Chapter 22:

~SARALYN~

The bell rang, indicating that it was lunchtime. My friends and I rushed to the cafeteria and got our food with only a small amount of battle wounds. I forgot how vicious these students get when they're hungry. After we ate, we sat at the front steps.

"So, did you guys see the sign on the wall?" Skyler asked.

"When you're trying not to get trampled by a tsunami of freshman, you don't have time to notice other things." I said.

"What sign?" Flynn said.

"The sign about the dance coming up."

"Really? A dance?"

Skyler and Flynn looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Skyler pulled out a yellow piece of paper; a flier with information for the dance.

"Everyone's talking about it!" Skyler said. "I know you just got back, but you would've heard or seen someone talk about it."

"Do you guys have dates?" I said.

"Of course not!" Flynn said a little too quickly.

"Nope! Ms. Forever Alone here!" Skyler added, darting her eyes around. "What about you, Sara?"

I paused. A dance? I didn't even think about going to the dance, let alone with someone. I was still getting used to this place without Danny.

"I could go by myself." I mumbled.

I pleaded for Skyler to back me up, but she was too distracted. I watched as she and Flynn engaged in a silent facial conversation.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Skyler said finally. "Let's all go together as friends."

Flynn shrugged in defeat. "Sounds fun."

A sudden gust of wind swept through and the paper Skyler was holding ripped out of her hand into the air.

"Hey!" she cried, trying to reach out for it as the wind carried it away. "Oh, darn it! I'll just have to get another one."

~DANNY~

I laid flat on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Maybe I should go for a walk.

After 10 more minutes of staring at the ceiling, I got up and opened the window. I shivered as the air stung my skin.

When did it get so cold?

I slid on my jacket as I made my way downstairs.

"I'm going out." I called.

I opened the door and was hit by another chilling wind. I zipped up my jacket and left.

How could it be so cold? It's the middle of April!

I shivered and shoved my hands into my pockets. "Ow." I winced as I felt something stab my finger. I grabbed the mysterious object and pulled it out. It was a white envelope titled "Danny".

"What's this?" I said to myself.

I opened it:

I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to leave you.

I love you.

Saralyn

~AARON~

"So, what's been going on with Danny?" I asked Sam.

"He's been really upset since Saralyn moved." she said.

"Saralyn moved?!"

"Yes! Where were you in the last chapter?!"

She's right. Where was I?

"So, he's pretty bummed?"

"Yeah." Sam said. "It's like everything has changed since he found out that Sara loves him."

"Sara loves Danny?"

"How did you not figure that out? You should've gotten some sort of clue."

"Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?"

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Do you happen to know where Sara moved to?" Sam asked me.

I thought about it, then rummaged through my coat pocket. I pulled out a yellow crumpled piece of paper.

"Maybe this will give us a hint." I said. "I found this tumbling in the wind earlier today."

When I handed her the paper, our hands touched for a split second. It felt like lightning.

Whoa. What just happened?

That was weird... Sam thought.

Sam unraveled the piece of paper.

"It's a flier for a dance." Sam said. "All the way from Lincoln High."

"Lincoln High?" I said. "That sounds familiar."

I closed my eyes and thought.

Lincoln High...

An image of the school appeared in my head. I saw a girl hanging out with two other people. A girl with brown hair and lavender eyes.

Saralyn?!

My eyes snapped open.

"Lincoln High! That's where Sara goes to school!" I said.

"Where's that?" Sam asked.

"I think it's in Timberwoods."

"Timberwoods? Isn't that where she lived before she moved here?"

"How am I supposed to know? I didn't even know Saralyn moved."

Sam looked like she was going to pass out from excitement.

