Thanks to KTrevo, nycorrall, Y. Necrolys, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, GhostEnvy, DarkFoxKit, panfan87, MsFrizzle, Aurora Marie Wiliams, Invader Johnny, Pseudinymous, and iloveyugiohGX93 for their reviews!
Phantom, Danny
The story you know from the very beginning.
…and from a slightly different point of view.
Chapter 8: The Contamination
-Day 20-
Saturday passed in a boring blur. The humans of the house insisted upon spending the day together on something called 'going for a drive'. The Danny grumbled almost as much as he did as it buckled itself into the back of the car. "I had plans," it tried one last time, leaning forwards to stare at one of the red-haired humans. "That new movie came out-"
"You can go watch it tomorrow," the red-haired human replied, poking her finger at different places on a map and not really seeming to pay much attention.
"Yeah," The Danny muttered, slumping back in its seat and crossing its arms, "but then Tucker'll have seen it and he'll give away the ending."
It hummed. "I feel your pain, Sweetie. The world will end, I'm sure of it."
"Why doesn't Jazz have to come along?" The Danny complained.
"She's at her friend's house celebrating her birthday. I think we should take the 18 north, don't you, Jack? We've heard some interesting news out of the towns up there."
"Sounds like a plan!" the other human chimed in happily, twisting the key and making the car vibrate and roar. Music blared from the speakers.
The Danny groaned and stuffed its fingers into its ears. "As if it couldn't get any worse…"
What is wrong with this type of music? He listened to the stifled music as he tensed himself for the odd and slightly out of control movement of the car. It is nice.
"Rock and roll is something only a ghost would enjoy. Trust me. It's bad," it muttered darkly.
If you say so, he agreed, settling down to listen. What does 'going for a drive' entail for humans?
The Danny arched an eyebrow. "Normal humans? I wouldn't know. But my parents are ghost scientists, so I'm assuming we're going ghost hunting."
Ghost hunting. He tried to picture that in his mind and failed. I did not realize humans hunted ghosts for sport. What do you do with us when you catch us?
It let out an amused snort. "We don't actually catch anything. My parents just wander around, looking for clues that ghosts even exist. Most humans don't believe ghosts are real." It settled back and took its fingers out of its ears to slouch further down on the chair. "I'm not sure what they'd do with a ghost if they caught one."
Most ghosts aren't convinced humans are real.
"Really?" It gazed out the window as the car pulled out onto a new road and the car started to speed up. "Where do they think they come from, then?"
He shrugged. Where do humans think they are going, then? It is a different world and a different existence.
The Danny was silent for a long moment. "Good point," it muttered.
Time passed as he listened to the music. There was something almost soothing to it – the thick guitar and the steady beat of the drum. As The Danny started to drift to sleep, he stepped in and took over the body, gazing out the window at the passing trees. They were going much faster than he would normally be able to fly, and he wasn't wasting the energy to do it. Perhaps car travel wasn't the most terrible thing. Maybe someday he would convince The Danny to take the car somewhere new, somewhere out of the boring repetitions of School and house and sleep.
He paused in his thoughts, somewhat started by the idea of there being a someday in the future. Even though he'd been trapped in his world for less than three weeks, his desire to leave it was fading. He stared down at his fingers. His, not The Danny's. Almost without his noticing, the body had started to become his. The mortal, human cage had started to close in on him. "I will not be caged," he whispered.
His gaze turned back to the trees. To the passing houses and cars. To the thoughts of what else might be out in the world to experience – to feel and touch and taste and smell and see. There was a thick desire that curled around in his mind to go do those things. As a ghost, that wouldn't be possible.
"I should not even be having these thoughts," he muttered, tearing his eyes from the window and running a hand through his hair. "Ghosts do not think about doing new things. We like what we have. What we always will have." He poked at the human mind, hoping for something to distract him from his swirling thoughts. Another thing ghosts shouldn't have to deal with.
It groaned and curled up into a tighter ball, wanting to be left alone. I gotta spend the entire day with them. Let me have the car ride. It fell back asleep.
