Chapter Text
The wind seemed to shake the car, almost acting as a warning as it pushed against the vehicle telling them to turn back to the best of its ability. The air threw hostile jabs, and something deep within the guts of the travellers churned; as much as they desperately wished to deny it they knew that the forces of nature were against them - and that it was just a taster into the hours to come.
Jessica pulled the envelope full of the photos Clay had taken from John’s backpack tucked in the footwell taking a final flip through them as the other drove. Or what she assumed would be a final flip through, in actuality she had gone through them all at least ten times in a five minute radius, staring at each and every corner and examining them like they were a road map that’s lines had given into sun bleaching and old age. In a sense, they did act as a map. Those photos had provided an explanation or at least the start of one, nudging them to seek further truth and had it not been for the small rabbit’s head that was also concealed within the bag, there would have been nowhere to begin in the first place. Theodore stared up at her from his nylon holding cell, his eyes hopeful and desperate. Oddly, Jessica couldn’t help but feel as if the stuffed head wanted answers just as much as herself and John did.
She forced her attention away from the photographs, messily stuffing them back into the envelope and shoving them back into the bag next to Theodore. A sudden desire to wash her hands over came her, feeling almost plagued or like a curse had been set upon her just from touching them and as over dramatic as that sounded in her head, she didn’t see it as being out of the range of possibilities in the shit show that was working out to be her and her friends’ lives. She tried to wipe off the sensation on the fabric of Theodore’s ears, but it just made things worse. “Are you okay?” John piped up after much deliberating, he knew it was a dumb question but felt it was only right to ask. Jessica didn’t know where to begin her answer despite how obvious the answer would have been and she knew fully well that it would make no difference if she were to ask him the same thing. The beads of sweat sliding down his face gave his own feelings away. They were both confused and utterly petrified.
“I’m optimistic,” she answered with a pained chuckle, mentally praying that all the ghost town had to offer was answers. And as if on cue, the wooden WELCOME TO SILVER REEF sign marked the end of their petrol fuelled journey, and they’d be forced to face whatever the town had in store for them without the protection of the car’s metal walls. “Let’s hope that optimism plays into our favour,” John almost mumbled as he hopped out of the car, slamming the driver side door behind him. Jessica followed shortly after, spinning around slowly to take in as much of the area as she could possibly see through blurred vision. In unison, a shiver travelled down the pair’s spines yet they both knew that the frosty wind had nothing to do with it. The aura of the place was completely out of whack and it took everything in John to not tell Jessica to get back in the car, drive away and try to forget they had ever been there in the first place. If forgetting was a possibility at all. The closest buildings to them, and in that moment the only visible standing buildings, were for tourists. However in reality, it just looked like they were there to simply make things seem less dead but while hidden by the darkness, the buildings just made the whole place seem more undesirable. Had John and Jessica been made aware beforehand that Silver Reef was a somewhat popular tourist destination, they may have been inclined to visit a long time ago as a fun little day trip with the others. The capsized and crumbling walls in the distance making it clear that in sunlight it would make for a great history excursion. Moonlight provided a much different experience though, one they didn’t intend to stick around at for long.
“So… what exactly are we searching for?” Jessica kicked at loose pieces as she made her way around the car to be closer to John, a safety in numbers mentality installing itself quickly into her brain. John thought about making a sarcastic remark but given the severity of the situation did not think it wise, although the temptation to say ‘ask the rabbit’ brought a smile to his face for a brief moment before he remembered why he had found himself in the old mining town. He turned to Jessica, offering up a temporary smile as reassurance, knowing in his head it presented itself more as a display of his false hope. “Whatever the ‘shining star’ of Silver Reef could possibly be,” he rolled his eyes as he realised how far-fetched it seemed. They had placed all their trust in the directions of a stuffed toy rabbit. “Any chance Theodore could have just wished for us to admire the actual stars?” Jessica drew John’s attention to the silver jewels that scattered the darkness like rain droplets on a car windshield, glistening like angels watching down upon them. As beautiful, almost mesmerising, as they were, they were nothing but a distraction that John felt too dangerous to give into. He shook Jessica by her shoulder, pulling her out of her almost trance like state and the two began their trek deeper into the town. Nothing but their breathing and crunch of gravel and dirt to prevent them falling into complete silence.
They couldn’t bring themselves to speak whilst hunting, they were too busy concentrating on anything and everything. Various weeds poked out from the gravel and Jessica was slightly impressed by the fact that the land had managed to retain any signs of life at all. However, everything else was just old broken bricks and large fields in the distance. She kicked one of the halves of a brick, regretting it as pain struck her toes harshly through her shoe. The brick rolled off, struggling against the ground as it did so. She looked over to John, he looked as if his eyes had started welling up as he too scrambled to find anything out of the ordinary at all. Without a shining star in sight though, his exhaustion was beginning to convince him that there was no point continuing their investigation.
