The Specter Gem Chronicles

Where did the world go wrong? The question me and Monty have found each other asking multiple times. Other questions included: Did we deserve this torment? Where are Mom & Dad? Do we have any other choices instead of living in the apocalypse? WHAT CAUSED ALL THIS? And to that I say: We don’t know how it happened. But this is our normal now, constantly running in fear from all sorts of dead things, demons and such. Monty says it’s ghosts, but I know it’s demons.

“I know it’s ghosts! Those things don’t have pupils, ghosts don’t have pupils, demons do have pupils!” Monty cried, trying to prove his point to his older sister, Miranda. The two had been living in this nightmare together for a little while, more accurately, 3 years. Monty was a young 14-year-old who knew about freedom, and living in the apocalypse, that was about as free as anyone could make it. He had raggedy red hair, a torn, dark blue shirt, and black denim shorts.

“What makes you think they’re ghosts if they’re not demons?” Miranda retorted. She was the more sensible of the two and is the more overprotective of the two. Miranda has chocolate brown hair, which she put into a ponytail so it would not get in her face, and kept a heart-shaped locket around that had a picture of her and Monty’s parents; James & Penny Smith. She wore a black tank-top, and wore a red jacket to cover the wounds from one of her so-called demons and dark blue jeans. Whilst the two were arguing about demons and ghosts, Monty’s sensitive hearing caught word of some of his “ghosts”.

“DUCK!!” Monty shouted. And in the nick of time, they got out of the way just as the wraiths swooped to try and grab Miranda. One of the wraiths tried to attack again, this time, trying to grab Monty. Miranda pulled a bat out of her bag and swat at it, injuring its wing. Enraged, the creature roared, and Miranda plunged the bat into the wraith’s mouth, severing it’s vocal cords. The other wraith flew off, leaving the injured one to the siblings.

“What do we do with it?” Monty asked. “Cut it up and eat it for dinner? Oh, we eat this with some carbonated water and have a belching contest.”

“I’m up for a belching contest,” Miranda grinned. “but right now let’s think about how we’re going to kill it.” But as they looked back, the wraith had disappeared, leaving a trail of some black liquid behind.

“Well, who’s right now, shorty?” Miranda smirked. “It bled. Boom, demon.”

“Just because it bled, doesn’t mean it’s a demon. It could still be a ghost.” Monty sneered, obviously trying to convey his point. “It could also be a wraith, they bleed. I should know, stabbed one in the gut while you weren’t looking.”

Miranda looked at the time on her watch.

“Looks like we have to head back. You need to get something to eat or you’ll starve.” Miranda said, poking Monty’s stomach.

“Before I starve?! Look at you, sis!” Monty screamed. “I can see your ribs, and for you, that shouldn’t be possible!!”

“Oh, is that right?” Miranda snickered. Monty saw her face make a twisted grin. She pointed to his stomach.

“You know what? Forget I said anything.” Monty grumbled. “I’ll get my own food. And I’ll get a lot of food so you gain a couple pounds.”

Monty strolled down the empty streets of the city of Hollywood, heading back with the food, grumbling the whole way.

“Stupid Miranda, thinking she’s mom. She’s not mom, she’s my sister. I can take care of myself- AH WRAITH!!” Monty shut his eyes tightly. The creature heard him scream and stumbled toward him, bearing its teeth. Suddenly, its eyes and tongue stuck like a cartoon character after being hit on the head with a frying pan. As the wraith fell to the ground, Monty saw a figure holding what seemed to be the aforementioned frying pan.

“Good golly, you okay there, pal?” said the figure. Monty pulled out the sword he had stolen from a busted down armory.

“Who are you?! Tell me, demons!” Monty cried, but he soon started to calm down when he walked closer to see that the figure was a small cartoon dog. He had freckles protruding from his snout. He also wore blue, stout overalls and little black shoes.

“Nice to meet ya, buddy! My name’s Donald. That’s my brother, Douglas.” said the dog. Another cartoon dog appeared behind Monty, but he wasn’t as cheery as Donald. Douglas didn’t have freckles on his snout, and had a single fang protruding from his mouth. He wore red shorts, the only thing that was between the two, was the fact that he had black shoes. Douglas jumped when he saw Monty.

“Donny! Get away from him!” Douglas shouted. But before he could, Donald noticed something from the corner of his eye.

“That bat thing’s gone.” Donald whimpered. He, soon, noticed something glowing in the dirt. He walked and unburied it, spraying dirt all over Monty and Douglas.

“Blech. Dude, my sister just gave me a bath, could you please stop that?!” Monty growled. Donald gasped when he uncovered what was buried underneath.

“Ooh. Shiny candy.” Donald took a chomp at the relic with an ear-piercing clank. The relic shook around screaming and flailing.

“Unhand me, fiend!” Donald jumped when the relic yelled. He ran behind Monty, cowering in fear.

“What do we do, Mr. Man?” Donald asked Monty. Without thinking, Monty picked up the rock, searching it. He ran back down the path he was taking.

“Miranda! I found something and a couple of people!” Miranda noticed Monty, Donald, and Douglas running down the path. Donald saw Miranda and screeched to a halt, jaw dropped. his ears formed into a heart as his cheeks turned tomato red. Miranda walked to the group with a confused look on her face.

“What’s going on? Who are they?” Miranda inspected the two cartoon dogs, once she was satisfied with what she was looking at, Monty introduced her to Donald and Douglas.

