Watch your thoughts; they become actions

It was the first day of university, and the campus was abuzz- old students greeting their friends, and new students were nervously unpacking, anxious to meet their dorm mates. At the same time you could hear parents, some sniffling and crying, but all the time with a proud smile on their faces. It was a new beginning, and everyone was excited.

This excitement seemed to be personified by a bright, day glow orange jacket, donned by a boy with a childish grin on his face. "We're here, Vladdy," he half shouted. "We're actually here!"

Vlad smiled up at his best friend, well used to his enthusiasm. At first glance, they were as different as could be- Vlad was thin, his dark black hair cut to a sleek style. Jack Fenton, on the other hand, was a giant- an impression only emphasized for his love of bright neon clothes. His hair was a messy mop, and he was about as excitable as a small puppy.

Back in high school, where they had first met, kids had often wondered how someone as cool as Vlad could hang out with, well, a nerd. Vlad was handsome- Jack was not. Vlad was good at sports- Jack was not. Vlad was the one who got dates- Jack didn't. What on earth could they have in common?

But they were more similar than they seemed. Both of them loved physics. They were both filled with a fascination for the unknown- something that had them probing into the far reaches of outer space, atoms and even other dimensions.

And they just got along together. They laughed at the same jokes, watched the same type of lame B movies. Their similarities were stronger than their differences.

There was one difference, that even Vlad had to admit was rather odd….It was Jack's fascination with the paranormal. Things that couldn't be explained, that scientifically didn't exist. In particular, ghosts.

Jack was obsessed with the creatures. He wrote down every ghost story he heard, and watched the TV for any mention of hauntings. His closet was filled with magazines and books about ecto-plasm and un-explained phenomenon. More than once, Vlad had been forced to sit through ramblings on Jack's latest 'theory'. But they were friends, so Vlad bit back his frustration.

And since the two of them were best friends, they planned to go to university together. "It'll be a blast," Jack had said, and Vlad had thoroughly agreed with him.

They both wanted to take physics as a major, which was no surprise to their parents. Vlad wanted business as a minor. "An odd combination, I know," he told everyone who asked, "But it might be useful."

If Vlad's choices were unorthodox, they were nothing compared to Jack's. He wanted to study ghosts.

"Ghosts? What kind of university has a course on ghosts?" Mrs. Fenton had asked in exasperation.

It turned out that there was a university that had a course on the paranormal. Even better, it was in their state! So the two of them had written their applications, and before they knew it, they were off to Wisconsin U.

They'd been waiting for months. They were desperate to arrive on campus; to have their own dorm, to be free of parents, and to finally get the mental stimulation that they'd been craving. When the Monday first Monday morning of semester dawned, nothing could have stifled their excitement- not even the sleepiness that clogged their eyes. Unfortunately, their first class didn't go quite as expected…

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Their feet thundered on the ground as they tore across the campus. It was nearly deserted, everyone in class- except them, it seemed.

"We're late, we're late, we're late," Jack muttered in a mantra, broken up only by his heavy breathing.

Vlad's lithe form was ahead of him, his eyes constantly jumping down to the crumpled map in hand. "Right! Then left!"

When they finally barreled into the lecture hall panting, with sweat dripping into their eyes, they were fifteen minutes late. The professor, a short balding man, raised an eye-brow at them, but said nothing, and they quickly shuffled two a pair of seats in the large classroom. The professor carried on lecturing as if nothing had happened.

Part of the reason they'd picked this college was its relatively small size. But Vlad suddenly wished it was larger, so he could be swallowed by the crowd. They had prickled with embarrassment; but to their relief, a few other students trickled in late.

It might have been an awkward start, but the two of them were sure they'd make up for it next class.

They were wrong.

The first time Vlad put up their hand to answer a question, the teacher pointed to someone else. She was a tall, pretty girl- no, beautiful, Vlad had thought- with wavy auburn hair and lovely blue eyes. When she spoke, it was with a cool confidence. And she answered the question correctly.

That wasn't a problem. What was a problem was that when Vlad answered the next question, the girl corrected him.

