Chapter 29: Ghost Town
About a month after her daughter fell into a coma, Mrs. Brandt had a very strange dream.
She was back in the hospital, the sterile smell and soft white lights surrounding her. She was at the far end of a very long hallway, longer than any hallway at the hospital that Cindy was in. This definitely struck her as odd.
Another odd thing was the lack of doors. There weren't any doors at all, nor were there any doctors. Well, there was one door, at the very far end of the hallway.
Mrs. Brandt put one foot in front of the other without thinking about what she was doing. Her head was filled with one thought: Cindy.
She began the long, solitary walk down the hallway, all the while thinking about her comatose daughter.
After a few paces forward, a slight motion caught Mrs. Brandt's eye. She turned, and sitting on the floor was a group of bizarre creatures she had never seen before. They all resembled foxes, with long ears, long tails, and four legs. But they were all different in their own way.
One of them was pink with a long forked tail and a red gem embedded in its head. Standing next to it was an orange furred fox with a big bushy tail and a furry ring of fuzz around its neck. Behind them was a black fox with a yellow ring on its head and striking blue eyes.
The pink fox brightened as Mrs. Brandt turned to it. It opened its mouth and began to speak, but its voice barely raised above an incomprehensible murmur. The other foxes joined in, and although Mrs. Brandt couldn't tell what they were saying, but it wasa clear from the expressions on their faces that they were quite happy.
Mrs. Brandt smiled and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Okay, little guys… I'll see you later, I guess…" She continued down the hall, feeling strange yet happy.
More odd creatures appeared before her. Two furry catlike creatures, one white and one blue, smiled as she walked past. A tall purple dragon with dark sunglasses saluted to her. One green lizard with bright yellow eyes even hugged her, babbling in its strange mumbles.
It was as if everyone knew Mrs. Brandt, and as she reached the end of the hall, she felt that she should know them as well.
She stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway. On the door was a shining gold plate with the words "C. Brandt" engraved on it. Mrs. Brandt turned the brass handle without hesitation, excitement and nervousness filling her.
The hospital room was now very simplistic; instead of cupboards and medical equipment crammed into the small space, now there was a white gurney, a wooden chair, and a window with bright white curtains.
The sleeping form of Cindy Brandt was tucked under the covers. She looked almost like an angel, with pale white skin, a peaceful smile on her face, and her flaming red hair straight and tidy. Her white medical dress highlighted her simple and skinny form.
Mrs. Brandt felt herself tearing up. Cindy looked so peaceful in this state, even though her very life was at risk… it was sad. She could've been dead, and she was still at peace.
She walked up to her daughter and gripped her hand, finally letting the tears flow down her face. Awful, choking sobs left her throat, making her sound like a dying animal. She couldn't stand seeing her daughter so lifeless, so blank…
"Do not be sad, Mrs. Brandt…"
A calm, peaceful voice rang out in her head. She sat up and looked around for the speaker, temporarily forgetting to be sad. However, there wasn't anyone in the hospital room other than her and Cindy…
She blinked, and that's when they appeared.
A teal blue penguin had appeared on the wooden chair. Its yellow beak was smiling, and its eyes were lit up with an excited gleam.
Curled up on the bed was a small creature with a long nose. At first, Mrs. Brandt thought it was a cat or a small dog, but then she saw that it was teal and had four red spots on its back. It was no animal, it was another strange creature. It seemed to radiate heat.
There was something vaguely familiar about this strange creature…
Mrs. Brandt apprehensively reached out a hand to the long-nosed creature, hoping to pat it on the head and wake it, but before she could…
A strange presence filled the room. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. It was protective, like a guardian angel was watching over her. She looked up… and that's when she saw it.
Hovering above Cindy's head was a green… something. It had a light green body with small limbs, and several yellow and pink spheres floating next to its arms. It had small eyes and a wide smile, though Mrs. Brandt could see a strange sadness behind its smile. Its gel-encased body seemed to flicker, almost like a ghost.
