"Do you want to play a really fun game?" he asked the ghost. "It's called hide-n-seek! Or hide-n-//go//-seek. Or ... hidey-go."\n\nThe ghost stopped floatin' around and paid close attention.\n\n"You have to try to hide," Dinosaur Kid explained, "and if I find you, I win. But if I //don't// find you, guess what?"\n\nThe ghost leaned in.\n\n"You win," said Dinosaur Kid.\n\nThe ghost rippled with delight, kinda like a flag in the wind.\n\n"Okay! I'm gonna close my eyes and count to twenty-nine. It's gonna take me a while, but you get all that time to hide. Are you ready?"\n\nThe ghost nodded. Dinosaur Kid lowered the brim of his hat and put his hands over his eyes. The ghost got ready to go hide. But just before he said said one, Dinosaur Kid looked out from behind his fingers.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/27-counting.jpg]]\n\n"There's just one other thing: hidey-go's always more fun with more people. So I think we could have even //more// fun if Octopus Kid, Skunk Kid, and Gorilla Teacher were all here."\n\nThe ghost appeared to consider this. (Most ghosts can be very considerate.)\n\n"Okay," said Dinosaur Kid, covering his eyes again, "here we [[go.|31]]"
<<playbgm RErmfXDMbvo>>\n<<loopbgm RErmfXDMbvo>>\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/01-title1.jpg]]\n\n[[> Start|01]]
Octopus Kid stood and stared, perfectly still.\n\n"Are you okay?" said Dinosaur Kid.\n\nOctopus Kid said nothing.\n\n"Normally your arms are kinda floppin' all over the place," Dinosaur Kid said, "and most of the time your head is kinda wobbly like you can't hold it up. And you usually don't go this long without askin' me an existential riddle or droppin' your patented truth-bombs."\n\nOctopus Kid didn't flop, didn't wobble, didn't spring any riddles or deploy any truths.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/20-okay-ok.jpg]]\n\nSomething was definitely up, and Octopus Kid definitely looked different somehow ... but Dinosaur Kid couldn't put his claw on it. He finally just told his friend, "You look very handsome." But then he thought for another minute. He looked around. And at last he asked the obvious question.\n\n"Um ... where's [[Skunk Kid?"|23]]
Note from the author:\n\nThis illustrated story is the first time I've taken Dinosaur Kid outside of his [[webcomic.|http://www.jimmygrist.net]] I put it together using a free engine called [[Twine.|http://www.gimcrackd.com/etc/src/]] I made the illustrations with my usual pens and pencils, plus black watercolor paint on watercolor paper and some chopping up on the computer. \n\nThere's moodsetting music, so you might want headphones or to turn your speakers on. Music and sound effects credits will be on the last page, but I'll tell you here that I recorded none of them and they're all streaming from YouTube. (And if the music doesn't start on the next slide, try clicking <Back> and going through again; that sort of soft reset works for me.)\n\nIf you enjoy "Dinosaur Kid and the Ghost Who Was at School," or if you have any suggestions, lemme know. Cuz, I mean, how else am I gonna find out?\n\n[[> Start the story!|Title]]\n[[> I'm too scared, take me back to Dinosaur Kid's plain old webcomic.|exit]]
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During playtime, Whale Kid came running into the room, out of breath. That was a big surprise, because Whale Kid didn't run real often.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/02-heeelp.jpg]]\n\n"Whoa," said Skunk Kid, "are you okay?" She was a witch, with a robe and a broom and a big pointy hat.\n\n"No way!" he huffed. He took a few short breaths, then a big one, and said real fast, "I was on my way to the library when I passed the basement when I heard a noise when I wondered what it was when I heard it again when I got scared when I saw a ... a ... !"\n\n"A //what?//" said half the class. "What did you see?"\n\n"A g-g-[[GHOST!"|03]]\n
"No way," said Hawk Kid. "It was probably just Octopus Kid wearing a pillowcase."\n\n"I saw a ghost! It's true!" Whale Kid said. \n\n"What did it look like?" asked Ostrich Kid.\n\n"It was round, and it was floating, and it was sorta see-through."\n\n"Did it say anything?" Carp Kid wanted to know.\n\nWhale Kid looked him straight in the eye, and both their faces froze with fear. "It didn't say anything," Whale Kid whispered. "It said [[boo."|04]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/03-whale-kid.jpg]]\n\n
Just one dim bulb lit the school basement. Dinosaur Kid could see a bunch of shapes, but he wasn't quite sure what was what. He stood beneath the light, shadowy beneath his own hat, and tried to find a clue.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/23-b-b-b-basement.jpg]]\n\n"Wait!" he said. "There! A mysterious shadow!" He got down on his hands and knees and sniffed it. "Oh. That's just your shadow, Octopus Kid."\n\nThat's when he looked up and realized -- Octopus Kid was floating.\n\nDinosaur Kid scrunched up his face and asked his friend, "Have you been drinking [[balloons|27]] again?"
