Chapter One: Welcome home
♥ You: "Hello." Anyone else: "Hello."
A time of excitement, relief, and pride. You spend four years of hell and lots of money going to get more education and a paper that would lead me to be rich in the future.
That's what I would've said if my degree weren't in paranormal investigations.
I always had a love for the unknown, how they're are reports on creatures that can act like animals or even act like humans. Curses, ghosts, aliens, etc. I was fascinated by how spirits could possess a living thing. As I loaded the last bag I needed, I headed to the back seat, leaning against the window, dreading this ride back home.
With the latest tunes on the radio playing, I look out into the world passing by, til I saw the damn billboard of Paul Bunyan and the classic line.
Derry, I hated this damn town.
It doesn't feel like a normal town. If you step out of line, everyone stares at you like you're an animal at a zoo. It's just too quiet, almost ghostly quiet. The town isn't the safest either; they don't like ... "different" if you get what I mean. Along with that, people are always going missing in this town. You should win a reward for living your whole life and not going missing.
School wasn't any better; it was the classic "If you're not popular, you're a target" type of school. It was filled to the brim with bullies, and they weren't tame either, usually attacking where it hurt the most.
It's a nightmare of a town. I honestly don't know how I didn't go mad from this.
...Or why my family never bothers moving out...
After high school, I went to college so I could finally get out of this town. Though it means I would be away from my loved ones, and with the town's missing streak, is it going?
I always pray they weren't added to the list.
Once home, and we unloaded my bags, I went upstairs to my room as I flopped onto my bed. Exhausted, I heard the familiar sound of some tiny paws coming my way. I smiled as I glanced over.
Michael, the fluffies' spooky Halloween cat, is ever known to man. and the cutest.
As Michael jumped onto my bed and curled next to me, purring loudly so that the neighbors could probably hear him. I reached my hand over and gently pet his head, as this was one thing Derry had to offer.
Though it didn't take long, as knocking from the front door was heard, along with Mom's voice calling me down.
"Y/N! (Y/BSF/N), IS HERE!"
My best friend, the second thing Derry has to offer for me, since Michael isn't human. (Y/BSF/N) And I was each other's rock during those hell years in school. really hanging out in the woods near the waterfall to avoid any bigger kids riding by.
So as quickly as I flopped into bed, I got up and headed downstairs to greet him, as they immediately pulled me into a tight bear hug, obviously missing me.
"Hey, I heard you were back in town. I don't work today, so I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?"
"Yeah, that sounds great, just let me get my bag."
Before I headed upstairs again to grab my bag, I gave Michael, who decided it was nap time again, a quick pet on his belly. before heading out.
It felt nice being able to walk with (Y/BSF/N) again. We would usually grab some snacks and drinks, head to the woods, and play around as if we were Robin Hood and Little John. mainly cause of how many times we ended up hiding from the meaner kids who also happened to be in the forest.
I and (Y/BSF/N) shared the love for cryptids and folklore, which is why we got picked on more, being seen as alien-loving weridos. So we also shared more stories about myths and creatures and other ghost stories just to mess with one another.
As we walked along the sidewalk to town, we saw a red balloon pass our way. We both pause as we watch it float by.
We just kinda look at it for a minute before I ask them.
"That felt weird, didn't it?"
"Yeah, like the balloon wasn't supposed to be here, I wonder why?"
"There wasn't an event going on, right?"
(Y/BSF/N) Shrug it off, as we both continue our walk, eventually making it to the small convenience store we always went to, as we plan on getting the usual stuff.
We spit up just to grab what we wanted. I was looking for my favorite chips, but for some reason, I couldn't find them. As I looked in different aisles, thinking they must've been moved to another part of the store.
As I was looking, I heard a scream with glass breaking. Obviously, I ran over to see what it was. seeing a kid freaking out with a jar of pickles broken at her feet. She looks so scared, like something physically attacked her.
I knew I shouldn't go over, but it is a kid; she could have cut herself with the glass.
I went over and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to help calm her. "Hey- are you okay?"
She didn't respond, just looked at me with large eyes. She looked like she wanted to say something, but hesitated, seemingly believing that I wouldn't believe her if she did. Obviously, it drew the attention of the other customers there, as they all looked over to what was happening.
I was worried they would think I was bothering this kid, as I didn't speak up. kinda just crouching there, awkwardly. The shop owner came around the corner, wondering what the ruckus was about, as he saw.
and the broken jar of pickles in between us.
"Uh... I'm pretty sure it was an accident," I said sheepishly, as I quickly stood up, hoping to explain, but the shopkeeper brushed me off as he had this look on his face as if he already knew I wasn't at fault here.
"Lily- what is wrong with you?" he asked, looking to the kid, disappointed.
"I don't think the kid meant to." I jump in, before offering "I'll pay for it." Before the shopkeeper brushes me off
"No-no, you don't have to do that, she's not really fully there, so this was to be expected," He said, and that sparked my interest. This has happened before? (Y/BSF/N) came over after seeing everyone crowd around.
"What happened?" they ask, confused.
We paid for the snacks and drinks and made our way to the woods, taking the same old trail as kids down to the lake, hiding up in the cliffs, where rarely anyone goes to avoid people. As we sat our blanket down and just hung out.
cracking a few drinks as we chatted about our new life outside of high school now, lying back against the bumping forest grounds, looking up to the trees being illuminated from the sunlight above.
As nostalgia and quiet filled the soft breeze.
What felt like hours, I turned to (Y/BSF/N) before asking.
"Hey, who was that kid in the store? The shopkeeper sounded like this was a regular thing."
