Dallas

(unnamed so far)

A/N: i’ve been feeling super unmotivated to write about the outsiders lately so i figured i’d share what i’m working on in my free time! i started writing this during the lockdown in 2020 (god that feels like a lifetime ago) but i gave up on it before i could finish because i really had no clue where i was going with it. but i came back to it when i had some free time a few months ago because i couldn’t get the main characters out of my head, i felt like i just had to tell this story. so here i am! sorry this is such a boring looking post and i don’t expect it to get many likes- but let me know what you think!

Basic plot: the year is 1926 in post-war France. two strangers come across a murder scene one night but once they call for help any trace of the crime has disappeared. they must take it upon themselves to investigate these murders, and maybe learn not just secrets about the case, but some about themselves too. (i suck at writing summaries like this it’s basically a murder mystery that’s super gay too)

As I walked home I was pulled out of my thoughts by a chilling scream. I looked up to see a large figure standing over a man. He held a knife in his left hand. A crimson liquid splattered the walls of the alleyway and there was a pool growing around the body. I went to dive behind a stack of large crates but the figure spotted me. I choked out what sounded like a squeak. I couldn't scream, I didn't dare utter a word. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. It felt as though my bones had turned to lead. All The man did was put a finger to his lips to shush me and a moment later he climbed up a ladder onto the roof of a nearby building with such speed that for a fleeting moment I doubted if I had ever seen him in the first place.

I stood there motionless until yet another man stepped out from behind a bin at the other side of the alley. I came back to reality and pulled a knife out of my pocket. I held it up in a defensive position. I had thought the man may have been an accomplice until he ran for the body. He dropped to his knees. He desperately felt for a pulse, sighed and closed his eyes. “Dead. Nobody could have survived that much blood loss.” I didn't dare to lower my blade “who are you. What are you doing here?” The man got to his feet slowly and put his hands up. “I’m Louis, Louis De la Cour.” The man spoke in a quiet, trembling voice. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m nothing but a man trying to get home.” Even in the low light of the alley I could tell that the man, Louis, was smaller than me. I noted that he had ash blond hair. Suddenly, the reality of the situation hit me like a wave, my knife fell to the ground with a clatter. “What the hell is happening? That man is dead! What are we going to do?”I felt like there was a weight on my chest. I couldn't breathe. I looked at Louis, his expression was stony. “We need to get a police officer. We can both go back from where we came and see if we can find someone. If you do not find anyone, come back here in three minutes.”

We shook hands and walked away. What was happening? There was a dead man in that alleyway. If someone had seen us…we could be thought of as accomplices. We could be killed just because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I walked at a brisk pace with my hands in the pockets of my trousers. I found a police officer easily since we were quite close to the louvre. There were always officers around that area to try to ward off anyone with the intent to steal the art kept there. I explained what happened once I caught his attention. I still felt as though I couldn't breathe and I was aware of everything happening around me. I was aware of every person walking, each voice talking in hushed whispers and I was aware of every leaf falling from the trees in the late autumn breeze. Once I had finished recounting the events I witnessed the officer demanded I bring him to the scene of the crime. We walked in silence to the alley. I relaxed a little when I noticed Louis standing at the other end again. We both looked down to where the body lay, well- where the body once lay. it wasn’t there anymore?? “Boys? I thought you said there was a murder. well where is it?” The officer was visibly angry. I felt my face get red and I stayed silent. I hated to seem like a fool. The other officer added “go home boys. There’s no corpse here. No sign of a crime. I’ll remind you, making false claims is a punishable offence.” Louis clenched his jaw and spoke up. “I assure you sir, there was a body there. We stood on either side of the alley, there was blood everywhere. I saw it with my own eyes” he kept his voice very matter-of-fact yet he commanded attention. He had a presence. It caught me off guard how this small man could make anyone focus on him just by speaking.

The two policemen walked away, once they turned the corner, Émile and Louis heard one of them laugh and say ‘Stupid youths. They must have had too much to drink!’ The other replied with a monstrous laugh. Louis looked at me and said flatly ‘I need a drink.’ I replied with a simple. ‘Me too.’ With that we walked off in silence to find the nearest bar.