THUD! Back on the bedroom's hardwood floor they landed. Instead of his back, Phantom Dan landed on his side with Sam still wrapped tightly in his arms. Though she was protected from the fall, pain still shot up her right arm and side. They both laid there waiting for the aching to pass. Sam looked into Phantom Dan's eyes. He was looking back at her with a small smile. She wasn't sure if he was using some sort of ghost trick on her or not, but seeing that smile made her melt a little bit inside. Remembering she was still holding the brooch, Sam forced herself to tear her eyes away. She looked down at before looking back up at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
Letting go of Sam, much to her disappointment, Phantom Dan let out a heavy sigh and sat up, "I wanted you to figure it out for yourself."
"Why?" she sat up next to him.
"Well, for one thing, I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you outright who I was. I mean, look at me," he ran his fingers through his now-dried hair and held out a flaming strand, "I don't look a thing like my old self anymore."
"Yes you do," Sam countered, lightly stroking his cheek, "You've still got the same face, same eyes-"
"They're red."
"Yeah, but you've still got that gleam I fell in love with," At that, he gave her another smile, "And your smile is still there, too."
"Thanks," Phantom Dan took her hand in his and gently brought it back down, "But to go back to what you asked before, I wanted to be sure you actually did mean what you said back at my grave. That you really do want to be with me. I figured if you could stand to be around me throughout this entire journal while I was just the narrator, then maybe we could have a life together after all."
He stood up and helped Sam stand up as well.
"But," she asked, "You've never even met me before. Why pick me?"
"Actually, you picked me, remember? And I could ask you the same question. We've never met, and yet you seemed quite eager to stay with me. Dashiel isn't exactly the most appealing choice for a husband, but there are plenty of other men who are still alive that would be perfect for you. And you choose a dead one. Why?"
Sam looked down as her cheeks turned red, "I don't know. I saw your portrait, and, well, there was just...Just...Something about you. I just had a feeling, I guess."
Phantom Dan placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face back up to meet his gaze, "And I had a feeling about you."
They were silent for a moment. Both continued to stare lovingly into each other's eyes. Finally, Phantom Dan dropped his hand and headed out into the hallway.
"Let's go."
Sam let out a heavy sigh. Once again, the moment had ended way too soon. She followed him out. Remembering she still had Phantom Dan's frock coat, she took it off her shoulders and gave it back to him. As he put the coat back on, Sam looked back at the brooch still in her hand and smiled. She honestly didn't know why she chose him, but was glad she did. Phantom Dan had told her a while back that he would make sure that they would be together, although how that could possibly be while he was dead and she was alive, Sam didn't know. She did know that if she trusted him like he said, he would make it happen.
"July 13th, 1888," Phantom Dan began, "Today is Aunt Alicia's funereal."
"Mrs. Masters killed Alicia?" Sam gasped, "Why?"
"Actually," he explained, "Aunt Alicia died from a heart attack. Uncle Jack said that she had been having health problems for years, but was too stubborn to actually admit it and refused to see a doctor. He took my cousin back to Wisconsin with him the next month, but first he had to get the house ready for her. Until then, she stayed with us."
Sam glanced back at the staircase where she could hear voices speaking softly below. They were probably in the parlor after having just returned from the cemetary. A few doors down, she could hear someone weeping softly as a girl spoke to her in soothing, hushed tones. Probably Dan's cousin and sister.
They had reached the study. The door stood ajar, leaving a small crack for Sam to peek through. She didn't have to, though. Phantom Dan pushed the door open, allowing her to see inside. Dan and Tucker were busy pouring over book after book they had piled onto the floor. Sam figured they had snuck away from everyone else with the excuse that they were going to check on the girls.
"Got it!" Dan shouted in excitement before Tucker shushed him.
They looked nervously at the door for a minute. When no one came through, they breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the book in Dan's hand. He cleared his throat and read aloud an excerpt.
"'Gothica was a paranormal theatre that was established in 1418 by Frederich Isak Showenhower'"
"Why does that name sound so familiar?" Tucker asked himself.
