[PRP] - Stranger Things - Zac and ????

[endejester]

It took him time to come to grips with the idea that he should really go back and see if there was actually something that had been following him. If nothing else he wanted to know if he could safely travel to the already precarious other world. He had a possibly terrible enjoyment of the Other Ashdown Library, despite it’s eerie nature and occasional screams.

He also wanted to know if he could restock his actual ‘friendly’ boxes that he’d stashed around Other Ashdown, the umbrellas stashed around it were no longer so useful, which was frustrating and strange. But he didn’t doubt that the packs of Band-Aids, cotton and medical tape were

He told himself it was probably nothing, or perhaps it was a one-time affair to feel like something was following him. The quiet might just have been the new nature of ‘Other’ Ashdown.

He rubbed his eyes, tired and trying to find confidence in himself, and then found his way into the strange, once rainy otherworld, leaving behind the newly blackened Eldritch waters of ‘Regular’ Ashdown behind.

ashdown whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

It would take a little while before Zac would realize it after he crossed over. The sensation was back and this time, as he went to restock one his boxes, he would notice it.

A figure that glowed, it's face glistening and eyes bright. It did not move from where it stood, seemingly stuck at tending the stove and the empty pot that was on it.

endejester

 

[endejester]

He stumbled backwards, shock and a little scared at the strange glowing figure. He’d only really ever seen shadowy creatures here, and he had nothing to help him gauge what strange glowing creatures that seemed fixed to the stove might mean.

He carefully set down the box and murmured “… H-hello?”

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

There was no reply, not even a twitch.

The figure remained motionless, as if perpetually frozen in the act of cooking a meal for someone that would never come home.

endejester

 

[endejester]

There was a moment where he wondered if this was part of the feeling he was having of being 'stalked' - but surely, that would require something like this to move, wouldn't it?

It was giving him the eerie feeling of, 'Other Ashdown Hiroshima' just at the moment, a glowing after image of something from the past.

He glanced around the room as though to make sure there were no shadowy counterparts or things with too many teeth and cautiously moved closer. He aimed to lean in enough to try and touch it, very lightly with his finger tips.

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

It moved then, in a too fluid motion. A head turned and eerie eyes focused on Zac. Fingers came up and curled around his wrist.

Voices were suddenly in his head, a cacophony of them. You are lost, they said.

endejester

 

[endejester]

He tried to jerk backwards at the sudden, fluid movement, alarmed, horrified? Somewhere in that spectrum with a healthy dash of flight instinct kicking in like a white noise.
Breath caught in his throat at the sound, a tumult of voices with one thing to say.
‘You are lost’

“N- No! I know where I am!” He protested, even as he said it he wondered if that was what they meant, lost could mean a great many things.

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

No, no you don't. Those fingers are gentle around his wrist. They let go and press finger tip to finger tip, palm to palm, to his hand. You have lost your way.

It's clear from the voices that they did not mean his location and it was more than aware of his mindset.

endejester

 

[endejester]

He was not prepared for gentle. Nor was he prepared to feel like they understood somehow. If anything, those small things made him feel well and truly lost.

He felt like he should say something, defend himself somehow, it was just human nature but there was nothing that came to him, nothing at all.

“What are you?” he asked instead. “Are you – are you what was following me?”

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

We are the faceless, the voices spoke softly to him, and we sense those who have become lost.

Fingers twined with Zac's.  

[endejester]

He sucked in a breath as fingers laced through his, the change of touch making him strangely uncertain, along with what it said. “Faceless.” He repeated carefully, gently pulling at his hand.

“… are you what is following me? What – what do you want with- with the lost?”

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

When Zac pulled his hand away, their hands separated, the being blinked at him. Lips moved but there was no sound.

This time it held it's hand out for him to take.

endejester

 

[endejester]

“…oh.” He said very softly, catching on very quickly that the thing needed to touch him to ‘speak’. He cautiously reached out again and closed his hand over the strange creature’s.

Ashdown Whaler

 

[Ashdown Whaler]

We sensed you. We hear you calling out. That is why you felt followed. Kind calls to kind. It answered once their hands were touching once more.

We can help you like we help all who are lost. You will never be alone, you will find a purpose.

endejester

 

[endejester]

He wanted to trust that, he really did. But there was absolutely something to be said for ‘too good to be true’. Never alone…

“Help… how?” He asked carefully. “You don’t… eat people or, steal hearts or feelings do you? I – were you, wait, were you ever … like me?”
The thoughts of the Fey crept into the back of his mind, Nobles or whatever they were 'properly' called.

Ashdown Whaler