TW: PANIC ATTACK, BLOOD AND MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND TORTURE
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The sound of a tick-tock clock echoed through the room, its rhythmic beat filling the silence. The seconds seemed to crawl by, each tick and tock a reminder of the passage of time.
But time was not always so predictable. Sometimes it slowed, dragging out each second as if reluctant to let it go. Other times it accelerated, racing forward with dizzying speed. And on rare occasions, it even reversed, turning back the clock and undoing what had already been done.
Yet, no matter how time flowed, one thing was certain: it all led to the same end. A single, inevitable conclusion that hung over everything like a dark cloud.
With a flick of my wrist, an hourglass appeared in my hand, the blue sand within shimmering in the dim light.
Soon, a calamity would befall this world…
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I watched the sand start to trickle down, marking each moment, each millisecond.
And possibly, that calamity will affect… time itself…
But I was not the slightest bit worried, because I knew. I foresaw everything.
The past…
The present…
The future…
Everything that time has to offer...
My gaze drifted over the countless glass crystal balls that surrounded me, each one of varying sizes, displaying a different world, a different possibility.
But my eyes settled on one in particular, a small and cracked crystal ball in the corner.
Old and gray…
Cracked… Yet alive…
An anomaly…
"Speak of the devil…" I murmured, my voice low and ominous.
The ghost world has appeared…
Tick. Tick. Tick.
So much has happened since the 1st of March.
A giant asteroid, originally from within the rings of Saturn, was pushed out of its orbit by the explosion of Amity Park's former mayor Vlad Masters' satellite and sent on a collision course with Earth.
Its impact would have resulted in an extinction-level event. Several countries attempted to destroy the asteroid by launching missiles into it, but with no success.
When all hope seemed lost, Danny Fenton saved the day by transforming into his ghostly alter ego, Phantom. Unbeknownst to anyone.
Since then, the entire world has labeled that day as the Disasteroid incident, and Phantom has become a beloved hero, with fans, paparazzi, and reporters following his every move.
Danny, for being a C student, was happy he had the braincells not to disclose his biggest secret to the ENTIRE world that day. Confessing only to his parents, the relief flooded in as he found solace in their embrace and tearful apologies, especially from his dad.
Moreover, that incident resulted in Amity Park becoming a city without a mayor. When Mayor Vlad Masters transformed into his alter-ego, Plasmius, and made that audacious demand of complete domination on Earth, it shocked the entire world. The reaction was unanimous: contempt.
When Jack Fenton returned alone, it fueled speculation. Some believed Vlad had failed and fled, while others speculated he perished in the asteroid's wake. Regardless, the sentiment remained the same: Vlad was viewed as a selfish, greedy ghost who warranted eradication.
Anyway, when an emergency election was held on the same day, folks weren't exactly holding their breath for anything remarkable from the politicians, especially not the younger ones.
But lo and behold, Tucker Foley, Danny's best "Techy Geek" friend, swooped in and snagged the title of the youngest mayor in both Amity Park and beyond, blowing everyone's minds with his unexpected prowess.
And just a day after the chaos, Tucker dove headfirst into a massive investigation of Vlad. Within three days flat, he had all of Vlad's dirty laundry out in the open, with plenty of witnesses and victims stepping forward to corroborate the claims.
Before long, Vlad's mansion transformed into a blend of orphanage and school, catering to both orphaned children and homeless teens.
Through skillful forging, the building's expenses were fully covered under Vlad's name, solidifying its status as the Sweet Apples Courtyard.
Following government intervention, the majority of Vlad's assets were claimed, with unfortunate losses due to theft. Moreover, a portion of Vlad's remaining money will be directed towards improving city infrastructure and essential services for the underprivileged.
Lastly, under the President's order, the organization of ghost hunters, The Guys in White (GiW), had launched an investigation into Vlad's operations. Revealing their existence to the public, they declared Vlad's ghost portal destroyed in the interest of citizen safety.
Secretly, they reassembled it in their own laboratory, utilizing detailed records uncovered in Vlad's office.
Despite the exhaustion and challenges, Tucker's dedication to the citizens' welfare shines through his actions. Danny couldn't help but be impressed by his best friend's ability to transform the town so quickly.
Even Mr. Lancer acknowledged Tucker's leadership, earning him newfound respect and praise. "Pride and Prejudice, that boy will do wonders in the future!" he exclaimed.
After everything that had happened, everything got better for Danny and his friends in the end.
However, little did they know that everything would change on a Friday afternoon.
The 29th of March…
(9:36 AM, FRIDAY, MARCH 29)
RIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!!!!
