(A/N) Ok, thank you to the reviews for the last chapter, and I'm sorry if none of you will never be able to sleep again... but that's the power of a good story. So, this chapter is a jump forwards to the next day. I just find it easier to write them after a cliffhanger (if you'd call it that)
Also, Kim is in the story (she comes in later on), but she's a teacher (and you already know what Rudy's role was). Don't worry guys, I've got it all planned out in my head, and I already have two ideas for the ending, I'm just trying to figure out which one I like best. And sorry about this, but there will be no sequel.
Disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for any sleeping issues that may occur whilst/after reading this story, nor do I wish to offend anyone with what I write.
Warnings: If you scare easily, read this during the day, or if it's dark... put a light on and tell yourself nothing's coming to get you, or listen to upbeat music while reading.
Oh yeah, and when Jack's spirit either screams or cries, keep in mind he sounds like a guy. :P
~Kickin' it~
With a whack from someone's clenched fist, the alarm went silent. It was nearly time for class, and none of the boys were up yet. Jerry still couldn't believe what had happened. He was shocked to learn that what happened in the hallway was a natural occurrence, and there was nothing that could be done. Jerry was told this by the school Principal, when he went to ask him about it.
But the incident in the hallway wasn't the only thing to happen to Jerry. So far, the door to their dorm had kept opening and slamming shut and he heard rapid footsteps running up and down the hallway, and no-one was there.
Jerry was freaked out, he would admit that, but at the same time he was wondering if Jack was angry and would hurt them, or if he was simply trapped in a vicious cycle which he couldn't escape. Jerry had tried asking Milton, but Milton was still skeptical, despite what happened in the hallway, Eddie wasn't any help because he was even more freaked than Jerry was. He suspected Eddie had dealt with the footsteps, and little things, but had never actually exprienced an appration like that.
And the Principal definetely wasn't one to go to, he kept saying the hauntings were a part of life at the University of Cognita. Jerry needed to know why Jack was haunting the hallway. Was he angry? Sad? Lonely? He knew enough about spirits to know that the angry ones were the most dangerous and could possess or seriously harm people. Jerry decided he would go to the library and read more about ghosts, and see if there was anything that could help him.
Jerry shook all thoughts from his mind which would distract him from his lessons, and swung his legs out of bed. He groaned as he stretched his arms in the air, waking Eddie and Milton. Jerry ignored their complaints, and walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a simple black shirt and some jeans. He only had two classes, Science and History, and the Science block was right by the library.
"Jerry, why are you up so early?" Eddie asked groggily.
"It's almost time for class Eddie." Milton chuckled.
"Help me." A small voice cried, and the started sobbing. "Please help me."
The boys looked around in confusion, trying to see if any of them were trying to scare each other. Nobody moved. It was Jack, it had to be. Jerry was adamant it was him, that voice didn't sound like any of theirs, and it sounded lonely and in pain. They were all fine. Jerry heard the sobbing again, and shot Milton a look that said 'See? Ghost in the room.' But Milton was too busy muttering to himself, trying to find reasonable explanations for what had gone one.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! Make it stop it hurts! Please!"
This time the sobs were anguished and heart wrenching, and the screams grew louder. If Jerry could have seen Jack, he would had ran right over and hugged him, but they were all alone. Jerry was surprised none of the other students had came in, maybe they were so used to it by now, they didn't bother with it.
"Believe it now Milton?" Eddie asked, the sobbing had died down, but was faint.
"Yeah. I do actually." Milton looked paler than usual.
"Poor guy." Jerry said sympathetically as the sobbing grew louder again.
"He's either very lonely, or in pain." Milton said, sounding sad.
"Probably both." Jerry guessed. "Come on, we should go to class."
"I can't take it anymore! Help me! Please."
Eddie and Milton walked out of the dorm, they were scared enough as it was. Jerry grabbed his bag and looked around the room one last time. He couldn't explain it, he didn't want to leave. Maybe it was because Jack sounded like he was in so much pain that he needed someone, or maybe it was because Jerry loved diving head first into danger.
"Please..." The plea was so soft, Jerry felt tears burn his eyes. He bit his lip and tried to block it out as Jack started crying again. Burning to death must have been torture for him.
Jerry wiped his eyes. "Bye Jack." He whispered softly, closing the door, muffling the sobs.
