Notes:
Must… defeat… writer's… block…
Oooooh… and must… thank… readers…
"Sticks and Stones can break my bones, but words seem to cause a whole lot of trouble."
Chapter 7: Sticks and Stones
"…So that's why I decided to come here, to see you. I really didn't know where to go or who to talk to. My friends have been acting so strange lately…"
He paused as if waiting for a sign of support but it never came. "There are just so many things going on. It feels like there's a huge puzzle and somehow I know I have all the pieces but I can't put them together. Everything is messed up."
He sighed and frowned, resting his head in his hands. "How can he be a dream? How? I'd rather hear that he didn't even exist than watching him show up out of nowhere telling me all that nonsense about him being a dream. I mean, if he's a dream, he shouldn't even appear in front of me when I'm awake! Right?" he exclaimed in exasperation, raising his hands.
Danny sighed once again and returned to his original position, sitting Indian-style on the grass with his hands holding his head. It didn't matter that it was cold and the night breeze caused the grass to be wet. It didn't matter that it was dark and that the moon provided the only light he needed to see the one he came to visit.
"I don't know why this is happening to me. All I ever wanted was a normal life, or as normal as it could get. You should know better than anyone how things can be in my house, so you get my point. Though, the funny thing is that my home is the most normal place nowadays. Everything else is weird now: school, my friends, the popular kids, the hospital. Heck, even the Nasty Burger feels strange. I've even been told that the whole thing with the Nasty Sauce is just a myth. I even tried heating up in the microwave a small amount of the condiment and nothing happened. I really did dream all about THAT. I guess my life's more screwed up than I ever thought it was".
Shifting his position, he leaned against the tree behind him looking at the nocturnal sky with his arms crossed. Not a single cloud could be seen and the glow coming from the stars was almost as bright as the moon's.
"Did I ever tell you why I wanted to be an astronaut?" No reply came from the silent listener. It didn't bother Danny, though, and he went with his story. "I liked pretending that I lived somewhere else, in a different galaxy with no ghost-obsessed parents and no kids bullying me the whole time. I thought that life in other planets would be better for me. And that if I ever traveled in a spaceship, once I glanced back towards the Earth, I'd find that it's not so big after all. That it's just a tiny dot in the universe and therefore my problems wouldn't matter anymore. They would be as small as the blue marble slowly dancing in the dark space".
A smile appeared on his face after he realized what he just had said. "Man, that was corny. I bet you would've preferred to hear that I wanted to be an astronaut just to watch a bunch of stars or something. Or that I realized I belonged in outer space after seeing how much I spaced out". He couldn't help but chuckle at that. The other remained silent.
"So, tough crowd, huh? Maybe telling you about how my life sucks will cheer you up. No, wait.. I think I already told you everything there is to it," he said, rubbing his chin as if in thought. "Sure you don't want to help me solve this brainteaser?" Everything was silent, except for the sound of a cricket nearby. "Guess not," the boy muttered after the brief pause.
'BeepBeep, BeepBeep, BeepBeep'
Danny glanced at his watch as it beeped. He had to be at home in less than an hour. "Wow. Time sure flies when you're talking to a grave".
He got up and stood in front of a small tombstone with a bone carved on it. "I should go home now. It's late. And I don't want to worry my parents for the second time today," he said with a weak smile, rubbing the back of his head.
"Anyway, thanks for listening to me. I know I say the same thing every time I come here but… I really am sorry that my dad's special goo killed you. To my defense, I did warn you about not eating everything you saw on the floor".
Danny paused for a second and glanced at the tombstone for the last time. "Thanks, Bones. You were the best dog a five year-old could have," he said quietly. He turned around and strolled away from the grave and out of the pet cemetery, where the only dog his parents allowed him to have was now peacefully resting.
Life sure is full of irony. I finally convince my parents of letting me have a puppy and he dies within a week due to one of my dad's clumsy experiments. (Snorts) And he told ME I wouldn't be responsible enough to take care of a dog.
With those last thoughts, the raven-haired boy put his hands in his pockets and walked towards his home, remembering all the fun he had as a kid that week with the first and last dog he ever had.
I have to wait until Fenton goes to 'sleep'. Maybe he'll be more relaxed then and he'll hear what I have to say.
If he's asleep, the ghost won't be watching him…
(mental pause as he realizes a flaw in the plan)
…But then, he would be watching me, right? Darn. Scratch that plan.
