Daniel Wraith
Prologue: Unholy Hunger
Tucker, Sam, and Danny are standing in a dark alley in the slums of Amity Park. Tucker had just seen the Gate and had his first encounter with a demon and Danny's powers. Now, he wants an explanation. "So, how exactly did this happen? And how did you two meet?" Tucker asked.
Danny kicked a rock. It wasn't a topic he really wanted to talk about. "Well, it was about two months ago. As you know, my parents are researchers of the ethereal. Heaven, Hell, angels and demons. They traveled the world, researching the legends and myths that surrounded the first of God's creations. Many thought of them as lunatics, so they soon took on a project that would show them how wrong they were. That project was the Gate."
They once told me they had worked on a prototype for the Gate. The prototype didn't do as well as they first expected. Mom told me she was actually reluctant to try again after the failure. Dad too, until he discovered more information and what went wrong with the original design.
Jack was seated at the kitchen table of the Fenton household, looking over some note. Maddie was washing dishes, wearing an apron over her jumpsuit, when she heard her husband slap the table. "Ow! Eureka!" Jack exclaimed.
Maddie turned to Jack. "What is it?"
"I figured it out! Ha ha! I figured out how to open the tear!" He cheered, jumping out of his seat, shaking the table in the process.
Maddie gave a wary smile. "But, Jack. Remember what happened last time?"
Jack still had a wide smile on his face. "I know, and I figured out what went wrong too." He handed some of his notes to Maddie. "See, this is the chemical composition from our prototype. This second one is the composition from our first test."
Maddie was in awe. "They - they don't match."
"Exactly! I must have put in the wrong ingredients by mistake." Jack stated.
Maddie crushed the papers in one hand, a grin on her face. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's draw up the plans and make us a new machine!"
"I already started working on them!" Jack replied before the two ran off.
14 year old Danny and 16 year old Jazz were also seated at the table, eating breakfast. "What do you think that was about?" Danny asked.
Jazz was reading through a psychology text book while eating her breakfast. "Don't know. Don't care." She replied before biting into a strip of bacon.
Danny looked at one of the pieces of paper that Jack left on the table. The paper had a drawing on it. By what Danny could see, there was an object that looked very similar to a hexagonal nut with a variety of symbols. Some of these symbols looked familiar to Danny, but he couldn't remember what they stood for.
For the next two years, they spent half of their time and most of their money on whatever contraption they spoke about. They didn't really tell us what it was until it was completed.
I still remember dad hauling in about three trucks full of rusty metal and other scrap parts.
Jazz and Danny, now 18 and 16 respectively, were seated in front of their parents and a rather large curtain. To the right of the adults was a corkboard with blueprints and other papers tacked to it. Jazz was unamused. Danny was intrigued. "Why are we here?" Jazz asked, reluctant to hear what her parents were about to say.
Jack and Maddie were beaming. If it weren't for the dirt, rust, and grime, their smiles would have blinded the two teens. "Danny, Jazz," Jack began, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulder. "As you know, your mother and I have hunted and researched all things ethereal. From the time we were lovers in college, we spent our time to prove that there is in fact a Heaven."
"Or Hell." Maddie reminded her husband.
Jack chuckled. "Well, you can't have one without the other. Anyway, throughout the years, we have heard stories of supernatural hotspots. Places where you could easily encounter an ethereal being. And this house just so happened to be one of those spots."
Jazz raised an eyebrow. "Hold up. Not saying I agree with you, but you knew there was potential danger in this very house?"
"Yes, that's why your father and I chose this lovely house. Well, that, and I just love the neighborhood." Maddie replied.
Jazz took out a notebook at pencil before she began to jot down a note. "Willing to put their children in harm's way… just to fuel their ambitions."
Jack coughed into his gloved hand. "Anyway!" He began. "From the data we have gathered, ethereal beings, like angels, are able to come to Earth through some form of tear in reality or gateway. Take the fall of Lucifer for example. God banished him from heaven as well as many other angels who followed Lucifer."
"Now, we don't know exactly how God cast Lucifer out of heaven, we can guess that the process was similar to what the Nordics called the Bifrost." Maddie explain as she walked to one side of the curtain.
Jazz scoffed. "And what, a gateway to Hell would be similar to an entrance to the Greek Underworld?"
Jack and Maddie look a bit surprised at their daughter's response. "Actually, yes." Jack replied, earning a groan from Jazz, who now had her face in her hands. "From what we have observed, supernatural phenomena is dense around certain points in our reality."
