Hi all.

I am very sad to say that after this chapter I won't be able to update for a couple of weeks seeing as I will be in Florida for summer vacation. Yes, I am venturing off to Tallahassee, where I will be visiting with family and going to the beach on various occasion of my will. All a part of the wonder that is summer. Oh yes, and by the way, SCHOOL IS OUT! WOOOHOOO MAN! I'M GONNA BE A FREAKING SOPHOMORE! YEAAAAAAAAAH!

Alright, now that that is out of my system, I am now free to continue on with the review answerings.

TTHPfan-WHAT? That is so unfair about your school getting to sing those songs…darn them. Oh my gosh! I saw the thing for stranded, and it made me so happy! I was so excited when I saw the pictures, I almost screamed!

StakeMeSpike04-Oh my gosh! You read that Edgar Allen Poe story in English too! It was called "The Cask of Amontillado" by the way (if it's the same one I read), and I loved it. I liked how it was written, and in reading it I found out just how naïve I can be. Apparently I am not good with symbolism and comprehension, because when I first read it, I didn't know he was trying to kill the guy! I thought he was trying to help him! Yes, I am weird, but that is okay to some people. If you want any other Poe stories, I recommend "A Telltale Heart" if you want something else to freak you out at night.

Rose-I am so glad you thought it was so cool! HAHA. I have never heard someone refer to the Red Death as their "homeboy", so that was VERY amusing.

Lady of Darkness055-why on earth would your friends not like it? Almost all of my friends like it; I'm just the only one who wrote a fanfiction on it.

RavensAngst-wow. I just LOVE it when you say how much you like something I write. I was wondering when you would finish the final chapters! Keep reading!

Laurashrub-thank you! I personally would never want a necklace ripped from my neck! I never really thought of how much it would hurt. OW! And, I honestly don't know why I didn't reply to you last time…that was weird of me. Sorry.

Jaina 12-ooh, I'm so glad you liked it! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I was grounded from the computer for quite some time now. Hope you like the new chapter!

GS Dragono-really happy you like, keep reading!

StarGazingMoonPrincess-it's a good thing my stress can be shared. I saw the first chapter of your story, and it looks pretty good. I need to read on, though, I am very anxious to!

Linkinparkh2over-I don't know if I have the same testing as you do, but I definitely have finals this week, and oh boy, do I hate those! Good luck with them!

The night at the dance was still young, and yet Kori had not yet emerged from the doors of the school clinic. The rest of the students, after their rude awakening, warily continued on with the masqueraded party. After awhile, things seemed a bit more cheery, and the other people surrounding got livelier with each passing hour.

But Raven was not to be seen. She had accompanied Kori to the clinic, and had not returned. Richard, becoming worried, left the gym and made his way to the nurse's office. On appearing in the hallway, he saw Raven exit the door to the clinic. He spoke out to her so she could hear him.

"Raven, is she alright?"

"Yes, she is fine, but she will not see anyone right now." She said, watching the crestfallen look spring onto his face. She then turned on her heel and began to walk in the opposite direction, with an odd quickness in her pace that seemed an awful lot like nervousness. Her sharp black high heels clanged with the floor harmoniously as she attempted to leave Richard dumbfounded.

"Raven, wait!" he called to her, starting to follow, "Raven!"

She did not stop, she didn't even turn around. She kept her steadfast gaze ahead of her without turning her head to look at the boy.

"Richard, don't ask me," she said coldly, but uneasily, "I don't know any more than you do."

She continued to move, but this time Richard caught up to her.

"You know that's not true. You know something, or you've seen something…or…" he pondered for a quick thought, after looking at her nervous features, "you have seen something, haven't you? You're hiding something from the rest of us, and don't deny it."

She and him were moving incredibly fast, but she now stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him shakily. For a moment she even lost her sternness and ice.

"I don't know what you're talking about…don't ask me…"

"Raven…" he said, stopping her, "please, for all our sakes…"

She looked unnervingly around her from left to right, glancing down the empty and dark hallways as to ensure they weren't being watched. Raven knew that no one can ever, ever be completely sure of whether you are truly alone in that school. She turned back to Richard with a sigh.

"Fine."

She turned and opened a classroom door that Richard could have sworn was locked. Only the electricity in part of the school had been returned, leaving random rooms to lay in darkness. This room was one of them. Raven walked straight into the room without touching the switch. Richard was puzzled at this and attempted to flick on the light. No use.

The Goth then strode softly over to where a computer lamplight stood. With a flick of a switch the light bulb sprang to life, causing dim electricity to pool through the dark classroom.

"Raven," Richard said, wide-eyed, "how…how did you…how did that…?"

She cut into his sentence coldly and sternly,

"Only some of the electricity is out…"

Richard only stared on in stupidity.

"Wha…HUH?"

The dark girl merely sighed, as if futilely trying to explain simple addition to a little child.

"Not all of the school has been put into darkness," she replied steadily, "When evil comes, and black surrounds, there are always areas where light can shine through…even in night."