"'Showenhower claimed that he was able to summon the dead and command them to do as he pleased. In his theatre Gothica, guests would come to watch as these spirits performed various tricks as commanded by Showenhower. Though many religious figures condemned Gothica as being evil and unholy, and had demanded that it shut down, they were immediately silenced after a short while and Gothica was able to run for twenty years. There were rumors that Showenhower was close friends with the king of his home country, a ruthless and powerful figure who called himself Pariah Dark."
"Wow," Sam commented, "Nothing says 'Fear me' more than the combination of 'Pariah' and 'Dark.'"
"I'll bet Uncle Jack's Ghost Gabber probably says it more times," Phantom Dan muttered under his breath.
"Ghost what?"
"Nothing."
"'Rumors continued,'" Dan kept reading, "'That Pariah Dark liked Gothica so much, he threatened any of its enemies with a slow and painful death. Gothica came to a close in 1438 after Showenhower and his wife Lydia Showenhower unexpectedly died. To this day, there is no explanation for their deaths.'"
"Just like the others," Tucker said slowly. Then he snapped his fingers, "Frederich Isak Showenhower! Now I remember!"
"Yeah," Dan watched in confusion as his friend started shuffling through the books on the floor, "I just said that was his name."
"No, no, no," Tucker picked up the book he was looking for and showed him the cover, "'Paranormal Objects and Their Purpose by Frederich Isak Showenhower.' He wrote this book!"
He flipped through the pages as Dan looked over his shoulder. Suddenly, he widened his eyes and stared at the page before him. Both men stared at the page, slowly turned their heads to the red staff in the display case beside them, and slowly turned back to the book again. Sam walked up behind them and peered over Tucker's other shoulder. There right in the book was an illustration of the same exact staff. She could barely make out the words printed below the picture.
Crystal Ball Staff. Unlike most of the other objects listed here, I actually have the pleasure of having this particular staff in my possession. I inherited after my father died and he inherited it through his father, who inherited it from his, etc. Nobody actually knows how long the Showenhower family have owned this staff, nor do we know how it came into our family. Whatt we do know, however, is of its powers. The Crystal Ball Staff allows its owner to hynpotize both human and spirits under his complete control. All he has to do is have his subject gaze into the crystal ball located at the very top. The subject then happily follows their new master's commands as if it was their idea all along! It's almost a shame to watch them gleefully juggle and twist into the air for my audience's entertainment, knowing the truth. Almost.
"What the-?" Sam whispered to herself.
"So that's why Father's so obsessed," Dan said, still staring at the page, "She's hypnotized him. That's got to be it! That's got to be the only explanation!"
"Remember when I said she was hypnotizing your father a couple months back," Tucker started turning the pages again, "I was just kidding! I didn't think she was actually doing it! But, there's nothing on this staff about killing anybody. So, how did Penelope's previous husbands die?"
"Maybe there's something else in here."
"Hey, Darren!" Dashiel entered the room and looked around at the mess, "What are you doing in here?"
"Um," Dan stammered, looking at his friend in panic "We were- uh- looking for some pictures? Yeah! Pictures of Aunt Alicia to give to my cousin."
He and Tucker both put on a nervous smile, hoping Dashiel would be stupid enough to believe that story. Of course he was.
"Whatever. Your father says to come downstairs say good-bye your uncle John. He's leaving for Biscotti or wherever tonight." With a weary sigh, Dan stood up and left, leaving Dashiel to survey, "You'd better clean this up before Mother and Vlad get up here, Frankie."
"Frankie!" Tucker and Sam both shouted in disbelief as Dashiel slammed the door, "Oh come on!" Tucker continued, "That's not even close!"
Sam felt the wind blow against her face. She turned to run for Phantom Dan, but he was standing right behind.
"How'd you-?"
"I walked up behind you while you were reading," he shrugged, "Sorry."
Sam took her place against him and looked down at the brooch. Smiling, she opened Phantom Dan's waistcoat and placed it back where it belonged. With him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist and gazed into each other's eyes as they were taken to the next page.
