keeperofkeys | OPEN POST

[Oh right handshake. He shakes hands! It's a nice normal handshake, no creepy lingering or over-gripping.]

Why don't you walk me through it?

I was eleven when it happened. So nearly ten years ago now. My parents had gone out for dinner that night, and my Aunt Grace was watching me. She spent the night with us.

[She frets at her fingers while she talks, tugging at them.] It the middle of the night, I heard something from their room. So I went to see what the matter was and my parents were on the floor, in pieces. There was a knife next to them, and I didn't know any better so I picked it up. I saw something -- a horrible, twisted creature -- climb out the window and run into the night.

The police said I did it, since they found me over the bodies. But do you really think that a child could do that to her parents?

I don't think a kid who did would show up at a police station about it a decade after the fact. Why would you be bringing it back up, if you did it?

[He notes her tugging at her fingers—he's fairly sure it's not from nervousness due to lying.]

I believe you, okay?

Thank you. [She sounds choked up, but she smiles through it, anyway. She's been brave about this before, she can be brave now.]

Few people have. But my Aunt Grace is gone now, too. Natural causes, nothing untoward. But she never liked the idea of me pursuing it.

So you didn't up until now. Gotcha.

... hey, can I get you something? Water? Coffee?

A water would be very nice I think, thank you. [It's not that she hadn't thought about this for a while, it weighed on her mind every day. It's just so new, to talk about it and have someone say yes, I believe you.]

Cool. You hang tight, I'll be right back.

[More than the water, he wants to just give her a second now that she's got that out. But he will also fetch water!]

[Fran takes a few shaky breaths, flicking tears away from her eyes as she waits for Shawn to return with the water. It's been so long since she's told anyone about what happened, much less had someone believe her right away. It's an overwhelming feeling]

Here we go.

[He comes back with a paper cup and sits back down next to her to hand it over.]

Santa Barbara's finest mostly cold tap water.

So how'd you hear about me, anyway?

Much appreciated. [She sips at it, thankful to have something to do with her hands, as well]

I was looking at psychics. Someone who might see things like I do. And then I saw that there was a psychic detective, so I knew I had to meet you.

How do you see things, anyway? I mean... have you seen other stuff, like the shape from that night?

If I concentrate, I can see the other dimensions that overlay ours. I can see the creatures that inhabit them. For instance, you might want to get yourself a cup of water. You have some of those creatures hanging off your arms.

[ That wasn't at all what he expected to hear, and he looks nonplussed for a moment. ]

... and water helps with that?

If you pour it on them, yes. They'll detach from your arms and turn into valokas. Valokas are much kinder creatures, kamalas -- like you have -- feed off of fear and sadness.

Huh. Cool tip. ... can I just run them under a tap?

That should work, yes. You might find yourself feeling lighter, afterwards. I'd rinse from the elbows to wrists.

Okay, will do.

[ He doesn't get up just yet, though. ]

It's kinda different for me. If I see stuff, smell stuff, touch stuff... sometimes I get visions. Usually of the past, sometimes of the present but elsewhere.

Would it help, do you think, if I brought you to the house? I still live there.

I think it's our best shot. B R B, okay?

[ He's gonna go... rinse... his arms... ]

Promise you'll feel better. [Even if he doesn't believe her, it's really very nice for him to pretend to, at least.]

[ He believes that she believes it! And washing his hands and then up to the elbows is kind of refreshing, anyway. It's not going to do him any harm to play along. He does believe her that she had nothing to do with her parents' murder, and he wants to try to find out what really happened. ]

[Meanwhile, Fran finishes her water and blinks hard a few times to get rid of the image of the other dimensions, laying over their world like a piece of tracing paper. Too many people in this place have those awful shadow creatures attached to them. Too many to get rid of, though she wishes she could]

[ It doesn't take Shawn long to get back. ]

Okay! There we go.

I walked here, it isn't terribly far. But if you prefer, we can drive. [She stands up and smooths out her skirt] I don't mind, either way.

Eh, let's take a walk.

[ He steps back to let her lead the way. ]

Is it cool if we stop by the Jamba Juice on the way? I'm totally sugar crashing.

(no subject)

keeperofkeys - 2021-06-10 04:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

bi_psychual - 2021-06-10 05:18 (UTC) - Expand