Beginning of the rest of my half life

Life in Solemn Valley was a boring thing. The town was quiet just like any other town in the northern mountains with little stimulation from the outside. Sure people come around sometimes but it's mostly because of the tourist traps in old Solemn.

Older people said that the town has a lot going on supernatural wise and just plain weirdness. There are at least four graveyards,the newer two in the town and the older two out and around the town,older people say not to disrespect the spirits or the guardian watching over the spirits and graveyards or bad things happen.

Not to mention the things that watch you when you get to close to the abandoned buildings sprinkled around the outer edges of the town that not even the homeless go to even on the worst nights because they swear up and down that there are things there that don't like them there.

Or even just the forests that surround the town,people who pass by say they feel something,they can never explain what they feel but they always say they feel 'something'. Of course that isn't everything but there is just to much history.

At least all of that is what the old people believe and the weirdo or weirdos that pass by the town and say all that bull. The newer generation don't believe in any of that. They think it's just stories and fables. No the only people who really believe in anything like that and more specifically the spirits,ghosts,whatever you want to call it are my parents. Marco and Joan Arken. They are really the only ones who aren't old and believe any of that stuff,or at least the spirit stuff. They say that Solemn Valley is the thinnest place in the entire world to the "Ghost zone", which is why my parents and me moved there when I was four. It's also why they are trying to tear a hole into space and time to this zone and also why I have had to take care of myself since I was six years old because they have been working on that portal and why I never see them any more and the only time I do I'm either getting hurt by one of their inventions or….no thats pretty much it.

I guess its time to tell you about me. My name is Benjamin Thomas Arken. Or just Ben for short,I like to read and collect things that are interesting or unique to me, such as cool rocks or coins or anything really.I have been a parent to myself since I was young and I'm a loner everywhere. The high school I go to, 'Solemn high school'. I know real original but apparently Solemn was the name of the founder of the town and that's why his name is everywhere. But anyway the reason I'm a loner is because of my parents,apparently having parents that go around in a militarized Dodge Grand Caravan or the 'Arken mobile'. And shouting about ghosts and ghouls and spirits while also causing a lot of damage around town when they think they see a ghost or something and shooting while asking questions never. So you can see why that would make their kid unpopular even if the said kid isn't in anyway way interested in the same stuff as the parents. Here is the beginning and how my life or half life started.

*Arken residents*

I had just gotten done cleaning up the rest of the garbage and rotten fruit off the front lawn when my fathers booming voice called for me from the backyard and then from their the shed or lab. "Son! If your done with your chore then get in here! Me and your mother want to show you something that will blow your socks off!" I knew what that meant,I was either going to be hurt by one of their new weapons they made or get thrown across the room by an explosion that came from one of their experiments they say are completely 'safe'. "Coming father." I said already feeling the pain coming but not being able to do anything about it.

As I march to my doom I am at least thankful they decided to make the lab away from the house even if it's still pretty dangerous. Going up to the door of the shed I quickly type in the code and bring my eye up to the scanner so I could hurry and get into the lab and see what my parents where up to this time. When the door finally opens I'm greeted with steps which lead downward and as I go down I'm hoping for something like they are giving up their strange hobby and getting regular jobs as regular scientists but I know that is not very likely. When I finally get down toward the lab I see both parents in their black jumpsuits and facing the giant opening that they say will be the portal. "Im here,what is it?" I say slowly moving over toward them if only to slow the inevitable. "Ben,We've done it! The portal is finally completed! All of those years will finally mean something!" My father starts as my mother finishes for him. "This will be our crowning achievement!" I try not to let that sting as I know that they love me,they just love their work more. I figured that out long ago.

"We wanted you to be here with us as we turn this sucker on!" My father exclaimed. "This will be amazing! But remember to check the ectoplasm that will make the portal work honey,we don't want another accident like all those years ago do we?" My mother says giving my father the 'look'. My father rubbed the back of his neck as he says,"Of course dear,I triple checked it! It will work!" He said with a determined look on his face as he quickly put a smile back on his face as he says,"Now,let's make history!" He then puts the plug into the outlet with flare and nothing happened right away so I was disappointed but thought it was expected so as I got ready to get up and go back up and into the house to play some video games the portal flashed a bit in the middle of it,a ectoplasmic green my parents who were looking more and more sad suddenly perked back up and even I looked on in amazement but it soon died along with the spark the portal made. "This doesn't make any since!" My father cried looking destroyed like someone killed somebody close to him. My mother didn't say anything just looked at the portal with a heartbroken look on her face.

