Danny Phantom: Four Walls
The only way to find eternity of life, spend time in the moment of hell and come back, revelations will spread the message. Love hurts, love creates, love guides, love makes us blind, but above all…love breaks down the most dangerous borders within and will in time, break down the borders in others.
This chapter was partially inspired by two pieces of music "Floid" from the soundtrack to the film BIUTIFUL, and also based on the track "Tema Amores Perros + Atacama" from the AMORES PERROS soundtrack. Both tracks composed by Gustavo Santaolalla.
I would like to thank my family who shared their views on the world after this, the world of sounds and light. Of wind and transience. Especially to my mom and second oldest sister, who unlike me, witnessed moments that reassures their belief in the afterlife. As an atheist/agnostic, I doubt their testimonies, but they do provide some comfort on the 'what if' part of this story. This will end the trilogy and begins the first arc of the saga.
I would like to thank the readers who enjoyed reading the trilogy on some level. It was something I felt I had to write and get it out there. And I hope to get the same support for the saga, it's as personal as anything I've attempted in the first story I've done for this site…a work in progress. But I won't explain more here, beautiful things take time to flourish.
December 2004 (Week 4)
December 26, 2004
Snow fell over Philadelphia and the Northeast for the past two weeks. The Amity district of Philadelphia was covered in snow, up to four feet in some places. It was also well into the winter break for all of the students, meaning staying inside and bask in the warmth…while venturing outdoors, couples holding hands and cuddling close to one another and kids playing everything snow related, oblivious to the cold and their increasingly wet clothes.
(9:18am)
Wilfredo walked outside of his apartment and luckily for him the snow's been cleared for pedestrians to safely drive and walk. The cold reminded him of New York somewhat, but he did miss the skyline of Manhattan from his neighborhood in Brooklyn.
"I wonder what Zane's doing right now," he muttered to himself, "Probably sleeping in. And that goes for Alberto and Gilberto…lazy asses," he finished his thoughts out loud and laughed at the end. He adjusted his grey scarf and his black long coat as his snow boot covered feet pounded the street away as he made his way to Amity High, 'Tip one for living in the snow: Wear black, catch the sun. Wear white, say goodbye hands.'
He noticed what looked like birds flying overheard, "No way, I thought most birds would fly south…Pigeons really are dumb," he muttered as he continued his trek to his high school. He was going to take pictures of certain areas of the city that felt the most electrifying for him and what could help Zane's website to get off the ground. Mostly around the school and a few landscape photos of hills that captured a good portion of the city and the sky unadulterated by buildings or trees.
The skies were beautiful, a steel grey with hints of blue. He made it to one of the hills that surrounded the Amity district, "If only I can show my friends this," he muttered and held up his digital camera and took a shot of the modest but still striking panorama view of the area, "This could go well with the website…I wonder when he'll launch it? Will we get a lot of people visiting? Doubt it, but hey…we can dream," he muttered and took more pictures.
As he took pictures of the sky and the panorama view he's grown to love and strangely abhor, he remembers the recent performance at the Catholic church he usually attends with his family. The performances during Christmas Eve were mostly from college and university chamber groups who either performed standard holiday pieces such as 'Silent Night' or that famous bit by Handel...Alleluia or something like that or even a debouched rendition of Vivaldi's Winter section of 'The Four Seasons.'
For his own class of misfit musicians and friends, and under the direction of their professor, Mohammad Moradi, they performed their only piece in its entirety on period instruments, Vivaldi's Concerto Funebre RV 579. Under Moradi's direction, he had several players from the university who were once his students at Amity high along with his current freshman and senior students. He even got a handful of players from the high school's woodwind band and have them under his umbrella of direction for the holidays, and had them prepare on period instruments he got them months in advance and his freshman students learned just recently that during some of his absences, he would prepare the woodwind instrumentalists to play on recorder, tenor chalumeau, oboe, and bassoon. He even had Gilberto to prepare his playing on a new instrument called viole all'inglese as well as two other violinists in the group.
