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Chapter 2: Beyond the Future
"There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."~Robert F. Kennedy
Despite what his students thought of him, Mr. Lancer did care about his students. He just didn't show it much though which lead to the popular belief that he showed more preference towards the 'groovy' group than anyone else, like most teachers in the school.
That was not true, and Daniel was proof of that. When he first saw the student enter the classroom, Lancer saw raw potential from the boy and a bright future ahead if taught properly. So the teacher did everything he can to make Daniel strive for success. He scorned, lectured, and criticized Daniel on everything he did. One can often mistake Mr. Lancer's attitude for the boy dislike was actually favoritism. At first, Mr. Fenton's grades were pretty average, a few Bs and C's, but nothing awful. Then, as if by a moving force, something unexpected happened.
Daniel's grades dropped, almost as low as the sinking of the Titanic. The student he first saw as someone striving for a need to learn began to fade away like a fleeting dream, replaced by a boy who would always fumble for excuses of his tardiness, including a lazy attitude for his work and studies.
At first, Lancer thought it was because of the problems Daniel had at school, mainly by the sad fact of him being constant bullied and teased at school mercilessly by Dash Baxter. Mr. Lancer was not blind. He knew what problems the child had, before the whole ordeal began. Forget about truth and justice. As far as he could tell, reporting the bullying act to the school board would only make the shy freshman more miserable.
Mr. Lancer can already know what would happen if he did such an act. Mr. Baxter would still continue to abuse Daniel, even if he had found proof, because the school staff would never believe him. They would rather hung on to the small thread that everything was going okay than find out that the star of the football team was actually a bully.
Even the teachers and staff members ignored the signs, knowing that if they did, they'll be labeled as an 'unhip' adult by the 'cool' crowd. Some staff members even tried to fit in with the group, either by handing out free passes to the students or, even worst, actually mock the low-class social rejects of the school.
Mr. Lancer hated the corruption that had continued on in Casper High, so he did everything he can to put an end to it by gathering evidence. Unfortunately, it hasn't been easy when he first started out. The bullies were very discreet and often instilled fear into their victims, which didn't help since they refused to admit that the bully ever hurt them, and the school counselor was ready to accept it whole-heartedly because none of them wanted a bullied adolescent victim in their hands.
Mr. Lancer did the only thing he could do. He pretended to show a preference in the 'hip' students, hoping to gather something that would help him prove his case.
In all his years as an educator, he must admit Daniel was an enigma ever since the accident. Surely, bullying wasn't the reason he has been so distant lately?
No, Mr. Lancer had a feeling in his gut that whatever Daniel was dealing with was much serious than that. As if the shy freshman had a heavy burden in his shoulders. The teacher already ruled out drugs and peer pressure, since Mr. Fenton had a healthy support of friends and was pretty sure the boy was smart enough to stay away from any illegal activity.
Now, looking at his prized student who radiated with so much fear and silence only strengthens Lancer's resolve. Even through Daniel's half-hearted smile, his blue eyes were distant; staring past the turning gears and stony walls into a dark foreboding past that no one could possibly comprehend. What could cause such a tornado of emotions the moment his blue eyes landed on the soup-like container? Is it connected somehow?
Lancer shivered at the thought of a student somehow related to the ghostly thermos. The frightening aura he felt from the object was pure evil, something he had never felt in his entire life. Not even the ghosts gave him that sudden feeling of death and destruction. Daniel couldn't be related to it… can he?
"Mr. Lancer? Are you okay?" Star spoke up, interrupting the overweight teacher's train of thought. He blinked, returning back into the present situation before him. Eight curious pairs of eyes stared at him in puzzlement.
It was by then Dash decided to speak out as 'leader.' ("Remind me again, why is Dash the person in charge?" Tucker asked quietly to Sam and Danny so it wouldn't reach the jock's ears.)
"Don't worry, Mr. Lancer. I'll get us out of this mess," Dash said boldly.
"Fine Mr. Baxter," the teacher sighed. "What do you suppose we do?" Normally, teachers were entitled the right to lead the students in emergency situations, but Mr. Lancer was too drained to complain by the fact that a first year student is taking control of the crisis.
"Okay everyone, follow me," Dash commanded, looking at the group.
"Follow you where?" Sam snorted, crossing her arms. "I'm not following you."
"Well you have to," Dash said in a tone that meant this discussion is over. Sam growled in agitation, but didn't say anything. This was no time to be fighting, especially now.
"Guys, look what I found!" Kwan shouted, pointing at a large circular screen above them. Everyone turned around to see what Kwan was yelling about. It looked like a circular TV screen. The outer rim was made out of some sort of strange dark metal, the screen filled with blankness except for its bluish color. With a sudden flicker, an image appeared.
