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phantasm (phan-tazm)

1. An image formed by the mind, and supposed to be real or material; a shadowy or airy appearance; sometimes, an optical illusion; a phantom; a dream.

2. In Platonic philosophy, objective reality as perceived and distorted by the five senses.

He watched with great relief when he saw that the chant Brian said seemed to get him out of his dilemma. He watched with great interest as Chaucer, the man in white, spoke to Brian telling him exactly how to ward off all the evil demons. His heart fluttered with excitement at the site of Kevin carrying an unconscious Nick and nearly exploded with laughter when he saw those evil clowns run out of the Forrest chasing AJ and Howie.

He enjoyed seeing the good Backstreet Boys conquer and wanted the evil ones to suffer. The only thing he didn't understand was why Chaucer never talked to him. He had seen Chaucer his whole life. He was there for every important thing that had ever happened to him. Through the death of his parents, through the numerous foster homes until finally landing with his sister, through the taunting and the teasing at school. Chauser was there but only watched from a distance.

He clasped the charm in his hand and uttered the chant. The chant that Chauser told Brian about. The chant that would keep the real boys safe from harm.

"What are you doing?" Gary turned around at the sound of his sister's voice.

"Nothing" She walked over to his desk and grabbed the charm out of his hands, "Don't tell me nothing! You're talking to him again aren't you?" She asked in a cold hard voice. The voice of frustration. Gary looked away from her, ashamed. Behind her was Chauser talking to Brian once again. He wasn't sure what they were saying. His sister's voice overpowering theirs.

"Gary, you have got to stop talking to these imaginary people. It's not right. Remember what your psychiatrist said?" He was ignoring her, still trying to make out what was going on behind her. She noticed he wasn't paying attention and pulled his chin to meet her eyes. "There's nothing there honey! It's all in your mind!"

"But there is Desi, you just can't see them"

"You know why I can't see them Gary? Because they don't exist. You made them up honey. Haven't you been taking your meds?"

No, this is where he had to ignore her, this clearly wasn't his real sister, but the evil Desi. The evil Desi tried to drug him up so he couldn't see Chauser anymore. The evil Desi had him put away in a mental hospital, the evil Desi refused to let him talk about, hang posters up or buy anything Backstreet related. This was the evil Desi!

He grabbed his charm back from Desdemona "No! I can't listen to you! I have to help Chauser and The Backstreet Boys!" Her blood went cold at the mention of the singing group. She thought that by now, Gary would be done with his whole obsession. Hoping the therapy and time on his medication would keep him from thinking about them 24/7. When she heard him utter their names again she almost cried. "Honey, what about the Backstreet Boys?" She sat down next to him, still holding the balled up piece of paper, that Gary had referred to as his charm, in her hands. "I have to help the real Backstreet Boys. The evil ones are going to kill the good ones" He grabbed the charm back from his sister and recited his chant once again while tears ran down her face.

"No Gary, GOD not again. please honey come on" She said once again grabbing the balled up piece of paper from his hands. She didn't want to go through this again. She couldn't go through this again. He pushed her down to the ground enraged.

"I don't have to listen to you! You are NOT my real sister! You are her evil double!" She panicked when he got like this. She scooted away from him while still sitting on the floor. She knew she would have to call the hospital and have him admitted again. He was a danger to himself and her. He sat back down, holding the paper and staring at the wall intently.

She looked on, her body trembling. The last time this happened, he was caught outside a hotel that the Boys were staying at. It was maybe 1999. That time, he overheard Chauser telling someone that Desdemona was planning on having one of her demons attack Nick. So he waited outside the hotel for hours and when the blonde superstar finally had made his way out into the crowd of screaming fans, he ran with all his might and tackled the boy. Bringing security on top of him. That led to a restraining order and a stay at the mental hospital. She knew he was sick before, but it was that incident that made her realize her brother was totally insane.

Gary sat and listened to Chauser talking to Brian, he took a piece of paper and wrote every word he heard.

Brian you did an excellent job remember you just have to believe!

"Believe" He uttered under his breath as he looked over at Howie still recovering from seeing his sister. His sister. For just a moment his fantasy world disappeared replaced by his empty wall, his sister's crying echoing through his room. He turned to her, "Desi, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

She looked to him, lowering her voice to a whisper, "You are sick baby, you need to go to the hospital" Her tender voice reminded him of Caroline's. The loving way she talked to Howie, right before accusing him of not being there when she died. Her eyes had turned red then. Now he looked at HIS sister and saw the same thing. A red glare coming from her eyes. He jumped out of his seat in fear.

"No! Stay away from me!" He screamed at her, placing his hands in front of his face to block out those eyes.

"That's not your sister! That is her Gary. Desdemona!"

Gary turned around shocked to hear those words spoken to him. He saw Howie standing there next to Chauser.

"She is evil, you need to kill her for us please!" Now Brian came into view, "We are running out of time Gary. You have to kill her and then help me to kill the others" He turned to his three phantasms and smiled, "Me?"

"Yes you!" Brain insisted. He walked over to the boys once again, "You finally see me?"

"Of course we do"

Desi looked on in horror as her brother continued to talk to the wall as if there were people standing there. He was so sick. She stood up and went for the phone that was laying on his desk.

"What do you need me to do? I will do anything you ask"

Chauser moved forward and placed a firm but reassuring hand on Gary's shoulder. "You need to kill Desdemona, than you can help Brian kill the others before it's too late"

"But she is my sister" That statement made Desi look at her brother with a new found curiosity.

"NO she isn't Gary. THAT is her, our enemy, OUR Desdemona. Kill her, you have to"

He tried to ignore their words, tried to block them out completely but what if they were right? He looked over at his sister who was fishing for something in her pocket. "What are you looking for?" He asked her. She looked up and with an air of deep regret said, "The phone number for Doctor Harris. You need help honey. Help I can't give you" She finally found the card with his number scribbled on it. She had had to call him once before when Gary fantasized about Nick being in the hospital. She had caught him roaming through the streets looking for the attacker.

"You can't let her do that Gary! You have to stop her now!" Brian screamed.

"Kill her quickly before it's too late" Howie yelled

"Do it!" Chauser added.

He grabbed for his sister's neck, watching her evil red eyes dull to brown before becoming empty. She had scratched at him. His skin bleeding slightly, he dropped her lifeless body to the floor. "You did the right thing" Brian said as Gary took a blanket, the one his sister had made for him one Christmas, and gently covered her body.

"Right thing?" He asked them as he stood back wondering how the evil one could look so similar to the one he had loved soo much.

"Yes, now come on. We have to find the Backstreet Boys before it is to late. And Gary?" Gary moved his eyes away from the still form lying in front of him.

"Yes Chauser?"

"Bring your gun!"