During the performance, the first two movements went smoothly and the three violists were superb in setting the mood and they played in harmony with the woodwind players. Gilberto had a good time with his viole and he played it like...as Wil and his two other friends adequately put it "making love to the woman" in faux-French accents.
The third movement was far shorter than the other movements played, and it had a darker almost menacing mood to it...premeditating events that have yet to come. When the final movement played, there was a sense of exhalation of relief throughout the orchestra, as if the presence of the afterlife was revealed to them in their dreams and it was beautiful. When the piece was done, everyone in the church applauded enthusiastically, none of them aside from serious aficionados of classical music have ever this kind of piece from a composer who's mainly famous for his music on the four seasons of the year.
At the end of the night, with other groups playing pieces that were expected good, but didn't have the spark of freshness as Moradi's group had, Wil and his friends hung out at the still open cheesesteak joint and grabbed a quick bite. They talked and joked on how Gilberto was going to get more girls than any of them with his viol playing. Wil was satisfied with what he did and same with Zane and Alberto for their basso continuo playing, Alberto was glad he managed another success for his theorbo playing without screwing it up too badly.
The one bit of news that slightly bothered them was Moradi's announcement that he will retire from harpsichord performance due to his increasing arthritis in his hands. Although the piece they played didn't include a keyboard part, the news was surprising...which meant they have to find someone in the city or nearby that was able to play organ at least...and was also within their age-group and in high school...not easy to be honest. Especially when guys who were able to play the organ at least wouldn't do it for them, feeling their manliness was threatened...which Wilfredo nicely called the guys who has masculinity issues "assholes."
December 28, 2004
(12:19pm)
Wilfredo finished eating at his favorite cheese-steak joint. As soon as he exited the diner, he encountered the boy he had seen over the course of the past semester in Amity. He wore the same clothes as he did, except with a hat as opposed to himself with his hair flowing past his ears. Both boys looked at each other until the younger one motioned Wilfredo to follow him….and he did.
After a few minutes of walking, both found themselves at the local park, it was nearly completely empty, when usually Danny fought ghosts weekly and there would be so much noise. They then found an empty bench and from what Wilfredo could sense from the boy, he knew this was going to be an 'interesting' conversation to say the least...
"So..." Wilfredo said, "So..." the boy repeated their apparent unease with each other. Both knew who the other was, even if they never spoke a word to one another in their lives.
"...I've seen you around school and when I hang out with my friends...I want to know who are you," Wilfredo said, but the boy simply sighed, preparing to give his explanation. But when he saw the kids playing in the distance and the weak sun glaring above, he wanted the stillness to explain everything to Wilfredo...It worked when he didn't pester for the boy's identity, but it didn't stop Wilfredo asking the second obvious question...
"...if the moments around told me who you are, then can the moment explain your thoughts...or are you more complicated than the moment," he asked the boy, knowing the kid was far smarter and wiser than himself, 'He's probably the same as gramps...but can it be that easy?'
The boy sighed, "The moment can describe me, but the people end up shaping my outlook on what paths they can take...especially people who are attuned to the world beyond the veil. What makes you different is that you're always a hair's width away from passing over, but you're grounded in reality...like Danny in a way, but of course still a physical being...I can't save you if you crossover, but only one can..." he said looking at the now confused Wilfredo.
"And you know...he was the best at what he did for dead souls or those in trances, a medium who will soon pass the torch to you and to another," but before Wilfredo could say anything, the boy stood up and faced Wilfredo, "And a penny for your thoughts, I will be around, observing, longing for touch, and longing to passover...but that cannot be for another lifetime...whether I die or not...I'll leave it to fate."
The boy started to walk away, Wilfredo got up and caught up with the boy, "But, but what about Danny and his friends? Or my friends for that matter? And Vlad? Why are they ludicrously connected," he asked hastily which a sphinx like grin grew on the boy's face, "Six degrees...six degrees..." he then walked away, leaving a deeply confused Wilfredo...drawing at his mental straws to draw a coherent conclusion to his conversation to an enigmatic figure...he couldn't...and for a surreal reason, he shouldn't.