Vlad's eyes widened. He never got anything wrong in physics. Jack patted him sympathetically (which was almost enough to knock him out of the chair). "First time for everything," he whispered.

It was the beginning to a rivalry between the girl and Vlad, and to a lesser extent, Jack. They fought to answer questions, to write the longest reports, to get the highest grades on their experiments. Vlad was constantly competing to beat the beautiful, intelligent girl. He rarely did. Sometimes, Vlad got infuriated at her, and simply didn't understand how Jack wasn't annoyed by the way she always got the better of them. Jack just shrugged, saying; "I'm pretty good, but I know when I'm beat."

One day, when they were writing up their conclusions just after physics class in a fast-food place, Vlad said; "I just need to get a good grade on this one. An amazing one."

Jack, who had never been known for his perceptiveness, looked up from his own work. "Why don't you just ask Maddie?"

"What?" he spluttered. "I couldn't do that!"

"Sure you could," Jack said in his big, booming voice, and promptly got up from his seat. As if in some cosmic joke, Madeline Kiem was sitting in the very same restaurant, just three tables to the right. Jack half-pulled, half-dragged a reluctant Vlad to where she was sitting. "Hey, Maddie."

The girl raised an eyebrow, watching Vlad trying to slink away. "Uh…hey Jack. It's Jack, right?"

"Yeah. My friend, Vlad, was wondering if you could give him a little help on his conclusion."

The girls next to Maddie gave a little giggle, and Vlad paled considerably. "Sure," Maddie purred, with a slightly arrogant edge to it. "I'd be happy to help."

Stifling a groan, Vlad sat down next to the girl who quickly looked over his work. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be helped by this girl. But thanks to Jack, he was, and there was no way he could back out of it now.

And so, he sat through it, sure that he was going to hate it.

But to his surprise, Madeline Kiem wasn't all that bad. She actually made good suggestions, giving him little ways he could improve his work. And whenever Jack came up with a nonsensical idea- which was often- she was able to sort it into something that was actually plausible. Vlad had expected her to be arrogant, but she wasn't. In fact, he really enjoyed working with her.

Plus, she was stunning. Vlad couldn't help but stare into her eyes, always fixed with concentration, which were a beautiful blue. The rest of her isn't too shabby, either, Vlad thought with a grin.

Looking back, Vlad could never remember exactly how it happened, but over the next few months, the three of them started working together more and more. It seemed that one day they were giving each other the occasional piece of advice, and the next they were hanging out in each others' dorms.

The three of them just clicked; Vlad couldn't explain it. They could all understand each other, no words necessary. They could speak their minds, and yet, didn't have to speak at all. The three of them were a dream team.

For a few peaceful months, everything went smoothly. Their friendship grew and grew, and everything seemed to have reached equilibrium.

One day, something changed.

The three of them had been working peacefully, writing up a report. It wasn't anything unusual- they often did it together, the three students bouncing ideas off each other. Then, Maddie dropped her pen. It fell to the floor with a clatter.

Vlad immediately leaned down t pick it up- Maddie did, too.

Their hands touched. Her hand was cool and smooth. Vlad felt as if he had been zapped. But it didn't hurt; it felt wonderful, exhilarating.

"Sorry," Vlad apologized for no real reason. He retracted his hand immediately, wondering if Maddie had felt the electric zap, too.

"It's no problem," Maddie told him as she sat back up. She looked into his eyes; once again he was struck by how amazing they were. A beautiful, radiant blue, like the ocean on a hot day.

Something kindled in him that day. Sure, Vlad had had crushes in his life before, he'd had dates- but this was different. This was a constant desire that seemed to fill his whole being. He found himself drawn to everything about her. When he heard Maddie's laugh, he couldn't help but laugh with it. He loved talking with her, sparring against her brilliant wit while soaking in the sound of her voice. Sometimes, for a fleeting second, he'd allow himself to touch her- a stroke of her hand, or their bodies brushing as they leaned over an experiment.

