Clone Danny moved towards me, his fist raised. I took a staggering step backwards, realizing with a jolt that I had turned back into human form without realizing it. I put up my hands to shield my face, and waited for the blow.
But it never came. Someone fell to the ground, but it wasn't me – it was my clone. He crumpled onto the ground from a shot in his back that seemed to come out of nowhere. Blinking, I unshielded my face and my look of amazement quickly turned into one of disgust.
Vlad had appeared – in human form – and had taken Clone Danny by surprise. Or, at least, that's the way it was staged. I was sure that Vlad had put the whole thing together so that I was the weak laughingstock of the town and he was the hero. Instantly I felt a little foolish for even wasting my time fighting the clone, as it had been a setup anyway. I was still disturbed, though, that even though I had given it my all, I hadn't even put a scratch on the other Danny. Was I really that weak?
I was distracted from my thoughts when I saw my dad put his arm around Vlad and exclaimed, "Great job, V-man! That was brilliant!"
I couldn't help noticing my mom glance up at Vlad angrily, as if she was rethinking what I had told her earlier. Clearly she hadn't broken the news to my dad.
"It wasn't brilliant!" I found myself shouting. "It was a setup! Vlad's the one who made the clone of me in the first place! And he's half ghost!"
Utter silence.
It took a moment for this piece of news to sink in, but when it did, the whole crowd erupted in frantic conversation.
Vlad slowly turned to look at me, malice sparkling in his eyes. "Foolish boy. You must know that the clone and I, versus you, are by far a stronger pair."
And he morphed into his ghost form.
The crowd seemed to scream simultaneously, and I heard my dad yell. But I was, once again, preoccupied. Anger coursing through me, I screamed, "Going ghost!!!" and flung myself at the traitor.
Clone Danny got up from the ground, clearly not hurt at all. He, too, became a ghost (but not before I noticed that his human form was wearing a formal suit), and attacked me. But I was so crazed and frustrated that I felt twice as strong as I had before. With a snarl, I pulled back my fist and punched Clone Danny in the face.
He looked only remotely surprised as he recovered from the shock, and eyed me with boredom. As I turned to strike him again, I felt Vlad grab me and close his arm tightly around my throat.
I was thrown into a state of total panic. I struggled, but Vlad's ghost form was stronger than mine. Choking as I tried to cry out, I felt my head swimming, and my heart beating frantically. When I tried to take a breath in, I found I could not. I felt like I was drowning, and it sent real alarm coursing through me. Vlad really meant to kill me!
Suddenly, I felt a release in his grip, and I gulped for air. I realized that someone had shot at him, and I turned around to see who my savior was.
"Valerie…" I whispered.
"You betrayed me!" She yelled, and I jumped as I saw her looking at Vlad with a horrible, twisted expression.
"I guess I betrayed everyone," Vlad said, smiling uncaringly, raising his hand to shoot a plasma blast at Valerie.
Or was it aimed at Valerie? Because those words were the last thing I remember hearing before I blacked out...