Downward Spiral by SupremeDramaOverlord

Chapter 12 - I'm Reduced to Using a Butter Knife for a Weapon

Danny's POV~

While helping me with an English assignment a few weeks ago, Jazz had told me that there are approximately 171,476 words in the English language. However, not a single one of them could describe how utterly exhausted I was. Both physically and mentally. I think Jazz would call my current state a high-level burnout. Yeesh, psychologist.

Sprawled across an overly fancy couch, my eyes drilled holes into the ceiling while I silently cursed the day Vlad was ever born. I was alone in what was undoubtedly a miniature library. It was here where I chose to brood and think over my situation. Much to my relief, Vlad was amusing himself elsewhere, giving me some much needed space away from him. Being around him all the time was downright suffocating.

Directly after breakfast, Vlad had taken me back to that weird dome for more ghost training. Granted it wasn't as enjoyable as last time, what with me being drained of energy and all, not to mention I was still irritated that my escape plan had failed. Though I was physically out of it, I was not about to admit it to Vlad. This wasn't the first time I had to go without a night of sleep and luckily I had shaken off some of my grogginess after breakfast.

I spent most of the day in some sort of simulation course. It was this huge weird maze underneath the dome. Vlad and I went inside a small room that was lined with monitors and hundreds of buttons. He called it the control room. In the middle of the floor there was a heavy trap door. That was the entrance to simulation maze. I was skeptical when had Vlad told me it was also the exit. Apparently, the maze consisted of moving walls and corridors that I had to navigate correctly in order to get back out.

It was not easy.

Throughout the maze there were several sections that would close off. In order to open them back up, I'd have to shoot at specific targets (some were even moving!) However, some of the doors led to a dead end. It wouldn't have been too time consuming if I didn't have to constantly dodge attacks. Built into the walls were thousands of little missiles. I wasn't sure what they were, I had never seen anything like them. I had to really focus if I didn't want one to touch me. They were the size of a tennis ball and they sparked brightly like a firecracker. I got hit by six of them but fortunately for me, they didn't really hurt that bad. It felt almost like getting shocked by static. Regardless, it definitely kept me on my toes. In the control room, Vlad was able to monitor everything and through hidden speakers he would occasionally correct my fighting stances or tell me a better way to direct my ecto-energy.

Besides feeling like a guinea pig, it was actually pretty fun. I also learned some new useful techniques that I wouldn't soon forget. The maze had taken me nearly the whole day to complete and it required all my energy. Or at least, what little I had. I had a feeling that Vlad was just waiting for me to ask for a break or something. Tch, like I'd give him the satisfaction. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I had a feeling that creep was just trying to keep me awake and exhausted so I'd be too tired to try anything tonight.

After dinner I was relieved when Vlad went off to do… whatever he does, and gave me some breathing room. I chose to spend my time by exploring the place. Of course, I wasn't surprised when I didn't find any phones. There wasn't even a landline. I did find some transportation, but that wasn't going to do me any good without finding that shield projector and shutting it off.

Out of ideas and energy, I choose to retreat into the library and collapse onto the sofa. This was the only room I found that didn't give me that 'impending doom' vibe. The bedroom Vlad assigned me was definitely not a place I felt comfortable in for many reasons. For one thing everything inside the closet was a horrible reminder about how Vlad had been stalking and spying on me. If I spared one glance at the elegant windows with their heavy locks, it felt like I was being mocked. That monster was purposely taunting me. He was hanging my freedom on a string, pulling it out of my reach when I tried to grab at it. It almost sounds stupid but the thing I hated most about the bedroom was the door. More specifically, the one-way lock on the door. If I went in, I felt as though I might never come back out. It made me feel like a bird locked in a gilded cage.

I couldn't stand being in there.

So since the library was the least terrifying place in the mansion, I decided to hide out there. Similar to the rest of the house, the library was exquisitely decorated. Much to my relief, it was completely taxidermy-free. In the corner was a spiral staircase that lead to a second floor platform. One wall was a giant glass window which displayed a gorgeous view of the sun setting over the forest and the chandelier filled the room with light. It was easy to fall into the illusion of safety here. It was a good spot to plan out my next escape attempt. Plus the smell of books reminded me of my sister back home.

The obvious thing I needed to do was to locate the shield's projector and find a way to get this stupid bracelet off of me. I've searched every room in the house except for two. Vlad's room and a locked room in first floor hallway. I had a good feeling that whatever I needed to find was behind the mystery door. But how was I going to get in there? And more importantly, how was I going to get out of my - sorry, I meant the bedroom.

