Rayan was seated in the interrogation room. This was typical of the last couple of months. He had come close but they finally had him. Rayan groaned, more irritated with himself than the bald brawny individual sitting in front of him. His sister was God knows where in this place, and any minute that thing could walk in as if he were another cop.
Except it wasn't.
The man took a sip of his coffee, taking in a deep breath he spoke.
“Now, before I start you should know I’m not the one investigating the huge pile of charges against you.”
“Theft, vandalism, assault on an officer, kidnapping,.” The mans face went grim.
“Murder. So, explain to me, was he beating you and your sister or were you just plain done with your old man?”
Rayan Snapped.
“That wasn’t my dad!”
But Rayan could see the cop wasn’t even swayed a little, even if his expression did not change.
Lately no one could get anything past Rayan. Lies, emotion, even simple thought- he could see them all plain as day.
“Ok, ok just calm down and talk.” Placing his palms in front of him in a defensive gesture the large cop continued.
“We brought search teams in across the state to find you, but you just came right into the station. What was the point of that?”
Rayan had to calm himself down, outbursts like that would get him no where, he had to get him and his sister out of here before it came back.
“Fine, I’ll talk but you won't believe a word of it.” This was the best he could do, he needed a plan.
“Everything started about 2 months ago .”
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“Rayan! Rayan wake up!” Shouted a high pitched voice from across Rayan’s room. His eyes adjusting to the quick flash of the lights, Rayan got a look at the intruder. His little sister, standing just over four and a half feet tall, she had burst into the boys room full of energy.
“I’m up, I’m up” Rayan said with a hoarse early morning voice.
‘For the first day of summer she was sure waking him up early.’
“Whats up?” Rayan continued than sat up in bed. Jesse ran out of the room. Rayan didn’t notice, he was busy taking a drink of the water beside his bed. ‘That's better’ he thought, placing the glass down. ‘When did Jess leave?’
Rayan got up to look for clothes, which was hard considering his room looked like a train went through it. Piles of clothes and general clutter were strewn throughout the room. The walls were filled with posters displaying everything from Star Wars to Undertale. Yup Rayan didn’t have many girls up here, or more accurately none, besides his sugar helion of a sister.
Going down the stairs to the aloring smell of bacon Rayan nearly had a heart attack as his father came around the corner nearly trampiling him.
“Oh, there you are! Why aren’t you dressed yet?” His father bellowed with his deep voice.
The man was easily over six feet tall with a bulky stature, sporting a neatly trimmed black goatee. Rayan looked nothing like him, with long shaggy brown almost black hair standing just shy of six foot, his frame was not bulky like his father, but he was by no means scrawny, he was lean with developing muscles (probably accounted by his fathers self defense training). Rayans dad had always been adamant that the he learn to defend himself.
“Dressed for what? It’s the first day of summer you’re lucky I’m wearing pants.” Rayan joked rubbing his stomach. ‘Man that bacon smells good’.
“You’re kidding right?” The older man replied with an ‘are you serious look on his face’.
“About my pants?”
“NO. You promised to take Jess to Eric’s birthday today!”
‘Crap that must be why she left in such a hurry.’ Hopefully he had enough time to eat and dress.
“Well, you better hurry you got” His father paused to look at his watch. “26 minutes before I drop you both off at Eric’s house” His father spoke in a matter of fact way.
The bald man was almost smiling.
‘Well, I was never known to eat bacon slow’ was the first thought to pop in his head.
“Wait. Drop us off? You’re not staying?” Rayan asked.
“Sorry, I don't get summers off. I’ll be here when you’re back.” His father looked directly at Rayan’s eyes.
“Come on, you’re almost fifthteen you can watch your sister, it’s right across town, if you need anything call I’ll pick you right up.”
This helped Rayan ease a little, he couldn’t help but feel happy his father trusted him.
“Ok, but you’re going to explain that to Jess.”
“25 Minutes” His father states with the slightest hint of a laugh, obviously having fun at Rayan’s expense.
“Bacon!” Rayan ran to get ready, he was going to enjoy his first day of summer if it killed him!
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‘Well, at least she’s having fun.’
Rayan thought as he sat to the side of he room. The house was nice with white walls and an open spaced living room where the children were hard at work making a mess. Pictures of the Eric’s family were littered on the walls and shelves.
