As Cold As Stone: Part Four
Dante Ekan’s newest case is a twenty one year old murder. It’s witnesses have remained silent all this time. So Agent Ekans seeks to change that.
He pokes, he prods, he bluffs, he lies, and he digs too deep.
But maybe the witnesses were silent for a reason.
Tagging: @mae-is-ace @ashensanity @angels-and-dreams
There were a lot of things that were considered impossible. A lot of things to be thought were simply tricks of the eye. But what was standing before him was not that.
He didn’t know what it was.
No- he did. He knew exactly what it was, but he was too scared to admit it.
And he knew it didn’t make sense.
That blue aura around it, that strange glow, that see through look.
It was that same face he’d been staring at in his files for days.
“Thomas?” The name slipped from Patton’s lips- a slight sob with them.
The little boy- the thing looked at the man blankly before he spoke, “We promised not to tell.”
“We weren’t going to!” Logan shouted suddenly any version of his calm, cool, and collected mask he usually wore gone. “We weren’t! Remus maybe, but not me! I changed the files!”
They all began to shout then. Screaming that they had done nothing wrong.
But that small thing moved closer and they moved back. But Dee was the only one rooted to his spot out of fear he would never admit.
The boy- the thing gave Dee a smile before his form flickered before it settled on the one that Dee had thought he had become immune to.
Those wide yet glazed over eyes, those hand prints around his- its- neck. And animal wounds across the body.
Even so Thomas- it moved closer.
And it spoke in that same tone, “He wants to meet you.”
Dee followed Logan who drove in front of him in silence, not even turning on the radio. So many questions ran through his mind, but he let them stay just that. Questions.
Because he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted answers anymore.
“Thomas” was waiting when they arrived.
He said nothing just watching them as they gathered at the edge of those woods. Then he turned and began to walk away giving no choice but to follow.
Part of Dee wanted to leave now. To run back home and tell his boss he had figured out nothing and the case would remain closed. But at the same time, based upon the faces of those around him, he wasn’t sure whatever it was would just allow him to leave. All he could do was pull his coat close to him to fight off the piercing winter air and his fear as he followed them into the trees.
“I’m sorry,” Roman blurted suddenly. “Please. Whatever I did I swear to you- to you both that I’ll never do it again.”
Thomas didn’t reply, but he did tilt his head slightly as if listening to something, but all Dee could hear other than Roman’s pleas was the steady chirping of birds.
“It’s getting louder,” Virgil whispered his sunken eyes darting around them. Dee wasn’t entirely sure what he was talking about, but the rest of them seemed to understand as they kept their eyes peeled. “Please,” Virgil tried. “We’re already here!”
But nothing answered him, there was nothing but silence.
“I’m sorry,” Patton told the silence and Dee could see the tears burning at his eyes. “I shouldn’t have said your name.”
“I shouldn’t have mentioned the body,” Remus added.
“I shouldn’t have been here that day...” Logan added shaking his head. “Was that in your files agent? That I had faked being sick to get of piano lessons to come play here?”
“That was our idea,” Remus recalled. “Roman told you how you can hold the thermometer next to a lightbulb, and I told you to get under hot blankets so you’d sweat.”
“Why did you want to come here so badly?” The words had fallen from Dee’s tongue before he could stop them.
He watched as the others all stopped walking- even Thomas- and looked at him. But it was Virgil who had replied, a sad smile on his face.
“What kid doesn’t like magic?”
A blink was all it had took.
He had blinked in that moment’s pause.
And when he opened his eyes again, they were gone.
Dee felt panic rise into his chest, as his heart began to drum. He slowly spun to look around him- to find he was alone.
Gone were his witnesses, gone was that thing.
But it was more than that.
Because with them, had gone the winter.
The snow which had covered the ground had vanished from sight, the cloudy day had been replaced by sun that shone through a canopy of trees that moments ago did not have their leaves. A warm, comforting, mocking breeze touched his face and it was then he realized that the silence too had left him.
