Okay, so… It took a couple days this time. I got distracted with watching Danny Phantom, but I was determined this morning to type this thing. If you're trying to follow this with the old one, you'll be lost for awhile. I added a new scene. Sorry. I felt like it needed it. Anyway…
The Phantasmagoric Images
Chapter Seven
It was cold. The wind was blowing hard as Danny flew across town to rest to the central park. It was quiet and eerie. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.
He landed in the middle of the park where there were a cluster of trees and bushes. He had been there before. He remembered it all too well. This was where he had his first kiss. It wasn't real. He knew that. It was only a distraction for the ghost huntress on his tail. He hated the fact that it was only business to Sam. She never showed any interest in him beyond friendship. He sometimes wished she did care for him, that she liked him for more than just some shoulder to cry on when times were tough and then leave as soon as someone else was there to take the toll. She had been so quick to be with Gregor, or Elliot, that he was sure she had no interest in him. He was just her dorky friend with a secret.
The wind changed direction as he sat beside the tree. The wind carried with it the scent of lavender. He loved that smell. It was relaxing. It was the same scent of Sam's shampoo. It gave him comfort. He would imagine her in his arms; his chin nestled in her hair. It seemed hopeless to him now, wishing that she felt the same. And now she was gone, disappeared from the face of the earth within seconds. He only looked away for a couple seconds! How could she have disappeared in couple seconds? He couldn't shake the guilt. It was his fault…
His head jerked up as a blue mist escaped his mouth. He let out a low growl. Not now… He lifted himself to his feet and looked around. He couldn't see any sign of ghost activity. He just smelled lavender. He flew into the air to get a better view and noticed a woman standing alone near a park bench. Her long, raven hair seemed to shine a purple tint under the moonlight. He slowly approached her on foot.
She was looking around, nervously fiddling with the bottom of her skirt. When she saw him, she let out a slight gasped then softened when she saw his face.
"So, you finally decided to show up?" the woman chided, a humored smile crossing her lips. Danny just stared. She seemed so familiar to him. When he didn't reply, she locked him into her embrace. He had thought the woman was taller than him, but when she hugged him, her head buried itself into his chest. Her swiftly grabbed her by her forearms and pulled her away enough to see her face. She looked confused as to why he would end their hug. Her look quickly changed to concern.
"Are you alright?" He couldn't speak. He knew her!
He opened his mouth to speak her name, but she tensed in his arms and began to slide down his chest until she fell to the ground. Her screams of pain pierced his ears. Her arms became covered in cuts, bruises, and burns. She began to bleed profusely. She looked up at him from her place on the ground with sorrow in her eyes. "Danny…" she spoke breathlessly as her head finally fell to the ground in a puddle of her own blood.
Danny began to panic. He watched her die and was helpless to stop it. She died in his arms as she had done many times before in his worst nightmares.
A bright light came fast approaching. He heard the faint sound of sirens and screeching tires. He began screaming and awoke in a cold sweat, tangled in the sheets of his bed. "No…" he whispered his pillow as he cried himself back to sleep.
Oooooooo
Sam awoke in a dark room. The only light was from moonlight shining faintly through the window which was covered with silky, black curtains that flowed onto the bed. She twisted in the dark covers, the sheets entangling her pale figure. "W-where… am I?" She whispered to herself. "Why am I so tired?" Struggled to sit up, driving her fists into the black, silk pillows, and examined her new surroundings. She had never seen this room before. The scent seemed familiar, though. She pulled herself off of the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor. When did I take my boots off? She walked a little ways from the bed, the moonlight dancing across the ways of her new prison.
Suddenly, the huge, wooden door across the room flew open, letting cold air flow into the small room as a tall, slightly muscular figure made his presence known in the doorway.
"I was wondering when you'd wake up," a silky voice came from the doorway, causing an uncomfortable shiver to travel up her spine. He took a few steps inside before the door closed behind him. "You look so peaceful when you sleep… like a baby."
Sam began to retract into a corner. Who is this guy?
The figure chuckled slightly. "Good question," he replied to the question that never even left her lips. "Who am I? Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out… in due time." He paused and looked around the room questioningly. "Dark, of course." Sam involuntarily shivered again.
