Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story

Delia glanced from him back to the chaos of the streets. “Yeah, I understand the feeling,” she told him. She never had been able to stand being wrong, had always felt the underlying need to be right at all times. “Where are you going? I can help you get out.”

“I already had a pretty shitty year, I’m trying not to tempt fate in 2021 considering the kind of start were off to” Trent replied shaking his head. He was haunted enough but thing’s he had been dealing with the last year and he was nowhere near getting over his mothers death. He believed he wouldn’t fall apart if he ran into her, but didn’t want to run the risk either way. “Just down that way. It’s the fastest path back to my apartment”

Date: January 1, 2021

Time: 12:35 AM

Location: Irving Plaza

Status: Open

Cordelia had not wanted to deal with this tonight. All she wanted was one town event to go well but from her short experience so far and what she’d been told, that didn’t feel likely to happen any time soon. This one was the worst.

She tossed herself over a bench and squatted beside someone else that was there for the shelter. “These things don’t seem dangerous, right? Like they can’t cause damage?” Her mind raced over video game references and she almost snorted in amusement because it made her think of her son. They couldn’t risk the assumption. What if they could? The ghosts didn’t seem to only have died in Lethe; what if her mother was here and could harm? Her stomach flipped because she had no idea how to stop her. “Goddamn, I need to retire,” she growled as she put her gun back in its holster, knowing full well it wasn’t going to do anything for her tonight. “Are you alright?” she finally asked the other.

Back when Trent had been more unscrupulous he would have jumped at the chance to cover this whole situation as a story. He in the past didn’t have anyone to worry about haunting him. Now thing’s were wildly different. He hoped to not see the visage of his mother now and was keeping his head down as he tried to be useful during this whole nightmare. “ I’m not an expert on any of this” Trent admitted as someone spoke up in his direction “ I don’t want to say anything unless I become horribly wrong. “ He shrugged. “ Yeah I’m fine. No harm no foul, but I’m trying to get the hell out of here before I see something I don’t want to see”

Date: November 7th, 2020 Location: Lethean Times main office Time: 9AM Type: open to Lethean Times employees @flamingavery​, @trent-buckingham​ and @christian-yates​

“Now, I’m certain you all have comments or questions that can’t be answered in a quick meeting. That’s to be expected. My door is open and I am at your disposal even if it’s shut. That will be all for now.” Katherine said, standing at her seat at the head of the table. The conference room was full of mixed expressions and people she had never hired herself, but those who remained were not the ones who had caused the messes of late. That was comforting, if nothing else. She smiled at them all, then gestured that they were free to go. It was open knowledge for many years that Katherine owned the newspaper, but until now she had been content to let it be run by others. No longer. Even so, it was a big shift for the employees, so she wasn’t too surprised to see one of them following up on her offer a little while after she settled herself in her new office. “I don’t bite, I promise. What can I help you with? You don’t need to stand in the doorway either, it’s not that kind of newspaper. Take a seat, darling.”

It took a lot for Trent to be intimidated, but after being taken down a peg after losing his mom and trying to keep everything together, it was no longer the case. He tried his best, but it was clear he wasn’t the same man he was a year ago who seemed far more unscrupulous in how he approached a story. Now, it wasn’t the case. He wanted more authenticity and that alone was hard for the young journalist. Maybe, if he at least got off to a good start with the now less mysterious owner, he would find his groove again. Trent relaxed a bit at hearing the read heads comments and scratched the back of his neck, feeling a little ridiculous now for having hovered to begin with. “Sorry about that. It’s an old habit. I’m Trent“ Trent replied walking into the office. “ Just felt weird I didn’t formerly say hello. And to let you know it’s nice to finally meet you. “ He wanted to mention his slight writers block over the past few months, but was worried that would have probably been a bad thing to admit to. 

“You could still be a dad or volunteer,” she muttered under her breath. “Who are you interviewing?” Maya asked, though she kept the door open for the man and even stepped aside before he answered, silently inviting him in. “Mack didn’t tell me anything about a journalist, is it she you’re supposed to be interviewing? Let me see if I have something to eat…” She kept the door wide open (he looked harmless! though when had she been wrong before? a lot) and went to go look in the pantry for some oreos or chicken in a biscuit. Maybe a soda, too. 