Jerry caught up with Eddie and Milton and they walked down the hallways and came to their Science classroom. It looked like a typical Science classroom, with it's thick wooden tables, safety signs and bunsen burners wrapped up near gas taps. Jerry sat at the back with Eddie and Milton, just as the teacher walked in.
"Alright everyone, today we're going to be exploring chemical reactions, I've laid out cards on your desks. Remember to record you findings, and be careful." He instructed.
Jerry put the tube of the bunsen burner on the gas tap, and turned it on. Eddie then got a splint and carefully put it near the open air pocket. A brilliant blue flame was burning a few moments after. Milton turned it onto the safety flame. Jerry looked at the card and went to get some iron chips. When he came back, he nearly dropped the beaker in shock.
Jack's tearful face was in the burning flame.
"Guys look!" Jerry pointed to the flame and Eddie raised his eyebrow.
"It's a flame Jerry." He said.
"No, Jack's face was in it." Jerry was frustrated. "I swear I'm not crazy."
As Jerry finished his sentence, all the lit bunsen burners in the room turned to the blue flame without people touching them, and then the flame erupted into large columns, turned orange and a piercing shriek sounded throughout the whole room and seemed to shake it. Jerry strained his ears to see if the scream was words, but it wasn't. It was a pure, gutteral cry, which reminded Jerry of Jack's voice a few minutes ago in their dorm.
"Jack stop it." He pleaded quietly.
Jerry's eyes widened as a nearby beaker of acid suddenly exploded. He ducked just in time, but a large majority of the liquid spattered over his hand, burning the flesh. Jerry hissed in pain and crawled under the desk. Milton and Eddie were already under there, so was everyone. It was like a tornado had hit and was tearing everything up.
"Please Jack." Jerry tried pleading again.
The screaming suddenly stopped. Everyone got out from under their desks, and looked around in bewilderment. Jerry guessed nothing like that had happened before, since Jack was haunting the fourth floor. He needed to go to the library more than ever, there were so many questions which were running through his mind at a rapid pace. What had just happened? Half an hour ago, Jack's spirit was reduced to crying and begging Jerry for help.
Was he that upset that he had left?
Did he need help?
Admist all the panic, Jerry grabbed his bag and slipped out the door. He made a beeline for the library, and if anyone asked him, he could use his hand as an excuse. Jerry had to go through a maze to get to the library. He found it on the ninth floor. When he opened the door, he immeadiately collapsed into a nearby chair, and was shaking uncontrollably. Jack had scared him that badly.
"Are you alright?" An elderly lady asked him, bending over him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Jerry said. "Do you have any books on Spirits?" He asked.
"Uh... yes. Aisle 23, come with me." The lady said.
Jerry got up and followed the lady through countless shelves of books. A few other students were dotted around, lounging lazily in chairs and reading sports magazines or were doing revision for exams. Jerry jumped as he heard the book trolley bump into a bookshelf, but luckily, a person was behind it. A living one.
"Here we are. Our spirits and demons section." The lady smiled. "You'll have to excuse the dust, this section isn't exactly the most popular."
"No problem." Jerry said. The lady smiled again and walked off.
Jerry looked at the books thoughtfully, before he picked out a few of them. He laid them on the small table next to a bean bag. The books were:
Personal Hauntings by Hayley Fielder
Getting rid of those pesky poltergists by Pearl Wiseman
How to tell if a house is haunted by Miranda Deedle
Ghosts, demons, spirits, get to know the difference by Kathy Thompson
The secrets of the Oujia board by Johnathan Baker
Jerry flopped down on the bean bag chair, picked up a book and began to read through them. He put his headphones in to tune out the distractions.
Now it seems I'm fading Seems you're wanting me to stay Push me under Push me under Now it seems you're leaving Push me under Push me under And I've been waiting so long So I wait for you to Push me under Push me under And I've been waiting so long So I wait for you to
All my dreams are not worth saving
I've done my share of waiting
And I've still got nowhere else to go
So I wait for you to
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
But my dreams would surely waste away
And I still have nowhere else to go
So I wait for you to
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
But we've only just begun
And you've still got nowhere else to go
So I wait for you to
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
And I've been waiting so long
And I've been waiting so long
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Pull me farther
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
And I've been waiting so long
And I've been waiting so long
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
.
