SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen the movie Paranormal Activity, I apologize ahead of time for basically summarizing most of the plot. Oh, and the movie is rated R, but seeing how our superhero teenagers battle bad guys on a daily basis, that stuff is probably trivial.
Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice, or Paranormal Activity.
A Lingering Feeling
II. Nightlight
I'll be watching for your light in the sky / To tell me you're scared / And you need me there
– Dante Rowley, "Superhero"
Mount Justice
September 2, 22:08 EDT
"Why are we having a scary movie night again?"
Artemis sat cross-legged on the couch in a grey camisole and dark purple sleep shorts, and ran her fingers through her damp hair as it cascaded freely in around her shoulders. She watched with hidden amusement as Wally piled the coffee table with a buffet of snacks, ranging from the normal movie-night staple of popcorn, to fruit salad, brownies, and…is that cocktail shrimp?
"Why can't it just be a, oh I don't know, go-to-sleep-because-we-just-finished-a-long-ass-mission night?" she continued, her eyes following him as he went back to the kitchen. She twisted her torso around and leaned her elbows on the back of the couch and watched as he gathered a handful of soda from the fridge. "And what's with all this food? It looks like the daily menu of a pregnant woman with weird cravings. How can you have any appetite during a scary movie when a chainsaw is slicing through bodies?"
"In case you haven't noticed, Miss I'm-an-archer-with-eagle-eyes," replied Wally, setting down the soda cans with a clunk on the table, "I'm always eating, regardless of movie or no movie, scary or no scary, chainsaw or no chainsaw."
"Even on the toilet?" added Artemis sarcastically. "Wait," she held up a hand, "on second thought, please don't answer that."
He grinned at her and proceeded to take the DVD out of the package.
"And you never answered my question. Why are we watching a scary movie tonight?" she repeated.
"So I can win the challenge," he answered simply as he turned the television on and walked over to the myriad of machines next to the screen. "Now which one of these eight identical contraptions is the DVD player?"
"Third one from the top," answered Artemis casually. "And what challenge?"
Wally pressed the button to open the disk-player and popped in the DVD. "The challenge you issued me that morning on the beach."
"The…" Artemis frowned, and when realization dawned upon her she let out a curt laugh. "When I said nothing scares me?" She continued to laugh. "Really? You were that serious?"
"Am that serious," he corrected her, as the title menu of the movie appeared on the screen.
"Paranormal Activity," Artemis read out loud. "Wow, what an original title." She leaned back into the couch and looked at Wally with a bored expression.
He turned off the lights, basking them in the buzzing blue glow of the screen, and shook the remote at her with a grin. "You will not be singing the same tune after this."
"Scary movies not everyone else's cup of tea?" Artemis asked, picking out a few grapes from the fruit salad.
"Nah, they passed," Wally replied, grabbing the bowl of popcorn and sprawling out next to her. "Kaldur was too wiped out, Megan doesn't like scary movies, and Bats won't let Robin watch these things (although knowing Rob he's probably found a way to watch it even before it came out). I invited Supes but he never gave me an answer." He stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth and raised the remote, and attempted to speak through the mass of food.
"That's gross!" Artemis grimaced and twisted away from him. "Swallow before you talk!"
He gulped down the popcorn and smirked at her. "That's what she said…"
She grabbed the pillow behind her and smacked his shoulder with it, nearly transforming the popcorn in his bowl into his own personal blanket. "Grow up! And that doesn't even make sense!"
Wally protectively shielded his popcorn bowl. "No, not the food!" he wailed.
"Oh for crying out loud…!" Artemis grabbed the remote from his hand and finally started the movie. The screen darkened, and the first scene presented an ominous yet bare notice to the audience in plain type-writer font:
The producers would like to thank the families of Micah S. and Katie F. and the Rancho Penasquitos Police Department for providing this footage.
A few minutes into the film, Artemis leaned over and whispered, "Sooo, are those Superman pajama pants?"
"What? No!" Wally hissed at her. "They're just plain red ones!"
She silently laughed and returned her focus to the movie. Wally exchanged his bowl of popcorn for a plate of brownies, and she took one of the brownies and settled back. "This is boring," she said between bites. "Nothing's happening. They're just arguing about the camera. I did mention how I fell asleep during The Grudge, right?"
"Artemis, would I ever disappoint you?" Wally asked quietly, looking at her earnestly.
She nearly choked on the brownie. "Is that a rhetorical question?"
Wally grinned. "Maybe. Just keep watching."