"E-excuse me?" Sam uttered, pinning herself into the corner, running her hands on the wall trying to find anything to help her escape. For some reason, she wanted to be as far away from this guy as possible.
"Random thought. Sorry," the man stated, his voice softening. He began to approach her causing her to drive herself further into the hard wall. "My, how you've changed," he hissed, placing a cold hand upon her cheek. She wanted to jerk away from him. She wanted to slap him across the face for touching her even in the slightest way, but there was something about him… Her heart stopped when he began caressing her cheek. She tried to regain her composure.
"W-what… are you talking about—" She began, but when she caught sight of herself in the dresser mirror across the room, she lost her breath. It didn't look like her! The girl looking back at her was almost twice her age. She had long black hair that looked like silk flowing behind her and curves. She actually had hips and voluptuous ones at that.
"It's absolutely amazing what time will do to a girl," the man began, running his hands down her arms, but she was too awestruck to push him away this time. "The serum worked like a charm, but I had no idea it would last that long." Her head snapped back to meet his face which was now mere inches from hers.
"Serum?" Sam questioned quickly. "What serum?" He chuckled again.
"The sleeping serum," he stated. "The serum that I put in your morning coffee. It didn't kick in until the afternoon, but it knocked you out like a light." Her eyes widened.
"Are you saying tha—"
"That you've been asleep for ten years?" He finished for her. "Yes. And how do I know what you're thinking? Well, that's not really any of your business, is it?" He tried to make her cringe, but she was in too much shock.
"Wait a minute," Sam began. "If I've been asleep for ten years, then where's Danny? He had to have come looking for me. What did you do to him?" He sighed heavily.
"Relax, princess," he barked. "I didn't touch your boy toy!"
"He's not my boy toy," she glared at him, her face flushing with red. "And if you didn't capture him or hurt him or do anything to him, then where the fuck could he be?"
How the hell did she fit that into one breath? He began to laugh at her question. "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," he began, a bemused smile crossing his features. She glared at him with death in her eyes. "I know, I know," he breathed, rolling his eyes. "It's Sam, not Sammy. I remember that much."
"H-how do you know my name?" She asked, fear evident in her voice.
"You still haven't pieced it together, have you?" He asked with a laugh. "Come on, Sammy. I know what you're thinking. I know your middle name. I know everything about you. Turn your brain on and use it! Even I could figure it out and I have the brain of a six month old gnat!" His expression changed from menacing to frustrated.
"If you know me so well, prove it," Sam challenged. He sighed heavily.
"You're name is Samantha Manson. You're an ultra-recyclo vegetarian and you go to a book store called Skulk and Lurk Books. You're fairly intelligent and currently maintain an A B average in all your classes at Casper High. You are very athletic, but because you hate the social status of it all, never joined any sports team. You're an only child, a Goth, and best friend to Danny Fenton and Tucker Foley. Tucker is a techno-geek who can't get a date and you think Danny is cute," he said with a teasing tone.
"I do not," she shot back, trying to contain the blush threatening to crawl across her cheeks.
"And now you're lying to me," he exclaimed in a slightly humorous tone. "Well—"
"How do you even know all this stuff?" Sam yelled. "Have you been stalking me or something? Spying on me and my friends? How much do you know?"
"If you're talking about Danny, I know about his powers," he stated dryly. "The flight, the ghost rays, the ghostly wail, the intangibility, the invisibility, the ability to overshadow humans, and the ability to sneak into your room unnoticed and watch you sleep. Eternal peace…"
"What?" Sam jumped.
"Uh…um…" he stuttered and tried to avoid eye contact as hew rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Another random thought. It's nothing."
"No, you meant something by that," she pointed an accusing finger at him.
"No, I didn't," he stated nervously.
"Who are you?"
"I'm only trying to protect you!" he yelled, his eyes glowing a deep emerald with rage.
"Protect me from what?" she questioned, also angry.
"From me!" he screamed the rage in his eyes replaced by tears. Two silver rings encircled him, leaving him with silky black hair and crystal blue eyes that seemed colder than ice instead of the warm, summer sky that they had once been when he was…
"Oh my god…" were the only words that she could muster up.
REVIEW
