The Jungle Ghost, Part 1

Things were simpler. It is true we had to constantly hunt for our own food. Shere Khan wanted to kill me. And you never knew when men would appear with spears. But... it was home.

## The Jungle Ghost, Part 1

### Premiere date

November 1, 2019

**The Jungle Ghost, Part 1** is the third episode of season one of Ghostwriter. It serves as the first part of the second story arc.

## Synopsis

Ghostwriter releases Mowgli from The Jungle Book to help find Grandma's missing cat.

## Plot

The crew is brought to the typewriter where Ghostwriter is frantically typing "HELP ME" on the page. They are puzzled by the message and try to decipher its meaning, but their discussion is interrupted when a period is mysteriously inserted. As they leave the room, a book is glowing on a shelf.

The scene shifts to an alley where Donna creates a text chain or group chat for the crew, planning to meet up the next day. There is a sudden appearance of an ominous black figure with piercing yellow eyes lurking between the stairs.

The next morning, Ernesto and Amy engage in an argument about changes needed in the bookstore, starting with an antique cash register. Ernesto mentions a cat named Spinoza that supposedly lives in the alley behind the bookstore, but Amy and Ruben claim to have never seen her. Ruben leaves for school, grabbing his grandpa's bagel on the way.

Donna and Curtis are greeted by their father, George, who is praised for the new bunk beds he got for them. Donna is excited about the opportunity to redecorate their room, but Curtis disagrees with her decisions. Their argument escalates as they discuss Curtis taking too much time in the bathroom, which leads to their pet dog, Rocco, not being walked. George reveals that he has taken time off work to attend Curtis' game, but Curtis lies that he won't be playing due to a shoulder injury caused by a pulled muscle.

In Mr. Saunders' class, Curtis approaches his teacher about his low grade and tries to convince him to change it, mentioning their shared experience in sports. However, Mr. Saunders explains that school policy prohibits grade changes and informs Curtis that he will no longer be able to play basketball. Frustrated but determined, Curtis proposes a solution to retake the test to improve his grade, only to have his idea rejected as unfair to other students.

After school, the crew gathers at the entrance of the school when Ghostwriter suddenly appears, writing "THIS WAY" with a yellow chalk. Intrigued, they follow Ghostwriter's guidance and end up at a peculiar building with an unexpected jungle inside. They encounter a talking pigeon who pleads for food. Just then, a strange boy appears, observing the crew and asking if they can also communicate with animals. Donna realizes the boy has a talent for climbing trees and talking to animals, resembling Mowgli from "The Jungle Book." The crew is amazed by this discovery and offers to help Mowgli, who explains that he sought refuge in the human world to escape a tiger named Shere Khan. They agree to assist him in fitting into the city.

Mowgli impulsively eats a "track" left by an animal in the alley, much to Chevon's disgust. Donna brings out "The Jungle Book" with the words mysteriously disappeared. A talking mouse named Gracie appears when Mowgli takes some of his food, surprising the crew. They inquire about Spinoza, but Gracie denies any knowledge of the cat. They interview the following animals about Spinoza:

* A squirell gets confused about the topic and talks about a cluster of acorns. But eventually speaks about a large animal that took her away; specifically a monkey on another monkey's shoulders.
* A moth starts speaking about her but refuses to speak worrying what she'll do to her.
* A snail slowly speaks and leads to Donna being angered as he was speaking about someone wearing a purple coat.

They eventually get nowhere. They reconvene and agree to continue their search the next day. Chevon shares her dislike of animals, recounting an incident where she was nearly attacked by a dog. Curtis invites Mowgli to his place, where his dad offers to make sandwiches. Donna takes this opportunity to communicate with Rocco, their frustrated pet dog.

Back at the apartment, Rocco complains about his food and care, which disappoints Donna. Both Donna and Curtis are shocked to discover that Rocco speaks with a French accent. Rocco takes offense when Mowgli mistakenly calls him a "little wolf," proclaiming himself as a purebred dog. Rocco and Mowgli clash over their differences, and Rocco dramatically leaves the room.

