Chapter Two: All Fun and Games
"I'm not a hot mess. I'm a spicy disaster." - Unknown
Jazz
Oh, boy. This is all we need.
Commotion breaks out at the sight of the swirling silver portal that opens up at the gym's entrance. Danny isn't here to help if whatever steps out of that portal is dangerous. We have three other ghosts present, but one could lose a fight with the Box Ghost, one is the Box Ghost, and if anything happens to the third, a certain motorcyclist will have our heads.
Stay calm, Jazz. You have the Fenton Lipstick Laser in your pocket, and everyone present who isn't a ghost has received at least a little training-
A very small spirit floats out of the portal, and I instantly relax. The portal closes, and the ghost gazes around the room in childlike wonder. He throws his hands - one of which is holding two envelopes - in the air and shouts, "There's humans everywhere!"
That elicits some giggles. Not everyone has dropped their guard, but the tension has lessened.
Bub is a baby ghost who died at the tender age of three months. He has light gray skin, red eyes with vertical pupils, and a mop of white hair on his little head. He is grinning ear to ear, showcasing his fangs as he flies around saying hello to everyone, though most of them are strangers to him.
That portal must have been made by Reaper, the other ghost Danny imprinted on. Bub lives at Reaper's lair in the Ghost Zone. I hope that means Reaper accepted our invitation and will be here for the party.
Sam, Tucker, and Eileen have already crowded around Bub, who gives each of them a big hug. Hopefully, anyone not in the know won't read into it too much.
"Hey, Bub," I greet as I walk over to the group.
Bub grins wider and throws his chubby arms around my neck. "Hi, Aunt Jazz!"
I return the hug as Eileen says quietly, "Bub, you shouldn't call her your aunt right now."
"Oh, right!" Bub shoots back in the air and whispers, "Daddy's secret."
Danny's not the only one who imprinted on someone. Bub actually imprinted on Danny, hence why the little guy calls me his aunt.
"So, Bub," Sam says. "Since you're here, does that mean Reaper's coming too?"
Bub doesn't lose his smile, though his response isn't good. "No. They can't come." He waves his envelopes in the air. "But, I have these! One is from Grandper," Bub's name for their grandparent, Reaper, "and one is from me. But, only my Daddy is allowed to open them, okay?"
Tucker gives Bub a salute. "Roger dodger." He takes the envelopes. "I'll go put these on the gift table."
"Why can't Reaper come?" Sam asks when Tucker walks away.
Bub shrugs. "They told me, but I don't get it."
Since Bub is nine months old, that's as good an answer as we're going to get from him.
The news is disappointing, but I suppose it can't be helped. Reaper is an Ancient, known as the Master of Death. The only thing I know about Ancients is that they are the most powerful and respected beings in the Ghost Zone and are supposedly as old as the Zone itself. Reaper cares about Danny as much as I do, so something pretty serious must have happened to make them miss their imprinted son's birthday party.
Still, I know Danny would have loved having them here.
When Tucker returns to the group, Bub wrings his hands, suddenly shy. "Um, Grandma," meaning Eileen, "said that we're gonna do speeches. Can I practice mine, please?"
"Sure, Bub," I say. "Let's practice in the hall. It'll be quieter there."
Bub copies Tucker's earlier salute. "Roger dodger."
"Aw," Tucker coos. He ruffles Bub's hair. "He takes after me."
Sam gives Tucker a smirk and a side-eye. "Then for the sake of all the girl ghosts, I hope he turns out to be gay."
Tucker narrows his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
No one answers. We just swallow our laughter and start for the door. While we're walking/floating, Sam whispers, "All joking aside, should we really let Bub tell everyone that Danny's his father?"
"The man already has a mom and a girlfriend," Tucker points out. "Why not a baby?"
"It's just that Danny's always worrying about his loved ones getting hurt. It's one thing with Ms. Mae," the name Eileen uses during school hours; she's one of their teachers, "and Mira since they're both adults. But, Bub is a baby."
Sam has a point. For the longest time, Danny Phantom presented himself as a loner, and his secret identity was only part of the reason. His biggest fear was that ghost hunters - specifically our parents, the Guys in White, and Valerie before she knew the truth - would use the ghosts he cares about as leverage. Some of his ghost enemies have done that with his human loved ones in the past, so the fear was not unfounded. Not to mention that Valerie did just that with Danielle once.
