CAMP NANOWRIMO HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED! :D
I'm super excited. I've spent most of the day writing, mostly because I wanted to get a good start for this month. Long, grueling hours of writing to complete this. It'll be fun.
My cabin is full of amazing mates and, well, I think a lot of people will be very jealous of who they are. They are so lovely and we work so well with helping one another. The other cabin is just as amazing. Hopefully we'll all be able to meet our goals for April.
You guys can still get involved for the July session of camp, if you want to do the full month. I don't know if anyone else in our two cabins will be doing it again, but I know that I'm planning to.
So, after a couple of weeks of break, I managed to finish this chapter on Easter. XD I'm such a terrible procrastinator. I normally get all my writing done on Saturday but um… brain… no… function… right. Now with camp, I'll be writing everyday. But don't expect quicker updates. I'll still be updating on Mondays only.
To Haiju: I know that I said I would troll this chapter but my brain hurt too much to write it. So, I wrote a little oneshot instead. Forgive me? …Or, you know, hide my jelly beans from me. XD
Summary: Samantha Manson, or Sam, has many things to deal with; her parent's disappointment, she knows all of the police force by name and face (and not because she wants to), moving to a new city, her grandmother's slowly dying, her Necromancy is getting stronger, she has no instructor to teach her, and she's not exactly the most popular girl in school. As she learns about this new city, she learns of its mysterious secrets and as to why so many haunts happen there. While trying to find out how to help this city, she finding that she slowly crushing on a kind of cute geeky boy whose parents hunt supernatural things. AU. She eyed the yellow tape, daring it to keep her from the school grounds. After a moment, she decided to ignore the forbidding warning of the black DO NOT CROSS letters.
Disclaimer: I do not hold any legal rights to Danny Phantom or to any of the characters you are going to read about. This story, however, is my own original idea, with a nod to Meg Cabbot's Mediator series and Kelly Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy for inspiring me somewhat.
Do Not Cross
Chapter 11
Toss
"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." Herman Wouk
Valerie sighed, happy to be spending time with some friends in a comfortable setting. She had spent the weekend in the hospital, and truth be told, she barely remembered the past couple of weeks that had sent her there.
She trailed her fingers over the scars from needle injections. She didn't remember that and that was the scary part. Had she been taken advantage of? The doctors hadn't found anything unusual in her system, which was good and bad. They had no idea what was wrong with her. They ended up blaming it on premenstrual stress syndrome.
She snorted at that thought. It was ridiculous. Who faints because of PMS? Apparently a few dozen or so cases every month, according to the doctor.
Valerie felt much better now than she did last week, and so when she found out she could return to school and work, she rejoiced. She spent most of her first day back just relishing in the fact that she was surrounded by normal teenagers. And there were three very normal teenagers she would love to spend more time with: Danny Fenton, Tucker Foley, and Sam Manson.
Sure they were a bit — okay, a lot — dorky but they were always themselves when around one another. They made her feel welcome, despite their pasts. She hadn't always been the nicest person to them but they let her join their little circle.
The three of them waited for her in front of the school before starting off in the direction of the Nasty Burger. Valerie didn't quite understand the teenage notion to eat at fast food places, but she could understand the appeal of being seen as social and popular amongst one's peers.
Sam had entered Danny and Tucker's world so easily, it was as if she had always belonged with them. Valerie felt as if she was intruding on them, but today's exploit wasn't about fitting in with them. It was about just relaxing and being a part of society and seen doing normal things. She needed it. Badly.
"Hi," she said tentatively.
"Hey." Tucker greeted, adding a wide smile.
Sam smiled and nodded, and Danny waved.
"You ready to go?" Sam asked, picking up her bag and books. She had set them down while they waited. She had a lot today, Valerie noted.
"Let's go." Danny said, leading them off the school grounds. "I have to be home by six for dinner."
The three others followed soundlessly.
Valerie listened to the chatter of the other students around them. They were all excited to be out of school for the day. She knew that their moods would soon be dampened by the realization of the waiting homework. She, too, had a lot of work to do, including that paper for English Lit.
Sighing, she tried to relax her shoulders. She couldn't remember the last time she was so tense. When he father lost his job? When she had applied at places and failed? When she had to suck it up and get the grunt work at Nasty Burger?
