zekereynes-blog

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

As she scanned the paperwork before her, she let out a sigh. Full name, birthday, minor details she could care less about. She began to scribble down numbers, leaving a name blank for now. At one time she had a few aliases to choose from. Now with the new computerized technology and data tracking, those names would be unavailable. It would be easy to find the records of all the personas she killed off for herself. She missed the days before identification cards. 

“You will have to take the picture here. That’s something I don’t carry around.” She quickly finished off ticking boxes and adding random dates. She tried to hide how little she cared from her outward appearance, but it was hard to avoid. “Do you have a list of names to pick from or something?” she asked as she looked up from the stack of papers. “I need something new. Something unique. There’s only so many times you can pass for a Mary or Susan. It’s almost expected now.”

Zeke's own switch of identity hadn't been nearly as Byzantine of a process as hers, he had simply taken the name and run with it. Still, he could relate to her struggles. It wasn't always comfortable, pretending to be someone else. Always policing one's own words — ‘Does it make sense for me to have this information? No, Zeke was never that interested in politics. I need to feign ignorance’. All of that had been so long ago and yet the memory was still nothing short of arduous, irritating enough that he was glad not to be in her shoes.

Taking a picture would be easy enough, but he would wait until they had settled the other matters. “You don’t really seem like a Susan,” Zeke confirmed, dry humor in his voice. “If I saw you on the street, I’d peg you as more of an Astrid or a Helena.” He used to own books with name suggestions, but nowadays it was faster to just look it up online. Keeping that in mind, he searched for a fitting website, before turning around his laptop and sliding it closer to her. "'Knock yourself out', as they say. Not a very elegant process, is it? The movies always make it so much more interesting."

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

“Honestly, that would be wonderful.” So far Elisabeth has spent little time looking in to local apartments. She was not picky; she would not be residing in the space for long throughout the day. Yet knowing of a place with high quality yet low precautions would be convenient. She hoped to draw as little attention as possible and to be left alone.

His question made her pause. She took many safeguards to protect herself. She spent many centuries trying to stay in the shadows and hide. Each time it seemed to fail. Perhaps now it was time to change up the strategy. “You know, this is going to sound crazy…” As she spoke, she folded her hands together onto the desk between them. Her gaze dropped to the floor as she stopped once more, debating if she would continue down this route. She would never consider masking herself as a human and she hated changing her name. If she was to make a public appearance, she was proud to say who she was. But any sign of her survival brings trouble; trouble that should have died out centuries ago. 

“Human would be ideal. Perhaps an alias too.” As her gaze turned back to him, she had confidence in her decision. “That is, if you could do all that. There are some people who will find me if my name is out there. How they continue to track me down after centuries I don’t know, but they cause too many problems. I just want to be safe.” It was something she rarely went into detail about. Hiding from your own family would be hard to explain quickly. It was for the best to leave that drama out of this meeting. 

“I understand. You don’t have to tell me more than that.” It wasn’t too outlandish of a request. Sometimes Zeke was asked to craft a new identity for those that wanted to hide from bigoted human parents or ex-lovers — witness protection, essentially. He didn’t think her problem was quite like that, but it had still given him the skill-set needed to help her out. A speculative gleam entered his eyes as he glanced away from her. This wasn’t just an ID, a lot of work went into creating a new person, a new human. Proof of Insurance, any licenses she might need, bank statements… It sounded as if he would be having a great weekend. “It can be done.”

Not all of the equipment he would need was here. Keeping such a large amount of illegal gear in one place seemed like a horrid idea, no matter how warded it was. Again he approached the drawer, but this time he stood up, so that he could rifle through its contents properly. Overly organized cretin that he was, it didn’t take too long until, accompanied by a victorious “A-ha!”, he found what he had been looking for.