Danny, Sam and Tucker gasped in a mixture of both recognition and horror while everyone's jaws dropped, quite shocked. The screen was fuzzy, yet the clarity of what the object was showing was quite clear. It revealed a pile of smoldering brick and debris. The damage in the leftover building must have been left like that for a very long time. A large rectangular sign stuck out of the wreckage, the large neon letters readable and familiar.
'Fenton,' it said, the green letters clearly legible.
"Danny, isn't that your house?" Star asked, walking up towards the screen. It couldn't be the same building she always passes through every Saturday for an evening jog. Last time she checked, the building was still standing! She crossed her arms and closely examined the screen, pursing her lips. She couldn't imagine anyone doing so much damage to a building in such a short time, and judging by that loser's shocked face, the girl could only conclude that a ghost did this. The blonde shuddered at the thought. Whoever did that must have been a really powerful ghost. The name Phantom suddenly sprang from her mind.
Star began to speculate if the ghost 'hero' Phantom caused the building's collapse. It seemed possible, since the Fenton's were a family of ghost hunters who despised the ghost boy and it would make sense if the ghost decided to destroy their base. Unlike her friend Paulina and Valerie, Star held no trust or hatred for the ghost hero. In her opinion, Phantom was just a ghost. Now, she wasn't so sure. Was Phantom a hero? Or is he nothing but a menace like Valerie said?
Star's perfectly manicured hands softly touched the panel's surface, and she couldn't help but yelp in surprise. The monitor was warm, but somehow and strangely calming…almost peaceful, similar to a warm summer day.
Her hand suddenly went past through the solid surface and abruptly her entire hand felt pulled towards the panel. The calm, warm emotion she felt a minute ago was all of a sudden replaced by a cold feeling tingling up her spine, like a hurricane pulling her away from this place.
Star gasped from the sweeping emotion and tried to pull her hand out of the monitor. It didn't work and all it did was make the pull even stronger.
"HELP!" Star screamed, her voice filled with panic. Monitors do NOT suck people's hands into the screen!
Kwan immediately grabbed Star's waist and try to pull her hand out of the screen. This only made it worst, and now Star's entire arm was contained inside the circular object. Dash started to grab onto Kwan to help him pull out the blonde freshman, and soon everyone started helping, trying to pull Star out of the monitor.
Suddenly, the monitor began to burst with a flash of light, sucking everyone into the far depths of the forgotten future.
The entire place was a disaster. Buildings were crumbled and destroyed, not a sight of vegetation left in this place except for the green shrubs of moss. No one inhabited the city. It was as if the entire population was wiped off from the face of the Earth.
Danny, Sam, and Tucker stood up with an air of familiarity aloof, although everyone else was too busy gazing over the polluted sky and wrecked buildings to notice.
Kwan got up from the concrete floor, brushing the dirt and dust off his pants. He nearly choked from the stench from this place, the smell of rusted metal and iron filling his nostrils. What the heck happened to this place? A ghost maybe…
Kwan shudder at the thought. Sure, ghosts have been malevolent at times, but he couldn't imagine any ghost creating such destruction, not to an entire city! It was like a barren wasteland, no signs of human life inhabited the place. What ghost could of done such a thing?
Paulina glared spitefully at Sam, placing her hands on her hips. "This is all your fault, loser!" The Latino girl spat, her lips twisting to a snarl. "If it weren't for you and that stupid necklace thingy, none of this would of happened!"
But Sam wasn't listening to Paulina, too shocked by the switch of scenery. Valerie spoke up.
"Where are we?" She asked out loud. There was something familiar about this place, although she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Danny muttered quietly, and if it weren't for the eerie silence, Valerie wouldn't hear him. The words he spoke were lodged in her brain, a shattering reality coming over her and realized how serious this entire situation was. A million thoughts washed over her, but what bothered her most was how Danny knew about all this. Did she hear it wrong?
"What did you say again?" She asked again, hoping she heard wrong. Danny's eyes widened, realizing he had just spoke his thoughts out loud. He shifted his feet together nervously, glancing at the floor. "Well?"
Danny looked up; his blue ocean eyes looking at her with such sincerity Valerie knew he spoke the truth. "Amity Park."
Valerie backed up slowly. It can't be true! Friends, families, places, everything...gone. She backed up slowly, and suddenly bumped into a statue from behind. Turning around, she heard a group of collective gasps.
A large momentum of Sam, Tucker, and the Fentons' were displayed on the statue, crumbled and decayed, although the printed stone text was clearly readable. Valerie couldn't believe her eyes.
'GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.'