Chapter 8

"That's strange," Maddie muttered, bending down to pick up the pale blue towel outside Danny's room. The cloth was singed brown and black in seemingly random patterns. Though that did look like a handprint...

Straightening back up, Maddie carefully folded the towel over her arm before opening Danny's door.

"Good morning, dear," she called out cheerily, walking straight to the chest of drawers. "Sleep well? I think I left an ecto-gun in here."

There was no answer as Maddie continued to sift through the contents of the drawer. She stopped as her fingers hit something strange, slippery. Pulling it out, she saw that it was a photo of Sam, Tucker and... Phantom? The three of them were smiling into the camera, Phantom in the middle with his arms around the other two teens. They were outside, but nowhere Maddie recognized.

"Danny," she turned, still examining the picture. "Why aren't you in this photo?"

Finally, she lifted her eyes and gasped. The bed was neat, undisturbed- just how Danny had left it the day before. Even that loose corner was exactly the same.

Blinking herself out of a daze, Maddie pivoted and sprinted down the stairs.

"Jack!" She yelled. "Jack! He's gone!"

Her husband darted out of the kitchen, breakfast crumbs still covering the front of his orange jumpsuit.

"What is it, Mads?" He cried, pulling out an ecto-gun. "Is there a ghost?"

"No," Maddie sobbed, her throat burning with unshed tears of worry. "Danny didn't come home last night."

DPDPDPDP

"Thank you, Frostbite," Danny said, looking around at his surroundings. The ice formations were still more dominant, but behind that were the forest trees and vegetation. It was as if he were in two places at once- in both the world of the living and the dead.

"You are welcome, Great One," The huge yeti replied. "I imagine you have some questions?"

Danny nodded fervently and got to his feet. Being in the cold environment was giving him energy, making his aches less. Still, he almost fell as his balance went. He chuckled once he was steady. "Yeah. Just a few."

Frostbite gestured for him to start.

"So, um… How did I get to Lake Eerie?"

The yeti laughed, his booming voice echoing across the frozen landscape. "That is not what I expected you to ask! A better questions would be 'what is happening to me'. That I can answer."

Danny stared up at him in confusion and slowly copied Frostbite's suggestion.

"Well, Great One, you seem to have gained a new power. Judging from experience, you will need to use it soon."

"What?" Danny questioned. "Is that all you can tell me? Sam, Tuck and I already thought of that- so why did I wake up at Lake Eerie?"

Frostbite looked displeased with the ghost boy's reaction. "I do not know why you appeared at that location. I can only tell you what I know."

Danny sighed exasperatedly. He was confused and frustrated with his lack of knowledge and knew that he shouldn't take it out on Frostbite, but he didn't know what else to do. The whole situation was terrifying.

"So…" Danny began. "I'm guessing this is a fire power. Could you teach me how to use it?"

That thunderous laughter resonated across the ice again. "Could I teach you how to use fire? Oh, I'm sorry, Great One, but fire and ice do not mix. You remember your ice training- I do not want a repeat of that."

Danny flushed in embarrassment. He remembered it well. Then, a realization hit him.

"Frostbite,' he said hurriedly. "You said that fire and ice don't mix- I have both fire and ice powers! What could this mean?"

The yeti stared at him gravely. "You will have to be very careful not to upset your core too much. But," his expression lifted. "On a brighter note, you seem healthy enough to go back. Good bye, Great One, and good luck."

"No!" Danny protested. "Wait! I still have questions!"

The ice dissipated and floated away like smoke, leaving the forest behind.

Groaning in frustration, Danny sat back against a tree. A stray branch wedged itself painfully into the base of his back, but he didn't move. He just out his head in his hands, and let his mind go empty.

An idea would come to him. Eventually.

DPDPDPDP

The school felt empty without Sam or Danny. Tucker sat at their table by himself, no one even attempting to enter the depressing environment surrounding him. Danny was gone, dead for real this time, and Sam would never get over it.

Better face the facts, Foley, Tucker sighed inwardly. Your life is messed up.

Nothing could ever be the same again.

Just as he thought this, a strange sound pierced the air. Tucker and the whole of Casper High sprinted to the cafeteria windows just in time to see a black and white blur slam into the earth at the end of the football pitch. The ground trembled and terrified voices rose to screams as the confused students struggled to comprehend what just happened.

Tucker stared out the window, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes unblinking. It couldn't be- Danny was dead! Burnt by those ghostly flames!

That meant only one thing to Tucker- this new ghost couldn't be Danny. He would have to get rid of it himself.

DPDPDPDP

The ghost boy groaned as he pulled himself out of the shallow pit he had created. Frostbite never said anything about this new power using so much energy. Danny could hardly move.

Reaching one shaking hand out to move away from the impact site, he tried to crawl. Undignified, but necessary. After what seemed like hours of effort, Danny looked behind to see how much progress he had made. His blackened boots were still in the crater. The realisation sapped the ghost boy of any hope he had obtained in the last few minutes. He was both physically and mentally exhausted and had no idea where in Amity Park he had landed. He could be in an entirely different state, for all he knew.

The grass felt soothing against Danny's feverish face, cooling his flushed cheeks. Rapidly, though, the grass was beginning to lose its luster, turning yellow and brown beneath his tired form. Danny exhaled, his breath killing the grass before him both from heat and cold- frost encased the blackened remnants of the once-green blades.

Danny closed his eyes to block out the sight, but they flew open again at a familiar voice.

"Don't move, ghost," Tucker commanded, a Fenton Thermos pointing steadily at Danny's head.

AN:

Hey! pale-blue11 here!

I hope you're all enjoying this story so far! This was so unexpected- I thought it would be finished by now! :D

I freaked out yesterday because we had a public holiday on Monday, and I forgot that I had to write this for today! Still- I got it up on time :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited and/or followed this story! You guys make my week and I'm so glad that you like it!

So, as usual-

Please review, favourite and/or follow this story! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :D

I'm so happy for absolutely no reason!

Have a nice week!

pale-blue11