The party was in full swing including cake, ballons, a room full of sugar doped up children and of course, the adults who hardly knew one another desperately trying to make small talk.
Rayan didn’t even fit in that category. Too old to play and to young to care about whatever the adults were talking about, Rayan was left a couple other teens who looked just as bored as himself. One was a small curly haired boy who rayan barely recognized from school named Danny. While the other was a petite brunette girl who Rayan recognized as Sarah. She was one of the less popular girls at Rayan’s Middle school (Which surprised Rayan as she was very pretty) as well as the older sister of Eric. She was dressed in black hoodie and an annoyed look plastered her face.
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While she didn't even try to make small talk, Danny wouldn't shut up. Rayan was only half listening to something about space, western and a firefly when Sarah suddenly spoke up.
“Hey Danny, would you mind getting us some cake and maybe something to drink?” She said while pointing to the kitchen. When danny looked that way Rayan saw a quick wink come from her.
“Uh, sure. But when I get back I need to tell you about the reavers!” Danny quickly got up to head for the kitchen. Sarah than looked right at Rayan .
“Let’s go before he comes back.” She said than grabbed his arm and led Rayan upstairs.
“Wait, what about the party?” Rayan didn't know where she was taking him but several puberty based thoughts flooded his head.
“What about the party” Sarah replied in a sarcastic tone.
Before the duo reached the top Sarah took a final glance to see if anyone noticed them. As they moved forward Sarah brought them to a wood paneled door. The words ‘Stay Out’ posted across a sign adorn the door. Rayan was practically sweating, he had never been in a girls room before. He had always hung out in living rooms or other place where parents could see. Now here he was a beautiful girl leading him to do God knows what.
“Ok, don’t make any noise.” Sarah ordered Rayan, then proceeded to turn the knob opening the door.
“Huh…” This wasn't what Rayan had anticipated, the walls of the room had dark victorian style wallpaper covered in various posters of punk rock bands. A large bookshelf dominated the right hand wall neighbor by a desk covered with various papers and books. The bed was queen sized and was decorated an assortment of stuffed animals and Jack skellington blankets. ‘Well at least that part is sorta normal.’ Rayan thought to himself.
“Huh?” Sarah mocked Rayan. “That's your reaction?” She asked with a grin as she walked over to the bed.
“Oh, Sorry. It’s just this isn’t what I imagined a girls room would look like.” Rayan made a general gesture through the room.
Sarah crossed her arms.
“And what did you imagine?” She said with a smirk enjoying his naivete.
“More pink and boy band I guess, less…..” Rayan trailed off not finding the right words.
“What, Weird?” Her smirk faded quick.
“No, I mean…” Rayans face started to feel hot. ‘Oh crap, one minute and I’m already insulting her’
Sarah started to laugh.
“Oh, I sooo got you. You should have seen you face!” As her laughter continued Rayan found himself slowly moving closer to the door.
“I think I’m gonna head back downstairs.”Rayan stated more to himself the the girl who started to have trouble breathing. His face was a full blown tomato.
“Oh come on, please don’t go. I’m only playing with ya.’” Sarah's laughter had subsided.
This didn't help Rayan, he had always been shy and now the first time a girl had taken him to his room she burst into laughter.
“I- I don’t know I need to keep an eye on my sister.”
“Come on She's okay, Its a birthday party for God's sake” Sarah retorted, rolling her eyes. “Besides, I brought you up here to talk to you.”
Rayan did get a little curious from that what could she have to talk to him about. ‘If she was just tired of the party she could of come up by herself’
“What do you mean? Talk about what?”
“Why don’t you go ahead and sit down.” She told Rayan. ‘Why does this suddenly feel like an interrogation?’ Rayan went for the desk chair and promptly sat. Sarah gave a face and stop patting the bed the bed beside her. As he got situated Sarah leaned closer, elbows on her knees.
“Can you tell me about your family?”
“My family? Why?”
“Just trying to start a conversation.” She pressed
“Well where do I start? It’s just us three, Me my dad and Jesse.” Rayan replied.
“What about your mom?”
“She's not around anymore...”
This was getting a little personal, Rayan was visibly getting uneasy.
“Sorry to pry…” Sarah apologized. ‘Perhaps this wasn't the best idea.’ Sarah though.
“No.. It- It’s okay, you just took me a little off guard. My mom died when I was born.”
