Work Text:
Rocky Beach, 1957
"Noooooo!" Pete Crenshaw cried.
He tucked himself into a ball, hiding himself in the blanket as if that would make his little body invisible.
"Come on, sweetheart," his mother gently said. "It's your first day of school! I thought you were excited?"
"Apparently an older kid tripped him at the park yesterday," Grandpa Ben chuckled. "That Norris boy who spends summers here. A troublemaker from the get-go, huh?"
He shook his head. "Other kids were scared of him and ran away. Pete stood his ground but cried when that boy left."
"That's not a laughing matter!" Mrs. Crenshaw cried. "You should have told me yesterday, Dad!"
She sighed, tired. "Peter, honey, that boy won't be at school. You will make lots of other friends!"
Pete sniffled, then popped his head out of the blanket burrito. "…Really?"
"Really. In fact, let's pray about it, okay? Eyes closed, hands together…"
Despite himself, Pete sat up and got into prayer position.
"…Dear God,"
Pete wiped his tears with the blanket.
"It's me again. I need someone to be my fwie—friend…" he muttered carefully, still struggling with the "r".
"Someone who won't… run away…"
His lips quivered. But he continued.
"Maybe send me an angel. The nicest angel you have… please. Amen."
He blinked a few times. His mother wiped his face with tissues.
"That's very good, dear. Ready for school now?"
Pete nodded. He wondered if an angel would really appear.
"Hello. My name is Jupiter."
The dark-haired boy stepped aside to reveal a smaller boy.
"I… am… Robert," the blond boy said shyly.
Jupiter nodded decisively. "Let's be friends."
Pete stared at the two boys. His eyes widened, and he broke into a bright smile.
"My name is Pete!"
Not only one, but two! God answered his prayer in abundance!
It was the happiest day of his life.
Rocky Beach, 1967
"That's determined, then," Jupiter said, putting the phone receiver down. "Pete and I will investigate the abandoned pier tonight. Bob, research the Wallace family history. Also look into the reported hauntings."
"Roger that," Bob grinned. He looked at Pete apologetically. "Sorry, Pete. The code looks so fascinating to me, too."
Pete sighed in defeat. As usual, he was the only one who questioned the sanity of going to a place that had terrorized even strong men out of their wits.
He looked at his two best friends.
"God," he muttered. "I didn't know you sent me angels of death."