Zeke returned to the desk and placed the papers in front of her. It was a simple questionnaire, the kind that could just as easily have been found on a social media website or a dating app. Everything superficial he needed to know was on there; her chosen profession, whether she owned a driver’s license, et cetera. The rest could be made up. “I’ll also need a picture of you, for the ID,” he explained softly, pushing the pen holder in her direction. “It can be taken here, but you can also drop one off another time.”

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

Upon his offer, Elisabeth joined the man at the desk. As she took her seat, she quickly scanned the room. It appeared he had a long list of services to offer. She would need to keep this in mind for later, as long as she could come to trust him. There was something to be said about how easy it would be to remain in town over returning to a home base over a piece of paper.

“Well, darling, you look busy,” she said, noting the amount of work on his desk. Whether or not this was normal for him, she did not know. She had to assume he was the only guy in this small town involved in this business. “I’m looking for an ID, or something to help me get an apartment. The less I have to keep track of, the better.”

”Thankfully. I prefer being busy.” With practiced movements, Zeke gathered the documents and turned around in his seat to store them in the drawer behind him. “I can help you with both of those matters easily enough. I always keep an eye out for property listings. If you’d like, I can point out those that won’t check your documents too closely.” His IDs were perfect forgeries down to the magnetic strip, but if anyone checked to see if their number was registered, they would come up empty. Such was the tragedy of the digital age, that some things couldn’t be forged, even with his abilities. It was up to the new ID owners to act in a way that wasn’t suspicious enough to cause such extensive measures. He couldn’t help them with that. Thankfully, authorities rarely had the time check, so it shouldn’t matter too much.

Zeke turned back, throwing her a glance over the laptop he pulled towards himself. “Among other things, I’ll also need you to tell me whether you’d like to masquerade as a declared vampire or human.”

[zekereynes-blog]

The last few weeks hadn’t been kind to Zeke, a fact he dealt with in the usual manner — by focusing only on his wards and his work. Breaks? A waste of his time. Ever since Cara had left their makeshift family, he had been more stand-offish than before. His face, which had never been particularly disposed to expressiveness, was now a permanently blank mask. He didn’t like this side of himself, but at least it was efficient.

The Hamlin Group’s announcement hadn't been bad for his business; more than a few Supernaturals had asked for his help, scared of being found out and turned into a human against their will. While he appreciated the extra work, he resented the reason for its arrival. The mere idea of the cure made his skin crawl.

By the time the door opened, he had finished another ID and was glad for the distraction. He remembered her, of course, as the woman who had kindly not knocked his arse unto the cold ground a few weeks ago, despite having had the power to remove herself from his wretched company. "I prefer Zeke, if you don't mind." He motioned towards the chair in front of his desk with a casual wave. "Take a seat."

@zekereynes

Elisabeth was beginning to realize she has spent too much of her time living out of the local bed and breakfast. There was little she could do without drawing suspicion in the communal living space. It was only a matter of time before the staff would lose their inviting hospitality towards someone who comes and goes at all hours of the night. It was time to find a place of her own. Of course, that would require one thing; paperwork.

With the business card in hand, Elisabeth descended into the depths of Saints and Sinners. While she despised paper trails, it was unavoidable. She was guided to a back door far away from the action of the club. Knuckles lightly rapped on the door. She hoped the kid would not find a way to make her regret this.

“Hezekiah Reynes?” she called out as she stepped through the door. Eyes scanned the card once more before looking up at the male. “I was hoping you could help me… fit in around here.”

[zekereynes-blog]

kelsiewoods‌:

With her home getting closer with each step they took,  Kelsie was starting to feel better.  She’d be safe there.  She could do something to try and relax the pain away.  Zeke had done a good job of distracting her in these few moments but she knew it wouldn’t last.  Once she was home all she could do was try and relax until moonset.

“You’ve been helpful,” Kelsie told him as they walked.  “You’ve distracted me from the pain for a little bit, and I’m very grateful for it.”  If he hadn’t come along to try and help, there was a good chance she’d have ended up sitting down and coping with the pain, unable to push through to get home.  “It means a lot that you helped.”