Not that he ever dared say anything to her. Suave, handsome Vlad Masters was suddenly nervous of rejection from the woman he loved.

But despite this constant fear, Vlad found himself in what he'd look back on as the happiest days of his life. The work was challenging, but invigorating. His love for Maddie was a secret piece of joy. He joined the football team, and enjoyed the physical exertion it gave him. University life was giving him a freedom he'd never felt before.

There were a few bad times; like that one day that he'd gone so crazy partying that he'd died on the exam the following day. Or there was that one time he completely lost his temper in business (his partners were idiots, it had to be said) and almost blown their project.

One of the worst incidents had happened a morning before business class. It was in that early period, where you weren't quite awake, and he and Jack blundered through the cafeteria like zombies. As they sat down for breakfast, Vlad went to check his bag, making sure he had his work- a large essay he'd been writing for a whole month.

Just then Jack reached across the table for some milk; his arm hit Vlad's bowl of cereal, pouring froot-loops all over him and his work. The whole table stared in horror; Jack began to apologize profusely. But the damage was done. Vlad had no choice but to show a milky mass of paper, barely legible, to the professor. "It's not my fault," he had said, but the man didn't seem to believe him. Vlad had walked back to his desk, glaring at the floor. It's not my fault. It's Jack's fault- Jack's!

But overall, life was pretty good.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

There was one day though, near the end of their third year in university that everything changed again. He was going to hang out at the bar, something that wasn't exactly unusual for a university student. "Coming?" he had called at Jack as he pulled on his shoes.

"No," the larger man called from the kitchen, digging around for fudge. "Me and Mads are meeting up later. We need to do some final tuning on the proto-portal."

Vlad rolled his eyes, and not just at the bad grammar. The proto-portal. Of all the things they could do for an experiment, they had to choose something as ludicrous as a doorway into the realm of the dead. Vlad just didn't know how Jack had managed to suck Maddie into such a crazy idea; it sounded like something from one of the horror films they watched. "Okay," Vlad shouted back, with just a touch of sarcasm. "See you later."

It was only a quick fifteen minutes to 'The Barking Spider' a small little bar that was pretty much the place for college students. It was a small, brown building, with the insignia of a dog-spider creature hanging above the door.

When he entered, he was greeted by the familiar chatter, smiling faces, and the warm smell of beer. He was waved over by a group of friends, and with a grin, started towards them.

"Hey," greeted Harriet, a pretty girl who majored in journalism. "Where are the love birds?"

"Lovebirds?" Vlad echoed in confusion. He didn't know any lovebirds.

A guy next to him, Bill, snorted and nearly choked on his drink. "Yeah, you know," continued Harry, with a look towards her friend. "Jack and Maddie."

What? Jack and Maddie, lovebirds? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! The thoughts came like a torrent, filling his find in a wave of shock. But out loud all he said was, "They're not lovebirds."

Harry rolled her brown eyes. "Yeah, that's what they think. I mean, honestly- the blushing, the smiling, the looking into each other's eyes….I'm betting on them getting together by the end of the term."

"I'm betting that they get together by the end of the month," put in Christine, a girl that Vlad had in his business class.

"You're on."

Vlad felt as if his insides were being turned to ice. Jack and Maddie?...it couldn't be. He tried to remember anything unusual- a look? Any flirting? He honestly couldn't remember them doing anything out of the ordinary.

But they have been spending a lot of time alone, working on that proto-portal, he reminded himself.

No, Vlad thought. They can't have feelings for each other. Jack wouldn't do that to him. They were best friends. Surely Jack would have noticed….he wouldn't overstep that invisible boundary….would he?

Suddenly, Vlad felt a wave of rage lick up inside him. Of course, Jack wouldn't- no, couldn't- do that. It was impossible. Jack was excitable, dim, and about as handsome as road kill. There was no way Maddie- beautiful, sophisticated Maddie- would fall for a guy like Jack. It went against nature.

He didn't stay at the bar long.

When he arrived back home, Jack was sitting at the desk working, with papers scattered haphazardly across the table. The large man was plugging numbers into his calculator, and quickly jotting them down.