The following morning, the crew walks down the hallway, discussing Mowgli's life in the book. Donna unveils a notebook she worked on all night, inspired by Rocco's judgmental glares that kept her awake. The notebook focuses on Ghostwriter and the crew's clues, emphasizing the need to find Spinoza before returning Mowgli to the book. They head to their respective classes.

To everyone's surprise, Mowgli suddenly appears in Curtis' class and climbs onto Mr. Saunders' table. Curtis frantically signals Mowgli to get down, but the entire class, including Mr. Saunders, fails to notice Mowgli's presence. Curtis improvises by empathizing with a character from a book they were discussing, successfully deflecting attention away from Mowgli. After class, Curtis approaches Mowgli to understand his reason for being at school. They encounter a snake named Mr. Slithers, who surprises Curtis with her female voice. Mr. Slithers (now known as Joan) advises Curtis to approach retaking his test with honesty and sincerity.

Meanwhile, Ruben is seen creating missing posters for Spinoza, which shocks Amy. Amy gives Ruben a shawarma and reminisces about her teenage days. She puts on a purple coat before heading down to the bookstore. Ruben recalls the clues from the animals and accuses Amy of taking Spinoza. Reluctantly, Amy admits to taking the cat, believing Spinoza was just a stray and taking her to an animal shelter. However, Spinoza escaped from the cab during the journey, leaving Amy feeling remorseful as she walks away.

Late at night, Rocco vents his frustrations to Donna about mistreatment and neglect. Donna counters by revealing that she has to go to her mom's place three days a week due to her parents' divorce. Curtis wonders where Mowgli is and finds him outside, gazing at the stars. Mowgli expresses his longing for the jungle, and Donna and Curtis share their own feelings of missing their parents' togetherness. Donna sympathizes with Rocco, and they collectively come up with resolutions to improve their relationships.

The crew visits an animal shelter to find Spinoza, but they are devastated to find Mowgli heartbroken by the sight of caged animals. Spinoza is present but remains silent. Suddenly, Mowgli goes missing, and the animals in the shelter start to run away. The crew gives chase, determined to find Mowgli and uncover the mystery surrounding the escaped animals.

## Co-Starring

* Nicola Correia-Damude as Amy Reyna
* Jay Santiago as Grandpa Ernesto Reyna
* Carlos Gonzales-Vio as George Moreno
* Michael Brown as Mr. Saunders
* Julian Zane as Mowgli
* Reetu Bambrah as Animal Shelter Employee
* Daniel Matmor as Rusty (voice)
* Tyler Muree as Pigeon (voice)
* Angela Asher as Mouse (voice)
* David Berni as Squirrel (voice)
* Kathryn Greenwood as Moth (voice)
* Adam Cawley as Snail (voice)
* Eric Charbonneau as Rocco (voice)
* Kyra Harper as Mr. Slithers
* Christopher Michael Jones as Pepper (voice)

## Quotes

"Fear cannot be without hope. Nor hope without fear." Nothing? Baruch Spinoza, rationalist philosopher? The great freethinker of the 17th century.

**Donna:** Curtis took too long in the bathroom.**Curtis:** Hey, hair like this doesn't just happen.

I'd be an awesome ghost. I never finish anything.

Well, technically, we did speak to a rabbit yesterday.

Give me back my pizza, and I'll tell you everything I know. [takes pizza piece] Haven't seen her.

**Rocco:** When's the last time you walked me? Or even threw the ball in my direction?**Mowgli:** What a strange little wolf. Right. Doggy.

It's Joan, actually. Mr. Slithers; a little on the nose, don't you think.

I was not running *with* the dogs. I was running *away* from the dogs. Commoners, all of them.

There goes my promotion.

## Trivia

* Mr. Saunders played baseball in which he was a shortstop till college.
* A dog nearly attacked Chevon in front of the post office on the Fifth in which she took the long way home to avoid her.
* Rocco is of French descent due to his father.