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Czeslaw, having just died, ambled into Percy and Georgie as they left the cafeteria. They watched Captain Midnight crush him with his biplane knowing it wouldn’t be the end. It was obvious when they met Czeslaw that he was destined for the pact. Church bells cut their discussion short, at the first toll people started filing out from the cafeteria as if in a trance, following the chiming to the source. None noticed the small Sin-Eaters as they passed. Not even a glance in the direction of that smashed and bruised boy. Now officially a Krewe, they followed the ensorcelled mass to the chapel but stayed outside. Their spying was disruptive, spurring Father Prost out into the yard. Smeared clown make-up in the seriousness of priest’s wear gave a new, unnerving quality to his condemnations. He demanded their presence in the pews and the children obeyed.

Inside, supplicants exalted their god in song. Still in their trance they remained unaware as the boys took seats in the back. Over the din of worship Percy heard cries issue out from the restroom and decided to investigate. Everyone else was immune to the wailing. He and the other Sin-Eaters knew, even before pressing through the door, there was a ghost inside. This one, they could tell, was new to the afterlife, and was haunched down in a corner, sobbing and choking. Patty the Rat had died out of sight and out of mind. When probed about her demise, Patty’s ghost responded by regurgitating a red plastic clown nose. Her lament lost its choked quality. The Krewe wheeled forward; Patty, startled by their approach, jerked up and quaked the room with a powerful scream. Pipes rattled until bursting. It was loud enough to stir the pew-sitters out of their reverie and into the rest room. Now a religious mob fronted by a clown priest, presented with information that told a misleading story, they accused Percy and Georgie of battering Czeslaw. The alleged victim was in sorry colors of black and blue while the other two were merely drenched from flooding. To the malignant mass it was apparent that the plumbing became compromised when the newly orphaned was assailed. Father Prost came down on Georgie and Percy like a giant, clown-faced spider. Others went to Czes’ aid.

Fearing that punishment at the hands of the priest would result in similar fate to Patty’s, Georgie took to drastic measures; Georgie’s geist, a man with burlap skin and large, black button-eyes, reached straight into Prost’s head and touched his psyche. It was a quick gesture that caused long-term detriment; Prost was cursed, his mind now a battlefield wracked from bombardment of nightmares. He unhanded the boys to fend off illusory attacks. Georgie pushed Percy out of the chapel to the only place he had left to go to.

In the dormitory at the orphanage, Percy and Georgie encountered Tedric, who was welcoming and excited. In his pudgy hands was contraband; a pornographic magazine in one hand, a few bars of chocolate in the other. They were impressed. The forbidden content of the periodical offered to answer many questions, but the candy was real treasure. The three of them endeavored to meet in the basement. Sneaking around the orphanage was difficult because the walls were thin and Percy’s chair was noisome. Even so, they avoided detection on their way to the rendezvous. Tedric fashioned a fort from clutter. Under the canvas, propped up by boxes of files, a chair, and a coat wrack, Teddy had the only light source; it hovered over the coveted smut. They didn’t enjoy their chocolate long before they were interrupted by someone large heading down the stairs. Percy and Georgie escaped to their dormitory, leaving Tedric to deal with the intruder.

Despite everything that had happened the Halloween party had not been canceled. Stranger still, the boys were allowed to attend, there existed no where any utterance of the midday offenses. Father Prost, once again a proper clown, had seemingly recovered from Georgie’s curse. He was composed with the exception of one detail that only two kids could see: he was possessed with the same entity that once occupied Krink. Minutes into the party Prost launched at Georgie and Percy and dragged them into the hallway. As they were making their way down the staircase, Percy rammed into Father Prost until he was prone, enabling the orphans to escape the compound.