Before retreating into the library, I had given the lock on the window and door in the bedroom a careful look. The lock on the window was so complicated and advance, I had a sneaking suspicion that it was one of Vlad's inventions. My chances of getting past it weren't great. On the other hand, I felt sure I could find a way to get past the door. It was just like any other other lock. I knew how to get past those.

A couple of years back, I got locked out of my house. Mom and dad were off investigating an old apartment hoping to find ghosts and Jazz was on a weeklong school trip to the Smithsonian. Tucker had offered that I hang out at his place but Sam had shown us a cool trick instead. By sliding her school ID in between the lock and the door frame, she was able to jimmy the lock open. When we asked her how she learned how to do that, she shrugged. Sometimes it's better not to know with her.

Anyway, I could do the same thing if I only had a card or something just as thin. If only I still had my suitcase! Too bad I didn't have the slightest clue about what Vlad did with it. I'd just have to make do with something else. I would need to find something that's relatively thin and hard to break.

It took only a few minutes for the idea to hit me. Excited, I slid off the couch and hurried over to the door of the library. After checking to make sure the coast was clear, I hurried off towards the dining room. I couldn't hold back a grin when I saw the place settings on the table. Walking over to one, I reached out for a butter knife.

"Daniel?"

My skin nearly peeled off as I whirled around and expected the worst. I almost laughed in relief. It was just Miss Raglan. True I disliked ghosts, but between choosing her or Vlad, she'd be the winner every time. I offered up a sheepish smile.

"Uh, hi." I awkwardly fidgeted with the bottom of my shirt. "What are you doing here?"

She gave me an odd look as she set aside a broom she'd been holding. "I came to clean the floors. Might I ask what you're doing here? Is there something you need?"

"Oh, uh," thinking fast, I grabbed the empty cup behind me on the table, "Thirsty. I was thirsty."

Suspicion completely gone, she beamed and turned towards the kitchen doors, gesturing for me to follow, "Well, let me help you. Follow me into the kitchen, Daniel." Her voice carried an almost motherly tone.

Quick as lightning, I swiped a butter knife while her back was turned and stuffed into my back pocket. "Actually," I hurried after her, "I'd prefer it if you called me Danny. That's my actual name."

She turned her face to me is surprise. "Oh! My apologies. I could have sworn that Plasmius told me your name was Daniel."

I sighed in frustration,"Yeah, he does that."

She game me a confused look but didn't say anything more on the matter. We entered the kitchen and I wasn't surprised that Vlad's kitchen was bigger than my living room.

"Now, what would you like, dear?"

I blinked at the question, "Oh, um, water's fine."

She took my glass and after she filled it with a water pitcher, I couldn't hold back a question. "How did you and the others end up working for Vlad?"

"Well," Miss Raglan hesitated, pondering on whether or not she should answer my question. But I guess she decided there wasn't any harm in it. "Years ago, mind you this had to be at least over fifteen years ago, Plasmius purchased this property. The ghost town was already here and rotting apart, he had this mansion built here when he bought the place. A few of us, myself included, were already haunting the shambles of what was once such a beautiful town." Her soft red gaze grew unfocused, recounting distant and ancient memories. I could see the trace of a bitter-sweet smile creeping at the edge of her lips.

I meekly urged her on, "... And then?"

Her mind was brought back to reality and the beginnings of a smile vanished but her eyes remained soft. She gave me a kind look before continuing her story, "Plasmius wanted an easy way to maintain the large estate and to keep away prying trespassers. He offered us a job and in return a fine home. There wasn't a chance we'd turn it down. He even went into the Ghost Zone and sought some of the ghosts who used to live here. He rebuilt our home. It was a very kind thing he did for us."

I couldn't stop my face from scrunching up. Vlad? Kind? A lot of words can be used to describe the older halfa but 'kind' was not on the list. There was not a doubt in my mind that there wasn't an ounce of kindness in that creep. An empty void was in his chest where a heart should have been. He was manipulative and had those ghosts wrapped around his finger. But instead of voicing my strong opinions about my kidnapper, I thanked Miss Ragland for answering my questions and I left the kitchen.

She was arguably the nicest ghost I've ever met but I knew she would be no help to me. Yes, she was sweet but she was also loyal to Vlad. From what I saw last night, the others would be the same way, though more out of fear of angering their employer. No one was going to help me escape.

I was alone.

Just like last night, I laid awake in bed and waited for when I knew Vlad would be asleep. It was harder this time. My eyelids felt like a hundred pound weights and the soft mattress and pillows tempted me to give into the sweet oblivion of sleep. Nonetheless, I held out and once it was past midnight, I pulled the knife out from behind the pillow and snuck towards the door.

