JUXPOZ

"I'd still feel bad for the people working there who'd be out of a job. What happened Halloween wasn't their faults. Also I don't think anyone could've predicted what happened with Bob. Especially after the first time he went to jail a few years back. They don't deserve to be jobless beacuse of that bastard."

Why someone bought the Boys and Grills after Bob went to jail the first time was a mystery to Streber. Thinking about it now it felt so morbid to Streber, and he didn't even know who Bob was before the attack. But "spooky killer stories" make money unfortunately. That's a lesson Streber learned the hard way.

But Streber did remember hearing about how a former restaurant and deli owner turned serial killer went to jail after trying to attack a single mom and her child. It was the news in the airport when Streber came back to town after being in college out of state. Streber didn't pay much attention then, he was just happy to see his family again after he graduated college with full honors. Streber was excited to look for an apartment, and start finding a job...Even if it was that shitty hot topic job.

'Maybe he could finally rent out the house in the woods this October to be his first haunted house! Streber always wanted to run a haunted house and he was on good terms with the lady who owned the property!'

He remembered half-paying attention to the news a few years after that, it was around the "haunted doll incident". The breaking story of a serial killer who broke out of jail along with two local theives. Streber was still working making prototypes for that green screen mirror along with prototype smoke bombs, he was so excited to show for next year's Halloween once they were perfected and finished.

Streber couldn't help but wonder if he paied better attention back then to the news, could he have avoided what happened with Bob?

God, thinking about it was just making Streber sad! Random what ifs were yet again clawing at the back of Streber's brain. He really needed to lighten the mood!

“ Right, uh, I've never been to one either! But I heard it's cool, like a ... super - gas station? I think the mascot is an abomination, but otherwise it seems like fun. ” [ ' fun ' may not be the word DEVI would use to describe it, but it seemed like the segway Streber needed away from the Bob situation ... she wouldn't mind going at least once, just to check it out? she heard they had good snacks, at least. she's growing tired of the selection at the 7 - Eleven next to her apartment. ]

“ Hey, I'm going to this convention in a couple weeks, about an hour and a half out, and I think there's a Buc-ees on the way? If you feel like going to a nerd con, of course. I'm mainly going to meet a few of my favorite artists, but the artist alleys are always the best part. ”

She may be worried about offending him, but Guy remains blissfully unaware. Which is a little ironic, considering he prides himself on allegedly being good at reading people. In his mind, he's excellent at catching subtle shifts in behavior, any passive aggressiveness and sarcasm in tones, all the little signs others may miss entirely.

But that's not true. Guy can't read people worth a damn. He only reads what he believes he noticed. Which, oftentimes, isn't the actuality at all.

So a smile works its way on his face.

‎ ❝ Love writing thrillers & horror stuff, ❞ He begins, visibly brightening at the topic. ❝ with a touch of other genres sprinkled in. Right now ... working on a story about an alien invasion. It follows an ordinary postman who must stop it. But he can no longer tell who's actually his neighbor anymore ... or who's really just an alien puppeteering their corpse. ❞

A small beat passes. His hands fidgeting together absentmindedly, thumbs twiddling.

‎ ❝ Are you down with aliens & horror ? Or do you like . . . drawing other subjects ? ❞

“ Oh my god, that's actually my exact kind of thing! Sci - fi horror has been my favorite since I was a kid. Eldritch horror aliens and elaborate tech that makes no sense, systems of wires and buttons and shit, it's therapeutic to paint, honestly. ” [ she laughs softly, a hand raising to fiddle with her earring. ]

“ I'd love to read your novel, if you want to share when you're finished. That sounds right up my alley, definitely the sort of project I wish my publishing company would put me on. ”

A small laugh would part from her lips. "Probably because I don't come from around here, dear." Carefully does she pull up her tailfin so it's just visible enough before going back under the water.

“ So, I'm guessing there's really some civilization like Atlantis down there ..? -- I mean, you totally don't have to tell me, but I'm the LAST person that thinks we should do any more exploring down there. ”

“ -- In a good way, I mean. In a ‘ you seem insightful, I’d like to hear about your work ‘ kind of way. What do you write? ”