Sarah wanted to stop, but she knew she couldn't. Rayan started to speak.
“What about you? What's your family like?” Rayan figured it was safe to ask considering she brought up the subject.
“Not much to tell really. We’re a genuine nuclear family.” Sarah stated. “Though I sometimes feel out of place. I was actually adopted, and I guess the stuff I’m into really doesn’t help” She continued and pointed to the desk. Rayan turn in his chair and took a look. The surface was covered in drawings and stacked high with books. The pictures depicted various symbols and even the odd monster.
Rayan had the look on his face. The same look that Sarah had grown accustomed too when she showed people her research.
“Do you actually believe in this stuff?”
Rayan asked picking up a picture of what looked like a hoofed man with two protruding horns. Sarah sat up straighter. she took a deep breath as if this was something she was used to answering.
“Well to be honest, some of it.” Sarah said while scrunching one eye.
“Some of it?” Rayan inserted.
Sarah stood up and walked to her desk.
“Well there is so much lore and stuff, it can’t all be true.” She told Rayan as she grabbed a book in each hand.
“These sometimes contradict one another. “ She held one book out to Rayan.
“The Paranormal Almanac.” Rayan read out loud.
“That says that all otherworldly entities were never human .” Sarah gestured to the second book.
“While this one says they can be both.” This was getting a little to weird for Rayans taste.
“Why are you showing me this?” Rayah said visibly uncomfortable.
Sarah tensed.
“Ok, but promise you won't laugh or call me crazy.” The girls said giving Rayan a serious look. At this point Rayan was on edge, he didn’t want to be brought into whatever occult crap she was into. However curiosity got the better of him.
“Promise.”
A pregnant breath lingered as Sarah built the nerve to speak.
“I… can seen things.” Sarah admitted.”Crazy things”
‘Oh God, she really is crazy.’ Rayan had held this thought.
“Like what?” Rayan questioned.
“Well all sorts of stuff, Lights, wisps....” Sarah paused “But lately its been shadows.”
Rayan sat there not knowing if he should tell someone or not. This girl definitely had problems. Sarah let out a long winded breath.
“It feels nice to get this off my chest, I haven’t even told my parents this.” Sarah added.
Rayan suddenly started to feel like a jerk, this girl had tried to confine in him and all he could do was think she was crazy. This still left the question of ‘why him?’.
“Alright not to be rude, but why tell me all this?” Rayen hated the way that sounded.
Sarah eyes wandered the room before she met his gaze.
“Because...Because I think your dad can to.”
“What, my dad?” Rayan asked, failing to suppress a chuckle.
“Yes, your dad” Sarah's face hardened at Rayan’s snicker.
“What would make you think that?” Rayan asked straightening his face.
“Remember when the found that body last year?”
“Yeah, the one in the woods.” Rayan Recalled it had been an animal attack. The town was small and boring, so people were talking about the incident for weeks.
“Well I saw one of those shadows covering Mr. Daniel’s face, when they were carrying the body off, . ” Sarah stated arms now crossed. “Your dad was staring right at him, even with a dead body not twenty feet away.”
“Ok, I’ll admit that’s a little weird” Rayan said still sceptical. Sarah then continued, glossing over Rayans statement.
“I decided to keep an eye on Mr. Daniel.”
“You stalked him?” Again Sarah pretended not to hear Rayan, and continued without skipping a beat.
“And there again a week later outside the man's house, your dad was doing exactly what I was. The crazy part is the next day when I went back, the shadow was gone and there was a for sale sign in front of the house.”
Rayan didn’t know what to think, his father was just a regular bank manager. There was no way any of what this girl said was true.
‘But the story adds up’
Rayan did Remember Mr. daniels moving around that time last year, and if Rayan recalled correctly his father did take some sick days off work.
Rayan quickly stood up from his chair. This was all too much for him. Sarah seeing rayan Raise followed suit. Trying to find a reasonable excuse Rayan lifted his phone.
“It’s getting late, I’m gotta take jesse home” Rayan informed her. ‘It’s not exactly a lie.’
“Hey! Wait.” Sarah told Rayan as she grasped his wrist. “Here take my number. Just call if you see anything….Weird.”
“Uh, alright I guess” Rayan was taken back.
‘Thought I’d be more excited to get a girls number.’