devil in disguise;;

cailida & kaeden: @wickcddreams​ location: misty hollow police department

“Ugh.” The detective made sire her distaste was audible as she slammed the phone back down onto the receiver. It wasn’t the best idea to be so openly rude to her superior officer, but Cailida had been there for eight years and she was still stuck under him. She stood up and walked over to Kaeden’s office, not even trying to hide her disdain. “You called for me?” Instead of sitting, Cai stood by the door and crossed her arms. 

Perhaps he’d turned a little too many blind eyes, sending of the wrong signals but that was about to change, starting with a little eye-to-eye chat. As soon as he’d hang up, Kaeden walked over to the window, hands in his pockets as he looked throught it without anything in particular to catch his attention. The hairs at the back of his neck stood up, sensing her long before she’d spoken yet the sheriff remained silend and with his back towards her for a few more moment before eventually turning to look at her. His body leaned against the window, his fingers digging at it’s edge as he contemplated a little more on his words. “Close the door and sit.” The first words to leave his mouth came out as an order. “Heard you’ve been really into one of my cases?” Technically, it wasn’t his own, but it was no secret to anyone he had his preferences. “You know, we’ve got priorities right now and I really don’t care if you feel it more personal than a little boy’s case.” Especially, since she wasn’t the first to poke her nose into a place not meant for her.

She hated this. Hated having him talk to her like that and listening to how good he made all of it to sound; the woman bet he could use the same voice to lure people straight into the underworld, if one existed. This was the tone of a sinner and Elienna knew a few things about them; leaders who loved giving orders and having others following it. But she was a leader on its own too and he was yet to discover that. But maybe… it wasn’t going to be today. Because she wanted answers so bad; she wanted to get to the bottom of whatever was happening inside of her brain so bad, that when the man put his hand under her chin, she couldn’t help but look straight into his black eyes and drown there. “Don’t… talk to me like that. Like I’m a child…”, she stuttered, then shut her mouth, teeth sinking into the inside of her cheek. He knew. Elienna knew Kaeden had discovered her little trespassing and now more then ever the woman couldn’t anticipate what he would do next. Was she in deeper trouble? Would he want to know who gave her this? “I’ll listen… if you listen to me too.”, her fingers tugged at the hand that was still holding hers, all while she couldn’t turn her stare away from his. The beating of her own heart was the only thing Ella heard for a long time, then she took the first step away from his car and away from the fucking chattering and happy people. She took him a little but enough far away, all while her eyes frantically looked for something that clearly wasn’t there. A sob escaped her but Elienna tried to stuff it out, nails digging into the sheriff’s hand. “She was right there… I saw her…” It was pointless, really, for there was no one there. “I thought she had finally returned for me… that I’m not alone anymore…”

The sheriff gave her a wary look when Elienna dared to scold him for the way he spoke to her, though she had a point. He never knew from he’d learnt to mimic this false sympathy and affection, even though with her it wasn’t entirely false; it was probably his aunt who had first spoken in such way to his mother and his still young and undeveloped completely brain had absorbed this behaviour linking it to similar situations, making it far easier for him to speak the same way to his mother afterwards and in situation like the current one, which happened to be regular part of his job later on. Snapping out of his mind, Kaeden realized he’d been quiet for far too long. Enough for the woman to continue, which was probably not such a bad thing, considering how he literally had to bite the tip of his tongue earlier as to not say something like ‘don’t act like a child then’ to her. Because he couldn’t really blame her when her mind was all hazy now and the usual rational part of it was replaced by the one overrun with emotion. And judging by the last few minutes, she had repressed a lot of them for far too long.

“I’m listening,” his voice once again sounded gentle and soothing despite her remark but maybe it was just because it was so low, almost a whisper. His eyes followed the trail to where Elienna claimed to have seen her friend standing, despite knowing that it was pointless. His eyes averted back to her, her words sending a tingly sensation down his spine. “I don’t think she’s ever coming back, Ell.” He’d mentioned it a couple of times already as he kept reminding her how the more time passed, the lesser the chances for finding her alive were, which she herself already knew, too, but this was the first time the sheriff confirmed his beliefs. ”But you’re not alone. I’m here, if you need me. And you have other friends, too, right?”

