NOTHING IS SAFE

 cas was grateful for how mild the fog had treated him, but he wasn't so naive to think other's got away with such easy treatment. if it was so bad as to change the physical books, he could only imagine what other's had gone through. as soon as the fog had lifted from the streets, he was calling ofelia. he was expecting it to ring, but it went straight to voicemail.

he hung up. no problem, the fog's still could be making things act up. it's fine. he called her again. again, straight to voicemail. his blood was starting to run cold. it's fine, he kept telling himself as he bid his fellow survivors ado and started to make his way to the theater. his body couldn't carrying him as fast or as far as kiah, but he was walking as fast as he could, ignoring the paranoia that was always there after the fog. 

 after making sure that everyone was okay where he was, he sent a quick text to laz. 

[text] everything okay with you guys at the station?

once he knew that laz wasn't dead, he sent

[text] i'm going to check on nicky.

he remembered nicky saying that he was going to be at the dinner, and he couldn't get there sooner. it was right down the street, it seemed like getting in the car and trying to drive would take more time to find parking again, so he just ran. he ran to the diner, and made it there in record time. 

he was breathing heavy, but his heart sank deep in his chest when he threw open the door and saw the glass and debris on the ground. "nicky!" he called out. his chest hurt waiting for the reply. 

❛  well  jedekiah  blackwood  as  i  live  and  breathe.  ❜  of  all  people  to  find  her  in  this  almost  literally  abandoned  town,  surely  she  would  have  felt  her  cheeks  burn  hot  with  embarrassment.  she  did  her  best  to  suppress  the  feeling,  though,  because  kiah’s  judgment  over  why  she  was  here  would  surely  not  be  misunderstood.  his  father  was  a  monster,  her  parents  tried  to  be  (  the  ruination  of  lives  doesn’t  just  come  from  taking  them  but  she  was  sure  kiah  was  more  than  aware  ).  pine  haven  had  become  a  pseudo  sanctuary  for  her  —  the  comforts  that  she  left  behind  in  major  cities  instead  swapped  for  relative  anonymity  and  sanctuary  in  a  space  more  consumed  by  their  dead  than  their  living.  instead  she  smiled  back  brightly  as  though  happy  to  see  an  old  friend  she’d  fallen  out  of  contact  with  and  not  the  subject  of  one  of  her  most  notable  projects.  ❛  would  it  be  uncouth  of  me  to  make  a  prodigal  son  joke  ?  or  would  you  prefer  something  about  being  a  fed  ?  ❜ 

kiah could understand, he disappeared into his work, he disappeared where he could. just vanished into obscurity when the opportunity arose. he found that in fixing his housing in those tiny remote places where people didn't care about your name, just the content of your character. it wasn't something he could blame her for, he was just taken by surprise more than anything else. though, he had no idea what it was to live in a haunted town, and maybe that's why he questioned her judgement. she always did have a macabre soul. he met her humor with an unamused face. "surprise me." she knew how much he hated that godforsaken show. 

aah didn’t always think of cas. he mostly tried not to.  usually there were other scary thoughts occupying his mind in the middle of the night. aah could fill his brain with all sorts of things. the fog. sacrifices. the voices in the woods. the voices in his head. but when aah came face to face with cas, all bets were lost. all the feelings came back. some good, some bad, mainly sexual.

he tired not to look into cas’ eyes. or at his face. certainly not on his body. oh, and now he was thinking of cas’ body. that was the last thing he needed to tihnk about now. or ever.

“conceal, don’t feel,” aah muttered to himself under his breath.

“never mind,” aah said. “i don’t need bread. i’ll just leave.”

cas could never figure that man out. he always acted so strangely around him, but cas had come to just accept that he was a strange man. it didn't occur to him, that maybe he was the cause of the even more than usual awkward tension between the two. he tried to be friendly, but this was always how aah reacted. he felt bad though, maybe he should have just started shopping at the other end of the store and let him go about his business. 

"no," he sighed, "aah, it's fine. i can just go to another place of the store. it's okay, get your bread." did he really just say conceal don't feel out loud?

when the office door opened, annie was mulling over the case of prismacolo(u)r pencils as she comprised colour schemes; she hadn’t much to do until ofelia arrived ( and inevitably looked at her phone screen more than anyone present ) after all, so cas’ presence was a grand distraction from everything. her worry for rory — he’d sent her a text, asking if it was alright to drop the kids over, and that wouldn’t be unusual if it wasn’t just that; her brother knew she was more likely to catch calls than texts at work, and yet he’d taken the gamble anyway — the retained sadness over her divorce, the everything.