She furrowed her brows. Why was she going to go hang out at her work? To be normal. Her version of normality was undoubtedly different from Danny, Sam, and Tucker's. Her normality involved going to concerts every weekend, having money to buy new clothes, hanging out at the mall every day. Their normality… She really didn't have the vaguest idea. Did they hangout and do homework? Talk about dressing up and going to conventions? Some other nerdy thing? She was curious to find out.
She looked at her companions and noted that Sam seemed to be carrying more books than usual. A few, it appeared, to be from the school library. She tried to catch the title but could only make out "Morse." Morse what? She thought about everything she knew that could be about Morse but was coming up with blanks. She finally decided to ask.
"What are you reading?" she said to Sam.
"Hm, oh. Morse Code: The Essential Language by L. Peter Carron, Jr." Sam said, reading the title. "And Lightening Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F. B. Morse by Kenneth Silverman."
"Huh."
Valerie tried to think why Sam would be reading up on Morse Code but could find no reason for the girl to be doing so. She didn't think the Goth had any extra classes but then again, she was always staying after school to help Danny and Tucker with writing — although how much more help they needed, she really had no idea.
"Why Morse Code?" she asked.
"Something my bubeleh said a few days before she went into a coma." Sam said. "I don't remember what it was exactly but something about coming up with codes."
Valerie nodded, falling back into silence. She knew about Sam's grandmother, as everyone in the school did. No one said anything, mostly to not feel the undoubtable wrath of the Goth but also out of respect. That was one thing about Amity Park teens, they held some respect for one another's private lives. Most of them did, anyway. Paulina was most likely to gossip than anyone else.
When they arrived at Nasty Burger, the place was quickly filling up. The four teens picked a table far enough away from the It crowd and close to the soda fountain and cashiers. The place offered free refills on drinks and fries, why not take advantage of it?
"Tuck and I will get the food." Sam said. "Was there anything you particularly wanted, Val?"
"Just a mighty meaty meal." she replied. With an afterthought, she added, "Extra sauce. I'll get my own drink. I like to mix up the sodas."
Sam nodded, following Tucker's retreating form.
Danny and Valerie kept to the table, neither of them wanting to break the awkward silence. She checked to see how long the others would take to get the food, and seeing the line, she despaired a little. She would have to make conversation.
"So," she said.
"So." he replied.
They sat in silence for a second before Valerie continued.
"What do you guys normally do?" she asked.
"Goof off mostly." he said with a shrug. "And we work on homework. Hey, do you have any ideas on how to do that scene for Shakespeare? Sam and I were just going to work with Jazz but if we work with you, I won't have to deal with an overbearing, know-it-all sister."
Valerie smiled. Yes, going back to normal would be much easier than she anticipated.
"It's just Romeo and Juliet." she said, stifling a laugh.
"Well, it would be awkward doing the assigned scene with anyone."
"It's the infamous balcony scene, how awkward can it be?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" he asked.
"Kind of. It would be interesting to hear."
"I'm not going to, just to spite you."
"I see hanging around Miss Manson has increased your vocabulary."
"…Teasing now, are we?"
"Someone had to. This conversation was getting a little dull."
"That's what Sam would say. Of course, Jazz would just say that it's her way of defending herself when she's uncomfortable or something."
"Speaking of Jazz and Sam… Why would it be awkward if you worked with them for Shakespeare?"
"Think about it. One person is in charge of costumes. Sam hates performing and if she did the scene, it'd be hard to look at her again after it's done. She and I can't take Shakespeare seriously when we're together. She'd have to be in charge of costumes. And Jazz is my sister. Plus if the two of them did it, it's just be weird for everyone. Especially since Sam would play Romeo. She's so short."
"So, which dwarf are you?"
"Ha ha."
"So, I make a better choice?" Valerie asked, leaning back into the seat. "Why is that?"
"No offence or anything, but we're not exactly close friends. We don't know each others deepest secrets."
"And you know some of Sam's? Even after the short time she's been here?"
"It's like we were always meant to be friends."
"Uh-huh." she said slowly.
"Anyway, since we don't know one another very well, it'll be easier to act."
"I see where you're going. So, you, me, and Sam as a group? It should work. Do you two have any idea how you want it to be portrayed yet?"
