Chapter 4: Placing the Blame
Two weeks had gone by. Two long, grueling, agonizing weeks since the Fentons along with Sam and Tucker arrived in the Ghost Zone. The first few days had been very harsh on them. After their little run in with Skulker the news of their appearance was spread throughout the Ghost Zone. Everywhere they turned ghosts tried to ambush them. Desperately they ran for miles until they lost them. There was no where they could call home. Nowhere to be safe. No allies but plenty of enemies. Humanity still lived within them. The craving for food, water, and comfort. It tested their strength, patience and held onto the world they once lived in. They soon realized that if they were to survive and prosper they would have to let go. Let go of everything they once knew. Embrace the fact that they were indeed ghosts.
"Mom. Can we rest for a while? I feel like my legs are going to fall of." Jazz whined as she massaged her legs.
"We can't do that right now sweetie. It isn't safe to stop." Maddie explained in a sincere voice. After all she could understand what Jazz was feeling. She felt the same way. So did everybody else.
"Maybe it would be best for us to stop. You know…to get our energy back." Sam reasoned.
"I don't know…" Maddie said worried. She really didn't want to but anyone at risk. The chance of anyone here getting hurt was enough to send chills up her spine. But still even if they were attacked they would be in no condition to run. Her maternal instinct and her common sense were in a feud. Trying to find a solution.
"I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to take a quick rest. We do need it." Jack interrupted.
"Oh alright. We can rest. But just stay alert. You never know what creeps could be hanging around here." Maddie gave in.
All of their faces were washed over with relief. Finally. A chance for them to rest. Their bodies collapsed onto the cold ground on which they walked. They all craved for a nice warm bed to sleep in. The ground they sat on was no substitute. There was no way any of them could survive here for long. They still had humanity left in them. None of them could deny it of what it needed. Minutes went by and none of them talked. But soon the frustration eating away at their bodies made the words pour out of their mouths like a waterfall.
"How long do you think we can survive here?" Tucker posed. The question had to be answered right now.
"I'm not really sure. Technically we have to live here for the rest of our lives. But surviving here is a different story." Jack told him. It was an honest answer that he gave.
"How are we going to do that? There's no food here, we don't have a home…nothing." Jazz stressed to them. She was voicing her strong opinion. Forcing her parents to think. She was still their child and they had to take care of her.
"Well we have to figure out some way. Because I doubt there's such a thing after an afterlife." Sam threw into the open.
"We will figure out something. I'm sure of it." Maddie reassured them all.
"What we need to do is figure out a plan. Something that will give us a –" Tucker was cut off by a shriek of pure terror. It echoed all around them.
"Kids! Get down!" Jack yelled to them as he pushed them behind a pile of rocks. He joined them and looked around. Trying to find the source of the sound. Eyes shifting back and forth.
"Grapes of Wrath! Somebody help me!" A voice cried. All of them slightly lifted their heads to get a glimpse of the frantic creature. But they all knew who it was. They recognized that copyright literature scream anywhere.
"Mr. Lancer over here!" Sam shouted as she waved her hands back and forth. Hoping that he would see them in his fit. Mr. Lancer peered over suddenly and ran as fast as he could. This wasn't that fast considering his out of shape condition. He soon joined them behind the rocks. Every breath he took was like a vacuum sucking out all the oxygen from the air. A look of fear was spread across his face along with a few beads of sweat.
"Miss Manson? Mr. Foley and the Fenton family?" Mr. Lancer said in a daze. The familiar faces calmed him down a bit. Though he was still in shock.
"Yes. It's us Mr. Lancer. But more importantly are you okay?" Maddie asked concerned.
"I do hope somebody can explain this inexplicable turn of events. I'm bound to that vat of explosive excuse for a condiment and the next thing I know I'm in this dreadful place!" Mr. Lancer explained.
All of their faces turned to frowns. Mr. Lancer had suffered the same fate along with them. So they figured it be best to tell it straight. Mr. Lancer had probably seen many a thing and wouldn't be disturbed by this. They hoped.
"Well Mr. Lancer it's kind of hard to explain… what it…we're…" Jazz started. Not being able to finish what she was saying.
"We're in the Ghost Zone. And no I'm not lying. Even though you may find this hard to believe…" Jack continued.
"We're all…dead." Maddie finished. Now it was time to wait for the reaction.
"That can't possibly be true. It's preposterous!" Mr. Lancer snickered in disbelief.
"It's true. Apparently Irving "Third Degree" Burns was right. It really does take brains to work at the Nasty Burger." Sam said in a serious then joking tone. Mr. Lancer laughed to himself again. Something was funny to him. Although this situation they were in was anything but humorous.
"Was he now? Well then…we should make the most of it shouldn't we?" Mr. Lancer said. He lifted to his feet. Brushing the dirt off of him and fixing his clothes. All of them were confused. How could he be so "okay" about this? As if he was in a hospital and would soon wake up from a wacky dream.
"How are you taking this so well? None of us can even accept this." Jack asked in a hurry. Maybe it could help the rest of them.