“cas,” she smiled warmly, gesturing for him to come further in, “it’s going alright, thanks. how about you?” of all the things annie was capable of, telling the truth when the answer to such questions was ‘not good,’ didn’t seem to be one of them. “i can get you something to drink, and i’m sure i have something by the way of breakfast in the cupboard if you’re hungry — if i’d known you were coming i’d have made something for you.”

cas knew that there was a sadness in her heart, but he mused that most artists do. at least though, they had the kinship with each other. there was so much sadness in this town, that sometimes you just had to pretend things were okay and take the distractions where they came, and make your own sunshine. that's what he told himself, and that at least kept him sane for long enough. he wouldn't even begin to comment on her family, he knew what a bitter wound that could be. he was just looking for brief sunshine. 

he’d  been  staring  out  the  window  even  through  most  of  the  briefing.  it  wasn’t  necessarily  going  to  be  hard  to  be  objective  but  this  was  the  kind  of  case  that  would  haunt  them.  how  many  decades  of  officers  believed  they  had  already  investigated  pine  haven’s  forest  to  the  fullest  extent  that  one  could  ?  laz’s  fear  of  the  fog  was  not  misplaced  but  he  knew  that  if  they  were  still  present  in  town  the  next  time  they  got  a  warning,  they  should  be  ready  to  go.  a  shame,  really,  not  to  be  able  to  tell  your  family  about  the  people  who  had  helped  sculpt  the  person  you  were.  no,  instead  there  was  a  part  of  him  that  thrived  on  the  silence  of  them  not  knowing  any  better.  

sick,  honestly,  just  a  bit.  to  want  to  make  his  team  walk  in  blind  to  the  town.  he’d  say  it’s  because  he  wants  to  keep  as  many  people  objective,  that  he  doesn’t  want  anyone  making  too  many  assumptions,  but  those  are  the  things  he  says  that  sound  like  they’re  more  than  himself  than  for  anyone  else.  as  kiah  spoke,  laz  hummed  in  acknowledgement  but  his  eyes  didn’t  move  from  the  clouds.  part  of  him  was  waiting  until  he’d  see  the  forest  again,  waiting  to  feel  the  absolute  chill  he  felt  in  his  spine  when  he  saw  it.  it  took  him  a  few  moments  longer  before  he  looked  at  kiah,  someone  who  was  more  like  his  son  than  anything  else,  someone  he  wanted  to  protect  from  the  horrors  of  the  forest.  a  part  of  laz,  too,  thought  that  no  matter  what  he  said  that  his  time  might  accuse  him  of  over  reacting,  of  being  too  protective.

❛  as  well  as  any  of  us  could  if  we  were  going  back  to  our  hometowns  for  a  case.  ❜  more  measured  than  he  meant  to  sound,  laz  was  almost  surprised  with  himself.  ❛  there’s  a  lot  of  ground  to  cover  with  this  case.  ❜  with  my  family.  laz  was  confident  when  he  got  on  the  plane  that  he’d  be  able  to  keep  his  work  mind  and  his  family  mind  separate,  that  he  would  be  able  to  reconnect  with  family  professionally,  but  the  longer  he  sat  there  thinking  about  them,  the  less  confident  he  was.   

kiah didn't know where to start with the case that they were on, but he knew the weight of going home. he remembers the case with donnie. it was different, but still, going home was never easy. kiah wished he had some sage words of wisdom, something to make las feel better, but he didn't have those, that was more laz's thing anyway. it still hurt though, it didn't make him feel any type of good. 

there was also the fact that laz didn't talk about his hometown much, didn't talk about how weird it was, that things were happening, but kiah had to guess that he really didn't talk about his own past that much. people just knew it from the news and that stupid fucking television show that he still internally shook his fist at, but he wasn't awarded the same privacy, but if he was, he had to guess that he would have also not said anything about it. 

"i know," his eyes were kind, it's what he had. he heard how careful he was with his words, this wasn't like laz, but this wasn't their normal case. he wouldn't say anything. he could let it go for now. he nodded, "there is, but you got the team, you have resources. you're not alone in this laz. i wouldn't let you go in alone." 

