"Fat Cat, are you here?" Chip called out in a whispering tone.

"Mate, I'm afraid to say it, but I think Fat Cat tricked us." Monterey Jack said.

"I'm starting to wonder that myself." Chip said.

As Chip and Monterey converse about the next steps of the plan, Dale hears his name being called by what sounds like his mother.

"Daleā€¦" The voice whispered.

Dale approached the voice. "Mom?" Dale whispered.

There was no response but a tug on his jacket. Dale turned. There was nothing but darkness.

"Come closer, Dale." The voice called out.

Dale was now becoming frightened. He was about to call out for Chip before being startled by a shadow figure.

"Say where's Dale?" Chip asked.

A scream from Dale was heard in the distance.

"Dale?" Chip called out.

Dale ran and knocked Chip over, crying and shaking from fear. Something obviously scared the life right out of Dale. He was pale looking, almost as if he saw a ghost.

"I wanna go home." Dale pleaded as tears continued to fall

Chip sat Dale up and attempted to calm him down from his hysterical state.

"It's okay, Dale. There's nothing here that's going to hurt you." Chip said.

Dale nodded as he wiped his tears with his sleeve. "I heard a voice say my name. It sounded like mom." Dale said.

Chip smiled and sighed. "Dale, Mom's been gone for years. Chip said.

"I know, it's just the voice sounded like her," Dale said.

Chip stood up and helped Dale to his feet. "Well, let's go investigate this voice then." Chip said.

As the rangers pressed on through the dark warehouse with only a small glow stick as their light, they were determined to find out what led them here and where Fat Cat went.

"Would you get a gander at that?" Monterey Jack stated.

"What is it, Monterey?" Dale asked.

"It's those footprints again." Monterey Jack said.

"Come on, let's follow them." Chip said.

The Rangers continued forward, following the footprints to where they led too. However, they came to a horrific discovery when they got to the end of them. Fat Cat was crushed underneath a collapsed shelf. There was no way he survived. Monterey, Jack instantly gagged at sight.

Chip winced at the sight. "Dale, don't look." He said.

"What is it?" Dale asked.

Chip attempted to restrain Dale from getting a better look at what everyone saw; he caught a glimpse of what looked like Fat Cat.

"Well, I guess we found him. Another mission completed, I guess," Monterey Jack said.

"No, Monterey, this mission is far from over. This didn't happen by accident. We need to search for clues. Someone is here, and someone caused this. Let's split up to cover more ground. I'll go with Dale. You three go that way." Chip instructed, pointing in a direction.

The Rangers split up once more. Chip and Dale investigate Fat Cat's corpse.

"Find anything, Chip?" Dale asked

"No, which is odd. It's almost like the thing vanished." Chip said.

A voice called out to Chip and Dale that sounded identical to Monterey Jack.

"Pallys, are you over here?" The voice called out.

"Yeah, Monterey, we're still searching over here." Chip said.

A minute goes by without a response.

"Monterey?" Chip called out.

To Chip's surprise, there was no sign of Monterey Jack anywhere, but Chip swore he heard his voice almost as if he was right next to him.

Chip turned to Dale. "Did you hear Monterey Jack call out to us just a moment ago?" He asked.

Dale shook his head. "Oh no, nobody said anything, Chip." He replied.

Chip scratched his chin. "I swore I heard him call out to us," Chip said.

"Maybe you're just tired. Dale said.

"Maybe." Chip said.

Gadget then returned without Zipper and Monterey Jack. She appeared on edge and anxious, which was uncommon for Gadget.

"Um, Chip, you haven't seen Monterey or Zipper have you?" Gadget asked.

"No, they were with you, weren't they?" Chip asked.

"Um, they said they heard you call them, and so they followed the direction of the voice, but I haven't seen them since." Gadget explained.

"Um, we didn't say anything. Chip thought Monterey was calling out to us," Dale said.

"Okay, this is really weird. I think we should find Monterey and Zipper and leave." Gadget said.

"I agree. Come on, Dale." Chip said.

The three searched the warehouse with their dim glow stick light, searching for Monterey Jack and Zipper. However, it was no use; they couldn't find them. They eventually reached the warehouse door and were standing in the doorway opening.

Chip turned to Gadget, who disappeared. "Gadget?" Chip said.

Dale gasped. "She's gone too," Dale said in a nervous voice.

"Don't panic, Dale. There has to be a logical explanation for this." Chip said.

"Yeah, let's get the heck out of here while we still can," Dale said, trying to run for the plane.

Chip grabbed Dale by the coat and turned him around. "I know you're scared; I am too. But, these are our friends and friends stick together. We need to find them." Chip said.

"But what if you disappear?" Dale said in a somber tone.

Chip sighed and offered his paw to Dale. "Take my paw and hold it tight. Then I can't go missing." Chip said.

Dale nodded and took Chip's paw into his own. "Okay, Chip," Dale said.

The two proceeded back into the warehouse. They searched carefully, attempting to remain undetected.

Chip winced. "Dale, could you not squeeze so hard. You're cutting the circulation off to this paw." Chip said in a flustered tone.

"Sorry," Dale replied.

Chip sighed. "It's not your fault. I'm just a little annoyed as to what happened to everyone." He explained.

Dale nodded. "I understand." He said.

Dale then spotted a picture of Chip on the ground. The kind of picture that Gadget carried on her.

Dale let go of Chip's paw and ran to pick up the picture. "Hey, Chip, look what I found." He said.