But, try as he might, Danny couldn't keep his undead loved ones a secret for long. It started when Phantom swooped in and saved Eileen from Mom and Dad. It was in a public setting, and Phantom made it quite clear just how much Eileen meant to him. (Minus the imprinting. We didn't know about that at the time, though I didn't miss how close he came to saying that she was like a mother to him.) After that, everyone and their brother knew the two of them were close. Some even speculated that the two might be a couple. Needless to say, Danny shot that rumor down as soon as he found out about it. ("Oh, gross! I'm not even old enough to vote! Let alone date someone who was around during the Civil War!") A few months ago, Danny slipped and called Eileen "Mama" in front of a news camera, and the truth was out.
Then there's Mira. Their friendship was easy enough to hide until that whole fiasco with the documentary. During the process, Danny and Mira had really fallen for each other, assuming they hadn't before that. Both of them are affectionate people, so when they started dating, there was no hope of it staying a secret. Though, I'm sure Danny tried harder than Mira, as she probably didn't know it was supposed to be a secret. Pictures of the two of them holding hands in a smoothie shop were all over the Internet.
And yet, for all that he tried to keep those two a secret, Danny didn't seem too upset when people found out. Sure, he was uncomfortable at first, but we've all seen him out and about with them. Kissing Mira goodbye after a night of ice skating. Enjoying parent/child night at the movie theater with Eileen. Danny wants them to be safe, but he also enjoys not having to hide them.
I don't know if he's noticed this, but now that the townsfolk know that their hero has loved ones, they've grown to appreciate him all the more. To them, he's starting to seem less like a strange but kind creature and more like a person. Granted, that started once word got out that Phantom has self-esteem issues, but it certainly took off from there.
The monthly donations to his bank account have increased as well. I can't wait to see Danny's face when he sees that number for the first time.
"As long as Bub's careful and stays with Danny or one of us when he's here," I say, "I think it'll be okay."
We step/float into the hallway, and Bub wastes no time. He clears his throat as dramatically as possible and turns to face us. "Danny Phantom is my daddy. He is the best daddy ever. He's nice and-and he protects people from bad guys. He gets scared sometimes, but he still does the scary things. That's called courage, I think."
"It is," I confirm, feeling a lump form in my throat.
"Yeah, Daddy has lots of courage. And, no matter how many scary things he has to do, he always makes sure he can play with me. I love my daddy a lot, and I want him to be my daddy forever and ever and ever. And then I want him to be my daddy after that!" He gleefully throws his arms in the air. He lowers them and says, "That's the end of the speech."
Eileen has her hands pressed together and sounds a little choked up. "That was wonderful, Bub. Your father is going to love it."
"Oh yeah," Tucker agrees. "You're gonna make that man cry!" When Bub gasps in horror, Tucker holds up his hands and almost shouts, "Happy cry! You'll make him happy cry!" Bub relaxes.
"One thing, Bub," Sam says cautiously. "Giving a speech to a room full of strangers is a lot harder than giving it to your friends and family. Think you can do that?"
Bub waves off her concern. "You worry too much. I'll be fine."
What a suspiciously Danny-like thing to say.
Danny
I shouldn't be here.
I shouldn't be at a Wildwood Amusement Park. I shouldn't be standing here watching Johnny try to win his girlfriend a stuffed pig just because it's her favorite animal.
The only Park I should be standing in is Amity.
My core is screaming. I cross my arms tightly over my chest and hope that the girls are too focused on Johnny to notice my discomfort.
Are the townsfolk okay? Why did I leave them? How could I have been so selfish? How could I act so much like-
I'm not him.
"Johnny," Kitty calls worriedly. "I don't need it that badly."
"Let me do this for you!" her boyfriend shouts stubbornly.
Johnny is standing behind the white line on the ground, as the rules dictate, as he throws balls at the target. The bullseye, which would grant him one of the large plushies, is obnoxiously small. I bet all the money he's wasted on this game that the balls are heavier than they should be as well. The girls and I started out standing close by, but as Johnny got more frustrated, his throws became more wild. Now we're keeping our distance.
He could really hurt someone if he keeps this up. That poor guy working the booth is right in range. If Johnny throws too far to the left, the guy will take a weighted ball to the face. He doesn't look any older than I am. Johnny may not look it, but he's strong. A hit at the right speed from the right angle could shatter that worker's skull.
