-PART SIX-

The ghost Professor was still there, hovering on the stairs. Kathy looked up blindly and spoke to it with hopelessness. "How did you die? Why did you die - how could you die?.."

"Because of the curse." The ghost spoke sadly. "That box was cursed. Rollo found it and opened it and it cursed him. Steven did the same. They want to kill everyone and they will do so when the shield around the school breaks down."

"But how did you let two seventeen year olds kill you all. I mean...how?.." Kathy spoke with disbelief and the ghost sighed.

"In the cursed form, they are impenetrable, my dear. They cannot be harmed and they will not stop until you stop them." The ghost looked at Kathy closely. "You will save yourselves and many more."

Katherine looked at the ghost. "How?" She asked simply, still faint from realisation.

"How? What is your question?" The ghost asked confusedly. 

"How was the box cursed? And how did Rollo find it?" Katherine stood up and looked at the spirit. "Who cursed it?"

"That, my girl, is what you will find out from our other resident ghost." The Professor glided forward and pointed to the floor of the entrance hall. "Move the rug, Kim."

Katherine hesitated, then bent down to pick up the heavy carpet and shift it to the side, revealing a trapdoor in the floor. She looked up at the ghost, who was now smiling. "You want me to go down here?" She said incredulously.

"Yes." The Professor nodded. "I can't, you see. I here for long. In fact, I'm already fading." The teacher looked down at her arm sadly, the limb now completely transparent. Stone looked at the ghost in surprise. 

"How are you fading? You're a ghost!"The little boy blushed after his outburst and looked down at the floor, but the spirit answered frankly.

"I'm not a permanent haunter, Peter." She said in soft and simple tones. "I was allowed to stay because I needed to warn you. But soon I will have to go."

Katherine was nodding - she'd already understood. Stone was suddenly teearful again, but she knew there was no time to loose. "Professor, who is the ghost who can help us? How will it help us?"

The spirit, her robes disappearing now, only smiled sadly. "You'll soon find out."

Kathy wanted to ask more, but in her adult mind she knew she couldn't. Taking Stone and pushing him down the ladder first, she looked up at the fast disappearing ghost and nodded. "Goodbye."

The ghost smiled. "Farewell." As Katherine turned and descended the ladder downwards, the ghost added to her farewell. "Kathy."