"Not yet." Danny said. "I'm leaving that to Sam. She… she has an eye for those kinds of things. She really gets into the fine details of things. Plus, she's awesome at researching things."
"Always good to have a researcher in the group." Valerie said, rolling her eyes. "So, got one thing for homework out of the way."
Sam and Tucker returned, each carrying a tray.
"Hey, move." Sam told Danny. He looked at her curiously. "I'd rather not watch Tucker inhale those… those.."
She shuddered, an unpleasant grimace twisting her face.
"Fine." he sighed, sliding out and allowing her in. "You're welcome, Princess Samantha."
"Watch it." she said. "Or I'll make you the unlucky knight to save me from the fire-breathing dragon. Not that I'll need much rescuing. I'd probably convince the dragon's sister to help me escape or something."
"Who says the fire-breathing dragon has a sister?" Tucker asked, sliding in next to Valerie.
"Who says he doesn't?"
"And why does it have to be a male dragon?"
Sam catapulted a tomato at him using her fork. She was quite precise, as the fruit landed in his open mouth. Tucker gagged it out.
"Ew! Plant!" he cried. "Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck."
Valerie watched on curiously. It was comical, no doubt. She'd never catch Dash or Kwan doing something like that over a tomato. There were only a few groups of people who didn't care what people thought of them, and these three were one of them.
She called them out on it.
"We have other things to worry about." Danny said.
"Like what?" Valerie asked.
"College." Tucker said.
"Family." Sam said.
"My parents and their crazy inventions." Danny said. "The Fenton Finder, while harmless, claims that I'm a ghost."
Sam choked on bits of lettuce from her salad, her eyebrows shot to her hairline.
"Your parents hunt ghosts, right?" Valerie said, remembering the gossip she heard from her father.
"Yeah." he replied cautiously.
"That's actually kind of cool. Maybe they could get their own TV show or something."
"Danny deserves his own TV show." Tucker said. "Parents who hunt ghosts and a sister who tries to be a psychologist. Not to mention his awesome friends. I can see it now. Yo, Danny Fenton was just fifteen when his parents built a very strange machine…"
"Don't sing." Sam said, shoving some of his fries in his mouth. "Like, ever. Your voice broke my eardrums."
Valerie laughed. She could really get used to this.
After an hour, they decided to pack it up and head to the Manson's residence to do their homework. Valerie checked her watch. She had an hour before she had to go to work — well, returning to work. She also needed time to run home and lug over her uniform. She wouldn't have any more time to hangout today.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Valerie said, adjusting the strap of her schoolbag. "I have work today."
"Work?" Danny asked, looking surprised. "You've been given permission to work? What kind of doctor does that?"
"I kind of want to. I don't like laying around all day. Besides, my dad and I need the money."
"Do you want us to walk you there?" Sam asked.
"No, it's okay. I have to go home to get my uniform first."
"Oh, okay." Tucker said. "Bye."
"Bye, Val." Danny said.
Sam smiled and waved. She and the two boys headed off back towards the busy section of town.
Valerie sighed and started towards her home, in the opposite direction. It was a lonely walk back but it felt good to be a part of a group of normal teenagers again, to be accepted.
Along the way, she could have sworn someone was following her, but every time she would go to look, no one was there. Now she wished that she had agreed to have the three walk home with her. She was relieved when she reached the apartment building.
When she opened the door, she heard her father washing the dishes in the kitchenette. The sound was comforting and reminded her of when her mother was still alive.
"Valerie, is that you?" Damon Gray called.
"Yeah." she said, kicking off her shoes and heading to her room.
"Dinner's on the stove, if you're hungry."
She looked down at her stomach, feeling guilty that she had gone out and eaten with her friends. She hadn't even paid Sam back!
Sighing, she dumped her things on the floor and looked around floor the other hideous uniform she had been given.
She picked up the wretched thing, sniffing it. Her face twisted in disgust when she realized that the previous owner of the costume hadn't washed it — and she doubted the guy before him did either.
Grimacing, she packed it back in the bag that had come with it, folding it as neatly as she could.
She checked her watch again. She had forty minutes before her shift started. She quickly changed into the standard uniform for Nasty Burger and sighed, disliking the way it hung on her.
Valerie hauled the bag out of her room and dropped it near the front door. She turned around to see her father standing there, looking forlorn.
