Elizabeth Emerald @elizabethemerald - Tumblr Blog

I've finished a new short story! Check it out here and you can support me as an author!

A Ghostly Zine by: Elizabeth Detzler

A young woman returns to her home town to find that her childhood imaginary friend was actually the ghost of a young boy that only she could see. Maybe over the course of her investigations multiple people will gain closure.

#zine promo #writing zine #writing emerald #ghost stories #paranormal #please support me!

alien-slushie

DpxDc Angst Prompt/Idea

Phantom getting pissed at Flash for not believing hes a ghost and they get into an argument. Flash is annoyed that Phantom isn't yelling back, making Flash look unreasonable during the back and fourth. Eventually Flash snips out a snide; "Well if you're a ghost, how did you die?"

And Phantom starts screaming. Not yelling and screaming in argument, but screaming, as if hes being electrocuted, tears bubble in the ghosts eyes and he starts withering on the floor while all Flash can do is watch.

The horrid sounds of screams gets everyone else's attention, and they barge into the room. Before anyone can approach Phantom though, Zatara stops them, they litterally have to let it run its course, even as she says that she looks regretful. She asks Flash what happened, and he explains, getting a sharp punch to the shoulder from Zatara and a scowl.

Zatara explains that you never ask a ghost how they died. It triggers something similar to a PTSD attack, but instead of panicking and having flashbacks, Ghost physically experience their death's all over again. As if to prove her point, she points at Phantom's right arm, which was actually smoking.

When his screams finally tapered off, Phantom just laid on the Watchtower floor, tears still streaking his face and shaking as he slowly curled up into a ball, like he was trying to hide from the world. Superman slowly approached, and gently picked him up before taking him to one of the bedrooms so he could rest and come down from the attack.

honeyjynxxed

(changed some things regarding how Danny would relive/act out his death. Often times Fatal Electrocution happens instantaneously with little to no vocalization *but* for the angst I imagine that the portal powering up implies a slowly increasing volt/amp for electricity combined with the ectoplasm from the portal itself reviving Danny and causing his death to loop essentially. TW btw if you don't wanna read that)

The Watchtower had started out as just an outer space version of the Hall of Justice, better for meeting extraterrestrial life and avoiding country based conflicts on earth. Real good neutral ground in those early days but now it had become more than that. A training ground, mission control, and not to mention the wealth of knowledge store physically and digitally on board.

That's what had brought Barry up there this time, updating the system with more information on the Speed Force, when a regular source of irritation for him had caught his eye.

Phantom

A new teenage hero brought in by Constantine and Zatanna as part of Justice League dark. Some sort of 'ghost hero' according to the briefing everyone had got about him. The very nature of it set his teeth on edge and left a bad taste in his mouth. 'Ghost Hero' was already a title taken by Deadman, what right did this kid have to it?

"You know, at least Deadman is actually dead. Don't you think the ghost kid gimmick is a little disrespectful?" He hadn't actually wanted to start anything with the kid but passing him again floating through the halls had brought it out.

The kid still pauses in his floating and looks at him all confused. "I'm sorry? Gimmick?" Yeah right, like he's gonna believe that.

"Look we all make some bad choices in our youth but you're part of the Justice League now. Have some respect, playing pretend as some dead kid isn't cool." Maybe the kid is just clueless but how someone hasn't brought it up before is just mystifying. At least Barry can give him a dose of reality.

"Oh-" Phantom's face does a few different things, and really the fact that he goes around with a bare face pisses Barry off more. A majority of the Justice League Dark members didn't cover their faces but this was just absurd. "No I think you're mistaken. I'm actually dead." The kid even has the gall to smile at that, gives a shrug too to top it off.

"Hey!" Normally it's easier to reign in his temper but for some reason he can't help it this time. "This isn't a joke. Show some respect, there are dozens of heroes in the League who have seen kids actually die. Some of us have lost kids of our own. This costume isn't funny."

Phantom's expression falls away to blankness and he goes utterly still in the air. "You're right, it isn't funny. That might be because I am dead. I died Flash. I am one of those kids that a superhero wasn't able to save."

"Oh yeah?" He scoffs at that, "Then how'd you die huh?"

The kid drops.

Not as in he stops floating no he just drops straight from the air to the ground. Falls onto knees that suddenly appear with a hand reaching outward as if leaned against something. He's staring right at him, eyes wide open and frightened, he hears the faintest little "Oh no-" before it's cut off and the Phantom's jaw drops open wide. It's wide enough that Barry hears his jaw pop, can see right down to the kid's tonsils. There's just barely two seconds of silence before he starts screaming. Loudly. Loud enough Barry almost reaches up to cover his ears but he stops himself. Loud enough that footsteps immediately start heading their way just as Phantom's voice cuts out. His entire body is tense and rigid, little spasms occurring every so often.

