Here's the next chapter! The next in line for an update it either going to be Horrors of Humanity, Wreaking Havoc, or Isolated.

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Disclaimer: Same as above.

Fits of Madness

Ch. 8

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"Why do you even try?" The Warden asked quietly, breaking the charged silence.

Tucker knew what he was asking, but gave no sign that he did.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you try to free him when you know it's destined to fail!"

There was more silence after the outburst.

"We try because he is my friend and her-."

"Her what? Her boyfriend? I would hardly call him that anymore!"

"That doesn't matter!" Tucker roared, effectively shutting him up, "She loves him, and he loves her!"

"But things are never that simple."

There was sadness in his voice…and perhaps even remorse.

"Why not?"

Tucker's voice was filled with emotion.

To that, the Warden could give no answer.

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She tried to stop her tears. But it seemed that her heart had other plans. Despite her attempts, the small trickle of tears turned into a flood. Even through all those years, the pain had never faded, never grown dull. It never stopped digging into her heart; it never went away, even for the briefest of moments.

It was the worst of tortures, knowing that not only had she caused the pain to herself, but the pain that haunted him as well. Yes, it was her action that caused this; it was she who had brought down this agony upon the both of them.

She would give anything to reverse her stupid mistake, to turn back time and make it so that it never happened.

Anything.

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The guards stationed at the monitor looked, bewildered and amazed, at the ghost who had just imprisoned herself in with the Phantom. First of all, ghosts were banned from the human realm, completely unable to escape from the Ghost Zone. Secondly, penning herself in with Phantom was like buying a ticket to hell, absolutely insane. Even the ghosts, before they had been banished, were terrified of him. So terrified, that they helped seal to themselves away in the Ghost Zone, as long as Phantom stayed in the human realm.

They were shocked again to see the Phantom writhing on the floor...with the girl actually calming him down. They stared at the screen in a pseudo-comatose state for awhile. Until one of them finally stood up and bolted towards the door in an attempt to figure out what the heck was going on.

"Ma'am?" He shouted questioningly through the ghost shield.

Startled, Sam turned around to look at the man, jerking herself out of her depressing mental wanderings.

"You need to get out of there, he's dangerous."

"I know."

Her response was calm, and almost uncaring.

"I don't know how you managed to get out of the ghost zone, but you need to get back there, where you belong."

"No, I don't."

"Ma'am! I order you to get out of that cell!"

With a gasp, Sam turned her attention back to the Phantom. He was stirring, he was waking up. His eyes snapped open, revealing the green irises almost completely consumed by the malicious swirls of red. In desperation, she tried to soothe him, tears threatening to spill over once more.

Her attempts were in vain.

He stood up, growling. His skin turned the color of charcoal, teeth turning into fangs and nails into claws. His now completely red eyes glowed furiously. He was lost in the madness.

The guard had his finger on the button for the shield, not wanting to leave her trapped, but not wanting Phantom to escape. Sam noticed his position.

"Leave me here! This is what I came for!"

The Phantom roared, his eyes not leaving the ghost that sat on the floor in front of him.

"But-."

"GO!"

With great hesitation, he ran back the way he came. It seemed there was nothing he could do to change her mind. Hopefully she wouldn't be sent to oblivion.

Sam stood. She stared straight into his eyes, unflinchingly and without fear.

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He could see the confusion, the rage, the pain, and the fear. It didn't stop with just feeling. He could hear it too, and smell and taste it. They were tangible, choking him and smothering him. He couldn't see beyond them, they were the only reality. The world was an illusion, along with happiness. Despair was his friend, and they knew each other well, very well. He couldn't live without his dear friend…

But he faintly recalled words from long ago, words that he treasured…They lingered in the back of his mind, away from despair. He reached for them, he wanted to know. They danced away like the elusive eddies of the wind. He followed them, and despair followed him. The words still danced away. The despair latched on to him, it didn't want to let him go. He stood there, watching as the words flew farther and farther away…

The despair whispered other words to him, familiar words. Words that someone had told him a long time ago. He held onto these words, but they lay limp in his hand… He let them go, they disappeared. He saw the words he wanted in the distance, calling to him.

But his despair didn't let him follow.

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More silence.

"I can't let you ruin what I've worked so hard to do."

The Warden's voice was steely.

"And I can't let you do this to him."

Tucker was determined.

"I didn't want it to come to this."

"Neither did I."

At the exact same moment, they pulled out their weapons. The Warden, an ordinary gun, and Tucker, some sort of anti-ghost gun.

"Has your aim improved any?"

Tucker's voice was verging onto mocking.

"You'll just have to see for yourself."

Two gunshots in one moment of time. Two screams.

Tucker crashed to the ground, clasping his left arm in a death grip. Rivulets of blood streamed down from the wound. The Warden still stood albeit barely, with one ghost expelled from his system. Tucker couldn't rip his eyes away, even as he felt the red fluid seeping through his fingers. It was a blow to his mind, his emotions to see that one ghost after so long…after seeing the death…after having never seen her for so many years.

It was hard to see Jazz again.

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I bet you didn't see that coming...