As the final bell reverberated through the halls of Casper High, it signaled the end of the school week for Danny Fenton and his fellow students.
Twang!
Danny slammed his locker shut with more force than he intended. He looked exhausted, with dark circles etched beneath his eyes, and a telltale redness indicating nights of fitful sleep.
It's finally over…
Mercy, this week is nothing but hell…
I'm just glad that there were no ghost attacks this week…
Sam Manson, his goth best friend, approached him from behind, arching an eyebrow. "Looks like somebody had a rough night. Better wish it won't mess with your grades, Danny."
Danny emitted a sigh, muttering something under his breath too low for his friend to catch.
Before Sam could press further, another voice cuts into their conversation.
"Man, you're looking rougher than usual, Danny." It was Tucker, whose appearance mirrored Danny's, if not worse.
Dark circles adorned his eyes, and a weariness seemed to cloak him, keeping others – particularly students – at bay, a blessing he welcomed. Unlike Danny, he was swamped daily with paperwork and paparazzi, a far cry from what many would consider a dream job.
"Well, look who's decided to grace us with his presence," she quipped, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You've been MIA since Wednesday. Starting to wonder if you're using your Mayor status to skip exams and have Mr. Lancer just hand you perfect grades."
Tucker rolled his eyes, a half-hearted smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, you think you're hilarious, don't you, Sam? Like Mr. Lancer would fall for that." He massaged his temples, feeling the onset of a headache creeping in.
"I'm just relieved my parents managed to convince Mr. Lancer last week to let me take my exams in the office," Tucker sighed wearily.
Danny's jaw dropped in disbelief. "No way! You swore to us you wouldn't cheat!"
"I'm not cheating!" Tucker retorted. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't!"
Sam interjected, expressing her concerns. "Come on, Tucker, the Mayor's office is like a cheat code central. You have access to everything!"
Tucker sighed. "You guys know how chaotic it gets in the office. I can't step away for a minute without things going haywire. Taking exams there was the only viable option I could think of. And as for cheating, don't worry about it. Mr. Lancer personally supervised me during the exams."
"As unpleasant as it was," he mumbled under his breath, recalling his teacher lounging comfortably on the sofa, casually ordering around the butler with a book in his lap.
"Oh, so that's why he's been missing since Wednesday?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Probably. He didn't return to school even after I finished my exams," Tucker replied, rolling his eyes.
"I honestly prefer him to Ms. Trunchbull, though," Danny admitted with a shudder. "Can you imagine having a bull breathing down your neck every minute while you're solving algebra? No thanks. I'd take a bald, portly eagle watching me for an hour any day."
"How come you're here then?" Sam asked, puzzled. "Exams just finished a few minutes ago. There's no way you could have made it from the office this fast. It's a couple of hours' drive, at least! Even if you flew in on that helicopter of yours, it'll take thirty minutes."
"I took my exams here," Tucker replied. "Mr. Bladkins persuaded me to do it. He felt sorry for me and said I shouldn't be stuck in an office 'full of distractions' during exam week. Told me I ought to be with people my age and 'bring them down with me'—whatever he meant by that. So I asked Mr. Lancer to let me use a separate classroom."
Mr. Bladkins, the vice mayor of Amity Park, also serves as Tucker's mentor and trusted assistant.
"Okay, enough about me. What's up with you two?" Tucker asked, his curiosity piqued as he glanced back and forth between Danny and Sam.
Sam replied, "I was just about to bring it up before you jumped in."
She turned to look at Danny, "Well, Danny. Mind telling me what you were mumbling about earlier?"
Danny hesitated, pausing to collect his thoughts.
Ugh, now I'm truly wishing that Desiree may hear the wishes in my head...
He lamented, wishing for a convenient interruption. As he glanced at his friends, doubt gnawed at him.
Should I tell them?
Should I lie instead?
The idea of lying made him uneasy, but so did the thought of revealing everything.
It's like my parents' situation all over again.
Danny sighed in frustration, feeling the weight of history repeating itself.
After a moment of deliberation, Danny steeled himself, I'll tell them...
His resolve wavered slightly.
... The PG version, of course.
Taking a deep breath, Danny began recounting the troubles that had plagued him for the past four nights.
Sam caught on quickly, but Tucker appeared lost. His mind was already overwhelmed with paperwork and signatures, to begin with; any additional load might just cause it to combust.
It took Tucker several tries before the pieces finally clicked. "Okay, let me make sure I've got this right. You've been haunted by nightmares about... Danielle? Your clone? Starting from Monday?"
Coincidence, right? It happened during this final quarter's exam week…
Danny nodded.
"And you're just now bringing this up?" Tucker's disbelief was visible.