Though he’d become a regular ( something she was always a bit weary of ), Avianna had come to adore Kiah because unlike the others who were merely seeking a drink, he was there seeking a person. And that… well, that added some sort of flare to her small town life she tended to look forward to ( not drama but interesting none the less ). Head dipping into a nod at the drink order, she disappeared only to return and place the cold bottle ( and a glass ) before him. “If I can wave him down, I’ll be sure to swap places with Nicky — but you know how things are after the Fog. People get sad for a while, and then they drink for a while, and then most try to forget and move on. Apparently we’re entering phase two.” Eyes rolled heavenward. The town had such an odd manner of coping, but when this was the norm… what else were they really meant to do? “So for now you may be stuck with my ugly mug. But hey — at least you can admire him from afar, hm?”

sure, kiah came there for a drink, but who could blame him with the job he had, but he usually never went more than two beers, nothing that warranted extreme concern, but he cared more about a certain manager than he did about the drinks. he poured the drink, all while listening to her. he wasn't clear about the town's rituals of dealing with their problem, but he wasn't surprised. it was a small town, there's often not much else to do but drink, and then you add on a regular tragedy, and well, it made sense. still, he appreciated the context for the townspeople. he took a sip, "you are far from an ugly mug," but his eyes did wander over to nicky, "but the view is rather lovely." 

( OPEN !! )

          beatrice, didn’t anyone tell you not to run with a knife ??      the answer is yes, at some point, but she doesn’t go anywhere without one ( except for concerts, hockey games, and other places with metal detectors — a real bummer really ). in her defense it’s not like she’s got it in hand, just holstered against her arm along with her phone as she steady works down her typical four mile running route. with the stories that run in this town, it seems the smarter move to have something with her than NOT. part of her route loops into the fringe of the forest, still close enough to the town to make a hasty escape if need be. maybe she should have cut it out after the latest fog incident, but beatrice has always been the type to face things head on and not give an inch. and it’s BEAUTIFUL, just as her mother’s journal had said it to be. she’s paused, admiring the trees in their creepy, hulking glory — inspired for a moment — when she hears the tell-tale snap of a branch, something moving behind her. it’s almost REFLEX at this point, fingers firm against the hilt of the hidden blade. it doesn’t leave her hand, thankfully, as she realizes it’s no otherworldly monster — or even a bear — that’s come up behind her.     “ sorry —- ”     she straightens, the weapon still isn’t re-holstered.      “ —- bit on edge, i guess. ”

working in the woods always came with a risk. zanna didn't know a lot about the position, but she knew that those that worked at the radio station didn't last too long. she remembers a hole slew of hosts from her childhood, but she always figured that they quit after having a boring job like that. she never thought it could be for any other reason. plus, being in the tower for a week straight could make one a little stir crazy, so walks when the coworkers showed up could be beneficial. she just wasn't expecting to see someone running on the trail. zanna offered a shrug. "you're fine, don't worry about it. no harm, no fowl." 

( OPEN !! )

          beatrice, didn’t anyone tell you not to run with a knife ??      the answer is yes, at some point, but she doesn’t go anywhere without one ( except for concerts, hockey games, and other places with metal detectors — a real bummer really ). in her defense it’s not like she’s got it in hand, just holstered against her arm along with her phone as she steady works down her typical four mile running route. with the stories that run in this town, it seems the smarter move to have something with her than NOT. part of her route loops into the fringe of the forest, still close enough to the town to make a hasty escape if need be. maybe she should have cut it out after the latest fog incident, but beatrice has always been the type to face things head on and not give an inch. and it’s BEAUTIFUL, just as her mother’s journal had said it to be. she’s paused, admiring the trees in their creepy, hulking glory — inspired for a moment — when she hears the tell-tale snap of a branch, something moving behind her. it’s almost REFLEX at this point, fingers firm against the hilt of the hidden blade. it doesn’t leave her hand, thankfully, as she realizes it’s no otherworldly monster — or even a bear — that’s come up behind her.     “ sorry —- ”     she straightens, the weapon still isn’t re-holstered.      “ —- bit on edge, i guess. ”

now out of everyone, polly definitely had good reason to go out into the woods. he had to grab samples of things for the lab, and something that he didn't necessarily have to cover up. he would have to do that either way if he was a real fish and wildlife officer or not. that was something he was grateful for. he did not do sneaking around well, or lying well either. literally how did he get this job, he'd never know. oh right, he was smart. 

he walked out of the woods, making sure that his samples were carefully stored in his messenger bag, and frankly, he hardly noticed the woman on the path before she spoke. he nearly jumped out of his skin when she spoke, and looked at her, trying to discern if she was a ghost or a spirit of the woods. "i guess that would make two of us." 