Artemis grudgingly returned to the self-documented world of Katie and Micah, a young couple experiencing unusual paranormal activity around their house, such as flickering lights and self-animated faucets. Micah decides to take matters into his own hands and buys a "giant-ass camera", as Katie calls it, to film the strange events that occur at night in their bedroom, and is able to capture minor "hauntings", such as the door moving by itself and whispers of non-human origin. Either out of brash inquisitiveness or simple defiance, Micah continues to goad the demon, which only results in more fearsome consequences. Suddenly unworldly strident noises begin to startle the couple awake at night, and Katie starts to eerily sleep-walk with no memories…
Artemis gradually felt the foreboding that seemed to creep up each time the camera showed a night-time scene—something was bound to happen, and she could only watch in apprehension of what it would be.
Wally regarded her out of the corner of his eye and he inwardly chuckled. She had unknowingly moved the pillow from her lap onto her chest, and brought her legs up so her arms were securely around both pillow and legs. With her golden hair falling around her shoulders, she appeared to be smaller and younger than she was. So, Wally thought amusingly, the fiery Artemis did indeed possess a fragile and vulnerable state.
In the movie, before going to bed on the seventeenth night, Micah sprinkled a layer of talcum powder in the hallway to test the possible physicality of their tormentor. After a few hours into their sleep, the sounds of heavy footsteps are heard. At first they are distant, seeming to originate down the hallway, but then they begin to grow louder and louder until—
"BOO!"
"AAHH!" Artemis yelped and flinched away from the unexpected voice in her ear, her heart pounding like a drum-set in her chest. She looked up and her terrified eyes were quickly replaced with a glare. "SUPERBOY! WHAT THE HELL?!"
Superboy leaned away from the back of the couch and smiled. "Gotcha."
Artemis continued to stare furiously at him, breathing fast and squeezing the pillow. She had been so preoccupied with almost having a heart attack that she didn't even realize who she was leaning into, until she heard—and felt—Wally whisper into her ear.
"Ew, you smell like a girl."
She jerked her head around and came within an inch away from his face. She stared intensively for a split-second into his glowing green eyes before quickly leaning away and feeling a rush of cold air replace the warmth she had felt radiating from his body.
"In case you haven't realized," she finally responded after composing herself, "I am a girl."
"I didn't take you for a lavender type of girl though," he continued to tease. "Maybe more like… essence of wild tiger, or something."
Artemis wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult, so ignored him completely and returned her attention to the screen, where Micah and Katie were now awake and making the terrifying discovery of non-human footprints leading into the room. Extremely disconcerted, but also curious, they re-trace the footprints down the hallway and into a closet that leads to the attic.
"Yo Supes, care to join us?" Wally called as he turned around. "We have lots of food if that's what you came down here for." He gestured towards the coffee table.
"No thanks. I came to get water," he raised his glass towards Wally, and then added with a grin before leaving, "and to scare Artemis."
"Superboy, I have an arrow with your name on it," Artemis growled without looking away from watching Micah climb precariously into the attic.
"You know he's like, impenetrable, right?" Wally pointed out as he faced the screen again.
Artemis didn't say anything, but the corners of her lips curled upwards as she tried to suppress a laugh. Wally, however, knew exactly what was going through her mind. "Oh, now who needs to grow up?"
"At least this one makes sense," she replied nonchalantly.
He paused and grimaced. "I don't even…" He leaned forward and grabbed a plate of pizza rolls. "So, isn't it creepy that they found that picture in the space above their bed?"
"Yeah…" Artemis was only half-paying attention to Wally's words. Instead she was focused on the movie, where indeed Micah had found a picture of young Katie in the otherwise spartan attic—a picture that was supposedly destroyed in an unexplained fire during Katie's childhood.
The remainder of the movie passed in silence, with the exception of the occasional munching noises created by Wally and his premiere snack buffet. There were many moments when Artemis had a dreadfully powerful urge to bring the pillow between her and the screen, especially at the very end after a possessed Katie murders Micah, and faces the camera one last time with a demonic sneer.
"Micah's body was discovered by police on October 11th, 2006," the ending message stated in the same style as the title notes. "Katie's whereabouts remain unknown…"
A few moments of stillness passed before Wally finally spoke. "So," he said as he stretched his arms behind the back of the couch. "Did that, or did that not, absolutely scare the bajeezus out of you?"
Artemis tore her eyes away from the rolling credits and regarded Wally with a blank expression. He was about to laugh at her obvious distraught state when she finally responded.
"Nope," she replied, flipping her long hair to drape over her right shoulder. "It did not. I still have my bajeezus."
Wally finally released a guffaw, not accepting what she had just stated. "I call bull! Your bajeezus totally ran away screaming during the foot-print scene and never came back!"
