This is a rewrite of chapter one, since I hadn't meant to publish the unfinished draft. So yeah.. Hopefully this is better. Feel free to leave a review or suggestions for improvement. Thank you, and enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor will I ever own Danny Phantom, the show belongs to it's rightful creator Butch Hartman.
It was quiet night and there was a biting chill in the air, even in my ghost form I could feel the bitter cold seep deep in my bones, I shivered and let out a sigh. I was alone for tonight's patrol, giving Sam and Tucker a break they both needed. Thankfully it seems like a slow night, though knowing my luck something's bound to happen. Despite being relieved from the lack of ghosts, I couldn't help but feel off edge, it was just too quiet, where were all the people? Dread started pooling in my stomach, making me feel ill as I continued to fly. Everything began to feel off, where were the normal attacks, not even the Box Ghost is here. What's happening? Is there something I'm missing, is there something going on? This almost reminds me of Nocturne, but different, more dangerous.
Screaming burst through the eerie silence, my ghost sense going off with it. Shaking myself from my thoughts I begin to make my way to the source. Coming upon an alleyway I notice a motionless person slumped upon the wall, she just stared blankly ahead. Looking closer at her, she has deathly pale skin and lips tinged blue. I approach the girl, but as I near her there's a shadow that dashes off before I could even tell what it was. Focusing on the girl, I call out to her in concern I ask "Hey? Are you alright?" getting no response from her I try again, "What happened? Do you need some help?" this time she raises her gaze to me, her eyes looked empty or lost. Feeling unsettled I try to offer her a hand, she stays still for a moment but reaches up. As her hand touches mine I'm startled by how cold it is, "You're freezing! I think I'm going to take you to the hospital, okay?" she still doesn't respond but she allows me to scoop her into my arms. Flying off to the hospital I can't help but wonder just what happened, though I hope she'll be alright.
Letting out a tired sigh I head inside the entrance of the school, there are people crowding the halls getting ready for class or just talking with their friends. Making my way to my locker I can hear the gossip about the girl I found yesterday, tuning in I hear that her name is Cindy and she was found in the hospital with a case of moderate hypothermia, well that explains why she was so cold. Though I can't help but think that's not the end of this, I mean sure it was cold last night but she wasn't soaked or even under dressed for it, something's just not right here, I should keep an eye on things just to be careful.
The sound of someone speaking broke me from my thoughts, "Yo, earth to Danny?" I turn to see the amused faces of Sam and Tucker staring at me, how did I not hear or see them coming?
Letting out a sheepish laugh I smile and say "Sorry about that, I didn't see you there. Anyways, how long were you standing there?"
Tucker shakes his head slightly, a look of bemusement and concern on his face, "Dude, we've been here trying to get your attention for a while, what's up?"
Thinking back on last night and how unnerving it was sends a chill up my spine, my friends look at me with concern and curiosity, "Seriously Danny, did something happen last night? I knew we should have gone on patrol with you.." Sam said worriedly.
Shaking my head in protest I try to calm them down, "Guys seriously, I'm fine and I handled last night on my own just fine, and you guys really needed that break."
Sam let out a small sigh and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. I'm just worried about you," As she says this she lays a hand on my shoulder, a feeling so light and warm engulfs me making me blush, "How was patrol anyways?" Sam asks me, the feeling of butterflies in my stomach increases as she looks me straight in the eye.
Brushing these strange feelings aside I manage to find my voice to reply "Patrol was actually quiet for once, there were absolutely no attacks, well besides the one on the girl I found." Thinking back to the girl I remember seeing a dark shadow, was that what attacked her? It had to be, I wonder what or who that was.
Looking skeptical Tucker lets out a small noise of disbelief before going on to say "What? Really, dude what about the Box Ghost? He had to have shown up at least once, right?"
"No, not even once. No other ghosts attack at all yesterday, it was weird and off putting." Thinking back on yesterday, it was weird that no other ghost had shown up, normally there are multiple attacks throughout the day.
The bell signalling the beginning of class surprises us all, and I realize with some panic that I haven't even opened my locker yet "Crap! We're going to be late for the third time this week! I'll talk with you later." Gathering my stuff from my locker quickly I make my way to my first class, waving to my friends as we part ways.
Opening the door to the classroom I brace myself for what's coming "Mr. Fenton, late again are we? That's the third time this week, detention after school with me, maybe then you'll learn to come to class on time. Now then take your seat, and we can begin." Mr. Lancer says with a frown.
Bowing my head slightly I make my way towards the last available seat while avoiding Dash's outstretched leg, sitting down I spare a glance out the window, spotting a dark figure across the street that vanishes as soon a truck drives by. Like that totally wasn't at all suspicious, I should probably go check it out, maybe it has something to do with that shadow from before? But I doubt Mr. Lancer will just let me leave, unfortunately it looks like this will have to wait until later. I'll have to talk with Sam and Tuck about this, maybe they can help figure just what is going on. On second thought, maybe I should just wait until I know they'll be safe? Yeah, I'll just do one more patrol on my own, just so I know what exactly we're dealing with. Focusing on class I try to follow along with what we're doing for today, but my mind keeps wandering to what's happening, so picking up my pencil I absently doodle on my work for the rest of the class.
