A sharp knock on the door woke me up in the morning. Half blinded and stumbling, I grasped the handle and turned it. Standing with a tray in hand was Peter. He wore jeans and a form fitting black T-shirt. As far as I could tell he was a normal teenager, not someone who should be tangled in all this crazy, supernatural mess.
"Here." He thrust the tray my direction. I got a hold on it before anything fell, and shot a look his way.
"What's up with you?" I asked. His eyes met mine but his expression didn't change.
I walked back into my room and set the tray on my table. The door was still open, with Peter standing there watching me. Out of common courtesy I gestured from the door to the room.
"Would you like to come in. .?" He walked in with only a small quirk of his eyebrow. I picked up the apple and twirled it between my hands. "So who's training me today? Do you have people for that or something?" I asked, taking a bite of the apple. Peter watched me curiously then leaned back against the wall.
"I am," he said. Oh... Great.
"Alright." I finished off the rest of my meal. Peter took the tray and disappeared again. He was just so weird. I didn't get it.
I was still tired despite my dreamless, undisturbed sleep. With a rather uncomfortable flop I landed back on the bed and closed my eyes. The only problem was I couldn't sleep. My mind was wired for some reason. Thoughts of all sorts rattled around in my head making sleep practically impossible. Turns out I didn't get to rest long though because Peter appeared again, except with clothes this time. He handed them to me and I changed into the outfit. It was the same as Peter's, and I began to wonder if it was a uniform. What had I gotten myself into? Ghost Catcher Boot Camp? God, I hoped not.
"Come on." We walked down the narrow hallways in silence, just like yesterday. This time we walked much longer though, taking numerous twist and turns. So many in fact, that I quickly became confused. How many right's had we taken? How many floors had we gone down in the elevator?
Peter opened a door nearly twenty minutes later. We walked in and I took in the sight of it all. It was huge! At least as long as a football field with high ceilings. The walls were lined with poles, tridents, swords, daggers, bows and arrows. Mats covered the entire floor so your feet stuck slightly when you walked across it. For lighting they had long rectangles of bulbs hung at different intervals along the ceiling.
"Okay we're going to start out simple," Peter said, walking a few feet in front of me. "With summoning the elements." I shrugged and held my palm out. I had done this before with Casey. Again I closed my eyes and concentrated. Quicker than it had last time a fire lit in my palm.
"Nice." Peter hardly looked impressed. "Now try with the others." Alright... Water. Again I pictured its color, the way it moves. This time I kept my eyes open so I was able to see a ball of water slowly form halfway between myself and Peter. Peter nodded in approval and I let the ball explode, evaporating into a thin mist. I did the same with the other two and by then Peter was looking surprised.
"I've never seen anyone so new master things so quickly. You're good." I smiled, feeling proud.
"Thanks."
"Are you ready to try something harder?" he asked, a small sparkle in his eyes. I nodded. "Okay I want you to get that sword over there. Using your powers."
"No hints as to how...?" I asked. Peter shook his head, folding his arms across his chest.
"Nope. You can do it." A frustrated sigh escaped my lips. With my eyes trained on the sword I concentrated on moving it. To my surprise it slowly started to rise into the air. My surprise caught me off guard and the object clattered to the ground. "It's okay." My frustration must have shown on my face. "It's hard on the first try. Once you practice more it'll become easier."
For the rest of the time Peter and I worked on actual fighting skills. Like I had already figured out, ghosts can be actual people. Meaning you can touch them without your hand going through their skin. I leanred the basic defensive blocks and things like that before we stopped for a break. Peter tossed me a bottle and I caught it, repulsed. The liquid was a rich red color.
"What is this?" I demanded, staring at it with scrunched eyebrows. Peter chuckled and came to stand next to me, a bottle in his hand too.
"I assure you it's not what you think it is. This is a special drink that helps to restore your powers quicker. Most Ghost Catchers keep some on them at all times, in case of emergencies," he explained. I nodded in understanding despite the fact I was still hesitant. For reassurance I watched Peter crack open his bottle and take a sip.
"It's really not that bad," he said. Slowly I twisted the top off, and took a sip. It actually wasn't that bad. It reminded me of what fruit punch tastes like.
"Interesting..." I glanced up at Peter.
"Hm?" That's when I saw it. A patch of yellow sunflowers had sprouted right out of the ground not a foot from my feet. "Did I do that?"
"Yeah. But don't worry. This stuff is strong." He shook the bottle a little before setting it down on the ground. "Alright. I think we're done for today. Bathrooms are on the second floor, second room on your right, if your curious." I swear, it's like I'm an open book to him. As of right now I was feeling pretty desperate for a shower.
"Uh, thanks. I'll see you later?" He nodded his head.
"Yeah."
I took to roaming the halls, looking for the elevator. By the time I actually did find it, I was pretty sure I did a lap or two across whichever floor I was on right now. My sense of direction isn't the best, if you couldn't tell.
Just as I was reaching for the bathroom door a hand fell onto my shoulder.
"What the- Casey?! What are you doing here?" She looked even paler than usual, and had dark circles under her eyes.
"Shush! Someone might here you!" she hissed. I glanced down the hallway, and then shoved Casey inside the bathroom.
"Now I ask again, what are you doing here?"
Casey was pacing the length of the white-tiled room.
"Things have come up. I need you back at the house. I've been trying to make your family forget but-"
"Oh NO!" I exclaimed, instantly face-palming. "My PARENTS! I completely forgot! Are they okay!?"
Now I was loosing it. I probably had a ballistic father and mother waiting for me at home, and that was enough to make my stomach drop to my feet.
"Why do you think I'm here?!" Casey yelled, her eyes wild. "I've been trying to keep them off your case but they're beginning to get suspicious. Plus, my dad very nearly squished your dad in what your parents are calling a "freak" accident. I know it was my Dad though. You need to come back. Now."
"But I still need to train and-"
"There's no time Liz! I can teach you more back home. Now come on!" Casey demanded. She grabbed onto my arm and the air suddenly seemed to leave my lungs. Everything went dark and silent. I wanted to scream but I couldn't. What was going on!?