Because I can't exactly tell you guys what I dreamed of… It isn't child-friendly...
Danny maintained his composure as he explained, "Today's Friday, Tucker. The last day of exams for this quarter. I figured once we're done, we can finally focus on something other than scribbles and wrong answers. That's why I'm bringing this up now."
Tucker chuckled wearily, "Oh, my bad, I'm an exhausted mayor, remember?" He rubbed his eyes before asking, "So, about those nightmares... What are they about, exactly?"
Danny hesitated once more, his gaze nervously darting between Tucker and Sam. His thoughts swirled, momentarily overwhelmed by a memory of a vivid crimson hue.
Blood…
"I... I don't know how to put it," he stammered, his hands fidgeting and his feet shuffling nervously, uncharacteristic actions for him. "Well… It's, uh… Uh… You know…"
Seeing Danny's discomfort, Sam suggested, "Maybe we should head to your place? Get comfortable and talk it out there. We all know that school is the worst place to have serious conversations."
But Danny's mind was elsewhere.
Of a lab…
Of blood…
Of Danielle…
And Vlad…
"No!" His response was abrupt, catching Sam and Tucker off guard as they stared at him with wide eyes.
"I mean… I need… I really need to talk about this..."
"Alright, alright," Sam yielded, hearing the plea in his tone. "I mean, it's not like your nightmares will run away, and someone wouldn't dare try and listen in on us, but sure. Let's take our time here."
Okay…
Let's keep it PG-rated...
Danny scanned the school hallway, ensuring no one was within earshot. Once satisfied, he gathered his courage and began.
"They always started in that damned lab, Vlad's lab… There was…"
There were murders…
Nope, nope, don't think about it...
Think PG-rated...
"There was broken equipment everywhere. Chemicals had splattered everywhere. And the atmosphere, it was suffocating... It feels so vivid that I get chills every time I think about it…"
It was terrifying... There were limbs strewn about... and blood splattered across every surface...
It was sickening...
"And then... then I heard her," Danny's voice trembled with raw emotion. "Danielle's cries... her tears, her screams..."
They echo in my head… They pierced my soul like a knife… It hurt… It hurts…
"She was on the floor, and there was Vlad. He was… looming over her..." Danny paused as a flood of memories poured into his mind. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.
The haunting memories tormented him, dragging him down like sinking in quicksand.
He was drenched in blood… and green ectoplasm…
He was torturing her in and out of her ghost form…
Danny took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to regain his composure. "They were-... F-fighting, and-"
Vlad kept on stabbing her...
"Danny..."
Someone is calling him.
But in a hushed tone, Danny continued, "Danielle fought so hard, hanging on until help could come..."
Help did arrive, but...
"And Vlad? That twisted man was enjoying every moment of it!"
She was already dead…
"Danny."
"He killed her…" His body trembled, and Danny clenched his fists, nails biting into his flesh. "And me... I was there, right at the sides… I just…"
I just stood there, paralyzed, powerless to stop it, to save her…
Oh, and the rotten cherry on top? I WAS THE HELP SHE WAS CALLING FOR!
But I let her die…
His expression grew pale, mirroring the lifeless image of the girl in his dreams. "I couldn't do anything… I… I let her die," Danny confessed, his voice barely audible.
"Danny!":
I let her die…
I LET DANIELLE DIE!
"Danny, snap out of it!"
In a harrowing moment, Danny was haunted by a vision of a bloody lab with Danielle on the floor, chopped into pieces, and Vlad staring right at him, with blood dripping down his hands. "... Vlad. Vlad..."
I'm next...
He's going to kill me...
He's going to kill me...
"He's going to kill me..."
Danny's heart feels like a drumbeat in his chest, each thud echoing loudly in his ears, drowning out all other sounds.
I can't breathe... It aches...
Nausea churns in the pit of his stomach, threatening to overwhelm him as the hallway begins to sway and blur at the edges.
What's happening to me?
Danny's mind races with fear and confusion.
Sam? Tucker?
He staggers blindly, his movements frantic and uncoordinated.
No... No...
Where are you guys?
You can't die too...
Danny clutches at his chest, fingers digging into his shirt as if trying to tear the suffocating sensation from his body.
I'm going to die... I'm going to die... He cried out in his heart as his breaths came in short, ragged gasps, each one more desperate than the last.
"Danny..." Someone is calling him. "Danny."
I'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodieI'mgoingtodie-
Danny slid down onto the floor, leaning against the lockers. His hands trembled as he tries to regain control of his racing thoughts.
I'mcrazyI'mcrazyI'mcrszyI'mcryazI'mcrwzyI'mcrayz-
Suddenly, a familiar voice cuts through the fog of his panic, grounding him in the present moment.