"It was no problem." As boring and cliched as it might have sounded, it was the truth. Helping people was his profession, it was what he did. Zeke had a need to be useful to every person he met, it was one of the traits that had been amplified after being turned.

"Besides, as a parent myself, I couldn't simply have looked the other way. Had I not accompanied you, I would have been left wondering whether something had happened to you and your child. At least this way I can make sure." Maybe he overstepped a little by admitting that, they were strangers after all, but he couldn't help it. As foolish and exhausting as it was, he cared for the well-being of others, even those he didn't know yet.

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

Elisabeth took the card and gave it a quick glance. The task seemed simple enough. She would have to seek him out later. She would love to drag the process out and avoid any documentation if she could. Yet with recent events, she knew better than to put herself at risk. “I’ll be sure to point business your way,” she replied while slipping the card into her pocket. The male seemed to have improved since he first sat down. At the very least he did not seem to be a concern any longer. “Well I hope invading my bench helped,” she said while gathering herself. “Perhaps visiting your family would help. I’m sure they would love to see you.”

Ah, right. He had promised that he would leave her be when he felt better — which he did, now. With her having his business card already, there was nothing keeping him here. “Of course,” he replied, standing up slowly. “Thank you for tolerating my presence, I know my appearance must have been quite a surprise.” His knees still felt a little weak, but it wasn’t bad enough to stop him from leaving. “Feel free to contact me at your convenience. And… Stay safe.” And with that he left, steps careful. There was someone he needed to explain himself to.

[zekereynes-blog]

kelsiewoods‌:

She nodded in understanding.  The pain was still bad, but talking to Zeke seemed to be distracting her from the most of it, at least in that moment.  “Yeah,” she breathed out.  “It was never my dream job but it pays the bills.”  Her dream job involved going back to college, but as a single mom running a wolf pack, she would not have the time or the money to do something like that.

Kelsie heard the howl and smiled a little.  It was definitely someone from her pack.  She recognized the sound  “Yeah,” she said as he helped her down the street.  “My house is at the end of the block.  Or well, were I’m staying anyway.”  Living with Dianna was very strange.  Before everything happened with James, she didn’t know his mother well at all.  They were just pack mates, but now the woman was becoming a mother to her and helping her through her pregnancy.  It was a blessing, even if she didn’t consider the house home yet.

It was relieving to learn that they would be arriving at her home soon. The moon would still be there to watch them all in a few hours, but at least she would be safer than out here. Not that he knew an awful lot about werewolves, but he hoped someone of her pack would be there to help her through this. "That's good to hear." 

He wasn't completely sure what he would be doing with himself after he dropped her off. Maybe he would stroll around the streets a little, see if there was anyone else who needed help. The restlessness, the urge to go and do something, was still humming under his skin. He might not be affected by the full moon, but he had always hated sitting still and the thought of going home already seemed torturous. "I hope I haven't annoyed you too much." They hadn't run into any danger, so his presence hadn’t been very useful, but that was something to be happy about, rather than regret.

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

With a short laugh, Elisabeth shook her head. Family was a tricky subject with her, and the best she could do was try and laugh it off. “Oh, I’m sure they would be,” she replied. “Or would act that way. Parents will rarely give you the satisfaction of pride.” She knew her family situation was rare. Most parents do not spend their lives focused on supernaturals as her’s did. It would influence a bit of bias for any family until the end.

“Administrative business?” she mused. That would be helpful in time. Although she did not wish to stay in the city for long, she had to plan ahead. She had a feeling this may take longer than the ‘short vacation’ to another state. Unless she wanted to spend months living out of the bed and breakfast, she would need some help becoming a resident of the town. Personally she downright refuses to tell the government of her existence. “So if one was to need your services, who would they ask for?”

Although he had brought it up, it wouldn't do to dwell on the dead. Their reach was far away, even if the pain they had left him with made him feel raw at the moment. It was a bitter thought, petty, that he still wanted to spite them for their actions even after their death. "I suppose we can't blame them for being the products of their time," he replied neutrally. A part of him understood that they might have had the capability to love him, had they been born to a more recent generation, but he would never find out.