It wasn’t long until their walk had come to a halt, having found nothing of use to them other than loose change. In that moment seeking higher ground would have been their best bet but all that would be seen, no matter what angle you looked at the town from, was rubble and dead grass. Silent agreement made them turn back, settling themselves back into their designated seats in the car and start it up, grateful for the little warmth it provided. Jessica rested her head against the window, looking out of it solemnly to accept the defeat but it seemed the battle was only just beginning as a small glint of light caught her attention as the headlights clipped on to the object. She shot up in her seat, the sudden motion catching John’s attention as he looked in the same direction as her.
His eyes widened as they met what she had seen.
“If that’s not it, then what is?” he exclaimed with a chuckle and a sudden burst of energy as he and Jessica bounded out of the car yet again and ran over to what seemed to be calling out to them. The bag that contained Theodore’s severed head and photographs slung over John’s shoulder pounded against his back as they ran.
A small silver star sat in the centre of a wooden archway, marking the start of a hillside field and perfectly framing the silhouette of a house. As risky as it was, they did not stop running.
Adrenaline taking over as Jessica’s earlier optimism planted deep within them. Pieces of the gravel path kicked up from under their feet, almost tripping them but they didn’t care. They would have rather face planted the ground than stop their uphill sprint. All they could bring themselves to care for was the answers to why their lives had been turned to a living hell, and what had happened to their Charlie.
And soon, they’d reached the front door of what must have been the oldest house in Silver Reef. John had to put his hand in front of him and use the exterior wall as a barrier to stop himself, his speed almost overwhelming him as it had been a while since he’d found the energy to go for a run. It had probably been years. He signalled Jessica to the left side of the house as he walked to the right, trying his best to peer through the windows and seek out the inevitable danger life seemed to provide for them. Jessica did the same, seeing nothing but the backs of closed curtains and the odd piece of furniture through a gap, shockingly, she could’ve sworn there was movement inside too. Or she had at least imagined there to be some, the house certainly looked lived in. Shaking off the queasy feeling, she made her way back to the door, regrouping with John and mentally preparing herself for whatever they could be about to discover. Knock. John was the one to make contact with the door, a hesitant yet confident seeming action. A façade of sorts, a display of the fact he was not afraid despite how untrue that was. Knock. Knock. The door slowly crept open.
No light from inside the house met them at the doorstep but they could see the outline of an individual shorter than themselves. “At least we know it’s a person,” Jessica spoke aloud without realising, just grateful it was under her breath. With the door fully open, the moon and the car’s distant headlights provided enough light to make sense of who was before them. Last time they had seen her had been in much more tragic circumstances and it was only for a brief second before they were dragged away by the Hurricane police department. Charlie’s Aunt Jen stood in the door frame, staring at the two as she leant against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest. She didn’t look too pleased to see them but when someone moves to a ghost town it’s safe to assume they wish to be left alone. Despite the darkness the house was encapsulated in, she didn’t exactly look ready for bed, more like she was disrupted in the middle of a work day. Hair still looked somewhat neat and her eyes did not yet seem tired, although it seemed unethical that she was waiting up for them. “Excuse me, Miss. You wouldn’t happen to know a Charlie would you?” John questioned. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions immediately, his mind may have been messing with him, it’s quite possible that whoever this was just shared similar features with the Aunt Jen he remembered. “Specifically Charlie, well Charlotte, Emily?” Jessica jumped in, realising the previous question left rather a lot open to interpretation.
“I fail to see how who I do and don’t know is any of your business,” Jen backed up a bit, just about ready to close the door on them. Hand clutching the edge of the door. In a desperate last attempt, John pulled his bag from off of his shoulder and rushed to get Theodore’s head out of it, holding the rabbit up by his weathered ears as if he was a kind of peace offering. The woman stepped forward again, gently taking Theodore from John’s grasp. Her lips curled up into a smile, unlike their own from the past hour, Jessica and John noted that this one seemed genuine. Like she was meeting an old friend after painful years apart, which prospectively, she was. “You two should come inside,” Jen practically ordered, still holding Theodore close as she made her way over to the light switch. The sudden rays of light made all of their eyes burn but it calmed them, suddenly they were no longer literally or metaphorically in the dark. The woman peered out the door, surveying the area before locking it. Jen led the pair through the house, going through a barely furnished living room before reaching what seemed like a dining room although it would be too small for people to gather comfortably inside. John couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, assuming it to be likely that she never had guests.