"Whether holy or demonic is varied, but we have concluded that one of these said points is a weak spot." Maddie continued. "Think of Earth as a television screen and these weak points as breaks in what you kids call the fourth wall."
Both Jazz and Danny groaned at the failed joke/comparison. "As for the reason why you're down here today," Jack stated. "For the past two years, your mother and I have been working on a machine that can force open a tear in one of these weak points in reality. This way, we can see into the other side. And with any luck, finally prove to those oh so great scientific minds that the Fenton's aren't crazy!" Jack barked out that last line, his left eyelid twitching in annoyance.
Jazz and Danny glanced at each other in shock before focusing back on their father. Jack then straightened himself as he regained his composure. "Sorry. Lost my cool. Jazz, Danny," He said as he clapped his hands together. "Let me introduce you to our latest creation. The device that will connect us to the other side!" Jack and Maddie then grabbed the curtain and pulled it down. "The Gate!"
The Gate was a large construct, with a diameter of 15 ft, made mostly of industrial grade steel with copper strips holding it to the wall. Various strips were equipped with pieces of metal shaped like a "V" that pointed to the center of the Gate's door. Each of these V's had a rare gemstone on the inner groove of it. From what Danny could see, they looked like a mixture of rubies, diamonds, and emeralds.
Danny was in awe. He had always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, mostly because the idea of exploring the unknown was fascinating to him. And with the Gate being a device with potential to see something only heard about in the Bible, Danny's interest was peaked. Jazz however, saw the device as a waste of time and money. "You have spent these past two years and what looks like thousands of dollars, on a vault door?" She asked, unamused.
"About 2.8 million actually." Maddie corrected. "And no. This fancy door is just a safety precaution. Behind it is a small tunnel that stabilizes the tear in reality that we will be creating."
Jazz snapped her pencil in half in disbelief. Her eyelid then twitched. "Ooh," Jack winced. "I think we just broke our daughter, Maddie."
Maddie put a hand on her chin. "It seems so. Perhaps it's a good idea not to mention what we paid for the rest of the equipment."
The other three Fenton's then heard some sort of noise come out of Jazz, almost like steam being released from a tea kettle, before the teenage girl went off on her parents. "Do you have any idea how selfish you two look right now?!" Jazz snapped as she quickly stood. "Huh? Do you? 2.8 million dollars? You couldn't think of anything better to spend that on? Like helping your two kids get into college? I'm close to getting my driver's license. Maybe you two could have planned on buying me my first car, if not help pay for half of it! How about vacations? I know Danny would have loved to have visited NASA! How about donating to charity? Haven't you always talked about that helping those who are less fortunate was better than helping yourselves? Or was that just some hypocrisy that your religion teaches to make you feel good?"
Jazz wasn't one for holding back. If there was something on her mind, she would be sure you knew all about it. It didn't matter if she hurt your feelings until after she let you have it. The only time I have seen her hold back was when she was dealing with either children or someone with an actual mental disorder.
Jack and Maddie were stunned by their daughter's outburst. Slowly, they looked guilty. As harsh as her words were, she made quite a few points. Strong points too, if they had to be honest. "Sorry. But this is a bit much, even for you two." Jazz half-apologized.
Jack gave a sigh. "You're right, Jasmine. We could have done those things you have mentioned. However, we chose to pursue our life's work. Our dream. Something we teach you to do." Jack then had a hurt look on his face. "And what kind of parents would we be if we didn't lead by example?"
Their father had a point. Jack and Maddie had told their kids for years how much their research and work was their calling in life. And it was practically put to the side after Jazz and Danny were born. This made Jazz feel awkward, so she replied with a sigh. "Have you even tested it yet?" She said as she took a seat once more.
Jack and Maddie perked up instantly. "That's the reason why we brought you here!" Jack stated enthusiastically. "This will be the first official test and the grand opening of an opening to the other side!"
I was a bit nervous. The situation presented before me was way too similar to the events leading up to the creation of the Tower of Babel. I feared that something was about to go wrong, very wrong.
Jack and Maddie then walked over to a control panel about 48 feet from the Gate, on the wall just to the right of it. Danny and Jazz watched their parents eagerly press what seemed like a random order of buttons and flip the occasional switch. They were about to press one final button when they stopped and turned to their children. Jack gave a cough into his gloved hand. "Uh, you two may want to come over here and stand by your mother and I.
