The Phantom Crystal

Getting Answers

My eyes snap open and I stare up at a familiar white ceiling. Sitting up, I glance around and inwardly sigh. I’m back in that bedroom from when I last spoke to the Phantom. My fingers tighten on the grey duvet as I realize that I’m alone in the room. The room is still made mostly of ice. A large dresser, wardrobe, stand-alone mirror, a large bookcase, and vanity fill the room beside the large comfortable bed. I shoot a glance toward the only door in the room.

Would the Phantom get mad if I just take a look around? This room is inside the crystal right? Is that why everything appears to be made of ice?

Cautiously, I climb out of bed, my lips pursing as I notice that I’m in my pajama of a plain white shirt and plaid black and grey pants. My bare feet hit the ice-like floor causing a shiver to shoot through me. Rubbing my forearms, I slowly work my way around the room. I pause near the bookcase.

Books created of ice rest on the shelves and I can just barely make out words written on the spine. Nothing that I recognize and nothing that really strikes my fancy so I quickly move on to the vanity. The surface is made of cloudy ice with only a single brush resting there, waiting to be used. I shoot my reflection a look, the mirror part of the vanity a little frosted over near the edges. I sigh when my black hair sticks up in awkward angles and my white bangs are parted in a rather unfortunate spot. Grumbling, I run my fingers through my hair as I continue on to the stand-alone mirror. The mirror is much taller than I am, standing at least 10 feet tall. Just like the vanity mirror, the edges frosted over but there is a fern-like design etched into the frame of the mirror. I reach out and lightly drag a finger over the designs. A shiver shoots up my arm from the coolness hitting the tip of my finger and I quickly drop my finger.

My eyes lift to my hair once more, smiling at the somewhat tamed locks. I turn toward the wardrobe.

“I hope you are not planning on going through my clothes.”

A yelp escapes me as the deep voice of the Phantom filters into the room. Spinning around, heat spreads across my cheeks and ears as I spot Phantom leaning in the doorway. Bright red eyes stare back, a sharp smirk on the older male’s face. His white hair is slicked back from his face and he is wearing a dark navy blue suit and a light grey button-down shirt with the top three buttons undone. His black dress shoes click on the floor as he walks toward me. He stops before me, eyes flickering up and down. I shift uncomfortably, feeling grossly under-dressed next to this supernatural being.

“I wasn’t gonna go through your clothes,” I blurt out when silence falls over us causing the Phantom to lift a white eyebrow. “I just wanted to look at the design on the surface. I didn’t get to see much when I was last here.”

The Phantom hums. “I guess that’s understandable. Although, I did not expect you to come back so soon. Miss me?”

I splutter as the supernatural being purrs the last sentence at me and I glare at him.

“N-No! Don’t flatter yourself. I actually wanted to come here and chew you out for not telling me that you are ALSO riding around inside of me.” I place my hands on my hips. “You could have at least warned me and not have some random ghosts telling about that.”

The Phantom shrugs, a nonchalant expression crossing his face.

“I did not think it was all that important at the moment.”

Annoyance spikes within me as my hands clutch into fists.

“Not important? NOT IMPORTANT?! You didn’t think I would like to know that one of the CREATORS of the Ghost Dimension is hitching a ride inside my body? That his sister might possibly come after me who is also a CREATOR of the Ghost Dimension?” I snap, poking the taller being in the chest as a look of surprise flashes across his face. “You didn’t think I would like to know about that? Or that I would find out? Were you waiting for her to just find me and THEN you were gonna mention it? I might not have remembered the first meeting very well but I certainly remember our last one and you could have warned me.”

I bite my tongue when the word ‘asshole’ nearly slips past my lips. I might want to chew him out, but insulting the spirit who is currently inside me and possibly able to manipulate the crystal inside me. I really don’t want to deal with that unbearable cold again.

“And who told you about my sister?” The Phantom asks, his tone suspiciously light. I narrow my eyes at him.

“A poltergeist named Max who lives nearby.” I purse my lips. “But I’m pretty sure that the three librarians and that janitor know about her too.” Or know about some other threat that might come my way.

The Phantom pinches the bridge of his nose. “So that is where the little troublemaker vanished too. He just does not know how to keep his mouth shut.” The Phantom runs a hand over his gelled back hair, peering down his nose at me. “Well then. I should have known that you were going to try and find answers to all of this, seeing as who you are related to.”

I cross my arms and turn my nose up.

“Of course I was going to find answers. My main source of information was being ANYTHING but helpful.”

“And you would much rather that I am the one to provide this information to you?” The Phantom asks, his tone playful. “I thought you humans preferred to seek out answers on your own?”

I huff at him, rubbing my arms to keep my hands from going numb like my feet are slowly becoming.

“I mean, it is directly affecting YOU and ME so, yeah, I would kinda like it if I could gain all of this knowledge from my main source, not from secondhand, possibly unreliable, sources.”

I jump when cool fingers grasp my elbow and steer me back toward the bed. The Phantom smirks at me as he nudges me to sit on the bed once more.