For Halloween, Dinosaur Kid wanted to be a detective -- so he got a big coat and a cool hat and a magnifying glass. He couldn't wait until Halloween night, when he would trick-or-treat from house to house and slowly solve the case of the missing candy. \n\nBut first, because it was a Thursday, he had to go to school.\n\nAll of the other animal kids wore their costumes, and after lunch they had a Halloween party with creepy cupcakes and Pin the Tail on the Zombie. Gorilla Teacher (who didn't wear a costume) even told a scary story about something called //conspicuous consumption.// \n\nMeanwhile, outside, a storm came to town. The clouds got as heavy as pumpkins and it rained so hard, recess got canceled. They had to have it indoors instead. And even though he was a detective, Dinosaur Kid never suspected that he was about to take part in his very own [[ghost story ...|02]]
So Gorilla Teacher left. And the class waited ...\n\n... and [[waited ...|07]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/06-clock.jpg]]
So Gorilla Teacher left. And the class waited ...\n\n... and waited ...\n\n... and //waited.// For like, [[five entire minutes.|08]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/07-clock.jpg]]\n
Then Gorilla teacher calmed everyone down. "Listen to me, class," she said. "There's no such things as ghosts. Halloween is just a secularized corporate contrivance to sell candy and costumes. And pumpkins."\n\n"But Whale Kid //saw// it," said Ant Kid, raising his right two hands.\n\n"I, too, believe Whale Kid saw //something,// but I also believe he's mistaken in thinking it a ghost." Gorilla Teacher adjusted her glasses with a big, strong hand. "Now, here's what's going to happen: you will all wait here while I investigate the basement [[myself."|05]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/04-gorilla-teacher.jpg]]\n
So Gorilla Teacher left. And the class [[waited ...|06]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/05-clock.jpg]]
But she never came [[back.|09]]\n
"This is bad," burbled Jellyfish Kid.\n\n"I'm scared," said Giraffe Kid, and tried to hide under his desk but was kinda too tall.\n\n"We have to help Gorilla Teacher," said Skunk Kid. "It's what she would do for any of us." And Dinosaur Kid thought of all the nice things Gorilla Teacher had done for him, like teaching and being a gorilla.\n\n"Skunk Kid's right," he said. "Count me in."\n\n"Alright, we've got a witch and a detective," said Skunk Kid. She looked around the room, from Mouse Kid to Chameleon Kid. Everyone was quiet. "What's the matter?" she asked them. "Are you all scaredy-kids? Is there [[anyone else?"|10]]\n
But when Dinosaur Kid blinked, he noticed that the ghost was holding something. It was shiny ... and round ... and kinda rubbery.\n\n"Is that a ... ghost-egg?" asked Dinosaur Kid.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/25-ghost-bakk.jpg]]\n\nThen the ghost bounced it off the ground and caught it again.\n\n"Ohhh, it's a //ball!//" Dinosaur Kid said. "Do you wanna play a game?"\n\nThe ghost hovered forward, quiet and wide-eyed, then extended its arms and handed the [[ball|29]] to Dinosaur Kid.