As he walked out of the park, he encountered Danny and his friends walking to the park. Danny and Wilfredo looked at each other for a few moments, but the tension between them represented the suspicion that's been forming for the past semester...both know it would continue to grow in the near future. After a few moments, Wilfredo broke the silence, "The question you asked a few days back in school, about me helping you out at times..."
Danny and his friends looked at him for any hint of reassurance...but they wouldn't have it today, "I'm still unconvinced...and...you and I can't combine our abilities without some nasty energy feedback. It would kill us both and I want to be cautious about it."
Danny didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement, "So whenever that moment comes," he paused to shake the cold off, "Don't expect anger or even hatred, but prepare to understand okay?"
The three stood silent until Sam dared to break it, "Crystal," she looked at him and the boys nodded in agreement. Wilfredo sighed in relief and the snow started to fall again, gently and Wil's footsteps steadily flowed into silence as he walked and when the trio walked to the park to...at this point relax.
That is until screams were heard and Wilfredo noticed Vlad flying in the air with Sam and Tucker in his grasp and the two teenagers struggling to get free. Danny flew to him as fast and as hard as he possibly could. But Vlad soon opened a portal and disappeared into the aether. Danny let out a yell of anger, frustration, and desperation while Wilfredo stood silently, completely shocked on what just happened...
Meanwhile in the distance, the boy witnessed the entire event...making mental notes on what to do next on his own course of action.
(12:35pm)
Danny rushed to his home and headed downstairs to gather equipment, but as soon as he started to pack and hunt down Vlad, he felt something was wrong. The house was eerily quiet...no hint of his mom, dad, or even his sister was felt. He journeyed up and down the house calling out his family and as he reached the control room above, he noticed moments of struggle throughout the house.
He shook with anger and someone behind was about to make it worse, "So Danny boy, what's your plan on stopping me this time," Danny turned around and saw Vlad, smirking. Danny was about to attack in blind rage, but Vlad pushed him back with an energy field and held him firmly against the window by Danny's throat. Danny struggled to breathe, but Vlad wasn't going to kill him...yet.
"You'll have a chance to save your family, just come to the only country where it matches the ninth circle of Dante's hell. You and your friends have defied me for the last time...so I had to take some measures where you and I can fight without outside help. So not only I kidnapped your friends and your family, but their families as well...just to spice things up. And, if you can, keep the medium out of this...he'll suffer under my hands...once I'm done with you. You've had many chances to save yourself and your loved ones if you just served alongside me, but that offer has long since expired."
Danny struggled to free himself, but Vlad's grip and his words were slowly paralyzing him and subduing his will, "And to start off the new year and a new era for myself and the world...meet me in Antarctica on New Year's Day. Don't make me wait, or I'll dispose my captives one by one," he let go of Danny harshly and Danny coughed to regain his breath, "You have days to prepare Daniel...make each day count," Vlad levitated, flew towards the open window and disappeared into the city.
Danny shook and struck the floor with his fist so hard, he cut his fist, "Everyone, I'm going to save all of you...even if I have to...have to..." even though he couldn't verbalize the last part...he knew what he must do and wasn't afraid to commit.
(That afternoon 4:55pm)
Wilfredo nodded off for a few moments in his darkened room and woke up, and headed for the kitchen. He noticed his parents napping, but when he blinked again, he noticed Vlad hovering above them, clearly frustrated, "God damn it! Why can't I phase through them," he muttered and Wilfredo was about to make his presence known.
"Because my dad is married to my mom. And he has similar abilities as I do so no matter what...my family's protected from creatures like you," he then heard a noise coming from his parents' window, it was a butterfly as large as a pigeon. The blackness of the butterfly had an ethereal glow about it, reminiscent of a long gone memory of a dream, "Leave Vlad, you have no power here so don't pretend that you do...unless you've forgotten what happened last time," he said in a voice that had a black quality, ominous even.
