Rachel Leavenworth
Spirit Liaison
"Don't mess with the dead chick!
Er... could you put that proton pack away, please?"
"Don't mess with the dead chick!
Er... could you put that proton pack away, please?"
History: The ghost town of Columbia, California was not considered to be literally so... until a massive renovation project began there in 1945, rousing a dormant spirit which had long haunted the abandoned Columbia House Hotel. The "haunted hotel" was purchased and opened for business in 1960 by the Menenzes family: John, Carol, and their ten-year-old son, Garret. Several ghost hunters attempt to contact its resident spirit, but the ghost evaded them and began her bid for silent co-existence with the living. Garret proved more sensitive than the adults surrounding him and befriended the ghost, who had lost all memories of her past life. He simply called her "The Blue Girl", and the pair got on quite well. Garret's energy soon rubbed off on Blue Girl, and the faded specter began to recover a bit of verve. She learned how the world had changed by listening to conversations and watching televisions. She was not confined to the hotel: in fact, she accompanied the boy nearly everywhere he went.
When Garret Menenzes took over the Columbia House Hotel from his retiree parents, he agreed to let her stay in the hotel, but on the condition that she continue to behave herself. In 1987, an amateur ghost hunter came to the Columbia House Hotel in search of his deceased aunt, Rachel Leavenworth. Instead of his aunt, he found the amnesiac resident spirit. He was so certain that "The Blue Girl" was his aunt that she could not find the heart to correct him. Unable to remember her true identity, she simply called herself "Rachel" from that point onward.
Garret Menenzes retired from hotel management in 2000 and passed the Columbia House Hotel on to his oldest two children, Charles and Sarah. They grudgingly allowed "Rachel" to stay there. Strange occurrences soon followed, which Rachel found herself taking the blame for. To clear her name and avoid eviction, Rachel revealed the mischief was the work of a band of Dust Monsters, Old Western spirits who died in the 1878 Columbia Fire and took on corporeal forms made of clay dust. She attempted to rid the hotel of them, but her solution was only temporary and they returned in a month. Tired of fighting a losing battle, the Menenzes family purchased the Aladdin Motor Inn on the other side of Tuolumne County and left the haunted Columbia House Hotel to be dismantled a few years later.
The Columbia House Hotel was destroyed and its effects auctioned off in 2005, but the Dust Monsters it housed were undeterred. They moved on to terrorize the entire Columbia State Historic Park. Suddenly homeless, Rachel left Columbia and headed south to apply for residence at Disneyland.
The resort turned down "Rachel's" request to take up residence in one of its attractions, claiming the Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror were both full to capacity. Rachel vented her frustration by causing the Matterhorn attraction to leak green slime for nearly an hour, until a phony psychic was summoned to boot her out. Rachel wandered to Long Beach and spent time aboard the Queen Mary, communicating with the ghost hunters that frequented the permanently moored cruise ship. One of them, Kitty LeChat, made a drawing of Rachel and posted it on the Internet. Another, Erika Frost, was afterwards hired to be resident psychic and tour guide, despite her inability to properly classify Rachel.
She spent a few months providing special effects for B movies, but quickly grew bored with this occupation. Tired of killing time, Rachel drifted northward and stumbled upon the GBWC headquarters. After a few delays and false starts, she applied to become a member of the GBWC staff. Though at first apprehensive, the crew quickly warmed up to her personable spirit.
After a period where she acted almost as though she was crushing in Mick Nielson, she has more recently begun a weird romance with Jeremy Hicks.
Rachel also has a living counterpart on the "Flip Side" named Ellie, which reflects [This Content Still Classified to GBI Members without Clearance Level 4 or Above]
Miscellaneous: Somewhat frightened of rejection; consequently, is driven to make herself useful at all times. Has sometimes been derisively called "The Jar Jar Binks of the Spirit World" as a result. Cleans the HQ whenever unoccupied.
Highly nocturnal. Can be heard loading the dishwasher at all hours.
Enjoys humming and even sings quietly when she thinks no one else can hear her.
When upset or depressed (usually when attempting to recall details of former life), spectral "skin" and "garments" degrade to flakes and ashes, revealing a crumbling skeleton. Also gives off scent of smoke, sometimes strong enough to set off fire alarms.
Rachel's presence attracts other paranormal phenomena of an unknown nature. These phenomena do not seem attached or allied to her in any way and behave in an eminently malevolent manner.
Can spontaneously generate flame from atmospheric oxygen.
Has been known to generate flows of green slime on rare occasions (when frustrated or angry).
Attempts to avoid screaming-- this tends to turn other people's hair white.
Air temperature varies on a scale between 98 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit in areas immediately surrounding her presence depending upon her attitude.
Benign, non-confrontational, but able and willing to defend self from perceived danger. Feisty; a bit of a wisecracker. Ferociously loyal.
Nicknamed "Cellophane" by Andy Harness. In retaliation, she occasionally slimes his bunk.