"Okay," Dinosaur Kid said as he took the ball. "This one's called dodgeball. I'm gonna throw the ball -- and you have to try not to get hit. Sound good?"\n\nThe ghost quickly backed up and spread its ghosty arms. Dinosaur Kid began to count down.\n\n"Three ... two ... um ... one!"\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/26-ghostdodge.jpg]]\n\nHe threw the ball right at the ghost, but instead of making contact, it passed right through.\n\n"Ooh," said Dinosaur Kid, "you're good."\n\nThe ghost's eyes crinkled up in a smile, and it bobbed around the room like a buoy in the big blue sea. It seemed pretty darn happy.\n\nThat's when Dinosaur Kid got [[an idea.|30]]
Aw, that's too bad. I promise the story isn't that scary, but you can leave if you want. Are you sure?\n\n[[> Yep. Bye.|http://www.jimmygrist.net]]\n[[> Okay, okay, I'll give it a try.|Title]]
dinosaur kid and the ghost who was at school
"What if the //ghost// got Skunk Kid?" said Dinosaur Kid. "She could be in real trouble, just like Gorilla Teacher!"\n\nHe tromped down the hall to the basement door. It was wide open, waiting, and it ate up all the light that trickled in. Dinosaur Kid and Octopus Kid stood at the top of the stairs and tried to see into the darkness.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/21-downstairs.jpg]]\n\n"Shucks," Dinosaur Kid said, "I guess that's where we've gotta go. You ready, Octopus Kid?"\n\nOctopus Kid stared back at him with glassy, substanceless eyes.\n\n"Yeah, I know. I wish I was braver so this stuff didn't bother me so much. [[C'mon."|25]]
They started down the stairs into the darkness, with Dinosaur Kid leading the way. "Watch your step, Octopus Kid," he said to his feet. "It'd be hecka easy to miss a step and slip."\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/22-foreverstairs.jpg]]\n\n"This sure is a lotta steps," Dinosaur Kid said. He began to count.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\n"Hey, how far down do you think the basement is?" He had lost track at 29 steps, because that was the biggest number he knew besides a bajillion.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\nStep. Step. Step.\n\n"I wonder if we passed it ... "\n\nBut then Dinosaur Kid saw a [[light.|26]]
Octopus Kid //poofed//. The foil fell away, and the trashbag floated to the floor. Then she reappeared. But it wasn't Octopus Kid ...\n\nIt was the //ghost!//\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/24-ghost-reveal.jpg]]\n\nDinosaur Kid [[gapsed,|28]] which is like an inside-out gasp.
"Uh oh," said Dinosaur Kid. "I didn't even think about bringin' a flashlight."\n\nHe felt around in the dark, but his arms were too small to really find anything. He took a few timid steps, but he was afraid to go too far.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/18-alone-in-the-dark.jpg]]\n\n"Skunk Kid? Octopus Kid? Are you guys there?"\n\nBut before anyone answered, the lights flipped back [[on.|21]]
div { font-size:medium; }\n\n.passage { width: 600px !important }
"Whew, that's better," Dinosaur Kid said. "I was starting to think my head was all stuck up in my detecto-hat."\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/19-lights.jpg]]\n\nHe reached up and straightened his hat, then saw a robot ninja from under the brim.\n\n"Oh look, it's [[Octopus Kid!"|22]] he said.
<<playbgm sR8oMMRm_IE>>\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/09-skoo.jpg]]\n\nOutside and overhead, a mega-thunder rumbled.\n\n[[Continue ...|12]]\n
An aluminum foil ninja star came spinning across the room. It ran out of speed partway and fell to the ground with a soft crinkle.\n\n"Plus one Robot Ninja," said Octopus Kid. She cartwheeled into the spotlight. Her head was wrapped in foil and her eight legs poked out of a trash bag.\n\nDinosaur Kid went over and picked up what she had thrown, then handed it to her. "Don't forget your ninja star," he said.\n\n"Thanks," said Octopus Kid, "but it's called a //shuriken.//"\n\n"That's astoudin'! I'll try not to mix it up with my sheriffetective's badge," said Dinosaur Kid. \n\n"Well, I guess that's all of us," said Skunk Kid.\n\nDinosaur Kid jumped. "Let's go solve the mystery case of the ghost who was at within our [[school!"|11]] he said.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/08-crew.jpg]]
"Ghosts don't believe in laws," Octopus Kid said.\n\n"Well I don't believe in //ghosts,//" said Skunk Kid. "I think there's a rational, scientific explanation for all that paranormal stuff."\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11-sk.jpg]]\n\n"Really?" asked Dinosaur Kid. "Even zombies?"\n\n"They're just regular people who watch too much TV," said Skunk Kid.\n\n"What about skeletons?" Dinosaur Kid asked.\n\n"Everybody's got one," said Skunk Kid. "Except Jellyfish Kid."\n\n"But, but," Dinosaur Kid said, wringing his tiny hands together, "but what about //bearwolves?//"\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11-dk.jpg]]\n\n"They're called //badgers,//" Skunk Kid said, "and my mom just happens to [[be|14]] one."\n
