With my eyes closed tight, and Technus kneeling on my stomach keeping the air from my aching lungs, I wonder if I will be the first living human Technus ever kills. Up to date, there have been zero official reports of death by ghost in Amity Park. Even with Danny Phantom, his underappreciated team of Ghost Getters, the Red Huntress, the Fentons, and the occasional visit from the Guys in White, Amity Park is the most haunted city in the world. It's a miracle, really. Still, there has to be a first for everything. I whimper.
My heart is pounding. I don't want to die.
BANG! Technus' weight lift from my chest. I cough, struggling to fill my aching lungs with oxygen. The air smells like rotten eggs and burnt lemons: burnt ectoplasm. It's, unfortunately, a familiar scent.
"You?" Technus screams. "Didn't-"
Another BANG. The temperature in the room drops.
My violet eyes flutter open. Moaning, I roll my head to the side. Standing by the entrance to the Nasty Burger is an old woman wearing a knee length blue knitted sweater. She's only wearing one red sandal, and her short gray hair covers the left side of her face. Her left arm in stretched out in front of her.
Across from her, in the direct line of her arm, Technus is getting to his feet. He sheiks, "Intangibility why-?"
BANG! A red laser beam flies from the old woman's hand.
The beam hits Technus. He flies across the room, breaking a table in half, before slamming into the back wall next to where the two boys are cowering. "You cannot delete the Master of al-"
The old woman takes a step forward. BANG! Another red laser beam fires from her hand at Technus.
The laser hits Technus and he screams. The wall behind him cracks.
The woman takes another step forward. Another red beam flies from her hand. This beam is different than the previous: it's thicker and has waves in it – similar to the beam sent out by a Fenton Thermos.
I watch, wide eyed, as the red beam pulls a screaming Technus into the lady's hand. Technus is gone.
Did the old woman just absorb a ghost? I can't quite decide if that's cool or gross.
The old woman turns and walks towards me.
Ears ringing, I keep my eyes locked on her as I try to figure out if she's an enemy or ally. Something about her expressionless face is wrong. My head aches as I try to figure out what.
The old lady stops in front of me and looks down. "Any broken bones?" she asks. Her voice is soft and emotionless.
My brain puzzles together what's wrong with her face: it's missing wrinkles. She's not an old lady. She's a teenage girl with a round, chubby face. I struggle to sit up. My jaw throbs and my ribs are sore, but nothing feels broken. "Don't think so," I manage to choke out.
I notice a red ring on the gray haired girl's left index finger. The ring is decorated with a red orb shaped gem. The gem is cloudy, like a mini version of the orb Freakshow once used to brainwash ghosts. Something is moving inside the gem. I squint my eyes, trying to figure out what when Technus' face emerges from the fog inside the ring. His face is scrunched into a scowl, and he slams his fists repeatedly against the glass barrier.
The ring is like a tiny Fenton Thermos. Meaning, the girl didn't absorb a ghost, the ring did. Definitely cool!
I open my mouth to ask where she got the ring, but the gray haired girl cuts me off.
"Danny Phantom didn't show up," she says, her face remaining expressionless.
My stomach lurches at her words - like she's punched me in the gut. The lab. Danny's parents. "No," I say.
"Shame, I thought for sure Phantom would come in an attempt to save you," she says.
My eyes narrow. "Why did you think Phantom would save me?" I ask before getting to my feet. My ribs protest, but I push through the pain.
The girl shrugs? "He said you were precious to that ghost."
"Yes! Yes! There was a ghost attack!" The curly haired woman shouts from across the restaurant. She's talking into the payphone and holding the card with the Fenton's number on it. She pauses. "I don't know where the ghost is! It might come back!" Another pause. "You're crazy! I'm not leaving. What if the ghost's outside?" Pause. "Just hurry." The lady slams the phone down and glares at me. Her face is pale, contrast the rose colored blush she's wearing. "If you knew a ghost was going to attack, why didn't you tell me?" she demands.
"I didn't know a ghost was going to atta-" I don't have time for this. "Did you call the Fentons?" I ask.
The lady laughs forcefully. "The crazy ghost hunting people? Duh!" She waves the card with their number on it. "You're all mad. Anyone who willingly fights ghosts is mad. You and your gray haired friend are mad. Why do I still live in Amity?"
"We're not friends," I say turning to look at the gray haired girl, but she's gone. "Where did-?" I start, but my cell phone rings, cutting me off. I scan the floor looking for my phone and spot it in the center of the room. I run and pick it up. The screen is cracked, but it still works. The number calling is the Fentons'. My hands begin trembling as I answer the call. I place the phone to my ear. "Jazz?"
"Hurry, please," Jazz voice answers.
"Is Danny okay?" I demand.
Jazz takes a shaky breath. "Sam, I can't go down. Not alone. I- you did amazing. Your called worked; my parents left the house. I got the lab door open. But, Sam, the smell of ectoplasm, I can't-" Her voice breaks off. She takes another breath, then says firmly, "Get over here. I can't go down to the lab alone. I need your help."
Smell? Oh, not good. "On my way," I say, rushing to leave The Nasty Burger. I shove my cell into my coat pocket.
"Hey! What about the ghost?" the curly haired woman yells after me.
I ignore her. No time. My best friend could be in serious trouble, and I need to help him. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I'm still clinging to the hope that Jazz is wrong, and the Fentons have simply been busy with some crazed new invention. Danny is fighting with Skulker.
The night air is cold, and my jacket is unzipped, but that's not why I'm trembling.