"Superboy surprised me!" she countered, straightening.
"Because you were already scared to begin with!" he argued.
"Was not! I was anticipating something in the movie, not for Superboy to suddenly have a sense of humor!"
"So, you admit what he did was funny then," he said with a grin.
"I—" Artemis glowered at him. "Ugh, this is pointless."
Wally shifted his position and lied down, his head inches away from her lap. "No it's not," he said, still smiling while regarding her upside down. "I still have to establish that I won."
She rolled her eyes. "What's in it for you, anyways? Got some stupid bet going on with Robin?"
"Nah," he declined, "I just take my challenges very seriously, and I finally found something that petrified the self-proclaimed Goddess of No Fear."
"I was not petrified," she contended, frowning into his emerald eyes.
"You were so petrified." He pointed a finger at her. "Like that forest in Arizona."
Artemis swatted his finger way with a scoff and reached for the fruit bowl, not answering.
"Come on," continued Wally, "at least admit it was a good movie."
"Okay, it was a good movie," she agreed, sifting through the varied fruit. "At the very least it didn't make me fall asleep." She picked out the blueberries and brought them one by one to her mouth.
"And, it was a good movie because it scared you, yes?" He smiled hopefully.
She held up a large and deformed strawberry and dangled it above his eyes. "If you keep this up I'm going to shove this giant-ass strawberry down your throat."
He snickered. "That's what—"
Apparently she was serious, and before Wally could finish the phrase, he was half-choking on the enormous strawberry. He swiftly took it out of his mouth and coughed. "You are one vile little princess, Rapunzel!"
She shrugged and nonchalantly went back to picking out blueberries. "It's not my fault that strawberry looks like it's been on plant steroids…"
Wally turned the strawberry in his hands and regarded its strange globular shape. "Yes, but…Hey! Don't change the subject!" He looked back up at her. "Just admit that movie scared you!"
"Um, no."
"No freaking way! I felt every time you jumped, and saw how terrified your eyes looked and especially how hard you tried to hide the fact that you were scared the entire time."
"Wow." Artemis looked back down at him. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or deeply disturbed that you were watching me instead of the movie the entire time."
"Well, seeing how I've seen the movie already, watching your reactions was the more entertaining option." He stared inquisitively at the strawberry once more and proceeded to consume it in one bite.
"I choose deeply disturbed…" Artemis muttered to herself, and then stood up to turn on the lights.
"Don't think this isn't over," replied Wally, also standing and stretching. He then zoomed from the coffee table to the kitchen and cleared the table within seconds. "Ten points for super speed!"
"And twenty points for not lifting a finger," countered Artemis.
"Touché…"
They walked in silence out of the living room, when suddenly as they rounded the corner Superboy jumped out. Artemis screamed and stumbled backwards into Wally, her hands pressing into his chest. It took only a split second for Artemis's brain to irritably register it was only Superboy (again), and she sighed in annoyed relief, but then it took another further second for her to register exactly who she was leaning against…again.
"I conclude that I won fair and square," said Wally, looking down at her and grinning impishly.
Artemis's shocked expression quickly transformed into a scowl. "Ugh!" She pushed him away with all her strength, and stalked off without another word.
Wally stumbled backwards into the wall, and followed her with his eyes until she disappeared behind another corner. Then he looked back at Superboy and gave him a hi-five.
"Good timing," he lauded.
Superboy simply pointed to his ear and grinned, and added, "You owe me a favor now."
Wally smiled. "No prob Supes. I'm going to go do that right now and make sure Artemis isn't stabbing a voodoo doll of you with her arrows."
Superboy laughed. "I don't think that would work anyways, but thanks."
Wally started to walk away, when he asked over his shoulder, "By the way, why are you still up?"
"Um, I drank too much water..."
Wally saw that Artemis's bedroom door was still open, and walked up to it. She was standing with her back towards the door, rhythmically brushing her long shimmering hair. She sensed a pair of eyes on her, and knew right away who it was.
"What do you want," she said, without turning around.
"I saw a shadowy demon and followed him in here," he replied as he leaned casually on the doorframe, "Huh, funny, I think he went invisible…"
"If you attempt any lame pranks tonight," she warned, "I swear I'm going to punch you so hard that even your grandkids will be withering in pain."
Wally remained unfazed. "I'll be sure to pass along the message to Mister Demon then."
