Sequel: Destination Detonation ›
Status: Now Finished =)
Blind Photographs
Wraith
“They’re here.”
I guessed he must’ve been Phantom, because it was the only name that was mentioned that I hadn’t encountered yet. But there had been another guy in the car, so maybe it was him.
“Specter,” So it wasn’t Phantom. “You watch this one, I’ll get the kid out.”
I panicked. It had been so long. So long since I’d been with Grace and now they were taking her away again. I swung my foot at the direction of the voice. It connected with his leg, and I really hoped it was painful. I gripped Grace’s hand tighter. Someone grabbed me by the arms and I felt our hands slip apart despite my attempts. They wrapped themselves around me, leaving me to wonder desperately what was going on. They taped my mouth so I couldn’t yell to her, and from what I could guess, they taped hers too.
“Shhh, they’re not going to hurt her, she’ll be fine and you can come back with us,” Specter tried to console me but it just made me more upset. “If they hear you they’re going to take you too!” He sighed when I only thrashed more.
My bandana was sticking to my face from crying. Specter made no move to let me go, though. I heard engines start and doors slam. And that’s when I knew she was really gone. I screamed from behind the tape, wasting energy and just wanting to wake up.
“Relax, screaming and crying isn’t going to do any good, the city knows how to take care of her better than any of us,”
I stopped breathing. They handed her over to the city. Literally handed her over, just like that. Specter carefully peeled the tape back off my mouth, trying hard not to rip open my skin.
“Wraith, are you okay?” I could only guess he was referring to me. “Wraith?”
I didn’t answer. He let his arms drop and I walked calmly back o the room I woke up in, let the quilt swing across the entrance like a door, and lay down. The most disappointing part of each day was waking up, I think. I could never really remember where I was because I couldn’t see it, but then I’d smell the air, and listen and remember where I was.
“Wraith, breakfast.”
I ignored him. I had finally gotten my thoughts straight. Battery City would protect Grace, so I didn’t need to worry about her, but the guys were at the diner and I had no idea if they were alright. I tiptoed back out to where I could hear the cans of Power Pup scrape against the table. I hadn’t eaten since I’d gotten here. Thinking about what had happened would only make me throw it back up.
“What did you do with them.” It wasn’t a question, not exactly.
“Who?”
“The guys. You left Doctor Death Defying alive. What did you do with the others?”
Show Pony would have returned by now, I wish I knew what he’d found…
“Kept em down for awhile. They’re definitely up and around now.” Relief washed over me.
“Why are you keeping me here?” I asked after an uncomfortable silence.
“This is where you belong. You were one of us.”
“Was,” I repeated, slightly agitated, but mostly upset.
“Where have you been? What have you been up to? How many people have you vanished in front of?” Boo Radley demanded. “All of it. We weren’t your first pack.”
“I’ve had seven names before this,” I answered simply.
“Seven? Seven different identities?”
Suddenly I was more guilty feeling than anything else. These people had accepted me once.
“The city, the Meds, the Primaries, you guys, a different city name, Gotham, and now the Fabulous killjoys,” I admitted.
I wasn’t going to accept Wraith as my name. I’m no one’s ghost.
“Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked.” He sighed, hearing the guilt supporting my words. “Look, Wraith. You’re going to forget about that kid, she’ll live a nice life, and your fabulous killjoys will move on.”
It never occurred to me that I might’ve meant something to them, namely because I always ran. Dr. D would probably have told them the entire story by now, leaving them to think their corrupted thoughts.
The door slammed.
“Hey Phantom.”
There were still no footsteps. I’d learned why- special shoes. I had no idea what they were made of, but they muffled everything. Poltergeist fitted me with a pair too. I retreated back into the dark room.
I guessed he must’ve been Phantom, because it was the only name that was mentioned that I hadn’t encountered yet. But there had been another guy in the car, so maybe it was him.
“Specter,” So it wasn’t Phantom. “You watch this one, I’ll get the kid out.”
I panicked. It had been so long. So long since I’d been with Grace and now they were taking her away again. I swung my foot at the direction of the voice. It connected with his leg, and I really hoped it was painful. I gripped Grace’s hand tighter. Someone grabbed me by the arms and I felt our hands slip apart despite my attempts. They wrapped themselves around me, leaving me to wonder desperately what was going on. They taped my mouth so I couldn’t yell to her, and from what I could guess, they taped hers too.
“Shhh, they’re not going to hurt her, she’ll be fine and you can come back with us,” Specter tried to console me but it just made me more upset. “If they hear you they’re going to take you too!” He sighed when I only thrashed more.
My bandana was sticking to my face from crying. Specter made no move to let me go, though. I heard engines start and doors slam. And that’s when I knew she was really gone. I screamed from behind the tape, wasting energy and just wanting to wake up.
“Relax, screaming and crying isn’t going to do any good, the city knows how to take care of her better than any of us,”
I stopped breathing. They handed her over to the city. Literally handed her over, just like that. Specter carefully peeled the tape back off my mouth, trying hard not to rip open my skin.
“Wraith, are you okay?” I could only guess he was referring to me. “Wraith?”
I didn’t answer. He let his arms drop and I walked calmly back o the room I woke up in, let the quilt swing across the entrance like a door, and lay down. The most disappointing part of each day was waking up, I think. I could never really remember where I was because I couldn’t see it, but then I’d smell the air, and listen and remember where I was.
“Wraith, breakfast.”
I ignored him. I had finally gotten my thoughts straight. Battery City would protect Grace, so I didn’t need to worry about her, but the guys were at the diner and I had no idea if they were alright. I tiptoed back out to where I could hear the cans of Power Pup scrape against the table. I hadn’t eaten since I’d gotten here. Thinking about what had happened would only make me throw it back up.
“What did you do with them.” It wasn’t a question, not exactly.
“Who?”
“The guys. You left Doctor Death Defying alive. What did you do with the others?”
Show Pony would have returned by now, I wish I knew what he’d found…
“Kept em down for awhile. They’re definitely up and around now.” Relief washed over me.
“Why are you keeping me here?” I asked after an uncomfortable silence.
“This is where you belong. You were one of us.”
“Was,” I repeated, slightly agitated, but mostly upset.
“Where have you been? What have you been up to? How many people have you vanished in front of?” Boo Radley demanded. “All of it. We weren’t your first pack.”
“I’ve had seven names before this,” I answered simply.
“Seven? Seven different identities?”
Suddenly I was more guilty feeling than anything else. These people had accepted me once.
“The city, the Meds, the Primaries, you guys, a different city name, Gotham, and now the Fabulous killjoys,” I admitted.
I wasn’t going to accept Wraith as my name. I’m no one’s ghost.
“Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked.” He sighed, hearing the guilt supporting my words. “Look, Wraith. You’re going to forget about that kid, she’ll live a nice life, and your fabulous killjoys will move on.”
It never occurred to me that I might’ve meant something to them, namely because I always ran. Dr. D would probably have told them the entire story by now, leaving them to think their corrupted thoughts.
The door slammed.
“Hey Phantom.”
There were still no footsteps. I’d learned why- special shoes. I had no idea what they were made of, but they muffled everything. Poltergeist fitted me with a pair too. I retreated back into the dark room.