"I wish that you didn't have to work." he said, drying his hands off on one of her mother's old, pink aprons.
"Think of it as something to add onto my college résumé." she said, giving him a tight squeeze around his middle. He returned the gesture with an embrace of his own. He held her firmly and pecked the top of her head.
"I'm sorry that I dragged you into this."
"I don't mind it." And she didn't. "As long as I'm with you, I'm happy."
Her dad dropped her off in front of Nasty Burger. She waved before quickly running to the back entrance and slipping inside. One of the employees looked back and waved at her.
"You're two minutes late." he said.
"Not really my fault." she muttered. "So, do I have to wear this today or what?"
"Tomorrow after school. Today, we need you to clean. Think you can do that?"
"Sure."
He tossed her the cleaning supplies: a bottle of watered-down bleach and a rag. He nodded towards the tables and chairs just beyond the counter. She tentatively made her way out. She silently thanked whatever god (or gods) were looking out for her. She didn't want to run in to anyone from school. She really didn't want Paulina or Star or one of them to see her working at Nasty Burger.
She started at a table that had recently been cleared of a family eating out. She wondered what ever happened to families eating in every night. Had society really come to this? Were parents incapable of cooking for their own children?
Sighing she got to her task. She had actually almost finished cleaning every table when someone said her name. Startled, she looked up.
Star and Paulina had walked in, with the rest of the football team and the cheerleading squad. They looked fairly surprised to see her. Dash was the quickest to react.
"Well, Valerie," he said, fixing is hair, "we weren't expecting to see you here so late. What, did your dad forget to pick you up or something? Oh wait, that's right, he works as a security guard now. What a lame job, am I right?"
The others whooped and cheered, shoving one another playfully. They claimed one of the just cleaned tabled, much to Valerie's disappointment. She went back to cleaning the rest and prayed that they wouldn't leave much of a mess behind.
.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.
They left a big mess, much to Valerie' dissatisfaction. Grumbling, she cleaned it up. They had hung around for a couple of hours, much to her annoyance, spilling things most often than not and laughing obnoxiously. Really, was Dash's quip about the squirrel he almost ran over was not that funny. She didn't understand why the night manager hadn't kicked them out. She guessed that it was because they had a lot of money to waste and a place to spend it in.
She still had a few hours left before Nasty Burger closed. Jeanette, a ditzy brunette employee, would be taking her home as her dad had to work late again. The few others, whose name she was still learning, were joking behind the counter. The amount of customers had vastly decreased as the night wore on, so they had time to spare.
"Hey, Valerie, you can stop for a while." one of them said, waving her over.
She joined them rather reluctantly. She didn't want to make friends with these people, exactly. They were nice but they weren't quiet and friendly and dorky like Sam, Danny, and Tucker. And after being rejected by the It crowd, she rather liked the weird group.
"We were talking about the teachers at school." Jeanette said, adjusting her ponytail. "How do you like your classes this semester?"
"I actually like my classes a lot." she said, brushing her hair behind her ears. "The teachers could be better, a few weirder than others, but they actually like their jobs."
"That's good to hear. You're, what, a sophomore?"
"Yeah."
"Sophomore year was a great one." another employee said. "I made a lot of friends that year. Can't wait until I graduate this year."
The others seemed to agree.
"And it's a year before any serious state or national tests, so you're pretty lucky." said one of the others.
Valerie just nodded and listened to them talk until a new customer came and placed their order. The man stood off, watching them all with very little interest. He seemed completely out of place in Nasty Burger, with his three piece suit, slicked back gray hair, and poise. He was obviously someone of great importance.
He made a shiver go down her back.
There was something vaguely familiar about the man, although she couldn't place where she would have met him before. Maybe he was someone her father worked with at some point. She wouldn't put it past that.
His eyes trailed over all of them as they chatted and went about their work, and eventually stopped on her. She felt a cold sweat start to form on her skin when his lips twisted upwards.
"Can I help you?" she asked, trying not to let her voice tremble.
"Yes, do you know how to get to Fenton Works from here?" he asked.
She looked rather surprised. She had been expecting him to brush the question off or to ask about his order. He just wanted directions? To the Fenton residence, of all places, too. She hoped Danny would be able to endure this startling man. His sister, too. Both teens were too nice.