“Aw, they’re so cute. Where did you little cuties come from?” Miranda asked, squeezing Donald’s cheeks. “I like this one.”

“Well, thank you, miss.” said Donald, blushing up a storm. “We came from Willow Grove, just past Shadow’s Gorge.” Miranda took a step back, a little shocked.

“Did he just talk?” She asked. Monty groaned.

“ They both do. Almost constantly. We, also, found this thing.” Monty lifted the rock to where Miranda can see it. The rock took a deep breath.

“Good evening, young miss.” The rock said, but after it did, Miranda screamed and tossed it. She took a deep breath and calmed down.

“Did you bring something that doesn’t talk?” Miranda groaned. Monty handed her a four-foot meatball sub. The rock felt insulted.

“Excuse me, I could be the very answer to your dilemma! Should we be able to find Phantom, of course. I am the Time Stone. The very relic that keeps your world and their world separate, to keep both timelines maintained.” The rock explained. “I, also, keep Phantom’s gem, The Specter Gem, at bay. Something must have awakened the Specter Gem to cause all of this to happen.”

“Um, back up.” Miranda commanded. “What does the Specter Gem do exactly?”

“It destroys worlds, corrupts them, even, and only one person has the gem in their possession, and that is, big shocker, Phantom.” Time Stone explained. Monty and Miranda exchanged glances of worry. Donald and Douglas looked at them, fear in Donald’s eyes as he walked over to hug Miranda, Douglas sat back calm and cool.

“Hey, don’t worry.” Douglas said. “Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Cornelius the Cat and Sparticus the Spaniel wandered around the large airship for what seemed like hours.

“Uh, Phantom isn’t gonna be happy when he finds out we’re slacking off.” Sparticus stammered. He was a short and stubby Spaniel with a spiky collar around his neck.

“Hush, simpleton.” Cornelius snarled. “Phantom won’t know about it. How are the prisoners? ” Sparticus opened the flap to one of the cells and inside were two adults, James and Penny Smith.

“Let us out of here!” James yelled.

“Please, we have to find our children!” Penny cried.

“I’m sure you would want to.” said a voice. “But would that be possible with the state you’re both in?” The cartoons looked back and entered a translucent figure, glowing like a neon sign. It had metal shackles hanging off his wrists and ankles and raggedy silver with patches missing. It had ghoulish white eyes which showed that he was dead for some time.

“Who are you?” James growled. “We never got a firm answer of who or what you are.” The ghoul sneered.

“My name is Phantom. I’m sure my presence gave the fact that I am a ghost away.” it snickered. “Don’t worry about your little gems, you all will be reunited very soon.”

Miranda woke to find Donald nuzzled up on her like a puppy. She smiled and moved him off of her and pulled out an air horn with a loud “HONK!!” Everyone startled when she blew the horn.

“Rise and shine, people!” Everyone groaned and grumbled when they got up.

“Good Morning all!” Time Stone announced. “I feel a strange presence, like the Specter Gem is among us. I suggest we find the gem before Phantom finds us.”

“I agree.” Miranda said. “Besides Monty, we have to find our parents.” All of a sudden, an anchor fell down out of nowhere, nearly crushing Douglas. Miranda rushed over to grab the Time Stone and put it into her heart-shaped locket.

“You’ll be safe in there.” She told it. Monty ran over to Douglas to see if he was okay, but not before Phantom came down and snatched Monty by his shirt.

“Let go of my brother!” Miranda screamed as she ran over to free Monty from Phantom’s grasp.

“Cornelius! Sparticus! Get down here now!” Phantom demanded.

“Sure thing, boss.” Sparticus said, and he picked up an anvil and dropped it down on Phantom. It went through it like it was nothing.

“You idiot!” Cornelius cried. “Come on, let’s get outta here.” The duo jumped out of the airship, landing in the trees. Donald and Douglas noticed them and ran after them. Miranda tried to break her brother from Phantom’s grasp. They both struggled to keep hold of Monty, rage flowing in both Miranda and Phantom’s veins. Donald came back to help Miranda, but noticed James and Penny inside the airship. Without thinking, Donald snatched the Time Stone from Miranda.

“Donald! What are you doing?!” Miranda cried.

“This is your day of reckoning, Raymond.” Time Stone snarled. Phantom gasped after hearing its real name. Donald climbed up the chain to the airship and ran towards James and Penny’s cell.

“Honey, your cartoon is saving us.” Penny said.

“Raymond Michaels has been dead for thirty years.” Phantom growled. “I’m what that wimp could never be.” But all around them, everything was turning back to normal.

“What?!” Phantom screeched, and then he looked at Monty, wielding the Time Stone like a wizard.

“And this child is who you will never be, even now.” The Specter Gem started collapsing inward and Phantom screeched in and faded into nothing. The kids looked up and saw their parents and Donald falling out of the airship. The Time Stone caught James and Penny and Miranda caught Donald.

“Did you save our parents, Donald?” Miranda asked. Donald simply smiled, which made Miranda smile. She kissed him on the cheek, and Donald’s eyes blew out of his head. Donald swooned as he fell on the ground.

“Did I miss something?” Douglas asked when he returned with Cornelius and Sparticus by the pelts.

“Nah. It’s over now.” Miranda said.

“For now, the Specter Gem still lives out there. Somewhere.” Time Stone said silently.