Haunted High School (Thomas Sanders Analogical Fanfiction)

1

Virgil had heard the rumors. It was all anyone could talk about at the beginning of the year at the new school he was going to. Of course he didn't really believe anything he heard-ghosts weren't real. It just wasn't possible. So of course there wasn't a ghost haunting their high school, no matter what the students(and even some teachers) believed.

Though he had to admit, staying after school while not many others were there did freak him out just a little. Not because of ghosts, he told himself. It was just unusual. His anxiety was making things seem scarier than they actually were.

The reason he decided to stay was to catch up in a subject he was falling behind in. He had trouble focusing on that class(he blamed his annoying and loud classmate Roman for that), and was worried that if he didn't try to understand it better he would fail. However, he was finding it very difficult to concentrate here either. It was too unsettling.

He sighed in frustration, dropping his head onto the desk. It landed with a quiet thud, Virgil closing his eyes and wondering if he would ever be able to figure it out. He wanted to just give up.

That was when he felt it.

It was cold. Freezing, right behind his back. He tried to stay rational, maybe the air just turned on or something. Despite what he was telling himself though, Virgil could tell this was weird. It wasn't like the air in the room just got cooler. The air in one spot got colder, and Virgil was beginning to wonder if maybe there was some truth in the rumors he had heard.

A voice whispered directly into his ear from behind him, sending even more chills down his spine. He felt as though he couldn't move, and he just barely caught what was whispered to him.

"I-I..." Virgil frowned, wondering if he should risk turning around. "Wh-what...?"

"C." The voice repeated, louder this time. "The answer to your homework question? It is C."

Virgil stayed quiet for a few moments, mind racing. Who was this person? Was it the ghost everyone had been talking about? If it was, then why was he answering his homework problems for him? Eventually Virgil realized he should probably turn around and thank whoever this was, and slowly craned his neck around to see.

When he saw no one there Virgil grew even more confused than before. Where had they gone? Was it just someone pulling a cruel prank on him? He wouldn't put it past the students in this school. None of them really seemed to like Virgil. "Where...?"

"I'm still here." The same voice answered, still right next to Virgil. Virgil couldn't help but jump, nearly falling off of his chair.

"Wh-what? How are you-how is this-what's going on?" Virgil demanded, looking around the seemingly empty room and wondering where exactly he was supposed to be looking while he was speaking.

"I don't really understand why you are freaking out. Everyone in the school seems to like talking about my existence," Virgil could hear the annoyance in this guys voice, and for a moment he felt bad for him. Then he realized just what his words meant.

"No, no no no," Virgil panicked, pushing back from the table he was sitting at and rising from his chair. "No way! This is a joke-a stupid joke. Ha ha, very funny. Now stop messing with me." He insisted, back now pressed against the desk as he scanned the room for someone-anyone.

Virgil heard what sounded like a loud sigh, and then he heard the chair he had just been sitting in scrape against the floor. It was moving.

"You.. But... how?" He asked, staring at the chair with wide eyes. "How can this be real? Ghosts are just supposed to be made up stories to scare people."

"Not all ghosts are scary," the other defended. "I don't really know either. Before any of this happened I did not believe in ghosts either, but... well, here I am."

Virgil paused, thinking things over for a minute. It didn't seem like he was in any danger here, and he had a lot of questions now. He wondered if the ghost would answer them all.

"So..." Virgil began nervously, very slowly relaxing and no longer pushing himself as far back into the desk as he could go. "What's your name...?"

"Logan. And you are Virgil, right?" Logan asked. Virgil was about to ask how he knew that when Logan interrupted. "I saw it on your homework a minute ago."

"Oh. So, Logan, why can't I see you?" Virgil wondered. "Like... are you always like this?"

"No," Logan answered after a minute. "I can be visible. I prefer not to, though."

Virgil nodded, deciding not to press it anymore. He looked towards his chair that had moved and wondered whether he should sit back down or not. Or was Logan in the way? Was it considered rude to walk through a ghost? Should he ask?

"Where are you, exactly?" He wondered, glancing around. He knew the voice was somewhere in front of him, but he wasn't entirely sure of the exact place.

"To your right," Logan answered, and Virgil automatically turned in that direction.

"So, am I looking at you right now?"

"Sort of. You are looking in my direction, yes, but you are looking through me. You don't have to face me, though. I am used to being ignored." The ghost sounded very nonchalant, and for some reason this saddened Virgil. He supposed he could sort of relate; no one payed him very much attention either.

"Sorry," Virgil mumbled, looking down.

"What for?" Logan sounded confused.

"I dunno," Virgil shrugged. "Being ignored all the time kinda sucks. Is that... I mean, why did you decide to talk to me?"

There was a pause for a while, and Virgil shifted nervously from one foot to another. Had he left? Why wasn't he saying anything? What if Virgil had made him mad?

"I don't know." Logan said finally, making Virgil jump. "The words just slipped, I guess. I don't usually talk to anyone-which is why I'm not sure how anyone knew I was here in the first place."

"That's weird," Virgil said, and Logan agreed. The room settled into silence once again, neither knowing just what to say next. Virgil happened to glance at the clock, noticing the time.

"Oh shit," he muttered, turning around and packing up his books. "I have to get home, sorry."

"It is alright." Logan assured him, moving to help him gather some of his things. Virgil stopped packing for a minute to watch as his things floated into his bag, snapping out of it a few moments later and going back to helping.

"Right, um," Virgil began after getting his book bag on, looking back in the direction he thought Logan was in now. "I'll... see you tomorrow..? I have to stay again, seeing as I didn't get much work done here..."

"I will be here." Logan responded. "I have enjoyed having another person to talk to. I look forward to seeing you again."

"Yeah... me too." The corners of Virgil's lips lifted the slightest bit, staring at nothing for a moment longer before turning to the door. "Bye, Logan!"

Logan stood behind and watched as he made his way out, an unseen smile of his own pulling at his lips. "I will see you tomorrow, Virgil."