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Royal Woods
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October 31st
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The town was still in slumber as the night held out for around an hour more before daybreak. A lonely gas station by the side of the road was up and running at this time of the hour. The attendant was clearly sleep deprived and simply counting the minutes before his late-night shift finally came to an end. He was too enthralled with the television to notice a truck pulling up outside. The driver exited the truck and approached the store. The sound of the front doorbell going off rattled the young attendant from his sleeping state of mind. He was not surprised to see someone up this early in the morning, and watched the man for a bit, see if he needed any sort of assistance.
The stranger never looked at him, hell, he didn't seem to react to much, he scanned the area and headed towards the back where the display fridge was at. The attendant focused back on his television screened, waiting for the large hand to strike at six so he can go home and sleep all day. The sliding door was slammed shut and the stranger, opened up a cold bottle of Pepsi and drank it.
"Hey man, you better pay for that. Okay?" he called out.
Lemy approached the cash register, Pepsi still in hand. He was emotionless as he burned a hole through the guy's head. The attendant shifted uncomfortably as Lemy stood still and watched him in silence. "You, uh, need some gas?" the tension was thick as the man was greeted by a silence. Lemy kept his eyes trained on the attendant as he reached for his back pocket.
Back home Lyra had been allocated in the heart of the sheriff's department. The decision had been made to keep her here until further notice, until her brother was captured, or killed. It was not a simple decision, but one that was the right call to have been made. The only person who opposed it was the very same one that everyone is trying to protect. Lyra wished to not hide, and she definitely did not wish to see Lyle get in harm's way as her human shield.
Lyle refused to budge or allow her any leeway at all, he had to protect her at all costs and if that meant becoming bait to draw Lemy out then so be it. Sheriff McCann had his department on lockdown and send out many deputies to keep a sharp eye on the many roads that lead to Royal Woods. Gloom had decided to rent a motel at the center of town as per his instructions. She was not at all happy about any of this, as much as he agreed with her about leaving, deep down he knew, he just knew that Lemy would find a way and track them down no matter what. No, it ended tonight. Lemy was going to die tonight. Evil would die tonight!
"I just want to say that what you are doing right now takes immense courage son." Chandler spoke, getting Lyle to snap out of his thoughts. Both found themselves standing at the front door to the Loud residence. The sun was still high up in the sky, but in a few more hours the darkness would soon follow and then would Halloween truly commence.
"It's the only way..." Lyle sighed.
"I'll have one of my deputies stationed nearby. If he does show up, then he will be taken in or down." Chandler affirmed him.
Lyle looked at the older man square in the eyes, "I hope he does not surrender." Both men came to a silent agreement and soon after departed, Lyle retreating back inside the house and Chandler on his cruiser, off to handle what would come to be a very long and terrifying night.
Walking towards the kitchen, Lyle opened the fridge and grabbed a beer. While not much of a drinker himself, this unfortunate occasion called for it. This night was going to be the one that would either free him or kill him, but one thing was certain, someone was going to die tonight, and he was going to make sure to be the one left standing. He grabbed the phone and dialed a few numbers. After some time the call connected.
"Royal Woods Sheriff's Department." the voice on the other end communicated.
"Yeah, this is Lyle Loud. Can I get Lyra Loud on the phone, please?"
"Damnit!" Lynn slammed the phone. All day, she has been trying to get in contact with Clyde, but all she got in return was nothing. Nobody had seen him since the day before, its like he just vanished. It totally pissed her off. The same thing was happening with Lucy, no contact hatsoever.
Ater the murders, Lucy went down a bad hill and became a reclusive. Lynn's relationship with her younger sister had gradually decline over the years, they were no more than strangers now. They barley spoke and visitations from either woman were non-existent. Still, he needed to verify her status, be sure that she was safe and aware of what was happening regarding Lemy's escape.
"Fucking hell, gotta call Chandler and have one of his deputy goons check up on her." afterwards she would drive over to Franklin Avenue and check up on Lyle.
Grabbing her keys, she went to her room and checked one of her drawers. Inside she grabbed a .38 revolver, fully loaded that she had purchased years ago. She had absolute faith her her physical prowers, but this was no ordinary man she and the rest of thr family were dealing with, this was a monster that needed to be put down for good and she would make every shot fired count. The night was fast approaching, she knew where to go, but her rationality was not prevailing tonight. Getting on her car, Lynn decided to join the cops and patrol the streets of her hometown. Many teens and kids would be out trick or treating tonight, all potential victims. She was going to find him and kill him.
A pair of kids in their Halloween costumes along with their mother were crossing a street when a truck slammed its breaks right in front of them. The screeching noise of the heavy vehicle's halt terrified the the kids. The mother recovered first and immediately starting throwing insults at the driver.
With a final flipping of the her finger the truck drove off, leaving the three behind. Lemy ignored them, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Scanning the entire street for any possible sightings, but all he saw were early trick or treaters happily walking on the sidewalks in their costumes and many adults as their supervisors. None of them mattered. If they got on his way then he would cut them down, for now he was tracking her down.
He already saw police presence, likely searching for him as he searched for her. He would wait until sundown. The darkness was and has always been his weapon.