He could hear birds, squirrels, cicadas- laughter.
Dee forced himself to take a deep breath reaching for his gun as if it would do a thing as the sound of laughter grew closer and closer. He tried to steady his breathing and to move behind a tree, but nothing seemed to calm him.
To be fair, in this situation, nothing should.
The laughter was child like- no it was a child- no it was more than one.
“Come on! You guys are so slow!” A boy’s voice shouted.
“V can’t run as fast!” Yelled another.
He was running towards Dee, smiling, laughing, alive.
Behind him ran a set of twins carrying a basket between them, two boys with glasses, and one too small to be out here.
They ran past him, not a care a in the world. Like they didn’t even know Dee was there. But Dee followed.
They continued up a hill to a spot that even without the snow Dee somehow recognized as the place Remus had brought him a few days prior. To the spot where the murder took place.
It was a small area circled by trees. In the center sat a large stump on which stood a black bird. The boys were laughing and talking as they took their seats around the stump and began to pull sandwiches from their basket while the bird simply stood and watched.
“Logan I don’t like mayo,” One of them- Patton- complained. “Will you switch?”
The older boy looked annoyed but he switched their sandwiches anyway, “Thomas did you pack the juice?”
Thomas nodded, “Yup! I even grabbed some cookies when my mom wasn’t looking. We’ll have to share though.”
“Virgil, what kind of juice do you want?” Roman asked pulling out some juice boxes from the basket.
The smallest one of the group paused and considered his options seriously before he asked for the grape one which was handed over.
For a moment Dee thought Remus has been talking to him. But instead the boy’s eyes were on the bird which was yet to move.
But then a man’s voice spilled from its beak, “I’m letting you all have first choice.”
Dee’s heart skipped a beat and he took a step back in shock only managing to lose his footing and fall back into a sitting position. But the boys hadn’t noticed. But the bird’s beady eyes turned in his direction.
Dee took a breath- no he tried- no he- how did one breathe again?
How did one calm their heart?
A tall man dressed casually in jeans and white shirt sitting cross legged on that stump. His hair was dark as were his eyes.
But his eyes hadn’t left Dee.
The boys chattered on without a care in the world, and they didn't seem to notice the man as he took a step in Dee’s direction. But as he did Dee noticed a bird seemed to materialize where he had been sitting previously.
He was in a memory and in the memory he has stayed a bird. But if this was a memory then why could Dee feel. And why could this man see him?
He was barefoot Dee noticed. Perhaps he could out run him.
He took another step and Dee tried to force his legs to stand as the man gave him a kind yet unnerving smile, “The boys broke their promise I see.”
Dee gave a swallow as he forced himself to stand to unsteady legs, but he couldn't force himself to move further away or to even speak.
He took another step as Dee felt tears burn at his eyes, but after a moment’s pause he gave a scowl and then he was back at that stump. But now Thomas was on it and his hands were around the boy’s throat. And his mouth spilled blood as he raised his face from the child’s chest as he looked up to Dee with his eyes glowing orange.
He wasn’t sure if it belonged to the boys around the scene or from himself.
Gone was the man. Gone was the poor helpless Thomas. Gone was the summer, and back was the winter. And those small boys were gone, replaced by the men they had become.
The only thing which hadn’t vanished were the tears in his eyes, his quick beating heart, or the fear which had overtaken him.
He wiped at his face and examined the faces of the men.
“What the fuck was that?”
Dee wanted his voice to sound strong so sound confident- to sound like he wasn’t about to piss himself in fear. But it didn’t.
“Shit shit shit shit shit shit-,” Virgil was mumbling the word over and over like mantra from where he crouched down on the ground.
“What was that?” Dee yelled at them.
“Mister Sir,” Patton answered so quietly it was almost taken by the wind. “You made him angry.”
“No,” Dee said but he wasn’t exactly sure what he was replying to. “No. That- that thing. What is it? Why? I-”
“I chose the name Mister Sir,” Roman admitted. “It sounded better than his real name, I couldn’t pronounce it... still can’t.”
