devourthemfirst | Third Misfortune - [voice] - Backdated to Halloween night

[It’s Halloween night. Czes has never really been one to worry over celebrating Halloween, candy, dressing up in costumes, the works, but these past few days have been hectic and he needs some entertainment. Ghost stories is the best option he has though the story he has in mind is one he'd rather not discuss. But if he can get a few people scared from it, maybe it'll be worth it.

Not sure how people can't not be scared by it at least...

His voice is low, almost like he’s scared to speak too loudly in case the creature pops up behind him. Which he kinda is. It somehow wouldn’t be that big of a surprise to him if the Malnosso were that cruel to him]

Back in my world, there’s this legend. It’s of a red monster called the Rail Tracer. [The meaning of the word ‘monster’ is used to the fullest extent here.] It rides the rail tracks and follows trains in the shadows and they say that when anyone on board believes he’s real, he climbs on board and overtakes the train, murdering everyone on it.

[A beat] But I don’t think that last part is right. I think he just waits until the opportune moment… then [SMACK. His hands hit the table that the journal is resting on. He’s trying to focus on scaring others rather than himself] goes in for his kill.

The scariest part about this legend, is that it’s real. [No really, it’s real.] I didn’t think it was at first but then I saw the blood-covered monster with my own eyes once! [Saw him, was killed by him and was tortured by him. All in one night.]

I even saw him murdering the passengers. He would silently snatch them up from their cars and hold them over the tracks until they would get so close to the moving ground that their faces and limbs would be ripped right off! [His arm starts to tingle from the memory and he bites his lip for a moment. The memory is all too vivid, even after all this time. It haunts him still.

See, Czes is really telling his own story here. He was the one who got his hand and arm literally ripped off by that monster’s torture tactics. He isn’t entirely sure if anyone else got this treatment but it wouldn’t surprise him if anyone did.

He shudders] It was really scary…

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[Czes only bothers to glance back when he hears Luke, only to confirm it's really one of his apartmentmates making the noises and not Claire coming out of hiding. Which to be honest, Czes is expecting to happen. It's very unnerving.

But he looks forward again when he pats his shoulder, stays quiet for a moment then-]

Do you remember it? [Because he knows the other boy has some memories of his alternate life as Czes' brother but it's very fuzzy to him]

[You know if Claire came out of a corner right now it wouldn't surprise Luke, either.]

Sometimes. [He tugs the brim of his hat a little, other hand still resting on Czes's shoulder.] I guess I...sort of dream about it?

[Czes doesn't really sympathize him. He is forced to live with the vivid memory in his dreams and in reality. Not to mention Fermet's as well.

"Welcome to my world" is what he'd say if his mouth would move to form those words.] Some dreams.

[Well good, because it's Luke trying to sympathize with Czes right now. Even without all the specific memories, the feelings stayed with him pretty strongly.]

Yeah. ...Listen, do you want to do something else? So you don't have to just sit here thinking about it?

[The brotherly instincts show up along with the memories, every time.]

[His expression softens a bit and he blinks]

Sure. What do you want to do?

Oh. Um. [What could they do? Sitting and doing puzzles doesn't sound like something that would make Czes happy.]

We can...we can cook something!

[Cook? Random but okay]

Should we make some dessert?

[It takes time and mental effort and the results are way better than some not-fake ghost story!]

Yeah! Something that'll smell as great as it tastes. What do you like best?

[Luke is no expert baker but they can follow a recipe together, right?]

[So you have a point there]

Sherbet. [Instant answer but he moves on] But since that isn't something you bake, I guess we can make some pie.

Oh, well if you want to just sit and have sherbet we can do that too!

Are you sure? [Czes sure isn't against it. His favorite dessert ought to cheer him up a little, right?]

Of course! I'd never say no to sherbet. [It isn't his favorite and it isn't ice cream but who cares?]

Then I think there's some in the refrigerator out in the kitchen. [He's starting to perk up a little now. Sherbet always makes him happy.

So he gets up from his seat and starts walking towards the door]

[Great! Luke hurries forward, taking Czes's elbow to pull him along at more of a jog. If we are going to have an impromptu dessert then we are going to be every flavor of excited about it.]

We'll get the biggest bowls we can find.

[He blinks at the sudden pulling but goes along with the jogging because the faster he gets his sherbet the better]

That sounds good.

[Yes, Czes, wear your excited face!]

I hope no one else has eaten it all. That's the kind of puzzle I don't want to have to solve.

[He will certainly try to!!!]

There's only one other person on this floor and he's never eaten my sherbet before so it should be fine.

All right! Then you get it out and I'll get bowls and everything.

Okay. [Annnd once they get into the kitchen, he walks over to the fridge and opens up the freezer to take out a small bucket of sherbet that has already been eaten from and places it on the counter.]

[Bowls! Spoons! A bigger spoon to get the sherbet out of the container with! Luke's an expert at preparing sweets.]

You first. How much do you want?

[Look at you go Luke. You should be a pro sherbet preparer...]

A lot. [He holds his hand out for the scooper]

[Scooper, bowl, have at it Czes. Let's not talk about the railroad anymore.]

[Yes, let's not talk about it anymore.

It's.

Sherbet time.

Aka comfort food time.

Czes is going to help himself to quite a bit of it, filling his bowl up with as many scoops as he can before handing the scooper and sherbet to Luke]

Third Misfortune - [voice] - Backdated to Halloween night

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