One of the Ghouls
BLB- This story is kinda out there now and I am aware of that, I have a few more chapters of this that will be up shortly. I am switching between the past miss Grimwood/Cornell Calloway, and the present Grimwood girls and the impending wedding. I haven't introduced the other girls at Wormwood's are yet, or even what Wormwood herself is. I have ideas, but I am open to suggestions, please leave me a review. I just want to know if you like what am doing or not?Also a sidenote: Calloway is very hateful and the reason for that will be explained later. I do not own Scooby-doo, or Danny Phantom.
Chapter 26
(Rosemary Grimwood's P.O.V.)
As the lights went out, began to remember what started this whole mess years ago , before I ran the finishing school for girl ghouls. The memories were sweet and sour, light and very dark, and filled with love and hate.
-years earlier-
I had just left my Mother's tent awhile back up the road, she would be near the school only for a few weeks, but she promised that she would be back for Halloween and to pick me up at the end of my second year at Miss Wormwood's. As I walked along the dirt road that would take me to school, and past our rivaling school, a black van pulled up behind me. The engine stalled and a young man with a huge brown backpack got out of the van and muttered a quiet goodbye to whoever was inside the metallic beast. I looked at the boy long enough to realize where he was going, he was dressed in the Calloway cadets navy blue suit with the usual black tie. I kept walking with my knapsack held tightly clutched at my shoulder, so that my clothing and spell book would not be dropped onto the muddy road that I trudged along.
"Stay away from her," I heard a loud man's voice respond to the boy's murmured goodbye. I turned and saw him nod slightly, before the van came back to life and roared past me in a thundering wave of dirt and mud. The boy behind me seemed to run to catch up to me, I kept moving at a steady pace with my head hung low.
"Hey, wait up!" The boy yelled running up behind me, nearly knocking me down.
"You're really bad at taking orders aren't you? Didn't you hear the "stay away from her"," I responded curtly. It was people, like that who made this world such a bad place for ghouls.
"I'm sorry about what my father said, and did, he uhh..." The boy paused to adjust his collar nervously. "He didn't mean what he said. He isn't that type of person."
"I know his type, he is just like Cornell Calloway. He hates what I am, and the other girls that attend my school. You will learn that once you get there, and you will be just like all of the others-" I stopped my rant suddenly realizing I was going to point him out by name.
"James. James Calloway," the boy finished my sentence for me.
"You're a Calloway? Why are you walking to the school? Shouldn't you be dropped of at the front gate like the gem you are?" I asked him.
"Now, hold on a second, why do you think my grandfather hates the girls at your school?" James asked, stopping me from continuing on my way to school.
"Because, we have to hide what we really are, or he would turn us in," I explained, "He also teaches his charges to hate the people in life that are different. Now if you'll excuse me James, I would like to make it to school before sundown."
"What do you mean different? What are you? What are they?" James asked, with a pleading expression on his face.
"James, I can't tell you. Miss Wormwood has forbidden it to keep all of us safe. I just met you and you will just end up hating me and my friends just like your soon to be comrades," I answered him without answering him.
"What if I don't hate you? Honestly, you guys are just girls, what did you ever do to be hated?" James continued to ask questions.
"If you are there until our annual match volleyball match, and you don't hate us then I will tell you the truth," I stated doubting that it would even matter that I said that.
"Then I can wait until then," James responded, "but can you at least tell me your name? You know mine, it is only fair."
"My name is Rosemary, but my friends usually call me Rayne," I admitted.
"You look like a Rose," James said taking my hand for just a moment.
"More of a Rose, than a Grimwood," I mumbled, before resuming my walk.
"Grimwood?" James asked following behind me.
"It's my last name, but that is the last question I am answering for you since you ignored mine," I responded smirking at him.
"Well Rose, I am walking to the school from here because I want to. I enjoy the excercise, and it gives me time to think before I am under my grandfather's control," James answered.
"So you'd rather walk the two miles while you still have your freedom?" I asked him with a laugh.
"Affirmative, why are you walking?"
"Well, this is how I get from place to place. Me and my mother travel from place to place with a band of gypsies. They are in the area for a few weeks and my mother returns during the year to visit, and the rest return at the end to pick me up," I explained.
As we walked, I learned a lot about James, he seemed kind, and definitely not what I would've expected from the Cornell's grandson. We talked until the military school's iron gate came into view, that was when where he was going really set in. I could see Miss Wormwood's across the way and I wanted to get onto her property as soon as possible. James could see the worry, and watched me as I began to move away as quickly as I could without running. "I'm sorry James, but I have to go."
"Alright, but can I see you again?" James asked taking a step towards me.
"I don't know James," I answered him, before going through the privacy hedge that separates the schools.
(James Calloway's P.O.V.)
I watched her disappear through the hedge quickly, and nearly run into her school across the way. Her expression was in engraved in my brain, she was afraid, not that she wanted me to see it. It was like just standing on the school's property would get her in trouble, or cause her harm. I was here to make my grandfather see that I wasn't the weak link in this family. I wanted to make my father and grandfather proud, just to please them for once in my life, but if they treated a girl like Rose with hate, was it really what I wanted? I shook the thoughts away, before quickly pressing the button on wall for the security gate. There was a quiet buzzing as the button was pressed, before the intercom crackled to life and my grandfather's gruff voice came through the small speaker.