Vlad hovered, "Listen here boy, once I'm done with Danny, I'll return to finish this 'conversation' and you'll be begging for your life," Vlad said with as much malice as he could muster, but Wilfredo didn't budge...his look reminded Vlad of the boy he had a run in after the teenagers left his laboratory. Wilfredo closed the window, walked out of his parents' room and took the butterfly to his room.
Vlad clenched his fist, frustrated that the fear which usually gives him strength alongside certain levels of distrust didn't have meaning in this household. He was about to enter Wilfredo's bedroom, he noticed a black and white photo of Wilfredo's grandparents when they were young, around 24 or so. For some reason, their gazes struck fear into Vlad, their looks of intensity of witnessing awful things in their lives..."Doesn't matter, emotions like these shouldn't apply, but why do I feel them regardless?"
Wilfredo opened his window and let the butterfly go, watching it join a flock of butterflies down the block and heading off for somewhere, out of sight. The cold outside, even with the sun coming out of the clouds, the cold air still cut the skin and reached to his bones. The cars below and the people walking, keeping warm in their clothes gave Wilfredo a sense of dread...something foreboding and horrifying. Like the time to see the world his grandparent have only seen in his family was fast approaching and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
December 31, 2004
(6:14pm)
Danny flew around the Amity district making sure Vlad wasn't around to taunt him by counting the days and the hours. Since his last encounter with his arch nemesis, he found some ghosts to help him...even if their interactions in the past have been confrontational to say the least: Skulker, Ember, Frostbite, Technus, and Wulf. He knew even with their help, their chances of victory was slim, 'But I'll take those chances over no chance at all any day...I just hope I still have another day to experience...'
As Danny became engrossed in his thoughts, he noticed Wilfredo walking in the park in a long coat, dark pants, and a blood red scarf...looking totally out of it. Danny flew down to observe his classmate and noticed Wil dialing his cell phone and calling his friend...
"Zane...I'm in the park and...you know those moments you remembered from back then...this is it and...I don't know if I'm coming back but...I-I just wanted to tell you that," he ended his forced conversation and put the phone away. But as soon as he did, he collapsed in the snow, "WIL!"
[Wilfredo's Vantage Point]
He walked in the snow, hoping to reach Zane's house, he was trying something new, he felt himself go into a trance that normally happens when he's in deep sleep...but feared he went too far. His vision began to blur and his heart beat and breathing began to slow as well, but his mind was still sharp enough to make a call.
"Zane...I'm in the park and...you know those moments you remembered from back then...this is it and...I don't know if I'm coming back but...I-I just wanted to tell you that...later..."
He felt himself collapse to the snow-covered ground knees first and followed it up with a face plant and his gaze was to the park's edge, facing the other entrance heading for Zane's home. Before he blacked out, he thought heard someone calling out his name, "WIL!"
[The place of fog and sounds]
The lights reflected off of the snow remained and Wilfredo notices a road extending before him and behind him into eternity. Shrubs lined the road, they were also covered with snow and snow continued to fall gently towards the ground. But the cold was missing, however Wilfredo found himself wearing his winter clothes and the neighborhood buildings were gone.
He then heard footsteps behind him and noticed a man in his early twenties and what disturbed him greatly was that he greatly resembled his grandfather in the old portrait back at his apartment. He wore winter clothes as well, but looked liked what could've been clothing from 1940's Iberian Peninsula.
"Let's take a walk," the man suggested and Wilfredo quietly obeyed, "You're too inquisitive for your own good. You had to push the limits you've set for yourself. But its all right," the man said as he looked at the confused and slightly scared expression on Wilfredo's face, "You can stay here long, but we will have a few minutes to discuss."
Wilfredo just listened and as they walked for god knows how long, the two sat down at a table with two cups of coffee. Who knows how long the table had been there, but in this world...or a borderland between two impossible absolutes...time slows down. Both sat down and took sips while looking at each other.