Mrs. Brandt took a step back, somewhat surprised at the sudden appearance of the ghostly creature. She wasn't afraid; on the contrary, she was curious and calmed.
"Hello, Mrs. Brandt," the blob said. It had a misty, feminine voice that reminded her of her own mother. She felt strangely at peace now, despite all the odd beings and her comatose daughter.
"Who are you?" Mrs. Brandt asked.
"Names don't matter now. I am simply a… messenger, of sorts. I can tell that you are very worried for your daughter, Cindy Brandt. It is understandable, given her condition," the blob said, looking at the sleeping figure of Cindy Brandt.
The teal being at the end of the bed stirred in its sleep.
"Yes…" Mrs. Brandt said numbly. "I'm so scared for her… I don't want the leukemia to kill her… And she's in a coma, and it feels like she's already died…" She let out another choked sob and blinked hard, trying not to cry. She had to stay strong.
"I understand perfectly. Any one in your position would be worried. However, I must tell you not to worry any more," the blob said.
Mrs. Brandt's eyes widened. "Why? She could very well die now, I can't just stop worrying about her! She's my joy! I would be crushed if she died!"
"I am here to tell you that she will not die any time soon."
Mrs. Brandt was shocked. She stepped back, her mouth gaping in surprise. She was obviously shocked, but not unpleasantly so.
In a moment, her initial surprise turned to excitement and relief. Her little bonbon was going to be okay. She would survive… at least for a little while.
But still, this was just a dream. A figment of her imagination. It wasn't real. This could just be her mind subconsciously thinking about her daughter's ailment. This blob and all the strange creatures in the hall could be her mind's creation.
"But… What do you mean by this? Why are you so sure she'll survive? Are you even real?!" she said.
"It's a very long story that I don't have time to tell you now. Just know that Cindy Brandt will be okay for the time being. Do not fret, Mrs. Brandt," the blob said gently.
"Yeah!"
A new voice joined the talking. Mrs. Brandt turned and found that the teal penguin was the speaker. He sounded childish and eager, like a young boy who had just received an ice cream cone. "Don't worry, miss! Cindy's just fine. She's a great explorer, and she never gives up! She's my best friend!"
"You know her? Who are you?" By now, Mrs. Brandt was sure this was just a strange dream.
"There's no time to explain. Just don't forget what I said: Cindy will be okay. Don't let grief and worry get in your way; in the end, it will consume you. She will be just fine. Remember that," the ghostly green blob said.
Mrs. Brandt blinked and found that the blob was beginning to disappear, flickering in and out of the hospital room. In fact, as she looked around, she found that everything was starting to fade into shadow.
"Bye, miss! Don't be afraid!" the penguin said, smiling as he and the wooden chair melted into shadow.
"Wait! No! Don't go! I want an explanation! Please—!"
But it was too late… Everything was gone, the hospital room, the ghost, the penguin, her poor comatose daughter… everything…
"Noooo…" she moaned.
She felt herself falling, falling through a void of blackness, falling back to reality, back to consciousness…
XxX
As Mrs. Brandt's eyes fluttered open, the exact details of the dream faded away. All the strange creatures, the hospital room, the image of her daughter faded away, leaving only a faint smudge of a memory.
But there was one thing that she remembered from her dream. The ghostly green blob that had assured her that Cindy would survive.
Mrs. Brandt was a spiritual person at heart. She figured this was a sign from God, telling her that her daughter would make it through this ordeal okay. But what was with all the crazy creatures? They all seemed vaguely familiar, especially the teal critter at the edge of Cindy's gurney…
She shook her head sadly, letting loose a sigh. She slid out of bed, careful not to wake her sleeping husband, and shuffled into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Coffee always helped her concentrate after a strange dream like that.
For the rest of the day, Mrs. Brandt tried not to think about Cindy. She remembered the blob's words, and every time she got close to thinking about her daughter, she would push it to the back of her mind, bite her lip, and assure herself she was going to be okay.
