The Phantom Crystal

A Partial Lie

“We’re going to call your parents.”

Everything slows down after Ian’s words. 

Call my parents? CALL MY PARENTS?! Why would that solve anything? That’s just going to lead to further problems! First, they’re gonna ask why I didn’t call them right away! Then they’re also going to want to see the tapes of what happened in the tunnel and, OF COURSE, they’ll instantly know that I wasn’t being completely truthful! Because, hello, Phantom was LITERALLY flying around while WEARING MY FACE and how would I explain that one away? They’ll instantly know that it was a possession and see me using ice and snow powers with white bangs. If they find out that I’ve allowed Phantom to possess my body outside of the crystal then they’ll want to run tests. And if they run tests, they’ll find out about the crystal. And if they find out about the crystal, they’ll want to take said crystal out! And if they take the crystal out of me, I’ll lose my chance of helping Phantom escape said crystal! And I can’t allow that! I just can’t! Phantom will still be in trouble and who knows what other poor person will get stuck with Phantom’s crystal inside of them. And what if Lux finds them? Would they be able to defend themselves? Would THEY allow Phantom to possess their body and let him fight off that insane bounty hunter so that they both can continue living? 

I doubt it. Not everyone has grown up around ghosts and entities and would be ease with one inside of their body. I mean, even I’M not comfortable all the time having Phantom inside of me but I, at least, understand the basics of the Ghost Dimension and its inhabitants as to not completely freak out. 

‘And I’m pretty sure I’m the longest living host Phantom has had in a really long time,’ I think, throat tightening with panic as my heart pounds. ‘And if Ian’s reaction to me asking about the Phantom is any indicator, I’m pretty sure Mom and Dad are gonna FLIP if they find out that he’s the entity inside of me.’ 

My hands shake as I twist the fabric of my jacket in my fists. 

They can’t find out. They can’t find out. They can’t find out. They can’t---

My silent mantra screetches to a halt when a large warm hand presses against my cheek, fingers just long enough to curl under my chin and force my head up. A look of concern and disbelief shines down at me from Ian’s eyes as he scans my face.

“Jackie, calm down,” Ian says quietly, his voice rumbling in his chest that he still has me pressed up against. “Deep breathes. We don’t need you passing out from hyperventilating.”

Deep breathes? I’m not having any problems breathing. What on earth is he talking about?

“Love, sweet,” Jim’s voice tugs me away from Ian’s gaze. “You’re shaking like a leaf and weren’t responding to us. We’re just worried is all.” Jim lifts a hand to brush some of my bangs from my eyes. “You just went through a very traumatic experience. It was scary. It’s STILL scary. But we’re gonna help you through it. All right?”

Dropping my gaze, I chance a look back at Ian. He’s watching me intently and I can just see the cogs working in that mind of his. 

‘Probably trying to work out why I was...Panicking.’ I resist the urge to flinch. Ian and Jim would get the wrong idea if I flinched right now and all I really want is to head back to my dorm with some food, take a nap, maybe see if I can check on Phantom, and then sleep the rest of the day away. Classes be damned. 

“Jack?”

Tensing, I glance up at Ian. His frown is deep and the crease between his eyebrows tells me just how troubled he is by whatever thought he just had.

“Y-Yeah?”

Ian’s eyes narrow at my stammer but he doesn’t call me out on it. Instead, he rubs my cheek with his thumb, as if hoping to calm me down.

“Why do you not want us to get your parents involved? They have a right to know about this.” The dark shadow returns to Ian’s face and for a split second, I thought I saw his eyes flash before he continues. “You were ATTACKED. On school grounds. Your parents need to know about this. And considering that you were attacked by a ghost, they are the best qualified to help me get rid of this bounty hunter before he can inflict any more damage to you than he already has. Even if it wasn’t you who Lux went after and it was another student, I would still think of calling them. This is what they do. This is their entire livelihood. They would be our best bet on capturing Lux and returning him to the Ghost Dimension.”

My shoulders hunch up to my ears and my eyes land on the carpet to my right.

He’s right. If it was any other student, I, must likely, would have been the one to volunteer on calling my parents to help solve this problem. But with it involving me, well, I know that Mom and Dad are going to take this a whole lot personal and go above and beyond their normal above and beyond just to set all of this right. 

The office is silent as the two older males wait for my answer. And, well, I’m waiting on a believable answer to give them. I can’t just tell them the real reason. For starters, Ian will be beyond pissed if he learns about Phantom being inside of me. And secondly, I barely know Jim. I have no idea if he holds the same sentiment about the Phantom as Ian does and while he seems like a rather trustworthy guy, how do I know that he won’t try to get the Phantom’s crystal himself? 

I grimace at such a dark thought, briefly wondering where that came from. After a second, I sigh and shake my head as I rub my hands together.

“I...I don’t know. Lux...He’s a whole different breed of ghost, ya know? He…” I drag in a deep breath, wishing my pounding heart to calm down before Ian takes notice. “He has his own set of weapons, Ian. He had actual GUNS. It’s how I got most of these bruises. They weren’t normal guns with bullets. They were more like energy bullets, ya know?” I shake my head, pressing my forehead against Ian’s shoulder. “I’m pretty sure Mom and Dad have never gone up against a ghost who had their own toys to play with. Poltergeists who can throw objects at us and drag us across the floor or throw us across the room? Certainly. But actual weapons that can rival what MOM makes to capture ghosts? I don’t think so.” I pause for a second before quietly adding. “And the thought that he could hurt them just as much as he hurt me or worse, scares me, Ian.”

The sharp inhale of breath tells me that Ian heard me and his arms tighten around me. Movement to my left and the shuffling of clothes tells me that Jim is now standing instead of squatting. His hand travels from my arm up to the back of my neck and he kneads the muscles gently until my shoulders relax.

“Then, we’ll just have to watch the footage, now won’t we?” Jim states, an air of confidence and determination penetrating through the solemn cloud that has been resting above us. I peek out at Jim and the Brit offers me a smile. “That way we know what we’re working with and how to combat against it. Besides, I’m sure your parents would never back down from such a challenge. Not when something precious of theirs is the main target.” Jim winks at me.

Heat floods my cheeks but I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. He just sounds so confident and sure of my parents and their abilities that I can’t help but feel warmed by his words. Like he truly believes that my parents will know exactly what to do when they see just what weapons Lux used. 

‘Only, they’ll also see just how I got away as well.’ 

There really is no way around this, huh? I’ll just deal with that bridge when it comes. But for right now? I have to give in. If I keep fighting, it’ll just make everything worse. And probably make Ian suspicious.

Sighing, I nod.

‘He’s gonna find out anyways, so might as well just get it over and done with.’ 

Ian cards a hand through my hair and kisses the top of my head.

“Don’t worry, Jackie,” Ian states. “I’ll make the phone call and tell Skip and Ken what happened. Then I’ll ask security about gaining that footage. Okay? That way you don’t have to worry about anything but us asking some more questions. Sound good?”

Once again, I nod, not trusting my voice right now. Jim squeezes the back of my neck gently one last time before dropping his hand.

“Then I think we’ve got some work to do,” Jim states. “Mind if I help with reviewing the footage, Ian?”

“Not at all. More eyes the better.”

My heart hits my stomach but I keep my face hidden away as the two olde males talk. I know that it’s childish and that I’m 19 now and I should be able to handle this better. But for right now, I just want to pretend that everything I’ve gone through these past two weeks hasn’t happened, that I’m not about to be exposed as a huge liar with one of the most dangerous entities from the Ghost Dimension inside of me. I just want to pretend that maybe, just maybe everything will be back to normal.