[Day One - Late Morning] After Me Lucky Charms!

[Imogen Baker]

"That's how it typically ends," she nodded knowingly. "At least, when it comes to the few times I did my jobs." People typically didn't like the answers to what their spouses were doing behind their backs.

"I don't think I feel like pestering the locals too much around here," she said she distances herself from the clerk and favoured a corner of the store more, likely where they kept the cold drinks and the seasonal BBQ items that were now collecting dust in the off-season. "How do you suppose you're doing to keep busy around here?"

[Marlowe Phillips]

"I'm not sure." I admitted. "A place like this shouldn't need a guy like me. But, bad things happen everywhere. Something might come up. If not, there are worse vacations."

[Imogen Baker]

Imogen adjusted her aviator sunglasses slightly, which admittedly sat weirdly on her face and everything in front of it when you consider her mien rather than her mask. "Yeah, there are shit vacations but there are better vacations too. Disney World would have been better, just barely. They do have their own law around here, right? A sheriff?" Hopefully, it wasn't a sheriff in cahoots with a cannibal killer.

She took a packet of Oreos in her hands. "I imagine the biggest thing might be the church? I saw a few of them down the street when I rolled in."

[Marlowe Phillips]

"Churches and bars. And, a county sheriff who's deputy might drive through once a day. That's small town life." I gulped down more coffee. "I'll take it over all that sunshine, though. That just makes it harder to see what's lurking in the shadows."

[Imogen Baker]

She asked as she stopped halfway browsing through the various cans of soup and food. It seemed unlikely that she was going to need this store of food around here. "Harder? I found it usually sticks out more, more obvious contrast between light and dark. When Autumn rolls around, in a place like this, it just seems to take on the same shade sometimes. Something could be mysterious or it could just be seasonal depression."

[Marlowe Phillips]

"More light. Fewer shadows." I nodded. "That just means the dark things have to try harder to hide and become better at it. I know a few things about hiding in the shadows."

The clerk was staring at me with the irritation of a disappointed nun, as I poured my third cup. I moved to the counter and laid out a few bills.

"A pack of camels, no filters."

[Imogen Baker]

Imogen wasn't quite ready to make her purchase yet, she was still looking for things to make her hotel room more like home for the next few days. It was unlikely going to actually feel like home but comfort items were a start. She gazed over to the freezer section and spotted some freezies and rocket pops, unfortunately not Ben & Jerry's nor Magnum ice cream.

She said under her breath in a half-whisper to Marlowe as she continued the conversation. "More hiding in the beat than actually in the shadows, I imagine around here."

[Marlowe Phillips]

I nodded as I returned to Imogen. "There are a lot of ways to hide. What's hidden is the bigger question. The two of us coming here doesn't feel like a coincidence."

[Imogen Baker]

"No..." she said on a cautious note. A part of her wanted to think it was truly a coincidence, however. It would make her stay here more interesting but she didn't know if interesting is something she wanted out of this town. It didn't help she did actually watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre before coming here to give her those ideas. She picked up a Snickers, not that she wanted one, just to maintain the illusion that she was shopping more than talking.

"Are you staying at the motel too?" There didn't seem to be anywhere else they could stay, unless someone was hiding away some really quaint bed and breakfast.

[Marlowe Phillips]

"Unless there are other options." I hadn't actually looked into lodging yet. "I don't know anyone local."