"We have to tell Danny." Sam said. "He needs to know."

~~~DANNY'S POV~~~

I slumped back into my desk chair as I clutched the piece of paper in my hands.

"Danny?" Jazz said. She saw me and raised her eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jazz." I mumbled.

Jazz tossed me the home phone. "Sam's was on the phone. She said she has something urgent to tell you, so you should call her now."

I sat up and closed the door as Jazz left the room. I called Sam.

"Danny!" Sam cried when she picked up. "You'll never believe what Aaron and I found out!"

"You'll never guess what I found." I said.

"Okay, you go first." Sam said.

"I found a letter from Saralyn." I said.

"Really?"

I looked down at the paper and swallowed a deep breath of air. "Yeah."

"I bet you miss her, huh?" Sam said.

"Yes..." I said. "Where are you going with this?"

"Aaron and I know where Saralyn is!"

"You... you do? Where is she?"

"Timberwoods." Aaron called from beside her.

"Timberwoods?" I questioned. "Didn't she live there before she moved here?"

"Told you." Sam said to Aaron. "There's a dance at Lincoln High school tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow?" I said. "But Timberwoods is so far, even if I flew as fast as I could."

"Why fly when you can use magic?" Aaron said.

A smiled stretched on my face. The first one since Saralyn left.

"Guys, looks like we're going to crash a dance!" I said.

"We'll call you later." Sam said as she hung up.

I hung up the phone and jumped to my feet with a smile.

I thought I lost you forever, Sara. Thank goodness I was wrong.

The thought of reuniting with her made me so happy!

However, something felt wrong. I slowly walked to my door. I opened it, looked around, then closed it. I looked out my window, looked around, then closed it and shut the blinds.

Everything felt so right. So why do I get the feeling that I'm being watched?

I was walking down the street over to Sam's house so we could discuss our plans for going to the dance. I felt so excited, yet nervous. I found myself glancing behind my shoulder many times.

What's gotten into me?!

It suddenly hit me. Literally. Something slammed into my back, causing me to fly forward onto the ground. I landed hard on my side.

Was that a semi truck or a sumo wrestler?!

I grunted and rolled over when I suddenly was staring into dark red eyes.

"Rudy?!" I groaned.

"Yes, ghost child." Rudy said with a smirk.

"Come to get your butt whooped again?" I said.

I swiped my feet across his, causing him to fall on his back as I jumped to my feet.

"Can I pencil in your beat down for later? I have something important that I need to do!" I said.

"No, it cannot wait until later." Rudy said.

Rudy reached for my foot, but I jumped back.

"Ha, you missed!" I said, smirking.

"I never miss." Rudy said.

He pressed a button on his wrist. A box enclosed around me. My hands glowed with ectoplasmic energy, but the box sent a shock throughout the entire perimeter. I cried out in pain and fell to my hands and knees.

"Not so fun now, is it?" Rudy said with his smile on his face.

I blacked out.

~~~SAM'S POV~~~

My clock-glancing was soon reduced to checking every 3 seconds.

"Where is Danny?!" I cried.

"Relax, Sam." Aaron said, looking at a book. "I'm sure he'll be here any minute."

"You don't understand, Aaron." I said, facing him. "Danny is usually late a lot, but it's usually only by a few minutes. It's been almost an hour. Something must have happened to him."

Aaron closed the book and looked at me. I immediately glanced away, and no matter how hard I tried to look him in the eye, I couldn't.

"I'll see if I can find him." Aaron said.

I nodded. We heard the door bang open and Tucker came running in from the kitchen with a bunch of sandwiches in his hands.

"I LOVE YOUR HOUSE!" Tucker cried.

"You're disgusting." I shuddered.

"Whatever." Tucker rolled his eyes as he stuffed a bite of sandwich into his mouth. "So, where's Danny?"

"Sam thinks something's happened to him." Aaron said. "I'm gonna find him."

Aaron sat on the floor meditation style and closed his eyes.

"Do you have to do that every time?" I crossed my arms.

"No, but it looks cool." Aaron opened one of his eyes and smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes. As Aaron sat, his expression grew troubled.

"I... can't find him." Aaron said after a couple of minutes.

"What do you mean?" Tucker asked, scarfing down a sandwich.

"It means that he's nowhere in this world or the Ghost Zone."

"Does that mean he's... dead?" I said. My face flushed of color.

"No. If he were dead, I would be able to find his body."

"Then... where did he go?" Tucker said.

~THIRD PERSON POV~

Rudy landed on the outskirts of Amity Park. Danny was deeply unconscious and draped over Rudy's shoulder. He pressed a button on his chest plate and activated the holographic communicator. Vlad stood before him, tapping his foot impatiently in the air.

"Master, I have him." Rudy said. "What now?"

"Dispose of him!" Vlad said. "Use your brains for once, if you have any. Once you are done, report back to my mansion. I will return soon. Do not disappoint me."

"Yes, sir."

Hologram Vlad vanished and Rudy gulped. He held Danny up in the air by his shirt collar and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a time medallion, a prized possession of Clockwork's he had stolen before his attack. Rudy pressed a button and a portal appeared, revealing Amity Park 13 years into the future. His hand went intangible as he shoved the medallion deep into the boy's abdomen and tossed him into the portal. After it closed, Rudy grimaced.

"What are you planning, Vlad?" Rudy said. "I have a right to know..."