After another miss, Johnny grunts loudly and stomps up to the booth, much to the worker's amusement. He won't be so amused when his brain is splattered against the curtain behind him!
Help help him save him protect protect protect.
Mira nudges my arm. She's holding the plush elephant, her own favorite animal, that's about half her size that I'd already won for her. I'd made the mistake of interrupting Johnny's attempts and nailing the bullseye on the first try, surprising both of us. My goal had been to help him realize that the game was rigged. My unexpected victory made him more determined because, "If the pipsqueak can do it, then so can I."
"Maybe you could," Mira nods toward Johnny, "give him a hand?"
My thoughts exactly. It feels like my core is throwing itself against my chest, trying to direct me to Johnny, to the danger that human teenager doesn't know he faces.
Johnny stomps back behind the line with three balls in hand, and when his back is turned, I pounce.
Overshadowing someone is comparable to being plunged underwater. It's disorienting, and your instinct is to swim up to the surface. But, that would mean leaving the body you've phased into. You have to ignore that instinct and propel yourself deeper and deeper until you latch on to the mind. Then you don't let go until you're good and ready. It's harder to overshadow other ghosts, more like swimming through maple syrup, but it's doable if you're powerful enough.
I don't like overshadowing. When I first discovered the ability, I had some fun making Dash Baxter - back when he was still bullying me - look like an idiot in front of the school. But once the novelty wore off, I realized how…invasive it was. I was playing puppeteer with sentient beings who had no idea it was happening, and it didn't sit well with me. Nowadays, I only do it in emergency situations.
Or, to the unwary passersby, to end this incredibly pathetic scene.
After latching on to Johnny's mind and taking a moment to orient myself with this body that's taller and bulkier than mine but still slim, I give the girls a thumbs-up. They flash grateful smiles, especially Kitty. The pain in my chest is still there, but it isn't quite as searing.
I aim and throw the first ball. A chime is heard, and the target lights up. When I walk up to the worker, he chuckles and pulls down one of the stuffed pigs hanging over the booth. "You're a better friend than I am. I would have waited to see how long he'd last!"
"Well, the girls were getting worried," I explain. It's strange hearing Johnny's voice come out of my mouth. But then, it's not actually my mouth. I hand over the other two balls and grab the pig, which is the same massive size as Mira's elephant. "I have to say, you've been pretty chill about having four ghosts spend so much time at your booth. I know you don't really see ghosts besides my girlfriend around here."
"I grew up in Gettysburg."
That explains it.
Once I'm back with the group, I release my hold and leap out of the syrupy void that is a ghost's mind. Johnny blinks, utterly disoriented, and his confused ectoplasm-green eyes lock on "his" prize.
"Wow, Johnny," Kitty praises, taking the large pig from him. "Thanks so much for winning this for me!"
"Uh…yeah," Johnny stammers before raising his chin proudly. "I got the aim of a pro sniper."
Sure, when he's using his powers. Even then, his partner, Shadow, does most of the fighting for him. Shadow isn't here today. According to Johnny, the inky black demon stays at their lair when Johnny and Kitty go out together.
"Okay," Mira says. "Now that we've done the sitcom cliche, what should we do next?"
I glance at Johnny. "Maybe something a little less," risky, dangerous, keep them alive, "frustrating."
Johnny glowers at me. "I wasn't at it for that long."
Kitty gives him a pointed look. "Do you have any money left?"
Come to think of it, where did Johnny get that money? I know ghosts don't use it. Actually, it's probably better for everyone if I don't know.
A grimaces passes over Johnny's face, but he covers it quickly. He puts his arm around Kitty, who blushes when he gazes at her and says, "Ah, you know I'll always provide for you, babe." Then, it gets weird. "Really. I can provide for you. Like, all the time. I mean it!"
Kitty steps away. "Okay…"
"I'm serious!"
Mira steps in before this can get any weirder. "So, what's next on the agenda? I'm thinking…bumper cars?" She points her elephant toward the attraction.
The stabbing pain is back. Dread seeps through my veins at the sight of those deathtraps. There is absolutely no protection on those things beyond flimsy seat belts. You could hit someone too hard and tip both cars over. The friction from all those cars in such a small area could start a fire.
Johnny taps his chin, and his eyes lock on something else. "I'm in more of a roller coaster mood, myself."
