Chapter 4

Will was frozen to the spot. Couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.

An object at rest…

Will blinked. What? Now was the time to run away and never turn back. Now was the time to scream and cry and beg for mercy. Now was most definitely not the time to be thinking about sixth grade science class.

Will turned, planning to get out through the back door of the café.

And came face to face with a ghost.

It was a sickly green mass of decaying flesh. It dripped on the black and white tiles and a mouth full of jagged teeth grinned at Will's shocked expression. Blazing crimson eyes locked on to hers and Will was again paralyzed with fear. She watched as the jaw opened wider and wider before the ghost launched itself at her head.

…tends to stay at rest…

Her eyes widened.

Time seemed to slow down. Will ducked underneath the ghost, rolled across the broken glass, and then was up, running, running for her life. She crashed through the door of the café into the street. She didn't know what was going on anymore. Hell, she didn't know which way was up.

She caught sight of Danny. He was in the center of the street, fighting for his life. It seemed like all the ghosts in the world were attacking him, although it couldn't be more than thirty. The original ghost was growing stronger, Will could see that. It seemed that every time a shot got through Danny's shield, causing him to wince in pain, the ghost swelled in size, a malevolent grin gracing its features.

Some of the ghosts were coming towards her. She couldn't run, she knew that now. They were too fast. She had to do something. There was nowhere to hide. She couldn't fight back like Danny. She didn't have any weapons…

Or did she?

Will caught sight of the metal cylinder that Danny had been holding before. He had picked it up just after he thought the ghost was defeated. Was it some kind of weapon? She ran over and picked it up, keeping an eye on the ghosts the entire time.

On closer inspection, it looked like a thermos. Of course, thermoses didn't generally have electrical wiring covering the exterior. There was a button close to the lid. Will turned it over in her hands. She couldn't see any bullets or any place that those green blasts could come out.

The ghosts were getting closer. Will glanced down at the thermos. Oh, well. It was this or nothing.

She aimed the thermos at the ghosts.

…while an object in motion…

And pushed the button.

A swirling blue and white vortex erupted from the thermos. Incredibly, it kicked forward, causing Will to almost lose her balance. Her aim swung violently but she managed to catch one of the approaching ghosts. It screamed, but the scream seemed to be more of frustration than pain. It was sucked down the vortex into the thermos. The vortex died down, leaving only a wisp of blue smoke.

Well this was handy.

The ghosts seemed to be hesitating about approaching her now. Will grinned. Now it was she who had the upper hand. Smiling maniacally she aimed the thermos at the other ghosts and pressed the button.

…tends to stay in motion.

Ghost after ghost vanished into the thermos. Will actually laughed. Now she could help Danny! She ran into the fray in the center of the street, swinging the thermos around wildly.

"Don't point that thing at me!" cried a weak voice. Will glanced at over. It was Danny. "It'll suck me in as well!"

Taking this into account, Will began to wield the thermos with a little more practice, trying to avoid Danny as much as possible. Now that the number of ghosts was reduced, she was able to get closer to him.

"Stop sucking in all the little ghosts," he wheezed, clutching his chest. Had he been injured? "The thermos will fill up. They'll get out." Will glanced down at the thermos and there did seem to be a green wisp coming out of it, as if it were packed to the hilt with ghosts. "We need to get the big one. He's the one that's controlling them all."

'We'? Will wasn't sure she liked the word 'we' right now. She looked up at the ghost that was now almost as tall as the tallest building on the street. She started breathing a little faster. In fact, now that she thought about what was going on, her hands were starting to shake. Her little café. Her little café was destroyed. And now she was probably going to die.

"Will?" She felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She twisted around to look at Danny. "Will, I'm so sorry about all this." He gestured to the street that looked like it came out of some sort of war film. "This is all my fault, and I know that. But I'm too weak to fight that ghost on my own. I need your help. Please."

Will took a deep breath. Only this morning she had been blushing at the glances from Mr. Harris. Her only care in the world had been her grades and Mr. Harris' opinion of her. Now she felt thousands of years old. She felt like the weight of the world had been thrown haphazardly onto her shoulders.

But he was right. There was no telling what this ghost would do if it continued its reign of destruction. They had to stop it, right here, right now. Danny needed her help. Shuddering, she took a deep breath. Confidence. That was what she needed right now. And standing there, with a smoldering, ghost-catching thermos in her hand and an undead monster glowering down at her, Will realized that she had it. Confidence wasn't just not having any fear. Will knew she was afraid. Confidence was acknowledging that fear and finding a way around it.

Because Will knew they could succeed. They had to.

"What do I do?"

So I was all like "I'm going to write fanfic this week!" and school was all like "No."