The man was the first to speak, "I have a line for you to memorize for the years to come, but at the same time, its as personal as you and vast as the friends you have: The Earth turned to bring us closer. It turned on itself and in us, until it finally brought us together in this dream."
Wilfredo looked at him and felt a small smile come across his face, "It's beautiful," he managed to say, "It's titled 'La Tierra Giro Para Acercarnos,' written by Venezuelan poet Eugenio Montejo. And I believe that holds true today in a world that's interconnected as it is."
"Yeah but were more separated from ourselves and others than ever before," Wilfredo said, and he thought he heard a voice in his head screaming his name, "So how does fate and destiny play out when we're blinded by our choices?"
The man thought for a second and gave his response, "The choices we make are based on the fate that strangers meet at a particular moment in time. And for friends separated by distance and time, fate allows them to meet up again. Nothing is absolute...even paradise and damnation aren't absolutes because both fluctuate depending on the choices we make and how our attitudes towards life and death change as the years roll by."
Wilfredo felt satisfied with the man's response, but as with every individual, doubt remains, "And a penny for your thoughts," the man interrupted Wil's train of thought, "Doubt for any explanation is crucial," Wilfredo was surprised by his apparent mind reading but he didn't dwell on it and resumed to listen to the man and to see what happens next.
Both sat quietly for a while and finished their cups of coffee, "Mmm, the taste reminds me of Portuguese coffee. Strong and robust...helps maintain the honesty of taste," the man satisfyingly said.
Wilfredo nodded in agreement, "How long we've been here? Not that I'm rushing things, but I don't want to die either," he said and the man smiled, "You're close to death already, but you're hanging on by your desire for life."
"And I do have to ask...who are you? I know you're not my grandpa and even if you are, why isn't grandma here," Wilfredo asked as he shifted in his chair.
The man lit up a cigarette, "You're right, I'm not your grandfather. And if you're thinking about the boy...he and I are related, but he's stuck on Earth wandering around in his memories of the civil war, his death, and his connection to your grandparents," he took in a puff of tobacco and set out a stream of smoke that filled Wilfredo's nostrils...it didn't bother him.
"What's the kid's connection? Because he unnerves me to be honest," Wilfredo asked and commented, "He was...a child...a child who witnessed the worst of human behavior over ideologies. Ideologies that were supposed to help people or make them happy...but at a cost. And the people found out when the madness ended."
Wilfredo looked at him strangely, "You're talking about the Spanish Civil War aren't you," he asked, "What makes you say that," the man asked as he took in another swig of tobacco, "Because my grandparents said the exact same thing about their time and history with Spain and Portugal...to think they were 17 when the worst of the fighting ended and leaving the peninsula when both dictatorships strengthened their grips on both countries."
The man looked at him and put out his cigarette in the ash tray, "Well, I'll tell you this...the boy was family, but he wasn't my son...When you see him again, send him my regards," he got up...so did Wilfredo.
The voice rang louder now, it sounded like Zane or Danny...Wilfredo couldn't tell the difference and the man snapped him back into the moment, "After this...your abilities will remain as they are, but more potent in some regards...don't hide them as you used to...but as you've said to others and to yourself, you decide on their usage. Not on obligations from the ignorant...not being overly critical here, just describing on what to expect."
Wilfredo nodded and felt the same way as he collapsed in the snow, "Can I sleep now...or wake up...I can't...can't stay here..." as he slumped forward, the man stood in front of him and held him. He then lowered him to the ground...Wilfredo began to shiver..."I need to lie down," Wilfredo managed to say as his teeth began to chatter.
"I know...I know...I'm sorry. Remember, you're always loved, even when things turn to shit," Wilfredo laughed a bit and felt his eyes close, "I hope its the same for you," Wilfredo said and the man gave a warm laugh, "You sound like grandpa," the man didn't say anything and soon...everything turned black.