"Who is it?" The Cornell's accusatory tone came through the speaker.
"James Calloway," I answered, knowing that if I refered to his as grandpa, he would give me hell for it.
"Come on in son, and report to my office." The lock on the gate disengaged and it slid open. As I walked towards the school's entrance the gate slid shut behind me and I trudged into the school. After I put my pack in the common area, I slowly made my way into the Cornell's office. I knocked on the door, receiving a curt "Come in" from the other side of the door.
I opened the door slowly. "You requested my presence Cornell." I stepped into his office cautiously.
"Is that anyway to address your grandfather, James?" He sounded calm, but it was obvious that he was angry from his expression.
"Grandpa, sir, what's wrong?" I asked.
"I saw you and the gypsy from that disgrace of a finishing school walking together," The Cornell nearly growled.
"I had to apologize to her-"
"You did not have to say anything to her. I don't want you having contact with her, or any of the girls from Wormwood's we are better than that!" He exclaimed hatred lining every word.
"Alright," I responded with a nod. I didn't agree with his hatred, but I knew that fighting him about it was useless.
"I need you on my side son, if you were to rebel against me the others will follow suit," My grandfather said sternly.
"You want me to help you hate on a bunch of girls?" I asked knowing the answer to my question, before it escaped my lips. "What reason could you possibly have to hate them? What have they ever done to you?"
"That school is filled with gypsies, beggars, floosies and fortune tellers! Also, there is something off about them and their headmistress. She asked me if I believed in the existence of monsters, and I gave her the answer that I believe, that if there are monsters they are all dead, or should be soon," My grandfather spat at me. "That vile woman told me that I did not understand the words I spoke. Shortly after that she boarded up the school's windows, like she has something to hide."
"So they are different, everyone is different-" I was cut off when my grandfather stood and slammed his clenched fists against his oak desk and shifted his weight towards me. When his face straightened and his crinkled face became red in his anger. That was when I knew I needed to stare at the floor and keep my mouth shut.
"You may be my grandson James, but here they call me Cornell Calloway, and you are no different than them. They do not have any contact with those girls except for our annual volleyball match, that will be the same with you. Don't you dare start talking to them about differences and this nonsense that you are telling me right now. I don't know what that gypsy girl has told you, but you need to get that out of your head, before I have to force it out," My grandfather began calm and stern and ended with screaming that could've shook the concrete walls of the school.
"Yes, sir. I understand." I nodded, before looking up to meet my grandfather's rage filled gaze. Agreeing was the only option, I had at this point, but just because I "agreed" with him did not mean that I wasn't going to try and fix the hatred between our school's.
"Now no more of your nonsense, James. Get settled in, your father stuck your trunk under your bunk in the barracks," my grandfather paused to take a seat in his chair, "I will see you in the mess."
That was when I finally went to meet the other guys and find the stationery in my trunk. Even though I was told to forget about the nonsense that I was talking, and that I was not allowed to have contact with the girls from Miss Wormwood's. None of that stopped me from pulling out a pen and a sheet of paper to write Rosemary a letter to tell her that I believed her now, and ask her what started this feud. The only problem I had was getting it to her, I couldn't deliver it to her personally and the Cornell checks all the mail so he would never allow the letter to be sent. So I stuffed it into my pocket and began to walk to the mess hall for dinner.
I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, so I ran into an older woman causing both of us to fall to the ground in a tangle. I got back on my feet as quickly as I could and helped the woman to her feet. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you Miss Wormwood?"
"Yes, I just came here to thank Cornell Calloway for one of his cadets escorting one of my girls to school today," Miss Wormwood responded. She was a short woman, that wore a flowing white dress that came down to her feet. She was polite and seemed meek, I also knew that my grandfather knew she was here and was probably waiting on her arrival.
"The Cornell is probably waiting for you, let me escort you to his office." The woman nodded and allowed me to lace my arm through hers. She smiled at me, but seemed taken aback by my kindness to her. Maybe I was right they were just girls, well in Wormwood's case a woman, they couldn't have done anything to our school to force this level of hate.
As we walked together, I wanted to talk to Miss Wormwood. "Miss Wormwood, I am the cadet that walked Rosemary to school today," I began.
"Thank you," She paused taking in a deep breath that seemed to shake her entire body, "Son, you have no idea the trouble you are getting yourself into." Her greying black hair fell to her shoulders.
"I don't understand." That was all I had time to say, before a few of the other cadets entered the hallway. "You and Rose are just girls, this whole thing is wrong."
"It is, but Rose is more a part of this than you know. It isn't my place to tell you," Miss Wormwood halted every question that I had planned on asking with this statement.
"I understand, but can you do me a favor? Can you please give this to Rosemary?" I slipped the letter into her sleeve, as we finally approached the Cornell's office.