( @shatteredhope​ )

          beatrice looks up almost LAZILY from her seat as the bells above the door jingle their cheap tones. the apple she’s cutting – not into slices, that’d be too dull – curls into an endless long strip onto the table. as exhausting as the morning rush could be, she almost preferred it to the molasses-in-winter slow lull that inevitably followed. her grin is catlike as she recognizes the figure that comes through the door. kiah would do for entertainment most days — ESPECIALLY if she was on with a certain co-worker ; but even nicky-less, this will do just fine.  “ —– you get your days mixed up ?? ” she calls from her seat ( one of the booths next to the door ). “ it’s WEDNESDAY. i’m all by my lonesome. ”

kiah, scarce left nicky alone for too long. he'd go to see nicky after work at the bar, and would get breakfast at the diner to see him before. the only time that didn't hold true was when he spent the night. "damn," he sighed under his breath. well, he was already here. might as well get some better coffee than what they had at the station. he took a seat at the bar. maybe eating wouldn't be the worst idea either. it was certainly worth a try. "how are you, beatrice?" he asked with a pleasant smile. 

@shatteredhope​ · rory + laz

two  weeks  in  pine  haven  and  they  had  been  nothing  short  of  exhausting  for  every  officer  in  town.  and  most  of  them  hadn’t  just  lost  their  wife.  setting  a  cup  off  coffee  in  front  of  rory  in  the  break  room,  laz  took  a  seat  opposite  him.  the  coffee,  like  most  things,  was  bad  and  not  much  improved  with  milk  or  sugar  or  an  aggressive  combination  of  both.  but  it  was  easy  to  focus  on.  the  cup  in  laz’s  hands  was  apparently  very  fascinating  and  as  he  realized  he’d  spent  most  of  his  time  sitting  across  from  rory  staring  at  it,  he  looked  up  to  the  clock.  thirty  two  seconds  had  passed  in  complete  silence.  ❛  i  thought  i  would  try  your  phone  bit,  ❜  laz  tried,  half  a  smile  on  his  face  that  didn’t  quite  reach  his  eyes  (  not  many  had  since  his  divorce  from  annie  ).  ❛  it’s  not  as  effective  in  person,  i  think.  ❜

it was bright and early at the station, something kiah was all too familiar with. he has his triple shot of espresso mixed with his coffee, getting ready for the day, but there was a gift waiting in the break room for everyone. a new coffee machine that could make two pots at once and both of them were full already. it was little, but hey, decent coffee could really start the morning off right. 

he was in the conference room that the fbi had nabbed for their space, though kiah was in the habit of always keeping that door open to the local departments, they deserved to be apart of the investigation, it was their home, and kiah firmly believed that. he viewed the his roll as just an extra resource to utilize. he heard footsteps and he looked up with a smile, "good morning, detective!" 

 an empirical fact about kiah was that the man needed at least twelve shots of espresso a day to function. the man barely slept as it was, so he needed something to power through the day, and considering that he had been drink coffee since he was thirteen, the man had a tolerance built up. kiah was getting the afternoon dose of caffeine and taking a break to group his thoughts and summarize everything that's happened. it was often moments like this when his best breakthroughs came to him. 

he was sitting at the coffee shop, really lost in his thoughts until a certain face caught his attention. he was confused for a second as to why. she wasn't someone that he knew well, but then it hit him. she was a popular true crime youtuber that covered the many facets and storylines in the saga that surrounded his family. “shit,” he said under his breath. maybe... she would just leave him alone. “shit,” he said under his breath. 

 kiah was trying to get context for the town. there was so much that he just didn't understand, but he so desperately wanted to. there was no way for him to get answers if he didn't have all the base facts to make his foundation solid. he was going to head over to the library for the local archives after this meeting, but he figured that fish and wildlife would have information on the uniqueness of the forest, they should have those answers. if only he knew what he was really walking into. 

it was set up so on the surface, no one would know the difference between what it actually was and what it was making a play at being, so kiah had no idea this would be anything else than what it was. he was thoroughly surprised though to see roman ridley, a woman he was vaguely familiar with, but that was just from the exuberant amount of money both of their families had. 

"well, i'll be damned," he laughed a little, "it's roman ridley as i breathe. how have you been?" it's been maybe? ten years or so since they saw each other last, but kiah had a talent for faces and names.