Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock or The Shining.

Author's Note: One reason I decided to rewrite the rest of the chapters was my poor portrayal of Virgil's character throughout the story for two reasons. 1) I originally had him too afraid whereas, although obviously scared he's being stalked by some strange guy, I don't think he'd be so cowardly about it. So hopefully the rewrite of this chapter remains true to Virgil's character. 2) I think it's too soon for him to be losing his mind. Also I wanted to expand the suspense and add more spooky details. :P

Hope you enjoy the new and improved version of this chapter!

OCTOBER 29

Virgil groaned at the sound of his cellular phone ringing a good seven feet from his person. Half asleep he stumbled out of the bed and staggered over to the dresser where the object buzzed. He put the device to his face and muttered a yawned greeting, allowing himself to fall back into the comfort of his bed.

"V, you still asleep?" Richie asked on the other line

Virgil pulled the blanket over his chilled legs, still listening. "Not anymore," Virgil responded with another yawn. He snuggled his face against the pillow hoping the conversation would soon end.

"It's two in the afternoon!" Richie exclaimed.

"What?" Virgil asked sitting up. His eyes darted over to the clock which confirmed Richie's statement in the large, red numbers. Virgil now sat wide awake with his mouth partly opened, having completely forgotten the rendezvous he planned to make with Richie. He rubbed away the crud built up in his eyes.

"Virgil, you okay?" Richie asked from the long period of silence.

"Yeah, didn't mean to oversleep, Rich, sorry," he said drowsily.

"Don't sweat it, just come meet me when you're ready," with those words Richie hung up.

Virgil dawdled over to the closet and looked upon his array of clothing for something suitable to wear out in public. He finally decided on a pair of blue jeans and a green tee shirt. He laced up his tennis shoes and headed for his bedroom door. He tripped on a shirt lying sloppily in the midst of the carpeted area. Virgil glanced down to find it to be the very shirt he wore at the party the night before. He groaned, still in disbelief he slept so late.

Virgil threw the shirt over the chair then ran downstairs.

The house sat silent. His family who would have been home by noon seemed to be absent. No voices, laughter, or other sounds filled the air. The television was off and there were no breakfast dishes in the sink. Virgil shrugged then grabbed a yellow apple from the ceramic bowl. He munched on the tasty fruit and assumed by the lack of a smoky scent the family must have gone out to lunch. He felt somewhat disappointed they did not wake him but let the thoughts vanish as he was grateful they let him sleep in that morning.

After the light breakfast Virgil left the house for his journey to the comic book store. The chilled wind picked up spitting golden leaves along the barren sidewalk. The sound of children laughing echoed through the neighborhood. Virgil walked by a house where a man held a rake while his two young children jumped in the pile of leaves. Virgil smiled reminisced the fun times he used to have playing that game. As he thought about it he wondered why his age should bar him from playing this autumn.

Many of the houses were decorated with jack-o-lanterns and orange lights. Several had a ghost or skeleton decoration hanging from a tree. One went as far as to line the porch with ivy and twigs. The children from the neighborhood could always determine which houses handed out the best candy based on their decorations. One thing was certain, Virgil hoped he would never grow too old to go trick-or-treating.

Virgil neared the edge of the sidewalk, hidden behind a fence with chipped white paint. Leaves scattered in the center of the curb. He stood at the edge of the crosswalk, looking both ways before crossing.

To his right he saw two cars coming his way. The first car drove twice the speed of the posted limit. Virgil clenched his teeth and hoped the highway patrol waited along the streets for speed demons crossing their territory. Virgil turned to the left to find it clear of all vehicles. A shadow moved as he returned his attention to the forward. Virgil took a second glance to his right to find the man in the hoodie standing across the street. His fists were clenched and his back arched like a cat. Virgil's heart raced as he stared at the faceless form. The stranger made no attempt to move nor did he show any intentions of leaving. Virgil wondered for what reason this creep continued to follow him. There was no doubt in his mind that this guy knew his secret identity, that being if he even existed.

He turned away, closed his eyes, and counted to ten as he remembered reading in The Shining. He felt a somewhat silly, but needed to prove to himself that Richie's theory was in fact the truth and this man was nothing more than someone his mind created. Virgil slowly turned his head, his eyes still shut. He slightly put his hand by his side feeling nothing but air. His eyes gradually opened hoping to find a vacant area where that guy previous occupied. The tactic seemed to have worked in the past leaving no reason for it to fail this time. Virgil's heart skipped when his eyes met the hooded figure with his gaze fixed on him. What more the creep had stepped closer. There was no time for a plan as the creature on the opposite end of the street slowly began his strides in Virgil's direction.

Virgil placed one leg behind the other and leaned forward, readying himself for anything this stalker had prepared for him. A few charges of electricity danced about his hand. The man stopped as his feet touched the edge of his curb. Now only the two strips of pavement kept the apparition from the teen. Virgil suddenly felt the rate in his heart change along with his facial expressions. His brow now lined with his eyelids and his mouth curled up in a snarl.