Left alone with his thoughts, he sighed and slumped back in the chair, ending up watching the trees speed past the window. He wondered where the humans in the other cars were going. He wondered why he was even thinking about the other humans. They were heavy, fleshy things that were beneath him. No doubt it was The Danny's fault. The human mind was contaminating his own.
There seemed to be little to be done about it. Freeing himself was slowly becoming less and less of a possibility. Less and less of something he was even sure he wanted. Perhaps it was the human mind that was making him think that way. He'd had the same thoughts for many, many years. To have changed them in only a few weeks…
But yet, they were still his thoughts.
By the time the car pulled to a stop near a strange-looking house, he was bored with watching the trees pass by the window. He hadn't decided how to settle his thoughts. Having something to do seemed like an excellent distraction.
But the two humans didn't even seem to remember he was in the car. "Oh, Jack, look at this place!" one of them whispered, turning the volume of the music down. "And to think, it was only a two hour drive."
"Gotta be haunted for sure," the other replied happily. "It was built over a hundred years ago. Mobsters reportedly used this place as a hideout. I'll get the temperature sensors!"
"I'll get the motion cameras!"
"Don't forget the electrical activity monitors!"
He continued to sit in his seat, looking from human to human as they bailed out of the car, arms loaded with the supplies they dug out of the back, and vanished towards the house. He sighed and glanced down at the belt-like device holding him in place. He pushed at the button, like The Danny usually did. The belt didn't come loose. He scowled and reached for the energy to phase through the belt. His body tingled with energy, but he was still just a stuck.
"Human," he said, pushing at its still-sleeping mind. "I am stuck."
It ignored him.
He pushed the button again, pushing and pulling on the metal part of the belt, willing himself to simply pass through the restraining device. "I am stuck!" He crossed his arms, frustrated as his attempts to free himself failed. "I do not wish to spend the day trapped in this car."
Still no response from the human mind.
He dug his fingers into his arms and sighed. "I will not use any ghost talents today without your permission if you free me from this contraption."
Promise?
"I knew you were awake, Human."
I have a name.
He knew that. "I do not wish to learn it. Free me."
The Danny yawned and stretched in his mind. Promise? it repeated.
"Yes," he muttered darkly as the human started to reach for control of the body. "And the other humans have run off."
Fingers stretched and clenched. The body yawned widely and it scratched at its hair. "They always do that." It reached down and clicked the button, wiggling the metal belt until it came free. "This one is sticky sometimes." Free of the device, it slid from the car and started to trudge in the general direction the other humans vanished.
What is it you do when you sleep? He hadn't completely gotten free of the swirling thoughts from the car ride.
"Sleep," the human answered, sounding confused. "What else would you do?"
You enjoy it. I wish to understand why.
"I dunno." It shrugged as it walked through an open door and peered down the hallway. "I just do. Any idea where my parents are?"
Frustrated by the lack of answer, he shot off a quick, I do not know. Then settled down in a corner of the human's mind.
"Oh, come on," it said, backing out of the hallway and finding a tree to sit under. "You can't sulk every time I don't answer one of your questions. I dunno why I sleep. Everyone just does. Why do you turn invisible?"
It is because… he trailed off, thinking through that. Yes, he sometimes would turn invisible to hide from things that were stronger and older than him – but that was rare. Often times, he would be invisible for days… simply because. It was something ghosts did. It was relaxing. It is enjoyable.
"Yeah, your answer is much better than mine," it muttered darkly. Pulling its knees up to its chest and wrapping its arms around its legs, it sighed. "What were you thinking about the whole car trip?"
Nothing you care about.
"I felt it," it said. "You were confused, and frustrated, and kinda angry. Kept me up."
Sorry. He lay in the human's mind a moment. I do not wish to be trapped in a cage.
It rolled its eyes. "So I've heard. Got any bright ideas on how to get you out of my head?"
He peered at the human mind. I am not… entirely positive that I wish to be released from this body.
"What?" It sat up. -Startled!- "Yeah, that's not your decision to make, here."