That's even worse. Moving that fast with, again, nothing but a seat belt holding you down. Screams of joy turning to screams of horror when an innocent rider flies out of their seat. Or, they don't keep their hands and feet inside the ride and lose a body part.
Protect protect protect.
"How about something a little more low-key?" I suggest.
Kitty grins. "Like the ferris wheel! You can't have a date to the amusement park without riding the ferris wheel."
Yes, you can. You can easily have a date without being that high up and falling and do those things even have seat belts and what if the mechanism breaks and you're stuck up there for hours and hours or even worse what if the wheel starts rolling with so many fragile lives-
"Danny," Mira puts her hand on my arm, "you're shaking again."
I yank my arm away and don't meet anyone's concerned expressions and oh god my core. "I'm fine. I just, um-" My Ghost Sense bursts out of me. The perfect excuse. "I should go see what that's about."
I sprint away at top speed, not caring that I'm freaking out the humans.
Until I realize that I could have given someone a heart attack-
Ancients, what is wrong with me today? Even at my worst, I'm never like this!
I hide behind the bathrooms and half-fall into a sitting position. My core is raking its claws against my bones. A moan escapes me, and I instinctively curl into a ball.
But, I can't stay here. There's a ghost nearby who isn't part of the double date. The double date that I'm ruining. Wouldn't be the first time I've ruined something.
"No more painful human emotions to drag you down. Sadly, that freed you up to rip the ghost out of me. And, when my evil ghost-half mixed with yours and my evil side overwhelmed you…"
"What happened to my human-self?" I prompted when Future Vlad didn't continue.
Future Vlad turned away with a harsh grimace. "Some things, my boy, are better left unsaid."
Is that what's wrong? Am I turning into-
No, that can't be right.
It can't be.
But, my core. Why does it hurt so much? I've been fulfilling my Obsession regularly, and I just helped someone mere moments ago, so what's the problem?
Another icy breath causes another flare in my chest. Even my Ghost Sense hurts.
A high-pitched whine breaks me out of my haze, and words cannot describe the relief that floods me when I see that the ghost's appearance was another false alarm.
Cujo has two forms: a small, pudgy, and overall adorable green puppy and a massive, vicious green monster. Fortunately, he only uses the latter form when there's danger.
He has a habit of showing up at odd intervals for a visit, and he always knows where I am. I haven't quite figured out how he does that yet. Ordinarily, Cujo is a ball of energy and greets me with licks and a wagging tail.
But, the little guy can clearly see that something is wrong. He approaches carefully, emitting pitiful whimpers.
"Cujo," I croak out. "Please, go home."
I could crush him so easily, and he would let me. He loves me too much to fight back.
I didn't see him in that future. Surely, he would have found me if he was still…
Cujo settles down beside me, his small body pressed against my side because I'm in too much pain to uncurl and let him rest in my lap. My quivering hand lowers to stroke him, and I don't know if the tears that leak from my eyes are of pain or emotion or both.
"There you are."
I force myself to look up. I'm in too much agony to be embarrassed about Johnny 13 seeing me cry.
Johnny hesitates at the sight but crouches down to my level. "We've been looking for you. What the hell, man? What's-" He notices Cujo. "What's with the dog?"
"His name's Cujo," I say then hiss at another spasm in my chest. "He's my friend. I'm sorry I ran off."
Johnny grits his teeth. This is uncharted territory for us. We've never been vulnerable in front of each other. We're usually those stereotypical guy friends who beat on and insult each other for fun. Or, when one of us - cough Johnny cough - needs to blow off steam.
"Uh…is this, like, a panic attack?" Johnny asks quietly. "I-I could get Kitty. She's better with this stuff than I am."
I bite back another moan. "It's-it's more like a core attack."
Johnny lets out a relieved sigh. "Is that all?" I glower at him, and he raises his hands placatingly. "Hey, we've all been there. You just gotta fulfill your Obsession. It'll fix you right up." I'm not going to tell him that I just did that. "What's your Obsession? Being helpful or something schmaltzy like that? I'm sure we can find someone around here who needs a hand."
Cujo lifts his head and the look in his red eyes reads, "Listen to this man, because I do not know how to help you."
My hand is heavy as I wipe the dampness off my face, trying to preserve what little dignity I have left. "I could help you," I say to Johnny, who raises an eyebrow. "You were going at that game so hard, it could have been mistaken for your Obsession."