Jazz was curious. "Why is that, exactly?"
"Last time we tested a device like this, it… sort of… blew up…" Maddie replied, striking fear into the two teens.
"Well, that's over exaggerating it a bit." Jack stated. "But, we don't want to accidentally repeat the consequences if this one does explode. Our insurance doesn't cover injuries caused by exploding machinery."
Jazz deadpanned. "Are you serious?"
Jack scratches the back of his neck. "Well, they used to. But the lady on the phone said they'd drop us if we were to cause another explosion."
Jazz and Danny then quickly stood and power walked over to their parents. Once they were out of "harm's way", their parents turned to the Gate. Jack slowly raised his right hand in dramatic fashion before bringing it down on the final button. After a second, nothing happened. Jack then chuckled. "Sorry, always wanted to do that. Of course we didn't hook up the power to a single button." He said before grabbing the handle of a switch. "This is how you turn it on." He stated before pulling down the lever.
The Fentons watched as the machine Jack and Maddie worked on for the past two years and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on hum before going silent after a few seconds. Nothing else happened. Jack was still smiling as he pulled the lever back up before bringing it back down, only to obtain the same result. The other Fentons frowned, but Jack was optimistic and tried again. Again, the Gate only hummed before going silent. Jack then frowned as well as he rapidly moved the lever up and down, in hopes that would work. The others then became concerned for Jack as he repeated this only to get the same result. Jack even stopped, the lever still in the "On" position.
"I – I don't understand. Why didn't it work?" Jack asked. "Our prototype didn't do this. Why is this one?"
Maddie placed a hand on her husband's shoulder for comfort. "We must have crossed the wrong wires somewhere. Come on, let's go back upstairs. We'll see what went wrong in the morning."
Jack gave a solemn nod. This was clearly upsetting for him. "Yes, it's late. Maybe some sleep will do us some good." He said as he and his wife began walking back to the stairs.
Jazz leaned over to her younger brother. "I knew it wouldn't work." She whispered before leaving as well.
Danny turned away from his father and back to the Gate with a disappointed look on his face. He turned back to hear the door close before turning back to the Gate with a more serious demeanor. His eyes then narrowed and his brow knitted together with determination. Danny had an idea.
I hated to see Dad upset. Especially when it came to things he worked hard on to accomplish. I don't know exactly what I was thinking, but I knew I couldn't let that day end with Dad thinking he failed. So that night, I snuck back into the lab and looked back over my parents plans for the Gate, to see if I could find anything. I soon realized I couldn't find a the flaw on a set of blueprints. I actually needed to looked at the machine itself to find answers.
Danny grabbed a white jumpsuit from the lockers on the far side of the lab. After putting it on, he slid on a pair of black gloves and black boots. Danny thought it made him look like an astronaut. Which is why Jack had the suit designed the way it was. If Danny remembered correctly, it was last years Birthday present. It was starting to get a bit tight, even the rubber boots were difficult to put on. But it worked for what Danny was about to do. After zipping up the suit, Danny walked over to the Gate and began his examination of the machine.
First, was the entrance. The door was much more impressive up close, and far more complex than Danny originally thought. Each gemstone attached to the Gate was locked in with belts of iron. And each belt was engraved with a symbol. The few Danny saw he somewhat recognized. One that stood out was paired with an amethyst the size of a football, the rune for Pisces. Each gemstone was the same size and cut into the same shape. It was no wonder the Gate ended up costing what it did. If he had to guess, some of the boxes lying around had a few gemstones that didn't quite make the cut.
The gems seemed to be more of a precaution, in case what the Gate opened had some less than friendly inhabitants. So Danny ignored it and moved on to the inside of the gate. Unfortunately, the lights from the lab did not reach that far into the depths of the Gate. So it started getting dark less than a third of the way into it. Danny stayed along the left wall as he made his way through to the back.
It was quiet, too quiet for Danny's comfort. He felt like he was in one of those thriller flicks where something bad was about to happen.
There was only one flaw I found when I was walking through the Gate. It was very minor, mind you. But even a minor flaw can have devastating consequences.
Danny placed his hand down on what he thought was the wall, until he heard a click from where he had placed it. A crystal in the back of the tunnel-like structure of the Gate lit up as bolts of electricity sparked from it. The light illuminated the interior just enough for Danny to see more of the same gem dotted along the walls and what his hand was on when he turned to look at it. Lifting his hand, Danny went pale at the sight of an illuminated button with the word "ON" across its face. Danny turned to look at the console outside of the Gate to see the lever in the down position. The Gate had been activated.