I have enjoyed some of the experiences your world has to offer.
"It's my body. You can't keep it." It started to get agitated, moving its hands and feet.
I wish to experience more things.
It stood up and paced back and forth. "I get some say in this too. And I say not a chance in hell, Ghost! I got stuck with you in my head, and it's not going to stay that way forever!"
Then you have discovered a way to be free of me? He poked at the human mind, making it wince.
"No. But that doesn't mean you get a free pass to stay forever!"
"Danny? Who are you talking to, Sweetie?"
It twisted around to stare at the red-haired human poking its head out of the strange house. "Nobody, Mom."
The red-haired human arched a skeptical eyebrow. "Well, keep it down, then." It vanished back into the house.
The Danny stood still, tense and aggravated, before groaning and running a distressed hand through its hair. "It hasn't even been three weeks," it hissed, obviously making an attempt to keep his voice level to a minimum. "Sure, it hasn't been horrible, but it's not going to last forever."
How long, then?
"I don't know!" It winced at how loud its voice had been. "I mean, I don't know if this has happened to anyone before. And I should probably tell my parents…" it trailed off, its thoughts firing in random patterns. -Anger- led to -Scared- led to -Frustrated.-
He waited for it to settle down again and drop back down in its spot at the base of the tree. I do not see a way for me to be freed of this any time soon.
It buried its face in its arms. "Me neither," it mumbled.
I wish to… he broke off, then sighed and started again. I wish to do as you suggest and learn some human things.
"Why?" It didn't raise its face from its arms.
Since I am not to be freed soon, I wish to learn more about this world. I wish to try to learn some of these human things you do.
He could feel it arch a skeptical eyebrow. "Like eating?"
Eating is an unnatural waste of time, he said stiffly. I wish to learn the other human customs.
"On a couple conditions," it said, finally raising its head to stare out over the horizon.
Which are?
"You can stop referring to me as 'human'. And 'it', please."
He scowled. What do you wish to be termed instead?
"Humans aren't 'it's. We're hes and shes."
He waited a moment for the human to continue, but it didn't. Which are you? A 'he' or a 'she'?
It blinked, startled. "You don't even know the difference?"
Ghosts do not have genders to worry about. Many that take human form profess to be one or the other, but their forms vary wildly. I do not know the human definition of the words.
"I'm a 'he'. Or you can call me Danny." It narrowed its eyes. "But you already knew my name, I'm sure."
I was aware of your name. Is that your only stipulation?
"Yes. No, wait, no. I want you to start calling my family members by their names too."
I cannot tell humans apart.
"I'll help," it said, "but you have to try."
He thought about it for a moment, then nodded an agreement. I can agree to those terms, Hu… Danny.
It seemed to relax, apparently startled and surprised to get its own way. "Good."
I believe you should learn some ghost talents as well.
"No." It shook its head firmly.
Some would come in quite useful. I am learning human things. You could learn ghost things.
"No." It climbed to its feet, headed towards the house. "I need to go help my parents. No doubt they've got a dozen false signals by now."
He pressed on its mind slightly. Would it not be fun to sneak up on them invisibly?
It hesitated ever so slightly.
You would allow them to test their work. You would know for sure a ghost was walking through the room.
"I'm not learning to turn invisible," it hissed, picking up its pace.
You would be able to sneak out of the house when you wanted. Get into class without being seen. Avoid people you do not wish to talk to.
It stopped just at the door to the house. The door was closed, but movement could be seen through the windows.
He took a stab in the dark, hoping he was right. It was quite possible that the human mind was contaminating his thoughts. But perhaps it was going the other way as well. Perhaps the human mind was wondering about things it shouldn't be. Maybe the human was reacting so staunchly against his idea because of the same thoughts he'd been having. You've been wondering about it, haven't you? What it would like to be invisible?
"Get out of my thoughts, Ghost."
I cannot.
"You can't get out of my head, but you can stay out of my thoughts," it muttered darkly.
You have wondered. Perhaps it is time to try?