A car sped down the street. As soon as the car passed his view he hauled straight for the man. Virgil gave a yell as he reached the spot where the guy had been standing. Virgil tripped over the curb and fell into the adjacent bushes. He looked up where the figure once stood. Virgil lifted himself to his feet while his eyes sprinted in all directions. There was no sign of the man who had been previously standing there. Not even a smell remained. Virgil turned the corner knowing he would see him rushing down the street. There were no other logical explanations. Virgil shook as he eyes met with a clear path. There was only one explanation left and Virgil did not like the realm that one sprung from.

The wind crept along his skin. Virgil buttoned his jacket then headed under the gray sky to his original destination.

It was not long after the incident at the crosswalk that Virgil began to feel paranoid. All around him people walked chatting in groups or to an unknown party over the phone. None of them noticed him. The leaves and wind played tricks on him with there swift movements and shrill cries. He covered his ears as the eerie giggles burrowed their way inside his mind.

Virgil took a deep breath and told himself it was the long nights and the guilt of how much he injured another human that fueled the fear. He now understood why people warned others on the dangers of phobias. Virgil repeated to himself that there was nothing for him to worry about. There was no one after him, Talon was alive and well, and he needed to relax and not let the horror themes of the holiday interfere with his brain any longer.

However no amount of self-assurance could prepare a human for the times the world behaved in an unnatural sense. A monotone voice whispered Latin phrases in his left ear. Virgil's eyes crept to where the voice spoke. The voice cackled and the scent of blood filled his nostrils. He spun around to hear the shrill laughter without finding the source. The wind smacked him in the face. All the natural sounds of the town ceased. The voice then chanted the dead language in Virgil's other ear. He felt a frigid hand resting on his shoulder, nails drumming over his arm.

Virgil yelled and turned around to find those within hearing range staring at him in shock. They spoke to one another with a hint of concern in their eyes. Virgil put on his best smile and rambled about a rat scurrying past his foot. One woman shrieked, two more laughed, and the rest went about their merry way, not having the time to deal with an adolescent and his fear of rodents. Virgil ignored the reddening of his cheeks and hurried down the sidewalk. He moved faster, his legs at a point where the sounds could not follow. His eyes remained fixed on the cement below; the creases blended into a solitary gray that pointed to his escape.

"Virgil!" a muffled voice called.

Virgil closed his eyes and placed his hands over his ears.

"Virgil!" the laughing voice repeated.

Virgil increased speed. He repeated to himself to keep running, never to look back until he made it to safety. The frigid air wrapped itself around Virgil's body. The stench of burning flesh and stale blood crept about his nostrils. Behind the eyelids he could almost make out the figure of a mangled woman calling out to him. Her bloodstained arm reached out towards his. Large pools of crimson rested where her eyes should have been. The thoughts heightened and ignoring his current location in reality sparks began to crackle and leap about his arms.

His foot collided with a massive crack in the sidewalk tossing him into an empty lot of dying grass. His shoulder was the first to make impact, a severe sting jolted through his nerves. Virgil gripped at the injury having forgotten the healing wound from several nights before. Virgil stifled the scream in his throat and let his face dig into the soil. The fallen leaves smacked him in the head while they sang and taunted him.

"Virgil!" a familiar voice cried as two hands grabbed his uninjured arm and hoisted him off the ground. In his current state Virgil did not see the person standing before him but an ambiguous creature made of shadow and blood.

"Leave me alone!" yelled Virgil.

"Virgil!" Richie yelled slapping his friend in the face.

Virgil's lips trembled as the clouds about his eyes melted away to form the concerned face of Richie. The blonde found it difficult to form words. Virgil's eyes were not ones that belonged to a sane, healthy man, and for this reason Richie needed to be careful.

"Virgil, what happened?" Richie asked. At the moment that was all he could say.

"I'm, I'm…"

"You're what, V?"

"I can't. Go. Go!"

"Virgil, you're scaring me," Richie said not knowing if he should try to touch Virgil in his current condition.

"I'm going insane, Richie. That's what's happening. I'm—I don't even know anymore."

Richie heard the murmurs from those nearby. Richie's eyes left his friend for a second to observe the amount of people standing around whispering to one another. Richie felt the urge to lash out at the ones finding their entertainment in someone who was obviously not well at the moment, but contained himself for Virgil's sake.

"Virgil!" Richie said in a calm manner. "Come on. Let's go inside where we can have some privacy."

Virgil nodded. His hand still clung to his sore shoulder. Richie led the way to the desired store. Richie blabbed on about the new edition of his favorite series being due any day. Virgil half listened to what his friend said, but his mind currently traveled down numerous trails of things more important than comic books.

Virgil glanced away from Richie towards the store's immense, glass window. The lines of comic books lured its addicts in without any remorse. The window suddenly cracked. Virgil's eyes widened and he used the window as a mirror to search for any dangers that could possibly be lurking nearby. At a time with so many personal worries he did not need something else to hound him. Then again pursuing a threat to the town would alleviate his mind from the terrors gnashing at it. There was no one around Virgil could accuse for the window damage.