There's gotta be a way to convince him. I have to do something before my other half sends me to oblivion. If he decides to live this life, we won't be able to wake up and that creep will win.
I'm sure the Ghost Zone will be thrilled to know that someone got rid of Danny Phantom. I can practically see Spectra's face once she finds out that a ghost messed with my mind. Walker will be pleased to know that I'm trapped in some kind of prison, even if it's not like the one he intended at first. And Vlad might use the opportunity to comfort my mom about losing her son (mental shiver).
Ok… I must do something. Think, Danny, think. What can you do to snap yourself –well, actually, Fenton– out of a trance and back to reality? What can you possibly say to put some sense inside the other half of your brain?
There has to be something!
(mental pause; a light bulb is practically turned on above his head as he figures what to do)
Hmm… I wonder if that could work… If I'm going to try, I should wait when he's 'awake'.
"Good morning, sweetie. Are you feeling any better?" Maddie asked once she saw Danny in the kitchen. She was preparing his breakfast while Jack and Jazz sat on the table already eating theirs.
"Yeah. I was just having a bad day yesterday. That's all," he replied as he took his seat next to his sister. Talking to your dead dog sure puts things in perspective…
"Was it related to bullies or your teachers?" Jack asked. Danny raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
Wow… dad used to ask if my problems were ghost-related. This is the first time I've ever heard him blame something else other than ghosts.
Unsure of what to answer, Danny began to stammer, "Uh, well, no, you see… It's just… well…" He sighed. "It's complicated. Nothing to worry about," he finished after a pause.
"Don't worry, honey. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll figure it out," Maddie said as she placed a plate in front of her son.
They continued talking about trivial things until Jazz abruptly changed the subject, "Danny, we better hurry or we'll be late for school. I'll drive you there."
"Really? I'm not taking the bus today?" he asked skeptically.
"Of course not. You already had a rough day yesterday, I don't want this one to start being the same. So, hurry up. I'll wait for you in the car," Jazz replied sweetly and smiled as she left the room. Danny finished his breakfast and hurried outside, getting into his sister's car.
Jazz drove all the way to school and parked the vehicle. Danny took off his seatbelt and was about to open the door when his sister stopped him. "We're still on time. I wanted to talk to you."
The boy eyed her curiously. "Talk about what?"
Jazz took a deep breath. "I know you've been feeling like everything around you is odd. That everything's different from what you remembered. I could even bet that you've been questioning reality lately," she said.
Danny didn't dare to meet her eyes afraid that she might find out what's really eating him.
Jazz looked at him sternly and continued her speech. "Let me tell you something, Danny: things change. People change." She paused for a moment. "Even you," she said softly. Danny turned to eye her, wondering if she somehow knew what he was going through.
The girl continued talking. "It will be hard to fit in with the same classmates you used to have, and it will be hard to be around your friends, especially if you don't know what has happened to them this whole year. I'm sure that even mom and dad freak you out now that they seem so normal compared to what they used to be," she said, making a face. Danny grinned at that.
"So here's the thing: don't stress yourself. You'll figure it out. You're smart and I know that you'll find a way to adjust to your old life again. And you know that if there's anything you want to talk about, you can come to me and pour out your problems. After all, that's what big sisters are for," Jazz finished with a warm smile.
Danny's gaze returned to the ground. He sighed. "Listen, Jazz. I appreciate your words, but I'm not ready to talk yet," he said softly.
"I know. Take your time. There's no need to rush." She smirked after saying this.
"Yeah, I guess. Maybe I should put my problems aside for a while and concentrate on having fun and goofing around like I used to. Maybe I'll be able to make things better if I try not to worry about everything," Danny considered out loud. "I mean, I'm still a kid, right? Who says I have to live a complicated life? That's all my decision. If things are dense, it's only because I want them to be."
Danny smiled and gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Jazz. I feel better already."
Jazz smiled at him, "Any time, little brother. Any time."
Danny hoped out of the car and rushed towards his friends once he spotted them. His sister, however, remained on her same old spot. "Glad to know I was helpful, Danny," she said with a mischievous grin on her face while her eyes started to glow red. As soon as Danny was out of her sight, she disappeared.
Notes:
I couldn't resist the part with the dog. Sorry about that. I was trying to write something that didn't involve Danny's inner thoughts for a change.
Anyway, still confusing? (grins) And what is Phantom going to do now? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out…
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