Phantom of the Apartment

Pedal to Metal

     The car lurched forward and sped off down the street. Rebecca swerved dangerously back and forth between cars, weaving her way though traffic and narrowly avoiding certain death. Jason gripped the handle on the side of the door with a white-knuckled grip, whispering a strange mixture of curses and prayers that he doubted sounded coherent. Rebecca took a corner at a what was probably double the speed limit and Jason screamed, coming to a firm conclusion.

     Rebecca was not a good driver.

     She looked over and shouted over the wind and roaring engine. "You alright?"

    He shot her a glare that he was pretty sure conveyed exactly how awful he was feeling before going back to fighting down his nausea. Oh god. He could feel something tugging at the edge of his mind. It was like an insistent itch, demanding attention. No. No no no no not right now. But it would not be denied. The car shuddered as it raced around another corner. His vision flashed, and suddenly he was driving down another street.

Jason could see rain streaking down the windshield, feel his clothing stick to his skin. His vision was blurry, the snow on the side of the road appearing a formless white blob. He took a corner a little too fast. The road ahead glistened in the moonlight, revealing the layer of ice that coated it. He tried desperately to jerk the steering wheel and escape.

     The scene vanished and he found himself sitting in a different car on a sunny day, a very concerned ghost looking at him from the drivers seat. "What's wrong?"

     "Focus on the road!" he shouted, and Rebecca swerved around another car. His breath came in fast gasps. He shut his eyes, hoping maybe that would stop the scene from playing again, tugging him back in time.

     "Look," Rebecca said in a voice that was almost soothing. "I know you don't like driving, but--" he scoffed and opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment the car drifted around a corner, screeching in protest. That shut Jason right up. "But remember why we're doing this. Thomas is in danger. He needs us."

     "If we survive this, I'll kill him myself," Jason vowed.

     Rebecca grinned. "That's the spirit, Jason!"

Jason decided to focus all his energy on breathing, since forgetting to do so would only worsen the situation. Come on, Jace. In, out. In, out. You know how breathing works. You've only been doing it your whole life. In, out. In, o-- Rebecca took another turn far too fast and his eyes snapped open. And, once again, as he watched the car drift dangerously around the corner, the present gave way to the past.

The car spun wildly out of control, the world turning to blurs of color. Christmas lights on rooftops became streaks and flashes across his vision, the houses a strange wall of darkness. He tried to regain control, but there was nothing he could do but watch helplessly as the car screeched along the road toward--

His phone rang. He hastily grabbed at it, blinking phantom Christmas lights from his vision. "Hello?" Jason shouted into the speaker, trying to be heard over the roar. "Thomas, is that you?"

"Erm, no. Sorry to disappoint," said an accented, musical voice. "Should I call back another time?"

"Ronan?" Rebecca's eyes shot over before flicking back to the road.

"As in, like, barista-note-ghost Ronan?"

"Barista-note-ghost Ronan?" Ronan asked, sounding amused. "I've been called many things, but I must admit that one is new."

Jason tried to focus on the conversation, tearing his attention from the agonizing drive. "H-how did you get my number?"

"Trial and error. What is wrong with your friend?"