The lighting around Danny then turned crimson, turning his attention back to the back. A tear in reality had begun to form right before Danny's eyes. As reality tore, it made a sound similar to what can only be described as skin being peeled off of one's arm after a sunburn, in front of a microphone on maximum sensitivity. As the tear grew in size, it also grew closer to Danny. Frozen with fear, Danny couldn't move. Then, Danny got the incentive to start moving when a bloodied, clawed, humanoid hand began reaching out towards him.
Danny booked it for the door, as fast as his legs could carry him. The thing in the tear gave out a shriek in anger as Danny ran, crimson bolts of electricity swirled around him. One of these bolts caught Danny's leg, causing pain to shoot up from the point of impact. Danny let out a cry in pain before falling to the ground.
Upstairs, the light-sleeping Maddie awoke to the sound of the Gate roaring to life. "Jack." She whispered, shaking her husband, only to receive a grumble in return. "Jack, I think someone's in the lab."
Jack slowly rolled over to face his wife. "Who would be in the lab at this unholy hour?" He grumbled before the two heard the cry of pain only a parent would recognize.
Both Fentons shot up and cried out, "Danny!"
Danny was currently on the ground, his leg burning in pain, but no physical damage could be seen. Danny looked up to see the creature crawling towards, its black form warping into indistinguishable shapes. It's only stable features were its clawed limbs.
Danny began scooting himself across the floor of the Gate, but he wasn't fast enough. The creature grabbed Danny's bad leg and began to drag him towards itself. Danny let out a scream of terror. This gave the creature the opportunity to take a bloodied claw and shove it into Danny's mouth, silencing the boy, and choking him. The creature then had a head form from its shapeless body with a featureless face.
And that was it. That was all I could remember. That… thing making its way inside my body… an attempt to possess me. I could feel my vision melt into blackness. I knew I was screaming, but it was somehow able to silence me. I knew it was demonic in origin, but I still don't know what it was. To this day, I still have nightmares of it. It's unrecognizable shape. Those claws. That, inky black face. I don't even know what happened after the tear the Gate opened swallowed the two of us whole. I assume I was sent to Hell.
Jack and Maddie were soon in the lab, panting. Maddie then saw the condition of the Gate and tapped Jack on the shoulder before forcing him to look at the Gate. Jack's eyes went wide when he saw the pulsating, crimson membrane that was held back by the door of the Gate. Jack turned to the lockers to see that Danny's suit was missing. Turning back to the Gate, Jack only had one thing to say. "Don't tell Jazz."
Tucker held up his hands in a symbol to stop. "Woah, woah woah." The beret wearing teen said. "You went to the literal Hell, and can't remember even going there in the first place?"
Danny nodded. "I blacked out as the demon entered my body. All I remember is the tear, and my vision going black. Heck, I don't even remember how I got here or what actually happened. All I know is what Sam told me."
Sam gave a sigh. "Guess that's where I come in." She said, leaning back against the wall of one of the buildings that made up this alleyway.
I was mad at my parents that morning. As always, they were forcing their practices down my throat. So, I decided that the only logical thing to do was get some air and stay away from them for the day.
And just for some context, I was wearing roughly the same outfit I am now. A black jacket over a purple tank top that only revealed my stomach, a black and green plaid skirt, dark grey stockings, and my lovely biker boots. Nothing that would scream "hooker". This will become relevant later.
Sam Manson was walking alongside the tracks on the "bad side" of town. The sun had just broke through the horizon not even an hour ago. Hot tears of anger starting to form in her eyes. Do to her location, she did get the occasional whistle and a few "Hey baby". But nothing she couldn't ignore. There weren't even that many people in the area. Just a bunch of bums, druggies, and a few dealers. A few faces knew Sam and kept most of these people at bay.
There were also a few drunks, but most of them were either passed out or just waking up with a hangover. Except one.
"Hey there sweet thing." Came a guy's voice before Sam felt a hand being lazily placed on her shoulder. "What's a pretty girl like you doing on this side of the tracks?"
Sam shrugged the hand off and kept moving. "Leave me alone."
She was then shoved against the wall of one of the buildings, earning a yelp from the teen. "That's not what I asked." The man hissed, his face now visible to Sam.
