Quote from Cat on August 14, 2020, 12:00 am

Toby looked at Zander as the latter attempted to lighten the moment with a joke. Though Toby had never seen or heard of Granny actually breaking anyone's bones, he didn't doubt that she would. He had just opened his mouth to lecture Zander not to joke about such things when a car horn suddenly grabbed his attention and Zander took off like a shot. Before Toby knew it, Zander and the elderly man from before were splayed on the opposite side of the street.

Would horrors never cease? That elderly fellow had almost been hit by a truck! What would Granny's reaction to that have been, Toby wondered. She might feel sorry that the last thing she'd ever said to him was mean, but it was more likely she would throw back her head and laugh-- Okay, not really. Even if this was a man she truly hated, she wouldn't laugh about his sudden demise... Probably.

Toby didn't know much about his grandmother's employee or the relationship they had, but judging by the mortifying display in the shop a moment ago, he felt it was safe to assume Granny would be more sorry for Zander getting run over than for the old man.

Toby shook the shock from his head and, after looking both ways, crossed the street to Zander's side. He stuttered, struggling to find what to say:
'Are you alright?' -- Of course they were. Even bumped and bruised, they were as alright as one could possibly be after nearly getting flattened.

'What was that driver thinking? -- How were they supposed to know? They seemed to have parted on pleasant enough terms, though Toby could only imagine how different that man's day would have gone if not for Zander.

'You're a hero, Zander!' --- Though Toby thought Zander's heroics were extremely impressive, what if Zander was the shy type who didn't like people gushing all over his every good deed? It would be both hurtful and awkward to get shrugged off for such a sincere compliment.

'You're all wet, sir. Here, come to my place for a towel and some warm drink by the fire.' --- That was a polite offer, but Granny was home and Granny would surely send the old gentleman headfirst out the window.. Possibly Toby along too for issuing the invite.

There was only one observation Toby could think to make. "I didn't recognize that brown truck."

Quote from Deleted user on August 17, 2020, 12:50 am

Tito froze in dreaded anticipation, as his eyes watched the old man get shoved off to the side by Zanders quick actions. He watched in horror as the truck screeched to a halt, not fast enough to have avoided the potential collision. His heart was racing as he began to stare more into the abyss of space than the scene in front of him.

Many years ago his parents had died in a car accident. Although he never saw it, his young mind must've played an imagined version of the scene hundreds of times after their death. It was hard not to see that image now, circling around in his adult mind. It was all too sudden, too painful, too permanent. At just ten he was all alone. There was so much darkness that preceded the days that followed, so much sorrow, anger and an inability to understand why it happened. It had stung him for several years before slowly healing by his adoptive family helping him accept the loss and move on with hope that his mother and father, even though non-believers, had gone to a happier place.

Tito was now vacantly staring down, as a tear rolled down his cheek. He finally realized why he was so anxious to find Saber- because he did not feel that kind of hope for him. Saber was far from being a bad person, but he played on the edge too much; If he was taken away today, where would that leave him in the next life? Tito wasn't sure, and it scared him. Saber claimed to be atheist when they had first met, but slowly as time went on and the two grew closer, Tito saw him change where he felt less sure of his stance. Tito knew there was hope for Saber to change, he just needed time and the right environment to ensue it… Tito hoped and prayed it was not too late for his friend, wherever he may be.

Quote from Indy on August 17, 2020, 8:22 pm

Zander glanced at the elderly man with an easy going shrug, "Well Scout, seems you're a lucky man on both accounts".

He turned his head towards the source of the car horn, instantly noticing Tito, and suddenly giving Toby a light nudge with one hand.  It was too soon to return to the antique shop, but the last thing he needed was to go blabbing his mouth off about secrets best kept.

"Well.. er, Toby... we have that thing to go to, don't you remember?"

Quote from Mae on August 19, 2020, 11:49 pm

The old gentleman turned to look down the road at the old truck puttering away.
"Yes..." He murmured thoughtfully, then he turned a peaked brow at Toby. For a moment his face looked curious and grave, but a moment later it was gone as he declared, "You must be the Buttermilk-boy!"
Immediately he stuck a hand out and shook Toby's in a gracious 'howdy-do' manner.
"I knew your grandfather." Scout explained. "He and I met at the old movie theater years ago."

The man turned a look downward with familiar memories playing across the lens of his eyes. He looked up again with a pleasant and inquisitive expression.
"I uhh.." he muttered. "I don't suppose the old place still exists?"

Quote from Cat on September 12, 2020, 7:43 pm

Toby was not so on par with Zander's subtlety, he was still searching his memory for any recollection of the careless truck and driver. When Zander nudged him, he looked at him with confusion, then Scout cheered his last name and stretched out his hand for a friendly shake. "Y-yes sir. I'm Tobias Buttermilk. Pleased to meet you." He said quickly, taking the old man's hand and giving it a firm shake.

Admittedly, Toby was a little taken back by the mention of his grandfather. It had been so long since anybody mentioned him, he'd almost forgotten he ever had one...

Edward Apollo Buttermilk. He had died when Toby was only two years old, so the boy's memories of him were few and faded. He could remember 'Grampy' had a passionate love for movies. He'd once been compared to George Rooney and took it as the highest compliment. Toby also remembered that Grampy was the nice one; the grandparent that would slip you a treat under the table with a wink and a "Don't tell your grandma."... And Granny was different when he was around too. She was still a strict woman, but Grampy could get her to smile and laugh no matter what.

.. She hadn't done so much of either since he passed.

Toby blinked the memories away rapidly. The theater? Uhm, y-yeah. It's still around. He said quickly.