"Yeah," Valerie said, grabbing a napkin and a pen. She began doodling a map, adding arrows and names of roads. "From here, you'll take a left onto Wendy Avenue and then go straight until the fourth street light, where you'll take a right on to Main Street. You'll go down two block and it'll be on your right."
"Thank you, Miss…"
"Gray. Valerie Gray. I go to school with Danny and Jazz Fenton."
"Ah, yes. Daniel and Jasmine Fenton, the children of my two dearest friends from college. Do tell me, how old are they now?"
"Jazz is seventeen and Danny is fifteen."
"So, I don't suppose they would like a doll or a teddy?"
"No." Valerie said, letting the 'o' drag a little.
He sighed.
"Do you know what they happen to like?" he asked.
"Um…" She thought about their conversations this afternoon. Danny complained about Jazz trying to psychoanalyze everything he did. But what did he like? He mentioned space camp more than once… "Jazz wants to be a psychologist and Danny really likes space."
He nodded, as Jeanette slid his take-out bag towards him. He thanked them and went on his way after filling his cup and taking a sip.
"Freakish." Jeanette muttered.
Valerie nodded, watching as he slid into his car and drove away.
.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.
With five minutes left until close, Valerie looked around and sighed happily. The place was empty. Smiling, she got out the mopping equipment and started cleaning the floor. She was able to get through it fairly quickly and she only had to wait a few minutes before Jeanette was ready to leave.
"Valerie," the night manager said, "could you check to make sure the main doors are locked?"
"Sure," she said, hopping off from her perch on the counter. She checked all the doors and smiled when she saw they were all locked.
She felt a chill pick up in the room. She thought it was odd that she didn't hear the air conditioner start up. Maybe they had gotten it fixed?
She walked back over to the counter and quickly wrapped herself in her jacket, reveling in the warmth it held.
Jeanette appeared, letting her hair down as she walked, and stopped next to Valerie.
"Ready to go?" the brunette asked.
Valerie was about to answer when something shot past them and into the equipment behind them. She looked back at it and frowned. A kid about her age, with very blond hair and a black hazmat suit, pushed himself from the twisted plastic and metal.
"Um, ow." he said, looking up and through the two confused teens. "You know, we could settle this nicely. How about over some meatloaf from the school cafeteria? The meatloaf was always good."
Valerie and Jeanette jumped at the roar behind them
All of her training started to kick in. Valerie tensed and turned to look over her shoulder, readying her hands to defend herself. Her posture slackened when she saw a monster made of meat snarling down at them. She easily lid back into a defensive position, ready to protect herself and Jeanette if she had to.
The boy behind them dove over their head and slammed himself directly at the beast, splattering meat everywhere.
"Oh, come on!" Valerie cried before she could realize what she was doing. "I just cleaned this place up!"
The monster turned back to the two girls. Jeanette, always the cowardly one, ran back to the employees only section of Nasty Burger. Valerie could swear she heard the backdoor slam close.
"Nuh-uh." the kid said. "Don't pay attention to that girl, she can't fight you like I can."
She gaped at him. Was he… floating? Was he some super-powered freak of nature created by the government? …She actually didn't doubt it. Hanging around Tucker was starting to influence her thoughts.
She shook her head and waited for an opportune time to strike.
The floating kid could surprisingly hold his own against the monster. He was agile and had quick comebacks — almost as if he was a superhero in those cartoons she used to watch. Every punch left a good mark and was precise. Every kick left a dent. Every blast of green… energy(?) was powerful.
The monster eventually managed to pin him down, after demolishing the entire eating area and a good section of the roof. It roared with glee. She almost felt bad for the kid. Almost.
He had been a big part in the destruction of Nasty Burger property. Although she disliked her uniform and some of the work she had to do, it was still the only place she could actually get a job.
He did have some unusual powers and she was no longer doubting the fact that he may actually be a superhero — this did cause some destruction in those cartoons, from what she remembered. And if he was a villain, he was on the smaller side. She didn't doubt that she could take him down if he gave her any trouble.
Valerie looked around for something to distract the monster. She looked around, trying to find something light enough to throw but heavy enough to cause damage. The only thing she could think of was a chair as the tables were completely demolished.