Vlad craned his neck over his shoulder, and looked at the page. For some reason, he suddenly felt very angry.

"It's not going to work, you know," he muttered savagely. He wasn't just talking about the proto-portal.

Jack, being his usual, oblivious self, ignored the tone of voice. "Sure it will, V-man! You just need to have a little faith."

Vlad made a wordless grunt and stalked off to his bed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The day of the experiment dawned bright and clear. Maddie and Jack had invited anyone who wanted to see the unveiling to come; nobody did. But it didn't dampen their spirits. This was the product of two years of hard work. Their hearts were swelling with pride, even without an audience.

This was also an important day for Vlad, although not because of the portal. Honestly, he wouldn't be all that bothered if it failed, if it weren't so important to his friends. No, this was something different.

For the last few months he'd been laying down hints. He'd comment on her looks and clothes, give especially bright smiles. But today was the day he'd finally worked up the courage to tell her. He planned it all out in his head; "Maddie, my dearest….for a long time I've had this feeling about you. You're beautiful, smart, kind, and I was wondering- do you want to go steady?"

And in his mind, Maddie would smile, her ocean-like eyes lighting up, and she'd fall into his arms. "Of course, Vlad!" And Jack would just have to watch on, helpless to stop it. He'll be happy for us, in the end, Vladthought. He'll find another girl, one more suited to him.

Of course, things hardly ever go as planned, and this was no exception.

Vlad was nervous. Very nervous. It felt strange admitting the feelings he'd kept secret for all this time. He was so afraid he was going to chicken out. So, just as the she and Jack were preparing the ghost portal, he decided to get moving, before he lost his nerve.

"Maddie," he said, trying to put all his love into one word, "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time…."

The red-head didn't even look up from the device she was fiddling with. "One second, Vlad….Jack- did you remember to fill the filter with ecto-purifier?"

Vlad steadied himself. He needed to be patient. There was no way that Maddie was going to focus on him right now. All he needed to do was wait. To pass the time, he drifted towards the proto-portal, inspecting it critically. It looked impressive, he had to admit, but impressive in the same way as something from a Star Trek episode- and everyone knew how sound that science was.

He heard the other two talking in the background; Jack yelled "BONZAI", and suddenly there was an explosion of green light. It burned as his retinas, penetrated his skin. It felt like acid was eating away his face, like a thousand needles were being plunged into his brain. He screamed, a horrible scream, but he couldn't even feel his mouth making the sound. All he could feel was pain.

The light vanished, but the pain still licked at him. Vlad stumbled away blindly, nearly crumbling to his knees. He opened his eyes, and the world swayed violently.

Across the room, his two friends stared at him, horror on their faces. Maddie moved to step forward, but stopped at the last moment, too afraid to come.

"What?" Vlad said, in a cracked voice that hardly seemed human. "What's happened to me?"

He staggered to a lab-table, leaning heavily onto it. He stared down into his distorted reflection in the metallic surface; he stared angrily for several moments, not comprehending what he saw. His hair was frizzed up, a dead white colour, belonging on the skull of an old man. His eyes seemed unfocused. But most horrible of all, was his face; it was covered in horrible lumps, green and sickly, like acne from Hell.

His face was disfigured.

He breathed heavily, fear and anger raging up at him. "What…God, no. No!"

"Maddie," Jack said in a hushed tone, as if afraid to speak loudly. "Find a phone. We need to call the hospital."

At the sound of Jack's voice, Vlad whipped around, the world tilting dangerously. "You!" he pointed a finger at Jack. "You did this!"

The other man shook his head, a horrible guilt etched on his face. "No…no, Vlad, I didn't mean-"

"I told you! I told you this wouldn't work!"

Maddie was standing in the door, staring horrified at her friends. "Vlad! Please, sit down- we didn't mean….you need to relax, please!"

They both ignored her.

"You've destroyed everything! Look at me, Jack! LOOK AT ME!"

A terrible, rasping sob escaped his lips, and Vlad sunk to the floor.

Watch your thoughts, they become words