”

  Ghost Doll was happy that he noticed her and agreed to go.

  Chapter 13

  No sooner had Jasper's feet touched the pavement than a door beside the steps to the warehouse opened and a strange metal creature appeared. Jasper was in awe. What on earth was it? It began to creep towards him on its caterpillar wheels. Its large metal jaws were opening and closing, emitting a loud, growling sound. Jasper stood gaping at the ugly thing, then suddenly realized what it was: a robotic dog. Jasper's tail swelled into a bristling spear, and he hissed in fear as the robot came towards him. He turned to run, but it was too late. The dog's teeth closed over the tip of his tail, and pain shot through him. Turning in midair, Jasper lashed out at the dog, his claws scraping against the metal. The dog's mouth was clamped shut over his tail. All Jasper could do was wail in pain and terror, hoping that someone would come to his rescue before the rats came pouring out of the laboratory after him.

  A squeaking sound made him turn his head to the grates in the wall. Rats were squeezing through the bars. They were almost too big to get through. The serum they'd been injected with must have enlarged them as well as given them greater physical power. Jasper used all his strength to push against the metal dog. With a mighty heave he was free and running for his life down the street.

  The night had not produced an attack from the rats, and before dawn the toys had packed away their fort. Now that they had built it once, they felt they would be able to build it better the next time.

  The day passed quickly, too quickly for some who found the idea of a rat attack petrifying. Ghost Doll noticed that other toys were quite excited at the prospect of action and were eager to get everything sorted for the night. Some of the toys had been bought by customers during the day—the lucky ones, thought Ghost Doll.

  Ghost Doll hadn't thought about Jasper for nearly the whole day. As the store closed for the night, she started to worry about his safety. He did tend to live on the edge and invite danger, and seemed to enjoy a good fight. Then she remembered that when he came this time he was going to take her away. Now she wasn't sure she wanted to go. All the toys had started to treat her with respect. Life might not be too bad here after all. Then she thought of Monkey, who'd been bought for a small boy sick in bed, and the fashion doll who'd been wrapped up as a birthday present. All her friends would soon be gone. New ones would replace them, that was true, but they'd always be leaving. Ghost Doll decided she would go with Jasper, but not before she'd helped the toys repel the rats. Jasper, would know what do. He always did.

  Jasper's tail felt as though it was on fire. He raced across a road, narrowly avoiding being hit by a bus. The vehicle honked angrily at him. Down the main street, around the corner, and into the ruined garden. He sat panting in the shade of an apple tree. As soon as he caught his breath he inspected the damage. Nausea overwhelmed him, and he was sick all over the ground.

  “What a mess you are.”

  Jasper turned his head slightly and caught a glimpse of Queenie.

  “We have to tell everyone,” he whispered. “They're building an army.” Queenie began to lick his head soothingly.

  “I'll clean you up and you tell me all about it. Rest first, then we'll get the story straight.” Jasper let himself be groomed by the rough but capable tongue of Queenie and let his story tumble out.

  “I hate to tell you this,” she said when he'd finished, “but it looks as though you've lost an inch off your tail.”

  “What?” yelled Jasper. “It was the dog. They have a metal dog. It's a monster.”

  “Let's get the others together for a meeting,” said Queenie, coolly cleaning herself after having worked on Jasper. “I'll send out the messengers. We can be assembled in less than half an hour. Meanwhile, I suggest we get something to eat. You can't meet on an empty stomach.”

  Chapter 14

  Closing time. The doors were locked and the lights turned off. At nine o'clock the security guards checked in on the floor but all was quiet. As soon as the fire door had closed behind the men, the toys went into action. The fort was reconstructed quickly; improvements had been made to the design during the day. The ammunition was piled ready for firing, and the patrols were organized. Ghost Doll teamed up with Big Ted and they talked quietly as they did their rounds.

  “I think it will happen tonight,” growled the bear.

  “Why's that?” asked Ghost Doll.

  “Got a feeling, that's all.”

  “You could be right,” Ghost Doll said. “We just need to keep alert, and we should be okay.”

  “You still moving on when your friend comes?” The question took her by surprise, and Ghost Doll paused before replying.

  “I think I should. You've all been very kind to me and I feel as though I could settle down here but…” and she told him how everyone else would be leaving and she would be sad to see them go.

  “That's true,” Big Ted said. “I've been here for six months or more myself. That's considered a long time in this shop. I'll probably be put on the clearance table in the Spring sale.”

  Ghost Doll didn't know what to say, but she thought he would be an absolute bargain and hoped he'd find a loving home.

  They were making their third round, had passed the fire doors, and were going back towards the aisles when the door behind them opened. A flashlight beam swept across the floor. Big Ted fell sideways, but Ghost Doll was held right in the light.

