Phantom of a Good Thing

Reflection

“Test 028.1, subject 3294: Daniel Fenton: human.” The agent logged on the other side of glass, but Danny could hardly pay any attention.

All of his energy was being used to hold his breath. He just had to hold on until the test was over. That was how it always went, they would continue the test until he was on the verge of death. They wouldn’t kill him just yet, they weren’t that kind.

His vision was blurring and his focus was slipping. He faintly heard someone complaining about boredom. What was he trying so hard to stop again? Why was he causing himself so much discomfort? He gave up his hold. Water rushed into his lungs and then everything went black.

Danny awoke slowly, glancing around before looking below him. He was dangling above the same vat of water he was just in, this time as Phantom.

“Test 028.2, subject 3294: Daniel Fenton: ecto-entity.”

-

Danny sat up quickly, water in the tub sloshing from the movement. He must have fallen asleep. Suddenly not wanting to spend any more time in the, now lukewarm, water, Danny pulled the plug. After biting the woman’s hand, he lost his appetite and was offered a bath while they treated her hand. He wondered how dense these people had to be to not only not notice his fangs, but also the ginormous vivisection scar on his torso. Although, it was possible they had noticed, but didn’t want to scare him off before selling him back to the government.

He sighed and sat on the edge of the tub, watching the little whirlpool form over the drain as he grabbed a towel. He wished he could stay here, he wished he could go home, he wished her could see his parents, or his sister, or his friends… but he couldn’t. The G.I.W. knew who he was and where he would go.

Danny glanced behind him, expecting something to jump out at him, and then ran his hand through his newly cleaned hair. He thought his hair would never untangle, but with the strength of Melody and her hair brush, they managed to get it done. After checking them thoroughly (just in case), he began slipping on the comfortable clothes given to him by Melody who was about his size and wore fairly gender-neutral clothes. He found he was having quite a hard time dressing himself, he hadn’t changed clothes in who knows how long and especially not when he was down a few limbs.

It took him an embarrassing amount of time to get fully clothed before transferring himself over to the wheely stool they left for him. He looked up at the list written on the mirror suggested by Lily? Laura? Once again embarrassed that he had forgotten basic hygiene.

“Right, teeth.” He said to himself before picking up the new toothbrush on the counter, once again checking it over and sniffing the toothpaste before tentatively putting it in his mouth.

He wondered why this group of ghost hunters was going to such lengths for a filthy, traumatized teen they found in the woods. Maybe his first guess was correct and they were just stalling for the G.I.W. to come pick him up. It didn’t really matter if they meant well or not, he couldn’t risk being seen by anyone else.

“But…” He muttered, unlocking the door and pushing himself out into the hallway.

A shrill shriek bounced off the walls causing Danny to fall backwards off the stool. He looked wildly around before his eye settled on the man in the leather jacket cradling his toe.

“What happened?!” The blond man (...Erin?) cried as he ran into the hall.

He may have been large, but the other two smacking into him at full speed, in addition to the man curled up on the ground, caused him to lose balance. All four of them ended up tumbling to the ground in the cramped hallway.