330’s determination when she said that she wasn’t going to let anyone be taken seems to have been in earnest. She’s thrown herself into trying to figure out when and where the Noctis are planning their exchange, so she can stop it. Meanwhile, I’ve been given the job of watching Arnold to make sure nothing happens to him, while also trying to avoid someone getting suspicious enough about me to call the cops on this creepy stalker lady.
Since Miss Sieppe seems to have given Brandon the same job, the two of us often end up sitting on benches next to each other, pretending not to notice the other while also pretending that we aren’t watching an elementary school across the street from us.
For the first two days, we were silent with each other. Then came this morning, when I decided, screw it, four AM is a miserable time to be trying to watch someone’s house. Stood up from the bench, and without thinking, said, “I’m gonna get some coffee. You want any, 33-”
Well that was awkward. Both Brandon and I spent a few seconds repeating “What?” at each other until we realized what was happening. At which point I decided, well, might as well get him coffee as well. Even accounting for youthful energy, I doubt he’s as comfortable with stalking people this early in the morning either.
The Starbucks was less than a block away, so it didn’t take long to walk there and back. We drank in silence, but the atmosphere had lost some of its edge.
“I first saw it when I was in high school.” Brandon said after throwing away his cup. “Don’t remember what class it was. History, maybe. Yeah, history. Mr. Johnson was talking about Rome. I was bored, so I started looking out the window. And out there was this skinny faceless dude in a suit. Right outside the second story window. After that, I saw him everywhere.” Long pause. I waited for him to continue. “That last straw was when it killed our dog. Tore its organs out and spread them across a trees branches. Rest of my family thought it was some sadistic prank by one of the neighborhood kids. I saw it as a warning. After that I dropped out of school and went on the run. Maybe I thought I could get away from it by running, but wherever I went, it was already there waiting for me. It wasn’t until I met Miss Sieppe a year ago that I stopped. She gave me a place to sleep and the first real meal I’d had in months. Thought I could pay her back by helping her out. After that, it seemed to lose interest in me. I don’t know why, but since then, it hasn’t been following me as much. I’ll still see it, sometimes peering in my window to remind me that it’s still there, but never with the same frequency as before.”
A long silence fell after he finished. I thought he might continue, but that seemed to be it. After a while, he asked, “So what’s your story?”
My story? “A complete stranger from the internet told me to check out a black chest in my attic. In it I found a journal from one of my ancestors, who was followed by the Slender Man. Along with other monsters.”
Brandon nodded. “And after reading it, you started seeing it too?”
“No, after reading it I was attacked by a bulletproof time traveler. I-330 saved me, and since then I’ve been following her on all her adventures. That was when it started appearing for me.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. Seriously.”
That was the longest conversation the two of us had. We still were restrained by the knowledge that we weren’t exactly on the same side in this. But at least we acknowledged each other’s presence after that.
330 was in a cheerful mood when we next saw each other. “I’ve figured it out.” She said, unfolding a map of the city. “They’re going to be taking a bus from a retirement center, and drive it here, where they’ll perform the exchange.” She jabbed at the map. “I’ll hijack the bus and get them away. You go get the kid, and meet me at this intersection.” Pointed at another part of the map.
“You want me to kidnap Arnold?”
“Ehh… it sounds a lot nastier when you put it like that… but yes. Would you rather leave him to the alternative?”
Which brings us to now, where I am preparing to steal a child from their home in order to save them from being stolen from their home by an evil faceless man in a suit, all while 330 prepares to kidnap a group of old people to stop an ancient Egyptian conspiracy from sacrificing them to said evil faceless man in a suit.
When did this become my life?
-Lisa
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