#sergiospastries

He puts on a pair of khakis and a dark-blue button-down shirt and stands in front of the mirror. He fiddles with his collar, pinching the corner tip and pulling, attempting to align it perfectly. Then, without quite feeling in control of the motion, his fingers move to the mirror and touch the surface. Trace the straight line of his brow, his temple, where the wet hair curls, too long, over his ears. The dainty beauty mark above his lip, which he used to resent and has come to accept as the finishing touch to his face―the dot of his “i.”

from chapter fourteen of Rest Easy by Ghostcat, drawing by Ghostcat

When they get off the bus, Even pays for Isak’s fare before Isak can protest. They walk on the sidewalk without touching. Isak doesn’t know quite how to approach. The teasing ease from their texts and phone calls is entirely absent and Even looks lost, anxious. The sun loves him, though, lights him like art.

from chapter eight of Rest Easy by Ghostcat, art by @sergiospastries

Instead of going straight to Eskild and Linn’s, he does the ill-advised thing and drives over to the boarded-up Magnusson factory, determined to find another way to that beach. First, Isak circles the building itself and tries to look inside. It’s an ugly Brutalist-style rectangle, with sealed windows a little over two meters off the ground and a curious exterior staircase on one side that has been boarded off. On the southwest edge, he finds a lower window that isn’t covered and peeks inside. It’s a charred-out husk, the walls all completely bare and sooty. On the farthest side, there’s the skeleton of an interior staircase. He’d never bothered to ask what their industry was, and there’s no machinery left to take a guess.

from chapter thirteen of Rest Easy by Ghostcat, art by @sergiospastries

“What are you trying to tell me with your eyes?” Isak says with a smile. “Do you want me to do it without you having to say?”

Even nods. Isak nods back. “Okay. I can do that.”

from chapter ten of Rest Easy by Ghostcat, art by @sergiospastries

The lights are bright and hot on his face, he reviews his notes and puts them on the table. The cameraman counts off one, two, three and Isak stares at the red light and speaks.

“I am Detective Isak Valtersen of KRIPOS. We are here to urge the public to come forward with any information they might have about Emma Larzen’s backpack.”

A photo of Emma with her backpack next to her holds on the screen. Offscreen, Isak describes the color, the brand, and style, the ermines with their little crowns.

from chapter eleven of Rest Easy by Ghostcat, art by @sergiospastries

An old, old joy.

from chapter seventeen of Rest Easy by Ghostcat