Chapter Four

I glanced down the stairs several times as I walked up to the Fentonworks living room. The box had been locked in a secure, ghost-proof safe, but I still wasn't sure it could hold back Pariah Dark, especially when he was dead set on getting the Crown of Fire back.

I finished the ascent and was halfway to the front door when I was stopped short by the news. "Skeletons are all over the county, closing in on Amity Park," the anchorwoman said. "Many of the older citizens are thinking back to the heroism of local halfa Danny Phantom, when he was just fourteen and facing off against not only an army of skeleton ghosts, but their leader, whom we have subsequently learned was a ghost king known as Pariah Dark.

"Now it appears that ghost armies are out to conquer again, and we only have twenty-four hours at most before we're surrounded and overrun with ghosts."

I ran out the front door and down the street. I dodged and weaved through crowds of people, probably concerned citizens on their way to consult my grandparents. I cleared the crowd, running until I reached the town park. I sank to my knees in front of the water fountain, breathing heavily. I rested my arms on the rim of the fountain and looked up at the ornate structure I saw in my dream.

I then became distinctly aware of the ticking, louder than the previous two times I heard it. I pushed myself to my feet and looked around the park, settling into a sitting position on the rim of the fountain. I couldn't help but wonder if Dad and Dani heard the ticking, as well.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. It was fairly early, still, five o'-clock, and I stood, pocketing my phone. I walked out of the town park and down the street.

DPDP

I sat between DJ and Dad at the dinner table, picking at the food on my plate. "Demi, everything okay?" Dad asked.

"Have you been hearing...ticking...lately?" I asked, looking up at my dad and setting my fork down.

"Actually, I think I have been. Five-ish?"

"That's when I heard it."

Dad leaned toward me and whispered, "What about Phantom?"

"He hears it, too."

"Where is he?"

"He dropped the box off at lunch time, then God knows where he went. Probably somewhere far, far away."

"If we hear about anyone being blown up or maimed or whatever, I'll go check it out, and if he comes after you, fight like hell."

"Okay."

Dad sat up and forked a bite of food. "So, how was school, other than, well..."

"Oh, school was good. Nothing really major happened, except...that."

"Good. Just makin' sure. We'll talk about this after dinner."

I nodded and returned to picking at my food with my fork.

DPDP

Dad and I sat on my bed. "So, we've both been hearing ticking," I said, "and so has Phantom, and we've been hearing it at the same time."

"Right."

"And it's been getting louder."

"Yeah."

"I think this whole thing is coming together. The cruel master's been awakened, if in fact he is Pariah Dark, and I think the clock, the ticking, is calling us so we can fight back, and by 'us', I mean you, me, Phantom, and possibly Dani."

"But there were six original Ancient Ghosts who fought Pariah the first time. If the Ancient Ghosts are being called again, then two are unaccounted for."

"But who would they be?"

"The apparent trend is that they're Fentons, or connected to us in some other way."

"You don't think it could be my little brothers, do you?"

"Where'd that come from?"

"They're the only other Fentons I know of with the potential to have ghost powers."

"We'll have to wait it out and see."

"Any word from anybody on who let the ghost king out?"

"Nope, but Vlad's still top of the list."

"Any idea where he could be?"

"Again, nope."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I dunno. Anyway, you should get some sleep."

I smiled, and Dad and I hugged. I leaned against the headboard and watched him walk out of my room.