For a while, the older woman stood and gawked. Not a word came out of her mouth; she could only stare.
"Mom! We don't have time for you to stare at him! He needs help!" Sam brought her mother out of her trance.
"Sam, what exactly happened for him to get so hurt?" Mrs. Manson faced her daughter.
"Mom please! We don't have time to talk! Danny needs help NOW!" Sam saw Danny's breathing rhythm go slightly out of beat. Its pace slowed down, and they were wasting valuable time.
"Alright, but I need an explanation when I'm finished, understand?" she put down a bag she had brought with her and opened it up, "Now you children should go upstairs. I need silence."
"But-"
"Sam, listen to me on this. If you want your friend to get better, I need you to leave." she pulled out a first aid kit and opened it up.
"He'll be okay, right?" Sam's hard glare turned to a sad hopeful one.
"I'll see what I can do Samikins, but that's all I can promise," Mrs. Manson stifled a smile at her daughter.
Sam reluctantly left the room with Jazz and Tucker.
Mrs. Manson watched her leave before turning around and pulling on a pair of rubber gloves. She shook her head and looked at her patient, "Time to bust out those skills."
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"Sam, he'll be fine," Tucker once again tired to reassure the girl who had managed to wrap herself into a ball and was sitting in a corner of the couch.
"How do you know that?" her voice was muffled, as her legs were drawn up against her chest and her arms were hugged around them, keeping them closer to the face that she had buried into them.
"Because he's always okay. He's been fighting ghosts for months now, and he's always been okay," Tucker sat next to her on the couch.
"This is different, Tucker. The ghosts finally got their revenge," one could here her sniffle from the painful thoughts of what had happened.
"Jazz, tell her Danny's going to be okay," Tucker needed support, and there was only one other person to do that right now.
Jazz sat on an armchair; her legs were also up to her chest. She was staring out the window, watching the rain dribble down the glass. Isn't it weird how the weather seems to reflect one's mood? If you're happy, it's sunny, and if you're sad or depressed, it's rainy or foggy. The weather matched the situation they were in at the moment; sad, rainy and depressed. Unsure of when the sun will return to brighten one's life. She sighed.
"Jazz?"
"Huh?"
"Tell Sam Danny's gonna be fine," Tucker was getting agitated. Why are girls so emotional?
"I wish I could, but then again, he might not be," she didn't turn from her gaze out the window.
"Oh thanks a lot. You're a real help," he sighed and stood up, "I'm going to make some popcorn. Do you want regular or cheddar?"
He didn't get an answer.
"Fine, I'll get cheddar," with that, he disappeared into the kitchen.
"It's funny how Tucker's always so optimistic," Jazz laughed a little, "Usually, I'm the peppy one."
Sam didn't carry out the conversation; she just stuck with her own thoughts.
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Tucker had just put the bag of popcorn in the microwave when he couldn't help but wonder what was going on in the lab. He stood in front of the door way that led to the place his friend was, and stared into the darkness. He could hear faint little noises coming from with in, but didn't know what they were exactly.
He had the sudden urge to yell into the darkness, just to make sure Danny wasn't dead or something, but decided against it, "Mrs. Manson said she wanted silence." He bit his bottom lip. He didn't like not knowing what was going on.
"Beep" the microwave signaled that his popcorn was done. He got a bowl and poured it in and went back into the room that contained the two broken down girls.
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Mrs. Manson sighed and whipped her forehead with her arm. Her gloves were now completely covered in red blood and she had blood stains covering her apron.
"I never knew, the boy who I thought was evil would ever need me so much," she laughed a little, "You're lucky I was a nurse, young man."
She took off one of her gloves and pulled the other one off with it, "Now, time to call you're mother." She took off her apron and pulled a small pink cell phone out of her pocket. She sat in a chair across from Danny and dialed a number, "I'm surprised I still know her cell number, considering I hate the woman."
"Hello?" Maddie's voice rang out on the other end of the phone.
"Hello, Madeline?" Mrs. Manson always called her by her first name.
"Manson," Maddie's voice changed from cheerful to dripping with hate, "Why did you call?"
"I called because of your son."
"What now? He came into your house? He talked to your daughter? Or are you just calling to complain about his existence?"
"Mrs. Fenton, I'm calling because you're son has just escaped death. If Sam hadn't called me, your son would be dead."
"Don't try to get on my good side Manson. Why are you calling me?"
"Madeline, listen to me? You're son was beaten to a pulp when my daughter called me. I had to stitch and fix him up. Maddie, I suggest you get over here right now."
"What? Y-You're pulling my leg? What do you want from me?"
"I don't want anything from you. All I want is for you to get over to your house and take care of this boy!" Normally she would never raise her voice, but her relationship with this woman called for that. Neither of them trusted each other, but the situation they were in had to manage to get around that.
"I want to talk to Danny."
"What?"
"I want to talk to my son. Put him on"
"He can't-"
"Rebecca! Let me talk to my boy!"
Mrs. Manson sighed. Right now was one of those times when you wished you got along with the person who could make everything go smoother, "Alright, but I don't think you'll get much."
She walked over to Danny and held the phone up to his ear, "I must me going ma. He's not going to be able to talk to her."
"Danny?" Maddie's voice was heard through the small receiver. Her only answer was heavy ragged breathing, "Danny are you there?"
"M-Mom?" his voice was almost like when you try to talk when your voice is completely gone.
"Danny! Danny are you alright?" Maddie's voice was frantic.
"No."
"What do you mean? What happened?" Maddie clutched the phone and brought it closer to her ear.
"Mom…ghosts. I… they…I'm sorry," Danny's voice faded and all his mother could hear was his heavy breathing.
"Maddie?"
"I'm on my way, Becca," She hung up as did Mrs. Manson. She turned to Danny.
"Danny? How do you feel?" she laid a hand on his shoulder.
"I've…felt better," she could tell he was holding back screaming out in pain.
"Let's get you upstairs," she grabbed a clean blanket and wrapped it around him. Then, she slid her arms underneath his back and picked him up. He was extremely light and easy to carry.
"I can't quite see what my daughter sees in you. You're thin as a stick," she laughed a little, "I always thought men should be able to protect their wives."
"I could …protect her. I'm not…that easy to beat," he opened his eyes just enough to see her bright orange hair.
She laughed, "I'm sure you aren't." They finally reached the living room where the three teens were. As soon as they saw who Sam's mom was holding they gasped, and Sam jumped up from her spot on the couch and ran up to him.