No warnings yet; PG?
Divided by Two: Silence
Four teens sat in the back of the RV. The oldest was a girl of sixteen and a half years. Her head was bent over a book called "Dealing with Death: Psychological Effects of Losing Loved Ones, Book One: Atheists". Her long red hair brushed against the edges of the pages despite a teal headband, which she wore because it matched her eyes. She sat up very straight, with her legs crossed at the ankles. Her name was Jazz.
The next oldest was also a girl, age sixteen. Her eyes were the same bright violet as the purple crayon in a child's coloring set, and her makeup was pale lavender. Her pleated skirt was a black-green-purple plaid, and her stockings were purple; except for those, she wore only black. She had short, dark hair, some of which was pulled up into a small ponytail, a black tank top, and large black boots. She curled up in her seat with her legs pulled up beside her, and reading a book called "Stray: The History of a Cat".
Third was a boy, Tucker, who had turned sixteen less than a month before. He had black hair, dark skin and brown boots, but offset them with his bright green, yellow and red clothing. He wore glasses, a red beret, and had a carpenter's-belt full of electronics. He was bent over a game boy, face intent and too close to the screen.
The youngest teen was a pale, thin boy called Danny. He had eternally messy hair the color of the night sky, and eyes like the day. He wore ragged jeans and a rumpled, red and white T-shirt. He was fifteen years old, and Jazz's brother. He leaned backwards in his seat, staring at the ceiling and listening to headphones.
Maddie Fenton turned around in her seat to face forward, a slight downturn to her lips and brow. They were being too quiet, and it worried her. Sam and Jazz were usually quiet, unless someone said or did something with which they disagreed; and Tucker could play with electronics for hours without a sound; but Danny was like his father, loud and active. He had been that way since second grade. Even when engaging in traditionally quiet activities he was loud- when he read he whispered the words to himself, when he played video games or watched TV he commented on what he saw, and when he did chores he hummed, sang, or talked softly to himself.
Maddie listened carefully, and turned around again when all she heard were turning pages, beeping from the GameBoy, and the soft whirr of a CD player. Nothing had changed from when she last looked. She watched them thoughtfully for a moment, and then, falsely cheerful, called out the words certain to get a response from any Fenton male. "Anyone hungry?" It was almost eighteen 'o' clock.
Sam nodded, "Yes, Mrs. Fenton."
"Yes, Mom," said Jazz, turning another page.
"Sweet, food time!" Tucker shouted.
"Food that-a-way!" Jack yelled, turning the car violently off of the highway.
Danny nodded, glancing at Maddie with a smile before returning his attention to the roof. Maddie's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't talking, then.
She had known this would upset him, but it had been… what was it, nine years since they had left? She had hoped he could handle it. In fact, she still thought he could. After the most resent of Danny's tri-yearly checkups, Ryan had suggesting that they bring Danny back to Friendship for awhile, but they had been putting it off. They didn't want to put their baby boy through that anguish, if they knew it was for the best.
Nine years ago, spectral levels had begun to drop worldwide-- except for in Idaho, especially Friendship, where they rose drastically. As the official ectologists of Idaho, it was the Fentons' responsibility to find the cause of the phenomenon. The Director of the Ghost Research Department had been very forgiving of their absence in Friendship after the accident; even his long-lasting patience was wearing thin, however, as their time away neared ten years.
Maddie and Jack had been dying of curiosity, but stayed away for the sake of the children. What if Danny relapsed? Even so, Maddie constantly worried about her family in Friendship—a sister, brother-in-law, and four nieces and nephews, as well as a number of other relatives in the outlying towns— constantly facing ghost attacks.
When Sophie almost lost her baby, Maddie's worry skyrocketed. It was the last straw; she talked it over with Jack that very night, and they decided to return to Friendship as soon as possible.
AN: Sorry this was so late; I was busy with work, school, and extra-curricular class-things. HOWEVER I have started the next chapter, THEREFORE you shouldn't be angry with me.