[Back in living reality]
Zane and Danny tried to wake up Wilfredo, and after a few minutes, they noticed his mouth shaking and pretty soon his entire body. Wil let out groans of pain and strangely, sounds of ecstasy. Zane and Danny looked on horrified and when the shaking ceased, Wilfredo slowly opened his eyes...at first they were rolled back and once he blinked to regain focus, the honey-colored irises returned...they had a glow about them...faint but noticeable.
"S-Sorry Zane," Wilfredo said as he sat up with snow clinging to his jacket and hair, "Stupid! Don't do that again," Zane shouted and hugged his long term friend, "Don't do that again dude," he said into Wilfredo's shoulder, he hugged Zane back, "...I'll try."
Zane hugged him tighter, so did Wilfredo. Danny looked on at the scene...and it just reaffirmed his duty and will to see his friends, his family...and Sam again. Wilfredo looked at Danny, the two didn't say anything...they would leave it for another day...another night.
January 1, 2005
(11:30am)
Antarctica: Victoria Land: Cape Hallet near the Admiralty Mountains
The sun still stood in the air, refusing to set as it would back in Philadelphia. Vlad floated in the air, his patience running on empty and he took one last look at Danny's friends, family, the friends' families and off course at Danny's would be crush Sam. He knew to use her in the slight possibility of Danny winning, "Look's like Daniel isn't coming. He finally realized that he couldn't win and has abandoned you...such as the Dear Lord abandoned all of us," Vlad made his snide remark to everyone present.
"Shut up! You don't know what the hell you're talking about," Jazz yelled within the energy field everyone's trapped, "He'll come, mark my words," Jazz and her parents gave Vlad the look of their 100 percent certainty. Everyone looked at him with fierce animosity and just as he was about to torture them again with the energy field, an ectoplasmic blast came from the air and soon followed by multiple strikes.
Vlad dodged all the blasts and looked up. There was Danny with a determined look of winning no matter the cost and he was accompanied by not only the ghosts that agreed to help him, but also Poindexter, Lydia, Amorpho, Fright Knight, and Danni. They all looked down at Vlad with the look of betrayal for past actions and just doing Danny a favor so they would have competition from another halfa to get his head. However, the few who were allies agreed either on his terms or a compromise between Danny and themselves...they still have personal issues to deal with.
"So Danny, finally made it! But what have I said before, come alone," Vlad said loudly in order to intimidate, "Yeah it didn't work," Danny snidely remarked. Vlad looked around, "I'm surprised that accursed medium didn't show up with you."
Danny stood quiet for a moment, "Well, Wilfredo nearly died from his trance to the world beyond the Ghost Zone, asking him to come would've been the end of it...he and his friends are talking about what happened and what to do next," Danny gave his explanation calmly and focused on the upcoming task.
Everyone looked at Danny completely shocked, even the ghosts looked at him momentarily surprised to know that a human medium was able to commune that far into the abyss of memories and sounds...and lived.
"But enough about him. What's really important is taking you out...for good," Danny lunged towards Vlad and soon he was followed by five of the ten ghosts. The other five went to help the people out of the energy field one by one, it was too strong for everyone to leave at once.
Danny, accompanied by Frostbite, Danni, Wulf, Ember, and Skulker. The fight was intense from the start, Vlad split himself into four and each one took on the ghosts and Danny. Wulf and Ember were taken out easily, while Frostbite being in his element provided more of a challenge, Vlad disposed of him in a matter of minutes.
Technus made himself a ghastly machine gun to fire point blank at Vlad, but he too was shot down by Vlad. Dany lunged at Vlad, but was thrown back by an energy blast, and before Vlad could swoop in for the kill, Danni fired a shot and forced Vlad back. She along with Poindexter and Lydia did their best to hold him off, but the two were quickly disposed of. Amorpho then tried to turn into Vlad, and it worked for a bit, even to the point of copying his powers and power level. But Vlad...after a while took care of Amorpho.
