A Path Through the Woods(A RiaEgg Story)

Prologue

NOTE:

This story is an entry for _iieuphoria 's AUL Art and Writing Contest!

Hope you enjoy! :D

____________________________________________________________

The neighborhood was dark and quiet. The sun had long since set, and the moon and stars that usually shone at night were hidden behind a blanket of gloomy, grey clouds. The air smelled of rain, and an ocean breeze blew in over the coastal cliffs, turning the calm night air chilly. But there was nobody outside to feel the wind, or brave the cold. Everyone was inside, and no lights shone from any of the houses.

The quiet was only slightly disturbed by the sound of an electric hum making its way down the streets, and the blare of headlights illuminating the pavement like day. A few stirred in their slumber, but the sound seemed to pass them by before they could be bothered. They didn't care much...Only the driver of the orange coup really cared much about anything at this hour, it seemed.

The vehicle pulled into the driveway of a polished, modern home, stopping right beside another, smaller lime green coup. When its low hum fell completely silent and its lights had died down, the figure of a crewmate stepped out of the car with a bag of groceries, carefully and quietly closing the door behind him before locking the car and heading back up to his front door...He unlocked it, opened the door and headed inside, emitting a tired sigh as he made his way into the living room, aiming to make himself a cup of tea after everything was put away where it belonged.

"Out late again, huh?"

He jumped at the sound of the voice, and instinctively fumbled for the light switch on the wall to see who had addressed him. He heaved a sigh of relief when the light washed over the familiar figure standing there.

"Oh...Ria, it's just you," he responded, managing a small smile. "Yes, I was...I'm sorry it took me so long tonight, love. I had to pick up a few things on the way back."

"Hrm...At least you got the milk" she noticed. "But still, MrEgg. That doesn't explain you coming home so late the past three weeks. Is The Piatto Nobile making you play during the night, too, now?"

"No, no, they haven't. I've just been...busy after my shift as of late."

"Doing what?"

"Oh..." he replied as he put the eggs and milk in the fridge and readied the tea kettle. "...Nothing too important."

"MrEgg, I find it hard to believe that something 'not to important' would keep you in town until after ten every night. It doesn't just make me worry about your safety, but it also makes me...well...kinda suspicious."

"You needn't worry, Ria," the orange crewmate assured her, seeming rather calm about the whole ordeal. "Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise."

Ria sighed; MrEgg wasn't one to lie, she knew that much, but the uneasy pit forming in her gut told her that he was definitely up to something...Something he didn't want to tell her about.

But he didn't seem concerned about the ordeal much. Which was saying something, as he did often have spells of anxiety...So could he really be doing something all that bad?

"...Fine," she finally accepted, though her nerves weren't much better off than before. "But this better not last much longer, alright?"

"Care for some tea before bed, love?"

Her gaze narrowed a bit as his abrupt response. How could he not see that she was bothered by all of this? What on earth was going through his head?

She frowned at him before answering.

"No. You drink it. I'm going to bed..."

With that, she turned and headed to the bedroom...Once she was out of sight, MrEgg heaved out another, longer sigh, and his calm façade fell to reveal his hidden worry.

That was a close one, he said to himself. Too close...I hope everything still goes according to plan.