  “Get her!” shouted one of the guards. The second man dashed forward with arms outstretched to clasp her around the waist. Ghost Doll swayed to the left and the arms encircled empty air. The other guard pushed his companion out of the way and lunged towards Ghost Doll himself. Surprise had momentarily frozen her to the spot, but now she was zooming across the floor to the service counter and threw herself into the recess behind it. Two flashlights followed her progress and the men darted after her. Halfway across the floor a loud crash stopped them in their tracks. The fortress had collapsed in front of them, and there was no way they could get around it without proper light.

  “What the heck?” said one of the men. “How did this mess get here?”

  “Must have an intruder,” said the other. “Might be kids hiding after the store closed. We'll have to call base.”

  “You do that,” said the other guard. “I have a call of my own to make.” They retreated down the fire stairs, each speaking into his radio.

  Big Ted approached Ghost Doll, “They seemed to know about you.”

  Ghost Doll shrugged her shoulders
. They had to do something before the guards returned. “We'd better get this cleaned up before they return with reinforcements,” she said. “And, by the way, whose idea was it to knock over the blocks?”

  A fashion doll stepped forward out of the gloom. “It was me,” she said in a small voice, unsure whether she was going to be praised or yelled at.

  “Well, it was a wonderful move. Well done,” Ghost Doll said, beaming a smile at the nervous doll.

  “Yes, good, fast thinking,” agreed Big Ted gruffly. The fashion doll blushed with pride.

  “Wasn't anything really,” she said.

  Queenie sat on an upturned crate. Next to her was Jasper, a rough bandage around his tail. Sitting, sprawling, and lying down were twenty or more cats. All of them had their full attention on the pair above them.

  Queenie spoke up: “Listen carefully, as this could mean life or death for you.” Everyone remained silent, waiting to hear what was happening.

  “We've got a problem,” said Jasper, taking the stage. “It's the rats.” There was a slight snicker from the crowd, but one glare from Queenie silenced them.

  “I know how it sounds,” he continued, “but things have been happening and these are rats like you've never seen before.”

  “I've seen them,” a small voice called from near the back of the group. Every head turned and saw Bernard sit up with difficulty. He told them how he'd been attacked and would have been killed if the rats hadn't been called away by another rat.

  “So, what should we do?” asked a red tomcat.

  “We need a plan,” said Tiddles.

  “A clever plan,” added Mopsy.

  “We need to present a united force,” said Queenie. “I want all the fastest runners to spread the news. We have to get all cats on board, even those we'd normally never hang around with. Now, Jones and Turbit, I want you to take the streets between Cleveland and Rowley. Melanie and Sookie, you take the lanes behind the Bow Street stores.”

  Queenie kept giving out orders and the cats took off. The cats that were left began to organize themselves into groups. The old, very young, and weak were left in the garden directly behind the garden wall. They were told to keep quiet until the others returned. Bernard crawled up next to his grandmother, old Flora. She nuzzled him as if he were still a baby, and he nestled into her fur and purred. “I have to go and see a friend of mine,” Jasper told Queenie. “I think she is in danger. The scientist, this Doctor Borsch, I think he is looking for her, and I don't think he intends to be very nice when he finds her.”

  Chapter 15

  Yes?” Doctor Borsch answered the phone harshly.

  “Uncle, it's me, Charlie, from the department store. I think I've found what you're looking for.”

  “Oh, right, can you give me more details?”

  “I saw her with my own eyes. She's a doll, but she looks like a ghost. She glows. It must be the stardust. She's in the toy department.”

  “I'll be there very soon. You'll let me in?”

  “Of course, Uncle.”

  “Dog, we need to get ready. Call Trattorus for me and tell him to meet me with the troops at the department store. Now it's time to try my latest invention.”

  The doctor took off his lab coat and hung it behind the door. He put on his old tweed overcoat and his hat. He wound a scarf around his neck three times. He then went to the workbench and picked up an object that looked like a gun and a vacuum cleaner.

  “Come, my beauty. Let's go hunting stardust.”

  Jasper ran. His tail throbbed and he felt off balance. He must get to the store before the rats did. Ghost Doll probably didn't even know of the danger she was in. He ran across Taylor Square and darted down Greenway Lane. He was treading on enemy territory, but it was a shortcut. If Murdo Nally was lurking in the Lane tonight, he'd better watch out.

  Jasper was about to turn into Main Street when a paw lashed out and gave him a ringing slap on the side of the head.

  “What you doing on my patch?” growled a great red tomcat. He had a scar down one cheek and his ears had been torn to ribbons. It was Murdo Nally.

  “Murdo,” Jasper tried to say, but he was given another slap on the head. Jasper jumped to his feet, staggered a couple of steps, and fell over. Murdo was on him right away. His claws were out lashing and tearing at Jasper. His teeth sank into Jasper's neck and held him hard while his back legs kicked him viciously. “Now … is… not… the …time,” Jasper gasped between kicks.