Richard's bug-eyed stare stayed the same, only with a wise proverb to add to his confusion. He then lost his dumb look and grew back his own sternness.

"…That's beside the point. You still haven't told me all you know about…that thing."

"That thing?" she asked, with a raise of her brow.

"You know what I mean," he said with a nervous loss of balance.

Raven hesitated, and did not speak. She stood for a few moments, staring into the dim computer lamp. She didn't move for awhile, and Richard could tell that she was wondering what to say and how to begin. Before Richard's own thoughts would have the chance to stray, he jumped as she spoke out suddenly but at her normal calm pace.

"It was a long time ago…years…" she trailed off, trying to remember. There was a short pause, and she abruptly began to talk again.

"Do you remember the Summerfest?" she asked in her same monotone.

"…yes."

The Summerfest was the yearly carnival that came to the school grounds once a year. In the beginning of every June, a combination of theme park rides, raffles, circus folk, and stuffed bears were all wrapped into a one celebration that was held in every and any place on campus. Almost every student at the school, Goth or prep, usually found an excuse to be there. Many would bring younger siblings to enjoy the festivities as well, although not as many were brought as would be expected.

"I was about seven years old," she said, almost dazedly.

Richard cocked an eyebrow, wondering what force of hell had forced her to go to a carnival, nonetheless one as happy and cheerful as the Summerfest.

"Why were you…?"

"I went to a private school, remember?" she cut in sharply, "It was for a class field trip, and I was forced." She said this in a tone that meant this statement would totally end the topic, but Richard had to suppress a snicker.

But Raven ignored his childish antic, and continued on.

"And, during that particular year, the theme was strangeness in itself. It was the most circus-like year they had ever held the Summerfest. There were tumblers, conjurers, other pointless human oddities…"

"Go on…" Richard said, now fully into her story.

"And there was a sight that, at the time, made me fear ever going back to the Summerfest."

"What was that?"

"There…was a little boy…locked in a cage…" she trailed off, and Richard had never seen her this concerned in the way she spoke.

"A cage?" He said, furrowing his brow, "Are you sure it was a cage, I mean this is…"

"It was a cage, Richard." Raven cut in, her voice slightly raised. Richard didn't say anything for a few moments, afraid he may set her off. After a few seconds he spoke warily.

"Who was this boy?"

Raven shuddered and looked in the other direction, her right arm suddenly gripping her left.

"He was a freak of nature," she paused, "they made him seem more like a monster than a man."

"Was he…deformed or something? I mean, why would they put him in a…"

"It would seem he was deformed from birth. But I will never know," she paused again, "they were so cruel to him. They didn't seem like bad caretakers in front of the other people, but when the crowds left, they were just so…"

"Man…" Richard sighed, "poor kid."

"And then," she said, quickening her voice, "he went missing. He had obviously escaped."

"Well I can see why…"

"But they never found him," she returned, finally turning her gaze to finally meet Richard's, "Some said that he died."

"But he didn't die, did he?" Richard said darkly.

"Everyone else just forgot about him, but I never can," she turned away again, "and I never will. For in the darkness, I have seen him again…"

"So this is who this 'Phantom' guy is?"

"Yes."

"Does he ever speak to you?"

"No," Raven looked surprised that the question was even thought of.

"He's never spoken to me before; we just have a mutual understanding. I leave him alone with his problems and he leaves me alone with mine." She glanced down on the computer keyboard, "and each of us has good reason to do each."

"But you know so much about him,"

"I am the person who he speaks through, yes," she replied, "merely because of our safe understandable distance to one another."

She paused again, staring into space, as if wondering what to say.

"But, Richard," she said, "be aware that he was and is such a prodigy! He is a scholar, architect, musician…"

Richard was able to piece the puzzle together, mumbling to himself.

"A composer...?"

"He has too many talents for his own good," she stared into Richard's eyes with a look of stone, "and for ours as well."

Richard then began to grow a slight strip of panic in the pit of his stomach. His mind raced at how truly horrible Kori's situation was.

"Th-this man is…is pretty dangerous, isn't he?"

Raven's eyes widened, and they flickered with a light of a losing battle of self control.

"I shouldn't have told you that, Richard," she breathed, "I've told you too much…"

She abruptly got up from her chair, and swiftly opened the door to leave.

"…and there have been too many accidents," she added before she could try to go.

"Accidents!" Richard almost yelled, "Raven, how can you say that? You know the truth, and you won't tell anyone!" he stared her down coldly, "You know nothing strange that happens in this school is an accident."

"Nonetheless," Raven put in quickly with a turn of her delicate head behind her shoulders to look at him, "there have been too many."

And with that she swooped from the doorway and into the hall, where seeping darkness awaited. Richard followed quickly after her.

"Raven! Raven!" he scanned the hallway left and right, but Raven was nowhere to be found.

And as soon as Richard left and closed the door to that dark classroom, the dim computer lamp burst and went out, leaving the room's entity to sleep in darkness.

Sorry, another short chapter, but it's not all bad…I will try to continue on when I get back from my trip!"