"He's changed, Mom." Anastasia's voice could be heard through the door to the study. "I know an accident like that has got to be traumatic but I think this goes deeper than that."
"You know Vlad. He's always been reserved, less outspoken than you."
"Yeah but he's never been like this with us. Every time I'm around him… He's just different. I don't know how to explain it. I have the crawlies under my skin when he's around. If there wasn't something wrong with him I don't know why-"
The door to the study slammed open. Vlad stood in the doorway with his fists clenched at his sides.
"You think I've changed?!" He yelled.
"Vlad, sweety-"
"Vlad, we're just worried about you. Ever since you came home from the hospital-"
"You could never understand what I went through!"
"You're right." Anastasia said softly. "That's why we want to know what happened."
"You want to know what happened?" Vlad shouted. "You wanna know why I changed?!"
Two black rings appeared around Vlad's waist, traveling up and down his body. When they disappeared around his head and feet, in his place was a ghost with white hair and red eyes wearing a lab coat.
"Jack killed me!"
Vlad's voice broke and he collapsed onto the floor. Anastasia had her hands over her mouth and their mom just stared at him.
"Jack killed me and now I'm some ghost. I couldn't even look like my regular self. I had to have white hair and red eyes. Now I'm growing fangs."
"But…" Anastasia started. "How are you a ghost? You're still alive. You eat and sleep and everything else. How?"
Vlad shrugged. "I don't know how it happened or why. I just know that the protoportal did it."
"Vlad, honey." Their mom started. "This doesn't make you any different, you know that right? Ghosts are all over our town, just living their afterlives. You're just… a little bit of both now."
He shook his head. "You don't understand. I'm not like the rest of the ghosts in town. They're all nice, harmless people. But I…
"I'm dangerous."
"Vlad, you're not-" Anastasia started.
"Yes I am!" Vlad looked back up at them from where he was on the floor. "You don't know what kind of vengeful thoughts are going through my head! The ways I think about acting on them! I get scared every time Jack calls that if I answer it, somehow I'll reach through the phone and-" He took a sharp breath.
"I'm dangerous. I shouldn't be here."
And then suddenly, Vlad was gone.
"Vlad?" Anastasia whispered. "Vlad!"
Silence was the only thing that greeted them.
