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It wasn't everyday that Marcus came across something he felt was of actual, real, not in any way tied to his theories or to the strange magics of Other Ashdown, concern. In fact, most times he was just being, (knowingly), paranoid which helped mitigate how many times he called the local non emergency police hotline. However, suddenly constructed sheds out in the woods on the town outskirts was a real concern. Not just because of the fact that squatting was illegal, but because with the odd weather, there was a risk that if anyone was in there, they could very well be ill or worse.

Dead.

Homelessness might have not been a huge issue, but as a man who's entire line of business was buildings, typically residential, Marcus was far to aware that they still existed, and often enough would hole up in any place that was dry and warm. But the shed was newly built, maybe not even a week old and yet it already shows distinct signs of water damage. The weather had been unforgiving and the cold nights could be hell on someone just trying to get by.

He'd been tentative to actually go to the location but in the end he had to. If he didn't at least check, then he'd never know. Plus it could be a doorway to Other Ashdown. If so it was a rather shitty doorway to be frank, but, it would have certainly driven off most persons looking for the otherworldly. Nothing was easier to hide than in plain sight often enough.

Calling up the non-emergency hotline, he was as the usual, put on hold while the nice lady, (it was a Josie working tonight), asked if they should take his call as a serious one of just transfer him to someone else. By the time they took his report, he was fairly certain they believed him given he'd been to the point. Someone had built a shed on an empty lot that was up for sale and he was concerned about a squatter.
So he waited for someone to show up, and as he did so, a pinch of dread turned into a ball. Someone should have noticed the shed's construction. Someone would have said something sooner. It was just.. off.


[wc: 381]

So far he'd gotten no phone calls, no messages, no cryptic warnings of further limb removal, nothing. His mystery of those who'd just up and talk half of a metal Viking statue was no closer to being solved today than it had been when he'd called the police and filed a stolen property report or whatever it is they called it. Something something report of no one was likely following up on the paperwork or just flat out no one really cared all that much about metal statues that were more or less, subjective in artistic terms to put it politely.
So when Shun showed up rather than any other officer, the smile that lit up Marcus's face was genuine, and more than he'd like to admit, Marcus felt that if anyone could understand the whole 'hey this might be more than your average shed built by some vagrant' it would be a man like Shun.
You didn't just go into Other Ashdown and come out denying all the things that happened in the city as the mutterings of the resident crazy.

"Officer Kuroda! Hey, didn't expect you of all people to show up." It was the honest truth. Going to check on mystery shacks seemed more basic grunt work. Still, Marcus would not complain.
"Sorry to have bothered," he was not sorry at all, "but if they relayed it right, it showed up just a few days back. With the weather we're having I'm worried for whoever set it up. Construction like that is terrible. Might keep out some elements, but they'd be better off going to the local shelter or support center. It'll only get worse the closer we get to winter."

Plus what if it was drugs?
Actually, it more likely alcohol but that was besides the point. It also could be a doorway gateway thing.
"Or it could be something that shouldn't be found. Seems a lot of places to go have been popping up as it were."

[wc:332]

Detective. Right. Marcus tended to forget they had separate ranks and were all not just Officer so and so. Even if in the end they all were working under the eyes of the government and the man considered them all the same. Cogs in a machine.
His mind was brought back into focus at the mention of both his name, and the missing statue. Any news at this point would be good news. Unless it was that the statue was possessed and wreaking havoc in which case he no longer cared about it and whoever controlled it could keep it.

Taking the photos, unsure what he expected aside from the worst which indeed would have been akin to 'Other Ashdown shenanigans'. he was oddly pleased with where they had been found. Just the work of local kids. He did have to admit, it was a bit clever.
"They catch who did it or did your guys just recover it?" He kept looking at the clever way they had set up the head. He kind of wanted to congratulate them on their own creativity, theft aside.


I'll stop by after this but yeah. The shed showed up a few days back and I figured someone would have called it in by now. Seeing as it's still standing and there is no sign of any deconstruction to it.. I can't help but think someone is trying to make a semi permanent residence."


[wc: 240]

The snorted laugh that left Marcus was obscenely loud. He half expected it to be kids, but to hear that it apparently had even gone through a form of fingerprint dusting and likely processing had him picturing the serious detective Kuroda hunched over trying to ID what was pretty obviously a bunch of high schoolers like it was CSI Miami.

Even if he was a detective and not forensics; he probably didn't do the actual finger printing. Or did he? Marcus wasn't sure, his understanding of inner working coming from crime TV shows. He didn't ask.

"I think, given the circumstances, I won't press charges even if you do find who did it. More, I'd just hope they understood the risks they took and what not. No reason to charge a kid with the crime of mischievousness so long as they learned not to repeat certain actions that risk their well being by breaking the law." Slightly counter productive, but, he liked to think people could learn from their mistakes without gross suffering.
"If it were up to me... I'd probably have them stand in front of their school and apologize. Embarrassment is a fast teacher."

