Disclaimer: EEEEEEEKKKKKK! Blah, blah, blah, me, me, me blah, blah, blah, me, me, me......... what?

Nova

Chapter 22: Phantoms

Meryl

I opened my eyes and looked around trying to find out what had woken me. What light there was coming from Vash's small lantern did little to penetrate the darkness around us.

Even the three of five moons high in the sky barely seemed to touch the darkened wasteland.

I sat up and examined the other sleepers.

All was quiet, except for Vash's quiet snores from beside me. Milly and Wolfwood, were sleeping peacefully in one corner of our camp. Kestrel and Knives were naturally at opposite sides of the camp.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

I pursed my lips, sighed and lay back down, snuggling into Vash's chest. I closed my eyes as he muttered, "Cat stol' m'doughnuts..."

I smiled... then I heard it.

A soft ghostly wail almost hidden by the rising and falling wind, caught my ear.

My eyes shot open again, but this time I shook Vash awake. "Vash."

"Don' have any beer?"

"Dammit Vash. Wake. Up."

Vash's eyes popped open and he quickly sat up, "What? What's the matter? Are those creatures here?"

I shook my head, "I don't know, but something's out there."

Another wail, this time louder, made Vash stiffen, "What the...?"

"Wake Wolfwood," he said, quietly and literally crawled over to Knives and began shaking him. I did as Vash asked and woke Wolfwood, "What is it?" he asked.

"Don't know. Something's out there."

A third and even louder wail, followed by a loud grating noise, woke both Kestrel and Milly.

Wolfwood reached for his cross and stood, Milly getting up with him.

Kestrel stood as well and joined Wolfwood, Milly, and me.

Vash and Knives not far behind.

Wolfwood

I opened my cross and passed out a couple of guns, to Vash, Knives and Meryl, Kestrel sheepishly declined, saying she didn't know how to shoot, and Milly picked up her stungun.

That's when the whispers started, it was like there were thousands of them, speaking in a strange dialect. Surrounding us from all angles.

I set my gun and pointed it out into the darkness. The whispering slowed to a halt.

And all was quiet.

The next morning we saw nothing out of the ordinary. But on the other hand, we were all tired from lack of sleep.

The girls had gone of the caves to find a place to refill our canteens and Knives... well who knows where that psycho went.

He obviously didn't feel the need to tell anyone where he was going.

I pulled a cigarette from my shirt pocket, fingered it for a moment, then tossed it to the ground and dug my heel into it, "I really got to quit." I muttered.

"Say what?" Vash asked, looking up from his duffel bag.

"Nothin'"

Kestrel

"--and we've decided to name the girl Micheala, and the boy Nicholas Jr." Milly said happily, as we exited the cave.

"Those are some nice choices." Meryl grinned.

"What do you think Miss Kestrel?"

"Those are--" I started, then stopped in my tracks staring at something on the ground.

Meryl and Milly stopped short, "Kestrel? What is it?"

I reached down, picked something up from under the sand and held it up.

A small hand made doll.

I looked up at the other two in surprise, "A doll?"

A sudden scuffle and a sneeze behind us, made us turn sharply. Only to see a small boy and even smaller girl.

"Well hello there." Said Milly.

The two children backed up a little and huddled close to each other.

"It's okay," said Meryl taking a step towards the children, "we're not going to hurt you."

Click.

"Don't move." A low voice commanded.

Meryl stopped in her tracks and I began to turn my head, when suddenly a sharp pain exploded in my head and I fell the ground darkness taking me.

Hellllllooooooooooo! Hoooooooowwwww aaarrrreeeee yyyyooooooouuuuuuu??????

OK. What the hell what that? I think I've been watching too much Finding Nemo.... eh heh.

Anyway I'm sorry this chapter was a little shorter, but it seemed very evil to end it there so I did... ehehe.... muwahahahaha.... MUWAHAHAHAHAHHAA....

OK time to stop.

Ok, hopefully the next chapter will be up by either Sunday or Monday, and if it's not... we you can beat me up with a blunt knife... or more preferably... Knives, *wink wink*

YES I ADMIT IT! I have an unhealthy obsession with Knives.... ch, time to go.

Reviewer responses!

Blah, blah, blah, me, me—no wait that was the disclaimer..... uh... right....

Desmonia: Ok, I'll try to watch the capitalization, and yes KoOkIeS and KNIVES!

El Hustino: Yes knives is indeed a demented little psycho. But hell we love him for it right? I do any way. I think I just admitted something I shouldn't have.... ANYWAY to answer your truck questions... Why does anyone do it in the truck? Yes it is the same truck. Unfortunately no. Not very. Lol.

Potions Master 19: Why thank you! Thank you for reviewing!

Rosebud: Sorry last chapter was delayed! I think I'm going to work on trying to update more frequently. J And yes there is much to come in Lanoth but there will be one more stop before that. And the meeting in Lanoth I hope will be interesting!