She gently set Theodore down on the table before she herself took a seat, ushering for the two other ‘J’s to do the same. Jessica looked around the room, other than the table it was empty. If Charlie had been raised here then surely there would be childhood photos coating the walls. Granted, Charlie wasn’t Jen’s child but Jen was her legal guardian and aunty. Come to think of it, Jessica hadn’t noticed any photos at all in the few moments that she had spent travelling through the house. The interior had clearly been here a while, what seemed to be decades must have passed since someone had last spent time decorating the place. “I thought you took Charlie quite a bit further away from Hurricane?” John awkwardly smiled as if he was trying to make pleasant conversation as he took a seat. The atmosphere was immediately tense, as if he had just initiated the start of a political interview. Jessica watched Jen’s expression as she too came to a sit but Jen remained stone faced. “I did,” Jen shot back. “I made sure she grew up somewhere that held no resemblance to New Harmony or Hurricane but obviously that wasn’t quite enough,” Jen huffed as she slouched back in her chair. Jessica mouthed ‘New Harmony’ to herself, having no idea how the place could hold any correlation to Freddy’s. She had only heard of it once a few years ago when her boredom caused her to pick up a newspaper for the first time. John knew but he wasn’t about to tell Jessica, it was his and Charlie’s secret, and he could also tell that Jen didn’t plan on it either.
“What can I do for you both? It must be important to bring you here at this hour,” there was almost venom lacing the woman’s voice but the others shook it off as they watched her stroke Theodore’s left ear. John proceeded to retrieve the envelope from his backpack, cautiously sliding it along the table to the aunt who took them sceptically. Jen peeled back the flap that closed the envelope, pulled the stack of photographs out and began to shuffle through them; not taking the same care that Jessica had in the car, yet neither of the pair could bring themselves to question it or request she was more delicate with their evidence. Aunt Jen was bound to know more about Charlie than anyone and if they showed even the slightest doubt in her, then she might refuse to comply more so than they already suspected she was going to. “I don’t exactly know what you want me to do with these but I suggest you file for a restraining order against whomever took them. I’ll advise my niece to do the same,” Jen stood up from her seat, lining the photos up and closing them back into the envelope, sliding it back along the table to John. He had to catch them before they fell off the table’s edge. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some cleaning up to do. I do wish I could be of more help but unfortunately I do not have a single clue what compelled you to come here. I trust you can see yourselves out,” Jen spat, she didn’t look back before making her way out the dining room and into what could only be assumed was a kitchen. "Alright, we'll be off then," John sighed as he got up and tucked in his chair, Jessica following in his footsteps. The other rooms in the house looked perfectly clean, or at least what they had seen of it so they immediately knew she was making up a lame excuse.
“Thank you, Ms Emi-” Jessica was cut off by a knock at the door, it sounded urgent. She was convinced that if whomever was at the other side put a little more force into it they could have knocked it off of its hinges. Jen made her way back into the room with John and Jessica, grabbing them both by one of their shoulders. “Okay, kids,” she began whispering, “I need you to go to the back of the house and hide. Don’t question it, just trust me”. They did as she instructed without hesitation and found themselves tucked into what appeared to be a small guest room with stacks of papers and boxes lining the sides of the room. And the odd few left in the centre of the room made it almost impossible to navigate in the darkness. John spotted a closet at the back of the room, grabbed Jessica’s arm and dragged her into it after him. She pulled the door to a close and covered her mouth in an attempt to silence her breath.
They heard the opening click of the front door and soon a familiar voice echoed through the empty halls. “Charlotte, I was starting to get worried,” Jen greeted, the pair soon heard the door clicking to a shut. “Oh? Sorry, Aunt Jen, I just got caught up at Jessica’s,” the young woman replied with a slight chuckle. John and Jessica briefly glanced at each other as the lie was told, trying to steady their breathing as the voices gradually grew louder as they stepped a little further into the hall. “Right, well, I hope you had fun but I’m planning on getting some sleep soon and you should soon,” Jen sounded firm, but apprehensive. John crossed his fingers and mentally prayed for the woman as dread took over his entire body. “Will do… But, Jen, before I go to bed I have a question,” Charlie stated, and the hall was temporarily washed with a silence.
“Go on,” Jen instructed, voice shaking.
