Billy Booster and Scratchy Claws

It was Christmas Eve, and Billy Booster could barely sleep. Tonight Scratchy Claws was coming to town.

Scratchy was a jolly old ghost who filled the stockings of all the good boos and ghouls with big lumps of beautiful black coal.

Billy hoped he had been good enough. Once, he almost failed flying class. Twice, he forgot to walk his dog, Boo Boo. He even broke his mother's vase while playing Boosketball.

Billy wished he could fall asleep and have wonderful nightmares until dawn.

Then he heard a noise. It wasn't the jingling of Christmas chains or the hooves of rain deer. It sounded like crying - not the normal moaning Billy was used to, but a tiny human cry.

Billy was terrified. He had heard of humans, but he had never, ever seen one. Tommy Screamright didn't even believe in them.

"Who's there?" Billy whispered.

"I'm Joey," came a sniffling voice. "Who are you?"

"Billy. Are you a human?"

"Yes, I am," said Joey. "Are you a ghost?"

"Yes," Billy managed.

"But you don't look scary, Billy."

"Neither do you," said Billy. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I was dreaming about Christmas. Then I woke up here," said Joey. "Maybe I'm still asleep."

"But how do I get home?" asked Joey.

"Maybe Scratchy Claws can take you," said Billy.

"Who is Scratchy Claws?" asked Joey.

"The jolliest ghost of all! His rain deer pull his sleigh on tiny black clouds."

Something about that sounded familiar to Joey, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Just then, they heard the faint jingling of chains, followed by the clop, clop, clop of tiny hooves on the roof.

"There's Scratchy Claws now!" cried Billy.

"Don't be scared," Billy told Joey. "Scratchy is kind, and he's the only one who can get you home."

The boys tiptoed into the living room as Scratchy climbed out of the chimney and dusted himself off.

"Boo-ho-ho!" Scratchy laughed when he spotted the garlic and curdled milk Billy had left him as a snack.

"Excuse me," Billy whispered.

Scratchy turned, saw Joey, and dropped the garlic.

"My goodness! Is that a human?"

"Yes, sir," said Billy. "He woke up in my room. Can you take him home?"

"Only if we leave before the first rays of morning light," said Scratchy. "There's terrible pressure between the dream world and the human world. Joey must sleep through the journey."

"How can we make him sleep?" asked Billy.

"I'll touch his nose," said Scratchy. "He won't wake until he is home. Is that all right, Joey?"

"Yes, sir," said Joey. "I just want to go home. I miss my parents."

"Don't worry, Joey," said Billy. "I'll be with you the whole way. That's what friends do - they make sure everything works out all right."

"You really are my friend, Billy," said Joey. "And you're not scary at all."

Scratchy touched Joey's nose. Joey yawned, closed his eyes, and was fast asleep. In an instant, Joey, Billy, and Scratchy were sitting in the sleigh.

"Hang on," said Scratchy. "This is going to be a bumpy ride."

Ahead, a giant tunnel of black clouds spiraled through the darkness.

"It looks scary," said Billy.

"I'll get us through," said Scratchy. "Just keep Joey asleep."

Billy wrapped an arm around his friend and held him tight. As the sleigh neared the tunnel, Billy's ears popped.

"Here we go!" yelled Scratchy.

The rain deer plunged into the darkness.

Images flickered inside the tunnel like a movie: Joey's parents decorating a Christmas tree, Joey asleep with a collie curled at his feet, Christmas carols, and a turkey dinner.

The pressure built. Billy held Joey tighter. Just when Billy thought he might explode, the sleigh shot out of the tunnel and landed with a tremendous THUMP on Joey's roof.

"Boo-ho-ho!" cried Scratchy Claws. "We made it!"

Billy helped Scratchy tuck Joey in just as the first ribbons of sunlight unfurled across the sky.

"Quick, we must get back," said Scratchy. "I still have work to do."

Back in the sleigh, Billy noticed something strange. All the beautiful black coal had turned into diamond dust.

"The pressure changed it," sighed Scratchy. "Diamond dust is no use to ghosts. At least there's plenty of coal back home at the South Pole."

"But look at the snow," said Billy. "Let's sprinkle the dust over it. When Joey wakes up, his whole world will shine."

"Now that," said Scratchy, "is a splendid idea!"

Billy and Scratchy scattered the diamond dust all over the freshly fallen snow.

"Oh, look!" cried Billy. "It sparkles!"

On the return trip, the tunnel showed Joey's parents waking him. Joey opened his eyes and smiled.

When they reached the ghost world, Scratchy turned to Billy.

"Now it's your turn. When I touch your nose, you'll fall asleep. When you wake, you won't remember the journey."

Scratchy touched Billy's nose.

"You've been a very brave ghost this year, Billy," he heard Scratchy say as he drifted off to sleep.

"Billy! Billy, wake up! It's Christmas morning!" cried Mrs. Booster.

Billy sprang from bed and ran to his stocking. Inside was the biggest, shiniest lump of coal he had ever seen.

Outside his window, the snow glittered like diamonds.