HUNTCOMPLEX.

what he hadn’t been expecting was a plate of food being placed down directly in front of him.   his chin lifts, helmet tilting to make it clear he’s making eye contact with vanth.   eyelids narrow.   “ I didn’t ask for anything. ”   𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜  𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠  𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎  𝚊𝚝  𝚑𝚒𝚜  𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢’𝚜  𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎.   he doesn’t need people attempting to cater for him.   he can look after himself.   he’ll eat ... something when it’s safe to.   when there’s time, once they’re making progress.   

his jaw clenches, ignoring the pangs of discomfort in his stomach as the smell rises.   beside him, the child coos curiously and keeps his hands in his lap despite his own food going cold.   𝐚𝐧  𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧  𝐚𝐜𝐭  𝐨𝐟  𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.   eat  or  I  won’t.   “ I can’t ... take my helmet off. ”

         this isn’t a place she wants to be.  especially not now with a serial killer terrorizing the town.   it’s ironic,   really.   her parents convinced her to leave her college campus for some gap year,   just a year to relax.   something that she needed after everything that happened in the blackwood mountains.   if nearly being murdered wasn’t enough,   she had to deal with the media making her and her friends sound insane.   that they didn’t know what they were and talking about and it was just the trauma talking.   that was bullshit.  jessica knew exactly what she saw and what she went through.   but,   this was supposed to be a break and now she’s in a town with a murderer.

         one good thing about her trauma was that it caused her to become much more aware of her surroundings and the people around her,   cautious even.   though,   her mom liked to call her paranoid.   either way,   jessica saw it as a good thing.   it’s just that reason why she catches onto jed’s words.   maybe she didn’t hear exactly what he said but she knows it wasn’t what he was claiming.   the slight change in is town confirms that.   but,   she pushes those feelings down.   maybe her mom’s right,   maybe she’s letting her paranoia get the best of her.   especially now with a murderer on the loose.

         lips pressed together,   nodding faintly at his words.   ❝   maybe they just don’t want people to panic.   though,   if there’s a psycho running around town in mask murdering people,   they should know.   ❞

jed nods along, offering her a smile.   “ exactly.  I’m so glad we’re on the same page.   you’d be surprised by the number of vulnerable people there are in roseville.   the elderly ... children ... and to think the local school is still open ?  you have to wonder whether the people in charge actually know what they’re doing. ”   𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒  𝐎𝐅  𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐓  𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃.   can you imagine people losing hope in law enforcement at a time like this ?    he’s securing his fate, his future as ghostface.   after all, he’ll keep going for as long as he possibly can.  the less interruptions the better.   

a shrug is given.   “ I’ve written for countless tabloids.  you think the cops aren’t told to keep their mouths shut around us ?   most are stopped there, but me ?   𝐈  𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩  𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠.  I get the information, whether the cops like it or not.   people deserve to know the truth. ”   his index finger taps at the table, metaphorically hammering in the nail that is his point.   “ if the cops told us everything, people would riot.  they’d doubt the law.  like you said  -  they’d panic.  but don’t you think it’s preferable that you’re given the choice ?   I mean, if a loved one or god forbid even yourself is at risk, wouldn’t you wanna know about it ?  so you can take the necessary precautions ? ”