“That car out front, whose is it?” the other asked, the cogs in Jen’s brain working faster than they ever had before despite the rust that had been building up over the years. She took a moment before blurting out, “it must just be some local kids exploring the place, it’s ridiculous how many of them I see around here nowadays”. Charlie cackled, it was a grating sound that boomed against the hollow shell of a building. “We both know that’s not true,” she responded, suddenly serious. The talking was replaced by what sounded like a muffled scream that filled the air. The only following sound being footsteps against the laminate flooring. John could see a streak of light making its way into the room from the crack in between the wardrobe doors, and at that moment he was ready to accept defeat. “Shit,” he let out in a choked breath but not enough to be audible to anyone other than Jessica. Suddenly, the door closed again, no one had entered the room but it wasn’t long before they heard the slam of the front door and the distant sound of screeching car tyres. The pair let out breaths they weren’t aware they were holding in and let themselves out of the closet, they felt guilty realising they had been standing on clothing that they recognised from times Charlie had worn those exact articles. Jessica hadn’t known where Charlie had taken it all until now. She grabbed a few shirts and pairs of jeans, stuffing them into John’s bag before turning to him for instructions on their next steps. They didn’t dare turn on the light just yet. An inaudible communication passed over them as John nodded towards the door to the hallway. She hummed sweet prayers to herself as she left the room, hoping that ‘Charlie' wasn’t present.
John finally flicked on the light, picking up the paper that rested on top of one of the stacks. This specific stack was one of the many resting on top of one of the three large boxes in the room, this one was made of dark brown wood and had a broken latch on the outside. The document didn’t detail anything he particularly understood, he guessed it was an old tax form of Henry’s and returned it to its place as a gasp almost as loud as Jen’s previous cries emitted from the hall. He met Jessica halfway as she ran back towards the room they had previously hidden in. “What’s wrong? Is Charlie back?” John asked, grabbing Jessica by both of her arms and practically throwing her back into the room. She shook her head frantically. “Then what?” John asked, but he felt like given the circumstances he could probably guess. He didn’t want to hear his suspicions as true though. “She killed her! John, Charlie killed her,” Jessica could hardly get the words out in her struggle for air. John let go of Jessica, letting her sit down on the bed. He didn’t know what to do other than continue his search. He removed the stack from the top of the trunk and scanned the documents on the next before moving those too.
“John, we can’t just search someone’s house,” Jessica protested but before even giving herself time to calm down she was already trying to delicately pull packing tape off of boxes on the floor in front of her. She pulled out an old letter detailing planning permissions, it was about the mall. A request to tear down Freddy’s but it seemed they never got an answer back from the woman. John hadn’t expected to find much in the boxes other than stuff Jen may have transferred from any previous home to this one but quickly realised that heavier trunks, anything more substantial held potential. He felt drawn to them and couldn’t seem to look at anything else. “Help me shift these,” was the only response John could utter to Jessica’s comment, it came out as a hushed whisper as he began to lift boxes from on top of the trunk. There were two others in the room, one only appearing to be a flimsy plastic, likely why Jen had not trusted it enough to place boxes on top of it as she did the one they were currently investigating. The other was also wooden, dark green with paint flaking off. The boxes were piled high on that one, as if holding something down. Jessica got up, and made her way over to assist. The sooner they could leave the better.
The two had managed to place the boxes to the side of them, leaving them enough space to move but they still felt incredibly cramped. Once they had cracked it open all they found could only be assumed as Henry’s old belongings but John couldn’t work out how they got there. Had Jen been made aware there was going to be a tornado from various weather reports and retrieved some of his old things from his home in Hurricane beforehand? Or had she stolen these things from their rightful places years ago? Old robotic parts, tools, blueprints and such. Jessica couldn’t distinguish if they had been Charlie’s or Henry’s although she could never recall Jen ever visiting Charlie in college or coming to collect things after Charlie had left. They had to have been Henry’s.
John slammed the trunk shut, almost catching Jessica’s fingers in between the base and the lid. “I won’t take that personally,” she mumbled. John flipped open the lid of the plastic box to be met with hundreds of tiny plastic eyes. More of Charlie’s toys, ones she had never really taken a particular shine to but couldn’t bear to see them go. Jessica managed to reach in and pluck one out before John managed to take out his frustration on the container this time. She shoved that into his bag too before following him to the green trunk, padlocks kept it shut as well as the weight from the boxes. Jessica grabbed a hammer from the first trunk, slamming down on the padlocks and watching them fall to the floor with a satisfying clink. She threw the hammer on to the bed and started lifting boxes like John had been, shocked at their weight. When it was clear, John hesitated as he gripped on to the lid. “This one better be useful,” he and Jessica shut their eyes tightly as he threw open the lid. He forced his eyelids away from each other before she did and he tugged on her sleeve to get her attention as any sort of sound refused to leave his lips. She opened one eye before the other before they both widened. She crouched down beside the box and reached in, stroking the cheek of the girl inside. Still warm, and seemingly breathing. “Charlie…” John whispered in a mix of relief and horror.