D A Y 0 8

[founds]

CHAPTER 2

NOV 7TH | 54℉☀(windy)

▸ Parka up for a cold an--*CHSKSSS--*- windy day in Blackwell folks! I sure do hope--*CHSKSSS--*-search team down at the lake won't--*CHSKSSS--*---*CHSSK--*-trouble out on the waters. Professional divers have been going in since dawn, let's give it up for the professional --*CHSKSSS--*-!!

▸ Old Lady Petunia has paid me to say DO NOT SEEK OUT THE ANGELS--*CHSKSSKK--SK--SSSH--*- In fact, there are no such thing as angels. See how easy that was? No angels, no problem.

▸ And now back to our --*CHSKSSS--*-regularly scheduled programming.

THE RISING IS NOT IN EFFECT

Comments

[espish]

Because of the cases?

[cases, plural. this town is shaping up to be more interesting than either of the city folk had counted on, it looks like.]

Well, at least you've got family here, right? You're not just an island in the middle of a sea of West Virginia.

[like me. it's just me here but you don't see me complaining.

Unless you have eyes and ears.]

[eternalboy]

Yeah and none of them are helping with the move.

[ because he didn't ask. lol. ]

[ there used to be a girlfriend too, he vaguely remembers it. ]

[espish]

How rude of them.

[if ben's family are locals, Sam can see how they might not get along. And there was that crack Ben made about his brother the night of the party. So maybe it's not a great thing to have relatives here.]

Well, I had a bit of a whiskey experience last night, so I might throw up or pass out on you, but I'll do what I can.

[charming.]

[eternalboy]

[ funny thing is his relatives are great. the living ones at least. ]

Yeah. Try not to do that.

I didn't see you at the hotel bar.

[espish]

Well, like you, I thought I'd get out a little. I went to a place in town–the Black Lodge? Ran into an old neighbor of mine, actually.

[hence his new even higher opinion of the hospitality of the locals. at least the actual bartender was good at her job and appropriately friendly. hadn't expected to see Noah there though. hadn't really expected to see Noah again ever.]

[eternalboy]

What, from Brooklyn? They live here now?

[ this is the most exciting thing to happen. ]

[espish]

I think she's from here, moved there for a bit, came back. Well, she's visiting her family.

[she says, though sam rarely heard her say a positive word about the place. come to think of it, he'd barely heard her say a word about the place at all. ]

We lived in the same building for a while, but she moved downtown and I hadn't heard from her until apparently she told the Samsons about me, so.

[spreads his hands. here i am. funny little world isn't it.

that is way more answer than you wanted, sorry.]

[eternalboy]

[ yeah he stopped listening like 5 minutes ago. that was too detailed. who cares about your only friend. ]

[ better cut in before it gets out of hand. ]

You haven't asked about the new flat yet.

[espish]

[stops before launching into further exposition and looks at Ben. it's not completely an annoyed expression. not completely.]

Tell me about the new flat, Detective Vaughn.

[appropriately flatly.]

[eternalboy]

Just call me Ben.

[ the surname is too much. ]

It's a real bargain. In Blackwell though, but that's no problem. It's no new house, but new closets and the walls haven been painted recently.

[ aaaand one more thing. ]

[espish]

Closets and paint, huh? Sounds fancier than my place back home.

[sometimes you just have to accept you're not driving this conversation. crosses his arms on the table and watches detective Vaughn. Ben.]

[eternalboy]

[ and this is where he drives the conversation off the cliff. ]

Fancy that because I need a roommate.

[ clearly something he should have figured out before signing the deal. ]

[espish]

Kinda put the cart before the horse there, didn't you.

[neutrally.]

I'm guessing this place is a little small for craigslist, huh.

[that's rough for you


...wait. ]

[eternalboy]

Half the people here don't probably even know what that is.

[ so.... ]

[ looks expectantly at him across the table. ]

[espish]

I bet.

[an awkward pause in which Sam slowly comes to a realization.]

Oh. Me? I'm not– I'm not going to be here that long.

[well, neither was Ben. Detective Vaughn.

...Ben.]

[eternalboy]

[ he didn't say no. ]

It's cheaper than the resort.

And I don't see these cases being done in a week. Do you?

[espish]

[no he didn't. looks down at the table, but he don't even bring over his empty coffee cup from the other table so he has nothing to stall with.

Am I really gonna stick it out in this dead-end town?

glances back up at Ben.]

Well, what's the rent like?

[eternalboy]

Cheaper than the resort if we share it.

[ can't remember the exact sum. sure it wasn't much. anyway moving on. ]

So you'll do it? I'll owe you one, Sam.

[ great? great! he's already standing up, time to start the moving. ]

[espish]

Sure, why not. They were starting to know me by name at the hotel bar anyhow.

[not even a joke. still looks kind of surprised when he stands up and grabs his hat, like maybe some ventriloquist had come up and agreed on his behalf to move in with Ben. Detective Vaughn.]

Now, huh?

[this is such a bad idea.]

[eternalboy]

[ you'll regret it a lot. meanwhile Ben will refer to it as the best time of Sam's life. ]

No time like present, eh? [ not to mention he was supposed to move out ages ago. ] Have you got lots of stuff?

[ happy it worked out and he didn't have to spend another 5 minutes planning about it. ]

[espish]

[such. a bad. idea. ]

No, I travel pretty light, and I wasn't planning to be here long. It might take a minute to gather my notes, though.

[they're currently kind of spread out all over every available surface. he's even got red yarn tying some of the key points together. it's very creepy-looking, actually.]

[eternalboy]

[ he won't mind as long as he can take a look. wonderful, a roommate and someone to come up with theories. he's slowly realizing he made a good deal here. ]

Maybe get an iPad next. It'd save you paper and space.

[espish]

No thanks, I like being able to lay hands on the information. I've got a system.

[sets his hat back on as soon as they're outside and turns his coat collar up against the wind. definitely not enough coffee in that single sad cup that never got refilled. ]

You got a lot to move?

[eternalboy]

There's a few boxes.

[ rubs the back of his head. a lot of boxes. for someone who doesn't reminiscence he sure drags the past with him. ]

[espish]

You gonna take them on your bike?

[please tell me I don't have to try to hold on to both you and your stuff. I will die.]