Artemis turned around and placed a hand on her hips. "Wally…"
"Oops sorry, did I frighten you?" he teased. "Do you want a stuffed animal to cuddle with tonight, Arty? Just in case Supes decides to yell 'boo!' in your sleep? I'm sure I can find a Kid Flash one somewhere. "
"Wow, is that how you cope with scary movies? You cuddle with a replica of yourself? I am so impressed," Artemis replied sarcastically as she put the brush down on her dresser. "And don't call me Arty." She pointed a finger at him. "That sounds like a name you'd give an aardvark."
He laughed. "Whatever you say, Arty."
Artemis remained glaring wordlessly at him. Finally she crossed her arms and broke the silence. "Still not giving up?"
He mirrored her movements and continued to gaze facetiously at her. "I'm just going to stand here until you admit you were scared."
"Suit yourself," she muttered, and made her way to her bathroom, picking up her toothbrush and toothpaste. She looked up in the mirror and sighed. "Are you just going to stalk the answer out of me now?"
"One of the most important lessons learned in kindergarten," grinned Wally as he leaned against the bathroom doorframe. "If you want an answer out of someone, just keep bugging them until they break down."
Artemis ignored him but sent him fervid glares through the mirror's reflection, and they would have been effective, thought Wally, if not paired with the image of her brushing her teeth.
"You look like a rabid animal," he observed teasingly.
She removed the toothbrush from her mouth and snarled at his reflection.
"I dare you to do that to Bats next time he assigns us a mission," Wally continued.
Artemis actually laughed at the image and bent over to wash her mouth out. When she looked back up, Wally was still there, watching and waiting. She ignored him and dried herself with a towel, and then brushed past him as she walked back into her room. He followed, and sat down in a chair across from her bed. She slipped under her covers and busied herself with scrolling through her phone, pretending that there wasn't an annoyingly obdurate speedster staring at her from only a few feet away.
"Are you just going to sit there all night then?" Artemis finally spoke, not glancing away from her phone.
"Yup," he replied cheerfully, "and I'm going to let out bloodcurdling screams at random intervals throughout the night."
Artemis let out an aggravated groan and buried her head into the covers. "Why meeee?" she grumbled into her sheets.
"All you have to do is admit that the movie scared you, and I'm out here."
She lifted her head back up and leaned against the headboard. "Nothing to admit, Wally."
"So…" He lowered his voice and stared with a startling intensity into Artemis' s dark eyes. "All those times you were slowly leaning towards me were because you wanted to snuggle, right?"
Her eyes flashed and she threw up her hands. "Okay fine. I admit it. The movie did scare me. Happy now?"
He smiled and pumped his fist to his side. "Cha-ching!"
She rolled her eyes. "Going to demand a prize now, or something?"
"Hmm," he tapped his chin. "I actually haven't thought of that. Rain-check?"
She waved him off. "Whatever."
"I am curious though," he said sincerely. "What about this movie made it so different than all the rest?"
She didn't answer right away, but traced her fingers in circles on her cover, contemplating his question.
"Because it messes with your mind," she started slowly, her eyes following her imaginary drawings. "In the end you're not afraid of the physical monster created by the writers and directors and put together with make-up and special effects…you're afraid of the creature that you create in your own mind from your own darkest fears…." She looked up and found him smiling at her.
"Everyone's scared of what's up here," he said, tapping his head, "even those that claim to have no fear."
Artemis snorted. "So let me guess, you slept with the light on for a like month after seeing this movie then?"
"Of course not!" He paused, and then sourly admitted, "But I did sleep with the light on for the first night—"
She let out a bark of laughter and pointed a finger at him. "Ha!"
"—and for the first night only!" he grumbled.
"Aww, did you also have Uncle Flash come and cuddle with youuu," she said cloyingly.
"Is that your way of hinting you want Green Arrow to stay with you tonight?" he replied without missing a beat.
Artemis visibly shuddered. "Ugh. That literally sent shivers down my spine. Don't ever say that again."
He laughed and stood up. "Well then, I just heard something whisper to me to leave, so…"
She gave him a deadpan look. "Goodnight, Wally."
"Sweet dreams, Arty the Aardvark." He quickly turned off the lights and slipped out the door before Artemis could even make a move to grab her bedside lamp and use it as a projectile weapon.
Artemis sighed but even so, the corner of her lips tugged upwards on their own accord. Later that night, instead of dark ghosts, the images in her mind were replaced with a certain red-headed speedster getting caught in an assortment of comical torture devices. Wally was right; she was having sweet dreams that night.
A/N: Fun fact – I used to love watching scary movies, that is, until Paranormal Activity came along and absolutely shot my nerves and made me completely terrified of the phantoms in my mind for about an entire month. I can't believe I actually watched most of the movie again to review the plot D:
That being said, you all better review! Haha just kidding. But I do love my reviewers to pieces :)