Walking up to the shed itself, the door was... flimsy at best.
"Not yet. Technically speaking, I'd be trespassing or something? And if I went on my own?" He gave Shun a blank look.
"Local theorist sets up camp in empty lot. Trust me, I may be opinionated, but I'm hardly ignorant to what some might think."

He didn't just camp in empty lots. And much less like this.
He had a proper tent.


[wc:270]

High schoolers were like prisons. Snitches got stitches. You didn't rat someone out unless you REALLY hated their guts. So, unless someone wanted to be petty, it would forever be a mystery as who exactly took the metal sculpture.
"True enough. They're probably just having anxiety enough with school and fearing being caught. Let sleeping dogs lie I suppose."

Or let teenagers not develop anxiety problems. That would be nice if the government allowed that.

"It went up a few days ago is my guess, no clues how fast or time, but given that I've only noticed it for a few days ago? And that I tend to notice things like this?" Aka, I am paranoid so new things get noticed faster than nearly anything else in my life.
"Someone moved quick. It looks like it's all scrap, but to move it all in one go is odd. No cart either, so yeah. Very quickly set up. Or very cleverly hidden until ready to build." Still, why hide materials then just.. build the shed itself? Out in the open not even hiding the shed?

Near the shed were bits of trash typical of empty lots. But this one did have spots were branches seemed to have been cut away. The smell was nothing but mildew the closer one got.
"What are your thoughts?"


[wc: 223]

Marcus followed after the detective, doing his best not to disturb anything other than what was on the ground. A small difficulty, but easy so long as he didn't attempt to climb through the few shrubs and bushes that surrounded the area. At the very least, it being fall was nice, so half the plants were little more than twigs in bunches and brown patches.

"True, but it's too small for more than a single occupant unless you were really conserving space. People want space for themselves and another. It's why even in studio apartments, there will be enough room for more than basics. Humans are at heart, hoarders." Some just worse than others. There were no windows on the shed Marcus noticed, and, there was also no discarded clothes or decaying food. So, either whoever built it cleaned up their own garbage... or it was inside. He hoped it wasn't inside.

As Shun knocked on the door, if it could be called that, there was a small shuffling sound, then, silence. Too small to be a person, too loud to be a rodent. A step closer and the door swung open, a gust of cold air pouring out along with the distinct smell of ash.


[wc:202]

Marcus's reaction to the shed just opening was to jump back in defense, and sneeze. Loudly, multiple times at that. Muttering out a 'sorry' as he regained his composure, Marcus edged back near Shun and the shed itself, doing his best to cover his nose to prevent the smell from tickling his sinuses again.
"Creepy." Was his first assessment, eye flicking up at the ceiling of the shed. It was covered in a tarp that seemed to be held up by a makeshift series of coat hangers and basic camping rope. From a few spots, it was clear that water had leaked in at some point, prompting the tarp secondary ceiling. Ramshackle construction it may have been, but the fact the shed was fairly dry spoke of it's creator's determination to keep it that way.

The identity of the shed's builder however?
Now that was something. Along the wall there was nothing but an assortment of children's clothes, worn and muddy. Yet nestled in the corner of them was a pair of pristine white baby shoes. Things only got weirder from there. In the center of the shed was a pentagram with a coffee pot in the center on a hot plate. Obviously, not plugged into anything and also empty. Coloring books, crayons littered the floor around it, and the candles used at the corners of the star were not even close to matching. One looked to have been stone from a church while another was from bath and body works. It didn't cover up the smell of ash however.

Aside from the candles, there was no signs of anything being burnt, and, there was no ash that could be seen. On the far wall, there were clippings from newspapers of local events happening, most having to do with the performing arts center or charity auctions.

Overall, it was creepy on a variety of levels.
"Let me take the opportunity to double down on the term 'creepy'"


[wc:327]

Marcus didn't think it curious. He saw it for what it was. Creepy, and this was coming from him, the local creepy guy who told people about that time he was abducted by aliens. He'd been expecting maybe normal stuff, like a sleeping bag, personal affects, not... creepy pentagrams and kid clothes.

"Hideout for who though I mean." He shook his head backing away to give Shun his space.
"Really. Kids using this place tells me that I really do not get youths anymore. At all. At least there's no drugs." A glance was sent to Shun hopeful. There were no drugs right? Last thing Marcus wanted was to see the place swarmed with cops and dogs. It was just a creepy shed that maybe held a squatter.
Stepping back he might have missed the sound, but for shun, it would have been louder- a crackling noise somewhere between burning wood and static. Yet if it was the crackle of a wood fire, the was no smoke. Just the scent of ash.
"What's the verdict? Think it's just some transient who's trying to avoid the weather orrrr...." He let Shun fill the blank. If it was something from Other Ashdown, at least then the whole assortment of oddities would make sense in how few things in Other Ashdown made such little sense to start with.


[wc:225]