Johnny shrugs. "I was frustrated. You know how it is."
But, I didn't miss the look that passed over his face. The thrum of my core is still too strong, but it's different. Instead of being a frenzied assault, the sensation is anticipatory. My core craves providing assistance the same way the lungs crave oxygen.
"Johnny," talking isn't so hard now, "you can't fool me." The ache dulls just enough that I can slowly reposition myself. I turn to face my former enemy and sit cross-legged in front of him. Cujo hops into my lap, and I resume running my fingers through his short fur. "Something's on your mind. What is it?" Johnny's grayish face contorts into a scowl that isn't directed at me. "Come on, biker boy. I just cried in front of you. That frees you up to drop the tough guy act for a few minutes."
After releasing a theatrical sigh, Johnny relents. "Fine. But, keep this between us." I mime zipping my lips. Johnny brushes a loose strand of dirty blond hair from his face. "It's…it's about Kitty."
That surprises me. Usually when he and Kitty are fighting, Johnny's first instinct is to pick a fight with someone else, typically me. "Are you guys having problems?"
A real smile graces Johnny's lips. "No way. Things are great! I love that woman like crazy!" He absently drums his fingers on the sleeve of his leather jacket, sobering. "See…I was hoping to…go a little farther with her, you know?"
"If you're fishing for sex advice, you should know I'm a virgin."
"That doesn't surprise me."
"Hey!"
"But, that's not what I meant. I, well, I got a ring here in pocketspace…"
Pocketspace is essentially an invisible portal that ghosts can store things in and carry around without issue.
"A ring?" I say as I process what he's implying. "You mean, you want to propose?"
"Yeah- Oh, don't give me that sappy look!"
"What sappy look?"
Johnny points at my face with both hands. "That one. Right there. That's the sappy look!"
A chuckle escapes me. "Johnny, I'm the sensitive one between us. I can't help that." He rolls his eyes. "Seriously though, you want to propose to Kitty. That's awesome!"
Johnny crosses his arms, and that scowl is back. "'Want' is the key word. I don't know why I wasted time picking out a ring. She'd never say yes."
His certainty shocks me. "How can you say that?"
He blows out a breath he doesn't need. "Phantom, let me explain something to you. When a girl hits up a guy like me, she's in it for the fun, not the commitment. A classy gal like Kitty would rather marry someone like you, someone who would be able to care for her without screwing it all up."
If my core is still hurting, I'm too dumbstruck to feel it.
Johnny always seemed so sure of himself, confident, arrogant at times. Then again, before they found out that I have insecurities, people would say the same thing about me. Everyone has a side they don't show often, a side that only a select few can bring out. Kitty must be one of those few people for Johnny.
"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit," I say, and he meets my gaze. "You're not perfect, but who is? Kitty loves you. Anyone can see that she's not just in it for the fun. She's in it for you."
"Please," Johnny says bitterly. "Do you know how many times I flirted with someone right in front of her before we got serious?"
I nod. "The same amount of times that she stayed." Johnny says nothing. "She loves you, and you love her. At the end of the day, isn't that all that matters?"
Johnny remains silent, but his lips slowly curl into a soft smile. "Phantom, how can you be this wise? Aren't you, like, twelve?"
I narrow my eyes. "I'm seventeen."
"Really? 'Cause you look twelve."
He grimaces when I flick his nose as hard as I can. He covers the spot instinctively, and I think he's going to punch me. Then, he snorts and we're two idiots sitting behind public restrooms and laughing together. Cujo lets out some happy barks.
Two guys who barely look human - one in a black jumpsuit and one who would fit right in with a biker gang - and a small bright green dog. We're an odd group in this realm, and that's the way we like it.
"Thanks for the talk," Johnny says as we rise to our feet. "And again, don't tell anyone."
I raise my right hand. "I solemnly swear to not tell the world that there is a total marshmallow under all that leather."
"Go to hell."
"I'll meet you there."
He shoves me, and we're back to normal.
With an approving nod, he adds, "Guess I'm not the only one that helped. You're looking better."
I realize that it's true. My chest is sore, but it's a vast improvement from the crippling pain I just endured. I brush my hand over my chest. "Not perfect, but better. Thanks."
Johnny turns away and laces his fingers behind his head. "With that out of the way, let's go find our ladies."
Oh, crud. Mira must be worried sick.