"Humans don't turn invisible," it said, but it sounded like a sort of token protest rather than anything real.
Excitement bubbled up inside of him. Hold up your hand.
It followed the command. Its hand was shaking, but it didn't say anything further.
I will control the energy flow. You will command it.
It shook its head faintly, but he wasn't sure what it meant. He reached out with his mind and twisted some of the energy flowing through them, sending it through the human's mind and down into the hand.
Imagine your hand fading from view.
It let out a helpless breath, but half-closed its eyes. The hand held in front of the door slowly faded. -Fear!- The Danny yelped and stumbled backwards, losing its concentration. "What the hell," it whispered, examining its hand closely. It was visible again.
He felt a swirl of pride. He'd known the human had the talent to do this. Try again.
"No frickin' way," it said, stuffing its hands into his pockets. "Once was freaky enough for me."
You will not be hurt by it.
"It's not… right!" it huffed, pushing open the door and walking down the hallway. "And you promised to stop referring to me as an 'it'."
I'm not.
"You're still thinking it," it grumbled, then it poked its head through an open doorway and located the other two humans. They were crowded around a small, glowing screen.
It is not easy to change my thought patterns. I will try. He watched as The Danny sulked up to the other humans and stared down at the small screen. Then he shook his head, curled up in a dark corner of the human's mind, and settled down to relax and spend the rest of the day lost in his own thoughts.
.
.8.
.
-Day 20-
"Do you remember the ghost-thing that happened right after the accident?"
He uncurled himself from the corner of the human's mind and looked around. The sky had grown dark and they were back at the human's house, lying on the bed. Which thing? he asked, just as a memory floated into his mind. White hair, glowing green eyes, skin simmering with power. Ah. I do remember, yes.
"Was that you?"
Me? I do not believe so.
It was silent a moment. "What do you look like?"
I do not look like anything. He hadn't thought much about his appearance as a ghost. He'd been little more than a scrap of plasma and thought. Perhaps I would have looked like a small, blurry shadow.
"Do all ghosts look like that?"
No. Images of some of the larger ghosts flickered through his mind. He felt the human shudder – it had seen the images as well. The more powerful the ghost, the more form it has. Many ghosts have human appearances.
It huffed through it nose. "I wonder what that was, then."
I do not know. And, with all honesty, he hadn't thought about the momentary change in appearance at all.
"My eyes turn green when you do that fizzy thing."
He paused in his thoughts and tried to process that. What fizzy thing?
The human closed its eyes. "You make my nerves all fizzy. And my eyes glow green. Like when you turn me invisible or out of phase, or something."
That is energy.
"Maybe when you do just a little bit of energy, it makes my eyes turn green. Maybe if you did more of it, more of me would look ghosty."
I am not sure 'ghosty' is a word. He paced around the human mind. And I am not sure you wish me to channel much energy through you.
It was quiet a long moment. "You were right, earlier," it said. "I have been, you know, wondering what it would be like. To have ghost powers." It shook its head. "It's just freaky, thinking that I… could."
He was quiet, waiting for the human to think through its thoughts.
"Let's give it a try," it said slowly, opening its eyes to stare at the ceiling. It took a deep breath and let it out. "Just once. Just to see if we can."
Do I get no say in this?
It paused, half-sat up. "You don't want to? I thought-"
I am not in a cage. I am not your pet. I am not here to follow your commands and bidding.
Collapsing back down on the bed, it sighed. "Fine. I just thought you wanted to."
He shook his head. It is not that I do not wish to. It is that I do not wish you to assume you control me.
"It's my body!"
It's mine as well, he shot back. Until we are separated, we share this form.
It pressed its lips together, -Frustrated-, then ran a hand through its hair. "I wasn't trying to command you. I thought you wanted me to do more ghost stuff."
I do.
It sighed, exasperated. "Then what? You want to or you don't?"
I would like to be asked.
It rolled its eyes as it sat up. "Fine. Do you… Um…" then it stopped, obviously distracted by a strange thought. "You're not a girl-ghost, are you?"
Ghosts do not have genders. I am neither a girl nor a boy.