"Hmm?" he turned to me before realizing what I asked, "OH!-"
They sat up before answering, "That was Lily Bainbridge. Her dad got into a factory accident long ago, around the time you left for college, and has been in the asylum since then. I think she just had an episode when looking at the pickles since that's where her dad fell into."
That explains the pickles, but she looks like someone physically attacked her. I feel bad for the kid, though.
"Man- that's rough, hope she finds peace soon enough," I said cause what else can you do? I don't know the kid after all. I was gonna change the topic before another red balloon came floating into view again.
Like before, we stop and look at it, none of us speaking til (Y/BSF/N) shrugged it off. "Must be the same balloon from before." As they rummage through their bag, pulling out a small box, "Here, I got you a gift for coming home and making it through college."
As they handed me the body, I got this sense of relief as I opened it. Seeing a yellow stone carved turtle necklace. "Handmade" (Y/BSF/N) said, "I got it cause yellow is your favorite color and turtles are meant as good luck charms."
I stared at the necklace, a beautiful gift, before attacking them with a hug, showing my gratitude. Then I took it out of the box and put it around my neck, fiddling with the small turtle-shaped stone.
"You like it, I'm guessing," (Y/BSF/N) teased, elbowing me softly. I laugh as I respond, "Yeah, I do, grandpa really loved turtles," I said softly.
There was just silence as we both smiled, understanding why I like the necklace. (Y/BSF/N) knew me and my grandfather had a really close relationship, and he knew it crushed me when he ended up going missing too.
I remember that day clear as day, coming home from school, my mother crying while dad was on the phone with the police. After weeks, he was declared dead. Where else would an old man go? But being a kid, it crushed me deeply.
He was just gone without a trace.
"I'm sure wherever he is now, he still loves you to the Milky Way," (Y/BSF/N) said softly, comforting me a little. I appreciated that from them, as with every other missing person, eventually they stop caring about finding him.
to lighten the mood and to feel like a kid again, I teasingly tag (Y/BSF/N) shoulder before running off laughing "YOU'RE IT!"
(Y/BSF/N) laughter filled the air along with mine, as they got up and chased me. "Hey- That's unfair."
We spend the rest of our time running around like we were little kids again, running through the trees, laughing, climbing up just to trick one another, and spooking one another just for the laughs.
A little while later, we packed up our stuff and headed towards the old well house. It's been abandoned for years now. While we were making our way here, we chatted about the old house and how I should see if there are any spirits in there, as they could answer why it was abandoned. We got up to the gates as we saw the old, crumbled well house. The classic place for a ghost story.
"There's no way there isn't at least a ghost in this house," (Y/BSF/N) chuckled. I rolled my eyes with a smirk as I teased back, "Bet you would shit your pants at a floor board creaking."
"No" (Y/BSF/N) joked back
We always messed with each other. "We're gonna get an ouija board for this?" "We don't have to, but it could help." "gonna try and get a ghost partner?" (Y/BSF/N) teased as I rolled my eyes again. "Very funny," I said with a smirk, before we started heading back into town, since I didn't have my things with me to go in today.
But tomorrow is a start in a new supernatural career.
Later that night, I lay in bed as I fiddled with my equipment, Michael by my feet as he was asleep, snoring loudly; it was hard to believe it was coming from a cat. Before setting the equipment down and trying to head into dreamland myself.
But when I opened my eyes, I was in this circus-type environment, as there were a few lights around the place, I could see a few carnival games and some balloons.
As I sat up and looked around, I noticed the place looked... really empty. There was barely anyone around.
Soon, a laugh was heard echoing in the air, as a trailer for what appears to be a clown came rolling over towards me. I stood there frozen in fear as it kept rolling closer before it stopped at least a few feet away from me.
Everything felt paused for a while, nothing was happening, before the trailer door opened slowly. It was dark inside, but a voice came from within.
"Little Y/N, always sticking their nose where it doesn't belong, you know, one day it's gonna get you killed," the voice said. It was eerie and hushed. I was frozen in place, staring at the trailer entrance as a figure's shape began to step out of the darkness, yellow eyes glowing from it, staring deep like fire into my soul, as it didn't fully come out of the trailer, not ready to reveal itself.
"Always fascinated with the unknown, always needing an answer for everything, but you know what your dear old grandpa used to say?" the voice sounded mockingly, as the figure fully came out of the shadows.
"Grandpa?" I breathed out as my body was too shocked to really speak. As my grandfather stood outside the frame of the trailer's doors, looking at me with a smile that didn't feel like his own, it was clear this thing was just using the form of my grandfather as if all of this was some game to it.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Y/N." It mimicked my grandfather's voice perfectly, before he laughed as if he had just told some stupid joke off a candy wrapper. But I couldn't move. I knew it was a threat, and I was scared to move.
I woke up with a gasp as I tried to calm my beating heart, looking around and seeing the moonlight illuminating my room, looking to the bed as I saw Michael's favorite toy in my lap, his turtle toy.
I held an inhale, slowly exhaling it out, as I looked for Michael. Before hearing a low growl coming from the foot of my bed, I slowly looked over. I saw Michael all puffed up and walking funny.
"Michael?" I said softly, wondering what my cat was doing; he was dead set on something on the ceiling. I looked up, thinking there was a bug on the ceiling, and he wanted it, as every cat does. But froze as I saw three red balloons in a triangular formation.
I quickly go up and check the window. It was locked.
I ran downstairs and checked the two main doors of the house. They were locked.
Check every window. They were locked.
But yet one thing was clear... someone was here.