The man was probably in his early thirties. His closes made it look like he just came from a job interview or the courthouse. His right hand was holding a near-empty bottle of some kind of booze. His face was a bit elongated, his nose looked like it had just been bashed in and his eyes were a rare type; two different colors, one hazel, one blue.
"G-get away from me, you creep!" Sam stuttered, pushing him away before running away.
"Where you going, doll? We haven't gotten acquainted with each other." The man said as he followed, very much drunk.
Unbeknownst to the two, they were being watched. Their watcher growled as Sam disappeared into an alleyway, the drunk slowly closing in.
Sam turned into an alleyway in hopes of losing her pursuer. However, a dumpster was not placed in its proper spot, block the path and creating an obstacle for Sam. She cursed, then turned to see her attacker's shadow creeping into the alley. "Here pretty girl." The creep sang. "I got something special, just for you."
Sam knew exactly what he meant and turned to run for the dumpster. She grabbed hold of one of the flaps and pulled herself up with a groan. Sam was athletic, forced into gymnastics and ballet for years, but she had also been out for about two hours now. Not exactly ideal when being chased by a lewd drunk.
Sam had almost gotten herself over the top of the dumpster when she felt herself being grabbed by her upper thighs. "Gotcha!" The drunk, two colored eyed man sneered before pulling her back down.
"Help!" Sam cried, hoping to get someone's attention.
The man pinned one of Sam's wrists to the dumpster before he licked the back of her ear, sending a chill down her spine. "Oh, I'll help you alright. Help out of those panties of yours." He whispered.
Tears of horror began to roll down Sam's cheeks.
I thought that was it. I was going to be rapped right there in that alleyway. I was nothing but a piece of meat to this guy. And he was going to use me for his own sick, twisted fun. I could feel his filthy hand going up my skirt until…
"Back away from her!" Came a hiss from somewhere behind Sam and her attacker.
Sam felt the man's hand leave her skirt as he turned to see who was interrupting him. "What?" The creep asked
Sam turned her head to try to see who said that, but her tears blurred her vision. She could only see a black silhouette of someone around her age. "I said, back away." The figure hissed.
Something wasn't quite right with this guy attempting to play hero. His voice sounded echoey yet raspy at the same time. Like there were two of him talking at the same time.
The man holding Sam shoved her to the side, causing her to fall onto a pile of rotten cardboard. Sam then sat up and curled in on herself to make herself as small as possible. "Fine, I'll deal with you first." He said as he began walking over to the new figure.
He didn't very far before this new person leapt forward and tackled the drunk. Sam's eyes went wide. That leap was over two-thirds of the alley, around 36 feet. The drunk was shaking now that he was the one being overpowered.
Sam was now able to see her hero more clearly, now that he and the drunk were on the ground mere feet away from her. The guy was definitely around her age, probably just a year older. He wore what looked like a black jumpsuit with white, boots and white gloves. However, with what light Sam had, it almost looked like the outfit was a part of him, like a second skin. Because not only were his gloved hands clawed, but the neck of the suit looked as if it was painted on.
His suit wasn't his only noticeable feature. His hair was snowy white and his irises green and glowing. Literally glowing. What were supposed to be the whites of his eyes were pitch black. The most notable feature though were the two (Sam guessed there were two) black horns that curved back with his head, stopping just at the back of his head. Also, two curved spikes were jutting out of his shoulder blades.
The drunk then stammered. "W-what are you?"
Sam then heard popping sounds as the unknown hero's jaw unhinged, making it open wider than it normally could. Then, the most sickening sound came from him as his jaw split in half. The hero then began to inhale. Which sounded like almost he was shrieking, but he wasn't. Sam then saw a bluish white mist leave the drunk's mouth and trail into the open maw of this unknown figure.
Sam could only watch as she was frozen with fear. This inhaling lasted for almost a full minute before the mist finally left the mouth of the drunk completely. As the remnants of the mist entered the figure's maw, Sam saw the light fade her attacker's eye. Sam's attention was grabbed again by the sounds of the hero's jaw slowly relocating itself. After he closed his mouth, the guy slowly turned his head to meet Sam's gaze.
Then, his eyes rolled back as he passed out. Sam then watched the inhuman features of her hero melted away, leaving only a person she recognized from school; Daniel Fenton. Sam was in disbelief. She didn't know what had happened or why.
With not even a second to process what had just transpired, sirens blared and patrol cars and an ambulance arrived on scene.