I cringed at how cold the floor was under my bare feet. To avoid any suspicion that I might try escaping again, I changed into the dark blue silk pajamas I found in the closet. Just in case Vlad were to come check on me in the night. I wanted him to be under the rouse that I would be doing nothing but catching Z's. Though I didn't like wearing anything that came from Vlad, I had to admit they were pretty comfy.

I pressed an ear to the door. When I didn't hear anything, I took my knife and inserted it between the door and the frame. Slowly, so as not to make any noise, I gently slid it against the lock.

Squeeeeaaaak…

I stood still as a statue as my heart rate increased. I took slow and steady breaths. I had gotten the door halfway opened when it made that treacherous sound. In the silence of the early noiseless house, that tiny little squeak of the door's hinges sounded like a foghorn in my own ears. I knew Vlad had heightened senses just like me. There was no way he didn't hear that. I waited for the sounds of Vlad coming to investigate.

I waited.

And waited…

But to my disbelieving relief, the quiet was unbroken. I almost expected Vlad to be woken up by the sounds of my frantically beating heart. To me, it was louder than any drum as it pounded in my ears.

Not wanting to risk making the door squeak again, I carefully squeezed through the small open gap and into the hallway. It was dark. Really dark.

Directly down the stairs at the end of the hall was the horrible sitting room (I long since decided that all the decorative carcasses disqualified the name 'living' room). Vlad had lit a fire in the fireplace and it was the dying embers that gave me my only source of light. I moved cautiously towards the staircase, every step giving me the urge to run and hide. Every sinister shadow, every dark corner laying at the edge of my peripheral vision appeared monstrous. I felt like something was going to pounce on my at any moment! It was embarrassing but I couldn't help it. I was petrified that a pair of piercing red eyes would emerge from the darkness, accompanied by grotesque fangs. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end at the thought. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. But a quick glance at my surrounding told me that my imagination was working in overdrive and I ignored my paranoid feelings.

I had to stay focused. I had to be brave.

Before reaching the staircase, I paused at Vlad's door. Beads of sweat were trickling down my forehead and my lower back. The butter knife in my hands was slick in my sweaty palm. If I was caught - no, I didn't want to think about that. The guy was really pissed at me last night. I didn't want to know how ticked he'd be if he saw me sneaking around. A handful of times since I was, ahem, 'invited' here, I legitimately thought the creep was going to kill me. My arms still felt a little sore from being man-handled and dragged around all the time. I had two words for Vlad.

Anger. Management.

My skin crawled as I stared at the door, knowing that possibly the most deranged and deadly person alive and dead was on the other side. If I woke him my goose was cooked for sure. Poof! Game over. So long. Bye, bye. No more Danny.

I desperately tried to push the terror I was feeling into the back of my mind. I slowly continued forward, closing the distance between me and the staircase. I didn't even make it two steps down the stairs when-

CREAK!

My heart leaped into my throat at full speed as my blood ran cold. I jerked my wide-eyed stare at Vlad's door. I stood frozen on the tattle-tale stair as my eyes were glued to the expansive polished wood that separates me from my captor. Sweat was pouring down my forehead and back, the sound of my heart pounded in my ears with a vengeance. I gripped the butterknife hard as it threatened to slip from my grasp. At any second that door was going to burst open and a murderous Vlad would come storming out. There wasn't a chance he didn't hear that. In my own ears, the creaking of the stair had sounded louder than a banshee.

A few heart-stopping seconds passed.

A minute went by.

Another minute passed.

Ten minutes had gone by that had felt mere seconds. The mansion was so silent you could here the drop of a pin.

I dared to remember to breathe and dared to release a breath I'd been holding. Sheer dumb luck was on my side. I rubbed my sweaty palms on my - excuse me - the pajama pants and I wiped away the drops of sweat that had been trickling into my eyes. If Vlad didn't kill me, stress surely would. I was surprised I didn't have a grey hair.

I was much more cautious when I continued to venter down the staircase. Carefully testing each stair, I only had to skip two before I reached the bottom… and straight into a horror film.

The living room was significantly more horrendous than it had been earlier in the day. Vlad had lit a fire in the overly grandiose fireplace before after training and now the dying embers casted eerie shadows and glows across the horrible decretive carcassess. A smoky scent hung in the air. A soft crackling and popping came from the small flames as they ate away at the last of the wood. It was deeply unsettling. Geez, it was like I was sucked into one of Sam's horror novels.

I stood there in the intimidating environment, longing to be home and in my family's embrace. If only I was able to fly away and never look back. I itched for the day that I could look back on all this as nothing more than a distant nightmare.

