All was still, but the earth seem to shake under her feet. The air was silent except for the ringing pealing in her ears. Suddenly, the flash of lightning above, everything ceased. Some one was near. She felt it. Whipping around in an off elliptical pattern, she found that no one was to be seen for miles upon miles.
Seen.
Someone was definetly there. She could feel her movements being silently scrutinized by someone. Maybe something.
"Calm down Steph." She whispered to herself. "Just get back to the car. Get back to the car and you're safe." a beautiful lie which she repeated to herself many times. Just as she was prepared to deny the feeling of company, a branch that had fallen to the ground long ago snapped in half. The leaves around it moved in a way that unmistakably looked like someone was shuffling through them. Just as unmistakably, the invisible tredder was moving straight for the defenceless girl.
"Stephanie." a haunting voice said through the speaker on Stephanie's camera. instinctively, Stephanie brought the camera up to her face. She gazed into the screen at the ghastly creäture before her. "You should see your face Squirrel." The voice chuckled. Housing the voice was no more than a shadow in appearance. Shadow-like in most ways except the ghastly, gaping white eyes, and the pearly teeth that sat in it's pitch colored mouth.
"What are you?" She croaked, surprised she could speak while being gripped to tightly by fear.
"Um, who are I." He mockingly corrected. "I'm Stephen. I'm, well, I'm you." Stephen was by far the creepiest of all the things Stephanie has ever seen, yet he was positively cheery, and almost giddy in the language of his body and tone of his voice.
"Thats impossible!" Stephanie growled to her camera, as that was the only place she could track the creature as it strided closer.
"No. No it's very possible." The free-roaming shadow gazed directly into the lens, and directly into Stephanie's eyes. "You'll understand soon, don't worry, but right now, we gotta go." Stephen reached out for Stephanie's hand the way a gentleman would reach for the hand of a lady. Being scared and baffled, Stephanie took a firm step back. The smile on the humanoids face wavered for the first time. "Seriously squirrel, come on." Stephan said with an urgent tone as he landed a hand on her arm.
"Ahg! Stop!" She squealed at the discomfort of his touch. It feels like static! She thought of the sensation. In a swift fluid motion she whirled around and tried to get away.
"Squirrel!" Stephen called out just before the girl found herself face to abdomen with the big man himself.
"Operator" Stephanie gasped it the single instant of silence. Then the air was taken by the attempts of Stephen trying to yell to Stephanie through the camera, over the static caused by the Operator.
"Run!" managed to roar over the raging white noise for her to hear. Without a fractioned second of compilation, her feet were hurdling her through the woods, across the gravel road, and into the passenger side of her car. Air filled her chest violently, making it swell till it stung. The drum of her heart beat drowned out every sound but her own panic. As her heart slowed and her breath leveled out, her thoughts gathered. For a moment, she felt bad for leaving Stephen. The remorse quickly vanished as she remembered he wasn't a real person. That beast couldn't possibly be human, right?
"Where to Squirrel?" the ghastly voice questioned.
"Ahg!" Stephanie scrambled to point the camera at the shadow-man. "How... how did you do that?" She questioned in awe.
"Well, you left the door unlocked. Theres a start."
"No!" Stephanie rolled her eyes (more annoyed with herself for being so careless). "How did you get away from... that thing?"
"Get away from?" Stephen scoffed. "I fought it off with my bare hands."
"How?" A sly smile danced across the phantoms lips. The smile and the growing silence made Stephanie apprehensive and anxious. "Tell me!"
"In time Squirrel. In time." Stephen smirked as he started the car with a wave of his hand over the keys. "You'll learn to fend for yourself, but you'll have to see me."
"I see you just fine." Stephanie muttered into her cameras screen.
"No. On my level you silly Squirrel. You need to see me through the gap." Stephen switched on the radio to a classic rock station. Carry on my Wayward Son blasted through the silence. "I love this song!" To confused to even ask questions, Stephanie sat gaping at the singing phantom. "Carry On My Wayward SoOoOn! There'll Be Peace When You Are Done! Lay Your Weary Head To ReEeEest! Don't 'chou Cry No More!" Stephanie listened mindlessly to his wailing and steering wheel drumming until he turned to her with a furrowed brow. "So, where to Squirrel?"