  “Something's going on with the rats.”

  Murdo paused. “What you mean?” Murdo lifted his bulk off Jasper and let him sit up.

  “The rats are planning an attack on us, on everything. They have super powers.”

  “You're full of fairy stories, Jasper,” said Murdo, resuming his kicking. Jasper felt the breath leave his body with each kick. He'd never make it. He was in no state to battle Murdo and he must get to Ghost Doll. With a mighty heave, Jasper pushed Murdo over onto his back, where he struggled like a turtle.

  “Maybe you should lose a couple of pounds, Murdo,” Jasper yelled at the red cat as he sprinted off onto Main Street.

  Chapter 16

  Do you think we're safe now?” asked Big Ted.

  “I don't think so,” Ghost Doll answered. There was more than one enemy involved and she didn't know which to worry about most. The rats were a threat to all the others but not directly to her. The guards, on the other hand, had recognized her and had tried to capture her. They would be back, she was sure.

  “We need to be prepared against the rats,” she said. “We must be vigilant. I think it might be me they are after. They tried to capture me in the basement. I think they would attack you as well. It's in their nature to chew and destroy.”

  “We'd better rally the troops then,” Big Ted said and strode off to the toys standing huddled together between the aisles. “Come on, everyone. We need to discuss our plan.”

  Ghost Doll waited on the sideline. She was very uneasy and wanted to be on the lookout for any sudden movement. The toys were murmuring softly and giving her nervous glances. Ghost Doll tried to reassure them with a smile.

  She'd just waved to the little fashion doll who'd pushed the building blocks on top of the security guards when she turned back to check the entrance. She caught a flicker of movement.

  “Rats!” she yelled. Six huge rodents leaped among the toys and grabbed hold of a rag doll. The rest of the toys scattered in fright, all plans forgotten.

  “Got her,” called one rat to another.

  “Let's go then,” said the largest one, clearly the leader.

  “We've got what we came for.” The rats ran towards the fire stairs, dragging the poor rag doll by her long, blonde hair. She screamed and cried, kicking and thrashing about.

  “Stop!” yelled Ghost Doll. “You've got the wrong doll. I'm the one you're after.”

  The rats halted and turned towards her. “You're bluffing,” called one of the rats, yanking the rag doll so fiercely that she cried in pain.

  “Look at me,” Ghost Doll commanded, and she let herself glow in the dark room. “This is what you're after, isn't it? The stardust, it's here, inside me. Drop the doll and I'll go with you without a fight.”

  The rats hesitated, awed by the doll's radiance.

  “Think she's telling the truth?” asked the rat in charge.

  “Wouldn't be good for us to take the wrong doll back to the doctor. Okay, come over here and we'll let her go.”

  “No, we'll meet halfway,” Ghost Doll instructed.

  The rag doll was pulled along the floor. She'd torn a hole in her dress and her face had a smudge of dirt on it. Another one for the clearance table, thought Ghost Doll sadly.

  The rats made a semicircle around their captive, holding her fast by both arms. The toys made their own semicircle around Ghost Doll.

  “I will step forward to go with you, and you will release the rag doll,” ordered Ghost Doll. She stepped forward right into the middle of the circl
e.

  “When I give the signal, you must run behind me and to the safety of your friends,” Ghost Doll said to the rag doll. The other gave a slight nod of the head.

  “On the count of three you will release her,” commanded Ghost Doll, shining brightly. “One, two, three!”

  The rats, perhaps mesmerized by the doll's glowing light, let the rag doll go. She limped hastily across the floor and into the arms of her waiting friends. Ghost Doll also moved forward and into the circle of rats. She could hear the whispered assurances of the toys to their friend. The strange procession of rats and Ghost Doll made its way to the fire exit. As the door opened to let them out, the chief rat yelled to a group waiting on the other side: “Now, grab them all and tie them up. Light the fuse. We don't want any witnesses.”

  A band of rats charged through the door and before the toys knew what was happening, they had been surrounded and bound together with rope. The rats pulled it as tightly as possible, so no toy could escape.

  Ghost Doll screamed and tried to turn back to help her friends. One of the rats was laying a long piece of string from the group of toys to a spot near the elevator: the fuse. Another of his crew was placing fireworks around the captives.

  “How dare you!” she screamed at them. “You cowards!”

  “Shut up, or we'll blow them up now,” said the chief rat. “Come quietly and I'll consider letting them go. We need you to cooperate, you know.” Ghost Doll's light dimmed, she bowed her head, and floated towards the exit.

  Chapter 17

  Where is she?” Jasper cried as he landed on the top step of the escalator.

  “The rats have her,” yelled Big Ted before one of the rats punched him in the stomach. He let out a low growl that ended in a wheeze.