Just as Virgil was to walk away a bloodied hand reached up from the inside of the store, smacking its palm against the glass. Virgil jumped and let out a yelp. Richie spun around with wide eyes to find his friend shaking and gradually stepping away from the glass. The once bronze skin was now overpowered with deep reds. There were several gashes along the forearm and in the center of the palm. Virgil placed his hand over his mouth to keep the bile from spewing at the sight of loose flaps of skin hanging from both the gash and fingers. The hand stretched forward revealing claw-like nails at the end. The nails pierced into the glass pane and screeched all the way down leaving a trail of blood and scratches behind.

"Richie, look," Virgil said grabbing hold of said male's elbow and lowering him towards the window. Richie followed Virgil's finger to find only special comic books lined up, waiting for the purchase.

"What?" Richie asked.

Virgil gawked at his friend not comprehending how the boy could not see the horror painted out in front of them. Virgil narrowed his brow and pointed to the bloodstains. Richie shook his head. Virgil returned his eyes to the glass to find it clean. He stepped right in front of the window but could not see so much as a smear. His fingers brushed against the pane to find it free of any cracks. He peered through the glass towards the blue carpet to find the spot empty.

"Virgil, what—?" Richie began.

Virgil shook his head. "It was nothing. I thought I saw something, but it was nothing."

Richie nodded. The two made their way into the store. Richie stole a second glance at Virgil to find his friend buried deep in thought. Richie held back a sign yet kept one eye on his friend. Once they were inside and greeted the cashier Richie pushed Virgil behind one of the aisles. Virgil opened up his mouth to question Richie's antics but the frown on Richie's face silenced him. Richie gently placed his hand on Virgil's shoulder.

"You know where we are," Richie said pointing to the comic books. Virgil nodded. Richie sighed. He lifted his eyes to stare directly into Virgil's. "Why don't you tell me what's really going on?" Virgil was about to protest, but Richie was ready for that. He lifted his hand which served as a way to hush Virgil's words in his throat. "I can see you're keeping something from me. You look horrible and you caused two scenes already. Now what's going on?"

Virgil lowered his eyes to the floor. Richie let out the hot air from his lungs. Virgil looked over at the window once more to find nothing out of the ordinary. His eyes examined the floor for any speck of blood or other evidence that the creature he knew he saw had been there. There was little room between the window and the shelves leaving no possible way for someone to hide if it were merely a prank. He knew what he saw but decided against speaking anymore on the subject for Richie's sake.

Virgil took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His eyes met with Richie's. Checking to make sure no one was listening he leaned closer so only Richie could hear. "I saw him again."

"Him who?" Richie asked.

"The man in the hoodie," he replied.

The answer did not register with Richie right away. A few seconds later his eyes widened. "Are you sure?" Richie asked. "I mean it is fall, a lot of people wear hoodies."

"No, this is the same guy, he never shows his face," Virgil answered. The mere thought of that guy made him shiver.

"But are you sure this guy is following you?" Richie asked.

Virgil shook his head and sighed. His shoulders slumped. "I don't know," Virgil said at last. He felt a bewildering chill creep over his arms and stroked his spine. "But I can't think of any other reason why I keep seeing him."

Richie nodded.

Virgil sighed. Despite the concerned appearance for Virgil's safety plastered on Richie's face he knew behind Richie's eyes the real concern rested in his best friend's sanity. Though it was the last thing Virgil wanted to do, he could no longer keep this a secret; whether it was true or not, he had to confide in someone.

"I know how this sounds," Virgil began. He saw the twitching in Richie's fingers, but decided to continue. "I don't want to worry you, but I'm seeing and hearing—and even feeling things that aren't there."

Richie saw the amount of sincerity in Virgil's eyes. Even if what his friend spoke of were mere hallucinations, there was no doubt Virgil was truly experiencing them. The fear in Virgil's eyes was not that of a guilt stricken conscience, but of someone who was genuinely haunted.

Richie softly replied, "Maybe I've been too quick to conclude. Maybe there is someone following you."

Virgil managed a half smile. "That's not the worst part," Virgil said hoping to keep a hint of cheer in his voice. Richie's eyes briefly widened. "I went to confront him today." Richie nodded as Virgil now held his undivided attention. Virgil continued, "But when I stepped up to him he disappeared. I mean disappeared right in front of me." Virgil noticed the three other people in the store were staring at him. He quickly apologized then resumed speaking in a lowered voice. He returned his eyes to Richie. "I looked all around for him, but he was just—gone."

Richie's eyes were now wider than Virgil's. He inhaled deeply as he tried to take in everything his friend confessed. "Wow," was all Richie could say at the moment. He attempted to come up with a way to logically interpret what sounded like the ramblings of a madman.

"Maybe he just made it look that way," Richie responded.

Virgil sighed. Through it all he was relieved that at least Richie was not completely dismissing his claims. "I know it's hard to believe."

"It's just not rational, V," Richie replied.

"I know," Virgil stated. He took a deep breath then decided to speak the last thought resting on his mind. "You want to know what I think?" Virgil asked. Richie nodded in opposition to what he truly wanted. His heart tingled as the words in his mind tried to form on his tongue. Virgil swallowed then whispered, "I think it's Talon."