“Coffee.”

“The answer is me, myself and I. If I’m stuck, I’ll either take some time off and come with a fresh mind or I’ll keep going until I get to where I want to be. There is no in between.”

“No. Well, maybe I do regret not going to the military or accepting a job somewhere else, but not really.”

“I don’t know. Probably the times when I have to deal with minor break ins caused by drunk teenagers. It’s kind of boring, though.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Yeah, I trust myself.”

“Why do you think I’ll tell you? But there are many things I hide.”

If she was able to think straight, Elienna was probably going to realise by now that all of this wasn’t real. Whatever her troubled mind gave birth to, it wasn’t real; it was but another nightmare creeping towards her in her awake state, ruining and degrading her like it once did too. In that moment far too gone into the past, when her body was shaking and her mind was screaming and scratching inside of her head, Elienna had promised that this was it. Nothing was worth feeling like that, not even the highest of heights. Yet… desperation had led her to this. Fear had lead her to this. Insanity and something buried deep down inside of her had led her to this. “Let me go!”, hissed the woman, trying to snatch her hand back from his grip, but with no effect. He was holding her way too tight and she just couldn’t let go of him like that. “Didn’t you see it for yourself?! It was right there!” She had to shut the fuck up, keep her mouth closed and stop this falling of hers, but no. Frantic eyes shot again and again between him and the place where the ghost of Sage had disappeared and the only thing Elienna felt for sure was that she was sinking deep. Really deep. And she felt ashamed of that. “Why aren’t you doing something?! Why don’t you let me find her, Kaeden?!”

In any other time, his hand would have eventually let go of her despite the joy it brought him to feel the woman trying to pull away from him. There was only so much he could handle before being fed up with it but it was Elienna, who stood before him, and there was something real off about her tonight. It wasn’t her usual feisty self; it felt more like despair with the way her voice would break ever so slightly, which is why he said nothing. “Look at me,” his fingers moved underneath her chin even before she had obeyed to his words. He knew this look because it was one he’d seen for most of his life; hollow eyes, which saw things that weren’t really there. It made him clench his jaw and look away towards the crowd as if he wished he’d see whatever there was that the woman was seeing but he wouldn’t. Because it wasn’t there. “I am, okay?” The sheriff spoke quietly, making a step closer. “But first you need to calm down. We’ll find her. I’ll help you find her. But I need you to trust me and listen to me. Can you promise me you’ll do that?”

Kaeden never understood why one would cause this to themselves. Of all bad habits he could pick up, drugs were never one; he watched all his friends try at least once but not him. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea of her doing it, too, or more importantly why. For the few months he’d been able to get to know her, he always thought Elienna was above it but maybe she had her moments... And right now he was ready to play along as long as it meant she was safe. From everyone else but mainly from her own self.

“Come on, lead me.”

Charlie sat outside a small cafe with the morning paper clutched in his hand. She normally read the paper on an app on her phone. This morning, however, as she walked to get a morning cup of coffee, she couldn’t help but pick up the paper. The headlining article was haunting, and she couldn’t pull away from it. It sent a shiver down her spine as she read the details of what happened. She couldn’t imagine how scared this poor boy’s mother was. “What’s to stop this psychopath from going after someone else next?” she said to no one in particular. “They need to do more than just public a boy’s description.” ( @mistystarters​ )

God, he truly hated the small towns and the low whispers that followed him as soon as he entered the small coffee shop, hoping he might escape the madness that was currently taking place at the station, made him wonder once again why he had thought staying would be a good idea. He had his reasons, of course, but on days like this, it was hard to keep his thoughts straight.

Walking out, Kaeden took a long sip from his still steaming hot coffee as if he didn’t even feel it burn the tip of his tongue just as someone’s voice followed him. A female voice. Low growl echoed through his chest as he turned around. “Oh yeah?” But he never got to finish as something about the woman looked familiar and his mind trailed off in attempts to put a name to that face. Maybe another one of his classmates, though she looked rather young to be such. “He doesn’t just walk around and take kids.” Or maybe he did? Children were naive after all, anyone could lurk them to anywhere, which is why most cases ended up unsolved.

