Beetlebug

I let out a huff, brushing the dust off of my shirt. This is the only outfit I own. A grey button down and dark pants. Perfect. I love it. After my father failed to return to the land of the living, he decided it was time to raise his daughter. Me, Beetlebug. Horrible name I know, but Beetlejuice was already taken! I was born in 2004, making me 18 today. The day I unlock my powers.

“So, ya ready kid?” Beetlejuice, my dad, grins.

“Yeah,” I smirk back at him. Like father like daughter.

“Now all you gotta do is say your name 3 times, 3 times in a row it must be spoken unbroken. Ready?” I almost laugh at his quote. Almost.

“Yep. Beetlebug,” This is it, ” Beetlebug..” The moment I gain my powers and become known as; ” Beetlebug!!” I feel a mist swirl around me, throwing me up into the air. My clothes fade into a stripy white and black suit, the Beetlejuice suit. My brown hair floats on end and I hear Beetlejuice let out a laugh of glee. After a moment or two, my feet find the ground and I look up at my father. He stops bouncing around like a child and comes over to me, placing his hands on either side of my face. “Beetlebug, sweetheart, I am so proud of you. You look just like me! Just, a lot better lookin’. But other than that, just like me,” He beams proudly. I smile at him.

“Thank you dad..” I whisper. He kisses my forehead lightly. Then he jumps back and bounces up and down like a kid again.

“This, this is the best part! Oh ho ho, you’re gonna love this.” He snaps his fingers and a chair appears beneath him. He collapses onto it.

“Wow, a chair. That has to be the best part about having infinite powers,” I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning.

“Oh, I am so glad you gained my sarcasm.”

“So am I,”

“One last thing my dear, never say you’re name.”

“But how will I tell someone that my name is-”

“Shut up! Shut up or you’ll kill yourself!!” He slaps his hand over my mouth. “My dear, you just have to play around with your name. Find words that sound like it. Play charades with the person. That kinda thing kid,” I nod at his answer, removing his hand from my mouth.

“Sounds fair.”

“Now, you already made that video so that’s premiered only for the dead to see. It’s perfect! I’m so proud of you Beetlebug, you have made me so proud,” I smile. What a sweet guy.

I stand at the foot of his grave. The dead of the dead grave. Tears roll down my face as I place a bouquet of flowers on top of it. He didn’t deserve what he got. Being banished from the land of the dead. Sure, he was a bad guy. But aren’t we all? We were all just a bunch of dead dudes wandering around without a purpose. Beetlejuice was the only one of us that ever found a purpose. He had raised me into who I was today. The next Beetlejuice. The new Beetlejuice.

I let out a cruel chuckle at the young person in front of me. Newley deceased. Unsure of what he has done. Unknowing of the mistake he was about to make by saying my name 3 times. “So, you came to the right place.” I smirk, sitting on top of a gravestone. His jaw drops at the sight of me. Yeah, I was hot. Brown hair with green streaks running through it. Olive skin and silver eyes.

“Y-Your Beetlejuice?” He stutters. I flinch at the name, glaring at him.

“No. I’m not ‘Beetlejuice’. He’s dead. I’m-” I gesture towards the grave with my name engraved in it.

“Beetlebug?”

“Wow, I’m impressed.” I roll my eyes and he blushes.

“I-I-”

“Let’s cut to the chase, all you gotta do is say my name 3 times, 3 times in a row it must be spoken unbroken.” I point at him. “Go.”

I’ve been doing this for a few months now. A few souls each month, and a bout a week or two each. No pay or anything, just for the pure fun of it. For the reputation. For the legacy of my father.

I fiddle around the grave yard. Located land of the living. Unlike my father, I wasn’t banned from the world of the living. It helps me in a way. I can cause little accidents and get them sent to me. That’s my favourite part of this whole thing. Though, the only way I learnt this was through the death of my father. So in some ways, even when he’s double dead- he’s still helping to shape me into who I am. A car drives by and I spot an angry looking guy at the wheel. He looks pissed.

“Stupid friends,” He mutters. “Organizing something without me. Bloody stupid.” I raise my eyebrows. An opportunity? I think so. I smirk and follow the car cautiously, making sure to stay out of the way of the humans. They all shake their heads at me and mutter behind my back, but I couldn’t care less. I’m paying so much attention to the car with the boy that I run into another guy. I topple over, landing on my butt and feeling my head throb from the contact. The guy looks up and hurries to his feet to help me up. "I’m sorry! I really didn’t mean to Ma’am.” He says, pulling to my feet with strong arms. I stumble on my feet before brushing off my shirt and pants. The guy grins. “Are you cosplaying Beetlejuice?” He asks. I freeze for a moment. If I reveal to him that I’m Beetlejuice’s daughter, then he certainly won’t trust me and I will for sure be banished to the land of the dead forever. I nod. Play mute. Make him think your mute. His eyes widen. “Oh, are you mute?” I nod again. Stupid guy. Honestly.