"Danny, it's me," Sam says, her voice filled with concern. "You're having a panic attack."
Panic attack? The words send a jolt of fear through Danny's already racing heart.
Danny tries to respond, but his words catch in his throat.
He squeezes his eyes shut, willing the panic to subside, but it refuses to loosen its grip on him. Each breath feels like a struggle, the air thick and heavy in his lungs.
"I... I can't breathe," Danny manages to gasp out, his voice barely a whisper.
Tucker's voice joins in, his tone steady and reassuring. "Just focus on your breathing, man. You're gonna be okay."
Danny forces his eyes open, trying to focus on Sam and Tucker's faces through the haze. They're here. They're real. And they're alive, trying to help him.
But the panic still grips him tightly, refusing to let go. His thoughts swirl chaotically in his mind.
VladVladadBladBaldVladBaldVladBladValdVlad-He'sgoingtokillmeHe'sgoingtokillmeHe'sgoingtokillme-
"Danny, buddy, listen to me. You're safe," Tucker's voice breaks through the fog of his thoughts. "The fruit loop isn't here, he's out in space, remember? It's just us here, in school."
Danny takes a shaky breath, trying to steady himself. "Sam? Tucker?" he whispers, his voice trembling.
"Yes, that's right. We're right here, Danny," Sam says, her voice soft but firm. "Just focus on your breathing. In and out, okay?"
Danny takes a deep breath, trying to focus on the sensation of air filling his lungs. In... and out. In... and out.
His breathing gradually slows, each inhalation and exhalation coming more easily than the last. The tightness in his chest begins to loosen, replaced by a sense of calm that washes over him like a soothing wave.
Sam and Tucker exchange relieved glance.
"You okay, Danny?" Tucker asks, his voice soft but hopeful.
Danny nods, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, I think so," he says, his voice still shaky but steadier than before.
With a deep breath, Danny pushes himself to his feet, his muscles still trembling from the exertion of his panic attack.
Sam moves closer, placing a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder. "You had us worried there for a minute," she says, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"I don't know what I would've done without you two," Danny admits, his voice filled with sincerity.
He really means it, with everything in his heart.
Tucker shrugs, a lopsided grin on his face. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?"
Sam nods in agreement. "We'll always be here for you, Danny. No matter what."
Danny smiled as he picked up his fallen backpack from the floor. "You think anybody saw that?" He asked the moment he slung the backpack over his shoulder.
Tucker looked around before shrugging. "Never seen a single hair of any teachers or students since I left the classroom."
"Even if there was, I wouldn't let them see you like this." Sam added, cracking her knuckles. "Or else they'll get a taste of my fists."
As they walk down the deserted hallway, Danny can't resist poking fun at himself. "Well, I guess I can add 'hallway drama queen' to my list of hidden talents. Move over, Shakespeare, there's a new actor in town."
Sam and Tucker laugh, the sound echoing off the walls of the empty corridor.
"Hey, you certainly know how to make an exit, Danny," Sam says with a grin. "Who needs a red carpet when you've got a hallway all to yourself?"
Tucker nods in agreement. "Yeah, forget about the paparazzi. All you need is a good old-fashioned panic attack to steal the show."
Danny laughs along with them. It's moments like these that make the challenges of high school a little more bearable.
The trio finally reach the entrance of the school, greeted by the sight of the bright sunlight streaming through the doors and the cool breeze brushing against their faces. A group of students hangs out nearby, chatting and laughing as they enjoy the end of the school day.
Danny takes a deep breath of fresh air, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as he steps out of the school building. "Well, that was quite the adventure, huh? Who knew a simple walk home could turn into a Hollywood-worthy drama?"
Sam laughs, shaking her head in amusement. "Only you, Danny. Only you could turn an afternoon into a nail-biting thriller."
Tucker grins, nodding in agreement. "Just when we're about to celebrate finishing the exams, you dropped another surprise on us."
Danny chuckles as he pauses for a moment, thinking of what he should say.
"Thanks, guys," He suddenly says, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "For everything."
Tucker returns the smile with his own, while Sam reaches out to squeeze Danny's hand, much to latter's surprise. "Anytime, Danny. Anytime."
Danny grins as they walk away from the school together.
However, as they make their way towards their respective destinations, he can't shake the lingering unease in the back of his mind.
Let's just hope nothing disrupts my sleep tonight...
Danny thought to himself.
Author: Might wait another month for the next chapter, lmao. It's been a hellish month right now in the Philippines and my graduation is coming up at the end of this month. Anyway, thanks for reading!