Barry's first instinct is to grab him, get him to medical. He may not like the kid's schtick but he's gonna watch him be hurt by something unseen and not do anything about it!

Zatanna stops him. Physically grabs him and pulls him away seconds before he touches the kid. "Do not!" Her voice is urgent and Barry looks at her, and the crowd that's gathered. She's not the only JLD member there, Jason Blood is watching them too. Supes is there and jeez Barry really hopes the guy didn't hear him yelling at Phantom before this.

"I can't just leave him like this!" He gestures to the display the kid is putting on, holding his breath when he sees Phantom's eyes flutter to a close and then shoot back open again as another ear piercing shriek cuts through the air. "Zatanna!"

"We must!" She tugs on him again, draws him further away from Phantom. "What did you do? What did you say? Flash please tell me you didn't..." There's something sad in her voice, and her eyes. As if she already knows.

"I just- I don't like that he's pretending to be dead ok? We got into it and he kept insisting that he is dead so I asked-"

"You asked how he died." The disappointment from Blood isn't as bad as it would be from Supes but the guy's words only make the kryptonian look at Barry like he kicked the guy's puppy. "And now he's showing you. Happy?"

That doesn't make sense. Showing him? "What?" Or at least he doesn't want it to make sense.

Zatanna lays a hand on his shoulder, "Spirits of the realm often form after traumatizing deaths. To ask one of their death is... almost guaranteed to cause them to relive it in every agonizing detail." Her free hand gestures back to Phantom who's clothes have begun to smoke, chest not moving with breath, eyes bloodshot and in Barry's opinion looking close to popping free of his skull entirely. The kid's entire palm is black, the same color as his suit.

His suit.

Barry takes it in with new eyes now, sees the similarities to one's he's worked with before. "He died in a lab accident." There's no question in his voice now, only grief. "The kid's actually dead."

The kid's death goes on for almost an hour, a constant cycle of screaming followed by the kid almost passing out and then jolting back out of it in a silent mini seizure before looping around again. When it finally ends it does so near silently. The screaming cuts off suddenly and Phantom's entire body arches away from his right hand in a way that looks almost painful, a quiet gasp leaves him before he breathes out a blueish plume into the air and then slumps entirely over. Eventually his shoulders begin to tick up, his breath audibly shaky and uneven on the inhale and too forceful on the exhale. His right arm is just laying limp on the floor in front of him and there's-

He can see when the tears start to drip.

One right after the other onto the floor of the hallway, even if the kid makes no noise to indicate he's crying. Barry opens his mouth but now his voice gets caught in his throat, why couldn't it have done that earlier?

Blood gets there first even though he was at the back of the crowd. Doesn't touch the kid at first just talks to him, low and quiet enough that Barry can pretend he doesn't hear what's being said. Doesn't get his own chance at comforting him either because he's suddenly got two very different grips on his shoulders.

"While Jason is kind enough to step in here, why don't we go have a chat Flash?" Superman is smiling but only with his mouth and it kinda makes Barry wanna see if he can outrun the alien before he remembers who else has a tight grip on him.

"Yes! I do believe a thorough lesson on appropriate behaviors toward Justice League Dark members is necessary. Though it shouldn't take too long." Zatanna doesn't bother to hide her disdain behind a smile, and he doesn't know which if it's better or not. At least it can't get any worse right?

"What's going on here?"

There's no mistaking that growl.

The Bat is here.

sora5005

Midlife crisis in a Happy Fun Ball?? Tell me more 🥰 Feels like I'm never getting over this future Berlin's live show

#what are queue doing?

starry-bi-sky

What’s better than WTNS Danny shying behind Bruce when he gets spooked? Danny moving in front of Bruce as a reflexive shield at the first sign of trouble

Danny, 14 and no more than 100lbs: *reflexively stepping forward to guard*

Bruce, a SOLID foot taller and weighs 200lbs more: hey??? NO????

starry-bi-sky

It’s a funny dichotomy from Bruce and Alfred’s pov.

Danny looks like he’s one wrong moment from a nervous breakdown 60% of the time, only to lock the fuck in when shit hits the fan.

Bruce: i dont like the implications of this

Danny: what implications

Bruce:

Bruce: …dont worry about it

ailithnight

Is there any situation in which Danny would hide behind Bruce instead?

Perhaps, for instance, in a moment of fear that Vlad might have found him? Even something as simple as hearing Vlad's voice on recording or seeing a stranger who resembles him?

That feels like it would really drive the nail into Bruce's heart; that whatever Danny's situation was growing up that he reflexively offers himself as a human shield for others, Vlad was worse enough to snap that ingrained habit.

#what are queue doing?