Dinosaur Kid, Skunk Kid, and Octopus Kid tiptoed together into the spooooky hallway. There wasn't a soul in sight, but anything could've been hiding in any one of the dark lockers. At the end of the hall, lightning flashed in a window. The thunder was so loud it made the lights flicker and the floor rumble.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/10-hall.jpg]]\n\n"This is //awesome,//" said Octopus Kid. She squirmed between the other two and bounced around the empty hall. "It's the creepiest Halloween ever, and we're free in the hallways. We don't need no stinkin' hallpass!" She began to sing, "Breakin' the law, breakin' the law, //bew-bew.//"\n\n"Hey," said Dinosaur Kid, "this is official detective business." He flashed his plastic badge. "If anybody's breakin' the law, it's the ghost. And the law that it's breakin' ... is [[loitering."|13]]\n\n<<stopbgm sR8oMMRm_IE>>\n<<stopbgm RErmfXDMbvo>>\n<<playbgm bKXMEYLv30g>>\n<<loopbgm bKXMEYLv30g>>
Just a few classrooms away, a vacuum cleaner reared up on its wheels. The brushes spun furiously underneath, and it roared like a lion with infinity breath. It was taller than all of them, and Dinosaur Kid was right -- it was headed their way.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/12-vacuum.jpg]]\n\n"Ghost vacuum!" Octopus Kid said.\n\n"That's ... just a malfunction," said Skunk Kid.\n\nThen the charging vacuum sucked its way up the wall and onto the ceiling.\n\n"Is that a malfunction, too?" Dinosaur Kid asked, taking a few steps back.\n\nOctopus Kid spread her arms and spilled forward, saying "I'll take care of this," as she held up her aluminum foil [[shuriken.|16]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/13-nin-ja.jpg]]\n\n<<stopbgm bKXMEYLv30g>>\n<<playbgm aTT4di20FtU>>\n<<loopbgm aTT4di20FtU>>
"So how do you explain ghosts?" said Dinosaur Kid.\n\nSkunk Kid leaned over and took a long sip from the drinking fountain. Then she wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her robe. "Ghosts're just tricks of the imagination. They get turned into stories, and those stories cause more people to have tricks of the imagination, and then they make //more// stories that make //more// tricks, and on and on."\n\n"//Or// ... ," said Octopus Kid, sliding silently over the floor, "ghosts're the //leftovers// of the //living//, cursed to //waft// at the limits of //perception,// haunting whoever happens to stray //too close.//"\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/11-ok.jpg]]\n\n"That makes for spooky campfire stories, but it's not real life," Skunk Kid said. "What do you believe, DK?"\n\n"I believe that vacuum looks real angry," Dinosaur Kid said, pointing down the hall. "And I reckon [[it's comin' this way."|15]]\n
"Quick," said Dinosaur Kid to Skunk Kid, "use your magic!"\n\n"It's just a costume!" Skunk Kid said. She held up her broom. "All I have is this vacuum //wannabe!//"\n\n"Too much tickle!" hollered Octopus Kid. "I can't take it!"\n\n"You're a detective," said Skunk Kid, "so detect something!" Then she raised her witch's broom and rushed forward, thwacking away at the vacuum's puffed-up dirtbag.\n\n"Stop!" yelled Octopus Kid. "My legs're in there!"\n\nThat's when Dinosaur Kid detected the vacuum's power cord. It ran down the hallway and plugged into the electrical socket by the storm window. If he could unplug the 'cuum of doom ...\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/15-plug.jpg]]\n\nHe made a [[break|18]] for it.\n
The vacuum raced closer, rattling the ceiling tiles as it came and looking like a giant knife sticking out of the ceiling. It swooped down at Octopus Kid, but she threw her robot ninja weapon at the last second. The ninja star spun, its four points glinting, and disappeared right into the vacuum.\n\n"It's the //'cuum of doom!//" Octopus Kid shrieked.\n\nAnd then it got her legs.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/14-aaaahhh.jpg]]\n\n"Help!" she yelled as the vacuum dragged her around. Her arms and legs were swallowed up, so she looked like a big pink piece of bubblegum wrapped in foil. "Robot ninja mayday! Robot ninja mayday! The ghost has [[superior technology!"|17]]
That's when the lights went [[out.|20]]\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/17-blackout.jpg]]\n\n<<stopbgm aTT4di20FtU>>\n<<playbgm _r2ozeKBG20>>\n<<loopbgm _r2ozeKBG20>>\n\n
"Where are you going?" Skunk Kid shouted as he tromped past.\n\n"I'm goin' after its plug! Keep it distracted!"\n\nBut almost as if it understood, the vacuum turned towards Dinosaur Kid. The roaring paused. Then it made a gross belching sound and launched Octopus Kid like a cannonball. She barreled down the hall, right towards Dinosaur Kid.\n\n"Lookout!" she screamed, "I'ma //projectile!//"\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/16-launch.jpg]]\n\nDinosaur Kid glanced over his shoulder, then dove for the plug like a big league softball star sliding into home. Octopus Kid sailed over him, cheering, and //*bwonked*// against the wall. Then D.K. reached up, pulled the plug, and cut the power to the 'cuum of doom. It stopped in its clean, clean tracks. Skunk Kid gave it another good [[whack|19]] just to be sure.