Instead of replying immediately, he patted down his pockets for his wallet, pulling out a business card when he had finally found it. Zeke presented it to her with the faintest hint of amusement on his face. "I believe the easiest way would be asking me directly." Concentrating on work was grounding and so he tried to think of forged IDs instead of scared supernaturals. He would grit his teeth now and postpone dealing with his emotions until later, when he was alone and safe. Just like he always did.

[zekereynes-blog]

kelsiewoods‌:

She offered him a strained smile and nodded.  “That would be good.  I really like working there.”  While it wasn’t her dream job, it was something to help pay the bills and afford all the expense that came with having a new baby.  Thank God for Dianna or she never would have managed it.  Moving in with the older woman was a blessing in disguise, despite the painful circumstances that brought it to fruition.

Kelsie nodded, a small smile on her face.  “I never really thought much about it before I triggered,” she admitted to him while they rounded a corner.  Her home was at the end of the block.  “I became a werewolf and ran, I left everything I knew behind and didn’t stop running until I got here and found the pack.”  She found James.  He had pulled her under his protection as the alpha, but now he was gone.  Even still…talking about this helped to distract her.  It allowed her to focus on her heartache rather than anything else.

”Considering how many people are forced to take on professions they dislike, I’m glad to hear that.” Zeke himself had never enjoyed being in a serving position, but then again the context of their professions was completely different. Whatever job she had at Hellmouth, it probably didn’t involve dressing a grown man who had never had to learn how to dress himself. Or brush his hair. Back then he had never questioned these things, as it was normal for their society, but nowadays those memories were just infuriating.

A stray howl startled him, but it was too far away to be someone who could be dangerous to them. Zeke hoped it would stay that way. “And now you don’t have run anymore,” he replied softly when she had finished her story. It seemed as if many of the supernaturals he had met in Shadow Falls had come here for a new start or because they were trying to escape a situation, himself included. What was it about this place that drew them all in? He didn’t know, but despite the tension with the humans it was nice to have a supernatural community like this.

[zekereynes-blog]

thevigilantevamp‌:

Gabe listened for the cues and words that went unsaid between he and Zeke. The tension was thick between them, but not about their relationship. Maybe part of why Gabe wore a mask and saved those at night had something to do with rebelling against being overlooked his whole life. For spiting the family that didn’t believe in him, who barely took note when he went eastward. His whole life, he was the quiet, intelligent, strange boy. At least when night fell he could claim some power under the guise of chaotic justice.

He smiled sadly at Zeke’s words. True, they wouldn’t be who they were today had it not been for the sins and thorns of the past. It was tiring, searching desperately for a meaning to this eternal life: to believe in a cause that never ended. Equality and peace were just a carrot on a string and Gabriel often felt he was running on a treadmill. Their goal would never be reached and only served to distract them from an eternity of guilt, of nihilism. Some looked to God, some looked to the people in front of them. Gabe wondered when he would run out of places to look.

Gabriel’s hand rested on Zeke’s wrist, his spine stiffening as Zeke spoke. His gaze darted around the crowded park, searching for an immediate threat. “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested before softening in an attempt to comfort his friend. “Saints and Sinners is closed, but I happen to know someone who has the key. Retreat to the shadows there?”

Having always been a rather tactile person, the contact on his wrist helped to clear his head a tad — a physical reminder that he hadn’t been left alone. “Yes, please.” It sounded a little more desperate than he had intended it to, but he couldn’t help it. The thought of retreating to the shadows was too tempting to pass. It didn’t matter that he wore a Daylight ring and thus couldn’t be harmed by the sun currently, the sparse rays shining through the clouds were enough to make him feel more ill, if only because his brain still associated them with danger.