Before Danny could launch an attack, Fright Knight got in his way...after the Halloween fiasco and King Paradius, he had some grudges to take care of with Vlad. The fight between the two soon became intense with blow per blow and one moment, Fright Knight's sword made a gash at Vlad's side, causing him to lose a substantial amount of blood, but in his ghost form, the blow wasn't as lethal. Vlad then split himself into four again and surround Fright Knight. Their combined blasts were enough to knock the Knight off his horse. Vlad grabbed the sword from the air and used it to attack Fright Knight.
All of Danny's allies/and enemies were down and Danny was the only one left, "Danny, going back on your word and trying to weaken me was a bold, but fruitless plan. I'm still going to kill you and soon...no one will stand in my way," he said in a demonic voice.
Danny just looked at him and then at the rescued ones below, "If you're going to kill me...do it right Vlad," Danny said was stoically and as bravely as he could. Vlad gave a sinister smile and lunged towards Danny.
Danny put up a shield, and thanks to the ghosts' help, Vlad is weakened greatly, but still had enough power to do serious damage to Danny. Vlad broke through Danny's shield and punched Danny in the abdomen. This knocked the wind out of him but Danny dodged the next attack and launched his Ghostly Wail. It had enough power to send Vlad crashing into the ice. But Danny paid in utter exhaustion, but his will was strong enough to keep going so he launched an energy beam directly at Vlad.
Vlad got up and punched it to disintegration. Danny launched an ice beam, in combination with ectoplasm. The attack surprised Vlad to a point where it literally knocked the wind out of him and sent him back into the ice.
Danny landed, his body was painfully exhausted, numb and tingling with fatigue. Then Vlad launched an energy blast, Danny put up a shield but was still knocked back and landed unconscious. His body reverted back into his human form.
"DANNY," his friends and family called out, even his friends' parents were utterly shocked and cried out to get him to come back up. Vlad levitated slowly over Danny's body, clutching his sword inflicted wound, "You've been keeping surprises from me...if only you accepted my offer months ago. That way I can pass on a legacy to a suitable heir," he then looked at Maddie who had an expression of shock and immense anger towards Vlad. All Vlad felt was a tinge of guilt, but longing and anger overshadowed his guilt, "But it wasn't meant to be," he then held out his hand and made an ectoplasmic sword and aimed it at Danny's throat.
"Goodbye," but just as he was about to thrust, a significant gunshot struck Vlad's wound causing him to lose the sword and yelled in agony. Danny blinked his eyes open and noticed Vlad clutching his wound in agony...more blood flowed out of him. Danny transformed back into his ghostly half and held the sword, he thrust it into Vlad's wound and he yelled in even more agony. Just as Danny was about to deliver the final blow, he stopped at the last minute...he let the sword disappear.
"I'm nothing like...and from now on...if you ever try this again...I will finish what I started."
Just as he said this, footsteps were heard behind him and immediately knew who it was...the boy. Only this time, he held a 1940's pistol in his hand. He walked passed Danny and aimed it at Vlad's head, "Eu non dixen que se ía matalo (Didn't I say I was going to kill you)," he then held out his hand and destroyed Vlad's ghost half. Once Vlad returned to normal, he cocked the pistol, "Su rol ha terminado," he fired and Vlad fell down dead with blood sprayed at the back onto the ice and Vlad leaving this world with a shocked and pained expression.
The boy lowered his gun and put it away in his jacket. He looked at Danny and then the people who looked shocked and now slightly afraid, "You know, I never meant to go this far...but Vlad was going to kill you and I...helped out a bit," Danny didn't say anything, prompting the boy to continue, "You'll see his ghost again, but he'll present no danger. As for Wilfredo...he won't have to worry about losing control again...for a while anyway."
Danny reverted back to normal and collapsed to the ice on his knees. The ghosts around him got up and after witnessing the battle, they found new respect for the boy. The friends and families rushed to Danny. The boy noticed and walked in the opposite direction...in moments he vanished into the aether.