“He said he had sinned against the forest,” Logan explained his voice hollow. “So he was condemned to live that way forever.”
“What did he do?” Dee found himself asking despite not wanting the answer.
“Never said. He just said he had a really bad temper,” he gave a slight laugh. “You know, to this day, I don’t know what Thomas did to set him off?”
“Because Thomas didn’t do anything,” Remus said, his voice quiet. “...I did. I-”
“Oh hush,” Remus replied. “You’ve been covering for me this long and we both know you’re sick of it.”
“What are you talking about?” Patton asked.
“The truth, Patty! I pissed him off that day! He just took it out on Thomas.”
That seemed to be enough to shock Virgil out of his ramblings, “What did you do?”
“Remus if you say another damn word,” Roman told his brother grabbing him by the arm.
“What’s the point Ro?” Remus asked pulling away. “Might as well let everyone else in on the little secret.”
“What did you do?” Virgil asked again.
“It was just supposed to be a little prank,” Remus shrugged but his supposedly carefree smile wavered as he spoke. “I blamed it on Thomas because he was such a goody two shoes. I-I thought it would be funny.”
“I broke the fourth rule... I touched him. Even took a feather or two,” Remus shrugged. “And I put them on Thomas so he’d think Thomas did it. I thought it would be harmless. Birds are covered in feathers!”
“Stop talking!” Roman yelled at him.
“Why?” Remus shouted back. “He already knows! All those birds he sends to watch us? Those things that have been watching us every day of our lives since? He fucking knows what I did already! And he knows he made a mistake! He knows that he should’ve killed me!” Remus gave a deep breath. “But thankfully there’s one thing he’s even more mad about. And I brought it here... Right, Agent Ekans?”
Remus gave a wide- almost proud smile as he moved closer to Dee. “He can’t leave the forest. So he always needed me to come back. But when I did you were with me, but killing me then would only make you more suspicious. But since you- an outsider- needed to know everything it all works out! Because now you know as much as we do. And now? If there is one person he wants dead more than me, it's you.” His eyes narrowed as that smile stayed plastered on his stupid face. “So thanks for everything Ekans. You coming here today is literally, my saving grace.”
For a moment things were silent.
Dee had taken a step back in surprise as he tried to process what was just said. But he didn’t get a chance to as a bird flew down and perched itself on the old stump. It sat still for a moment before it’s body began to change and grow-
Dee was running. He was sprinting.
He ran, his legs moving faster than he knew he could. His heart was stabbing a knife inside his chest as he moved. He could hear screams and shouts from behind him, he could hear birds, and he could hear someone else running after him.
But he didn’t turn around.
He forced himself to keep moving.
There was nothing else he could do. He needed to find the exit. He didn’t know where it was but he’d find it.
There wasn’t a second option.
The footsteps behind him were growing faster and growing closer.
Dee tried to fight the tears welling in his eyes- blocking his view of the landscape.
But ultimately it didn’t matter as a hand- as cold as ice- curled around the back of his neck.
“I’m sorry sir. After all the time I spent in Merten Hill I still have nothing. I couldn’t crack the witnesses at all.”
His boss gave a shrug, “It happens to all of us Ekans. Why don’t you head home for a few days then-”
“I’d rather just get back into things,” Dee interrupted. At the man’s skeptical look he continued. “It’s my first failure in a while. I'd rather get back to something more normal .”
“You don’t need to beat yourself up on this. You’re a good agent, Ekans. And one day, be in five or even thirty years from now, whomever killed that kid will he be held responsible.”
Dee said nothing for a moment, his gaze going past the man in front of him and out the window, and focusing on the number of birds sitting on the telephone wire.
“That said,” he started his eyes not leaving the window. “I do think it’s true that some things stay cold... and maybe that’s for the best.”
Variations: Cold as stone or cold as the grave
Thank you so much for reading this, it was so fun to write!
And I know I wrote it super vague so I accept questions lol.
