Ghost Squad

At the willow tree, Lucely tries to wake Mamá Teresa, but the ghost’s firefly lies inert in its mason jar. Lucely blames herself and weeps. Tía Milagros appears and sits with her. Lucely asks what’s wrong with Mamá; Tía Milagros doesn’t know. Lucely describes the spell she and Syd cast and asks if that caused the problems. Her aunt says no—it’s a “dark magic” that no child could cast, and all the family ghosts lately feel strange, suffer nightmares, and relive the pain they saw in the loved ones they left behind. Tía Milagros says she’ll ask the other ghosts for ideas, but they really depend on the girl: “You are the only one who can stop this, Lucely. We believe in you” (85).

Reports of ghostly events are spreading across town. At Lucely’s house, Syd shows off a jar she copied from a TV ghost-hunting show. It contains smelly herbs and a metal foil, and it’s meant to catch specters. Syd suggests they bring some of the fireflies to help with the hunt. Before Lucely can ask her family spirits, several appear in human form and volunteer.