Purple And Yellow

Chapter 8

"D'you think we'll have any updates today?" Owen asked as he and Curt walked to their office.
"Well, something's bound to happen soon. Two quiet days seems like too much."
"Way to be optimistic."
"Well, that is hard in a job like this."
Curt unlocked the door, holding it open for Owen before closing it and throwing his bag down next to his desk. After quickly removing his jacket, he sat down and wheeled his chair over to Owen's desk.
Owen opened the laptop, quickly typing in the password before loading up the footage from the surveillance camera. Then he hit play where they'd left off the day before.
What they saw, at first, was a crowd of sniggles posing as park guests riding rollercoasters. Nothing out of the ordinary for watcher world. Until they got to 12:13 in the morning that day.
"Oh shit," Curt mumbled as the screen went black. He rolled his eyes, briefly looking away from the laptop.
"No, Curt! Look!"
He let his eyes drift back over before his expression twisted into one of fear and disgust, one eyebrow raised and one lowered.
"What in the fuck..."
"What is this?"
What they were looking at was two little cartoon people, both in raincoats, one purple and one yellow, despite the little sun blazing in the corner of the unnaturally bright turquoise background. The two figures were bobbing up and down and swaying from side to side.
Then, without warning, yellow's neck extended, it stopped dancing, then it bit off purple's head and the screen went red.
Owen grimaced and looked at Curt as the seven second long animation repeated.
After three more repeats, Curt suddenly slammed the laptop shut. Owen moved back in his chair slightly, his eyes widening as the noise resounded in his ears.
"Sorry," Curt said, gently touching his hand.
"It's fine. One of us had to stop it."
"Whatever 'it' even was."
"Purple bitch trying to freak us out. That's what it was." Owen suppressed a shiver.
"So we have 'green bastard' and 'purple bitch'..."
"Focus, Curt."
"Sorry."
Curt opened the laptop, immediately saving a copy of the clip to the computer then closing it.
"What do we do now?" Owen asked.
"Let's find out what Webby's told Xander. And tell him about... this..."
"Right. Okay."

"Well, that's just fucking creepy," Xander said after hearing what had happened. "But I can't say I'm shocked. About him figuring out we'd put cameras there. I couldn't have predicted... that..."
Curt nodded, dismayed.
"Was Webby able to tell you anything?" Owen asked.
"Unfortunately, no. I think you two need to lie low for a bit. Focus on other cases just to throw him off."
They cautiously smiled.
"Gladly," Owen said as they stood up, making Xander laugh. "I think we're in need of a break."
"Definitely."

"Thank god we're home. I just want to sit down, eat some pasta and not think about this morning," Curt said as Owen got out his keys.
"I just want to sleep."
"You have to eat dinner first."
"Then sleep."
"Yes, then sleep."
Owen smiled as he unlocked the door.
"No, I need to get away."
Owen stood in the door staring at his sister, who seemed to be in the middle of a heated conversation over the phone.
"No! I can't tell him yet... Are you nuts? ...I'll sort it... I said I will sort it... Just..." Then she looked up, her expression freezing into one of panic. "I'll talk to you later."
She hung up the phone, tossing it onto the couch.
"What was that about needing to get away?"
She said nothing.
"I'll leave you two..." Curt said as he slunk into the bedroom and the other two sat on the couch.
"Are you going to run away again?"
Still no answer.
"Annabelle!"
"I don't know! Maybe! I just-" She groaned, frustratedly, "I don't know if I can stay here. I want to. But I don't know if I can."
"Why not?"
"Our bloody parents."
Owen recoiled.
"I'm sorry, I'm so-"
  "No, no, it's fine. I'm gonna have to get used to it at some point."
"Owen, please don't try to-"
"If you're gonna go, at least tell me why."
"I told you, mum and dad won't leave me alone-"
"I know you know why. Just tell me."
Annabelle tilted her head, silently begging him not to make her say it, but the slight raise of his eyebrow prompted a sigh before she just said it.
"Because they can't have their 'only child' being a disappointment. They need me not to turn against them because they have to be seen to have a child who's been successful," she said reluctantly.
Owen fought back the tears as hard as he could as he said, "Just please don't go. I already spent seven years without you. I just got you back. I can't lose you again."
Then he stood up and walked to the bedroom.
"Owen, please-" She let her head roll back as she watched him walk away.

"Owen, are you all right?" Curt asked gently as Owen closed the door, standing with his back against it and his palms pressed against it. He was still trying to stifle the tears.
Curt stood up, cautiously approaching Owen, holding out a hand for him to take. Instead, Owen fell into his arms.
"It's okay," he whispered, "It's okay."
"No it's not."
"What isn't?"
Curt stood back, sitting on the bed and gesturing for Owen to do the same.
"They need Annabelle because they don't want their only child being a disappointment. They think she's-" Owen let out a sob that broke Curt's heart, then felt his head fall into his shoulder.
Curt stroked his hair, unsure of what to say.
Owen looked up. "I don't even know why I'm upset-"
"Of course you're upset. It would be a little strange if you weren't," Curt said gently, smiling sympathetically.
Owen let his face fall back into Curt's shoulder.