Callin' all the monsters, callin' all the monsters Oh yea oohh, oh yea oohh, oh yea oohh Heart thumps and you jump We're wantin' to You stayed in too late We're wantin' to Gonna get your body shakin' Here we go… Callin' all the monsters, callin' all the monsters You hide or you try… We're wantin' to We might just bite underneath the moonlight We're wantin' to Gonna get your body shakin' Here we go… Callin' all the monsters, callin' all the monsters Gonna paint it red, get inside your head, head, head Gonna get your body shakin' Tonight all the monsters gonna dance Oh yea oohh, oh yea oohh, oh yea oohh We're comin' to get you!
Callin' all the, callin' all the, callin' all the monsters
Comin' down with goosebumps!
You dared to go there
I'ma I'ma get you so scared!
We're hauntin' you
We're wantin' to
Eh eh
To be getting afraid
This scene's extreme…
I I I I'ma get you so scared!
We're hauntin' you
We're wantin' to
Eh eh
Wishin' you could just awaken
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
If you're only dreaming
Why I hear you screaming?
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
We're comin' to get ya!
Callin' all the, callin' all the, callin' all the monsters
Kiss tomorrow goodbye!
We thrill to your chill…
B-B-B-Buckin' for a freak-out!
We're hauntin' you
We're wantin' to
Eh eh
More fun if you run!
I-I-I-I'm I'm already chasin'
We're hauntin' you
We're wantin' to
Ehh ehh
Wishin' you could just awaken
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
If you're only dreaming
Why I hear you screaming?
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
We're comin' to get ya!
Callin' all the, callin' all the, callin' all the monsters!
Like a demon choir playing with fire, fire, fire
Wishin' you could just awaken
We're comin' to get ya!
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
If you're only dreaming
Why I hear you screaming?
Tonight all the monsters gonna dance
We're comin' to get ya!
We're comin' to get ya!
A few hours later, Jerry was finished with the books, and completely clued up. Now he knew how to find out what Jack wanted. He needed a Oujia board, but where would he get one? Would it really work? Jerry grabbed his bag and walked out of the library and started towards the main staircase, but he stopped and walked over to Jack's photo on the wall.
He didn't know why, but Jerry felt some kind of connection to him. He felt crazy, he didn't even know Jack, and he was dead. Jerry continued to look at the photo thoughtfully. Jack seemed peaceful, and happy, just like in the class photo, where he was with Rudy. Unlike the hallway, where he was alone.
Jerry walked away and walked back up the stairs again. He broke into a run as he saw Milton and Eddie walking up the stairs. Jerry soon caught up to them, slightly out of breath.
"Jerry!" Milton exclaimed. "Where were you?"
"At the library." Jerry said.
"Did you ditch class?" Eddie asked.
"No Eddie, I grew wings and flew out the window!" Jerry said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Of course I ditched Sherlock!"
"So what were you doing at the library?" Milton asked.
"Cluing myself up on ghosts." Jerry said. "I found out how we can talk to Jack, and see what he wants."
"How?" Eddie was amazed.
"A Oujia board or something, but I don't know where to get one." Jerry shrugged.
"There's no proof they actually work Jerry." Milton said, chuckling.
"Well what's the harm in trying?" Jerry asked innocently. "Guys?"
He stopped walking as Milton and Eddie had stopped dead in their tracks, the dorm door open. Jerry bravely walked inside, and he was starting to wish he hadn't.
Everything of little value to the boys, was either broken or severly damaged, the bed covers were strew about, all the curtains had been slashed, the mirror and windows were was smashed, but none of that bothered Jerry... much, seeing as he could just clean it up, but the thing that scared him badly, was the message, written in dark red blood across one of the walls.
WHY DID YOU LEAVE JERRY? I ASKED FOR HELP, YOU DIDN'T GIVE IT TO ME, AND NOW I'M ANGRY. WATCH YOUR BACK.
JA
"JA?" Milton asked shakily. "As in Jack Anderson?"
Jerry nodded. "I think we need to get that Oujia board." No sooner than a few seconds later, a few shards from the broken mirror flew straight for Jerry's head. He ducked and they bounced off the wall behind him.
"Soon." He panted. The others nodded in agreement.
~Kickin' it~
(A/N) And that's this chapter guys! Let me know what you thought! Review :P If I get more than ten, I'll update, I should have the next chapter written in my trusty notebook over the weekend, if I do, I'll try and post it around Tuesday time.
On a plus note, I've got six weeks off school! Yaaaaaay!