I had to be brave. I had to stay focused.

Shaking with adrenaline, I crept over towards a set of doors to the left of the there I entered another hallway. This time there was no windows to provide the light of the moon. Instead, the only light was from the dim red glow from the living room. Longing to be anywhere but there, I walked towards the last door at the end of the hall.

I stopped in front of the locked door.

Besides Vlad's room, this was the only room I hadn't explored. It was the only room besides mine that was locked. There was only one reason Vlad would make it inaccessible and it was for that reason that I had to break in.

With trembling hands, I delicately took the butter knife and slid it in the crack of the door and slid it over the lock. The door yielded for me and after casting an anxious glance over my shoulder, I entered. I studied my surroundings in disappointment. It was far from the massive study back in Vlad's mansion in Wisconsin but it was just as elaborate. Expensive trinkets decorated the shelves, desk, and coffee table and thick, old, and brittle-looking books sat neatly on the shelves. Nothing that even remotely resembled a shield projector was anywhere to be seen. Disappointment dropped on my shoulders and I slumped. I was tired, anxious, afraid, and frustrated. If anger wasn't on the list, I think I would have cried at the unfairness of it all. The key to my escape had to be here. I gave the room a final desperate and hopeless stare before turning to leave.

I screamed.

Standing in the doorway in all his ghostly glory, arms folded, was a very intimidating Plasmius. His cold and hard pupil-less blood-red eyes bored straight into mine.

So. This is how I die.

His right eyebrow rose and he flashed me an evil smirk to end all evil smirks. His fangs caught the light wickedly and I found myself backing away.

"Something wrong, Little Badger?" He crowed mockingly. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"How long h-ave you been watching me?" I scolded myself for letting my voice crack and waver. I bared my teeth and set my face into a well practiced scowl, refusing to let him see my overwhelming fear.

Vlad's terrible grin only grew as he pretended to ponder it, "Hmm, difficult to say. Perhaps it was when you made that horrible noise on the stairs. Or maybe it was when your bedroom door woke me up."

"That is not my bedroom!" I snarled savagely. "Where is the projector?"

Vlad titled his head in mock confusion, "Projector?"

I could feel my face heat up, "The shield projector!" I was nearly screaming at him in exhaustion, frustration, and anger. "Where is it?!"

"My goodness, Daniel." He tutted, "You really should learn to control that temper of yours."

"Screw you."

"A little tired to come up with witty comebacks, aren't you?"

"Enough games, you sicko!" My teeth clenched together, "Let me go home!"

"Not tonight, I'm afraid." The mild amusement that had lined his features melded away. He took menacing steps towards me.

I found my back pressed against the wall. I set my facial features into what I hoped looked to be a bloodthirsty scowl.

"Stay back!" Fiercely, I held up the butter knife and slashed it through the air violently, "Stay away from me!"

Vlad halted in his tracks to stare dumbbly at my weapon of choice before bursting into fits of insulting laughter. He held a hand to his chest that was heaving with heavy mirth and his other hand clutched his shaking head. If I wasn't so panicked, I would have felt embarrassed.

"Oh, Daniel!" Wiping away a stray tear, Vlad gradually stilled his laughter, "You are simply too much! You can't honestly think that feeble utensil is going to hurt me? Daniel, you couldn't touch me when you had access to your powers, surely you know by now that you haven't a chance against me?" He chuckled and continued to shake his head in amusement.

I felt my anger fuel me entirely. This lead me to do something drastically stupid. I knew it was a mistake the second I did it. Without really thinking, I jerked forward and sliced through the air.

The room stilled.

Vlad stared down in shocked surprise at his side. There was a narrow four-inch tear in his fabric that exposed his skin. A sliver of emerald and ruby colored blood emerged from the crevice of a wound.

I could practically feel all the blood drain from my face as my enemy delicately touched his own blood with a single gloved finger. Slowly, he held it up and inspected it with an unreadable expression.

"Hmmm, that was a very sloppy attack, Daniel. How disappointing." He turned his red-eyed gaze on me and I nearly puked at his smirk. It was a smirk that screamed: "You're dead meat." His next words pretty much confirmed it too.

"Why don't I show you how it's done?"

Yoooooo! What is up my fellow Phantom Phans?! Sorry for the long wait, I've been really busy these past few weeks. My mom had just given birth to twin girls and like a dutiful daughter, I have been helping her take care of them. I really hope this chapter was worth the wait and I'd love to hear some of your thoughts and ideas! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, fav, and/or followed my story! You guys are the best!

And a HUGE thanks to my friend Mollie! Without her help, the grammar would be unbearable.