I honestly don't know what would've happened if Danny didn't save me that fateful morning. I could have been killed for all I know. I told the officers that I was attacked by the weirdo with two different eye colors and was close to being stripped of my clothes when Danny came in. Danny unfortunately was knocked out after tackling the guy, but the drunk killed over from what I assumed was a heart attack or something relating to alcohol, since he was clearly drunk. I was cleared by the doctors who were with the ambulance but I asked if I could ride with Danny to the hospital. I wasn't family, but I wanted to be there when he woke up so I could thank him myself. They thankfully agreed and I stayed with Danny all the way to the hospital. He woke up about half way and asked me what happened and where he was. Because the drivers were still in earshot, I told him my name and that he was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. And, well, that he saved me.
It was around noon when the door to Danny's hospital room burst open, scaring Sam as she sat by Danny's bedside. She saw a rather well rounded man in an orange jumpsuit standing by the door. 'This must be Danny's father' Sam thought.
"Oh f-" The man said before clearing his throat. "Oh thank goodness."
A woman in a blue jumpsuit peered in from behind the taller man's shoulder, her black gloved hands covering her mouth in shock. The man in orange then unzipped a breast pocket and pulled out a small packet similar to those at restaurants that holds ketchup or lemon juice. The woman then pulled out a crucifix necklace from her suit and took it off. Sam was rather confused. "W-what are you doing?"
"Oh, sorry, we're just checking to make sure nothing… attached itself to our son." The man said as he and the woman came into the room.
"We're slightly over protective." The woman said.
Sam then thought back to the attack. Horns, spikes, eye color. Now it made since to Sam. She gave a laugh. "You think a demon may have possessed him?" She asked, stopping the two in there tracks. "I may be goth, but I know how this stuff works. You have an iron or even silver crucifix and I'm guessing holy water inside that packet. Danny is in a bit of pain after what happened. Touching him with anything will hurt right now."
The man's eyes rolled in semicircles around the top of his sockets in rapid fashion, signaling that he was thinking. "You're probably right." He said, putting away the packet. "So, who are you?"
Sam then introduced herself. "I'm Sam Manson. I go to Danny's school. We're in the same grade actually."
"And, not to sound rude, why are you with our son?" The woman asked.
"He, uh, he saved me." Sam stated.
Sam told the same story she told the cops, again, leaving out Danny's demonic features and abilities.
The man gave a chuckle. "Sounds like our son. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Jack Fenton and this is my wife, Maddie. Our daughter, Jazz, is at school. We told her Danny was sick and had to stay home for today. Obviously, that was a lie."
"We have been so worried about him. He vanished last night and we had no idea where to look." The woman, Maddie stated. "I just can't believe he was able to activate the Gate." She added quietly, hoping Sam wouldn't hear.
Unfortunately, Sam did. "Gate?" She asked.
Jack and Maddie froze, but thankfully they didn't have to answer. "Where is she?" Came an angered male voice Sam knew all to well. "Where is my daughter?"
Sam cursed under her breath. This was a que for Jack and Maddie to stand up, defensive parent mode now active. It didn't matter if Sam wasn't their child. This man they just heard sounded like he was not someone to take lightly.
Then, a man the Fantons recognized charged into the doorway. Thin body, blonde hair gelled into a spherical shape. He wore the stereotypical Sunday best with tan pants and a bright blue, plaid vest. The man had few stray hairs from running around the hospital. A woman with the same build power walked right behind the man. She had giant, bowl shaped red hair. She wore a pink dress with white frills and a pair of diamond earrings. She also wore a pair of pink heels.
"Fenton." The man sneered.
Jack crossed his arms. "Jeremy Manson. I should have known."
Sam and Maddie were confused. "You know this man, honey?" Both Maddie and the lady in pink asked.
"You first Jeremy. You always get what you want after all." Jack stated.
Jeremy took in a breath. "Jack Fenton and I were in school together. I had the looks, the grades, and the scholarships. Jack was the party guy that was still somehow able to pass his classes."
"Funny, I remember you were the one who hosted said parties. You only got said scholarships because your family had dough. What was your highest grade again? A 'C'?"
"You dare?!" Jeremy barked.
Sam was trying to hide the smile on her face. She was loving this, as wrong as it was. Her parents were always so posh and well mannered. It was pure gold to see him like this. Until it wasn't. "You know what, I was going to be discreet. But it would be a pleasure to see you squirm. In here!" Jeremy said before stepping into the room, out of the way of the door.
