Part 1
Storm
1-1
Where's Casey?
A shriveled creature lay at a cave's entrance, emaciated with fur soaked in blood and mucus. They were wide awake, eyes swollen and bloodshot and gasping for air through a windpipe that sounded as if it would turn to dust at any moment. The figure slowly began to rise, only to collapse from their own weight, their muscles too weak to support themselves. Yet despite this, they persisted, and with all of their might rose to their feet and began to shamble away from the cave and off into the trees. They were hunchbacked and their body swayed with every step, threatening to tip over at any moment. They wrapped their arms around themselves tightly in a vain attempt to hide from the frigid November air.
Soon they were basking in the faint light of the streetlamps as they continued their pilgrimage. The skin underneath their fur was fiery raw and was covered in blisters and strangely shaped cuts. The creature moaned in pain as it trudged forwards, yet Possum Springs remained lifeless, ignorant of their intense suffering.
Suddenly police lights began to flash in the distance, and soon a police car parked on the side of the road. The siren chirped loudly but the disheveled character passed by as if it wasn't even there. A dark blue cat woman exited the driver's side of the car, bearing a police uniform with a look of serious nature painted across her face.
"Excuse me sir?" She asked in a stern tone, hand on her strap. The darkness was too thick to make out any details, only their outline. They continued to shamble on as if she didn't even exist. She tentatively unbuckled the strap on her gun she approached.
"Sir, are you aware that there's a curfew in place?" She questioned whilst pondering what drugs this guy was on. Passing under a street lamp, the policewoman managed to get a better view of them, and was appalled by what she saw. Through his thin, patchy fur one could see what appeared to be circles made of small yet deep cuts all over his back, as if something had latched onto them and sucked the life from them like a protein shake. The cat was at a loss for words, but as she looked at him closely she noticed something peculiar: A small Jamaica-shaped birthmark on his right shoulder. Without thinking, she spoke.
"...Casey?" As if she had spoken the magic words, the figure almost immediately stopped in its tracks, slowly turning their head to look at the officer. His sunken, pinpoint pupils peering into her soul as he uttered in a hollow voice.
"Miss… Mall-Cop?" his entire body began to relax as tears welled up in his eyes. He turned around fully and stumbled towards her; Molly didn't know what to do but accept the poor kid as he collapsed into her arms and began to cry like a baby. He gently pulled her into a hug and buried his face into her chest.
"I-I'm sorry miss, I sh-shoulda listened to you…" The boy wailed and sobbed into her shirt. Molly held the miserable boy close.
"Shhhhh, it's OK." She whispered calmly into his ear as she held him. "You're safe now."
You have 1 new voice message:
'Hey it's Molly. I know we don't talk much, but about an hour ago I ran into your old friend Casey. He's… in bad shape, very bad shape, so I wanted to let you know so you can visit him just in case anything happens to him. He'd really love to see you. We're at Dr. Hank's office right now, come as soon as you can, please.'
End