“Well, first of all, let us have you back in this bed. Had I known you were coming to visit, I would have prepared extra, WARMER clothes for you.” The Phantom pulls back the covers and pushes me back underneath them. I glare at him but he merely ignores me as he sits on the corner of the bed. “Secondly, I would be more than happy to answer your questions since I now know what lengths you are going to for them. Although,” the Phantom pauses to turn a critical crimson eye on me. “I would much rather prefer you NOT leave campus again to meet up with a random spirit. Max might be harmless, however, not all spirits who originate from the Ghost Dimension are quite as…relaxed. Especially where the subject of me and my siblings are concerned. But I do ask one favor in return for answering these questions.”

My eyes roll up to the ceiling. Another favor? And riding around inside my chest isn’t enough of a favor for him?

“I’m not fully saying ‘yes’ just yet but I’ll bite. What’s the favor?”

The Phantom chuckles as he reaches out and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“It is nothing overly big. I just merely would like permission to occupy your body.”

My eyebrows knit together in confusion as I drop my gaze back to the other being.

“’Occupy my body’? But aren’t you already doing that?”

The Phantom makes a so-so gesture.

“Not necessarily. While, yes, I am currently trapped within this crystal, which in a sense, is now trapped inside of you, I can still create a form outside of the crystal. I just cannot go more than a couple feet from the crystal otherwise I get sucked right back in. However, if I occupy the host’s body that houses my crystal, I do not have to worry about leaving my crystal around. It might also be for your benefit if I am allowed to occupy your body.”

A weird and tingling sensation drops into my gut when the Phantom places a hand on my knee and SQUEEZES. My ears burn as I glance from his hand to his face and I narrow my eyes.

“And how would I benefit from that? You wouldn’t try to just take complete control over my body, would you?”

The Phantom laughs, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

“Oh, no, absolutely not. I, unfortunately, do not hold the capability to do such a thing in the current state that I am in. A lot of my power has been locked inside this crystal, so even if I did attempt to do so, I would lose energy after about five days or so.” The Phantom smooths down his shirt. “No, what I WOULD be able to do, is provide you with better access to the powers I DO have access to and with me out and able to help you, you will stand a MUCH better chance of surviving in case a dweller of the Ghost Dimension decides to pay you a visit.”

I massage my palm with my thumb, thinking over his words. It would be kind of nice to know that I will have some sort of protection if I’m suddenly attacked. I don’t think just making extra snow and ice patches are really going to do much to an angry spirit wanting to rip the crystal out of my chest. My nose scrunches. But then again, this can end very, VERY badly for me. Mom and Dad have always warned us about granting unknown entities access to our bodies. To NEVER open ourselves up for a possession of ANY kind.

“And all you would be able to do is appear?” I ask, my stomach turning in worry. “Or how would this work?”

A flicker of hope shines in the Phantom’s eyes before he clears his throat and the flicker vanishes. I frown. How long has he been trapped in here without having true access to the outside world?

“So, I would only appear to you, for the most part, a see-through apparition if you will. I will speak directly into your head to which you can respond either aloud or mentally. And I will share the space within your body. It will probably feel as though a light blanket is draped over you. So, not exactly what a possession is like.”

I nod slowly, processing what the Phantom is saying.

“So, I would be able to feel you inside of me?” I ask. “That when you exit the crystal, I would be able to tell?”

A dark, predatory smirk flashes on the Phantom’s face as he reaches out and rests a hand on my cheek.

“Oh, you will be able to feel me inside of you all right. In more ways than one if you desire.”

“Oh, shut up,” I mutter, embarrassment and a small twinge of shyness shooting through me. “You know what I mean.”

“Of course,” the Phantom says, purring as he drops his hand to the side of my throat as I shift uneasily. “But, yes, you will be able to tell when I exit the crystal. So, no nasty surprises. The rest will be much easier for me to show you rather than try and explain it.” His fingers flex and rub at my skin. “So, what do you say, little one? Willing to indulge me in this one little favor?”

I bite my lip. Honestly, it doesn’t sound THAT bad. Granting him access to the outside world through me. And, if I was in his shoes, wouldn’t I also ask for this small favor of freedom?

“And you promise to answer my questions? ALL of my questions?”

“I promise to answer ALL of your questions,” the Phantom states softly, his crimson eyes piercing as we stare at each other.

My thumb digs into my palm as I think it over one last time. Everything that my folks taught me is screaming for me NOT to do this, but a smaller voice is encouraging me. Sagging, I sigh. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

“All right. I grant you permission to occupy my body.”

My body tenses when the Phantom tightens his hold on my neck and pulls me closer to him. Our noses are nearly touching as he grins down at me, his warm breath hitting my face when a harsh chill courses through my body. My breath hitches as I shiver.

“Thank you, little one,” he says quietly as I stare at him with wide eyes. “You will not regret it.”

I nod, dazedly as he leans away but keeps his hand where it is, rubbing his thumb up and down near my pulse point as the chill slowly subsides. My hand presses against my chest, my heart pounding. Dear lord. What have I just gotten myself into? My eyes refocus on the Phantom. He smirks at me.

“So, about these questions of yours…”

I bite the inside of my cheek. This better be worth it.