Danny gasped for breath as pain shot up his leg. He held back a cry and shot the glowing green creature off of him with an ectoblast. It whined before shaking its head. The creature seemed to be a combination of bear and wolf, similar to one of Vlad's animal experiments. Ectoplasm dripped from its maw. More ectoplasm and blood covered its body, matting its fur. An ugly site and he didn't want to be the next victim.
Danny rose from the ground, wincing at his screaming left leg. He glanced down, seeing and feeling the cold ectoplasm running down his leg and pool on the concrete ground. The thought of possibly acquire rabies from a ghost animal bubbled in the back of his mind. He had other matters to worry about. The growling set any further thoughts aside. It bared its teeth before charging at him again.
He held up his hands and a neon green dome surrounded him. The creature thumped against the shield and began clawing at it, trying to tear through the shield. When it figured out clawing was a waste of time, Danny felt his heart drop. The beast walked down the alley before returning at full speed and pounced on the shield. Cracks and fractures scattered across the top of the dome.
Danny stared wide eyed at the creature above him as it began pounding away where it cracked his shield. If it gets through- CRACK. Before Danny could process what was happening, it fell on top of him. The tons of weight of the ghost animal held him down, crushing his ribs. He was blessed in ghost mode for the lack of need to breathe.
The creature roared in victory. It won. He lost. His vision began to fade in and out. It was over. The beast looked down on him from its 'perch', breathing in it's soon-to-be-meal's face. The scent of musty air and blood attacked his nose. The creature shifted, breaking more of Danny's bones as it adjusted itself. As it leaned down near Danny's face, Danny closed his eyes and braced for the teeth to sink in.
It never came.
A bright light flashed and the pain was gone. The burning, aching, sharp pains everything… was gone. Puzzled, Danny opened one of his eyes and found himself floating above a building. One of the buildings overlooking the alleyway he originally found the creature gnawing at its previous meal. He flew down, finding the mess the creature left from Danny interrupting it. Broken bones covered in torn flesh and organs. The ground soaked in a pool of blood. Danny turned away and did his best to keep himself from throwing up. The area reeked of death.
He flew above the buildings and took a deep breath to cleanse his lungs and head of the stench. He needed to find the creature again… He needed to stop the attacks. Closing his eyes, he played through his memories, attempting to recollect what happened when he awoke. Something felt amiss, but now was not the time to dwell on it. The thing could be hunting its next victim for all he knew.
Flying through the sky, he zipped over the buildings, scanning alley ways and searching the streets for the ghost animal. It has to be around here somewhere… Danny slowed his pace as he began recognizing the area. Before he passed out, or he assumed was the case, he and the creature fought it out between a flower shop and an apartment complex. Pausing at the entrance eyes caught a faint green glow at the far end of the alleyway.
Danny swallowed. This was it. He floated towards the end of the alleyway. The stench of death rammed him in the nostrils. He hoped to not run into the putrid scent twice in one night. Unfortunately before he could properly hold down his stomach contents the creature noticed his presence. It turned to him, muzzle soaked in blood. He was too late; the creature already claimed a new victim.
It moved towards him before standing on its hind legs and showing him its gaping mouth. His eyes narrowed. He was scared out of his wits and about ready to throw up, but he could not back down. Not now. He had to end this. He threw a couple ectoblasts in the creature's direction. It stumbled, but did not fall. Getting down on all fours it charged at him. Danny flew up and behind it before sending another volley of ectoblasts. It whined like a wounded dog. He reached behind his back for his thermos. It's not there. He felt his stomach drop. He had the thermos, he had it on him. Where did it go!?
Danny's eyes quickly scanned the alley, wondering if he had dropped the thermos in the middle of the fight. As the creature slowly recovered, Danny's attention was captured by the creature's most recent victim and instantly recognized him. Danny felt his throat burn as he restrained himself. What he saw was impossible. It had to be some sort of trick, yet there he was, lying dead on the ground in a pool of blood and ectoplasm. It was his body. Throat and chest torn, bones broken, the corpse was similar to the others in the attacks. Tears began running down his face as he turned towards the creature. Any pity Danny had for it was gone. His corpse will be the last.
Months went by before the talk of the attacks were settled when a large creature was found decomposing near the abandoned train tracks, close to where the first attack on the late train conductor occurred. The body was gorged on and little of its flesh remained. It was later tested and found the creature had died before the attacks on the town began. The Fentons of course jumped on the theory that the creature's ghost haunted the town. The only evidence to support their theory was a pool of ectoplasm found at the entrance to the alleyway where the body of their late son was found. Without living witnesses to support their testimonies, the theory remained as such, a theory. After all, ghosts cannot harm the living.