Cujo starts to follow us, but I stop him. "Cujo, if you're gonna tag along, you should stay hidden. They don't allow dogs here."
Cujo obediently turns invisible.
We find Kitty first. She'd been checking around some trash cans near a food booth, still holding on to the plushie when we approached.
"Look who I found," Johnny sings.
Kitty's red eyes hand on me, and she pushes two women out of the way in a mad dash to get to me. The women scurry away from the the girl with the glowing greenish-blue skin and wild green hair.
"Ancient beyond, Danny!" Kitty shouts, scanning me up and down. "What happened?"
If I feel this guilty now, how am I going to feel when we find Mira? "I'm sorry. My core was all jacked up. I just needed to get away from people." I nudge Johnny. "This guy managed to fix me up though." Well enough to function at least.
Kitty gazes sweetly up at her boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiance. "That's my Johnny."
Johnny grins stupidly. The tips of his ears are peeking through his hair, so I can see them turn green. "What can I say?" He wraps his arm around Kitty and pulls her close. "I'm more than just a pretty face."
The intimacy makes me look away. To think, Sam and Tucker tease me and Mira about being "cutesy." At least we don't do it in public. Mostly. There's a good chance I'm a hypocrite.
I spot Mira and excuse myself, though I don't think the happy couple hears me.
Mira's back is to me as she speaks frantically to two guys who have a good two feet of height and two hundred pounds of muscle on her. Yet, those beefy guys are staring at this short girl with a stuffed elephant tucked under her arm as if she'll grind them into paste if they move. I have half a mind to freeze the ground beneath their feet so that they'll turn those looks to someone they should be afraid of. Luckily, Mira is oblivious.
"I'm looking for my boyfriend," she says. She raises her hand a couple inches over her head. "He's about this tall, has white hair and no muscle mass. He's basically a walking noodle."
"Hey!" I huff. "What is this, Pick On Danny Day?"
Mira whirls around, and the guys take the opportunity to flee. Mira charges over to me, her eyes wide and her face a mask of worry. "Are you okay? Why'd you run off? 'Cause I know it wasn't just about the Ghost Sense."
I knew the guilt would be worse. I run a hand over my face. "I'm so sorry, Mira." I place my hand over my chest, which is still sore but bearable. "The truth is my core has been bothering me since we got here."
"Your core? Why didn't you say anything?"
Because I don't know how to explain those awful thoughts. "Because it wasn't that bad at first. But, it got worse and worse until all I could think about was getting away."
Mira places her hand over mine, still on my chest. "But, you're okay now? You look better."
"Johnny talked me through it." I wrap my fingers around her hand and lower it off my chest but don't let go. "I'm not at a hundred percent, but I'm out of the fetal position, so I'd call that an improvement."
"That's good." Mira hugs me as well as she can while an elephant is wedged between us. I bring my arms around her and let myself be soothed by the feeling of her (and her new friend) pressed against me. "Next time, tell me if you're not feeling well."
"I will."
She pulls back, and I already miss her touch. "Do you wanna call it a day?" Mira asks. "We can come back another time."
Yes, my core shouts. Home home save them keep them alive.
That soreness is becoming a little more than sore. But, I don't want to be the reason we stop having fun. "I'll be alright. I just need to sit down for a few minutes."
Mira doesn't seem so sure, but she takes my hand and leads me to a bench. We're seated near that game where you pick a rubber duck from an artificial pond and hope the color on its belly means you get a decent prize. Easily the safest thing in this park.
Mira sets the elephant on her other side and leans against me. "Before you tell me to have fun without you," she says, reading my mind, "let me just say that I'm not moving."
Something invisible bops my foot. Cujo's way of telling me the same thing.
How did I get this lucky?
Johnny still has his arm around Kitty when the two of them approach. It's Kitty who speaks. "Danny, I thought you said you were feeling better."
I must look worse than I thought.
"Danny and I are taking a break," Mira says. "You guys go have fun. We'll catch up."
No. They can't leave my sight. They'll get hurt.
Just like back home. So many dangers. And, I'm the biggest danger there is.
Kitty seemed okay physically, but Johnny was in a wheelchair. No sign of Cujo. No sign of Mira either, but would she and I have even met in that timeline? How did she die then? Did her then-boyfriend still kill her? Did I kill her?
I must have. I killed everyone else. All that blood on my hands.
The spasms start anew.
