Chapter Text
Before I begin this trainwreck, let me, Sarah Christ, tell you five things:
1. I work alone.
2. My therapist recommended I write down my stories. I do not agree with this garbage, but as you will soon see, I now have more free time so I need to do something other than stalking men online
3. I am smoking while writing this, and you cannot stop me.
4. I swore off partners (romantic and professional) after losing Rodrigo, so
5. I WORK ALONE.
So, again, I am alone eating my breakfast croissant and scouring the notes. The Creekside Killer is live again, and he moved to Hatchetfield. I guess it wasn't the worst idea, a town where people always disappeared. Either some funky stuff was going down, or the Creekside Killer found some friends.
I refuse to beg, but there were some choice pleads between me and the chief of police to let me back on the case. He agreed on one term: I have to take on a "Little Sibling", a member of the local college who was interested in this line of work.
I thought they'd give me, you know, a little Christ, more light in her eyes and fewer infections. But I think they knew me too well. They wanted to break me, those idiots.
This chick came out looking like a missionary ready to knock on my door. Sweater vest over a fully covering blouse and with a floor length skirt, she's carrying three different books. One's obviously a notebook, another's the freaking Bible, and then there's a third book that had a weird star symbol on a black cover.
She has a script written up, like an actual way to talk to people. I kind of admire it, like it makes talking to people easier. Wish I had that one when I was still dating.
Anyway, she begins. "Hello Ms. Christ -- ooh I like that name? Did you choose it or -- no of course you didn't. My name is Grace Hope Chasity, a senior at Lakeside Bible College. I am interested in studying biblically-inclined law enforcement, and when I saw your name I--"
I cut her off. "My last time at the church was when Rodrigo left me at the altar and said we were better work partners than life partners. I decided there was only room for one Christ in this life. So, slow your roll."
I think that might've been too much. I mean, the girl is just trying her best. So I soften, like a little bit. "Sorry kid, but I'm new to this mentoring thing."
Grace starts to wipe away tears. She looks back at me and says "Sorry if you don't want me around... I get it, I mean, you have a lot to do and... I can go!" She begins to walk out the door.
I reach out to her and turn her back to face me. I tear off some of my old coat so she can wipe her face. I reply to her, saying "No, no. It's just, your heart's soft. It makes it hard but that's a good thing in this line of work. People like me need people like you around, right?" I think it helps.
She perks up instantly. Like a spring, that girl. She's already smiling and flipping back through her book, babbling, "Okay! So, I've actually done some research, because I didn't want to be here unprepared! Looks like you solved the missing Bit City host case and the Hidden Office experiment."
I chuckle to myself, this kid's done her homework!
"But your big mission," she says, "is the Creekside Killer!" Her brown eyes are wide and excited, a slightly manic smile hits her face, and she leans forward.
I lean back and keep some distance between us. She's smart but needs to learn to chill. "Yeah... Let's maybe start small. Get your feet wet," I suggest.
For the intro, here is some stellar art commissioned by Constelia / Lady Loveluck