Quote from Mae on September 12, 2020, 8:11 pm

"Wonderful!" Scout declared, "It comes as a big relief to me. That old place holds such memories."

He smiled and looked down, chuckling and shaking his head softly.

"Good old Eddy." He murmured.

Scout looked up brightly and pointed his finger up in the air. "Your grandfather always told the wildest stories - kept me laughing most of the time, and looking over my shoulder for the rest of it. He knew just the right story for every occasion. And every audience. Why, he had me believing there were ghosts up in the mountains and tunnels under the graveyard. To this day I don't quite know if any of it was true, but I tell you one thing, I always avoided this place."

On this last word, Scout indicated the quiet little cemetery beside him, and stared at it for a good long moment. Then he smiled again at Toby and adjusted his cap

"Ah, well now." He said, sighing softly. "I could get away with avoiding it back then - no one I knew was there. Now, I don't know the place well enough to find my way around it. Do you eh, suppose you might be able to show me where dear old Eddy is nowadays?"

Quote from Cat on October 5, 2020, 2:24 am

Toby shifted uncomfortably, following Scout's gaze toward the graveyard.

Ghosts in the mountains Scout had said, laughing like he didn't believe a word of it-- But there WERE ghosts in those mountains! Toby knew that just as sure as he knew long division. Did that mean Grampy's stories about tunnels under the graveyard had merit? Toby had never heard such tales before. Perhaps that was where the sink hole in main street came from. That thought ignited Toby's curiosity, yet it also caused a strange feeling of dread to creep up his spine like a spider. He felt as though this harmless request would lead into trouble... Perhaps even danger.

Uhg! Living with the pack was making him suspicious of everything and everyone! Toby had visited Grampy's grave lots of times when he was young, what bad could happen between here and there? Grampy's stone wasn't far from the road anyway. Well, uh, yes. I- I suppose I could. Follow me. Toby said, beckoning Scout to follow him as he started along the path.

Scout's request was so innocent, what could go wrong bringing taking the old man to pay his respects? The odds they would get jumped by a zombie in the graveyard were laughably slim. It was more likely they would be jumped by a thief in a hockey mask-- Actually... No.. This was Reknab Bend. The thief would likely know Toby and that he had nothing of value on him... Hmm, what other hazards did a leisurely trip through a graveyard present? Tripping over a stone and getting your eye stabbed out by another stone that just happened to be in the exact right spot when you fell on your face? ...Not delightful, but not too terrible.
Wait! What if a sudden earthquake opened Grampy's grave and sent them tumbling into the darkness under the mountain, trapped amid the bones in a secret labyrinth?! They wouldn't be able to climb out! They'd wander around aimlessly until Zander lost his mind and took off into the tunnels, to be lost forever. Then it would just be Toby and Scout. Scout... He seemed nice, but what if he lost his mind too? What if those sparkly old-man-eyeballs suddenly became inhumanely keen and Scout became uncontrollably hungry? Swallowed by insanity, he'd chase Toby around trying to eat him! Every time Toby thought he'd lost him, the old man would somehow find him! This game of cat and mouse eventually leading them both into an underground world lost to time, inhabited by sentient plants and werecats. It would escalate too rapidly. Eventually this civilization who had weathered centuries of world change would crumble to chaos because of a coincidental volcanic reaction that the werecats somehow didn't know about and weren't prepared for. Fear would cause a political uprising and drive the werecats to a premature extinction in war-- What few survivors would then be swallowed by the lava, or join Zander in some unknown fate-- While this meant Toby would assuredly escape the murderous and cannibalistic Scout, who would meet his doom in a rock slide cause by the volcano, Toby wasn't fit to be an action hero! He wouldn't crawl from that hole. write a book about it and become famous; he'd be scarred for life! He'd never trust the ground beneath his feet ever again! He'd have nightmares about Scout returning and drown in regret that his mere presence had sentenced a whole civilization of werecats to death.. It would be horrible! Absolutely horrible!

Quote from Indy on October 6, 2020, 8:43 pm

Zander, unknowing the chaos in Toby's mind, took a mild glance towards the graveyard.  As a boy he'd thought graveyards were creepy.  As an adult, he knew better.

"I've always meant to visit..." Zander glanced to stones, "Lot of history, in this town.."

Quote from Mae on October 7, 2020, 1:35 am

The old gentleman stepped into the cemetery behind Toby, passing under a densely overgrown hedge-trellis.

In the very heart of town, surrounded by the casual affairs and goings-on of the living, it might come as a surprise to find such a quiet place for the dead. But quiet indeed it was; the noise was kept out by hedges and trees which shaded the green grove even in this late season. The trees were all a color, but had yet to shed their leaves. Even with the uncharacteristic liveliness of main street on this autumn day, the graveyard was a solemn and quiet place.

Yet, though reverent in nature, the cemetery was not without its spooks. There were faces peering out of the bushes, and figures standing frozen beneath the trees. Unlike other yards of the dead, many of the headmarkers and memorials in Reknab Bend were detailed figures of stone. Some were older, and thus, worn away by time and a hundred storms, stood transfixed only in form with faded features and crumbling fingers - some, no more than pillars where a figure once stood. Others stood in haunting visual excellence, with every detail of their eyes and clothing so vividly etched that they seemed the picture of life, frozen forever over the bones of the dead.

The old gentleman passed by, noticing some of the faces with keenness, but looking past others with a vague shiver as he followed behind the young men.
"You have no idea, my boy." he was heard to mutter in the vaguest breath after Zander's comment, but if asked to repeat the words he simply shook his head and smiled half-meaning half-joking.