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It was agony. Gut-wrenching, soul-stealing, agony. He had delved too deep, and this was the consequence. He couldn't stand to bear it anymore, listening to his parents drone on about how this event was gonna be their crowning achievement. They had gotten the green light from the mayor to showcase the portal, which would provide energy to the whole town, as well as being a gigantic leap in the ecto-biologist community. Mom told Jazz and I to be on our best behavior, while Dad explained the Fenton Peeler to Jazz, seeing as she didn't have a suit due to budget cuts. One of the mayor's assistants told us they were ready for us, so we fixed our suits and walked up the stage
"GOOD MORNING AMITY PARK!" Mom shouted into the mic, as if she were some sort of rockstar.
"I'M MADDIE FENTON, AND THIS IS JACK!"
"HELLO!"
"AND THIS IS THE FIRST EVER UNVEILING OF THE FENTON GHOST PORTAL™️."
"Alright, that's enough out of you two," Jazz started, snatching the microphone away, "I think our eardrums have suffered enough." She laughed, shoving the Fenton pair away.
"So, as mom and dad said, this is the Fenton Ghost Portal, and we'll be turning it on today in front of you. They wanted to put it in the basement, if you could imagine that. A portal to Hell? In our house? No way. This is Danny, my little bro," She introduced, pulling Danny up to the front. He gave a single, short wave, "as you can see, I'm not wearing one of these... stylish suits, because I'm wearing the prototype Fenton Peeler battle armor. It's really heavy," she shrugged in the suit, attempting to put the armor in a fixed position, "and uncomfortable."
"Anyways," Jack called, butting in, "let's turn this thing on! BONZAAIIII!!" He shouted, before grabbing the power cords and plugging them in. Well, trying to. They didn't reach, so he had to go to the back.
"Alright, found the box, now to grab the cords... ope, found it, ok, and now to plug it in." He muttered, rummaging through the supply box, "Got it! Now... BONZAAIIII!!!" He shouted, plugging the cords in.
The street lamps flickered, and the portal shuddered, before a spark of green glowed from the gateway, flickering, widening, roaring, before... nothing. The frame glowed, shining in an ethereal greenish blue light, but the inside was dark and dormant, a defeated giant.
Danny looked on at the failed invention with a sense of curiosity and anguish. He squinted, before climbing inside much to Jazz's protests.
"Hey, Mom, Dad, there's a button in here." He called, "It's the On/Off switch! You guys put it on the inside!"
He whipped around, smiling brightly, until he stumbled. His face warped from an excited one to one of surprise and fear. Time slowed down. He could see Sam and Tucker in the crowd, their faces reflecting his own. Mr. Lancer was shouting something, probably another book title. Then he felt it. On his back. The switch. That blasted, God-forsaken switch. He felt it click, and then he heard the hum of the portal, an awakened titan. He saw the spark light up once again, but this time, it didn't stop. It unraveled, expanding and swirling, warping into a toxic green wormhole.
He didn't hear himself scream.
It felt worse than anything he could have imagined, dying. There were no words, although he felt his molecules rearranging, his heart slowing down, even his blood failing to flow. He could feel the electricity burning his nerves, his veins, his very soul. He felt it trying to escape, trapped in a coffin of its own design.