Then, two officers walked into the room. Jack and Maddie were surprised and confused. Sam stood up in shock. "There. Arrest that boy. And I am pressing charges." Jeremy stated.
Danny then sat up, now awake. "What's going on?" He asked, groggy.
One of the cops raised an eyebrow. "You're joking, right?"
"No, I am not joking! Sexual assault is a serious crime." Jeremy stated, angering Jack.
"You dare-" Jack began before the officer cut it off.
"Sir. I was one of the officers on scene this morning. I even took your daughter's statement. The one who assaulted her is dead. This kid is a hero."
"Dear, there's no point in pressing charges." Jeremy's wife stated, her tone mocking "Honestly, I doubt it was even assault."
Jack's eyes narrowed his eyes and Maddie crossed her arms. They knew what was about to be said, but they pushed on. "And what is that supposed to mean?" Maddie asked.
Mrs. Manson then gestured to her daughter. "I mean, just look at her. Her outfit just screams 'Come here boys, I want it like that'."
Now the cops were glaring at the Mansons. This was clearly uncalled for. Even Sam was starting to shed tears of anger again. "You're not seriously trying to blame your own daughter, are you? Just because of her dress?" Maddie asked. "Even we're not that desperate."
"What are you saying?" Mrs. Manson asked, baffled.
"Your daughter doesn't dress like this to get attention from boys. I should know, I had a similar style change when I was just a few years older than her." Maddie replied.
Jack gave a smirk. "I remember that first day I layed eyes on her. Gorgeous. But, I knew how to respect a woman."
Mrs. Manson gave a snort-like huff. "Exactly, you knew. But any other man would hop on the opportunity for an easy ride."
"Easy?" Maddie asked. "If anything, Sam's attire tells people she's not interested." She then begins gesturing to Sam's clothes. "The jacket over the tank top. Two layers. Skirt stops halfway down the thighs. She wants to be able to move freely without sacrificing elegance. Stockings. She is showing modesty, but also showing her own style. Leather boots. If anything, she's using them as a protective measure. I believe that there are a couple of spikes on them. She looks less like a hooker than…" Maddie then gave Mrs. Manson a sarcastic once over. "Well, I've said my peace."
Mrs. Manson gasped. "How dare you insinuate such a thing?"
The second officer then spoke. "If I may, I've seen a few families with problems similar to yours. She's right Mrs. Manson. You're daughter isn't trying to get attention from boys." The officer then fishes out a business card. "Trust me, you'll want to take care of this before your daughter decides to take things further."
Mrs. Manson storms out without taking the card. Jeremy, his hair now fixed, does take the card and looks it over. He gives a nod. "Thank you. We'll think it over." He then turns to his daughter. "Samantha. Let's go."
"No." Wheezed Danny, earning everyone's attention. "Please. I – I don't remember anything from this morning or last night. Your daughter is the first person I saw after waking up in the ambulance.
Jeremy began to think this over, his face a bit red from some random boy defying his wishes. "Manson." Jack said. "Put our petty rivalry aside for just one moment. Think of our children."
Jeremy tapped the card into his other hand a few times before giving a sigh. "Alright, alright." He surrendered. "I should probably be more lenient than usual."
He then looked to his daughter, who had a small smile on her face. Jeremy nodded before leaving. The officers then tipped their hats before leaving as well.
Jack then gave a short laugh. "Can you believe he's a witness?"
This shocked Maddie and Danny. Sam was just surprised Jack knew.
DM Notes- I do not claim to know anything about Jehovah's Witnesses. In fact, I know next to nothing about this branch of Christianity. All I do know is the stereotype of them coming to different houses and asking "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior?". I am trying to find some information on them. I do know that stereotypes aren't always accurate. So the Manson family in this AU will show signs of being witnesses, but not all the time. So forgive me if I offend any of you who are witnesses.
Tucker looked slightly pale. "Sorry, still getting over the fact that Danny's jaw splits open when he sucks out souls." He stated.
Danny snickered. "Really, I couldn't sleep that night after I found out I actually ate someone's soul."
"So, wait. You got a classification on what you are, right?" Tucker asked.
"Sam." Danny said as Sam stood up straight.
"Got it." She said as she pulled out the Fenton Codex from her bag. "Wraith. A vile demon that feeds on the souls of the living. There is no known way to kill one of these demons. Most seals do not even slow them down. They are still weakened by the same things most incorporeal beings are, but not by much. Your only hope of surviving an encounter with this being is to banish it. They are said to have the power to level a village with a single wail."
