(no subject)

[gristle]

[It's true to form that Beverly would make an audio post, but she definitely sounds miserable. Maybe more miserable than she has in a long time, and that's with the whole demon thing last month.]

Aaron and Eric are gone. I just came over for dinner and... 

[And they're gone.]

First Jason and now this. Why does everyone keep leaving?! 

Comments

[gristle]

No one can do anything.

[thegrifter]

Yeah? 'Cause it sounds like you're really pissed off and need something to hit.

[gristle]

Are you offering to let me hit you? Because I'm actually good at hitting things.

[thegrifter]

You know, as it turns out, I'm pretty good at getting hit.

...that sounded better in my head.

[gristle]

[That makes Bev laugh, even though she doesn't want to.]

I bet it does. But I'm serious. I've been like training with a bunch of people since I got here.

[thegrifter]

That's good, kid. And smart. You want a hand with that, you let me know. I'm pretty good at a lot of things.

[gristle]

Like what?

[thegrifter]

Guns, hand-to-hand, small and large weapons, tracking, you name it.

[gristle]

Tracking? How do you do that?

[thegrifter]

Following signs, knowing what the hell you're looking at. It's not something I can just explain.

[gristle]

Is it something you can teach?

[thegrifter]

...yeah, probably. My dad taught me.

[gristle]

Will you though?

[thegrifter]

What do you need to track down here, kid?

[gristle]

It's not for here.

[thegrifter]

Okay. What are you looking for back home, then?

[gristle]

A demon.

[It's said entirely matter of factly.]

[thegrifter]

[That's perfectly legit. His world's got demons.]

Any particular reason a kid your age is going after a demon?

[gristle]

Yeah. A lot of them.

[Understatement.]

[thegrifter]

I'm gonna need more information than that, kid.

[gristle]

It's a demon. It kills kids and feeds off my town's fear.

[thegrifter]

...fuck. [And then he clears his throat. Because he said that to kid.] Uh...I mean...where the hell did that come from?

[gristle]

[Beverly sounds amused.]

You know I fucking swear too, right? You should see my friend Richie. He's got the worst mouth you can imagine. But he's not here.

And we don't know. But it's something that's always been in our town, and it comes back to do it every twenty-seven years and it makes the adults like not care. And it makes em cruel.

[thegrifter]

And?

[Adults are supposed to be role models or... Something.]

Damn. [A pause.] Thing about demons... They're easier to get to come to you. With bait.

[gristle]

They did come to me. I was bait. My friends and I stopped it. For a while. But not long enough. We gotta stop it forever.