two | ɐɯnɐɹʇ ɐɯnɐɹʇ ɐɯnɐɹʇ ɐɯnɐɹʇ pɐǝɥ

[strike_you_out]

 [ 726 Anderson, several hours after school is let out; the sun is still shining down but the shadows have grown long.

Kneeling in the driveway is a boy in a ball cap with a box of chalk. He's been here for the past hour furiously scribbling out and solving tedious multiplication and long division problems in preparation for an upcoming exam. While

Comments

[lotuslife]

[Fascinating. Have a woman watching you from across the street, taking in all of the brilliant colors.]

[strike_you_out]

[He doesn't notice right away, so absorbed in his studying like the
good student that he is. But when he does eventually look up, he waves to her, smiling vacantly.

That dark spot on his shirt... is that dried blood?]

[lotuslife]

[Well, that's even more interesting.

She crosses the street, putting a smile on her face, as well.] Hello.

[strike_you_out]

Good afternoon, Mrs. Across-the-street-neighbor.

[He tips his cap leaving pink chalk prints on it.]

[godisachild]

[Well, that was fun, being gotten up at the crack of dawn the day after his murder. He'll just be walking home like a little grump now and

OH MY GOD.

Pokey's breathing increases substantially, just staring at Slugger. Move. He needs to move. Why can't he move.

He's just...standing there. Staring in terror and unable to get himself to keep moving.]

[strike_you_out]

[Slugger is staring in blankfaced contemplation at the ground, chalk in hand. However, it only takes him a second to notice the other boy standing there and he jumps up excitedly to greet this "friend".]

Hey pal, I'm almost done. Wanna play some ball after this?

[Coming closer. The look on his face is terrifyingly un-sinister.]

[godisachild]

[His breath catches in his throat, bobbing up and down for a minute as he immediately steps back when Slugger springs up. He stays like that for a moment, entirely breathless and just staring, before his thought finally catches back up.

Droned. He was droned. For murdering him.

...Still, this what he'd been waiting for. He should probably get news to Tak as soon as possible.

Say no. No, of course you don't want to play. There's nothing he can do to you now.]

S-S-S-S-Sure...

[ God DAMMIT.]

[strike_you_out]

[You'd think Pokey's discomfort would be obvious, especially to someone who thrives on fear, but it goes completely unnoticed as Slugger gives him a light punch to the arm.]

Great! I'll meet you at the field in twenty.

[deaths_heritor]

. . . Well. This isn't vaguely disturbing at all.

[Susan stands at the front door watching for a few minutes before calling out in a sickly sweet voice.]

Oh, Slugger. I've made you pancakes; do come inside.

[strike_you_out]

[Apparently, it's easier to distract him than it looks and he comes sprinting up to the front door at the sound of her voice.]

Pancakes? You're the best mom ever!

[And now he's standing much closer to her than he's ever dared to before.]

[deaths_heritor]

I know.

[Susan's face seems to be making the critical decision between face-palming and laughter; she settles on a coolly neutral expression instead as she ushers the boy inside and directs him towards the kitchen.]

Wash your hands before you eat.

[She has not made pancakes, though she does take a muffin from the pantry and plop it on the table.]

What am I to do with you, Slugger?

[strike_you_out]

[Once his hands are dry, he sits at the table and stares... That is not a pancake. Fortunately, he doesn't care and is about to take a bite anyway when he takes note of her tone.]

Am I in trouble?

[Innocence. Why, whatever has he done?]