"I'll take it from here, cadet." I smile appeared on her face, and vanished as she knocked and entered the office. Eaves dropping was never the right thing to do, and if I got caught my grandfather would have my head for it, but something wasn't right about this. Wormwood wouldn't come here for no reason, and it wasn't just to tell the Cornell thank you, even with how polite Miss W was.
"Wormwood, what are you doing here? I told you last time you came into the school that anything you needed to communicate to me could be done through a phone call, or a short letter. You aren't welcome." My grandfather's harsh tone made me cringe, he spoke to that sweet woman with pure hatred.
"I'm sorry to be a nuisance Cornell, I will keep this short. I came here to thank you for what your cadet did earlier today for one of my girls, after what happened last year Rosemary has issues crossing your school's property." Miss Wormwood cleared her throat nervously, before continuing. "I know how you feel about my girls, me and their parents, but that isn't why I came here. I came here to ask you one thing, do not punish your cadets for kindness. The only that will do is breed hatred, not only for me and my girls but for everyone." It was baffling how calm and kind Miss Wormwood was still being, even when venom was being was being spewed at her from the Cornell's lips.
"Go tend to the future leeches of society."
As Miss Wormwood walked past me, I could see how shaken up she really was. In the office she had to make herself strong, but now as she walked away she was becoming the woman that I ran into in the hallway once again. "Are you alright?" I asked following behind the headmistress. She nodded, before turning to face me.
"I tried James, your safety will be in my prayers and thoughts," Miss W said, that was when I realized that I never told her my name. "Stay kind, and keep that in your heart." She touched the place above my heart, before she placed a hand over the single eye amulet that she wore around her neck, before she walked out of the military academy.
(Rosemary's P.O.V.)
I was sitting in my room with Savanna, she was giggling and helping me rinse the mud out of my hair. Savanna practiced wicca magic, but was "the chosen one" of a certain family of vampires.
"Sav, what does that even mean? You're the chosen one, chosen for what exactly?" I asked. Savanna merely giggled at me.
"To marry the next Count, of course." Savanna sounded happy about this actually.
"You mean an arranged marriage? Why would you be happy about that?" I asked grabbing my cousin's shoulder's and shook her.
"Because, marrying Dracky will save me a lot of strife. I don't have to worry about finding a man to marry, because I have already been promised one. He will give me an heir," Vanna explained to me. "And maybe one day I will love him."
"What if you don't Vanna? They are taking a lot from you. You are giving up your wiccan ways to become a fledging," I began. "Miss Wormwood said that they are even changing your name."
"Mojo," She began by using my nickname. "Ever relationship has a person that gives, and a person that takes. I'm giving Rose, and that is just how it has to be."
"Vanna," I tried to continue the conversation, but Savanna put up a hand to silence me.
"Me and Ms. Wormwood already had this talk Rose. I know what I am getting into, I understand what I am giving up. In the end it will be me at the altar, and my choice, not even Dracky can make me marry him," Vanna stated before she began braiding my hair. "Don't worry, I will always be here for you my love." Vanna wrapped her arm around me in the sisterly manner that she usually did. We were cousins, but until I started travelling with my mother, me and Vanna lived together like sisters.
That was when Ms. Wormwood walked into the room, she appeared weak and sickly. This is how she always appeared after a meeting with Cornell Calloway. Me and Vana got off of the bed, and helped our headmistress into the room.
"Sit down , you know we love you right?" Savanna said gently, giving our mentor a hug.
"I know dear," said, "and I love you."
"You drank the last of the potion I made, you know the effect it has on you. Especially coupled with the level of hate that is directed at you in that building," I said taking Ms. Wormwood's trembling hands.
"Savanna, go help the others set the table and wash up. Me and Rosemary will be right down," Miss Wormwood said, "Me and Rose are just need to have a little talk."
"Miss W, you shouldn't have went over there alone, it is making you sick, and you aren't getting any better," I began kneeling by the bed.
"Rayne, do not worry about me, I am an empath so the negative feelings will do this to me. That is not what we need to talk about, I have a letter for you from the Cadet that walked you here today. He asked me to give this to you, and I am only abiding by his wishes because he was kind to me. Read it, write a quick response and come down for dinner." Miss Wormwood got up and walked out of the room after handing me the letter.
Rosemary, You were right about my grandfather, as hard as that is for me to believe. I need to know what started all of this, and since the Cornell and the other cadets will not tell me, I'm relying on you. Your school is boarded up, like it's condemned and I am sure that it has to do with what you wont tell me, that is not why I am writing this I know that I have to earn your trust, before you'll tell me what you truly are. No matter what my grandfather does to me, I will never hate any of you, especially not you.
James Calloway
After finishing the letter I wrote my response, before going down to dinner. Immediately afterwards I took my letter to the military school, and I had managed to sneak past their gate to slip the letter under the window of the cadets barracks, before nearly running into the Cornell, who was out on his late night walk. I ducked into the bush and watched as the stern man trudged up the steps.
That was when I ran across their front lawn and climbed over the schools cement walls and ran as fast I could back to the safety of my school.