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/27-counting.jpg]]\n\n"[[One|32]] ... "
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ghostshrug-gif.gif]]\n\nOctopus Kid [[shrugged.|24]]
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/31-the-end.jpg]]\n\nTHE END\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[[Click here to go to jimmygrist.net and read some less spooky Dinosaur Kid comics.|http://www.jimmygrist.net]]\n\n\nCREDITS: \n\nThe story and the illustrations were all done by me, but none of the music is mine. It's streamed from various YouTube videos and used without permission because this is fan-work, not commercial work. These excellently creepy songs are, in order of appearance,\n\n[["Midnight Black Earth"|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RErmfXDMbvo]] by Bohren und der Club of Gore, uploaded by lolfohss\n[[Thunder Sound Effects|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8oMMRm_IE]] uploaded by austinstrunk\n[["Fool's Idol"|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKXMEYLv30g]] by Shunsuke Kida, from the game Demon's Souls, uploaded by ickylols\n[["Armor Spider"|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTT4di20FtU]] by Shunsuke Kida, from the game Demon's Souls, uploaded by ickylols\n[["Never Forgive Me, Never Forget Me"|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r2ozeKBG20]] by Akira Yamaoka, from the game Silent Hill 3, uploaded by LegalSaiga
Gorilla Teacher waved them towards the stairs. "Come on, everybody, back to the classroom." They walked up the stairs in a line and Skunk Kid leaned in real close to Dinosaur Kid.\n\n"D.K., what happened to us?" she whispered.\n\n"I dunno," he said, "but I think the ghost just wanted somebody to play with. I imagine it's real tough, bein' a ghost."\n\n"Well, I didn't like it. Why did we come back? Where'd the ghost go?"\n\n"I dunno," said Dinosaur Kid. "It's probably the best hider in the whole neighborhood."\n\n"Hider?" said Skunk Kid. "Hey, wait -- where's my broom?"\n\nThey stepped out into the hallway and headed back towards the classroom. Gorilla Teacher stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back. A single light still lit the basement, with all its corners dark and still. There were a lot of good hiding places down there. A person -- or a broom -- could go unfound for a very long time.\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/29-there-is-no-30.jpg]]\n\nShe flipped the [[switch.|37]]
And saw his friends!\n\n[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/28-yayyy.jpg]]\n\n"Whoa," said Skunk Kid, "what just happened?"\n\nGorilla Teacher straightened her glasses. She was the smartest person Dinosaur Kid knew, but sometimes even she didn't know what to say.\n\nOctopus Kid just crossed her bare arms and made tentacle-fists. "I want my costume back," she grumbled.\n\n"You're all here!" Dinosaur Kid said. "I guess that means that //this// case ... is //clomed.//"\n\n"[[What?|36]]" said Octopus Kid.
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/27-counting.jpg]]\n\n"Twenty-nine!" Dinosaur Kid shouted. "Ready? If not, I can wait."\n\nThere was no answer. The basement stayed quiet. Dinosaur Kid [[opened his eyes|35]] ...
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/27-counting.jpg]]\n\n"One ... \n\n"Two ... \n\n"Skip a [[few|34]] ... "
[img[http://jimmygrist.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/27-counting.jpg]]\n\n"One ... \n\n"[[Two|33]] ... "
\nby jimmy grist