Eager to get away, he stood up with shaky limbs. Another bout of dizziness sent him swaying, but he didn’t fall. “Let’s go.” His usual formal way of speaking was gone, he simply didn’t have the patience for it. Zeke knew that he owed him an explanation for his behavior, especially considering the way he had mistakenly addressed him, but he wouldn’t be able to do it here. It wasn’t something he particularly looked forward to, preferring to keep his story to himself, but he supposed that if they were part of the same clan, he should put in some effort, show trust. Besides, if he wanted to heal and keep growing as a person instead of remaining stagnant like some other vampires, he couldn’t revert back to avoidant behavior. “And then we’ll have a talk.”

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elsavlkyrie‌:

“London, you say?” she asked with mild amusement. “I’ll take your word for it. I tried to avoid London. Far too many vampires.” Elisabeth spent some time in the city long before his, and had a hard time staying out of trouble. It was a perk of her age, she could force her way among the wealthy and noble. “At least you escaped it while you were still young. Impressive.”

Her eyebrows rose a notch. She did not hear of vampires raising other supernatural children often. It was a change to see someone else take an interest in them. “I hope there are no vampire children. They don’t deserve that. It’s nice of you to give them a shot.” She wondered how he could avoid humans. She longed for that, but it was impossible while tasked to blend in. “Then what is this profession? If you don’t mind me asking.” If she could find a way to have as little contact as possible, she refused to let it out of her grasp. 

”You ‘dodged the bullet’, as they say,” he mused. “You know, sometimes I like to imagine what my family would have thought if they could see where and what I am right now. I hope they would be sufficiently upset.” He hadn’t the faintest clue where that statement came from, but it was true.

The thought of vampiric children was disconcerting. He had heard rumors of their existence, but he had never caught a glimpse of one and thus didn’t know whether they were real or not. What kind of effect would immortality have on a child’s mind, would their mental growth be stunted as well? Either way, he didn’t want to ponder on it. “I work in the back room of Saints & Sinners,” he simply replied, because not even he was brazen enough to tell someone that he was a forger in a public place. “I help out other supernaturals with administrative business.” He supposed if she was really part of a group as well, she might be able to guess what those vague words could mean.

[zekereynes-blog]

Shadow Falls Incorrect Quotes - #3

@elsavlkyrie @zekereynes @diannaarmstrong @emmymatthews

[zekereynes-blog]

drdeweyf‌:

That was the trouble when it came to their world. For as much progress had been made in the supernatural world, there was still a lengthy stretch to go when it came to equal rights. There would always be a level of negligence in their case, stones left un-turned. It wasn’t at all fair. But what could they do? Protest and only lead to more people seeing a need for their extermination, sit by and do nothing while more of their kind went missing. It was a catch twenty-two. “I do hope so. And who knows, maybe it will be sooner rather than later,” Tremendously thankful for the change in topic, Dewey mirrored the other’s movements and righted himself, immediately shaking his head. “Not a bother at all. I only hope I could help. Oh, before you go…” Fingers retrieved his wallet, the other reaching for the pen he always kept in his pocket. “I know this is a bit… well, should you ever need any help again. I never really turn my phone off, and, well, in case you… just need someone to talk to,” After scribbling his number on the back of an old receipt, Dewey offered it to Zeke with a timid smile. “Take care, alright?”

His demeanor remained calm, but internally he was taken aback by the generousness of the other. The man’s first impression of him had been atrocious and he still offered him his help, rather than being glad to be rid of him. Zeke wasn’t used to this much courtesy, but he accepted the number nonetheless with nimble fingers. “Thank you. I will contact you,” he replied earnestly. “Maybe I will be able to return the favor one day.” While he wasn’t sure he would be comfortable with sharing even more of his problems, it would be nice to be able to talk to another vampire. Zeke wanted to thank him again, but maybe that would be too much, too uncomfortable for a stranger. “You as well. Goodbye and stay safe.”

And with that he turned away and began walking, mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of questions that he knew would commence soon, if Nate’s expression was anything to go by.