Tucker shivered. "Okay, that's creepy."
"Ah-ah. There's something even worse than that." Sam stated. "Wraiths are known to create minions out of their victims. A soulless husk that serves the wraith's every need."
"You're joking? Danny can do that?" Tucker asked, frightened.
Danny shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't tried it yet. Even if I could, I wouldn't do it. I am basically forcing my will onto another human. Not to mention, stealing their soul."
[Two Months Prior] - Amity Park Morgue:
The local coroner, Dr. Steinberg; a man in his late sixties with white hair, nearly bald, average build besides the beer belly; and his young assistant; a red-head woman in her early twenties with freckles running across her nose and over her cheeks, athletic build; walked into the operating room, ready to operate on a fresh cadaver. "As I saying, I'm rather impressed by you resume. Your professors gave high praises. And you came from such a small town, I didn't believe it existed." The coroner stated. "Why come to Amity Park?"
The assistant smiled. "Thank you Dr. Steinberg. To answer your question, I was getting rather bored of my home town. And, I was only doing so well in college because I have seen way more twisted stuff when I was younger. Guess you could say I'm looking for a bit more excitement in my life."
Dr. Steinberg chuckled. "Well, unfortunately, this is the most excitement you'll be getting out of this career."
"You do know my dad is a lumberjack, right? Anything is more exciting than chopping wood and yelling all day." The assistant stated. "Take this guy for instance."
Steinberg's assistant gestured to the cadaver. A man with an elongated head and a nose that looked like it was bashed in. "According to the report, he has two different colored eyes. The only guy I saw with a cool genetic deformity was a dude with an extra set of digits." She stated. "And he was a pretty cool dude."
Steinberg chuckled. "Yes, well, our John Doe here reportedly suffered from a heart attack or drinking related illness."
The assistant put her hand on her chin. "Yeah, the report said that too. But… I don't see it as a possibility. My ex was drunk at least every other day. And he was half this guy's size."
"Surprising. But I have to agree. Something else killed this man. And that is what we are going to find out today. Aprons and goggles are in the next room. I'll start with preparations." Steinberg stated before pointing to another door on the other side of the room.
The assistant gave a nod before walking to said door. Dr. Steinberg went to grab a pair of gloves from one of the cabinets as the door to the back room closed. As the coroner opened the door, John Doe's eyes opened. Steinberg saw his gloves and grabbed them before closing the cabinet, John Doe now having vanished from the table. Steinberg then turned to see this and was stunned, but also confused. His assistant wasn't in the room, so she couldn't have moved the body.
Steinberg put on a glove before grabbing the tape recorder he used to document his autopsies. He pressed the record button and began documenting. "April 12," Steinberg glanced at the clock on the far wall as he walked around, in search of his missing cadaver. "6:03 PM. Dr. Franklin Steinberg assisted by Ms. Corduroy on subject John Doe. COD is not known, but originally reported as either a heart attack or even kidney failure from an alcoholic lifestyle."
Dr. Steinberg then heard the sounds of skin on tile and a very, very hiss. He narrowed his eyes. "Subject has been moved from the operating table. Ms. Corduroy is currently in another room, so it is possible that subject is still alive. Perhaps a toxin was introduced into John Doe's blood stream and the effects are slowly wearing off."
In the back room, the assistant, Ms. Corduroy, opened a locker to find the aprons and two pairs of goggles. "Ah-ha!" She stated, grabbing the items she needed.
After putting on the apron, Ms. Corduroy heard the banging and clattering of metallic items hitting the tiled floor. She narrowed her eyes. Either Dr. Steinberg just had a heart attack, or there's an intruder. Looking around, the assistant saw a glass case with a long handled axe inside meant for fire emergencies only. Ms. Corduroy broke the glass with the second apron wrapped around her fist before taking the axe. She then heard the main doors quickly open and close from outside.
Slowly, Ms. Corduroy went over to the door of the room she was in. There was a small window built into the door the assistant was able to look out of. When she did, she saw that John Doe was gone. And there was some blood spatter on the table. Ms. Corduroy didn't have her phone on her. She had left it in her car. She'll never make that mistake again. Ms. Corduroy slowly opened the door before making her way to the operating table, axe at the ready. She smell the blood and hear a droplet of it hit the tiled floor every 3 seconds. She then turned the corner of the table. She dropped her axe at the sight she saw before letting out a scream.