Sam rushed to hug Danny like no tomorrow and kissed him heatedly, "Danny...I'm glad you're safe," she said and kissed his cheek and hugged him firmly. Danny returned the hug, "I'm glad you're safe too...wouldn't dare think what would've happened to you," he said and felt Sam's hug grow a tad firm.
She let go and Danny's mom and dad picked him up and hugged him hysterically, "Oh Danny! I'm sorry for what we tried to do to you," Maddie cried hysterically and Jack tried to hold back his tears, but failed, "Oh son, can you ever forgive us," he hugged Danny like a bear. Danny just padded his dad's back reassuringly, "It's okay, you didn't know...I...I was scared."
His parents lost it, and Jazz had her turn hugging her younger brother, then Tucker followed by Valerie. The other parents looked at him gratefully and past judgements were wiped from their minds and either hugged Danny or shook his hand like the man he knew he was.
Soon they heard mechanized vehicles approaching in the distance, a Turkish team of scientists and geologists with permission from the New Zealand government to work in the area. They hurried to see if anybody needed medical assistance...the ghosts on the other hand retreated into the aether and returned to the Ghost Zone...Danni however stayed behind to be with her (hopefully) new family.
Then in all the tension, a beam of light shot up from over the mountains in the distance and felt the ice shaking violently.
January 1, 2005
(3:05am)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wilfredo got up and walked to the bathroom. After a few hours of talking to Zane and being consoled and consoling his friend, he decided to stay over for the night. He celebrated the New Year, but knew whatever happened to him was just the beginning of something big, vast, lonely, and above all...challenging. Memories of his death still fermented in his head...and as soon as he returned to Zane's room, he noticed the boy sitting on his sleeping bag.
"Hey...um, the man I met...in the borderland before the otherside...he sends his regards," Wilfredo said and noticed the boy's eyes widen a bit, "Oh...him...Obrigado..." he managed to say. Wilfredo gave his faintest smile, and noticed the black butterflies...this time only 10 black ones and six white ones, "So...what's next kid? I don't even know your name," Wilfredo said.
The boy got up and looked at him with a somewhat sad expression, "Neither do I. I forgot...ages ago," he said, "When you were killed. Right," Wilfredo probed a bit, "Yeah..." the boy fidgeted uneasily, he then felt something wet around his liver. In the dark, Wilfredo couldn't see, but on the boy's hand, he knew what it was, but didn't say anything.
"I guess I'll take my leave," the boy said as he walked passed Wilfredo into the darkness. Wilfredo looked his the boy's disappearing form and sighed. He looked at Zane and grabbed his coat and scarf. He walked out of Zane's home and out into the streets. The darkness was painfully cold with stars above, even with the street lights on.
But then he noticed something that was impossible, light patters in the night sky, but what shocked him the most was that it flowed from the south rather than from the north. He continued to stare at the ultra-rare phenomena of magnetic storms he's only heard about on documentaries. The lights was hues of blue, red and a bright whitish-violet.
"My God...everyone's asleep...but the heavens have opened up...I'm seeing a miracle...or am I still dreaming. Am I dead or am I alive," he said out loud and continued to stare to the divine lights in the sky with his feet in the snow and the cold air entering and exiting his lungs. The whiteness of the snow only reflected the beauty of the nightly event.
~fin?~
I would like to thank a.w. LeMonte for her help on this chapter, especially on the snow theme. With her help I tried to make the snow theme as honest as I can. Honest by way of revealing the inner thoughts of the characters and depict them in a physical and verbal way. Tough as hell but I like a challenge.
The piece by Vivaldi, listen to the rendition by Europa Galante to get the feel of what's to come.
Again, thank you for reading this little trilogy and stay tuned for an even greater project, but I've already mentioned that ;)
This chapter is dedicated to a dear friend that passed away recently...hope he finds his way in a world of sounds, fog, shadows, and a guide to help him on his way.