She jogged over to one of the overturned seats, watching the struggle between the two combatants. She picked up the plastic seat and chucked it at the monster's back. It sailed through the air and the legs sunk into the meat-made beast.
The thing roared and turned towards her, slamming the boy down on the floor. It looked around and spotted Valerie, still poised from the toss and ready to run. An unearthly snarl reminded the teen of what she had just done and she felt a cold sweat start to form on her skin. She had never been attacked by someone other than her instructor or fellow students before in her martial arts classes. What was she supposed to do?
The monster charged at her, swiping at her with its hand. She managed to dodge it by ducking and rolling to the side. It came after her again, backing her into the corner. Her hands trembled and her knees gave out. She had no way to escape.
Danny really hadn't expected the Lunch Lady ghost to appear. When his ghost sense went off he had been with Sam and Tucker, trying to decode the code Sam had been hearing. Really, he thought it was a loose screw in a heater or air conditioner or something. Who would actually try to contact Sam through More Code? He didn't have the faintest.
The Lunch Lady appeared in Sam's room and had startled them all. She had gone after the Goth, screaming something about not eating food off the typical school lunch menu. The three teens deadpanned at this statement. That was what she was so upset about? Really?
The ghost had nabbed Sam and shot straight out of the building. Danny had transformed and went after them, leaving an unsure Tucker in their friend's room.
When he had caught up with them, they were near Nasty Burger. Sam had managed to free herself and was trying her best to hold her ground. Sometime during Danny's pursuit, the ghost had gathered all the meat from the butcher's shop and the restaurants lining the avenue and transformed into a meat… monster. He had no doubt that Sam's skin would be crawling for a couple of weeks afterwards.
He joined them in the fight, turning the tide for the pair of them.
Sometime during the fight, they found themselves in Nasty Burger. Danny wasn't sure how they ended up there but they somehow did. Without Sam's help, he was being thrown about like a rag doll, including being tossed into what he thought was the milkshake machine. That would leave a good bruise.
He made note that while one girl had fled the scene, Valerie was still inside. He had to make sure that she stayed out of the fight.
He did his best to avoid the Lunch Lady's grasp again, using his small frame to his advantage. It was the first time in his life that he was thankful for the tough training from Mr. Lancer and the tough love from Sam, his most difficult opponent.
He ended up getting trapped, despite his trying to avoid capture. The ghost was able to pin him down and hold him there for sometime. It was one of the few times he was glad that someone else was there. He wasn't sure what Valerie did, but it got the ghost's attention. However, he was slammed into the ground, winding him thoroughly.
He gasped and tried to breathe normally. After could get a shaky breath and he stopped seeing spots, he looked around for Valerie and the Lunch Lady. His friend, he noted unhappily, was cornered. He jumped up, feeling lightheaded, and started towards them to protect Valerie for the incoming blow.
The hit came before he could reach them. He cried out, trying to warn Valerie, but it came too late. His heart stopped and he landed, falling to his knees and gulping. He hung his head in shame.
He had messed up. An innocent got hurt. Valerie didn't know about her powers, she was still considered a civilian…
The Lunch Lady roared and he looked up. A golden glow surprised him. It shielded Valerie from view, protecting her, he realized. She had unknowingly activated her powers.
The ghost tried to strike again, her arm bouncing back. The teen was pushed further down and the floor caved beneath her. Valerie's shield wasn't strong and would only protect her for so long.
He looked around and saw movement to his left. He recognized the form, Sam. And she had the Fenton Thermos.
"How does this thing work?" she asked, looking over at the ghost and Valerie.
"I wish I knew." he said, fiddling with a couple of buttons. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to aim it at himself…
"Charge it."
"What?"
"Charge the thermos." she said.
"How?"
"How else?" He looked at her incredulously. "With your powers, genius. You know, sometimes it's hopeless talking to you."
"I know it is." he said, smirking. "So why do you keep doing it?"
She punch him.
"Ow."
"Just charge the damn thermos."
Danny focused, trying to send some of his ecto-energy into the device. He heard a little whine as it started up. Opening his eyes, he saw a slight glow coming from the opening. He bit his lip and pressed the button. The blast struck the Lunch Lady and sent him backwards. Maybe he had charge it too much…
The ghost wailed as it was sucked in the device, clawing at the tile and leaving deep marks in the floor. In seconds she was gone. The only sign that she had ever been there was the damage. And there was a lot of damage.
