YAY! I made a promise on DA a few months ago that I wouldn't do a certain type of story next… and I'm keeping it! I can't tell you what that 'type' of story was, 'cause it'll take the fun out of the ending, but I'm willing to say that I stuck to my promise.
Kinda short – only five parts, but five GOOD parts. A tiny prologue, three decent-sized chapters, and the tiniest epilogue you are going to read… ever. Revolving first-person point of view, so make sure you pay attention to the names at the beginning of each part. But you should be able to figure out who's talking anyways. :D This is all written AND uploaded, so I'll stick one part up each day or two… depending on internet access and my memory.
Summary: Pre-Phantom Planet. When Danny's friends vanish to various summer camps and he's left alone with his prying parents, Danny has to work hard to keep his secret safe. Unfortunately, when he finally does get captured by his mother, she's got a secret of her own to confess. One that will change Danny's entire life.
Usual Warning: some content in this story may not be suitable for all readers. Angst, darkness, depressing situations, and in-depth emotions are explored below.
Surgeon General's Warning: Readers have a 93 percent chance of developing HurtTheAuthor-itis at some point during this four-part story (namely the end of chapter three... where I really DID get hurt by my beta). The government recommends seeing a convenient pillow for pummeling rather than searching the author out. Please note that she prefers torches and high-quality shovels to manure-covered pitchforks in most situations if you do travel to Minnesota. Thank you.
In The Way
A Danny Phantom FanFiction by Cordria
Prologue
--Danny
I stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen, my vision blurred from the tears. I didn't really know what was going on and I couldn't remember what had happened. All I knew what that I had to get away from it. I couldn't stay in my room with it anymore.
My parents were sitting at the kitchen table. They were eating supper – a supper that I had skipped out on. Mom looked up when I entered the room. "Phantom?" she asked softly, concern in her voice.
It was the sound of her voice that drew me to look up and meet her eyes. Instantly, a wave of disgust blew through me. Of course she was worried about Phantom. She didn't know.
I blinked at her a few times, trying to clear the tears from my eyes. All I succeeded in doing was knocking them loose from my eyes and letting them trickle down my cheek. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to…"
Mom smiled gently at me. "It's okay."
Dad pushed a chair out and asked me to sit down and talk. I just shook my head. "I'm sorry," I repeated. Turning my gaze down to the ground, I watched one of my tears sparkle against the linoleum.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. Mom was looking at me strangely, her eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
I glanced back at the stairs that led upstairs. She followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing as she contemplated what secrets the stairs might hold. I trembled slightly as I repeated the only thing I could think of to say. "I'm sorry."
Mom had finally caught on. Her eyes widened. "Danny?"
I nodded slightly. My throat was closed up. I couldn't talk. Not even to say those two precious words. Those two words that meant so much.
She pushed me out of the way as she raced up the stairs. Dad almost knocked me over as he followed her, his bulk making the floor rattled and creak. I stood there in the kitchen, shimmering tears trickling down my pale cheeks as I realized what had just happened. I was alone. Again. They had left me.
They didn't really care about Phantom. In the end, what does Phantom have over Danny? Nothing. After everything I had done, I was still in the way.
I sank to the floor and buried my face in my hands, finally giving in to the pain that was racing through me. Nobody cared. No matter what I did, I was just in the way.
Only now I could remember very clearly why it was upstairs in my room.
To be continued…
Up next: Chapter 1 – Meetings. Should be up tomorrow!
Thanks for reading and reviewing! Signed reviewers get previews and everybody gets cookies. :D
-Cori