"Lots of self help classes and a "go nowhere" career Mr. Fenton. I realize more than most people that death is a part of life. A cruel irony yes, but there is no use in fighting the truth. You have to live…or die with it." Mr. Lancer answered.
After that useful speech everyone calmed down a little inside. It comforted them and brought them one step closer to becoming full fledged ghosts. Something they would deal with whether they were ready or not. Feeling overwhelmed they all sat down. Forgetting to watch themselves if an attack should occur. It set the mood for which would probably be the most truthful, unbearable and heartbreaking talk any of them would ever have.
"I wish Danny were here. I want to know if he's okay." Jazz stated. Danny was the only thing on her mind for days.
"You and I both Jazz." Maddie added to show that Jazz wasn't alone.
"What do you want him here for?" Tucker asked in a huff. He seemed pretty angry.
"What are you talking about? Danny's probably all alone out there with no one to care for him. Who's going to help!" Jazz retorted in a flash of her own fury.
"Oh, so you're saying you'd want him to be dead like us?" Sam asked sarcastically.
"That's not what I said! I just…I just wish I could see him. I'm supposed to be his big sister!" Jazz stressed to them.
"Don't feel as though you've failed in that department Ms. Fenton. You did everything in your power to keep Danny on the right track. Of course with being occasionally annoying or pushy…" Mr. Lancer said to make Jazz feel better.
"Well some great job you did. Just like you stopped him from cheating on that test!" Sam lashed out at her. Meanwhile everyone started to get a little more engaged in the conversation.
"Hold the phone here…Jazz? You knew Danny was going to cheat? Why-" Maddie froze in mid sentence a she tried to put her words into correct form.
"Why didn't you tell us!" Jack questioned anxiously. Jazz all of a sudden felt suffocated. Not having any answers.
"I did but…you have to understand. I-"
"You just sat around and hoped by some miracle of wonder Danny would gain a mature sense of thinking and do the right thing. Way to go Jazz." Tucker falsely congratulated her. Suddenly Jazz went on the offensive.
"Don't pin this whole thing on me! What about you guys huh! You were his friends: the first intervention. Surely you could have done something!" Jazz yelled at Sam and Tucker. Scowls planted onto their faces.
"An interesting bit of information. Miss Manson, Mr. Foley you knew about this too?" Mr. Lancer jumped in.
"Yes we did!" Sam and Tucker answered rudely. They got their point across nice and clear.
"Sam! Tucker! Why didn't you stop him! You're his friends." Maddie wondered.
"Were his friends. But not anymore. Besides maybe Danny would have been doing better in school if he had some parental help!" Sam emphasized to them showing her utter disgust. That comment sent Jack and Maddie ablaze.
"I have to say I agree with Ms. Manson on this part. Good parents should always be involved in their child's academic enrichment. Not fooling around with the supernatural such as ghosts!" Mr. Lancer stated with much pride.
"How dare you! I know everything about my little Danny!" Maddie exclaimed in a stern tone.
"Yeah right! Just like you knew he was a ghost! Uh oh…" Tucker trailed off realizing what he had just said.
"What. Danny… a…a…ghost?" Maddie choked out as she started to cool off. Blown away by the news she just heard.
"There's no way that could possibly be true." Jack added in as much disbelief as Maddie.
"Yes! He was. Didn't you think there was a reason all of you're insane gadgets pointed to or otherwise harmed Danny?" Jazz explained to them.
"I thought the obvious name similarity would have been a clue." Tucker said adding in his two cents.
"Oh… I am such an idiot!" Maddie cried as she firmly grabbed Jack, who was still in dismay. "All those times I tried to hurt him… it was my Danny! What kind of person am I?"
"Mom…please don't. You're not the only one who knew. I did." Jazz said trying to help.
"You did princess?" Jack said in a relaxed tone now.
"I didn't want to tell you guys because…Danny…his secret and I was the big sister…" Jazz was starting to break down herself, "I always covered for him because he was doing the right thing. Protecting all of us… and…I'm sorry!"
Jazz collapsed to her knees and started to cry. So much guilt she had to live with. All of her adult responsibilities she had wrongfully taken upon herself were crushing her. She couldn't take it anymore.
An eerie silence had fallen upon them. All of the air was tainted with harsh words mixed with regret and displaced aggression. All the secrets they had once concealed were revealed. No more hiding anything. Given the proper amount of time to swish thoughts around in there heads always led them back to Danny. How it was Danny that got them into this mess. How it was Danny's wrong decision had led to their ultimate demise. All of them had soon associated with anger…nothing but anger. Once again the air was fresh and the dust from the storm had settled.
"Well…now what?" Sam asked not particularly interested.
"I guess we'll just have to stick it out." Maddie blankly answered.
They all got up and continued to float through the Ghost Zone. In hopes of finding a new place to start. A place to live out the remainder of their life. As one big dysfunctional family…
First of all I owe you guys a big apology! I haven't been feeling good for the past few weeks and not really in a condition to get out of bed and write. Second I have finally put Mr.Lancer in this chapter as calm and collected. Thanks for the reviews cause I know my writing is mediocre at best. So I hope you enjoy and I promise no more slow updates!