A snort followed the sheriff’s words as Elienna tried to hide her eye roll. They both knew whatever he was talking about was bullshit. Ella wasn’t the type to prefer nice and family gatherings and he wasn’t a man that was happy when being presented with the ordinary life in it’s most dull and ridiculous form. Yes, maybe her mother had taken her to this event at some point in her early years and Elienna was glad she didn’t remember anything of it. Knowing what she was like a child, strange and closed off, with no friends, it wasn’t a surprise to assume that this was probably her mini version of hell. Not to mention that she must’ve assumed it as a waste of her reading time - another reason why no one wanted to hang out with a nerdy girl. “Don’t assume, Kaeden. I’m alone now.” For a reason, she added to herself, heavy eyes following with disgust all of the chattering people. At least while standing next to him she didn’t had to pretend anymore to actually like any of this shittery. “What was that?” Her voice snapped all at once as the woman saw a shadow of something moving behind Kaeden. “There was someone behind you, did you see that? He was carrying a knife!” Elienna wasn’t one of the hysterical people but with whatever was in her bloodstream, she felt like actually losing it for a moment. Her hand gripped at his elbow, making him turn and follow her look. “She had… black hair. Just like Sage…” And before another word, the woman was already feeling her legs carrying her towards the place that the strange woman had disappeared.

The sheriff gave her one long lasting glare before her question took him by surprise. At first he thought she had just heard something; probably some footsteps behind a trees where some teenagers liked to get their alone time or probably a group was playing tricks on the locals. Before his mind had any chance to go further, though, she continued and the next words to leave her mouth almost had him turning his head around to look over his shoulder despite his mind telling him there was nothing there. Otherwise, he would have heard someone approach them, sensed them long before they had the chance to make a move. Even with his attention currently completely directed at the redhead.

Still, he obeyed and stared at the darkness slowly falling over the small town with bits of the sky still crimson red close to where the water met the sky. No one’s there, Ella, he meant to say as his eyes kept on investigating the whole view because maybe, just maybe, she had seen someone walk close by and getting lost into the crowd by the beach... “Ell,” he said her name out loud when he paused, feeling her hand slip, so he now reached to grab it, his fingers intertwining with hers to secure his hold over it. “Hey, if you saw someone being chased, you need to tell me more, okay?” Though, he had this feeling that it wasn’t real. Too many loop holes and inconsistencies in her last few sentences were enough to switch on the red light inside his mind.

status: open ( the hollow diner ) | @mistystarters​

MISSING: HENRY FRITZ

The headline on the morning paper seared holes into his head. The article itself lacked further details, but the large title stuck with him.

MISSING: HENRY FRITZ

If he wasn’t so numbed by unwanted memories, Hayes might have felt a chill run down his spine. But he didn’t. All he did was sit at the local diner with the newspaper underneath his hands. Both brows furrowed just as deep as the frown on his face. The coffee he ordered had gone cold awhile ago, but he paid it no mind. He barely paid attention to anything other than the inked letters before him.

It wasn’t until something shifted in his mind; a small nagging to snap back into reality. So he blinked and nearly grimaced from how stiff he’d been positioned. Quietly, he cleared his throat and reached out to get his chilled coffee. Except the distance was miscalculated, and the drink was knocked over instead. “Oh shit,” Hayes swore, now able to shake himself from the distanced state he had been living in. The ceramic mug clattered until he snatched it. A few napkins were set down to soak up the dark liquid in hopes that it didn’t reach the person next to him. “I’m so sorry- none of it got on you, did it?”

Handymans were the soul to every town just like a party animal would be to a college party. It also meant that he had to be careful with that one, which meant Kaeden would always feel wary in the man’s presence; especially when he was probably one of the few to keep in touch with his mother till the very end. A single mother with drug addiction was after all in desperate need of someone to check up on her once in awhile and make sure everything was working properly around the household, but honestly Hayes’s family was probably the one to make sure it was like this even when Kaeden was a kid. Snapping out of his thoughts, the sheriff shook his head before taking a step back just as the dark liquid was about to touch the nose of his shoe then quickly walked over to the other side of the table and took a seat across from the man. “You know, some days I wonder why you never applied for a job at the station. Instead, you’re wasting all this potential by fixing broken things.”