“Why would you think I was a dad? Do I look like a dad to you?” Trent replied looking down an reconsidering the shirt he was wearing. He usually took a lot of effort into his appearance but after his moms death things started to slip past him. “ Someone named Mel? I can’t be sure.  I didn’t get a lot of information, to be honest “ He added feeling like he had been sent on a a false lead. “ No, Well I don’t think so. “ Trent made a confused face when she opened the door wide and he stayed in the door frame watching as she walked off. “ If I’m completely off I can go. “

Date/Time: Saturday October 3, 2020 / Sometime before noon

@trent-buckingham

“Are you a boyscout or something?” she asked when she answered the door. “My sister Mack is I think fixing someone’s plumbing around the corner. If you have something to sell I’m not really interested.” 

Date: September 22, 2020 Time: 5:40pm Location: Irving Plaza, Main stage

Imani normally didn’t comply to those who advise her how to do her setlist. However, because this was an all ages event, the Council advised that if she were to perform, then the songs chosen needed to be Top 40 hits. The she-wolf sucked it up, anything for cash and showing face. With the parade commencing, she performed her mix and kept the rest on loop after wanting to take a smoke break. Seeing someone approach her, she faked a smile and pointed at her stage. “If you’re here to request a song, I’m unfortunately on a strict set list that’s been approved by the Council. Can’t play the usual fuck bitches, get money bop y’know?” 

“Oh, you’re paid to think about such things in that way, a different kind of way. Makes sense now,” he smiled. Though part of him wanted to ask about the last few months for this guy, he bit his tongue to not because Damien wasn’t the prying type. “I might as well get on home then, nice to meet you. Sorry for biting your head off earlier. What um, are you a journalist for? Anything I’ve heard of?” he shuffled his feet a little awkwardly, but wanted to hear the rest before seeing Trent off. 

“Basically. I mean I’m paid to do whatever makes the best headlines. Usually what gets the most attention is most beneficial, but lately I don’t know if that’s cutting it. “ Trent admitted. He was basically talking to a stranger and here he was opening up. He bit the inside of his cheek realizing how he clearly didn’t have many people to talk to. “It’s fine. Sorry for being grim For the paper in town. So I assume probably” He chuckled 

Damien smirked at the taller man. “Who’s the morbid one now?” he asked before the man said his name. “‘Bound to give in’? That’s some faith you have in humanity and technology. Are you an old school, snail mail person, then?” he asked, not knowing that the guy worked for the fucking newspaper. Lethe and its old school ways. Pfft.

“It’s been a shitty couple of months my belief in most thing’s has been waning. “ He replied raising a brow. Trent didn’t want to get into it, but losing family was never easy and he wasnt there yet when it came to discussing it. “ I mean not really. I’m a journalist though so I guess I’m part of a dying art

Damien stared blankly at the hybrid. He could smell the rancid blood, and he felt guilty for what he’d insinuated in attempt at a joke. “Yeah, the ‘cloud,’ as people say,” he cleared his throat, making his way to the man. “But its all destined to crash and burn sometime.” As he stepped up to Trent, he offered a weak sort of smile, like how they were both glass-half-empty type of people. A kindred soul. “I’m Damien,” he said softly. 

Trent was sort of relieved that the previous comment had been  dropped. He didn’t want to talk about it longer even though he drew attention to the situation. It was just one of those things where it was almost exhausting to be acting the way he had been lately. “ Yeah I kind of hate saying “the cloud” too” He smirked, glancing back at the other guy. “ Yeah well nothing is really made to last something in the foundation is bound to give in at some point” Trent added before holding out his hand. He was a mess lately but he was still a polite one. “ Trent. Nice meeting you”

“Well then I guess I was hoping you had Alzheimer’s or something, but I guess you’re too young.” Damien wasn’t good at making quips, but he liked showing off his knowledge from a year’s worth of being integrated into society. Therefore his friendly jabs were rather rudimentary. “Mm,” he said quietly, crawling out of the ditch. “Oh. Also, I think pictures can last hundreds of years. Like, we have paper from centuries ago, y’know? I dunno, most people in the world don’t live that long, but I guess in Lethe you’re right about memories lasting longer.” He realized he had spoken too much and his eyes widened. He was turning into his brother. 

“Did you hear yourself right now with what you were wishing on someone dude?” Trent replied raising a brow. There was still humor to his voice despite the black cloud that seemed to be following him everywhere he went lately. “Yeah but only if they’re taken care of. It’s something you have to maintain. Technology wise who knows. It could last forever, or technology might fail us one day?”