Dale turned around to see Chip had vanished.

"Chip?" Dale said in a soft tone.

Just as Dale turned around, a shelf came crashing down. He screamed, and just as the shelf came close to him, Dale jolted awake. He was home in his and Chip's bedroom. He was lying on Chip's bed. Chip came into the bedroom just as Dale began scanning his surroundings.

"Dale, I'm so glad you're awake." Chip said.

"Chip, you're alive," Dale said.

This response took Chip back and made him confused.

"Of course I'm alive, Dale. I'm just glad I can say the same about you. You took a nasty hit to the head at that warehouse when that shelf collapsed." Chip explained.

Dale felt the bandages on his head. "You mean it was all a dream? Helping Fat Cat with that map mystery and the footprints, it wasn't real?" Dale said.

"Um, I'm not sure what you're talking about. We went to that warehouse for a costume party. You bumped into one of the shelves, and it collapsed on you. Fat Cat wasn't there." Chip said.

Dale sighed with relief. "But it felt real," Dale said.

"Dale, I'm sure it was just a bad dream. It wouldn't be the first one you've ever had." Chip said.

Dale sighed. "I know, it just felt like it actually happened," Dale said.

"Well, what if we went back tomorrow, and I showed you in daylight what actually is there." Chip said.

Dale was hesitant at first but then agreed to the idea to satisfy his curiosity.

"Okay, Chip," Dale said.

Chip ruffled Dale's hair with a smirk. "Good, now get some rest. Will go out first thing tomorrow morning." Chip said.

Chapter 3:

The next morning Chip, Dale and the others headed out to the warehouse near Erie Basin Park. Upon arrival, Dale almost didn't recognize the place in the daylight. It was different from what he remembered in his dream. It appeared more 'inviting' to say the least.

"Well, here we are, Dale." Chip said.

Dale swallowed hard. "I don't know if I want to go inside." He said.

"Come on, and there's nothing to be scared of in here." Chip said.

"What were we doing here anyway last night?" Dale asked.

"You don't remember the party we had? It was packed with animals from all over the city. It was going fine until you pulled that little stunt." Monterey Jack explained.

"Stunt?" Dale questioned.

"You climbed that shelf over yonder, trying to get something, and it fell on you." Monterey Jack explained.

"Oh," Dale said.

The memories were still unclear to Dale. All he could remember was the nightmare that unfolded last night.

"Well, come on, gang. Let's get this over with." Chip said.

They then all proceeded into the warehouse. It was bright inside as everything was illuminated by the sun coming through the windows.

"See Dale, nothing to be afraid of." Chip said.

"Gosh, it sure is different than I remember," Dale said as he scanned the warehouse.

"So, are you good to go home now?" Chip asked.

"Not just yet. You said that there were a lot of animals here last night, right?" Dale asked.

Chip shrugged. "Yeah, a decent amount." He said.

"Was Fat Cat here?" Dale asked.

"He was, but not for long. He was picking up something. We would've gone after him, but you had the shelf fall on you, so we just took you home." Chip explained.

"Hm, so some stuff makes sense as to why I dreamed about it, but there are still some things that don't add up," Dale said.

"Like what?" Gadget asked.

"I saw my Mom in that dream," Dale said.

This made Chip raise suspicion and was more engaged.

"But Dale, Mom's been gone for years. She wouldn't have been here." Chip said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Dale said.

Chip placed his paw along Dale's shoulder. "Come on, let's go home." He said.

Dale sighed. "Okay." He replied.

Just as the Rangers prepare to leave, Dale hears a noise.

"Um, Chip," Dale said.

"What is Dale?" Chip asked.

Dale pointed. "I heard something over there." He said.

Chip sighed. "Dale, there's nothing there." He said.

"But," Dale said.

Chip sighed once more. "Fine, let's go." He said.

Chip and Dale walked into the warehouse to investigate the noise.

"See Dale, nothing." Chip said in a flustered tone.

Dale's eyes widened, and he slowly lifted his arm to point at something. "W-What's that then!" Dale exclaimed in a frightened tone.

Chip turned and came face to face with the ghost.

"You're right, Chip, there is nothing here. Except for us, hahaha." The ghost flew away with a sinister laugh.

Chip and Dale clenched onto each other. "Ghost!" They screamed.

[The scene changes to Dale awakening in a hospital room.]

"Where am I?" Dale asked.

"Dale, you're awake!" Chip exclaimed.

"Why am I here?" Dale asked.

"When you ran ahead looking for candy, you slipped on some ice on the sidewalk." Chip explained.

"So, there was no party?" Dale asked.

"Not unless you consider spending the night in the hospital a party, then no, there was no party." Chip said.

"No explosion in the park?" Dale asked.

"What explosion?" Chip asked.

"Ugh, I'll explain it to you later," Dale said, lying back down in his bed.

The nurse then entered the room. She was identical to the ghost in Dale's dream. Dale's eyes widened greatly as she came closer.

She chuckled. "Mr. Oakley, you look like you've seen a ghost." She commented.

Dale sighed. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." He said.

The End.

(I do hope you've enjoyed this story. Yes, it is a rather short story, but it is a holiday special, and I couldn't really justify making it an incredibly long story. However, there is a longer Thanksgiving special coming soon, so look out for that. It should be released on the 25th of November. With that said, if you've liked the story, write a review. It helps me to continue writing stories that you enjoy reading. Happy Halloween!)