Lucien had felt it.
From the moment the room went quiet.
Not normal quiet—the kind where even your own breathing sounds too loud.
That kind of silence.
Something had been there.
Close.
Watching.
Waiting.
He didn't react.
Didn't panic.
Just slowed his breathing a little, steadying himself.
The strange energy inside his body moved with it, like it knew what to do before he did.
Keeping that… thing… just far enough.
And then—
"Hey! Stop right there!"
The voice hit like someone flipping a switch.
Sound came rushing back all at once.
Rain. Wind. The faint buzz of the lights.
Jamie sucked in a breath like he'd been underwater.
Lucien just frowned slightly.
Both of them turned.
A man stood at the door.
Hat. Coat. Beard. The whole "detective" look.
Didn't take a genius to figure out who he was.
"What do you think you're doing?" the man said, stepping in. "Destroying evidence at a crime scene?"
Lucien didn't answer.
Honestly, he wasn't even thinking about the detective.
Bad timing.
Whatever had been about to happen—
Was gone.
Just like that.
Jamie spoke first. "Detective, wait—this isn't—"
"Yeah, yeah," the detective cut him off. "I've heard enough already."
His eyes moved to Lucien.
"And you? You just show up and start playing with evidence?"
Lucien finally looked at him.
Not annoyed.
Not angry.
Just… uninterested.
He walked past him.
"Hey—"
The detective stepped in front of him, blocking the way.
"I said stop."
Lucien stopped.
Looked at him for a second.
Then said, calm as ever—
"You done?"
The detective blinked.
"…What?"
"If you're going to arrest me," Lucien said, "then do it properly."
A small pause.
"If not, move."
That clearly wasn't the response he expected.
The detective's jaw tightened.
"Listen," he said, lowering his voice a bit, "I don't know what kind of act you're putting on, but I've seen plenty like you."
Lucien didn't say anything.
"People who think they're clever," the detective continued. "Who try to confuse things, make up stories, avoid responsibility."
He glanced at Jamie.
"Ghosts. Dolls. Nursery rhymes. You really expect me to buy that?"
Jamie hesitated. "…I know how it sounds."
"Yeah," the detective said. "You should."
Lucien let out a quiet breath.
There it was.
Every time.
One person who just wouldn't believe anything unless it punched them in the face.
"Detective," Lucien said, finally speaking again, "if you stay here, you're going to die."
Silence.
Jamie stiffened.
The detective just stared at him—
Then laughed.
Short. Sharp.
"Right," he said. "And I suppose you're here to save me?"
"No," Lucien replied.
"Not really."
That made the man pause.
Just for a second.
"I'm telling you so you don't get in my way later," Lucien added.
Jamie looked at him.
The detective's expression hardened again.
"You think you're funny?"
Lucien didn't answer.
He just stepped around him this time.
And walked out.
Jamie hesitated… then followed.
The detective stood there for a moment, watching them go.
Then muttered under his breath—
"Yeah. I'm definitely not done with this."
And followed them out anyway.
—
The drive was quieter this time.
No one really felt like talking.
The rain had slowed, but the roads were still wet, reflecting the streetlights in long streaks.
The detective insisted on coming along.
Said he needed to "keep an eye" on things.
Lucien didn't argue.
Didn't care enough to.
As they left the city behind, things started to change.
Gradually.
Fewer lights.
Less traffic.
More empty space.
Until—
They reached the bridge.
Jamie slowed the car without even realizing it.
On the other side—
Was his hometown.
At least…
What was left of it.
"…This place looks worse than I remember," Jamie said quietly.
The detective leaned forward slightly, staring out the window.
"…Worse? This looks dead."
He wasn't wrong.
Shops were closed.
Some looked abandoned.
Benches broken.
Leaves scattered everywhere like no one had bothered to clean them in years.
No people.
Not a single one in sight.
Lucien watched silently.
He could feel it.
Not something obvious.
Just…
Something sitting under everything.
Like the whole town was holding onto something it couldn't let go of.
Jamie exhaled slowly.
"I'm going home first," he said. "My father might know something."
There was hesitation in his voice.
Lucien noticed.
Didn't comment.
The detective nodded. "I'm coming with you."
Of course he was.
Jamie glanced at Lucien.
"…You?"
Lucien looked out the window one last time.
At the empty street ahead.
"I'll walk around," he said.
"See what's here."
Jamie frowned slightly. "Alone?"
Lucien opened the door.
"I'll be fine."
He stepped out before either of them could say anything else.
The car drove off.
Leaving him standing there.
Alone.
Lucien looked down the street.
Took a slow breath.
"…Yeah."
This place wasn't normal either.
Somewhere in the distance—
A door creaked.
Lucien didn't move.
"…Good."