"So the girl you found was half frozen in an alleyway? How? It was barely cold out last night!" Tucker exclaimed, his bewilderment clear on his face, "Do you think that ghost had something to do with it? What did it look like anyways?"
Shrugging my shoulders I let out a hum of uncertainty, "I think so? And I really didn't see much of anything, only a blur of a shadow."
Sam nods her head once before saying "Alright then, we'll just have to keep a lookout for it tonight." her voice filled with confidence and certainty, making me feel slightly bad about leaving them out of tonight's patrol.
"Actually, I'm going to be doing tonight's patrol on my own.." I rub the back of my neck as I say this, my voice giving out my guilt.
Both Sam and Tucker look at me in complete disbelief "What? Why?" they both exclaimed in outrage, they look equally concerned and displeased at my words.
"I just have a bad feeling about tonight, that's all" I rush to explain myself in hopes that they would listen.
Sam shakes her head in clear disapproval, and concern seeps into her voice "Then isn't that a reason we should patrol with you? What if something happens? Or you get attacked and injured? What if you need us and we're not there?" Sam goes silent after that, her head lowering as her gaze trails off.
"Sam, I can handle this and it'll only be for tonight, just so I know what we're dealing with here. I just want to make sure you'll be okay, the both of you I mean." I say while a blush creeps onto my cheeks, embarrassment and another emotion floods through me.
Sam stays quiet for a bit before replying "Alright. Just please be careful?" her head lifts and suddenly her eyes are locked onto mine, and my blush deepens as this emotion becomes stronger, "Okay?" Sam asks quietly.
"Yeah. Okay, I promise I'll be careful" I promise Sam while grabbing her hand gently to reassure her.
Tucker gives rolls his eyes playfully and mutters under his breath "Lovebirds" his tone light and teasing.
"We're not lovebirds!" Both Sam and I yell at once, blushing slightly I meet her gaze and can't help the bashful smile that slips onto my face, she smiles back at me with a light dusting of pink on her face. Looking in her beautiful eyes, I can't help this feeling that makes me feel so nervous and happy around her.
Letting out a nervous laugh I turn my gaze away and say my goodbyes "So, I'll see you guys later?" Turning my gaze to the both of them, they say goodbye and leave me to patrol.
As night fell, once again did the same feeling of uneasiness rise within me, accompanied by this bitter cold. I can't help but feel like something dangerous is lurking about, that whatever it is could strike at any moment. Trying but failing to shake off my unease, I continue on with my search for the ghost and yet I kind of don't want to find it, something just tells me that this is all wrong and that I shouldn't be here. I have to press forward, if I don't then more people are going to get attacked, my family and friends, Sam could be attacked. Dread and fear began to pool in my stomach, it feels like I could be sick, this feels worse than last time. I need to keep going, I have to find this thing and deal with it now. This ghost has to be the reason why there are no other ghosts around, if they ghosts are avoiding this thing then this must be something serious, I just hope I can deal with this quickly before anything big happens.
After a while of tense searching I come across a shop, a suffocating feeling of apprehension engulfed my senses, making me feel a desire to flee. Decided instead to check the surrounding area I find prone figure of a guy lying face down, I approach his still form slowly, fear gripping my core as I do so. The guy doesn't seem to be breathing and I feel panic tighten my chest "Oh no, hey? Can you hear me?" I say as kneel beside his unmoving body and I go to turn him over. Just like the girl who was attacked, this guy is also freezing cold. "Ah, what do I do? He's not breathing!" I'm panicking and if I had a pulse it would be racing from how terrified I felt, I don't understand why I'm so scared, I only know that there's something very dangerous around. I check my surroundings in hopes to quell my uneasiness, despite seeing nothing I can't shake this awful feeling that's draining me of my warmth.
The feeling of my ghost sense alerts me to a ghost nearby, I bolt up from kneeling and quickly check my surroundings for any sign of the ghost, but still nothing seems to be there. I turn back the guy only to see his eyes staring at me, I almost scream but I manage not to "You're alive? Ah, we really need to get you to the hospital!" I go to pick him up but he grabs my shoulder and plants his cold lips on mine and I gasp, pulling back with an open mouth he sucks in some kind of energy from me. I'm completely paralyzed with fear, this bitter coldness completely consumes my body, mind and soul. I feel empty as he finally stops, falling to the ground I writhe in agony as the cold pierces my very being, rooting itself into my very essence and making me feel dead inside.
I don't know how long I laid motionless on the ground for, I only know that I feel so cold, I'm not scared anymore though. I'm not much of anything right now, all I can focus on is the cold that's engulfed me. The cold that's changed me, somehow I don't really care right now, I just want to feel warmth again.
After another long period of just lying there I finally get up and stumble my way out to the street, no one's out and it's just dead silent. For a while I just stop and stare blankly ahead, not really seeing anything, but then I'm moving again. As I walk I'm staggering slightly, it feels like the world is spinning and my head is pounding, I feel so weak and so very cold. I approach the door to my house and reach to open the door, but I feel so disoriented that I have to stop for a moment. I rest upon the door trying to catch my bearings only to phase straight through the door, I stumble as I try to regain my balance. Getting up the stairs was a hassle, and I almost fell multiple times, but I made it. As I reach my room I start to feel exhaustion creep through me, and I collapsed onto my bed, my consciousness fading away leaving me in total darkness.