"Im going back to the house and starting on dinner.",I said looking at them in pity but continued on with,"I hope with this you will consider a change in career." With that I left them there. I thought with the portal not working they would finally leave all that ghost and paranormal stuff behind and move on to something better for everyone but I was only half right. They did stop with the ghost stuff but they didn't move on and had gotten into a depression which usually happens when something doesn't work like it's not supposed with them but with the portal it was different,they worked on that for a lot of there life and for it to not work it must of really messed them up because for three weeks they haven't done anything. No ghost hunting or anything else really,all they do is go around looking as destroying as when they first found out the portal didn't work. So one night I had enough and decided to try to fix the portal myself. Checking the time one more time on my phone while in my room to make sure my parents aren't up and see it is eleven I feel myself become serious as I realize it's now or never.

When I finally got done into the lab you could see the dust that had accumulated after no one being in there for almost a month. I took a deep breath and thought about how happy my parents would be with me that the portal worked Before walking into the gaping hole that is the portal I put down my flashlight and tool box and went towards the closet and got out my jumpsuit which was a light grey with dark grey gloves and boots and covered in even thicker dust because I haven't touched it before now,my parents were always disappointed that I'd don't want to work in the lab with them and be a ghost hunter and would rather be something simple like a technician. But they never gave up and always ordered a new jumpsuit for me every year,it was even more annoying because they always remembered that but not my birthday. I shook my head to clear all those unnecessary thoughts and got to work getting the suit on.

As I stand in front of the gaping hole that was supposed to be a portal to another dimension I can't help but think how creepy it was without anyone around. As I go in and click on my flashlight and it doesn't work,"Just great."I say and go in anyway without one even without a light I surprisingly didn't need one because it seems all the wires and such are at the beginning of the tunnel. I look at all the exposed wires and paneling and roll my eyes at my parents lack of safety protocol but as I was thinking that I trip and fall on my face.I sit up and rub my face saying,"Really wish I had caught myself on the wall or something ow." As I go to get up I put my hand on the wall and feel myself go in a bit while also hearing a click like what you would hear if you click a button and then all I could feel was searing pain unlike anything I have ever felt before.

I knew I was screaming but I couldn't hear anything. Thankfully blacked out after what felt like forever and only a couple seconds. When I came to how every many minutes or hours after I didn't know what was going on and felt like I was just cooked in a special Arken stove and when I went to stand I realized I was floating. I looked down at my jumpsuit or what was left of it after being electrocuted and saw that my jumpsuits colors were inverted,now the gloves and boots were light grey and the main body was dark grey. I freaked out and flew through the lab and then the shed before stopping in shock of what I had just done before flying through the house and into the bathroom where I shakily looked into the mirror and say grey hair,grey skin and purple glowing eyes looking back at me.

Someone knocked on the bathroom door and my mother said,"Ben,are you ok? Do you need help?" I scared, say,"No! I'm fine! You can go!" My mom seemed not happy with that and said,"You don't sound ok,I'm coming in!" I panicked and when the door came opened all the way my mom gasped! "Young man why are you so sweaty! Are you sick? Did you have a bad dream?" I opened my eyes and gave my mother a confused look and said,"Aren't you going to capture me?" My mother laughed and said,"Your father and I only capture ghosts,now go to bed,school is only a week or two away you can't be staying up all night anymore!" "Yes mam."

I said while taking a peak into the mirror and seeing my normal self confusingly. As I go across the hall to my room I hear. "Night bud." My mother said quietly. "Night mother." I said as I close the door and throw myself onto my bed. I had a lot of questions like were did my jumpsuit go and why am I back in the clothes that were underneath the jumpsuit before I put it on on top of them,is the portal now working,am I dead? But as soon as my head hit my pillow I passed out,exhausted. All those questions can wait for tomorrow.