The Amity Park Haunting

A Grave Mistake Part 2: Checking In

Back at home, we all settle in to the living room, an uncomfortable tension in the air. "Did you guys know that Mayor Montez was gonna do that?" My parents don't answer me. "Did you even ask Dash what he thought about it?"

"The mayor said that he agreed to train as a ghost hunter so that he could take his father's role as Ghost Slayer," Mom explains. "That reminds me, we have to tell you guys something—" My phone rings, interrupting the conversation. When I check the caller id, I see that it's Sam's number.

"I should take this," I say.

"But honey," Mom starts, but Dad stops her.

"Let him talk to his friends honey," he says. "We can tell him later." I nod a thanks to him before turning and heading up to my room.

"Hey Sam," I say as I pick up the phone.

"Danny!" Her voice rings out on the other end of the line.

"Hey Danny," Tucker's more calm and subdued voice calls out to me as well.

"You're both there?"

"Of course we are!" Sam shouts, trying to comfort me. "How are you doing?"

"Yeah, we watched the ceremony on tv..." Tucker sounds apprehensive as he says this.

"Yeah, that was..." I try to find the right words. "A mess, really. I can't believe that they would make Dash take up ghost hunting just so that he could take Jason's place."

"I can't believe that they would make Dash of all people have any sort of responsibility," Tucker snarks. "The only thing he is responsible for is maintaining his popularity."

"And all he has to do to do that is beat you up in the halls, Danny," Sam adds.

"That's true," I sigh, letting a moment of silence pass over us. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"What? Why?" Sam asks.

"It's just..." I pause, unsure. "I just don't understand why I don't feel anything. I'm supposed to be sad, or angry, or hurt, but I just feel... fine."

"That's not weird Danny," Sam explains. "Some people handle grief differently. And considering how distraught the people are around you, it isn't surprising that you might feel the need to be strong for everyone else's sake."

"Just make sure that you don't cover it up when you do feel something, okay?" Tucker sounds concerned, for good reason. I've always had the tendency to bottle up my feelings.

"Have you talked with Dash yet?" Sam asks, breaking the silence.

"No," I groan. "He doesn't want to talk to me. Of course he doesn't. But I guess I'm just wondering what he's gonna do now. Where he's gonna go, how he's gonna train to be a ghost hunter, you know."

"Yeah." The conversation dies with Sam's words and I suddenly realize how tired I am as I release a yawn.

"We should let you go," Tucker says.

"See you tomorrow Danny," Sam says and ends the call. Tomorrow we have school again. I haven't thought much about the future since these events took place, but I can't help but wonder what things are going to be like now.

That night, the time I spend sleeping blows by in a breeze, and when I wake I still don't feel rested. I manage to pull myself out of bed after the fifth time pressing snooze, then patter around the room getting dressed for the day, trying to avoid looking at my reflection as much as possible, until I make my way into the bathroom with its wall of mirrors forcing me to stare at myself. Putting aside the fact that I have messy hair and eyebags, I just look pale and sickly, something that I hope will go away as I start my day. I take my things down stairs, meeting up with my mother and father who are sitting in the living room.