As always, full work only goes to A03 | this story on A03
After being up for days, Frankie finally fell asleep. Rhea was still deep in research when she heard the first quiet snore.
“If i fall asleep, wake me up.” he said.
But she wasn’t going to, he needed this. She eyed the to-go bag at his feet, then got up to move the laptop from his hands and put it in a safer place.
Her bones, joints and muscles all screamed for rest too, but she couldnt - not yet. Her mind drifted to frankie again, and how when he does get up, she’s gonna make sure he eats something.
Will’s last check in was hours ago, as she waited to hear from him, she went back to the computer to keep researching Santi’s alias.
Rhea’s search was only about 5 minutes in when a memory came rushing back; that 80 degree day outside the lawyers office.
That sense of relief with the heaviness of the unknown hiding beneath it; everything they just did still thick in their bones and blood. All the while feeling blessed they made it out.
That last hug was longer and tighter than any hug Santi ever gave her and when they pulled away and looked eachother in the eye, her heart sank for a second.
Fear stung her with a sudden and violent force; fear she’d never see him again, fear she’d never hear from him again, fear that this was the end of something, and not in the way they wanted.
The haunting memory was followed up with another. While searching for Lorea, Pope and Rhea came across a hidden room, much like the one they actually found Lorea in minutes later.
But this room wasn’t a vault for money and gold, this room was full of darkness, a room where Lorea made sacrifices and worshiped something evil. The moment that door was opened, a heavy force escaped, one that blew past her and Santi, who was standing before her. They became unstead on their feet as their eyes followed the invisible thing past them and down the hall.
“You okay?” Santi asked as he gripped her arm, short on breath, the same as she.
All Rhea could do was nod her answer, whatever that thing was had her insides twisting up and the sudden rotten smell it emitted filled the air and soured her expression.
Having received her answer, Santi glanced back at the room, rubbed her arm, then gently pushed her forward.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Within minutes, the found Lorea. And minus the one time she did try to bring it up, that room and what they saw inside of it was never discussed again.
Rhea was never able to swallow that hard sour feeling from that day, and didn’t want to be a downer by mentioning it. They made it out. They survived. They somehow, on a job that went wrong in every way possible, made it home and made it out alive.
Now she regrets not saying anything more. What if something evil did escape that room? A spririt, a ghost, an entity - that thing smelled and tasted like death, like sin and excess, like greed and violence. what if that thing jumped into Santi or attached itself to him?
Flashback - morning before the lawyer meeting
Rhea watched Santigo for a moment, trying to find her words as they sat under the shade of a tree. The others were just ahead, finishing up their breakfast.
“Santi?”
“Yeah?” he turned to her.
“That room - “
He cut in, “don’t -” he gently raised a hand, “don’t think about that.”
“But you felt it too. Something bad was in there and it got out-”
“Its better to not think about it.”
She sighed and dug in her pocket until her fingers found the little charm. Her mother gave it to her years ago, and though she mainly carried it out of habit now, she’s been thumbing it since last night, especially with that room and chilling altar on her mind.
“When we get home, I’m getting a cleansing. Just in case. I think you should too - whatever that was, i don’t like it.”
Santi was quiet and though his eyes showed he was listening, and maybe felt the same way she did, when he spoke his words werent in alignment.
“It was a scare tactic, thats all. Don’t let it haunt you,” he moved closer and took one of her hands in his. “In a couple of hours we’re done, with all of this. forever.” His hand was warm against her cheek as he held it, “you can breath now.”
“Not sure I can. It doesnt feel over.”
“It is.” he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in his warmth. And as they hugged, she listened to his elevated heart beat, slamming as fast and hard as hers. He may be downplaying to calm her, but she didn’t buy he believed his own words either. Still she appreciated the effort -
The sudden buzzing of her phone against the table pulled Rhea out of her memory. She glanced at the clock first, seeing 2:13am flash back at her. Somehow she lost an hour.
Releasing a strained breath, she glanced at Frankie once more then headed out of the room with the phone. Once she was in the spare bedroom, she sat at the table as the phone continued to ring.
She didn’t want to pick up, she rather chuck her phone clear across the room, tell Pope to fuck off - anything but talk to him.
And for a brief second she caught her breath as he hung up, only for him to call again. The buzzing making the rock in her gut sink deeper and deeper. Unlike the other two times, he was calling via video now.
Rhea hovered her shaky hand over the phone, then pressed the green button. The face of a man she once knew stares back at her, in a dim nondescript room, no windows or markers.
All at once he looks like Santiago, but nothing like him at all.
His beard is full, with more salt than pepper, same as his hair; the longer curls smoothed back on his head. He’s dressed in a dark tshirt and seated, the phone held up by something on the desk.
“Hello Rhea.”
His voice combined with the look in his eyes made her blood run cold, she’s never seen anything like it before; like deep dark pools to nowhere; portals, the kind of things you get lost in forever.
Rhea focused on her breathing and avoided his eyes, this feels too real, it feels like he’s right here. “What now?”
He grinned, “I think you need some sleep sweetheart, you’re grumpy.”
She sighed and made eye contact again, “what?”
He glanced down, doing something on another phone, then a message appeared on her screen.
“Open it.” he ordered.
She hesitated, then opened message.
“Oh my god-” she raised her hands to her lips,
Pope grinned wider, “Ironhead killed three of my men and almost shot me, gave me this too -”
She heard him shuffling around but her eyes were fixed on the photo of Will bound, gagged and thrown into a cell, bruised and bloody.
“Fucked up thing is, most of that isn’t his blood. look at the camera Rhea!”
She swiped the photo away, Santi raised his shirt, showing his bandaged wound, “he stripped one of my guys of his blade, then jammed it into me. I was more impressed than upset.”
so at the community college I go to their is this group of Jehovah's Witnesses that sit next to the cafeteria with creationism pamphlets (no one ever interacts.) Anyway I'm wearing my Ghost shirt the one with Papa Nihil on the sax. I have to walk past them to go to the students store (I needed scantrons) so I do and I shit you not one of the ladys full on gasped when she saw my shirt and the other whispered (not quietly) "oh my!" so I made sure to walk super slow by them when I left. meanwhile I'm trying not to laugh because if you acknowledge their presence they attack (not physically just the normal "have you heard the good news") so if anyone knows of a more blasphemous shirt i can wear next time let me know.
