"Of course I know where the ghost is at! I'm the one with the equipment! But this place has been thrown out of whack."

Stretching long arms up and shifting his hips, Jesse tilted closer to Danny and Elizabeth, eyes up at Valerie. Who was tapping furiously at her temple, helmet back on for her search of Cujo. "Of course."

Bristling, Valerie's head spun from gazing over and around them, attention zeroing in on Jesse.

"I don't have to explain myself to you! This is what I do! I know what I'm talking about when it comes to ghosts! But if it'll make either of you take them seriously-"

"Who says we don't?" Brows furrowed, Elizabeth frowned up at Valerie, voice confused.

"-then I will explain! Unlike Amity Park, which has all sorts of ambient and left over ecto energy, this place has much less. Nearly nonexistent. Except for somewhere in the school here and about a kilometer past it. They've been saturated. They're dripping with some of highest readings I've seen."

A lump leaped up into Danny's throat. It had been a full two days since then. To still be registering up that high-

"Neither of you have a clue to the sheer amount of power and dangerous intent to have this reading so high two days later! It reads as if they're still here! The only times I've seen that. Well. An entire town came unsettlingly close to being wiped off our maps."

Numb, limbs heavy, Danny stood staring at Valerie.

"Like I've always said again and again, this ghost boy is dangerous."

Valerie's head shifted from Elizabeth and Jesse. Looking to him. Beseeching his agreement. Condemning him.

Wide eyed, silent, Danny stared back at her. He swallowed. Hard.

Deep laughter echoed in his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his breathing. But images flickered in his head. Fiery explosion, Johnny 13 in a wheelchair, shattered streets of Amity Park. What a cool power. You still turn into me. Faces waiting to die, did die, crack of a bone, rawness of a back.

"And-"

Valerie cut herself off, harshly. Her voice had been rough on that single word, the almost addition. And he could see her throat working under her red suit. Danny got an inkling that maybe he should wonder or prompt Valerie on. But then her head lifted off of him. Lifted up to gaze over them all. And continued, back on track, to her single minded focus.

"It stands to reason that his dog is likely in one of those two spots, hiding in the readings. If you two had only moved out of the way in the first place, this wouldn't be an issue now! And who knows if his owner isn't still here," she tacked on with an angry mutter.

Elizabeth took a tiny step forward. "Harry might have the doors already locked up. I can go with you to check them all? Jesse and Danny can run over to the f-"

"There's no time to waste."

Foot sliding, Valerie leaned forward on her board, whipping up a violent wind shooting past them to the school.

Danny turned with Elizabeth and Jesse.

"Rude."

In unison, the three of them sprinted. Jesse's loping stride pulled him ahead, Danny's legs working to catch up, and Elizabeth pumping hard and fast behind. Bags thumping off her to the ground as she went. It was reminiscent of times past and not too long ago. Completely different. But enough that Danny felt a sense of deja vu.

His legs faltered.

Beside him now, panting and puffing, Elizabeth called out. "We'll check the entrance doors!"

Direction shifting, Jesse sped up, darting around the outside of the school.

"I hope," Elizabeth managed out. "He doesn't find her."

Which is probably what lead to her suggesting a split up with Valerie that way a moment before. Keeping Jesse from Valerie. An issue one wouldn't think to have or need with his easy going and lax manner. Yet Danny had gotten a glimpse at the football game and a single memorable face first demonstration. It was obvious to even him right now and at this moment, Jesse was itching to lay out a punch into Valerie.

He shared Elizabeth's hope. And picked up speed to yank at the elementary's entrance doors, working down the line of them. None gave.

Her slight pause in speed as he checked doors ceased, Danny catching up as they raced to the next entrance. He yanked a couple and Elizabeth yanked a couple. All four. Locked.

They sprinted over to the last entrance in the U loop, the one for the high school.

"Her weapons. How harmful are they to Cujo?"

"Harmful enough."

His voice squeaked out tight as he pulled, arms jerking. Then Danny peered his face up to the glass of the door. Nose pressed close. Like a dog pressed to a window. And that firm solid reminder despite being able to see in.

His breath fogged his vision, but it gave him the answer to the question of where Cujo was. And Valerie too. Judging by that dart of red flashing he caught on the far end of the cafetorium.

Right. Talk from this morning. Valerie's readings. Of course. Cujo saw it as safe and a good go-to spot. A place that he'd likely tracked Danny down. Like Valerie had now tracked Cujo down.

"We can't let her hurt him. Hunt him down. Cujo hasn't done anything. Outside of being a dog, a young puppy."

Gulping. Shaking. Chest heaving.

Danny reached.

And then rattled the door again.

It opened.

Easily.

"Got it!"

And, nerves keyed up and trying not to think about it, ran inside and through the closest doors into the cafe. Elizabeth on his heels. The sharp smell of fresh paint stung and assaulted Danny's nostrils, senses and memories hitting him hard.

"Here pup!"

Yapping in response, Cujo bolted across the stage, screeching to a halt with a yelp as a shot fired, cutting him off.

"Stop helping the spook!"

"It's only a puppy!"

"That's what it wants you to think! Let down your gaurd! Destroy things! Ruin your life! The worst! Hunting any and all down is a must! Before there is a chance of...of anyone's end! You can't treat them like they're real! They're not!"

Elizabeth gaped at Valerie. Who continued aiming and shooting at the darting Cujo on the stage. Danny bit at his lip. Elizabeth's head spun to Danny, to his direction, aghast at what she saw. Then her head snapped back to Valerie, her whole body shifting stance.

"They! They!" Elizabeth repeated pointedly.

Valerie re-situated her aim, board drifting to the left to get a better shot. Body stiff, head facing determinedly forward. As if she had jolted and nearly looked away from her target. Danny glanced from Valerie to the left side of stage, checking for Cujo, then stepped back. Trying to keep both Valerie and Elizabeth in his view.

"Is there no talking to you? They you say! They are real! They are worth it! Cujo! Come!"

"Elizabeth!"

She had already bolted, mid-leap onto the stage, bypassing the steps. Cujo darted out, tongue lolling out, tail wagging all anew as his feet scampered and clacked against the stage to greet and meet her. And Valerie shot her target who was now out in the open.

Sharp intakes of breath sounded. Echoed.

Following the short cry and Elizabeth's form crumpling.

"Oh my god!"

Danny's heart leapt up. His chest thrumming and pounding. Everything pulsing through him. Moving him.

"Are you-?"

Curled around, half sprawled now. His focus on Elizabeth. Her back to him. To them. Her back.

"I-I wasn't aiming for- It's meant for spooks not-"

Close enough to see speckles. Splotches leaking, growing beneath a gray practice shirt. Darkening the fabric. Close enough to reach out, hand shaking so badly and juttering, a careful and barely there touch, afraid to. Close enough see her wince, hear her mumble of being fine and asking if Cujo was safe, if he was okay, that she was fine. Hand shifting to push herself up, jaw clenched, letting loose a hiss. Another reassurance of being fine.

"Elizabeth? Right? Are you, are you fine? Are you-"

Danny's head whipped.

"No she is not fine!"