[zekereynes-blog]

kelsiewoods‌:

She could tell he was trying to distract her and Kelsie was grateful for that.  Her pain was so overwhelming that any sort of distraction would be greatly appreciated.  “Yeah,” she replied with a stiff nod.  “I work at the Hellmouth.”

Trying to imagine the insanity of Saints and Sinners on a full moon was almost laughable.  She was sure that was crazy and not something she would enjoy dealing with.  “I’m sure,” she half chuckled, wondering if she knew which werewolf it was.  “Sometimes it’s easy to lose track of time…then you end up rushing for the woods.”  It had happened a lot when Kelsie was a new wolf, but as she got older she was much better at maintaining things.  Especially with the pack to consider.

“Oh, Hellmouth. I should pay a visit sometime. Then we can really meet under better circumstances,” he replied pleasantly. Zeke didn’t need to eat himself, but there was no reason why he couldn’t take someone there. It would be a nice excuse to leave the house for something that wasn’t grocery shopping and working.

“I wish I was a werewolf,” he confided out of the blue, glad that the mood had lifted a little. “I’m interested in the idea of a pack, it seems beautiful. But alas, life had other plans for me.” Of course there were clans and he was part of one, but he was still in the awkward stage of feeling like a stranger to it. Besides that, he didn’t have a lot of positive memories that involved other vampires. As with a lot of problems in Zeke’s life, a big part of his dilemma could be blamed on his late sire. Their bond had been one very unhealthy for him, but it had been a bond nonetheless and he missed having it.

[zekereynes-blog]

flaminghot-taechos‌:

Tae’s jaw dropped when he realized Zeke was having an episode. He had heard that he was prone to them, sometimes. Or something like that. His parents had known Zeke for a long time– he was an open heart like them and they all liked to take in the lost the needy. Their friendship made sense but Tae had always been a passerby in the dynamic: Zeke was a family friend. He blinked in confusion, having never really experienced this firsthand and struggling to remember what his mother had said about them.

“Well, shit, we can go somewhere. Wanna go somewhere else?” Tae offered, frantically trying to find a solution to the shaking man’s dilemma. It seemed now, that his eyes were open, Zeke was more present than before. Tae sighed softly when he recognized the look in the man’s eyes. “Dude, I’m worried about ya.” He admitted.

Zeke hated that Tae witnessed him like this, so close to his worst. In general, he preferred it when others only got to see his best side, the professional one, the mentor who wasn’t flustered by anything. His need for a stoic exterior had only been heightened since he had turned into a vampire, but even as a human he had hated others seeing what a wretch he could be. It wouldn’t do them any good, it would only make him seem less dependable. And if others didn’t depend on him anymore, he was useless.

He shook his head violently, prompting another bout of dizziness, visible by the unfocused eyes. “I can’t walk at the moment.” As much as he wanted to be somewhere else, he knew his legs were too unsteady to carry him anywhere right now. His chest stung with guilt at Tae’s words and he turned his head away. “Don’t be.” He tried to sound as composed as possible, even though he barely had a voice. “I will be fine.”

[zekereynes-blog]

elsavlkyrie‌:

Elisabeth let out a short chuckle. He was right, it should be extremely difficult to capture so many who are naturally stronger than a mere human. Yet she knew this was more than your average human. “You would be surprised what they are trained to do. I was expected to be fast with a bow back in my day, and that was the sixteenth century. Now with all the technology and the drugs, they are dangerous.”  There were far too many options and tools at their disposal. While she would privately blame the Knights, it was frightening how any human order could be behind this. 

She raised an eyebrow at his statement. “Children?” she questioned. Whether he trained new vampires or they were truly minors, she knew many vampires who cared for the young as their own. Personally spending the days raising them was not her cup of tea, not anymore at the very least. However, protecting them from these crimes was another story.  “Good. They’ll need someone to keep them safe.” Her head tilted to the side as she turned to him. “Quite impressive to continue working through this. Although I imagine you don’t work too often with humans, do you?” She has witnessed many supernaturals disappear simply to hide from the crimes. The man must have been dedicated, or crazy, to be active during the constant threat.