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Royal Woods Sheriff's Department
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Laying down on a bench, Lyra remained peacefully asleep, no fears or dangers lurking in her dreams for once. This time it was a pleasant dream, one that predated that night, one where her entire family was still alive. Coincidentally, it was about Halloween, the first night all four went out together as a family. Lemy's first Halloween. She could not stop smiling as she held his hand and guided him to his first house. Ringing the doorbell and happily announcing their presence with the traditional introduction of "Trick or Treat!" Lyra looked at her bag of full of treats and back at little Lemy marveling at the many flavors of candies he would be consuming that bight and the day after. Turning around, Lyra in her witch costume expected to see her parents waiting by the sidewalk -darkness greeted her instead. Not only the pitch black, but a hulking figure stood before the ten year old girl. She could not see the man's face, but she saw the shining object he was wielding in his hand. A bloodstained kitchen knife.
Her eyes blew wide open, finding herself back in one of the holding cells of the sheriff's department building. "Fuck..." with a mutter she lifted herself up and sat down on the bench. It was too good to last. She did not want to go back on medication, yes it allowed her to sleep, but she wanted to dream even if it meant that majority of the time it would end up with her waking up in utter fear.
"Lyra? Why are you in here?" Chandler was standing by the cell door, he had a soda can in hand which he offered to her.
"I needed some peace and quite." she popped the can open and drank the sugary black liquid, "I've been locked up for a long time, this feels...better." the cold drink brought life to dryspell that had taken ahold of her without prior knowledge. She savored the taste, taking a minimal appreciation out of this entire horrible day she's been suffering.
"We will find him. I promise you this." Chandler said.
Lyra rubbed her palms together, producing what little warmth her cold hands could produce. She found herself in deep thought, her gaze transfixed into nothingness, currently inhabiting a different world outside of this one. Chandler decided to grant her some privacy, but just as he took a step away she spoke up again.
"Do I deserve this?" whether she was asking him or to herself was unknown, but he responded back anyway.
"You've done nothing wrong Lyra. Those were his choices, not yours."
"You and my father were not really close were you? Long before the allegations became true, long before Lemy and I were born." Hearing her speak about the past was not something Chandler wished to hear, but this was more about her than it was about himself, "The devil has come to collect me. Someon has to pay for the sins of my parents."
"Hey, what your father and mother did, thats not on you. It should never be on you. What they chose to do was their decision and, well...they did love each other, regardless...of it all. I am terribly sorry for everything your family as much as yourself had to go through. Lincoln and I, it was a very complicated ordeal. I was a little shit back in the day, your father was just another kid for me to harass. As adults we both matured and become much more civil regarding our past history. I had a suspicion, before you were born, I suspected that something was going on between him and Luna. How I wish had done more you after...that bloody night." Chandler said.
To here someone other than her own family to express actual, sincere sympathy, it felt...nice. "Thank you. Can I tell you something important?" Chandler nodded to which Lyra gave out a quick sigh, "Your son is a cunt."
"Duly noted." Chandler smiled, well aware of his kid's ill reputation. He was honestly was glad to hear about Lyle knocking some sense into him some weeks back. Another deputy showed up and requested the sheriff's presence. Once again, Lyra was alone with her thoughts, as she had been for many years before.
Her mind wandered back to her phone conversation with Lyle earlier that day. "Promise me Lyra. Promise me that you will not do anything stupid or dangerous tonight. Please, stay put, stay safe. We'll relocate you in the morning to somewhere safer and far away from here."
"Lyle, please you dint have to be out there. You don't have to do this! Please, stay with me. Dont leave me!"
"...Stay safe Lyra. I love you."
Tears sprouted out as she relieved that quick memory of today. She did not want any of this. Wanted none of it. Fate was a fucked up thing in her life.
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Royal Woods Suburbs
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A woman in her mid thirties returned to her home after a long day at work. It was Halloween, and she had to be ready to receive all the kids at her doorsteps. Removing her coat and scarf, she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the cabinets. Afterward, she grabbed a glass cup and poured the wine in it. She looked around, searching for someone.
"Maggie, are you here?" she walked over to the living and sat down on the couch. Her sister was staying over for the weekend after a break-up. After not getting a response, she shrugged, guessing that she was either asleep or in the shower.
A loud thumping above her caught her attention. Her room was directly above, and a few more thumps were heard. "What the hell is she doing in my room?" she stood up and headed for the stairs.
As she was halfway up, a large and heavy object was tossed over the railing and landing directly on top of her. The impact threw her off, and she fell bacwkards down the stairs until her body collided with the wooden floor. Disoriented, she attempted to reclaim her bearings but found herself unable to stand. A stinging pain coming from her ankle jolted her body. Looking back, and much to her horror, the lifeless body of her sister was but a few feet away from her. This corpse had been the reason for her downfall.
Speechless, she looked up and saw a large man standing perfectly still at the top of the stairwell, looking down at her. Her screams filled the once empty household and started to crawl away. Lemy descended the stairs, no rush on his behalf as he kept his eyes on her. Nowhere near the front door, the woman cried many words as she attempted to reach her only exit.
Lemy approached and stomped on her injured ankle, causing a painful scream to escape her mouth. He stomped several more times, until a sickening crunching of bone was heard. Now immobile, he brandished his hunting knife, still coated in the dry blood from previous killings. Raising it high above his head, he began to stab the woman savagely on her back. Each stab much deeper and harder than the last. After a dozen stabs, he lifted her head and slit her throat wide open, a waterfall of red pouring out and flooding the once clean furnished wood floor.
Standing up, Lemy turned his attention to the television in the living room. A news anchor was reporting the incident at Hexwood many nights ago. Many patients of the asylum were still at large, including himself. A photo of his most recent mugshot taken before his would-be transfer was displayed on screen for many around to remember and report. The news starts going on to detail about his killings and mentioning his sister, Lyra, as the sole survivor of that tragic night. Before more could be spoken, a chair from the dining room was flung at the television with intended rage, busting the screen entirely.