"You were acting kinda girlish. I don't really want a girl in my head."
It is far too late for that, he laughed. I will need control of this body if I am to channel that much energy through it.
"But-" It broke off, then shook its head. "But you're not a girl?"
I was neither. Now I am in you, you are male, and so I am as well. He reached for control of the body and the human hesitated before giving way. He wiggled his fingers, brushing them against each other, and getting used to the sharper human sensations. "Shall we try this?"
It's not going to hurt, is it? the human mind asked.
"I do not know. I have not done this before." He pushed off the bed and walked to the middle of the room, where he could see his reflection in the mirror. He picked at the odd red shirt the human had chosen to wear. "This is not my shirt."
I'm sick of that white shirt, it grumbled. I'm going to cut it up and burn it.
He frowned, but shook his head and tried to ignore it. He focused on the sensations of his energy – the 'fizzy' feeling the human had mentioned. He felt power trickle through his limbs. It was cool and ethereal and welcoming. Closing his eyes, he felt his toes lift off the ground, energy curling around and through him.
That feels weird.
"It is how a ghost feels," he replied, opening his eyes to studying his reflection. His eyes were a glowing, normal green.
Fizzy?
He dropped back lightly to the ground, letting the energy die away. There was a light-headed, dizzy feeling in his mind. "Light. Powerful. Endless."
It just feels like I have soda running through my veins.
"You do not appreciate the power," he said with a shrug. "I do not believe that will work to recreate what you saw."
Try something else?
"Like what?" he asked. He picked at the edge of the red shirt. "I do not like this shirt. It is more itchy than the other."
-Annoyed!- If the human would've had teeth, it likely would've been clenching them. How about if you focus all the energy in one place? See if you can get something to change other than green eyes?
"I suppose I can try it." He held his hand out in front of him and focused on it. Energy curled into the hand, making the skin seem to glow. But it didn't change. It didn't do anything. He sighed and twisted the hand invisible, then out of phase, then back to normal. "I do not believe that accomplished anything either."
How about-
"How about if you try?"he said.
It was silent in his mind. I can't.
"I will show you." He waited a beat. "Perhaps I cannot do it. This is your body, perhaps you will be the one who needs to do this."
There was a long period of silence before, Fine.
He released the body back to the human's control. He waited as it clenched and wiggled its fingers and bounced on its toes. "How do I do this?" it asked, finally.
Close your eyes. I will show you.
The human paced a few times back and forth before muttering a, "I'm going to hell for this," and closed his eyes.
Hell does not exist unless you wish it to, he told it. I know several ghosts who have confined themselves within hell's borders. It is the choice of the individual.
"Just show me," it said through clenched teeth.
He chuckled a little. Then reached down inside and swirled energy up to the human. Feel it?
It shivered. "Yes."
Try to hold onto it.
Strangely, it moved its fingers, grasping at nothing.
With your mind, he told it, pushing towards the human.
It moved its mind awkwardly. It didn't even seem to notice where the energy was, simply flailing around randomly.
Just take it!
"I can't," it hissed. "I don't know how to do this!"
He settled back on his haunches in its mind, thinking that through. That is all I do. I reach out and take what energy I wish. Can you not do the same?
"I don't know where it is!"
It is inside and outside and everywhere. He pushed a swirl of energy at the human, causing it to shiver again. You can feel it.
"When you do that, yes." It opened its eyes and sighed, sinking down to the floor. "But not on my own."
I wonder why not.
"Because I'm a human?" it asked, its voice sounding sarcastic. "Humans can't do this kinda stuff."
He poked at its mind. You turned your hand invisible earlier.
It shuddered. "Don't remind me," it mumbled. Then it sighed. "Well, I guess this was a waste of time."
He stared at the human's mind, quiet as it got to its feet. Perhaps, he said, only half agreeing with its thoughts. It wasn't a total loss, however. The human finally attempting to become more like a ghost? He grinned and curled up in a corner of its mind as the human settled down to work on a bit of homework. No, he wouldn't call it a waste of time.