The sixteenth century? Witnessing both world wars had been bad enough, he couldn’t imagine what it must be like to live through even more tragedies. “They are,” he agreed. “Humans are stubborn, they always find a way to enforce their will and evolve, that’s both their merit and their downfall.” But this was turning into a philosophical conversation that he wasn’t currently in the mood to have, so he changed the subject. “It has been a while since I met someone older than me. I grew up in the late Victorian era myself, in London.” Not that she had asked, so he wasn’t completely sure why he had volunteered that information. “Real shitehole and even worse people.” It was rare for him to curse, but there wasn’t any elegant way to describe it.

He nodded, his expression softening just a tad as he remembered his wards. “None of them are vampires, but some of them got turned when they were young, so they ended up with me.” ‘Their parents didn’t want a supernatural child’ stood in the room but was left unsaid. They both knew that humans could be terrible, it was unnecessary to list even more reasons why. It wasn’t helpful to either of them. “No, my profession doesn’t have anything to do with humans. The only time I really come across them is when I get my groceries.” He didn’t hate humans, he really didn’t. All he wanted for them was to grow and be better, but he knew that wouldn’t happen, so it was hard to remind himself not to despise them.

[zekereynes-blog]

drdeweyf‌:

The thought alone brought a grimace to Dewey’s features. He couldn’t in good faith admit that he would have been so willing to aid had it occurred in that fashion. He was simply grateful Zeke had managed to find anyone to begin with; although he held a skepticism for certain individuals motives, it was better to find help of some sort than having to face the ordeal all by himself. “Being that these are a favorite pair of mine, I’m thankful it didn’t occur that way,” The gravity of the topic left Dewey in the rare position of being at a loss for words. Condolences were far too easy to utter; fleeting and, in some cases, patronizing. Still, he wasn’t exactly sure what else there was to offer. And yes, he was in the same, steadily sinking boat of befuddlement where it concerned these disappearances. Shameful as it was, he had begun to allow the entirety of the topic to float into the background of his mind. It concerned his kind, and yet, it didn’t pertain directly to himself, and so it felt similar to most of what befell so many in the world - see no evil, hear no evil, etc. “Well, coming from my own perspective of course, who is to say that anyone would believe someone who had managed to escape in the first place? It’s not as though they’re exactly looking into the disappearances as they would a human’s; with such little care placed on the occurrences, they could simply write off anyone who actually had the courage to step forward. Or, there’s the other option… that there hasn’t been anyone who has managed to escape,” He rolled his shoulders, a sigh escaping his lips, “I’m afraid I feel very ill equipped to discuss the topic, in all honesty,”

“You’re right.” It was a saddening thought, the idea that someone might have escaped with no one to believe them. What a bleak first conversation this was to have with someone, but then again the other had said that he had met people under worse circumstances. Zeke wasn’t sure why he had brought all of this up in the first place, he just felt so raw that he feared it would eat him up if he didn’t say something. “So am I. I suppose the only silver lining is, that they will stop someday — there are way too many supernaturals for one group to spirit away.” As he was talking, his phone vibrated and he checked out of habit, only to find a message by Nate.

“Near the entrance of the park, didn’t wanna interrupt your conversation (▽◕ ᴥ ◕▽),” it said. Zeke didn’t want to know where he had found that emoji or why he was using it, only deigning it with a very drawn out sigh. Sure enough, when he glanced up he could see him leaning against a tree at a distance, pointedly not looking in their direction. Zeke could easily make the man wait, but considering he had run all the way here just because he was worried, it wouldn’t be right. With that in mind he turned around to Dewey, a solemn smile on his face. “It appears my friend has arrived, so I shan’t bother you any longer.” He stood up with careful movements, glad to learn that he wasn’t as unsteady as he had been. “It was nice meeting you, despite the circumstances. Thank you for listening to me.”