Before she went to bed, she even uttered a quiet prayer, hoping with all her heart that she and Cindy would get through okay.
But in the end, all she could do was wait and pray for her daughter.
XxX
The path ahead had been recently dusted with snow. There wasn't a blade of grass in sight, and the dirt road was covered with a thin layer of snow flurries. Several large footprints had been stamped into the ground, leaving large imprints in the path.
Cindy inwardly cursed. From the looks of it, Team Nightshade and Team Chompy had already passed by here, eluding capture once again.
She scanned the horizon, looking for the two malicious teams. Much to her dismay, there wasn't anyone else on the path other than her companions.
"Curses. They've already been past here," Dr. Z murmured.
"What are we waiting for, then? Let's go after them!" Phoenix exclaimed, his eyes alight with fury.
"That sounds like a great plan, but I still don't think Jade's well enough to walk…" Emile said, gently lowering his partner to the ground.
It was true, she wasn't in any shape to continue exploring. Her leg had stopped bleeding a little, but her skin was still stained with the crimson liquid. Her face had gone slightly pale, and her breath was dry and rattling. She tried not to put pressure onto her leg, but she exhausted herself from the effort.
"It's fine. I'll be okay. Polar Town's just up ahead, I should be fine. We'll definitely get it checked out there…" Jade said bravely, leaning to the side and wobbling slightly.
"Jade, I understand you want to be brave and you don't want to slow us down, but—" Emile began.
Dr. Z reached out to Cindy's Explorer Bag, taking her quite by surprise. "Relax, Cindy. I'm just getting an Oran Berry, it should help a bit…"
He triumphantly pulled out the sky blue berry a moment later and handed it to Jade. She scarfed it down without hesitation and let out a sigh of relief once she had finished. She looked a little less strained, and her wound seemed to close up a bit more, but she still obviously needed medical attention. No matter. Surely Polar Town would have a doctor.
"What do you think? Are you feeling better?" Saber asked.
"Yeah, a little. I still shouldn't overexert myself. We'll get it checked out at the doctor there, but I'm sure I can last until then," Jade said.
"Great! Now, let's go. I doubt that Team Chompy will just stick around there! We need to move! Go! Go! Go!" Phoenix said, clapping his hands together like a drill sergeant.
"Yeah!" the group chorused.
Cindy grinned and led the way down the frosty path, her companions following close behind.
It was rather cold on the route. That was obvious, considering the overcast skies, snow, and chilly winds. The icy chill wasn't enough to hamper our heroes, but it did make Cindy shiver. Snowstorm Summit was about a hundred times colder than this.
Jade complained a little for the first few minutes. She said her leg was hurting one minute, which was understandable, but the next minute she was complaining about the cold. As soon as Emile confronted her about it, she suddenly started to complain about her leg again. Just to shut her up, Emile practically stuffed an Oran Berry in her mouth.
"We're almost at Polar Town. Surely you can hold up until then, right?" Emile said firmly.
"Mmm hmm. Sure," Jade said, her mouth full of berry.
"Speaking of which, who's the doctor there?" Emile asked.
"Nurse Clefable. She's a really kind Pokémon, always ready to help out. And she's determined, so she won't give up easily. Don't worry, Miss Jade is in safe hands," Dr. Z said.
Cindy detected a slight waver in his voice… but perhaps that was only her imagination.
"That's great," Jade panted.
They walked down the snowy pathway in silence. A small snowstorm kicked up about halfway down the path, and a few snow flurries danced in front of their faces like tiny bits of feather. Jade didn't complain about the cold, instead, she just bit her lip and limped down the road.
Soon, a dark haze came into view. It was hard to see due to the snow, but Cindy was certain that they were quickly approaching Polar Town. As they continued to walk down the path, two dark purple shapes came into view, one on either side of the road.