He capped the thermos and smiled.
Sam was over by Valerie, shaking her.
"She unconscious." she said.
Wails outside alerted them that police were arriving on the scene. They both looked up to see red and blue flashing lights.
"You might want to get out of here." she told him. "If your parents hear that a ghost is nearby…"
"They'll try to catch me, yeah." he said, frowning. He closed his eyes and transformed back.
"Or you could defy what I say."
"Don't forget who's supposed to rescue you from the dragon when you're locked in a tower, Princess Samantha."
She punched him in the shoulder again.
"Okay, ow." he said, rubbing the sore spot. "That hurt. Didn't you mother ever tell you that violence is not the answer?"
"As far as my mother knows, I'm adjusting perfectly to suburban life."
The main doors burst open, the lock breaking.
Jack and Maddie Fenton were ready for a fight, their weapons blazing. They looked around, trying to spot the ghost with a machine beeping in Jack's hands. It lead them over to Danny.
"You would have to be an idiot not to see there is a ghost right in front of you." the machine said in a feminine voice. The two teens looked at it nervously.
"But, Jack, Danny isn't a ghost." Maddie said, scratching her head. She removed her goggles and hood. Her brow crinkling with wrinkles.
"Blasted thing." Jack said. "Guess we'll have to fix it when we get home."
"Are you all alright?" she said, addressing the teens. "What happened?"
"There were these two ghosts." Danny began.
"And we were coming to see Valerie." Sam said, nodding towards their unconscious friend. "But —"
"But, the ghosts were here and they fought. Valerie got knocked unconscious."
"And we came in through the back door. Thank god we had the Fenton Thermos."
"You got the thermos working?" Jask gasped, rushing over.
"We could only catch one ghost." Sam said.
"You kids are very brave to face the ghosts like that." Maddie said, pulling them both into a hug. "But where's Tucker?"
"Here!" Tucker cried, coming from the back. It was clear that he was out of breath.
"Couldn't find the ghost?" Danny asked him, trying to mentally send a message to him. His friend seemed confused for a moment, then realized what Danny was trying to communicate.
"Huh? Oh, no. He, uh, it got away."
"Are you sure all of you are alright?" Maddie asked.
"Valerie might need to go to the hospital again. To check for broken bones or something." Sam said, looking down at the girl.
Maddie nodded, walking out of the building to the emergency teams outside. Less than a minute later, two men and a stretcher followed her in. She pointed to Valerie and the moved to get her. They carried her out and into one of the waiting ambulances.
"Do you kids need a ride home?" Jack asked.
"Um, sure?" Sam said.
"You're really going to regret that." Danny said to her.
"And why's that?"
"He's an insane driver."
"So?"
"If you die, don't blame me."
"If I die, I'll come back to haunt you, that sound good?"
"Sounds pretty fair."
Danny opened the door for her, being as chivalrous as possible. He tried to hide his grin but failed as she buckled up. She was in for the ride of her life.
I originally was never going to switch to Danny's POV there but when writing this chapter I had to. Nothing was working properly after I got to that point. So… POV switch.
I hope everyone's Easters were enjoyable. I overstuffed myself on pierogies, stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes, dumplings, and vegetables. I didn't get what I wanted from the Easter Bunny but I got my pajamas and sunglasses, so I don't really care.
My updates will return to Monday updates, if you didn't see above. I really hope that I can finish this story by the end of the month. By the looks of it, I should be able to.
O_O I just realized, this was my longest chapter yet. Over 5000 words. So, was this worth the wait? I hope it was.
Danny, Sam, and Jazz POV in the next chapter. Not in that order. What's going on with Jazz? When will Sam's grandmother wake up? What does the meaning of the Morse Code? Will anyone be able to figure it out?
Do you guys need to see the numbers again? Here you go!
1, 2, 5, 2, 2, 1, 0, 9, 1, 9,1 5, 1, 6, 9.
1, 4, 5, 8, 1, 6, 1, 2, 0, 2, 0, 2, 1, 1, 6.
1, 5, 2, 0.
5, 1, 3, 1, 5, 2, 3, 9.
I'm still wondering if anyone can figure it out.