Cindy wondered who or what the purple shapes were, but as they got closer and closer, she could finally see the purple lumps clearly.
The lumps were Gabites, Officer Garchomp's underlings. They both wore a sterile white mask over their mouths, and instead of dark sunglasses covering their eyes, goggles had been stuck over them. They were both lying on the ground, panting for air.
Behind them was a row of quaint houses that were covered in snow and made from brick. A few evergreen trees sprouted up from the ground. Several small stands lined the snowy streets, but they all appeared to be empty.
Cindy felt as if there was something very wrong…
"Hey! Hey, guys! Are you okay?!" Saber cried, streaking past her and racing toward the Gabites.
Cindy, Phoenix, Dr. Z, and Reuniclus rushed up to the Gabites, Emile and Jade trailing behind. As Cindy approached them, she could see it was clear they had just been in a battle.
A few cuts and bruises dotted the bodies of the dragons. One Gabite had his arm bent at a funny angle, and the other Gabite sustained several burns.
"Guh… They hit us from behind… those dirty cheaters…" the burned Gabite said.
"Who? Who hit you?" Emile pressed.
"Dunno. I know there was a big Fire type, why else would he be burned?" The other Gabite rose his bent arm and gestured to his friend.
"I think I also saw a blur of gray, like a shaggy dog or something…" the burned Gabite said.
Saber turned to Cindy and Phoenix, his wide yellow eyes even wider. "It's them. They've made it past these guys." He cursed.
"Who?" the broken Gabite asked.
"No one…" Saber said listlessly.
Without waiting for any of his companions, he leapt past the fallen Gabites and raced forward into the wintery town, his legs a green blur beneath him.
"Sir! Sir, get back here! No one is allowed to enter Polar Town! It is currently on lockdown; no one's allowed to enter and no one's allowed to leave!" the burned Gabite cried weakly.
Cindy felt her stomach drop as her worst fears were confirmed. If this town was on lockdown, then that could only mean one thing…
"I'm sorry, but due to the recent outbreak of Pokérus, we've been ordered to keep this town locked up. It looks like our attackers got in, though…" the broken Gabite said.
Dr. Z cursed. Saber stopped right in his tracks. Cindy and Phoenix gasped, and Jade let loose an audible scream. "Pokérus…?" Phoenix echoed.
"Yes. The highly contagious disease has apparently struck here, and due to the risk of contamination, we simply cannot let you in," the burned Gabite apologized.
Dr. Z stepped up and positioned himself in between the Gabites. "Listen. I am Dr. Z, the region's most esteemed medical doctor. I am here on official business; we have an injured party member and a group of criminals on the loose. It is absolutely necessary that we pass through," he said, glancing at Jade, who was still trying to clean her wound.
The Gabites looked up, suddenly alert. Their eyes darted from the doctor to the town to Jade, who looked pitiful. The burned Gabite inched closer to his partner and began to talk in rushed whispers.
Cindy tapped her foot anxiously. It would be great to get into a town and relax and unwind after the harrowing experiences in Medicine Forest. If they were denied access, she would be very angry indeed.
Luckily, she didn't have to worry about what would happen if they were rejected. The Gabites turned back to the group and nodded, albeit somewhat begrudgingly.
"Okay, doctor. We have decided to let you in, but you must exercise caution, as Pokérus is still spreading around. We also expect you to be gone by tomorrow, with the exception of the Chikorita and her companion. They can stay as long as they want…"
Cindy didn't listen. She had already followed Saber into the town. Her travelling companions followed suit, trailing a few paces behind her. She followed Saber into the town square and suddenly stopped, an eerie feeling descending on her.
It was a terrible feeling. It felt like she was being watched by someone, but that was simply impossible.
There was no one there but her and her friends.
They had walked straight into a ghost town.
XxX
Ooh! Spooky!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because trust me, you guys are gonna hate the next one. (FORESHADOWING) Don't forget to review!
